Tag Archives: philanthropy

Picture of Don Fornes

Nonprofit Radio for June 14, 2013: Successful Software Selection Strategy & Storify and Quora

Big Nonprofit Ideas for the Other 95%

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Tony’s Guests:

Picture of Don Fornes
Don Fornes
Don Fornes: Successful Software Selection Strategy

Don Fornes, CEO of Software Advice, leads us through the software selection process for nonprofits.

 

 

 

Picture of Amy Sample Ward
Amy Sample Ward
Amy Sample Ward: Storify and Quora

Our social media contributor, Amy Sample Ward, got a promotion at Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN). Then we’ll talk about the value of Storify and Quora, two lesser-known social networks, for your nonprofit.

 
 
 


Top Trends. Sound Advice. Lively Conversation.

You’re on the air and on target as I delve into the big issues facing your nonprofit—and your career.

If you have big dreams but an average budget, tune in to Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio.

I interview the best in the business on every topic from board relations, fundraising, social media and compliance, to technology, accounting, volunteer management, finance, marketing and beyond. Always with you in mind.

When and where: Talking Alternative Radio, Fridays, 1-2PM Eastern

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We’ll add a link to the audio as soon as possible after Friday afternoon’s show. You can also subscribe on iTunes to get the podcast automatically.
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Maria Semple

Nonprofit Radio for June 7, 2013: Maria’s FAQs

Big Nonprofit Ideas for the Other 95%

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Tony’s Guest:

Maria Semple
Maria Semple: Maria’s FAQs

Maria Semple is The Prospect Finder and our monthly prospect research contributor. She does a lot of speaking and training and gets asked a lot of questions She’ll answer the most frequent, about researching individuals and foundations.

 

 
On Tony’s Take Two, guests from Australia! Sally West and Keith Wright share the Love Is campaign.


Top Trends. Sound Advice. Lively Conversation.

You’re on the air and on target as I delve into the big issues facing your nonprofit—and your career.

If you have big dreams but an average budget, tune in to Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio.

I interview the best in the business on every topic from board relations, fundraising, social media and compliance, to technology, accounting, volunteer management, finance, marketing and beyond. Always with you in mind.

When and where: Talking Alternative Radio, Fridays, 1-2PM Eastern

Sign-up for show alerts!

Here is the link to the audio: 145: Maria’s FAQs. You can also subscribe on iTunes to get the podcast automatically.
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A Charity Did What Charities Do

No Smoking Guns courtesy of David King on Flickr
No Smoking Guns courtesy of David King on Flickr
Last week The New York Times exposed Beth Israel Medical Center’s fundraising operation as it became public through documents related to a will challenge by distant relatives of Huguette Clark, a wealthy woman who lived her last 20 years in the New York City nonprofit hospital. She died in 2011.

From the Times’ account, I see very little wrong and nothing egregious. New details may emerge and I’m analyzing what’s known today based on the linked article. (I’m much more interested in where the story ends.)

Ms. Clark was a major gift prospect, as she should be. She lived in the hospital for a long time and had her faculties.

Fundraising staff researched their prospect and the CEO was actively involved. All CEOs should be engaged in major gift fundraising. They wrote memos to each other and to the file.

It’s true: people inside charities routinely talk to each other about fundraising prospects and donors. They keep records in databases and paper files. They hold strategy meetings to manage relationships.

That’s what charities do.

It’s what they have to do to get gifts so their doors stay open. It is the way fundraising gets done in the charity business.

Surprisingly, the Times article lacks this context. There’s no commentary from a person with knowledge of fundraising practices to say, presumably, that there’s not much in this story that’s out of the ordinary.

What I didn’t like is the unprofessionalism of some notes and the unbridled exuberance that led a staffer to use seven exclamation marks to announce a gift of a painting. And there are snarky comments, too.

Those instances were poorly judged and thoughtless. Not illegal. Not unethical. Just thoughtless.

Never put in writing something you wouldn’t want the person you’re writing about to read. Keep your notes factual.

My greatest interest is the last paragraph of the Times’ article. Within 20 days of signing her first will, which did not include Beth Israel, the CEO met with Ms. Clark three times. Three weeks after the last of those visits she executed a new will with a $1 million bequest for the hospital. That’s the will under dispute.

Now we’re squarely in my territory, Planned Giving.

  • Did an attorney prepare the wills?
  • Did the same attorney prepare both?
  • Were they executed in compliance with New York law? (The first will is dubbed “sparse.”)
  • Were the attorneys recommended by the hospital?
  • Did hospital staff have meetings with the attorneys?
  • Who paid the attorneys?
  • How many people were in the three meetings with Ms. Clark?
  • What was said?
  • How did she react?
  • Did other staff meet her between the two wills?
  • What did they say and how many people were in those meetings?

Nearly everything leading up to the first will is business as usual, as far as we know.

For me, the end of the story begins the most interesting inquiry.

Nonprofit Radio for May 31, 2013: Grow Grassroots & Divine Devices

Big Nonprofit Ideas for the Other 95%

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Tony’s Guests:

Michael O'Brien
Michael O’Brien: Grow Grassroots

Michael O’Brien, founder and principal of mob advocacy, knows how to bring people to your cause with grassroots advocacy. How do you activate people? What are grass tops and how do you engage them? Where can you go to meet potential coalition partners? What’s the value added for your work?

 
 

Scott Koegler
Scott Koegler: Divine Devices

Desktops, laptops, tablets and handhelds. Scott Koegler has tips for picking the right device to fit your budget, work style and personality. He’s the editor of Nonprofit Technology News and our monthly tech contributor.

 
 


Top Trends. Sound Advice. Lively Conversation.

You’re on the air and on target as I delve into the big issues facing your nonprofit—and your career.

If you have big dreams but an average budget, tune in to Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio.

I interview the best in the business on every topic from board relations, fundraising, social media and compliance, to technology, accounting, volunteer management, finance, marketing and beyond. Always with you in mind.

When and where: Talking Alternative Radio, Fridays, 1-2PM Eastern

Sign-up for show alerts!

Here is a link to the audio: 144: Grow Grassroots & Divine Devices. You can also subscribe on iTunes to get the podcast automatically.
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A picture of Melanie Mathos

Nonprofit Radio for May 24, 2013: Twitter Tactics For Nonprofits & ASW FAQs

Big Nonprofit Ideas for the Other 95%

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Tony’s Guests:

A picture of Melanie Mathos
Melanie Mathos
Picture of Chad Norman
Chad Norman
Melanie Mathos and Chad Norman: Twitter Tactics For Nonprofits

Melanie Mathos and Chad Norman, each from Blackbaud, co-authored “101 Social Media Tactics for Nonprofits.” We’ll talk mostly about their Twitter tactics.

 

Picture of Amy Sample Ward
Amy Sample Ward
Amy Sample Ward: ASW FAQs

Amy Sample Ward, our social media contributor, membership director for Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN) and co-author of “Social Change Anytime Everywhere,” has 5 speaking gigs this week in Washington, D.C., Burlington, VT and New York City. She’ll share the questions she was asked.

 
 


Top Trends. Sound Advice. Lively Conversation.

You’re on the air and on target as I delve into the big issues facing your nonprofit—and your career.

If you have big dreams but an average budget, tune in to Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio.

I interview the best in the business on every topic from board relations, fundraising, social media and compliance, to technology, accounting, volunteer management, finance, marketing and beyond. Always with you in mind.

When and where: Talking Alternative Radio, Fridays, 1-2PM Eastern

Sign-up for show alerts!

Here is the link to the audio: 143: Twitter Tactics and ASW FAQs. You can also subscribe on iTunes to get the podcast automatically.

View Full Transcript