Philanthropy Front and Center - Washington, DC

Standards and Fundraising Success

In this terribly challenging economy, nonprofits are more focused than ever on fundraising. As we work to craft the strongest possible proposals and develop relationships with foundations and other funders, we also must remain focused on our organizations’ infrastructure. We must insist that our “house in is order” and that our boards, volunteers and staff are working within a strong organizational framework.  

 The Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector® offers a model for how the most well managed and responsibly governed organizations operate. The Standards for Excellence® code encourages nonprofits to embrace best practices in critical areas like mission, program evaluation, governance, conflicts of interest human resources, financial issues, openness, fundraising, and public policy and public affairs. Strengthening these areas will help you meet your mission and make your case to funders.

To learn more about the Standards for Excellence® code, attend our special program on February 6 at 9:30 am at the Foundation Center, Washington, DC.  Space is still available, so be sure to register for this free informative program!

Sponsored by the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations. 

Next Week at the Foundation Center (February 2-6)

Courses:
Cultivating Grantmaker Relationships
Thursday, February 5, 9:00 am-4:00 pm
cost: $195 per person; Save $25 for each additional registration

Special Program:
Introduction to the Standards for Excellence:
An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector
Friday, February 6, 9:30-11:00 am

Classes:
Proposal Writing Basics
Monday, February 2, 11:00-12:15 am

Proposal Budgeting Basics
Monday, February 2, 12:45 am-1:45 pm

Introduction to Fundraising Planning
Tuesday, February 3, 10:30-11:30 am

How to Approach a Foundation:
From Initial Contact to Getting Funded
Tuesday, February 3, 12:00-1:00 pm

Your Board and Fundraising
Wednesday, February 4, 10:00-11:30 am

The classes and program above are free to attend, but registration is required. For programs offered over the next three months, please see our Events Calendar.

Library:
Use Foundation Directory Online Professional, borrow books, and get reference help free of charge with no appointment necessary. See our website for directions.

Hours:
Monday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday
10:00 am-5:00 pm
Tuesday
10:00 am-8:00 pm

Get Noticed!

Help your nonprofit find new donors by applying to be included in the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington. This is a trusted resource listing about 350 smaller community-based charities in the DC area which is offered free both online and in print. Since November 2003, the Catalogue has helped charities raise more than $6.3 million.

The purpose of the Catalogue is “to create visibility for excellent, trustworthy nonprofits in Greater Washington” and “to increase and improve charitable giving in the Washington, DC region.” Each charity included is visited by at least one reviewer and is evaluated for distinction, merit, cost-effectiveness, and accomplishment. Location, diversity among fields and kinds of organizations, and appeal to donors also contribute to the final decision on which organizations will be included.

The first deadline to be featured in the 2009-10 Catalogue is coming up on February 23, so don’t miss this opportunity to get noticed!

What About the Arts? National and Local Resources

Conversations about the impact of the economic crisis on nonprofit organizations more frequently have dealt with its impact on human service providers. Arts organizations too are suffering. 

The PhilanthroMedia blog recently featured a post where Dana Variano expressed concern that the arts are "high up on the chopping block in this economic downturn" and asked, "If all the arts programs are slashed in America, what will happen to our history of free speech, free expression, free dialogue?" 

A recent post by Advance the Arts provides advice and a list of resources for sustaining the arts in a time of economic turmoil.

 A key element of sustainability is having a good management structure in place. Locally, the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington is an excellent source of basic management training tailored for arts organizations. They are launching a new series at the end of January. Check it out.

To find information about arts funding on the Foundation Center web site, look at our Topical Resources Lists. There you will find some great resources on funding and managing arts organizations, arts partnerships, and corporate philanthropy in the arts. We also have some interesting arts-related videos and podcasts in our Events Archive.

How is your arts organization doing these days? 

Next Week at the Foundation Center (January 26-30)

Course:
Foundation Funding Research: Strategies for Finding and Evaluating Prospects
Wednesday, January 28, 1:00-4:00 pm and
Thursday, January 29, 9:00 am-4:00 pm
cost: $295 per person; Save $25 for each additional registration

Classes:
Grantseeking Basics
Tuesday, January 27, 9:30-11:00 am

Introduction to Foundation Directory Online
Tuesday, January 27, 11:30 am-12:30 pm

Prospect Research Basics: Researching Individual Donors
Friday, January 30, 12:30-1:45 pm
This class is full! It will be offered again on Thursday, February 19 at 11:00 am.

Special Program:
Introduction to Government Grant Research
Friday, January 30, 2:00-3:00 pm

The classes above are free to attend, but registration is required. For programs offered over the next three months, please see our Events Calendar.

Library:
Use Foundation Directory Online Professional, borrow books, and get reference help free of charge with no appointment necessary. See our website for directions.

Hours:
Monday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday
10:00 am-5:00 pm
Tuesday
10:00 am-8:00 pm

A New Beginning

This has been an exciting time in DC! Record crowds turned out to celebrate a new administration and the beginning of an important chapter in our history.
 
We here at the Foundation Center are especially excited that our new president has focused on the importance of service and community organizing. Much of our work is aimed at helping community-based groups become more effective.

With nonprofits worried about their financial futures in these uncertain economic times, it was encouraging to hear today that both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, important funders in our area, have announced that they will begin making grants again.

The entire staff of the Foundation Center-Washington, DC welcomes President Obama and looks forward to a renewed partnership between the government, its citizens, and the nonprofit sector.

New Year, New Ideas... New Funders? Part 2

So how are you doing on your new year's resolutions? Yeah, we understand...

In a previous post, we gave you some books to help you get started on your resolution to find new funders for your nonprofit. Now we're going to share some of our favorite online resources.

First, be sure to visit our web site for free tutorials and webinars, like these:

• Getting Ready for Foundation Fundraising - an overview of the first steps nonprofits need to take to become viable, effective organizations in preparation for fundraising. Free registration required.
• Introduction to Fundraising Planning - introduces strategies for putting together a fundraising plan that best reflects an organization's needs and resources.
• Proposal Writing Short Course - describes how to prepare a funding proposal, including planning, research, and cultivation of foundation and corporate donors.

Here is some more good stuff from other reliable online sources:

• Network for Good's Learning Center has articles, tools and tips that will give you the information you need to jump-start your online fundraising.
• Idealist's Nonprofit FAQ has a section specifically on fundraising, but check out the other subjects listed under Development, too.
• MalWarwick.com mainly focuses on direct mail but also gives advice on other fundraising topics. The site offers articles and podcasts, and you can register for a free monthly e-newsletter.

Are there other resources - online or print - that have really helped you with fundraising? We'd love to hear about your favorites!

Next Week at the Foundation Center (January 19-23)

Classes:
How to Approach a Foundation:
From Initial Contact to Getting Funded
Wednesday, January 21, 11:30 am-12:45 pm

Introduction to Corporate Giving
Thursday, January 22, 10:30-11:45 am

Grantseeking Basics for International Organizations
Friday, January 23, 12:00-1:30 pm

The classes above are free to attend, but registration is required. For programs offered over the next three months, please see our Events Calendar.

Library:
Use Foundation Directory Online Professional, borrow books, and get reference help free of charge with no appointment necessary. See our website for directions.

Hours:
Monday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday
10:00 am-5:00 pm
Tuesday
10:00 am-8:00 pm

Library Closings:
We will be closed on Monday, January 19, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and
Tuesday, January 20, due to Inauguration Day.

Important Change for Local Grantmaker

Beginning in 2009, the Prince Charitable Trusts in Washington, DC, will only accept and review invited grant proposals. Unsolicited proposals for funding will no longer be accepted.

In a communication we received today from Kristin Pauly, Managing Director, Prince Charitable Trusts, DC, she states that this change in procedure results primarily from the current economic situation. Ms. Pauly said that she hopes this notice will save nonprofits the added work of preparing proposals that the Trusts cannot fund.

The communication also stated that by Thursday, January 16, Prince staff will contact the organizations that will be invited to submit proposals. The deadline for this submission period will be Monday, February 2 for review during the Spring 2009 board meeting.

More information on this change is available on the web site for the Prince Charitable Trusts, DC.

Make Time for Training

This year, some of you may be feeling a bit discouraged by the economic outlook and projections, but as the Training Coordinator for the Washington Office I believe that, if you begin the new year by making plans, getting focused and utilizing the resources that are available to you, you have a much better chance of surviving whatever 2009 brings your way.

To get your New Year off to a good start, spend some time on the the Foundation Center  web site and explore the wide range of online and  classroom training programs that we offer -- many of which are free.  We will help you develop your fundraising plans and give you the strategies you need to make the most of your fundraising efforts.  We encourage fundraising staff, volunteers and board members to become more knowledgeable.

Try a new training format!  Don't want to go out into the cold or snow?  You can look at a tutorial or participate in one of the Foundation Center's free webinars!  What's a webinar?  Click to find out.

Try one of our special programs, like the one on researching government grants on January 30th at 2:00pm.  Register on our training calendar.

In hard economic times, one of the things you can do to strengthen your funding base is to diversify your funding resources.  You can accomplish this by developing a comprehensive fundraising plan that encompasses seeking funding from a variety of sources such as foundation, corporate, individual and government support. 

To provide you with some useful tips and information on how to go about accomplishing that, I recommend the following classes offered here at the DC Library/Learning Center:

Introduction to Corporate Giving

Thursday, January 22

10:30 – 11:45 am

Prospect Research Basics:  Researching Individual Donors

Friday, January 30

12:30 – 1:45 pm

Introduction to Government Grant Research

Friday, January 30

2:00 – 3:00 pm

Proposal Writing Basics 

Monday, February 2

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Introduction to Fundraising Planning

Tuesday, February 3

10:30 - 11:30 pm

How to Approach a Foundation: From Initial Contact to Getting Funded

Tuesday, February 3

Noon - 1:00pm

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

 

Kim Patton

DC Training Coordinator