Number of Volunteers Reaches Highest Level Since 2005 - Volunteers - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

Number of Volunteers Reaches Highest Level Since 2005 - Volunteers - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: More Americans volunteered in 2011 than in any year since 2005, a new study finds. Approximately 64.3 million Americans volunteered at charities last year, providing 7.9 billion hours of service valued at $171-billion.

Showing Impact is Key Nonprofit Challenge | Business 2 Community

Showing Impact is Key Nonprofit Challenge | Business 2 Community: We recently conducted an online poll with 100 nonprofits to better understand their current view of marketing and how the discipline can help address key challenges they are facing. Here’s the blow by blow of what we found:

A STRATEGIC DEFICIT

According to survey respondents, nonprofits are not fully convinced that marketing is, or should be, a priority for their organization. Nearly 40% said marketing doesn’t rate as a strategic imperative for their cause, while the overwhelming majority of respondents admitted they do not have a formal marketing plan. More than 90% of respondents reported spending less than 5% of their budget on marketing.

One in six charities think they might close in the coming year, survey finds

One in six charities think they might close in the coming year, survey finds: John Low, chief executive of the Charities Aid Foundation, says public spending cuts and increased demand for services is having a 'shocking' effect on many charities

One in six charities believe they could face closure in the coming year amid public spending cuts and falling donations, according to a new poll.

The online survey of 252 senior level charity workers, carried out between 18 September and 1 November and commissioned by the Charities Aid Foundation, also showed that nearly half of charities dipped into reserves over the past year to maintain their work.

Corporate Philanthropy: The Latest Snapshot of Giving Trends

Corporate Philanthropy: The Latest Snapshot of Giving Trends: The Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) and The Conference Board released their Corporate Giving Standard (CGS) survey this week. Over 200 Fortune 500 companies participated in the survey including 62 Fortune 100 firms. With these companies together donating almost $20 billion total in 2011, the report reveals current trends in corporate giving. To the detractors of corporate philanthropy, or those worried that companies are doing less, this survey shows that reports of corporate giving’s demise are greatly exaggerated. Last year, 60 percent of the surveyed companies gave more than they had donated in 2009, showing that despite the global financial crises large corporate gifts are on the upswing.

Some of the more interesting findings in the survey include:

Grateful patient philanthropy and the doctor-patient relationship

Grateful patient philanthropy and the doctor-patient relationship: Grateful patient philanthropy and the doctor-patient relationship

December 10, 2012 in Other

Physicians associated with "patient philanthropy" – financial donations from grateful patients to a medical institution – are concerned with how these contributions might affect their own behavior and attitudes, and how they might impact the doctor-patient relationship. A new study by Scott Wright, MD and Joseph A. Carrese, MD, MPH of Johns Hopkins University, and colleagues, explores this topic. The paper considers the perspectives of internal medicine physicians working in an academic medical center who have had experiences with these situations. Their findings appear in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, published by Springer.

Give as you Live research identifies six online charity supporter profiles | Third Sector

Give as you Live research identifies six online charity supporter profiles | Third Sector: Polly Gowers, chief executive of the direct donations website, says its research would help charities choose the right digital channels

Online charity supporters can be grouped into six different types, such as "industrial heartland Clive" or "wealthy professional Jacqueline", emerging research indicates.

Give as you Live, a website that allows online shoppers to direct donations, which are made by retailers, to the charity of their choice, is carrying out research asking charity donors about topics including what inspired them to give, how they spent time online, their online giving habits and their general lifestyle.

Philanthropy study funded by $5 million grant

Philanthropy study funded by $5 million grant: How do you study philanthropy? Through philanthropy, apparently.

UW-Madison and two other colleges are sharing a $5 million grant to explore the motives behind philanthropy and what strategies can be developed to get the most dollars.

The Science of Philanthropy Initiative (SPI) is a collaboration among UW-Madison, the University of Chicago and Georgia State. The $5 million grant is from the John Templeton Foundation.

IU report: Nonprofit jobs and wages have grown in Indiana arts and related industries: IU News Room: Indiana University

IU report: Nonprofit jobs and wages have grown in Indiana arts and related industries: IU News Room: Indiana University: BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- As the end of the year approaches with its holiday shows and events, a new report from Indiana University finds that employment and wages in Indiana's nonprofit arts, entertainment and recreation industries are growing but trail more rapid growth in for-profit employment and wages in these industries.