At our June 18 Annual Forum, national expert Paul Light of New York University got people’s attention. He believes there’s a looming crisis of confidence in nonprofits that the sector isn’t taking seriously enough.Donors give less than they would otherwise, he says, because they feel nonprofits don’t spend money wisely. Given the economy’s double whammy… Read more
Guest Blogger: Amy Sinykin A recent criticism by Joshua Horwitz, the executive director of the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, in Washington, articulates many of the comments made about the show throughout the philanthropy and nonprofit sectors. I don’t agree with Mr. Horwitz criticism entirely. (I’m Minnesotan, of course, anger sometimes turns me off…)… Read more
It gets under my skin to hear the leader of a nonprofit say its finances are private. That was the response of some of the six religious nonprofits that have stonewalled the U.S. Senate Finance Committee that has been working under both Republican and Democratic leadership to weed out and prevent charity abuse.One of my… Read more
A bright and educated friend told me he bought a goat online. Or rather he directed Heifer International to buy a goat for an impoverished family. I told him that was a generous act. “But of course,” I said, “you didn’t actually buy a goat.”It took some convincing to get him to read the fine… Read more
Start a physical fitness program … Review and adjust savings and investments … Develop a giving budget …What? A giving budget? Isn’t giving an impulsive thing one does out of generosity?Smart givers plan their giving in order to maximize the effectiveness of their generosity. No one (not even Bill Gates) has sufficient resources to support… Read more
