Philanthropy Front and Center - Washington, DC

Free Shipping in September on National Directory of Corporate Giving

This September, the Foundation Center is offering free shipping on the newly-released 15^th edition of our National Directory of Corporate Giving when you order online.

The updated 15^th edition includes comprehensive profiles of more than 2,800 company-sponsored foundations and over 1,200 corporate giving programs. Each profile contains vital information on giving priorities and funding guidelines, including:

• Program descriptions
• Fields of interest
• Annual giving amounts
• Average size of grants awarded
• Giving limitations
• Key contacts - including officers, donors, and trustees
• Application procedures

The National Directory is also fully indexed by company name, subject, and geographic focus for quick access to funder profiles.

Visit the Marketplace section of our web site for more information on this publication or to view a sample company entry. The National Directory of Corporate Giving is available for just $195 with free shipping online. Order your copy today! >>

Just in! Giving USA 2009

Researched and written at The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, and published by the Giving USA Foundation, Giving USA 2009 is an annual statistical analysis of charitable contributions in the United States, the sources of these contributions, and the uses to which the charitable contributions were put. The report analyzes the philanthropic giving of individuals, their bequests, foundations, and corporations. Contributions to the following areas are compared for various periods up to 2008: religion; education; foundations; health; human services; arts, culture, and humanities; public-society benefit; environment/animals; and international affairs. Of particular note are the listings of gifts of $10 million or more by individuals.

Analyses of the economic crisis and its effect on philanthropy and tips for fundraising in recessionary times are new in Giving USA 2009.

Looking for facts on U.S. philanthropy? Come to the Foundation Center's Washington, DC library and use Giving USA 2009 today.

Listen! Aaron Hurst, Taproot Foundation Founder, Gives Advice for Making the Most of a Volunteer Workforce

For the latest installment of our Philanthropy Chat series, Janet Camarena, director of Foundation Center-San Francisco, interviewed Aaron Hurst, founder and CEO of the Taproot Foundation. The mission of the Taproot Foundation is to strengthen nonprofits by engaging business professionals in service. Aaron discusses lessons the Taproot Foundation has learned over the last decade of managing volunteer teams, the current climate for corporate philanthropy and workplace volunteering, and how nonprofits can most effectively harness the volunteer talent that’s currently on the market.

In addition to finding the Foundation Center's Philanthropy Chat podcasts here, you can also subscribe to them at iTunes, or via our feed.

In addition to finding the Foundation Center's Philanthropy Chat podcasts here, you can also subscribe to them at iTunes, or via our feed.

Listen! Eva Blum Discusses Support for Education and PNC Grow Up Great

Eva Blum, senior vice president and director of community affairs at PNC Bank and chair of the PNC Foundation, discusses the PNC Grow Up Great program, a ten-year, $100 million dollar investment in early childhood education. Ms. Blum also shares information about PNC's additional philanthropic interests in education and other fields. Listen!

June is Funding for Education Month at the Foundation Center. Check out our calendar of events.

June is Funding for Education Month at the Foundation Center. Check out our calendar of events.

Read the Latest Studies on Family and Corporate Foundations

Two recently released reports provide useful perspectives for nonprofit grantseekers on company-sponsored and family foundations in the U.S.

Key Facts on Corporate Foundations presents data on, among many other topic areas, estimated giving, allocation of funding by subject area, and forecasts about future funding by the nation's 2,500 corporate foundations. Steven Lawrence, senior director of research at the Foundation Center, states in this report: "Corporate foundations will not be alone in having to reduce giving this year, but the cuts may well be deeper than for other types of grantmakers." Learn what else is happening with corporate foundations.
Download the full report>> [pdf]

Published jointly by the Foundation Center and the Council on Foundations, Perpetuity or Limited Lifespan: How Do Family Foundations Decide? presents results from the first national survey of family foundations on the topic of lifespan planning. Learn what family foundations are considering when they make these long-term decisions and see what factors and characteristics influence whether a foundation plans to exist in perpetuity or limit its lifespan.
Download the full report>> [pdf]

Free Shipping on 2009 Foundation Directories and Directory Sets

This April, the Foundation Center is offering free shipping on our newly-published 2009 Foundation Directories and Directory Sets. With vital facts on leading U.S. funders, including fields of interest, financial data, decision-makers, and contact information, the 2009 Foundation Directories can help you identify key funding prospects for your organization.

Purchase any of these titles online and get free shipping during the month of April:

• The Foundation Directory
  The 2009 edition features key facts on the nation's top 10,000 foundations - the most influential foundations in the nation!
  Buy now >>
  
  
• The Foundation Directory Part 2
  Features the next 10,000 largest U.S. foundations to broaden your fundraising base.
  Buy now >>
  
  
• The Foundation Directory Supplement
  The Supplement provides revised entries for hundreds of foundations in The Foundation Directory and The Foundation Directory Part 2.
  Buy now >>
  
  
• Companion Directory Set
  Save $40 on the Companion Directory Set! Includes The Foundation Directory, as well as expanded data on the next 10,000 largest funders in The Foundation Directory Part 2.
  Buy now >>
  
  
• Classic Directory Set
  Save $40 on the Classic Directory Set! Includes The Foundation Directory, and an update to that information in September 2009 with The Foundation Directory Supplement.
  Buy now >>
  
  
• Comprehensive Directory Set
  Save $60! Includes The Foundation Directory and The Foundation Directory Part 2. Then, receive updated information with The Foundation Directory Supplement.
  Buy now >>

See all 2009 Directory Sets or browse our full catalog of publications in the Marketplace section of our web site.

New Foundation Center Report Provides Insight on Future Giving by Foundations

The Foundation Center has just released the 2009 edition of Foundation Growth and Giving Estimates: Current Outlook. According to this latest report in the Foundations Today Series, U.S. grantmaking foundations increased their giving modestly by 2.8% in 2008 to an estimated $45.6 billion. However, in light of deepening economic problems, future giving is expected to decrease, as over 67% of foundations surveyed for this report indicate they will be reducing their giving in 2009.

Read a detailed press release analyzing the findings in the new report, and access the complete report at no charge at the Gain Knowledge area of the Foundation Center's web site.

Philanthropy Annual: 2008 Review Now Available

The Foundation Center has just released Philanthropy Annual: 2008 Review, the second edition of its annual compendium highlighting the news, issues, people, organizations, and giving trends shaping the field of philanthropy.

The publication provides a full overview of the year in philanthropy, with articles summarizing major events, interviews and profiles of key individuals, reviews of new books and other media, and statistics outlining the current state of philanthropy. Contents are drawn in part from Philanthropy News Digest, the Center's daily online news service, as well as from the annual Foundations Today Series and other Foundation Center resources. To see more specific information on what's covered in this year's edition, download the table of contents (PDF).

Philanthropy Annual: 2008 Review is available for free download (PDF) at the Foundation Center web site, and print copies can be purchased through the Center's online Marketplace ($19.95).

Recognizing Corporate Philanthropy

The Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) has designated February 23, 2009 as International Corporate Philanthropy Day.

CECP envisions this as a day for the business community to celebrate its achievements in corporate philanthropy, build awareness of the benefits of corporate community investment, and inspire companies around the world to engage further in giving initiatives. This day of celebration also provides a media platform for companies to broadcast their message about the importance of corporate community partnerships and ongoing dedication to social investment. To learn more, you can review CECP's fact sheet about this special day.

At the Board of Boards CEO Conference hosted today by The McGraw-Hill Companies in New York, CECP will convene global CEOs and chairpersons from many of the world’s largest companies to participate in a conversation regarding corporate philanthropy and the economy. The timely theme for the 2009 program is “Global Leaders: Confronting a Crucial Decision,” and it will be moderated by NBC's Tom Brokaw. The United Nations also will host a special event to discuss philanthropy and the Global Public Health Agenda.

The Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers is observing International Corporate Philanthropy Day by posting information from its corporate members on how the economy is affecting giving and how they are responding to the downturn.

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