June 2008

"Giving is true loving."
- Charles Spurgeon, 19th century Baptist preacher

Reimagining Microfinance
CEO of Grameen casts new vision

SOCIAL INNOVATION REVIEW - Critics of microfinance institutions (MFIs) ask them to choose between helping the poor or making money for investors, but this is a false choice. MFIs can have their impact and profit, too, says Alex Counts, the CEO of the Grameen Foundation, as he sketches a new vision of microfinance as a platform, not a product. read more...

Stop Writing Checks!
Cash giving offers the least bang for the buck

KARDIA FAMILY WEALTH COUNSELING - A fascinating fact is that over 80% of all gifts received by non-profits are cash, yet only 7% of affluent net worth consists of cash. Of all the things you have to give, cash offers the least “bang for the giving buck" - especially when you consider the tax advantages of donating other assets. read more...

Food Aid Saves Millions But World Hunger Lingers
Eradicating chronic hunger requires more than crisis response

WASHINGTON POST - Emergency food aid by the UN and other humanitarian organizations has reached millions of homeless and hungry people devastated by disaster. Meanwhile, hundreds of millions suffer from chronic hunger in Africa, Asia and parts of Latin America. Agricultural development has been largely neglected. read more...

Tax Exemption of Charities Face New Challenges
Congress is increasingly challenging nonprofit tax status

NEW YORK TIMES - Authorities are increasingly challenging the tax-exempt status of nonprofit institutions. A central issue is the growing confusion over what constitutes a charity at a time when nonprofit groups look more like businesses, charging fees and selling products and services to raise money, and state and local governments are under financial pressure because of lower tax revenues. read more...

Charity Prize Fight
Prize philanthropy's growing use is bringing focus and attention

CN PORTFOLIO - Trying to shake up grant-making, benefactors ranging from the Rockefeller Foundation to Sir Richard Branson are funding public contests aimed at solving the world's ills. While these competitions sometimes fall short of generating viable solutions, they're drawing plenty of publicity, money, and ideas to causes that usually draw resigned sighs. read more...

The Coming Charity Crisis
How the struggling economy is hurting donations

NEWSWEEK - The latest victims of the sagging economy: charities. With the economy slowing and likely in recession, charitable giving will probably slump this year and possibly next. After all, charitable donations are a lagging indicator. read more...

Best & Worst Cities for Nonprofit Efficiency
An analysis of statistical differences between charity locations

CHARITY NAVIGATOR - TCharity Navigator recently completed a national study to determine and analyze any statistical differences that may exist in the financial practices of charities located in different metropolitan markets. The analysis, completed in May 2008, demonstrates that the financial behavior of America's largest charities is influenced by the metropolitan market within which the charity operates. read more...

Give Now or Later?
Why giving away your money now makes sense

US NEWS & WORLD REPORT - Parents and grandparents with money to spare are no longer waiting until death to pass on their wealth. Instead, they're increasingly handing it over to their adult kids while they're still around to see how it's spent—and, in some cases, lend a hand. read more...

The Lazarus Life
by Steve Smith

The life of Lazarus is one of the most profound stories in the Bible. The chronicle of an ordinary man who found himself at the center of an extraordinary miracle. The story of Lazarus also holds a powerful parallel for us today. It tells of a life filled with hope and heartbreak, expectancy and disappointment, death and life. Simply, it is the story of every Christian believer. Stephen W. Smith takes a profound walk through the life of Lazarus, a story that offers remarkable insights into our own spiritual transformation. Through this exploration of Lazarus’s life you will encounter a God who seems distant and unresponsive, a life marked by disappointment, a situation where hope seems impossible, and a Savior who can forever change your world. Revisit the life and legacy of Lazarus, and discover a story all your own. buy at Amazon.com...

PBS Nightly Business News Report
A Guide to Giving - Part 3

Philanthropy is a mission, and it is also an industry. In 2005 alone, charitable contributions to nonprofits topped $250 billion. The three part series "A Guide to Giving" explores trends in personal and corporate philanthropy and also examines nonprofit accountability.

In the third part of this series about trends in the charitable giving industry, NBR correspondent Jeff Yastine explores the ways technology, particularly the Internet, has changed how charities do business.

Watch the video...