JHM Consulting

2011-05-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

Article in the Boston Globe today about Bill and Joyce Cummings signing the "Giving Pledge" - pledging to donate at least half of their fortune. This is the same pledge signed by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett. I would like to see more of this and less "Real Housewives" useless shows of wealth.

Where do we go from here...?

2009-01-18T06:18:00.000-08:00

Most of us in the nonprofit world are just starting to get a real glimpse at where “here” is donations are down, foundations are tightening their focus and funding, big events are not getting the return they did even last year. Many agencies are planning for decreases in budgets from 10-20% in the coming fiscal year. We are all looking at drastically reduced resources. The question becomes how do we deal with this new reality – or do we just let it deal with us?

In a recent article titled Four Futures, published in The Non-Profit Quarterly, Paul Light takes a look at four different ways that nonprofits may shape or be shaped by this financial crisis. I liked his non-reactionary tone and ideas for getting innovative and connecting with the community. There is already a growing pressure from governmental and philanthropic funding sources to increase efficiency, merge, streamline services, and prove value through more and more evaluation. The problem with this top down pressure is that it will push out some of the most innovative and community connected organizations that are providing critically needed services.

I don’t have the answer to the question “where do we go from here?” – but I’m hoping that articles like this one help us start that discussion.

How will a new Administration and Congress in Washington treat non-profits?

2009-01-11T06:25:00.000-08:00

I’m hoping with the President elect’s background of community organizing in Chicago that he has a first hand understanding of nonprofit organizations and their value in society.

Independent Sector has put out a 6-point policy paper for the incoming national decision makers. It’s a comprehensive platform that advocates the following:

Ensure adequate resources and fair and responsible fiscal policies to support vital programs that sustain, protect and strengthen communities.
Preserve and expand policies that help Americans give back to their communities.
Ensure that nonprofits have the capacity and capital to serve the needs of our communities.
Protect the rights of Americans to speak out through nonprofits organizations.
Ensure that Americans are able to continue vital charitable work throughout the world without unduly jeopardizing their safety or their civil rights.
Support funding and policies that provide for transparency and accountability to ensure integrity and public trust in our institutions.

I encourage you to read/download the entire IS Nonprofit Policy Platform.

I’m going to send this paper on to my elected officials -- I hope that Congress and the new Administration take time to read and think about these important policy shifts.

Rejection -- can be a good thing????

2009-01-07T09:12:00.001-08:00

I’ve just spent most of my morning reviewing my rejections. Or rather denials of various grant proposals over the last five years. While I can’t say that this is a particularly uplifting activity, it is something I should be doing at least annually.

So why, one might ask, revisit all you past “failures” -- proposals that didn’t fit a potential funders focus? Here are some quick reasons:

1. To create a solid history of what work has been tried, why (if it can be determined) we were not funded and whether it is worth trying again.

2. To have this history at hand when someone on board or staff says “have we looked at the XYZ foundation they look great!” and be able to answer “yes and unless you know someone on the board it’s not worth our resources….”

3. To remind yourself that sometimes things change – encourage meeting with funders who denied in the past but seem like a future possibility. Keep up-to-date notes so that if funders focus etc… changes you can re-apply.

So it’s in my planner for next January – my annual denial/failure review – yippee! Now on to finding new prospects and showing love to our current funders!

Greed, greed and more greed -- investor bilks wealthy families and their foundations

2008-12-14T04:21:00.000-08:00

A front page article in the Boston Globe and business section of the New York Times yesterday outline a huge Ponzi scheme run by investor Bernard Madoff. When totally uncovered it looks like this guy (a captain of wall street and pillar of the community) has bilked billions from wealthy families and some of their charitable foundations. From time to time scandals like this erupt in the philanthropy community. Remember the United Way scandal from years ago? More that just stealing from the people who trusted him to manage their foundation's investments, Madoff has sparked the worst kind of cynicism in this season of light. When many fundraisers are working harder than ever for important causes -- this guy's GREED hurts us all.

NPR Marketplace - series on how charities are weathering economic crisis

2008-12-10T04:15:00.000-08:00

I think this series on NPR started yesterday -- I listen to the Marketplace podcast. Here is the link to the web article. Marketplace series on charities

They are interviewing a number of nonprofit folks around the country.

Online Fundraising -- interesting article on how it is being affected by economic crisis

2008-12-10T04:01:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to a article put out by M+R Strategies. I was particularly interested in the response rates from messages that didn't mention the current "tough economic times" and those that did (hint: right now its better not to remind folks in the ask...?).

Survey on online giving and the economy

It is a small snapshot of what's happening right now -- not definitive (is anything right now) but interesting to ponder.

Mapping economic crisis resources from The Foundation Center

2008-12-08T09:22:00.000-08:00

The Foundation Center has a public access map of grants for economic crisis grants.

Focus on the Economic Crisis

You can search by state (then by smaller areas in each state), recipient type and/or subject type.

Foundation Center - new search tool for economic crisis

2008-12-07T04:17:00.000-08:00

The Foundation Center has a new search feature where you can put "economic crisis" in the subject line for grants in a search and pull up all the big grants recently made to address the financial crisis. You have to have a subscription or access to the Foundation Center On-line Directory to access the information. In taking a quick look at the list it looks like the larger foundations - in my area like The Boston Foundation -- are starting to put resources into these issues. Hopefully we will see more of this in the coming year.

Resources for Nonprofits planning in the Economic Crisis

2008-12-04T10:55:00.000-08:00

I was part of a national teleconference of nonprofit fundrasiers last week. A woman who I consider a mentor said about the current fundraising climate "Don't Panic" (I'm not sure she knew she was quoting the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe). Her sage advice to us was now is not the time for hair-brained schemes -- don't start new initiatives to run after funding. Work on strengthening current relationships with donors -- keep them informed and acknowledge where we all are financially.

Along these lines as we think and plan for the next fiscal year and beyond the Chronicle for Philanthropy has a special report section that is a collection of articles and surveys on the current financial crisis and how it will affect the non-profit world. Some of the articles are from last year -- but the information is interesting.

Good news for grant writers - foundations look at paperwork requirments

2008-09-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

Interesting report from Project Streamline titled "Drowning in Paperwork, Distracted from Purpose" all about numerous and varied forms and reports required by the 71,000 foundations across America. I'm thrilled to see this topic tackled in a comprehensive way and hope that foundation board and administrators are reading this report.

NYTs article on foundation accountablity

2007-07-28T13:36:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting article in the NYTs on a trend of foundations reporting on their failures as well as their successes.

Foundations Find Benefits in Facing Up to Failures

Grants article on relationships

2007-06-26T08:51:00.000-07:00

Here is a new article on grants at Charity Channel.