Using Social Media For Social Good

Social media has opened so many new doors for charities and nonprofits, but using these tools the wrong way can just as easily alienate potential donors. The key is having a social strategy before you sign up for that Twitter or Facebook account. Here are a few tips to help you connect, and stay connected, with donors and advocates of your cause.

Don’t forget who you are talking to. When you launch a new campaign it’s important to speak organically and keep inter-office jargon off the web. Put out an easy-going vibe and don’t get preachy.

Support your cause with real world evidence. Post links to news stories or blog posts that highlight your cause. For instance, if you work for a food bank association, why not link to a news article or feature story that will help potential supporters. An objective, third party way to highlight your cause will gain a lot more traction than simply posting constant links to your own organization’s website.

Keep it positive. Overly-emotional appeals may attract some donors, but most of us don’t want anyone taking a cheap tug at our heartstrings. Focus on the positive things your organization is doing and a lot more people will want to become involved.

When you get off on the right foot, you create the opportunity for lasting peer-to-peer relationships between your organization and donors. When donors feel passionately about an organization, they’ll be much more likely to spread your cause to their friends. Do it right and you’ll be surprised by the number of people willing to engage.

Charities with the best ad campaigns

The most important way to lure donors to a charity is through great ad campaigns. Some of the most successful charities have great public relation services that explain and entertain donors at the same time. Below is a list of a few charities who campaign well.

1. Flora-proactiv – is a charity launched in 1999 to raise awareness about cholesterol. They use extensive Public relations about the George Institute to raise awareness of the cause as well as the charity itself. They use television and print to get their point across.

2. Earth Hour – Australians were motivated to turn off their power for one hour. It resulted in a decrease of energy use of ten point two percent. They motivated people by using digital communications such as television and radio and it is listed as one of the most successful campaigns in history.

3.You Can Speak Out Now – this charity had two objectives, to encourage people to visit their cyber mentoring website and to encourage media and corporate sponsors to give space and funds to the project. The campaign consisted of a young girl sewing her mouth shut it showed on you tube and had over 220,000 views the main message was beat bullying. It has had a huge impact and has been shown in cinema and on billboards throughout the United States. The mentoring website experienced an increase in its use and the amount of young people taking part in the program.

There are many campaigns that have made a huge impact through their public relations and have made a great turnover in the rate of donors just by having attractive campaigns.

How Much to Give

Booker T. Washington once said, “If you want to lift yourself up, lift someone else up.” This statement is as true today as it was then. Not only is charitable giving a necessary part of society, it’s also a fantastic way to make yourself feel better. The fantastic thing about philanthropy is that it doesn’t have to be about writing a big check.

Where the Money Goes

People often wonder where the money they give to charities will go. That depends largely on the charity. Goodwill Industries, for example, uses the money to help people get training they need so they can get good jobs, and keep those jobs. The Humane Society uses the money to provide care, and hopefully find homes, for the hundreds of thousands of unwanted animals that are dumped on their steps every year. Your local church uses the money for an amazing range of things. Many churches help people pay their rent when they are unemployed and struggling, for instance. Some also provide assistance for struggling families who need help buying school supplies for their children. Churches are also well known for sending funding overseas to help missionaries in third world countries.

Other than Money

Money is always preferred, as it can be used to cover administrative expenses and other operating expenses. But there are many ways to be charitable. Donate your old glasses when you get a new pair. Give old blankets and bedding to homeless shelters and even animal shelters. Pick up canned food on sale and add it to your church’s food pantry. When renovating a house and pulling off fixtures that are still in excellent condition, consider Habitat for Humanity. The next time your local school is having a bake sale, send in some brownies or cookies. Donate gently used coats and gloves to Coats for Kids. Take your unwanted household items to Goodwill so they can resell them and add money to their cause. There are always charitable drives going on right in your area, and most of them require nothing more than giving gently used items to a charity rather than throwing them out.

Your Time

One thing that people often don’t consider is donating their time. Many organizations find that the money coming in is acceptable, but they don’t have enough volunteers to put it to good use. Volunteer to serve meals at the local soup kitchen. Talk to your church about volunteer opportunities in the area. You don’t have to be a Goodwill employee to go in and help sort donations. Visit the local animal shelter and walk dogs. Offer your time to help tutor students who are struggling with reading or math.

How Much to Give

This is incredibly personal, and nearly impossible to answer. How much to give depends largely on what you’re comfortable with. Many churches recommend tithing ten percent, to help cover their own expenses, as well as covering the charitable aspect. Some churches ask only for the equivalent of one hours pay a week, whatever that may be in your case. Here is the bottom line: there is no such thing as too small a donation. There are roughly 396 thousand people living in the city of Cleveland. Imagine for a moment that every person gave one single dollar to the local soup kitchen, now think about how many more meals that kitchen could provide. Obviously, giving more is always better. But if all you can afford at the moment is a dollar, then give that dollar and know that it will combine with other dollars to become a very powerful force.

Grant Writing Tips

Tens of thousands of grants are awarded each year to deserving nonprofit organizations that need additional funding to support new or existing programs. A nonprofit organization, no matter its size or mission, may receive grants from a wide variety of sources, including private foundations, large public companies, or governmental agencies. These steps can help a nonprofit director or fundraiser start the grant writing process.

Granters are unlikely to award funding to a nonprofit without a solid mission and demonstrated need. Any nonprofit seeking funding should have a well-developed mission statement, organizational goals, and identified need.

Understand Types of Funding

Grant funding is divided into three types:
1. Project Grants are awarded in support of a very specific program or project.
2. Start-up Grants are for new nonprofits.
3. Building Grants provide funding for the purchase, construction, or renovation of facilities, which may include equipment or technology purchases.
4. Operating Grants provide largely unrestricted funding and are the most challenging form of funding to obtain.

Determine the Type and Amount of Funding Needed

Before beginning the grant writing process, nonprofits should identify the type or types of funding needed. A grant proposal will need to include very specific requested funding amounts based on documented needs. Building grants will need to be substantiated with price estimates or quotes. For each type of funding, items like employee salaries and benefits, utilities, office costs, transportation, and other like costs may be included, depending on the funder’s requirements. Create a complete outline of funding types and specific monetary needs.

Identify Granters

Grant funding comes from many sources and can be a challenge to identify. One way to begin is to search for funders based on the nonprofit’s location, services, mission, and population served.
• Find foundations or companies that are headquartered in the city, county, state, or region that the nonprofit serves. Even small, local companies may award grants.
• Focus on funders that have a connection with the nonprofit’s services. For example, a nonprofit that provides technology training may approach technology companies or government agencies focused on technology for funding.
• If a nonprofit’s mission is religious, political, social, or environmental in nature, the organization may want to seek funding from likeminded sources.
• Nonprofits that serve a specific population may identify funders with a connection. For example, nonprofits that serve children may contact baby product manufacturers and distributors.

Learn more about Jason Hope

What Is Fashion Philanthropy?

Some businesses make philanthropy the core of their existence. One such place is doing just that is called Fashion Philanthropy. The company pledges 10 percent or more of their sales to charity.

So far, the operation has raised more than $163,000 dollars in four years. Located in Franklin, Tennessee, the store sells high end fashion and accessories as well as designer jewelry and gifts.

So far, the shop has raised money for the Southern Sudan Project, an organization dedicated to building a sustainable community in southern Sedan. Already, the group has built a water well and supported a medical mission.

Philanthropy Fashion also helped raise $30,000 for the Hands and Feet Project. That group was started in Haiti in 2004 and serves orphaned children in Haiti and other poor countries. The headquarters narrowly escaped devastation when the 2010 quake struck.

The shop is just one of many businesses making philanthropy a big part of their organization. One of the most successful examples of this is (Red) which has gained the support of some of the most iconic brands, including Converse, Apple, Gap and plenty of others.

These companies donate 50 percent of profit from their (Red) products to the Global Fund to fight HIV and AIDS. The program first launched in 2006 and has raised more than $160 million.

Throw A Great Charity Party

In order for charities to do the work that they do, it takes money. Some times charities have to do different fundraisers and projects to get the money that they need in order to do different kinds of work. What better way could there be to raise money for charity than throwing a great party? Here are a few tips to help get your fundraiser off the ground.

There are steps to planning an amazing charity party. One thing to think about is how to get the word out. A good way to let people know about it is to do invitations. Invitations should be fun, classy and appropriate for the type of party that will be held. On the invitations the host can even ask guests to bring gifts that will help the charity.

Most great charity parties have a theme. So it would be a good idea to have one based on the charity. Recruiting volunteers to help with the charity party is important because anyone would need a little help in order to make sure everything goes smoothly. Some form of entertainment is important for any party; so pricing should be done on this and this could take up a great amount of time in the planning process. The planner should set a budget and try to adhere to it as much as possible.

Something that is wonderful to have for guests are party favors. Some people forget all about this when planning a charity party. A nice party favor is a shirt with the name of the charity on it or other items that have the emblem or name of the charity on it. Most people truly enjoy getting a little something after leaving a charity function. Another great idea is to have award certificates for people who donate their time and money to the charity.

Helen’s Hope Chest, A Valuable Arizona Charity

Helen’s Hope Chest is a Mesa, Arizona charity that provides clothing, school uniforms and toiletries and books to foster children in the area. In 2009, state budget cuts reduced clothing allowances, creating a need for children in foster families, so the United Way began collecting used clothing to donate to foster families.

In 2010, Helen’s Hope Chest was opened to support the growing need for clothing and other items in foster families. The city of Mesa, Arizona donated a warehouse with over 4,000 sq. ft to house the new store. Inside the warehouse are rooms filled with infants, children, and teen’s clothing. Some rooms are filled with books and school supplies, while other have sports equipment and toys. The goal was to make the warehouse like any other store, so that children can feel like they are really shopping. Each child can pick out five outfits at several times throughout the year.

Children who visit Helen’s Hope Closet leave the store with a sense of confidence. The clothes are in good shape, with many name brands available that kids like and will wear, all generously donated by groups and individuals. Some children come to the store with only the clothes they are wearing and nothing else. The store offers these families with foster children hope.

Helen’s Hope Chest honors a woman named Helen Simmons. Helen had been in foster care in the 1930’s and had never been fully adopted by a family. She lived for many years, with her brother Walter, struggling in the foster home and being teased at school for the hand me downs she and her brother wore. Helen passed away in 2009, so her family, along with the United Way, has taken the charge to make sure Helen’s life has been memorialized with the opening of Helen’s Hope Chest.

Bill Gates, The World’s Best-Known Philanthropist

The name of Bill Gates is probably one of the most well known American names throughout the world. He has probably touched more lives throughout the world than any other person alive today. Through his development of  Microsoft Computers and the advancements of the electronics industry, the world has become one in the information age. Through the works of his philanthropy efforts, more people than can be counted, have been touched.

Gates was born in Seattle, Washington. He attended Harvard, but technically “dropped out” to go do some developments of electronic equipment. Several years later, this college drop out was the CEO of Microsoft, and the richest man in the world. He was not content with improving Microsoft and getting richer. He decided he wanted his money to be put to good use. In 1994 he sold some of his Microsoft stock to start the William Gates Foundation. In 2000, he and his wife established the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is the largest operated charitable foundation in the world. It has numerous sub-foundations under it. Gates has made a pledge to give over half of his wealth to charity.

Gates interests are Global as well as at national. He has given to the Indian Ocean Earthquake charities which include: Care, International Rescue Committee, Save the Children, World Vision, Kashmir Earthquake, and so on. He has given $1.2 million over a 3 year period to help make water, sanitation and hygiene services safer and more affordable in Kashmir. Food, Clothing, Educational programs over the globe are traced back to the Gates Foundations.

In the United States, some of the philanthropy goes to popular items like National Public Radio. Libraries are supported nationwide with grants, computers and software, and training and technical support. Responding to the claim that 1 in 5 students are graduating illiterate, the Gates foundation has invested more than $250 million in grants to create new small schools, and to create the schools within schools programs.  Cornell University is the recipient of a $60 million grant for a new Information Science Building. Carnegie Mellon received $20 million for a new Computer Science building. $122 million helped send hundreds of District of Columbia’s poorest students to college. Nothing but gratitude should be expressed to this “college dropout” for sharing his wealth. How much of your wealth – big or small – do you share?

Who Donates To Charity?

Who really gives to charity? Well, recent estimates show that about three-quarters of American families donate to some type of charity and give about $1,800 on average.

However households that pull in more than $1 million account for 50 percent of all charitable donations. Yet that doesn’t mean that people on the lower end of the pay scale don’t contribute. According to a Social Capital Benchmark Survey, donors on the lower end of the pay scale gave as much as 30 percent of their income. Researchers say families with less money give more because they know someone who is poor or believe they could use the assistance of a charity someday.

Religious people are also more likely to give. A recent study shows people who regularly attend church are not only more likely to give to a charity, but they give four times as much as their non-religious counterparts on average. Experts say that giving is not just restricted to their church or religion-based charity.

In all, Americans of all religious or not, rich or poor, donate a total of about $250 billion every year, more than any other country on the planet.

Understanding Nonprofits

Nonprofits are different from traditional businesses in a lot of ways. The term refers to a business that exists not to make money, but to fulfill a need in the world or a community.

There are several purposes under federal law in which a nonprofit can operate and those are typically charitable, educational, religious, scientific or literary activities.

Incorporated nonprofits can own their own bank accounts and property and file with the IRS to become a tax exempt organization. These are commonly known as 501 (C)(3) organization.

As long as a nonprofit is recognized for the proper purpose, it can take in more money than it expends, which basically means it can make a profit. Two ways of doing this is by fees and fundraising.

[CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE]

Understanding Nonprofits

<a href=”http://www.jasonhopegives.com/69/understanding-nonprofits/” mce_href=”http://www.jasonhopegives.com/69/understanding-nonprofits/”><img src=”http://www.jasonhopegives.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/understandingnps-500.jpg” mce_src=”http://www.jasonhopegives.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/understandingnps-500.jpg” alt=”Understanding Nonprofits” width=”252″ height=”1024″ /></a>