Philanthropy Front and Center-Atlanta

Coming in 2009 at the Foundation Center-Atlanta

As the old year comes to a close, we are looking forward to some exciting events in January 2009. 

Our second annual Nonprofit Resource Fair is scheduled for Monday, January 26. The Fair is your “one-stop” event to meet local nonprofits that provide technical assistance and networking and professional development opportunities, often for free or at affordable prices.  Attendees will receive an exhibitors' directory and have the opportunity to enter multiple drawings to win prizes, including a free day-long class at the Foundation Center and a free class at the Georgia Center for Nonprofits. The Nonprofit Resource Fair is cosponsored by The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, the Georgia Center for Nonprofits and the Foundation Center-Atlanta.

Come meet Tommie Jones, the author of Comprehensive Actions Steps to Developing a Nonprofit Organization on Thursday, January 29. Mr. Jones will discuss how to position your nonprofit for growth, effectively utilize the Nonprofit C-factors (Communication, Collaboration and thinking Competitively), and avoid common mistakes when starting a nonprofit organization.  He has over twenty years of experience in the nonprofit arena as a case manager, social worker, supervisor and manager/administrator and has extensive training and certification in the nonprofit sector. 

Start off the new year in the right direction with our free classes.  Next week we will be offering:

Tuesday, January 6, 5:15-6:45 pm 
Grantseeking Basics

Tuesday, January 6, 7:00-8:00 pm 
Introduction to Foundation Directory Online

Wednesday, January 7, 10:00-11:30 am 
Your Board and Fundraising: An Introductory Class for Small Nonprofits, followed by presentation on developing and engaging high-performing board members

Thursday, January 8, 9:30-11:00 am
Proposal Writing Basics

Thursday, January 8, 11:15 am-12:15 pm 
Proposal Budgeting Basics

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

Can't visit the Foundation Center this week? Check out our webinars.

Have a happy and safe New Year!

Kayron Bearden, Reference Librarian, The Foundation Center-Atlanta

Innovations in Holiday Fundraising

As you complete your holiday errands and check off your shopping list this week, chances are you will probably encounter the familiar sound of a Salvation Army bell-ringer. Over the years, the bell-ringers have become synonymous with the holiday season, and they have been a common sight outside department stores and shopping malls. Since the advent of debit cards, however, fewer and fewer people have found themselves carrying cash to drop in the familiar red kettles. 

This year, the Salvation Army is exploring new methods of fundraising in order to meet this growing challenge. Several recent articles in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution have highlighted pilot programs that are currently underway, including one in the metro Atlanta area itself, in which individuals can use their cell phones or mobile devices to text message a donation. Elsewhere, the organization is experimenting with the use of credit/debit machines at collection points to enable donations from those who now carry nothing but plastic. 

Especially in these tough economic times, nonprofit organizations must be flexible and adaptive in their approach to donors and fundraising. To read about more recent innovative fundraising programs, see this article from last week’s Chronicle of Philanthropy (login required).

You can also find books, articles, and other information on fundraising by searching our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature for “fundraising techniques” or “fundraising handbooks”. 

Do you have an innovative fundraising program? Are you changing your approach to fundraising in response to the economic crisis?  Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Stephen Sherman, Reference Librarian, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Editor’s note: Due to the holiday, there will be no posts on Wednesday, December 24, or Friday, December 26.  We will return with a new post on Monday, December 29. 

Next Week at the Foundation Center-Atlanta: December 22-26

The library will be closed Wednesday, December 24, through Friday, December 26. The following week, the library will close at 1:00pm on Wednesday, December 31, and will remain closed on Thursday, January 1, and Friday, January 2, for the New Year's holiday. Due to these closings, we will not be offering any free classes during the next two weeks. Normal hours will resume on Monday, January 5.

For programs offered over the next three months, please see our Events Calendar.

Can't visit the Foundation Center this week? Check out our webinars.

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 Monday thru Friday, 10am-5pm (first Tuesdays of each month, 10am-8pm). No appointment is necessary. See our web site for directions and parking information.

Stephen Sherman, Reference Librarian, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Do Good™

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has launched the Do Good™ Channel on its web site.  It is powered by good2gether™, a new service that connects people to causes through a broad network of  high-traffic websites. good2gether™ enables nonprofits to enter volunteering opportunities, events and in-kind donation needs (at no charge) once – then distributes their information across the entire network, to everyone's benefit.

Nonprofits leverage free traffic, media partners get local content and fresh ad revenue; sponsors deliver their social responsibility messaging in a targeted, scalable fashion; and people get an easy way to discover, share and engage with causes that matter to them most. You can learn more at their web site. 

There are plans for dozens of Do Good™ Channels across the country, beginning with those of major newspapers—then radio and television stations, colleges and universities, existing social networks, corporate intranets… virtually everywhere people gather (in large numbers) online.  Their mission is to drive and enable large-scale cause engagement… by making it easier than ever to find ways to Do Good™.

Have you listed your nonprofit?  Let us know what happened as a result of your organization’s  visibility on this service.

Joanne Kepics, Regional Training Coordinator, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Tell Us How Grants Make a Difference

We’re living in uncertain times, filled with mounting anxieties about the potential effect of the economic crisis on nonprofit organizations and the communities they serve. But, as the holiday season begins, we may gain some perspective as we consider not our losses but rather the many gifts given and received that help to build a better world every day.

It seems like the appropriate moment to ask for your submissions to our new feature, Grants That Make a Difference. We invite nonprofits, foundations, individual grantseekers, and anyone involved in or touched by philanthropy to share your experiences about the impact of grants or other support you gave or received. What effect did the grant have? Who did it help? What positive change did it create? Why was it effective? Tell us your stories and help us tell the story of philanthropy.

We will feature selected stories regularly on PhilanTopic, at one or more of our regional Philanthropy Front and Center blogs, and at other areas of our web site. Submit your story.

Handling the economic crisis

During this economic downturn, nonprofit organizations are being called on to do more with less. Both service organizations and arts and culture organizations are dealing with how to meet the demand for services with fewer resources to delivery them. But nonprofits are made up of resourceful people who are dedicated to their constituencies. They are coming up with creative ways to deal with the financial crisis affecting all of us.

On Thanksgiving Day, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Senior Connections and Life Enrichment Services are merging. Both organizations serve senior citizens, Senior Connections by providing daily meals and Life Enrichment Services by offering recreational opportunities. The merger allows the two organizations to cut expenses by sharing back office services and eliminates the competition for scarce donations. 

Arts organizations are also taking steps to minimize the impact of decreasing donations. In a November 21 release on Atlanta Daybook, Georgia Shakespeare announced that it is restructuring its administrative staff to combine its marketing and development efforts into one department. This restructure to maximize staff resources goes into effect with the New Year.  

I know there are more examples of other nonprofits creatively addressing the economic crisis. Let us – and your colleagues who read this blog – know what you’re doing. You never know when your idea might help someone else.

Pattie Johnson, Director, Foundation Center – Atlanta

Next Week at the Foundation Center-Atlanta: December 15-19

We invite you to our classes this upcoming week:

Tuesday, December 16, 10:00-11:00am
Grantseeking Basics for Individual Artists

Tuesday, December 16, 11:15am-12:15pm
Getting Started with Foundation Grants to Individuals Online

Tuesday, December 16, 2:00-3:15pm
Your Board and Fundraising: An Introductory Class for Small Nonprofits

Thursday, December 18, 1:30-3:00pm
Proposal Writing Basics

Thursday, December 18, 3:15-4:15pm
Proposal Budgeting Basics

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

Can't visit the Foundation Center this week? Check out our webinars.

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 Monday thru Friday, 10am-5pm (first Tuesdays of each month, 10am-8pm). No appointment is necessary. See our web site for directions and parking information.

Stephen Sherman, Reference Librarian, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Update on International Grantmaking Trends

Estimated U.S. foundation giving for international purposes reached a record $5.4 billion in 2007, and 2008 giving is likely to top that record, according to International Grantmaking IV: An Update on U.S. Foundation Trends. This new report, prepared by the Foundation Center in cooperation with the Council on Foundations, suggests that the prospects for international giving in the near term are also less pessimistic than current market conditions might suggest.

This latest update of the Foundation Center's benchmark series on international funding examines changes in grantmakers' strategies and practices and the outlook for giving, based on a 2008 survey and interviews with leading funders. It also documents trends in giving through 2006 based on actual grants awarded by over 1,000 of the largest U.S. foundations.

You can find additional resources on international philanthropy at our web site, including:

• Civicus - an international alliance dedicated to strengthening citizen action and the capacity of civil society throughout the world, especially in areas where participatory democracy, freedom of association of citizens, and funds for public benefit are threatened.


• Grantmakers Without Borders - a collaborative project of the Tides Center and the International Working Group of the National Network of Grantmakers, works to expand and enrich progressive international philanthropy and to support international projects by providing free advice, alternative sources of information, and increased opportunities for communication among donors.


• Idealist - a project of Action Without Borders, is available in English, Spanish, French, and Russian. It has a searchable network of more than 30,000 nonprofit and community organizations in 165 countries, which can be searched or browsed by name, location, or mission. The site also contains a searchable list of volunteer opportunities, hundreds of job, consultant, and internship listings, and listings of events, programs, and publications.

You can also conduct a search for print resources by using a Subject search for “International philanthropy” in the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature, our library catalog.

Kayron Bearden, Reference Librarian, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Are you anxious?

I recently attended the monthly breakfast meeting of the Atlanta Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. 

David Weitnauer, president of the R. Howard Dobbs, Jr. Foundation, was the guest speaker. He shared some helpful information about his foundation, but the thing that has stuck with me during the intervening weeks was his comments about anxiety among the representatives of both nonprofits and foundations. 

In addition to being an experienced foundation executive, David has an undergraduate degree in psychology and a doctorate in theology. Therefore, his quiet voice of reason has credentials to back it up. My note-taking, nor my memory, is sufficient to paraphrase, much less quote, David’s presentation. However, I would like to share the insights I gained from his comments.  

When we are anxious, we tend to behave poorly. As our anxiety goes up, we lose perspective. We need to slowdown in this frenzy surrounding the economic crisis and bring reason to the forefront. As our anxiety goes down, our ability to make clear decisions goes up.

If we have patience, we can engage in reflective conversation, define our situation and proceed to make better decisions about how we will react to our environment. By stepping back from the fray, from the anxiety of the moment, we can see the opportunities:

(1) We can increase our sense of community. In our less-anxious state (by its very nature, it is less self-involved), we have a heightened sensitivity to the needs of others and a greater potential for empathy.

(2) We can develop new ways of communicating, both internally and externally. Internally we can take an honest, hard look at what we do and how we do it and tighten up or even reinvent our business plans. Externally we have the opportunity to build alliances. This requires giving up some autonomy, but such collaborations and partnerships can result in the long-term betterment of the communities we serve.

During his presentation, David used a quote from Ted Turner that seems very apt for our current uncertain times. When referring to his days competing in the America’s Cup  sailing races, Turner said, “Don’t worry about the wind; adjust the sails.” 

How can you lower your anxiety, clear your head, and focus on your organization’s work to better the community? What are your thoughts on dealing with these anxiety-producing times? 

Pattie Johnson, Director, Foundation Center – Atlanta

Next Week at the Foundation Center-Atlanta: December 8-12

New book drop!

Due to popular demand, we now have an after-hours book drop so you can return borrowed items when the library is closed. To return items outside of our business hours (Mon-Fri, 10:00am-5:00pm): 

• Park along Hurt Plaza and enter the lobby. You might have to knock on the glass doors to get the security staff's attention.
• When you enter the lobby, look for the blue book drop to the left of our library's entrance.
• Please try to return items between 6:00am and 11:00pm on weekdays or between 9:00am and 11:00pm on Saturdays. If you need to return items outside of these hours or on Sundays, please call the Hurt Building's security staff at 404-665-2207 before arriving, since they may be away from the main desk. 

Questions? Comments? Please ask or tell us at 404-880-0095 or atcirc@foundationcenter.org.

We invite you to our classes and events this week:

Tuesday, December 9, 8:30-11:00am
Philanthropy, Faith, and Individual Giving
Moderator: Alicia Philipp, President, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
Where: Georgia Public Broadcasting (directions)

Tuesday, December 9, 9:30-10:45am
Introduction to Fundraising Planning

Tuesday, December 9, 11:00am-12:00pm
Introduction to Corporate Giving

Wednesday, December 10, 2:00-3:15pm
How to Approach a Foundation

Thursday, December 11, 9:30-11:00am
Grantseeking Basics

Thursday, December 11, 11:15am-12:15pm
Introduction to Foundation Directory Online

Thursday, December 11, 1:00-2:00pm
Prospect Research Basics: Researching Individual Donors

Friday, December 12, 9:00am-4:00pm
Cultivating Grantmaker Relationships
Fee: $195

Unless otherwise stated, the classes above are free to attend, but registration is required. For programs offered over the next three months, please see our Events Calendar.

Can't visit the Foundation Center this week? Check out our webinars.

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 Monday thru Friday, 10am-5pm (first Tuesdays of each month, 10am-8pm). No appointment is necessary. See our web site for directions and parking information.

Stephen Sherman, Reference Librarian, Foundation Center-Atlanta