Philanthropy Front and Center-Atlanta

Next Week at the Foundation Center-Atlanta: January 30-February 3

We invite you to our classes this upcoming week:

Thursday, February 2, 10:00-11:30am
Before You Seek a Grant: A Checklist for New Nonprofits
Learn the characteristics of effective nonprofits and assess whether yours is ready for foundation fundraising. This class is designed for new nonprofits or community groups with very little experience in grantseeking. We focus specifically on foundation fundraising.

The class above is free to attend, but registration is required. For programs offered over the next three months, please see our training calendar.

While you're visiting, use our library:

• Search Foundation Directory Online Professional and other research tools for free
• Borrow books about nonprofit management and fundraising
• Ask our staff of experts for information assistance

We're open to the public Tuesday through Friday, 10am-5pm (first Tuesday and last Thursday of each month, 10am-8pm). No appointment is necessary. See our web site for directions and parking information.

Can't visit the Foundation Center this week? Check out our live webinars. You can also visit our Multimedia Archive for recorded webinars, short videos, and podcasts. New this week: check out Young Nonprofit Professionals Discuss Good in Theory, Problems in Practice. In this podcast, Trish Tchume, director of Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN), National, and Amanda Pape Lenaghan, Co-chair of YNPN San Francisco Bay Area (YNPNsfba) and Deputy Director Bay Area at Taproot Foundation, discuss the recent YNPN report Good in Theory Problems in Practice: Young professionals’ views on popular leadership development strategies

Have a great weekend!

Elyse Klova, Program Associate, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Local Update: Nalley's Driven for a Cause + C4 Atlanta's Ignite

We've got two great opportunities in this week's edition of local update, but first, two reminders:

1. For nonprofits who could be doing more with better technology, be sure to submit your tech dream plan to TechBridge's Technology Innovation Awards! Each year, one winner receives $25,000 in TechBridge services, $5,000 cash for project costs, as well as thousands of dollars in software. Application deadline is February 6 at 5:00pm ET. Get more information>>

2. Don't forget about the upcoming installment of the Nonprofit Issues Forum, also on February 6! Brought to you by a number of Atlanta organizations and institutions, next month's Forum will feature Melissa M. Stone, Gross Family Professor of Nonprofit Management at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She will discuss the issue of governance in collaborations and partnerships. Get more information and find out how to register>>

And now, on to the opportunities!

Nalley Driven for a Cause
Nominations: Now-January 28. Public voting begins February 8.

Does your organization need a new set of wheels? All year long, Nalley Cars will be donating new vehicles to local charities who would most benefit from a new car. The contest is running on Facebook, and is in the process of taking nominations. Voters are encouraged to nominate the organizations that they feel are the most Driven for a Cause and as thanks for supporting the contest, those who nominate will be entered to win a $500 Visa Gift Card. Sound good? Find a great advocate of your organization who is willing to nominate you, and start raising support--voting on the nominees starts February 8!

To nominate an organization (requires a Facebook account): follow the directions provided in the Facebook app and submit an essay of no more than 300 words explaining why your Nominee deserves to be the winner of the Driven for a Cause Giveaway.

Once all the entries are accepted, there will be a judging round, and the finalists will be put up for a vote. The voting round is February 8-24, and the nominee that receives the highest number of votes will win a vehicle (announced on March 14)! More details and official rules on Nalley Driven for a Cause's Facebook Page>>

C4 Atlanta's Ignite Series
Wednesdays, March 7 – April 11 2012
10:30am-1:30pm OR 6:00pm-9:00pm

Via C4 Atlanta's website:

Ignite is a six-week seminar series for creative individuals aiming to design actionable and effective strategies for answering their creative calling. Shifts in the economy and rapid advancements in technology have created a new industry environment, where old models of professional development are ineffective. In order for 21^st Century artists and arts managers to thrive, they need to acquire critical skills in entrepreneurship and small business management.

In response to this growing need for professional development in the arts, Kamal Sinclair (veteran artist and strategy consultant), developed effective content for the Ignite seminar series. This empowering and interactive experience provides each participant with a complete framework for planning, launching, managing, and sustaining their arts careers, projects or companies. About Kamal Sinclair>>

Who is this class for?
Individuals interested in pursuing a career in the arts: actors, dancers, visual artists, writers, and arts administrators.

Tuition: $200; For C4 Atlanta Members, $175

Location:
Atlanta Visitor’s Center, above ground at Underground Atlanta
50 Upper Alabama Street
Atlanta, GA 30303. 

The Atlanta Visitor’s Center is just one block from the Five Points MARTA Station. Directions to parking>>

Want to learn more about the program? Get more information and learn how to register on C4 Atlanta's website. You can also check out a blog post that C4 Atlanta's Executive Director, Jessyca Holland, wrote about the series, The Business of Art.

That's it for this edition of Local Update! Have a great week.

Elyse Klova, Program Associate, Foundation Center-Atlanta

This Week at the Foundation Center-Atlanta: January 23-27

Evening Hours! The Foundation Center will be open until 8:00pm on Thursday, January 26 for Proposal Writing and Budgeting Basics.

We invite you to our classes this upcoming week:

Tuesday, January 24, 2:00-3:30pm
Grantseeking Basics
Gain an introduction to the world of foundation fundraising.

Tuesday, January 24, 3:45-4:45pm
Introduction to Finding Funders (Hands-on) Registration closed: class is full
Learn to find funders for your nonprofit with the Foundation Center's premiere funding database.

Thursday, January 26, 10:00-11:00am
Introduction to Corporate Giving
Explore the world of corporate support and get started with resources on corporate giving.

Thursday, January 26, 5:15-6:45pm
Proposal Writing Basics
Learn the key components of a proposal to a foundation or corporation.

Thursday, January 26, 7:00-8:00pm
Proposal Budgeting Basics
Understand how to prepare and present a budget in a grant proposal.

The classes above are free to attend, but registration is required. For programs offered over the next three months, please see our training calendar.

While you're visiting, use our library:

• Search Foundation Directory Online Professional and other research tools for free
• Borrow books about nonprofit management and fundraising
• Ask our staff of experts for information assistance

We're open to the public Tuesday through Friday, 10am-5pm (first Tuesday and last Thursday of each month, 10am-8pm). No appointment is necessary. See our web site for directions and parking information.

Can't visit the Foundation Center this week? Check out our live webinars. You can also visit our Multimedia Archive for recorded webinars, short videos, and podcasts. New this week: get savvy about your nonprofit's finances with this recording of Your Organization’s Financial Statements and the Stories They Tell.

Elyse Klova, Program Associate, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Upcoming Live Chat! How to Approach a Fiscal Sponsor, Jan. 30

Fiscal sponsorship is a great way to run a charitable project without having to get your own exempt status, but you need more than just a great idea before an organization will sponsor you.

Learn what you need to have in place at our free live chat on Monday, Jan. 30, 2-3pm ET, with Nikki Carpenter, Program Manager, FJC Fiscal Sponsorship Program, and Katie Kern, Director of Program Administration, United Charitable Programs (UCP). Both organizations act as fiscal sponsors for programs in a variety of fields from all over the U.S. FJC also sponsors programs based in other countries.

Register by setting a reminder below and join us at GrantSpace on January 30 for the discussion.  

Meanwhile, learn more about this topic with our Fiscal Sponsorship Skills page.

This post orginally appeared in Philanthropy Front and Center-Cleveland.

New Report Shows Unexpected Surge in Giving By Georgia Foundations

Just released by the Foundation Center, the latest edition of our Key Facts on Georgia Foundations report finds that giving by the state’s foundations rose an unexpected 7 percent in 2009, due in large part to increased giving by several key funders. The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta led all other foundations in terms of total giving, with an organization-high $142 million in grants awarded for the year.

We asked Alicia Philipp, president of The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, to provide some perspective on the organization's grantmaking strategy and the increase in giving during 2009.

In spite of the turbulent economic times, 2009 proved to be a strong year for philanthropy in our region and for The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. The Community Foundation and our donors gave a record amount in grants.  Grants made were $142 million. In 2009, The Community Foundation had its third highest year ever in terms of total gifts received at $116 million. Assets were $650 million and our total assets increased by approximately $30 million.

These three areas received a boost due to three factors: (1) the Woodruff Foundation made a large grant to The Community Foundation specifically intended for Grady Hospital; (2) donors with donor-advised funds were very responsive to meeting community needs and the payout rate from these funds in 2009 was 31%; and (3) our Investment Committee and board resisted the temptation to market time or broadly change what has been a strong, long-term investment strategy for our pooled fund.

To help donors with funds at The Community Foundation respond effectively in these tough times, we began a new series of publications highlighting the critical needs of our community such as
Crisis Assistance. In each issue, we highlighted high-performing organizations working to address these needs and provided donors the opportunity to hear from, and to meet with, the leadership of these organizations. We believe this, along with the desire of our donors to help the organizations they are most aligned with through these tough times, accounts for part of the spike in grants given.

In terms of our investment strategy, it is extremely deliberate and highly diversified. We have benefitted from excellent advice from our investment counsel, Colonial Consulting, and a very strong investment committee.

Alicia Philipp is president of The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, one of the largest and fastest growing philanthropic service organizations in the country. With assets of more than $740 million, The Community Foundation strengthens the 23-county Atlanta region by providing quality services to donors and innovative leadership on community issues.

Key Facts on Georgia Foundations can be downloaded from the Gain Knowledge area of the Foundation Center’s web site.

Advice from Funders to Help You Write Better Grant Proposals

Who better to give advice about writing proposals than the people who have read hundreds, maybe thousands of them over the course of their careers? We recently posted 5 new videos on GrantSpace with advice from foundation staff on what to do (and what NOT to do) as you go through the proposal process. Click the links below to watch each video, or, if you don't have a chance to view them, check out the summaries beneath each one!

Grantmakers featured in these videos are: Amy Barger, Senior Program Officer, the Tiger Foundation; Richard Brown, Vice President of Philanthropy, American Express; and John Colborn, Vice President of Operations, the Ford Foundation.

What Is the Most Common Mistake You See in a Proposal?
What NOT to do when submitting a proposal or letter of inquiry! The biggest complaint from funders is that too many organizations apply without doing their homework! Before applying, be sure to do as much research as possible on the foundations to which you are applying. You should be able to answer the following questions:

• What types of organizations and programs does the foundation fund? Given that information, does it make sense for our organization to apply?
• What limitations does the funder have? Is there a specific region that the foundation focuses on, a specific type of funding that they provide, or
• What information do I need to complete the application?

What Makes a Proposal Stand Out From Others?
According to the grantmakers interviewed, several things make a proposal stand out. Be thorough in providing the information that the funder is looking for; you don't want to leave any questions unanswered. Good writing is also important, but so is being short and to the point: two out of the three funders mentioned "being concise" as criteria for a standout proposals.

What Advice Do You Have for Organizations Approaching You For the First Time?
While the initial approach is going to be different for every foundation, a few common recommendations come through in this video:

1. Before an approach, be sure to visit the foundation's website and read their application guidelines. (If the foundation doesn't have a website, you can get a lot of the same information from Foundation Directory Online.)
2. Establish that there is a fit between your organization and the foundation's priorities. Does the foundation have particular program areas that they focus on?
3. Contact the foundation. Not all foundations want to be contacted in the same way, so be sure to find out if the foundation is looking for a Letter of Inquiry, or would prefer a phone call or meeting. Some may even want a full proposal.

What Are Potential Red Flags When You Are Reviewing Proposals?
In this video, our funders listed several red flags that give them pause when evaluating a proposal. As you write your proposal, make sure that you're avoiding these mistakes:

• The proposal is addressed to another foundation, which suggests that the organization is simply sending out blanket proposals rather than being deliberate in their grantseeking.
• The budget doesn't really match up with the activities outlined in the rest of the proposal.
• There are no clear outcomes for the program.
• There are questions about staff and organizational capacity to carry out the program.

What Advice Do You Have for Organizations That You Turn Down?
The biggest piece of advice for organizations that are turned down is to contact the foundation to get a better understanding of why. There is a big difference between being turned down because your organization/program isn't a good fit and being turned down because there wasn't enough money to go around. If you didn't quite make the cut, think about your rejection as just the beginning: this is a great opportunity to start building relationships with the foundation's program officers.

Even if your organization isn't a good fit, don't give up! Foundations talk to one another, and the program officer of one foundation may be able to recommend other foundations that would be a better fit.

Elyse Klova, Program Associate, Foundation Center-Atlanta

This Week at the Foundation Center-Atlanta: January 16-20

Holiday closing! The Foundation Center's office will be closed Monday, January 16, for Martin Luther King Day, but we'll be open for regular hours at 10:00am on Tuesday, January 17. What will you be doing for your MLK Day of Service? We'd love to hear about it in the comments.

We invite you to our classes this upcoming week:

Tuesday, January 17, 10:00-11:15am
Introduction to Fundraising Planning
Learn how to engage your board in fundraising. We will cover: the role of your board, why board members may be reluctant to fundraise and how to overcome these concerns, ways the board can participate in fundraising activities, and tips for strengthening your fundraising board.

Thursday, January 19, 10:00-11:15am
How to Approach a Foundation
Learn how to build relationships with foundation prospects and prepare for calls and meetings with funders. From initial contact to getting funded, following field-tested best practices will increase your chances of getting the grant.

Thursday, January 19, 2:00-3:30pm
Surviving By Combining
Presented in collaboration with Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta
The economy has hit nonprofits hard with more people to serve and less money with which to serve. In some cases, the best option may be for nonprofits to combine. Get expert legal advice on mergers and collaborations for nonprofit organizations.

The classes above are free to attend, but registration is required. For programs offered over the next three months, check out our training calendar on GrantSpace.

While you're visiting, use our library:

• Search Foundation Directory Online Professional and other research tools for free
• Borrow books about nonprofit management and fundraising
• Ask our staff of experts for information assistance

We're open to the public Tuesday through Thursday next week, from 10:00am-5:00pm. No appointment is necessary. See our web site for directions and parking information.

Can't visit the Foundation Center this week? Check out our live webinars. You can also visit our Multimedia Archive for recorded webinars, short videos, and podcasts. New on Grantspace: Making Time for Making Change. Listen as Terri Sandu, executive director of Hard Hatted Women, talks strategic planning at a recent grassroots networking night in Cleveland, Ohio, and a tool her organization uses called the One Page Business Plan®. Have a great week!

Elyse Klova, Program Associate, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Call for Applications: TechBridge Technology Innovation Award

Do you have a technology project that your organization would like to implement to help you be more efficient and effective in serving the community? Now's your chance to put that technology plan into action.

TechBridge is pleased to announce the 11th annual Technology Innovation Award, given by Accenture. One Georgia nonprofit will receive this award for presenting their innovative vision for how to improve their organization through technology. The winner of the award receives $25,000 in TechBridge services, $5,000 cash for project costs, as well as thousands of dollars in software. Addotionally, Two Finalists each recieve a technology assessment as well as a $1,000 cash grant.

The application deadline for the 2012 Award is 5:00pm EST on Monday February 6, 2012. Applications must be submitted electronically, using the online application.

Three award finalists will be selected in March 2012 and invited to deliver a live presentation to the Technology Innovation Award Judging Panel. The winner will be announced at the 2012 TechBridge Digital Ball on May 5, 2012.

Past winners of this prestigious Award include:

• Southwest Georgia Area Health Education Center, 2011
• Southwest Christian Care, 2010
• Tommy Nobis Center, 2009
• MedShare International, 2008

Don't miss this valuable opportunity! Join other Georgia nonprofits that are leveraging technology to enhance their missions. Apply online today>>

Elyse Klova, Program Associate, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Surviving by Combining: Nonprofit Mergers in a Tough Economy

With many nonprofits struggling to raise the funds to keep their programs running or trying to cope with increased demand for services, it's no surprise that the talk of mergers and collaborations in the nonprofit world has accelerated in the past several years. A 2009 survey of nonprofit organizations by the Bridgespan Group found that 20% of respondents were considering or planned to explore the option of a merger as part of their response to the economic downturn. Still, the idea of undertaking a merger can be daunting for an organization, especially a smaller nonprofit, without much experience in corporate transactions.

What are the different ways a nonprofit can collaborate or combine with another organization? What are the benefits and costs of undertaking a merger? How does one initiate a merger? What legal steps need to be taked to notify the IRS and state agencies?

Next Thursday, January 19, join us for Surviving by Combining, a workshop on the legal issues of nonprofit mergers and dissolutions. Legal experts from Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta will answer these questions and more for organizations considering a merger or just interested in learning more about the topic.

To learn more about the different types of collaborations and mergers and explore real-life examples of nonprofits working together to make a difference, visit the Nonprofit Collaboration Resources section of our site or see the additional resources below.

In the library:
Nonprofit Mergers and Alliances (2nd ed.), by Thomas A. McLaughlin (New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 2010).
Call Number: 609 MCL NON

The Legal Guide to Nonprofit Mergers & Joint Ventures, by Jerald A. Jacobs (Washington, DC: ASAE: the Center for Association Leadership, 2011).
Call Number: 945 JAC

The Nonprofit Mergers Workbook: The Leader's Guide to Considering, Negotiating, and Executing a Merger, by David La Piana (St. Paul, MN: Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, 2000).
Call Number: 609 LAP MER

Online:
Strategic Restructuring | La Piana Consulting

Nonprofit Mergers and Acquisitions: More Than a Tool for Tough Times | The Bridgespan Group

Collaboration, Mergers, and Partnering | National Council of Nonprofits

Can't make this session? View a past recording of this class at the Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta web site.

Stephen Sherman, Reference Librarian, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Local Update: Enterprise for Good Happy Hour, Leadership Summit, & Marketing Boot Camp

It's our first Local Update of the new year and I'm excited to let you know about some great happenings! The Atlanta chapter of the American Marketing Assocation is holding a Nonprofit Marketing Boot Camp (and they're offing one scholarship for a local nonprofit participant), YNPN Atlanta and ATLANTA+acumen are teaming up for a social entrepreneurship happy hour, and the InwardBound Center for Nonprofit Leadership is holding a leadership summit. If that's not a great way to kick off 2012, I don't know what is.

Here are the details:

Enterprise for Good Happy Hour, with YNPN Atlanta and ATLANTA+acumen

Tuesday, January 24, 6:00-8:00pm

Want to learn how "doing well while doing good" works in the real world? We've invited local and global social entrepreneurs, impact investors, and sustainability professionals to share their inspiring stories and innovative program models with you. Come and have your questions answered!

Special Guests:

• Jason Dominy, Wholesale Coffee Support and Outreach, Batdorf and Bronson Coffee Roasters
• Kristen Hard, Founder and Chocolatier, Cacao
• Jeff Shinabarger, Founder, Plywood People
• Margaret Yuan, Social Venture Capital Group, Gray Ghost Ventures

Program
6pm-7:45pm: Q&A with special guests and Enterprise for Good social
7:45pm: Door prize winners announced
8pm: TAP hosts Tuesday night trivia for those who care to stay and participate!

Location:
TAP Gastropub
1180 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30309

Tap offers complimentary valet parking.

This event is FREE and open to all. Attendees are responsible for their own food and drink. Also. attendees who RSVP will be eligible for door prize drawings! See you there!

Nonprofit Leadership Summit, InwardBound Center for Nonprofit Leadership
Wednesday, January 25, 8:00-2:00pm

Team coaching can shift a leadership team and their organization to create new ways to increase productivity and regain high morale, trust and respect. In the past year, the InwardBound Center worked intensively with three nonprofit leadership teams, resulting in case studies that will be revealed in detail at their January 25 Nonprofit Leadership Summit. Discover how the leadership teams at CARE, St.Vincent de Paul, and Literacy Action changed the way they work together; hear keynote speaker Sam Bracken, founder of The Orange Duffel Bag Foundation, tell his story; and enjoy breakout sessions in the afternoon.

Where:
The Loudermilk Center
40 Courtland Street, NE
404-507-1690
Atlanta, GA

Cost: $50 for nonprofit staff, $75 for others.

Additionally, The Inward Bound Center will be awarding technical assistance in 2012 to two organizations for their own 6-Month Leadership Coaching Engagement. Come to the Nonprofit Leadership Summit on Jan. 25th to prepare for the 2012 Request for Proposals, which will be issued after the Summit.

Nonprofit Marketing Boot Camp, AMA Atlanta
Tuesday, January 31, 8:00am-5:00pm and Wednesday, February 1, 8:00am-12:00pm

In today's challenging economic climate, every nonprofit needs an organization-wide commitment to a comprehensive marketing strategy so it will stand out among the growing number of nonprofits competing for funding, programs and volunteers. Nonprofit leaders will gain the tools needed to create and enhance an organization's marketing strategy. Instructor: Sybil Stershic, President, Quality Service Marketing. Get more information>>

Where:
Georgia Tech Global Learning Center
84 Fifth St. NW
Atlanta, GA 30308

Cost: AMA Members $600, Non-members $860

As part of the boot camp AMA will be giving one scholarship to a local nonprofit participant! To enter, send an email to bootcamp@formomentum.com with name, title, organization and an essay up to 100 words on how you and your organization would benefit from attending the Boot Camp. Entries must be received between January 4 and January 20 to qualify.

Elyse Klova, Program Associate, Foundation Center-Atlanta