Philanthropy Front and Center-Cleveland

This Week at the Foundation Center-Cleveland (November 2-6)

November 4:
Grantseeking Basics, 6:00-7:30pm.
An intro to the foundation funding process for nonprofit grantseekers.

November 6:
Proposal Budgeting Workshop, 9:00am-4:00pm.
For proposal writers at all levels who want to learn the nuts and bolts of budget preparation to support their project proposals.

Library Hours:
Monday: 12:00-4:30pm
Tuesday: 9:30am-4:30pm
Wednesday: 12:00-8:00pm Evening Hours!
Thursday: 9:30am-4:30pm
Friday: 12:00-4:30pm

The Cleveland Foundation's Summer Internship Program Is Accepting Applications

(This post is from Nelson Beckford, Program Officer, The Cleveland Foundation)

As I reflect on the 2009 Cleveland Foundation interns, I remain impressed at how quickly they grasped the concept of networking. They quickly friended each other through Facebook.  They followed each other on Twitter.  They set up Flickr and Facebook groups for their host site organizations.  They also made connections the old fashioned way – through hand shakes, conversations and meetings. They connected to other internship programs and conducted a citywide day of service.  They gained access to the rock stars of the nonprofit sector – from the staff at small and large nonprofits, to the president of the Cleveland Foundation and the mayor of the City of Cleveland.

This year’s intern class represented the best and brightest from area colleges and the region.  They represented diverse majors such as social work, finance, art and anthropology.  Their host sites represented the diversity of Cleveland nonprofits. Over 11 weeks, these 16 young professionals received first hand experience about the organizations and individuals that are in the business of making change.  The kind of change that improves lives: neighborhood development, art, sustainable business practices, poetry, sports and economic development.  While the work was not easy, it was meaningful and helped to build the capacity of the nonprofits at which they were placed.

Is your organization interested in hosting an intern next summer to help complete an important short term project?

The Cleveland Foundation's Summer Internship Program is accepting applications [doc] from area nonprofits or governmental agencies until November 30, 2009. College students, recent graduates, and graduate students work full-time for an 11-week session during the summer. The Cleveland Foundation provides funding to cover the intern’s stipend.

In order to apply we ask that the organization:

• Appoint a senior staff member to serve as the intern’s supervisor.
• Provide ample supervision, feedback, and support to the intern.
• Provide meaningful work and learning experiences for the intern. Past interns have worked on projects such as event planning for a major fundraising event, designing an audience. demographic survey, developing a marketing/outreach plan and revising training materials
• Provide a workspace and other resources (access to computer, reference materials, telephone) needed for the intern to complete work assignments.
• Accept the intern as a temporary employee of your organization for the 11-week term of the internship program. This includes distributing the intern stipend in accordance with your organization’s normal payroll procedures.

More information can be found here.

Stimulus Dollars Awarded in Toledo to Help Nonprofits

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur announced (Oct. 20, 2009) more than $700,000 in federal funds coming to Toledo. Toledo Community Foundation (TCF) and United Way of Greater Toledo were awarded $500,000 and $202,762, respectively, to strengthen nonprofits in the community. These grants will be administered through the Center for Nonprofit Resources (The Center), a collaboration between Toledo Community Foundation, United Way of Greater Toledo, and the Community Partnership.

Although each grant will help nonprofits in Toledo develop stronger organizations as well as the ability to access federal dollars each organization will do it in slightly different ways.

More than $350,000 of TCF’s grant will be awarded to local nonprofits through a competitive application process. They will also offer trainings and workshops, while United Way will employ a consultant available to provide education and training to agencies on-site.

For example, last year the Frederick Douglass Community Association was in danger of closing. Through a consultant provided by The Center, they were able to conduct a search for a qualified director, revamp many of their policies and procedures, begin aligning their finances, and, more importantly, continue providing vital services in their local neighborhood.

Through these federal grants, Toledo Community Foundation and United Way expect more of these success stories to develop as small nonprofits and faith-based organizations get more and better help.

The George Gund Foundation Seeks Fellowship Candidates

The George Gund Foundation Fellowship provides an opportunity for promising professionals to work inside the Foundation, a philanthropic organization that plays a vital role in supporting the civic life of Greater Cleveland and in various national policy deliberations that impact our community. The fellowship is a two-year, full-time commitment beginning in Summer 2010, requiring residence in Northeast Ohio during this period.

To be considered for the fellowship, each candidate must submit a cover letter, a detailed resume, two letters of recommendation and a short essay discussing why the fellowship opportunity is of interest. These materials are due no later than January 4, 2010. A fellow will be selected in mid-April.

For complete information on the fellowship, click here [PDF].

(This post is taken from the October 27, 2009 newsletter of the George Gund Foundation.)

This Week at the Foundation Center (October 26-30)

October 26 & 27:
Foundation Funding Research: Strategies for Finding and Evaluating Prospects.
One and a half day course for grantseekers who want to develop their skills and maximize efficiency in fundraising research.

October 28:
Proposal Writing Basicsat our Cooperating Collection at the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library, 7:00-8:45pm. 

October 29:
We'll be visiting our Cooperating Collection in Marietta!
Grantseeking Basics for Individuals in the Arts, 12:00-1:30pm.
Grantseeking Basics for Arts Organizations, 2:00-3:30pm.

October 30:
Webinar!  Funding Trends in Arts and Culture, 3:00-4:15pm.

Library Hours:
Monday: 12:00-4:30pm
Tuesday: 9:30am-4:30pm
Wednesday: 12:00-4:30pm
Thursday: 9:30am-4:30pm

NBA Player Devin Green Returns Home to Inspire Akron Youth

(This post, re-published here with permission from blogger Tracey Webb, originally appeared in blackgivesback a blog dedicated to philanthropy in the black community.)

Akron, OH, October 13, 2009 – Professional basketball player Devin Green of the Minnesota Timberwolves went back to high school for a day in his hometown of Akron, Ohio to share his journey to the NBA with students at Butchel High school. Green’s summer was the subject of a YouTube documentary entitled "Devin Green: The Journey,”chronicling his collegiate hoops at Hampton University, and professional career in the NBA and overseas. On September 11th, Green journeyed home to Ohio to impart his learned lessons on and off the court.

Buchtel High School opened in 1931 and was named after John R. Buchtel, one of Akron's leading industrialists and philanthropists. Green spoke with two groups of students, an academic scholars program and the basketball team. Green played on the varsity basketball team for two seasons for the “Griffins” and appreciated the home court advantage to speak with the students. “Home is where the heart is, I love Ohio and appreciate all the support and encouragement,” said Green. “The Journey is a documentary about my life and professional athletic career. I want to share my journey and let the students know I sat where they are sitting and that dreams come true.”

On September 28th, Green signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves as an unrestricted free agent. Green has played with the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and European teams.

Green’s commitment to giving back and his diverse support group propels him to keep going. His hometown of Ohio is where Green garnered his spirit of community service, zest for success and work ethic – on and off the court.

 

Green has “home-court” advantage and wants to inspire Ohio students to appreciate their own “Journey.” "I found Devin's visit informative and his presentation was engaging," said Brian Turner, College Access Coordinator, Project GRAD Akron. "The students were receptive to his message and hopefully it will inspire them to go to college and embark on their own journey." To view a clip of Devin’s documentary, The Journey, visit HERE.

Photos: (Top) Devin Green with Project GRAD advisors; (bottom) Devin with Butchel High School students

New Edition of The 21st Century Nonprofit

The Foundation Center has recently published the second edition of The 21st Century Nonprofit,  expanding and updating the original work and detailing the significant improvements in management practice that have taken place in recent years.

This new edition discusses the growing emphasis on governance reform, with a focus on three main concepts: accountability, transparency, and responsibility. New sections examine the increasingly pivotal role of board members in governance, as well as the implications for executive directors and other professional staff. Revised chapters contain updated information on strategic and operational issues, such as long-term planning, marketing, and earned income. The new edition also provides a special discussion of the strategic issues facing nonprofits during times of recession and severe economic downturn.

The 21st Century Nonprofit is available for purchase online at the Marketplace section of our web site or at any of our five library/learning centers across the U.S. Order your copy today! >>

About the Author
Paul Firstenberg has had extensive experience in the philanthropic sector as an executive, trustee, advisor, author, and teacher. He has held leadership positions with Tulane University, Princeton University, Children's Television Workshop, and the Ford Foundation. Mr. Firstenberg currently lectures at the Baruch College School of Public Affairs.

Visit the Marketplace section of our web site for more information on this and other Foundation Center publications.

Pulse Check 3: How Are Nonprofits Doing?

As a follow-up to our earlier Pulse Check posts in March and July, here is another round-up of the latest surveys and studies indicating how the nonprofit sector is handling the effects of the recent economic downturn.

Glass Half Full or Half Empty? Results of GuideStar's Latest Nonprofit Economic Survey (August 2009)
GuideStar’s most recent nonprofit economic survey takes a look at the financial health of charitable organizations from March-May 2009. They found that since the last update, covering October 2008-February 2009, the percentage of nonprofits reporting decreased contributions has remained steady at 52%. Other findings showed that:

• 18% of responding nonprofits saw their contributions increase, while 29% reported that their contributions had stayed about the same from the previous survey period.
• Nonprofits reported that the decrease in giving was the result of the following:
  • Fewer individuals gave (69%)
  • Gifts from individuals were smaller (68%)
  • Corporate gifts were smaller (38%)
  • Private foundation grants were smaller (37%)
  • Read more>>

Volunteering in America: Research Highlights (August 2009) [PDF]
The Corporation for National and Community Service collects information on the American volunteer landscape in an effort to track changes and developments that may be useful for civic leaders and nonprofit organizations. Some of the key findings showed that:

• In 2008, 61.8 million Americans or 26.4 percent of the adult population contributed 8 billion hours of volunteer service worth $162 billion, using Independent Sector’s 2008 estimate of the dollar value of a volunteer hour ($20.25).
• As the economy slows and nonprofit organizations struggle to provide services on smaller budgets, volunteers become even more vital to the health of our nation’s communities. Between September 2008 and March 2009, more than a third (37%) of nonprofit organizations report increasing the number of volunteers they use, and almost half (48%) foresee increasing their usage of volunteers in the coming year. Almost no nonprofit organizations are showing a decrease in their volunteer usage.
• Volunteers were much more likely than non-volunteers to donate to a charitable cause in 2008, with 78.2 percent contributing $25 or more compared to 38.5 percent of non-volunteers.
• Read More [PDF]>>

Nearly 30% of Nonprofit Leaders Took a Pay Cut This Year; Pay in 2008 Grew Quickly (Sept. 2009)
The Chronicle of Philanthropy conducted a survey of 325 organizations that raised the highest amounts of donations from private sources in 2008, as well as grantmakers holding the highest assets that year. The results of the survey revealed that:

• 57 charities and foundations—29 percent of the 195 groups that responded—reported that their top executive had taken a pay cut this year due to the recession, declined raises or bonuses, or had his or her pay frozen. The median pay cut was 10 percent.
• The median compensation for chief executives at the organizations surveyed was $361,538, based on information from 253 groups that provided data for both 2007 and 2008. In 2007 the median compensation was $330,395.
• Read more>>

Nonprofit Finance Fund's and Business Volunteers Unlimited's Nonprofit Survey - Northeast Ohio (August 2009)
Locally, the Nonprofit Finance Fund and Business Volunteers Unlimited recently conducted a survey of Northeast Ohio nonprofits and found that nonprofits are struggling to balance falling revenues and an increase in demand as they plan for 2010. Read a summary of the survey for more information about the findings.

Have you read other enlightening reports and survey findings? Tell us about them.

London Fletcher's London's Bridge Foundation Offers Mentoring for Youth

(This post, re-published here with permission from blogger Tracey Webb, originally appeared in blackgivesback, a blog dedicated to philanthropy in the black community.)

In 2003, NFL-er London Fletcher [a Cleveland native who attended John Carroll University] of the Washington Redskins founded the London’s Bridge Foundation, an Ohio-based non profit organization to build standards of education, leadership, teamwork and recreation for today’s youth, with the ultimate goal of instilling the values of volunteerism and philanthropy. Through the foundation’s mentoring and charitable giving programs, they teach youth life skills and valuable learning lessons. One of those programs is London’s Brigade, a community project that provides access to mentors 24/7. The project uses its website, which features a blog and discussion board, to connect with students.

On September 22, 2009 during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s annual legislative conference, Fletcher along with foundation staff and mentors took youth on a tour of the U.S. Capitol (in photo above) in Washington, D.C. They met Rep. Eleanor Norton and learned about various scholarship opportunities available to them. Norton, expressing appreciation to the foundation’s staff for bringing the youth to her office, shared that she rarely gets a chance to meet her youngest constituents. After spending the day on Capitol Hill, the youth were treated to a surprise dinner at B. Smith's restaurant in Union Station.

This month, the foundation’s theme is journalism and their upcoming mentoring trips will allow the youth to tour the Newseum, participate in a civil rights course that will allow them to stage their own mock social movement, visit BET and meet with executives in the entertainment industry, tour the Redskins stadium and have a chance to go on the field and write news paper articles about their experience.

The foundation states, “the central focus of the project is to provide students with an alternate game plan should their hopes and dreams of being professional athletes and entertainers not materialize. For many kids, especially minorities, these are the only perceived means of obtaining professional success. Thus, our primary goal is to introduce our students to alternative career options.” In addition to Washington, D.C., the foundation has provided mentoring activities in Cleveland, Ohio; Buffalo, New York; and Charlotte, N.C. (In photo: Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton and London Fletcher.) For more information, visit the website.

Listen! David La Piana Discusses How Nonprofits Should Approach Strategic Restructuring

David La Piana, author of Strategic Restructuring: Mergers, Integrations and Alliances, recently sat down with Janet Camarena, Director, Foundation Center-San Francisco, to talk about best practices in how nonprofits should approach collaborations, mergers, and other types of partnerships. Listen>>