NONPROFIT ARTICLES AND CHARITY RESOURCES FOR VOLUNTEERS , NON-PROFITS, AND CHARITIES

Here are non-profit articles, charity resources, articles for volunteers, and other resources for charities.

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Home > Arts Articles > Non-profit articles, charity resources, articles for volunteers, and other resources for charities.

Below you will find non-profit articles, charity resources, articles for volunteers, and other resources for charities with articles about fundraising, non-profit management, volunteering, donating, donors, managing volunteers, board members, children and young volunteers, and other articles.

NON-PROFIT/ CHARITY / VOLUNTEER RESOURCES

FUNDRAISING

NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT

VOLUNTEERING

DONATING / DONORS

MANAGING VOLUNTEERS

BOARD MEMBERS

CHILDREN / YOUNG VOLUNTEERS

MISCELLANEOUS

OUR ARTICLES

FUNDRAISING

Asking For The Money: "If You Don't Ask You Don't Get" - Generally, the first step in asking prospects to make a donation is to send them a letter. This is true no matter the type of campaign or potential size of gift. In the small-gifts division of an annual campaign the letter may be the only step, although I would recommend having it followed up by a telephone call, if at all possible.

Fundrasing from US Companies - If a US company or a subsidiary has an office, factory or other location in the geographical area where your charity operates it is an appropriate target for your fundraising. There are the exceptions to this, but not many.

Fund-Raising With A Net - The Internet - The excitement surrounding Internet fund-raising and its hoped-for windfall of support for non-profits reminds me of when direct mail and telefunding were new to the fund-raising scene. However, Internet fund-raising is causing an even greater stir in the non-profit world for a couple of reasons.

How Board Members Can Become Effective Fund-Raisers - So, you've been asked to join the board of a non-profit organization, or maybe you're already on the board. In either case, here's some advice.

Non-Profit Fund-Raising Demystified - When it comes to fund-raising, there are truths and myths. The truths illuminate the path to success.

Rating and Evaluating Prospects: Whom Do You Ask For How Much - No one would argue the fact that every fund-raising campaign needs a goal and that everyone connected with the campaign, including prospective donors, needs to be aware of that goal.

Should Your Organization Sell Products And Services To Raise Money? - I am made increasingly aware of the conflict non-profit organizations experience when faced with choosing between:

So, You Were Asked To Volunteer And To Work On A Fund-Raising Campaign! - As a businessperson, you are among the most sought-after volunteers for support of non-profit organizations. Officials of non-profits want you to take leadership positions with them because:
They know that you are a natural leader and a strong advocate for charitable groups and their causes.

Tapping The Philanthropic WellA common myth is that corporations and foundations give most of the money to non-profit organizations

Your Organization's Next Special Event: - “Fund-Raiser” Or “Friend-Raiser?” - Should a special event be focused on making friends for an organization or bringing in money? On the one hand, every organization needs friends to help promote its mission and to be there for future fund-raising needs. But on the other, there are bills to be paid today.

NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT

Campaign Feasibility Studies: Taking The Time To Find Out Whether The Time Is Right - A campaign feasibility study is a tool a non-profit uses to determine whether it should go ahead with a capital or endowment fund-raising campaign. It is essential for an organization to assess the likelihood of success for a campaign before entering into it. A non-profit that does not do so puts the campaign, the project for which the money is to be raised, and even the organization itself at risk.

Don't Make Your Organization's Statement Of Purpose A "Mission Impossible" - We read in all of the right publications and we are told by the experts that a non-profit organization’s mission statement should be contained on the back of a business card, declared in as few words as possible on the organization’s letterhead, etc., --- and even, as a national authority states, fit on a T-shirt.

Getting to Yes - Dear Association Leader: Money doesn't grow on trees, there is no magic bullet, and the odds of winning the big jackpot are not in your favor. All that said, how do you go about finding sponsors for association events? How can you increase the amount of money available to provide quality services to your members without increasing dues? How do you support the development of new projects and programs?

VOLUNTEERING

Corporate Volunteering - By encouraging employees to participate in community activities through company sponsored volunteer programs, a business contributes to building better communities. Corporate volunteering allows people to contribute skills and knowledge to a not-for-profit organisation and actively participate in the community. It makes people feel good.

Helping Volunteers to Market Their Experience on Their Resumes - Many volunteers hold paying jobs concurrently with their volunteer positions or will seek part- or full-time paid employment in the future. Directors and coordinators of volunteers can offer a valuable service by helping volunteers effectively communicate their service and skills on their resumes and cover letters.

How to get the most from your volunteer experience - Thinking about doing some volunteer work in your community? Great! Not only is volunteering good for the heart, it also benefits local organizations and agencies that need your help to augment their staff and services. Here are some tips to get the most from your volunteering experiences.

Postering Secrets: How & Where to Hang Flyers On Your Campus - Posters are cheap to produce (you can copy a couple of hundred for just a few dollars), easy to change or update, can be put up for free, and can be distributed by your own staff or members.

So, You Were Asked To Volunteer And To Work On A Fund-Raising Campaign! - As a businessperson, you are among the most sought-after volunteers for support of non-profit organizations. Officials of non-profits want you to take leadership positions with them because:
They know that you are a natural leader and a strong advocate for charitable groups and their causes.

Start Volunteering - There are many volunteer opportunities available and finding the right one that matches your interest takes some time and research.

The Dollar Value of Volunteer Time - The volunteer community has long debated the practice of assigning a dollar value to volunteer time. Apart from any consideration of the difficulties of collecting data or of finding appropriate dollar amounts, the arguments against measuring volunteer contributions against a monetary standard boil down to: it doesn't feel right.

Volunt/ar/eer/ism: What's the Difference? - So many people ask me whether there is a distinction between "volunteerism" and "voluntarism" that I have written up my answer. Here it is.

Volunteer Vacations - Although each project differs, there are some general characteristics that you can expect most of them to have.

DONATING / DONORS

Gifts with Soul - Choosing a charitable cause can be a fun family activity that will produce many years worth of fond memories and enhanced personal and spiritual growth for our children.

Charity Starts With Us - Teaching our children about charitableness needs to start with us.

Charitable Deductions: Tax Planning - With the end of the year approaching, it's a good time to review your tax situation with a view to finding ways to reduce your Federal income tax liability.

Lose the Soft Touch in 2002 - While some will try to convince you that philanthropy should be selfless, there is no law that says philanthropy can't be mutually beneficial to both giver and recipient.

MANAGING VOLUNTEERS

12 Basic Needs of Every Volunteer - 12 needs of every volunteer.

A volunteer needs a good reason for doing the task - If work is not meaningful, do not ask volunteers to do it. Volunteers need to know that their contribution is important. They find time to work on projects that contribute to goals that they support.

Creative Volunteer Roles - As a rule, volunteer assignments are patterned along the job descriptions of paid staff. This is because volunteers are seen as helpers or assistants to employees. While there is nothing wrong with this frame of reference, it is also limiting. Why not try a more creative approach to designing ways volunteers can contribute?

Decide Needed Roles and Set Recruitment Goals - With the scope, goals, and strategies of your effort already in place, you can now decide what roles are required and determine the number of marketing representatives you will recruit for each role.

Does Liability for Negligent Hiring Apply to Volunteers? - "A person conducting an activity through servants or other agents is subject to liability for harm resulting from his conduct if he is negligent or reckless.. .in the employment of improper persons or instrumentalities in work involving risk of harm to others."

Federal Law Protects Nonprofit Volunteers - Volunteers for charities and other nonprofit entities have an additional line of defense against the threat of personal liability now that Congress has finally passed a federal Volunteer Protection Act.

It Starts With You ...The Volunteer Administrator - The thesis here is that in order to build the kind of respect we want for our profession, 'It starts with us ... the volunteer administrator"-we need to think about ourselves and how we advocate forcefully for the profession and its integral role in helping to meet the many needs in our society.

Orientation and Training of Event Volunteers - Orientation and training will be different for those who serve on the leadership task force or steering committee, and those who are providing a short-term skill or assistance during the event itself.

Planning for a Volunteer Center - The following has a United Way slant, but the questions are relevant for any type of community organization considering the formation of a local Volunteer Center.

Preparing for the Volunteer's First Day - Every volunteer has high hopes for his or her first day on the job. It may have taken some courage to offer to get involved with your organization, but your initial interview made the volunteer feel welcome. Now, how well day one goes will have a lasting impact on this volunteer's long-term commitment.

Preparing Your Organization - We do not want to be Pollyannas! Although we know the benefits of working with children as volunteers, we recognize that there are always concerns among administrators and staff members to whom this may be a new concept.

Recognizing Your Role - This Guide is designed to help you step back and examine the responsibility you have been given to lead volunteers.

Recognising Employee Volunteers - Employers may want to follow these guidelines when considering how best to recognise and reward employee efforts.

Reference Checks - You should verify the nature of the relationship between the applicant and personal reference and the length of time they have known each other. You may be able to increase the objectivity of the information you receive from the reference if you stress the kinds of responsibilities that the applicant will have if selected for the position.

Step 2: Screening - As the sensitivity of the volunteer assignment increases, the need for multiple and more thorough screening procedures rises.

Using Real-Time Communications (Chat, Instant Messaging, Ec.) With Volunteers - A growing number of organizations use real-time communications -- usually called "chats" or "chat rooms," "instant messaging", and sometimes called "synchronous conferencing" -- to hold online meetings with volunteers, to allow volunteers to interact with staff, clients, or each other, or to have live, online, real-time events.

Volunteer Vacations - Although each project differs, there are some general characteristics that you can expect most of them to have.

BOARD MEMBERS

Avoiding the Pitfalls [in Recruiting Board Members] - So, what happens when you find this high profile person you really want, somebody like, well…Paul Newman. He says yes to your board, but then he says he can’t come to any of your meetings. What do you do?

Board Chair Responsible? - The volunteer chair of the board of a nonprofit school for aeronautics may be a "responsible person" personally liable for the failure to withhold federal payroll taxes, according to the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. (Schumacher v. U.S., No. 97 C 6806, 8/17/98.)

Build a Better Board in 30 Days - Build a Better Board in 30 Days

How Board Members Can Become Effective Fund-Raisers - So, you've been asked to join the board of a non-profit organization, or maybe you're already on the board. In either case, here's some advice.

CHILDREN / YOUNG VOLUNTEERS

A Child Can Make a Difference - The next time your child comes up with a great idea to make a contribution to your community, give it a chance and help them out.

Teens in action - Let's take a look at a group of teens who had an idea and made it work.

MISCELLANEOUS

Doing Good, and Getting Credit for It - Someone once defined public relations as “doing good and getting credit for it.” One area where this is especially true is in crisis management.

Donors and Volunteers – More Alike than Different - The concept of philanthropy includes many types of giving, though you'd hardly know it from the conferences, journals, and academic programs that use the word in their titles. Most of the time, “philanthropy” is used as synonymous to “fundraising.” No one argues that volunteering is technically interwoven with donating, but giving of

Just Pay Them: Volunteers' Managers Getting Shorted in Pay - Executive and staff compensation can be a telling point for the emphases an organization places on the way it's managed and the resources used to fund programs.

This Trust Allows Charity To Begin At Home - Among the super-rich, the charitable remainder trust is the most popular way of making a charitable gift contribution, while also getting a nice tax break.

The Philanthropic Limited Partnership - Charitable Remainder Trusts ("CRTs") are irrevocable trusts that divvy up the benefits of the assets they hold between income beneficiaries - you, your spouse and possibly your kids - and one or more charities you select to receive the assets after all the income beneficiaries die.

How Gifts To Charity Can Avoid - Charitable gifts of retirement assets and other IRD items often make good planning sense. But this area of the tax law is fraught with peril, and the careful coordination of one's estate and retirement planning is essential to insure the intended result.

OUR ARTICLES

Help Your Child Help The Community - As a parent, you probably want to guide your child to become a healthy and ethical adult. How can you lead your child to a healthy future? What kind of activities can you do together as a family that will steer your child towards becoming a compassionate adult? Community service and Volunteerism are your answer.

Generate Free PR for Your Company by Helping Your Community - Are you looking for a unique way to catch the attention of potential customers? Have you had a hard time getting the attention of the media and don’t know where else to turn? Look no further, the answer has been right in front of you the entire time. Give back to your community.

Helping Heal Children With Art - The people who work with Artists Helping Children provide art that brings joy and happiness to the lives of ill, mistreated, and needy children in communities everywhere. Through the generosity of artists, patients and community members, Artists Helping Children helps create murals, pieces of art, and provides arts and crafts supplies for the kids we serve.

Free Arts & Crafts Activities & Ideas & Coloring Pages and Printables Directory for Kids, Teens, & Preschoolers

CHANGES TO ARTISTS HELPING CHILDREN - PLEASE READ

Artists Helping Children is No Longer Acting as a Nonprofit Due to the New Provisions of The Pension Protection Act of 2006 Passed on August 03, 2006. We Are No Longer Accepting Donations of Any Kind. We are Currently Keeping This Site Up As Is and Will Continue to Post Information on Any Updates to the Status of Artists Helping Children. The Site Still Has a Wealth of Information and Can Still Be Used as Such. We Are Obviously Deeply Distressed Over This Provision That Was Secretly Included In This New Law and We Were Taken by Complete Surprise. We Hope in the Future That We Will Be Able to Change the Status of Our Organization so That We Can Once Again Resume Our Help to Children. Thank You Very Much to Everyone Who Has Worked With Us So Hard Up Until Now. Please Continue to Use This Site for Free Coloring Pages / Printouts, Arts and Crafts Project Ideas, and as a Resource for Childrens Art Articles, etc. Don't worry, All donations of items that were sent to us will still be sent to hospitals and shelters, etc. All recent checks sent to us will be mailed back to you. Thanks.