Tag: nonprofit

Philanthropy Trends to Expect in 2020

On December 23, 2019

Philanthropy is a never-ending endeavor that is designed to promote community well-being and solve problems within a society. Many nonprofit organizations and businesses use philanthropy to change lives and to improve social conditions. The process of philanthropy is always evolving. Every year new trends emerge that help to make the act of philanthropy a more practical and effective activity. The following trends for philanthropy in 2020 will be presented here.

Donors Will Have a More Personal Impact with Giving

Forbes stated that donors want to know that their contributions are making a difference. The amount of money that a donor gives to a cause doesn’t make a difference. Large corporations that give millions want their voice to be heard and so does the average person who only gives a few dollars. They want to tell their story or have input into the best way to change a negative social situation. Nonprofits will have to provide their donors with a platform that will allow them to be heard by everyone.

Nonprofits are Going to Team Up with Third Party Organizations to Reach Donors

Another philanthropy trend that will be present in 2020 has to do with third party donations. According to Nonprofit Tech for Good, third party businesses will be utilized for reaching more donors. Third party businesses used for this purpose will include streaming services, video sites, various mobile applications and through various service orientated enterprises.

Nonprofit Platforms for Building Communities and Keeping Donors

Nonprofit organizations are constantly expanding on mobile platforms for building donor communities. Mobile devices, computers and various forms of electronics are being integrated into an interconnected scheme to keep donors aware a cause. Nonprofit platforms will utilize applications, websites, blogs, social media and mobile advertising to provide donors with information, donation opportunities and updates about issues.

Text Donations will Increase

Donors are going to be giving more money through text messages. This is important because text message giving is easy to perform, and people generally pay attention to what is being sent to their phones. This method of giving will increase throughout 2020 and beyond.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence will be used for more philanthropy efforts in 2020. This means that donors will be able to give more giving to their causes with less efforts. They can simply tell their smartphones to give a donation and an AI program will perform this task. Donors will continue to stay more involved with a cause.

Student-Run Philanthropy Spotlight: THON

By Jimmy Lustig

On December 16, 2019

In Blog, James Lustig, Jimmy Lustig

It began as a simple idea way back in 1973. Why not hold a dance contest to raise money for kids battling cancer? Since then, students at the University of Pennsylvania have turned that first dance fest into one of the most successful fundraising movements in American history. THON – short for dance marathon – was the brainchild of then Penn State Interfraternity Council President Bill Lear.

The first THON drew 78 dancers, lasted 30 hours and raised just over $2,000. Since then, THON has raised an amazing $168 million. The money is delivered to the Penn State Children’s Hospital where it is used for the direct care of patients and cancer research.

The annual Penn State THON has spun off numerous “mini-THONs” held at area high schools. These have raised an additional $36 million for Four Diamonds, a foundation associated with Penn State Children’s Hospital.

Today THON events are huge and have become an annual institution for Penn State students. Thousands of participants flocks to the Bryce Jordan Center to either dance or cheer on dancers determined to prevail in the grueling marathon event.

Keeping the events organized and safe requires literally hundreds of highly coordinated volunteers handling an array of specialized tasks. One of the 16 groups, for example, is charged with monitoring the health, hydration and well-being of the “thonners” who may be on their feet dancing for up to 46 hours.

In addition to raising money to treat kids with cancer and pay for medical research, THON events are invaluable for raising public awareness. That’s important because pediatric tumors are so rare, many people don’t know this problem exists. Pediatric cancers are less than 1% of all malignancies and will affect 1 in 200 families. About 16,000 cases are reported annually for people age 20 or younger.

While it’s a good thing that pediatric cancer is rare, it presents problems for medical researchers who are working to treat and cure the problem. Limited awareness makes raising funds extremely difficult. That’s exactly why THON is a blessing for those afflicted and those determined to beat this disease.

THON is the largest student-run charity in the world. It has helped more than 4,000 families and has marshaled the contributions of 16,500 student volunteers.

Exploiting Myths About Philanthropy

By Jimmy Lustig

On October 14, 2019

In Blog, James Lustig, Jimmy Lustig

Philanthropy is one of the most important parts of an American altruistic culture. However, it is also one of the most misunderstood aspects. The American understanding of philanthropy focuses on big gifts from single donors and obscures the actions of people who work from the ground up. This distorted focus encourages charitable organizations to approach giving and development in ways that arguably do not work.

American media love a big story about donations from a single person. Pointing to figures like Andrew Carnegie, Bill Gates, or Julius Rosenwald is an easy, uncomplicated story to tell. It also feels good to know that people who have made a lot of money haven’t forgotten about those who have very little. These stories make great morality tales and the men behind the donations really do make a big difference.

However, focusing on large donations from the very wealthy is not necessarily efficient. The truth is, plenty of people who live outside of the 1% give small donations that can really add up. Whether those donations come in the form of money, time or donated labor, they are all of value. For example, college students and recent graduates don’t always have a lot of money to give, but they may be able to work an internship or donate time in the development office. Cultivating those relationships can mean more donations down the line. It can also be a great way to develop new talent for the organization.

It’s also important to understand those small donations can add up. A thriving community that donates regularly can actually be a better source of donation income than a wealthy, fickle donor. Evidence for this can be seen in the Latinx community, where donations to organizations like churches and mutualists are common.

Many nonprofits also neglect to understand the data around giving. Though most Americans donate to charity annually, they do not necessarily give to the same organizations every year. Organizations also tend to believe that women give less than men, and this is often untrue. Data shows that, today, women are the higher source of income for up to two-thirds of American families. Many women are also large donors. People like Sheila Johnson and Oprah Winfrey are often left out of conversations about giving, but they give millions annually to a number of causes.

No matter the common myths that are debunked around philanthropy, the most important piece of knowledge to take away from charitable giving is that any amount, large or small, can make a difference.

Suggestions for a Company Volunteer Day

By Jimmy Lustig

On September 23, 2019

In Blog, James Lustig, Jimmy Lustig

Companies put a great deal of effort strengthening teamwork skills in an effort to make the work environment a better place. While there are numerous activities that can be done in the actual workplace to improve this, volunteer work is one of the best options. Having a company volunteer day not only gives workers the opportunity to give back to the local community in which they live but it can strengthen their bonds with each other as well. There are a wide variety of different company volunteers that can be held.

Food Banks provide the perfect opportunity for companies to give back to those in need of food to feed their families. Local food banks are in constant need of volunteers to help sort, package, cook, and serve local community members. Taking a weekend to lend a hand to those who are in need of food not only helps the hungry but is an excellent morale boost. Volunteering at a food bank also can provide employees with a sense of the scope and severity of hunger in their neighborhood, leading them to live a more sustainable life and produce less food waste.

Taking the time to spruce up and clean a local neighborhood or park is another great way to host a company volunteer day. This would also serve as an excellent team-building activity for the workers. Whether it be collecting litter, planting new trees, or helping to paint a community building, there are many things that can be done to improve the community that you live in.

Hosting a drive to help collect items such as backpacks or clothes for children at the beginning of a school year is also another wonderful company volunteer platform. While it doesn’t necessarily have to be these particular items being collected at the drive it could be something that your local community is in dire need of. During emergencies, many companies host a local blood drive when there is a shortage. Drives are a perfect way to rally the company together for a good cause. This is also a great opportunity for employees to contribute by bringing in items if they are unable to attend the actual volunteer event.

If these suggestions don’t seem to fit the bill for your particular company, take the time to meet together and let employees decide on a volunteer activity. Have an open discussion with the team to see what means the most to them right now, and make plans to form a company volunteer day. This type of volunteer work can boost morale and help to build leadership skills while building a sense of altruism.

How to Encourage Your Employees to Volunteer

By Jimmy Lustig

On September 17, 2019

In Blog, James Lustig, Jimmy Lustig

Of late, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the broad concept of philanthropy have gained increased attention where businesses commit themselves to give back to society. The success of CSR projects depends on how well-coordinated they are. To increase the success of charity projects, companies should endeavor to involve their workers by encouraging them to volunteer in various ways.

Making giving a corporate culture

The art of giving can be enforced within your company by making charity a corporate value and internal culture. Employees joining your company will be highly likely to adopt such a culture and commit themselves to live by it. Besides, businesses that have incorporated the culture of giving in their internal values stand a better chance of attracting employees that have a passion for philanthropy.

Allocating responsibilities

To win the hearts of your employees towards giving to charity, you should endeavor to allocate related responsibilities to workers who have a passion for CSR. Once you identify employees who are committed to serving society through charity, giving them an opportunity to organize and coordinate the fulfillment of the CSR projects cements their commitments.

Recognizing employees’ dedication

Employees who have dedicated themselves to fulfilling charity projects that are organized internally by your company should be appreciated and recognized. Recognizing the top participants in philanthropy encourages more workers to show commitment to similar projects in the future. Such recognition can be in the form of giving workers certificates of participation or even branded attire that recognizes their philanthropic efforts.

Showing commitment right from the top

Employees are highly likely to follow suit the foundations laid within the workplace by the senior managers. The entire C-suit structure of your company, including the president, Chief Executive Officer, and other senior managers, should show commitment by attending CSR projects. Whereas such projects should not be made mandatory for other employees, the senior management will generally serve as a role model and encourage employee participation.

Making CSR fun and attractive

The last incentive that can attract your employees’ participation in charity projects is by making the projects fun. Creating teams that compete and win prizes during the project brings even the workers who have no passion for philanthropy on board. Pictures and videos of the event can also be published on the company’s social media platforms as a way of fronting the workers to the market and showing their dedication.

The Most Philanthropic Athletes

By Jimmy Lustig

On August 20, 2019

In Blog, Jimmy Lustig

In this day and age, sports fans around the world demand far more philanthropic activity from athletes than ever before. With athletic contracts and sponsorship deals putting many of today’s athletes into countless Forbes “wealthiest people” lists, it would be quite surprising if these athletes were not giving back to their communities or donating to charities. Fortunately, many of today’s superstar athletes make it a priority to pursue philanthropic endeavors, propelling some of them to even start their own non-profit foundations.

The Top 10 Most Philanthropic Athletes

Serena Williams – The world-famous tennis superstar is arguably the leading philanthropic athlete, donating her time and money to a broad range of charities around the world, most notably including UNICEF.

Colin Kaepernick – This NFL star has a bad reputation amongst some football fans, however, the former football player has taken up activism full-time and has donated a large portion of his NFL earnings to causes like social justice and education.

Ronda Rousey – MMA’s top female athlete of all time has spent a lot of her free time helping out underprivileged children, teens, and young adults.

Cristiano Ronaldo – Soccer’s megastar might be one of the wealthiest athletes in the world currently. He is well known for helping children’s hospitals, schools, and other foundations. He also has a habit of donating his winnings from various competitions to charitable causes.

Lebron James – He is arguably in the top 5 list of greatest NBA stars to ever play the game. His off-court charity game is equally as impressive as he donates time and money to children’s education through his self-named organization.

John Cena – WWE is officially classified as a sport, despite its theatric qualities. There is no acting, however, behind Cena’s leading role in the Make a Wish Foundation charity, helping to grant over 500 wishes so far. He is also invested in spreading awareness and raising funds to beat breast cancer.

Conor McGregor – Despite his bad-boy image, Conor is heavily involved with Irish charities and mentorship programs. He has donated to help out homeless shelters, children’s hospitals, and more.

Michael Phelps – The most decorated Olympic athlete of all time is also the most giving. Phelps has donated millions of dollars of his own money and his time to help underprivileged kids through his own organization.

Carlos Beltran – Baseball’s most charitable player is without a doubt Carlos Beltran. He is known to occasionally drop millions of dollars into children’s charities that he supports, and has started his own organization to provide hurricane and natural disaster relief.

Tiger Woods – Despite his marital meltdown and slight fall from grace, Woods has always been a huge giver and continues to be. He is particularly well known for helping impoverished young adults pay for college.

Philanthropy Trends of 2019

By Jimmy Lustig

On July 19, 2019

In Blog, Jimmy Lustig

With the better part of this year behind us and the mild weather months on the horizon, this time can be used to reflect on the trends that we have seen in philanthropic involvement this year so far. Identifying and analyzing current trends in philanthropy and how they have changed in comparison to previous years is the best way to make future predictions. We can use these trends to predict how societal involvement and philanthropic engagement should pan out in 2020 and even beyond.

Donations are increasing

Since the Great Recession, total charitable donations have been on the rise. Since 2014, the U.S. is continually surpassing their total donation amount year after year, with no evidence of this trend slowing down anytime soon. However, while most would attribute this to a rise in the number of households becoming involved in philanthropic engagement, it is actually more likely due to a larger monetary amount donated from the same number of households, on average. The donor pool is decreasing, while the donation amount continues to rise.

More millennial involvement

The millennial generation is the most recent age group to begin to enter the workforce. With this emergence comes a new generation of socially aware individuals with a salary and income to support their philanthropic desires. Millennials are a generation surrounded by social media influence where activities, like volunteering and donating to charities, are broadcasted. Seeing others involved in acts of kindness and volunteering is contagious to others, with help from real-time streaming and technology available on smartphones.

A rise in impact investing

Impact investing is the act of investing in companies that are intending to not only gain fiscal profits but also provide social impacts to benefit organizations that align with the company’s mission statement. This is not a new concept by any means, but it is an activity that has seen a rise in interest by many industries in recent years. Impact investments provide a way for donors to be able to advise and oversee their funds, which appeals to the businesses who are more considerate of making a profit while also doing good for society.

Technology making us more knowledgable

Philanthropists and donors are interested in knowing more about their charitable impact. Donors are becoming more focused on results and have been known to increase their charitable contributions when they are provided information on how their donation has directly impacted the organization and cause. Technological advancements make it easier to provide donors with this information. It is now easier than ever to spread awareness of organizations and even more simple to make a donation with the click of a button on a social media profile.

It is likely that these growing trends from 2019 will follow us into 2020. With technology and social impact progressing as it has been, there is no limit as to what philanthropic trends we might see in the near future.

Nonprofit Spotlight: The Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes

By Jimmy Lustig

On August 10, 2018

In Blog, Jimmy Lustig, Philanthropy

The Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes is one of the largest diabetes institutions in the world. Located in Aurora, Colorado, the Center specializes in type 1 diabetes research for both children and adults. Through the Center, treatment is provided to pediatric and adult patients through the use of clinics.

The Center also focuses on educating families and patients about type 1 diabetes and its treatment. The center also focuses on education for medical professionals. Physician assistants and medical students can choose elective rotations at the Center.

In 1978, the center was funded by Marvin Davis and opened in 1980 in Denver. The center is supported by the Children’s Diabetes Foundation, which was founded in 1977 by Barbara and Marvin Davis. In 1980, the Center opened at the Ninth Avenue campus in Denver and moved in 2005 to the Anschutz Medical Campus, where it’s still located.

Barbara and Marvin Davis were inspired to start the Foundation and Center after their daughter Dana was diagnosed with diabetes when she was seven years old. Though the Davis’ had the money to get the proper care for their daughter, there was no way to cure her disease. After seeing how diabetes affected Dana, Barbara wanted to create a center where no one would be denied care.

The Center provides care to 80 percent of children in Colorado with type 1 diabetes, and 2000 adults living in the Rocky Mountain Region. Since it was founded, the Foundation has raised almost $100 million to support diabetic research and treatment.

Donations to the Foundation go directly to supporting care and research at the Center. Currently, the Center is working on 81 research projects that are aimed at increasing knowledge about diabetes and its effect on the body.

One current research project at the Center is stem cell researchers making insulin-producing beta cells that are derived from human stem cells. The Center is one of only a few labs in the world that are capable of this.

One of the Foundation’s largest fundraisers is the biennial Carousel of Hope Ball. Founded in 1978, the event is black-tie and invitation-only. In 2017, the 31st Ball was held and raised $1.65 million and featured a performance by Lenny Kravitz.