Charitable Giving Continues To Decline
The fundraising climate for U.S. charities continued to decline in the first half of 2009, according to the latest Philanthropic Giving Index (PGI) released in August by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. The PGI, similar to a Consumer Confidence Index for charitable giving, includes three indexes on a scale from 0 to 100, based on a semiannual national survey of nonprofit fundraising professionals. Higher scores indicate more positive or optimistic attitudes about the climate for fundraising.
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Association Benchmarking in an Instant
ASAE & The Center now offer Benchmarking in an Instant, (www.asaecenter.org/PublicationsResources/instantpandp.cfm) brief questionnaires that are immediately tallied to provide you with up-to-the-minute results. ASAE offers three categories of surveys. Each survey will take less than five minutes to complete and the results are instant, providing association leaders a way to learn what others are doing in their organization on these topics.
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Easy Steps to a Green Meeting
Waste not; want not. It is far easier than most of us think and, therefore, no reason to panic or feel hopelessly uninformed if asked to plan a green event. The Convention Industry Council defines a green meeting as "a meeting or event that incorporates environmental considerations to minimize its negative impact on the environment."
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Illinois Nonprofit Act Amended
Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn signed into law Senate Bill 1390, now known as Public Act 96-0649. Taking effect on January 1, 2010, the bill updates the Illinois General Not for Profit Corporation Act of 1986, which governs how associations operate in Illinois and is therefore critical to the long-term health of the association community.
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New York Ranks Lowest of All States in Volunteering
A new report released by the Corporation for National and Community Service finds that even during a time of prolonged economic recession, volunteering has remained steady, fueled by a compassion boom led by young adults and a wave of do-it-yourself volunteers working with their neighbors to fix problems. Volunteering in America 2009 found that 61.8 million Americans volunteered through an organization in 2008, up one million from the previous year. America's volunteers dedicated more than eight billion hours of service in 2008, worth an estimated $162 billion. While the formal volunteering rate in America remained relatively stable at 26.4 percent, other less-formal ways of serving in communities have dramatically increased. The number of people who worked with their neighbors to fix a community problem rose by 31 percent, from 15.2 million in 2007 to 19.9 million in 2008.
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Separation Policies Can Affect Organization's Morale and Brand
Separation benefits provided to terminated employees impact the morale of remaining employees, according to a new study, Global Trends in Separation Practices. The study of more than 1,200 business leaders from 45 countries shows a company's decisions about separating employees, including severance pay, outplacement support, and other continuing benefits, can create ripple effects across the entire enterprise long after the departing employees have left the organization, even affecting the company's brand and public image.
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StayExempt.org Offers Free Workshop and Mini-Courses
Have you visited stayexempt.org? This educational website, developed by IRS Exempt Organizations, features an online version of its popular workshop for small and mid-sized 501(c)(3) organizations, as well as mini-courses on various topics of interest to exempt organizations, including deductibility of contributions, applying for exemption and foundation classification, and applying for exemption.
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Delta Air Lines To Expand New York Service
Delta Air Lines has reached a definitive agreement with US Airways to exchange certain flying rights and airport facilities at New York's LaGuardia and Washington's Reagan National airports, allowing Delta to expand its New York customer service and convenience by creating a domestic hub at LaGuardia Airport.
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Green Choice Awards Publishes First-Ever List of Best Environmental Nonprofits
Grassroots organizations get top votes for best environmental nonprofits, according to GreatNonprofits' 2009 Green Choice Awards. The contest asked people to submit reviews and ratings about environmental nonprofits. The results provide surprising insights into the kinds of organizations that are considered effective by volunteers, donors, and stakeholders.
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Hotels Drop Five-Star Ratings to Conserve Cash
An August 25 bloomberg.com article by Nadja Brant reports that some luxury hotel chains are giving up some of their stars to save money. The report indicates that Hilton Hotels, InterContinental Hotels Group, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, the U.S. owner of the St. Regis and W Hotels, are among those chains that are letting some of their properties reduce their level of service and number of stars until the industry begins to recover.
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And The Winner Is...
How do we recognize accomplishment?
- The President can give you the Medal of Freedom.
- Your boss can give you a raise.
- Jack Potter might issue a stamp in your name. (Ideally, you need to be either be dead or a cartoon character, but let's not quibble.)
- Michael Bloomberg could put your name on a street, or if you're really worthy, on an avenue.
- You make it to the final episode of a reality show and get a hug from Paula Abdul (wait, she's no longer there!) or a pretty equivalent.
- Your colleagues stand up and cheer when NYSAE's Awards Committee says that of all our peers, you, more than anyone, are New York's most distinguished chair or best performing executive.
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Education Committee Plans for Year
Michael Cummings, business development manager for the Kellen Company and chair of NYSAE's Education Committee, reported that the committee met following the July Board and Committee Retreat to review its accomplishments from the Skytop Lodge meeting.
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