Give It Up: Thoughts on Philanthropy and Fundraising

It's more fun to do it as a group...

2012-01-06T12:57:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post's On Giving section has an article describing Giving Circles, which are pooled donation funds that choose various causes to support. Some giving circles are more complicated, with lots of rules, guidelines, and minimum gifts per member, while others are more informal gatherings of friends. Giving circles can be a great way to maximize your charitable giving - getting more "bang for your charitable buck" while having meaningful conversations about your values, priorities, and interests. Have you taken part in a giving circle?

What's the season about again?

2011-12-12T13:16:00.000-08:00

"Tonight's the night we'll make history... honey you, and ... my year-end charitable gift contributions for 2011." (OK, I'm a child of the 70s. You get extra points in my book if you know that musical reference.)

Yes, I'm one of those people who makes a few contributions throughout the year, but really takes a look at the whole giving picture each December and decides how to divvy up my contributions. How do I make my decisions?

(1) What are my top three charitable giving priorities, and are my gifts aligning with these priorities? My priorities for this year are: cancer-related causes, local hunger and homelessness causes, and the youth group for which I serve as a Board member. I'll give to other things, as well, but these three priorities get the biggest piece of the pie.

(2) How did my business do this year, compared to last year? Do I have as much (or, hopefully, more) to give away? How do my expenses compare from last year to this year, and are there big expenses coming up in the first quarter of 2012? Can I at least match, if not exceed, last year's giving?

(3) I keep a spreadsheet of each year's charitable giving, and I keep a file folder right next to my desk where I keep all of the mail solicitations that I receive throughout the year, as well as items I have read in magazines, newspapers, etc. I look over the list of what I gave to last year to decide if I want to give to them again, and I look at the mailings and clippings to see if I want to add any new charities to the mix.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not giving away bajillions of dollars here! But I like to have a focused approach, and I like to keep my priorities and intentions in mind when making these decisions.

"The Best of Times!"

30 Ways in 30 Days

2011-12-05T13:42:00.000-08:00

Love this! 30 ways to make a difference in the world over the next 30 days...

How will you be GIVING?

2011-11-23T13:51:00.000-08:00

There are lots and lots of ways to put the GIVE back into Thanksgiving. Even if you didn't sign up to serve food at a homeless shelter on Thanksgiving, you can still find ways to give back on the holiday - no planning required. For example:

* Make an online donation to a local food bank or soup kitchen.
* Pick up trash at a park or stream.
* Check in on an elderly neighbor or friend.
* Go through your closets and gather gently used clothes to donate - drop them off at one of those parking lot donation bins.
* Ask everyone at your Thanksgiving table to name their favorite charity - email the list with URLs out to everyone that night or the next morning.
* Put leftover cans, disposable metal tins, and paper goods in the RECYCLING instead of the trash.
* Are you driving somewhere tomorrow? Just for kicks, drive at the speed limit, and let someone merge into your lane, for Pete's sake. Safer driving helps EVERYONE.
* Say thank you to someone. Especially someone who does not expect it.
* Go through your bookshelves and gather a few books, in good condition, to donate to your local library.

I need a 10th item for this list. Any suggestions?

Toucan Sam Relents and Shows Some Love

2011-11-18T14:25:00.000-08:00

(logo of the Maya Archeology Initiative)

According to this article in The Detroit News, Kellogg Co. has decided to drop its threatened lawsuit against the Maya Archeology Initiative for the use of the Initiative's logo - which includes an image of a toucan that Kellogg's said was too close to its Toucan Sam - and will now donate $100,000 to the San Francisco-based nonprofit. The donation will help establish a Mayan Cultural Center in Peten, Guatemala.

Personally, I don't think the Maya Archeology Initiative's logo looks a darn thing like Toucan Sam. I never would have confused the two, and I bet it cost this organization a lot of time and money to deal with this issue. Bummer.

If I had a billion dollars...

2011-11-17T08:37:00.000-08:00

Local gajillionaire and philanthropist Bill Conway, co-founder of the Carlyle Group, wants to give away $1 billion before he dies, and he wants your suggestions for how to do it.

Please note:
* He does not want to finance your vacation, your home, or your plastic surgery
* He's interested in job creation for the poor and/or ideas that will create long-term change, rather than short-term, stop gap activiites

You can read more about his query HERE, and you can email him your ideas at inquiries@carlyle.com. Write your ideas in the comments section of this blog, too!

Visit to MLK Memorial

2011-11-13T12:29:00.001-08:00

Washington Post "On Giving"

2011-11-09T18:45:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post just launched "On Giving," which is:

a new section devoted to coverage of corporate giving and social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, charitable actions and personal finance. The section features original Washington Post reporting and guest contributions from philanthropists, global development leaders, social entrepreneurs, academics and researchers.

The content so far looks great! Wish me luck in not totally giving in to this new procrastination tool. :)

TEDx Tidbits - Helping People to Live in Light

2011-11-07T12:56:00.001-08:00

Another great idea I heard about at TEDx Midatlantic was the Isang Litrong Liwangan/A Liter of Light project, an AMAZING initiative to bring light and safety to people living in emprovrished areas. Check out this video - it is totally worth 2 minutes and 18 seconds of your time.

My favorite member of the 1%

2011-11-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

Too hilarious not to share!

(Image from ThinkProgress)

When you think "Lady Gaga," you think "Harvard University," right?

2011-11-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

Lady Gaga, Harvard University, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the California Endowment have announced the launch of the Born This Way Foundation, a new organization that will focus on youth empowerment and bullying. Lady Gaga said in a statement:

"Together we hope to establish a standard of Bravery and Kindness, as well as a community worldwide that protects and nurtures others in the face of bullying and abandonment."

Bravery and Kindness. I love that. I especially like that the foundation will focus not just on stopping bullying, but on empowering and building the self-confidence of young people. I've always felt that there was a piece missing from today's anti-bullying efforts. Yes, we need to stop bullying. But we'll never really stop it, because bullying has gone on as long as there have been kids and schoolyards. We ALSO need to help kids to become more self-confident and resilient.

TEDx Tidbits - We are HOW we eat

2011-11-02T17:50:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite TEDx speakers was Jose Andres. This superstart chef is well-known to foodies in DC and beyond. He is the creator of Think Food Group, which includes such restaurants as Zaytinya, Cafe Atlantico, Oyamel, Minibar, and Jaleo.

He talked about creativity, and the need to move beyond our comfort zones to what we DON'T know. His creative approach to helping us experience foods in new ways is a great illustration of his approach.

He's also passionate about finding new, better ways to feed the world. For example, he talked about the fact that we've been cooking with fire for thousands of years, but this way of cooking costs people in the developing world their education (kids have to miss school to gather wood and charcoal), their safety, their jobs... He has traveled to poor and developing communities to introduce people to clean cook stoves, solar stoves, etc. Andres shared a powerful quote with us:

"The destiny of nations depends on the manner in which they feed themselves."
-Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

TEDx Tidbits - Those annoying squiggly words actually do some good!

2011-11-01T10:15:00.001-07:00

This weekend, I had the good fortune to attend TEDx Midatlantic, a super-inspiring day of "leading thinkers, activists, artists, philosophers and entertainers from the MidAtlantic region." Each of these amazing speakers - scientists, artists, doctors, educators, chefs, and more - shares their most influential ideas and innovations in 18 minutes or less. It's an intense day, but it's such a rush to hear and share so many great ideas! Over the next few blog posts, I'll be sharing some of my favorite TEDx Tidbits, ideas that can change your life or change the world...

On of my favorite talks was given by Luis von Ahn, who was described as a "crowdsourcing innovator." He started by showing this image at the top of this page, which makes most of us cringe. How many times have you tried buying tickets or making a purchase online, only to be faced by those annoying squiggly words. Half the time, I have no idea what the letters are! Ugh.

Well.... Luis von Ahn invented that.

It was originally invented to keep robots (is that the right word? I'm so old-school) from buying, say 10,000 tickets to a concert that you and I want to go to. Which also would be annoying. The squiggly words ensure that a human, and not a machine, is buying a ticket.

Luis said that at first he felt great about his invention, but then he started to feel guilty. It takes the average person 10 seconds to fill out that form, called a Captcha. He realized that millions of hours were being lost every year (150,000 hours of work each day) through this process, by people all over the globe, and he thought to himself: How can I use this program for the greater good? That's when reCAPTCHA was born.

There is a huge, worldwide effort to digitize books, which will eventually make books more accessible to a far greater number of people. Scanners are used to digitize the books, but the scanners can't read all the words. Especially with old books, there are words that are smudged, there are words where the ink had faded, etc. Around 30% of the words cannot be read by the scanners. That's where reCAPTCHA comes in.

When you get a CAPTCHA, there are two words. One of those words is a straight-up CAPTCHA word, which is randomly selected and helps figure out if you are human. The other word is a word from a digitized book that a scanner could not read. When lots of people fill in the letters, they are essentially voting on what they think that word is. When reCAPTCHA gets enough agreed-upon answers, that word in the book can be officially digitized.

Now hang on to your hat: 900 MILLION people worldwide have helped digitize books through this process. That's 13% of the world population!

What an incredible idea! Definitely makes me fill better about the squiggles...

Can you hear the teeth rotting?

2011-10-31T09:31:00.001-07:00

In honor of Halloween, the awesomely-fun-yet-dentally-nightmarish holiday, how about making a gift to the Children's Dental Health Project, an organization dedicated to bringing high quality oral healthcare to every child in America. Thanks to CDHP's and its partners' efforts, as many as 10 million kids have gotten dental insurance; many of these kids are from poor families who otherwise could never afford oral health care.

How about donating a dollar for every piece of candy you give to a kid tonight? You can donate to CDHP HERE.

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

TSF's night out!

2011-10-25T14:10:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite non-profits (OK, full disclosure - I'm on the steering committee!), the Tranquil Space Foundation, had it's 5th annual fundraiser earlier this month. We shared stories from some of our grantees and raised funds to support programs for women and girls. Check out photos and videos from the TSF celebration HERE.

Can this cup change America? (more than it already has...)

2011-10-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

Have you heard? Starbucks is teaming up with the Opportunity Finance Network in the Create Jobs for U.S.A. program. The program "will provide capital grants to select Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). The CDFIs will provide financing to underserved community businesses which include small business loans, community center financing, housing project financing and microfinance."

You can donate at your local Starbucks or online starting on November 1. And no, I am not getting any free mochas from Starbucks for writing about this! I just like the idea of a big American company helping small American businesses. Microfinance right here at home.

(of course, Kiva does this, as well, but most of their work is outside of the US... Do you know of other ways that Everyday Joe's like you and me can make donations to support small businesses? In addition to "buying American"?)

Trees!

2011-10-23T14:59:00.001-07:00

Ah, autumn. Time of crisp air, changing colors, and falling leaves... (I snapped this photo today in Rock Creek Park). What a great time to think about volunteering to help preserve and protect the trees you love!

A few organizations that I like are the Audubon Naturalist Society (with a sanctuary just a short bike ride from from my home) and the Sierra Club (with whom I volunteered in Vieques, Puerto Rico a few years ago).

What are your favorite tree-hugging charities?

Top Ten Reasons Dave Rocked Last Night

2011-08-30T15:39:00.000-07:00

Despite what you may think about his personal shenanigans, David Letterman did a great thing last night. He hosted Bettina Luescher of the World Food Programme to talk about the devastating famine that is happening right now in the Horn of Africa, and ways that you can help out. Check out the video!

Here's a link from the Late Show web site to donate to the World Food Programme, specifically to fight hunger in the Horn of Africa.

Calling All Aunts! (and Uncles!)

2011-08-29T12:26:00.001-07:00

Lately, I've been reading a bunch of stuff from Melanie Notkin, the founder of Savvy Auntie, "the first community for cool aunts, great aunts, godmothers, and all women who love kids." Savvy Auntie has a book, web site, Facebook page, etc. with all sorts of fun resources for Aunts.

I was perusing the web site and found that it has a Good Deeds section, filled with all sorts of charitable/volunteer activities you can do with your nieces, nephews, or young friends. Everything from going to the local Humane Society to play with the animals, to making care packages for the troops, to just doing good deeds for the people in your family.

Great resource!

P.S. Check out the photo above of me and my delicious, loves-of-my-life nieces....

Twenty Percent of American Children Living in Poverty

2011-08-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, you read that correctly. 20% of children in the wealthiest and most powerful democracy in the world are living in poverty. And that statistic is based on 2009 numbers; given the state of the economy since then, there likely are more than 20% living in poverty.

This kind of makes me re-think some of my own philanthropic choices. Should I be giving to overseas disasters, or should I focus on the DISASTER of poverty that is happening in our own country? And what exactly should I give to? Poverty is a complex problem with complex causes and impacts: should I give to hunger-related organizations? Vocational training for parents, so that they can lift themselves and their children out of poverty?

Read more about these newly-released statistics HERE, or get the original data from the annual KIDS COUNT survey HERE.

What does GENEROSITY mean?

2011-08-15T14:14:00.000-07:00

I've been doing some thinking about the idea of GENEROSITY. What does it mean?

In the context of fundraising, we often think of a generous donation as a large donation. But is generosity in the eye of the beholder? In other words, if a donation is meaningful to me (is in an amount that I can feel proud of, or an amount that is a bit of a "stretch"), does that make it generous?

The Jewish Federations of North America have a slogan that I really like: Live Generously. I don't know if it's been successful for them (if it's raised additional funds), but I think it's provocative and interesting.

What does it mean to "live generously"?

What do we mean when we talk about "generosity of spirit"?

If we donate money, but we are not sharing our other gifts with the world - our talents, our humor, our insights, our quirky world views - are we living generously?

Wikipedia - my favorite source for, well, just about everything - says the following about the word GENEROSITY:

The modern English word "generosity" derives from the Latin word generōsus, which means "of noble birth," which itself was passed down to English through the Old French word generous. The Latin stem gener– is the declensional stem of genus, meaning "kin," "clan," "race," or "stock," with the root Indo–European meaning of gen being "to beget." The same root gives us the words genesis, gentry, gender, genital, gentile, genealogy, and genius, among others.

Brilliant! "Kin, clan, race, or stock"... and "to beget." GENEROSITY is related to a sense of interconnectedness, with being part of a clan. And GENEROSITY also is related to "beget" - creating, or birthing something. When you are generous, you are actualizing the notion of being a part of a clan, and you are creating, or begetting, something. You can feel connected AND leave your mark/legacy through generosity!

What does GENEROSITY mean to you?

In the Klink for DC Voting Rights

2011-06-27T11:07:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a nice, juicy act of Civil Disobedience!

Denzel and Ricky and Justin... oh my!

2011-06-07T09:29:00.000-07:00

What do Denzel Washington, Ricky Martin, Justin Bieber, Fran Drescher, Rachel Zoe, Richard Gere, Jewel, and scores of other "beautiful people" have in common? Find out HERE.

A childhood charity icon

2011-05-18T18:29:00.000-07:00

The Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Telethon was soooooooo a part of my childhood! I vividly remember watching all of the musical acts, watching that electronic board to see how much money was raised (didn't the board have a name? a female name?), and collecting money to donate. I actually remember putting an envelope full of NICKLES, yes nickles, into my mailbox. It must have weighed 5 pounds.

As you may have heard, Jerry Lewis is retiring from the MDA Telethon. He'll still serve as National Chairman of MDA, but no more MDA all-nighters for this 85 year old icon. He has raised BILLIONS of dollars for this worthy cause, and I'd venture a guess that he inspired millions of people in America to make their very first donation to charity.

Hats off to Jerry Lewis! And a big, big thank you.

Giving to Alabama

2011-05-10T19:31:00.000-07:00

I just made a donation to the Mid Alabama Region American Red Cross, to help the victims of the recent tornadoes.

Join me! It'll feel good. I promise.

Admitting Failure

2011-04-18T09:38:00.000-07:00

Engineers Without Borders Canada is taking part in (or launching?) a new trend in the nonprofit world: admitting failure. Rather than trying to sweep failures under the rug, the organization started a web site, Admitting Failure, where they talk about their own project failures and encourage others to do the same. That way, the whole field can learn from its mistakes,improve projects and processes, and encourage innovation.

Fly Like A G6

2011-04-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

File this under "taking something that went horribly wrong and turning it into something great"...

The American Red Cross took this tweet that accidentally went out under its twitter account:

"Ryan found two more 4 bottle packs of Dogfish Head's Midas Touch beer... when we drink we do it right #gettngslizzerd"

and turned it into a PR coup. More details HERE.

And for your viewing/listening pleasure, here's the Far East Movement song that's inadvertently found its way into this philanthropy story.

Right Brain Business Plan feature

2011-04-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

The awesome Jennifer Lee just featured me in her blog. I'm honored to be a part of it! Check it out HERE.

Madonna's well-intentioned failure

2011-03-31T19:09:00.000-07:00

The failure of Madonna's efforts to build a much-needed school in Malawi is less about Madonna (as far as I know), and more about some key issues in celebrity-driven efforts at international development. This according to an article in The Guardian.

Japan relief

2011-03-14T12:49:00.001-07:00

Japan devastation. Totally unbelievable. And nowhere near over.

You can CLICK HERE to make a donation to the people of Japan through the Red Cross.

Here's a nifty new way to give: Apple has created a giving icon on the home page of the iTunes store. Just look for the box with the red cross in the middle. It's still a donation to the Red Cross, but you won't receive any receipt or communications from the Red Cross. You'll get an email receipt from iTunes. Basically, it's a way to make a donation for the hyper-lazy (like me) who don't even want to fill in their credit card info online. Cool!

Let's all pray for the people of Japan.

My kind of billionaire...

2011-03-04T09:46:00.000-08:00

I am LOVING this guy:

best job ever

2011-02-21T08:25:00.000-08:00

I have spent the last week learning about/writing about/raising money for: design and architecture as solutions for problems facing American cities; mechanical engineers helping communities in developing countries access clean water, safe shelter, and electricity; helping urban immigrant youth excel in American schools; bringing safe and affordable oral health care to every child in the US...

I have the best job ever.

Wisdom from Jay-Z

2011-02-02T19:08:00.000-08:00

I recently read Jay-Z's book, Decoded, which was one of the best books I've read in the last year. It's part biography, telling the story of his life, and part "decoding," or explaining, the poetry of his rap lyrics.

In parts of the book, Jay-Z talks about the public housing projects where he grew up, known as Marcy. Some of my clients (nonprofit organizations) assist people living in housing projects, and/or people living at or below the poverty line. I thought that Jay-Z had some important things to say about where he grew up, and I wanted to share them. I was particularly struck by his description of dealing with government agencies and bureaucracies, as some of the organizations I work with spend enormous amounts of time helping poor people to navigate these government systems:

In places like Marcy there are people who know the ins and outs of government bureaucracies, police procedures, and sentencing guidelines, who spend half of their lives in dirty waiting rooms on plastic chairs waiting for someone to call their name. But for all of this involvement, the government might as well be the weather because a lot of us don't think we have anything to do with it - we don't believe we have any control over this thing that controls us...

Housing projects are a great metaphor for the government's relationship to poor folks: these huge islands built mostly in the middle of nowhere, designed to warehouse lives. People are still people, though, so we turned the projects into real communities, poor or not. We played in fire hydrants and had cookouts and partied, music bouncing off concrete walls. But even when we could shake off the full weight of those imposing buildings and try to just live, the truth of our lives and struggle was still invisible to the larger country. the rest of the country was freed of any obligation to claim us. Which was fine, because we weren't really claiming them, either.

Bono - rock star in more ways that one

2011-01-31T18:53:00.000-08:00

I loved watching my friend-from-back-in-the-day Sheryl Sandberg interview Bono at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Everyone knows Bono is a rock star... by now, I think everyone knows that he's a philanthropy rock star, too. They discuss poverty, debt relief, government corruption, the intersection of music and activism, and much, much more. Way to go, Sheryl! Bono, as usual, you inform and inspire us. Call me! :)

Watch the interview HERE.

Giving the gift of Tranquility to Teen Girls

2010-12-09T19:51:00.000-08:00

Here's a note from my friend Kimberly Wilson, of the Tranquil Space Foundation (I'm on the steering committee for the Foundation). Please consider the Tranquil Space Foundation in your year-end giving plans!

Dear friend,

During this hectic holiday season, sometimes we have to remind ourselves to pause, reflect, and take a breath.

Tranquil Space Foundation and its Tranquil Teens program give the gift of pause, reflection, and breath to teenage girls. Girls like Michelle*, whom we learned more about from an adult who is working with her:

Michelle is an amazing survivor. Ridden by anxiety following a lifetime of sexual abuse, she vacillated between periods of depression and violent rages. The sexual abuse left her bereft of self-esteem, so much that she could scarcely make eye contact during conversations. Her emotional and behavioral instability resulted in repeated psychiatric hospitalizations and eventually residential treatment.   

When I learned about the Tranquil Teens workshop, I immediately thought of Michelle. In her fits of rage, she hardly knew where she was. Her breath was absent. She was ungrounded. Tranquil Space Foundation gracefully agreed to come to our long-term residential treatment center in Maryland.   

Michelle kept a quiet, attentive gaze as the facilitator led her through breath work and relaxation exercises. She eagerly opened her journal to note what she was thankful for—to feel safe and to be protected from her abuser. Beginning with the Tranquil Teens workshop, Michelle began journaling about the horrors of childhood abuse. She used breath work to calm herself when she wanted to hurl her anger at innocent bystanders.

As a therapist and yoga devotee, I see the amazing blend of leadership skills, yoga, and creativity that Tranquil Space Foundation offers to girls across the DC metro region. On behalf of Michelle, I would like to thank Tranquil Space Foundation for their incredible work. Namaste. 

You know that calm, euphoric feeling you get after a yoga practice, a great run, a round of golf, or a walk among autumn’s changing leaves? That’s the feeling that your donation to Tranquil Space Foundation can help bring to teenage girls at a vulnerable time in their lives. Through its curriculum of yoga, creativity, and leadership, Tranquil Teens helps girls find their breath and their voice.

Tranquil Space Foundation also makes micro-grants to organizations that help women and their families struggling with HIV/AIDS, women artisans in developing countries, homeless women in the DC area, and a host of other women-focused causes.

Your support will help Tranquil Space Foundation continue to lead workshops for teens like Michelle and continue to support organizations that enrich the lives of women and girls.

Please visit tranquilspacefoundation.org to learn more about what we do, and please consider Tranquil Space Foundation in your year-end donation plans.

Wishing you a bright and joyous holiday season,

Kimberly Wilson, and the Tranquil Space Foundation Team

* Name changed

One more reason I love Russell Simmons

2010-12-07T09:10:00.000-08:00

Russell Simmons, a.k.a. the Godfather of Hip-Hop, a.k.a. co-founder of Def Jam Records and creator of Phat Farm clothing line, a.k.a. major philanthropist and yogi, a.k.a. my entrepreneurial idol, put the following post on Facebook today, re: extension of tax cuts for the wealthy:

As part of the 2 percent, I need my tax cut extended like I need a hole in my head. Whether it's through taxes, philanthropy or service, I always want to give. I wish the wealthy(and the repbulicans doing their bidding) would realize that they can't take it with them and in fact they would be much happier if they would stop trying to hold on to all thier money. it only makes them sick....

I love a celebrity and thought leader who calls it like he sees it. Preach!

Ring My Bell

2010-11-18T14:12:00.000-08:00

OK, I'll admit it. I find those Salvation Army bells outside of grocery and other stores mildly annoying. (Not nearly as annoying as constant Christmas music, boring into my brain like a worm with an insatiable appetite, but that's a post for another day...)

But limiting their time from 10 hours per day over 32 days, to 4 hours per day over 12 days? Seems kinda Scroogey, Giant Foods...

Of course, for those of us who are gay rights activists, to give or not to give to Salvation Army comes with its own moral dilemmas.

What do you think?

Entrepreneurs are Givers!

2010-11-16T06:51:00.000-08:00

As an entrepreneur, I was thrilled to read about this study in the Chronicle of Philanthropy (released by Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund and Ernst & Young).

According to the study, entrepreneurs give twice as much of their profits to charity as do more-established companies. 70% of survey respondents said they donate their time as well, with more than 50% sitting on nonprofit boards.

Nearly 70% said they started their charitable habits while they were still building their businesses - they didn't wait until their businesses were successful, but rather made giving a habit along the way.

Did you know that this is National Entrepreneurship Week, complete with a Presidential Proclamation? Mere coincidence that this week also includes National Philanthropy Day? I think not!

Looks like there's something about the entrepreneurial spirit and the giving spirit that just goes together!

It's National Philanthropy Day!

2010-11-15T12:51:00.000-08:00

November 15 is National Philanthropy Day!

I'll be "officially" celebrating on Thursday at the Association of Fundraising Professionals' DC Chapter's National Capital Philanthropy Day. But I'm happy to celebrate today, as well, by encouraging you to make a gift to charity today.

You are a philanthropist. Yes, you! Whether you are giving $5 or $50,000. So make a gift today and honor the tradition of giving back.

Here's some charities that have been on my mind over the last couple of days, in case you are looking for places to give:

My friend Sharon is participating in Walk For the Homeless this weekend, which supports DC area organizations that help the homeless.

I've definitely thinking about the crisis in Haiti and the tragic cholera epidemic that is sweeping through the country. Doctors Without Borders is doing lifesaving work there.

I'm proud to be on the Steering Committee for the Tranquil Space Foundation, which supports programs that help women and girls find their voice through yoga, creativity, and leadership.

I'm also proud to be on the board of DC Council BBYO, a GREAT organization for Jewish teens. I was an active member of BBYO as a teenager and am thrilled to see BBYO continue to do such great work with teens on leadership, service, and Jewish identity formation. DC Council BBYO is having its annual gala on December 9.

I went to the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery a couple of weekends ago and LOOOOVED the Elvis portrait exhibition! Seriously, even if you are not an Elvis fan, you should check out this photography exhibition. It's a real slice of American life. And seriously... the Smithsonian... what could be better!?

Feel free to add any charities you like by commenting, below. Happy National Philanthropy Day!

Americans retain their post as not-quite-nicest people on the planet

2010-11-07T19:51:00.001-08:00

Such an inspiring blog post about Canadians the other day... and, unfortunately, a less inspiring post about Americans today.

According to a recent Harris Interactive survey, the number of people who plan to give nothing, zip, zilch to charity doubled this year (12% in 2010; 6% in 2009). The good news is, numbers on volunteering are slightly up - 11% in 2010, 9% in 2009. 13% of those surveyed report that they give neither time nor money.

24% of those surveyed said that they feel a responsibility to "make the world a better place by being actively involved in various issues." This number is down from 31% in 2007. In addition, the survey found that "just under half (46%) feel that people can get involved in different causes but shouldn't necessarily feel obligated to do so, which is up from the 40% who said this three years ago."

The sample size of 2,620 seems a bit small to me, but the results are still interesting. Now that times are tough, we are giving less, volunteering slightly more, and feel less of an obligation to make the world a better place.

Sigh.

Canadians retain their post as nicest people on the planet

2010-11-04T14:31:00.001-07:00

A retired Canadian couple won $11.3 million in the lottery... and they are giving almost all of it away. Mr. Large is a retired welder, and Mrs. Large is retired from retail and currently undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.

Judd Apatow does it again!

2010-10-29T06:39:00.000-07:00

Check out this hilarious VIDEO by Judd Apatow, promoting a great humanitarian aid organization, AJWS.

Time to step up, single dudes

2010-10-27T18:28:00.000-07:00

Despite commonly held beliefs to the contrary, a recent study has found that most women give more to charity than men do. A recent Chronicle of Philanthropy article, reporting on a study released by the Women's Philanthropy Institute at the Indiana University Center for Philanthropy, found that "Women at [almost] every income level give to charity more often than men do — and they tend to donate more money on average than their male counterparts."

More specifically - most studies of women's philanthropy in the past have included married couples, which makes it hard to separate women's giving from men's. This study included 8,000 households headed by either single women or single men. Highlights:

* At the lowest income level in the study (people earning $23,509 or less), 35.2% of women gave to charity, compared to 25.7% of men.
* Among people who made more than $103,000, 96% of women gave to charity, compared to 75% of men.
* Never married ($783) and divorced or separated ($641) women gave more on average than never married ($498) or divorced or separated ($483) men.
* Men's giving outstripped women in one category, those earning $23,510 - $43,499; authors of the study plan to investigate this anomaly further. Widowed men also gave more to charity than widowed women.

Conventional fundraising wisdom has long held that men give more than women. This study matters because it demonstrates that this isn't true, and that fundraisers (and non-profits in general) should pay closer attention to their female donors, or potential potential donors.

What else could be going on here? Do a lot of men not give to charity until they get married, and their wives encourage them to do so? Or, once they get married, they feel like it's time to take up "grown up" responsibilities, like philanthropy? Hey guys, what's your take on this?

Wanna know what happens to a girl living in poverty when she reaches the age of 12?

2010-10-26T13:02:00.000-07:00

To find out, watch this amazing video from The Girl Effect, a project sponsored by the Nike Foundation, in partnership with The United Nations Foundation and the Coalition for Adolescent Girls. You can also connect w/ The Girl Effect on Facebook.

Don't forget to watch the video HERE.

The next time I complain about my life, please remind me to be grateful that I was born into a middle class family in the United States...

Wanna win $100,000 for your favorite nonprofit?

2010-10-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Social Impact Business Plan Competition is open until December 10. Qualified nonprofits can win "up to $100,000 in financial and consulting awards." The Competition is sponsored by Social Impact Exchange, which is backed by some heavy-hitters, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Rockefeller Foundation. Find more information HERE, and spread the word!

Tranquil Space Foundation Charity Soiree 10/14/2010

2010-09-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

Please join me for this fun event to celebrate four years of bringing yoga, creativity, and leadership training to women and girls. See you at Darlington House (in Dupont Circle) on the 14th!

TRANQUIL SPACE GALA

Give to Pakistan

2010-08-31T13:21:00.000-07:00

This story in today's Washington Post is gut-wrenching: A Pakistani flood victim was forced to give birth in a graveyard that currently is filled with hundreds of thousands of flood victims. According to the article, she is one of 500,000 women impacted by the floods whom the United Nations expects will give birth over the next six months. The article goes on to describe the challenges of delivering aid to 8 million (that's right, 8,000,000) flood victims in Pakistan.

An article in last Monday's Chronicle of Philanthropy compared the $10.6 million that 22 US aid groups had raised so far to help the victims of the Pakistan floods, versus the $560 million that 40 aid groups had raised to help Haiti's earthquake victims two weeks after that disaster. There are fewer aid groups working in Pakistan than in Haiti, which explains part of the fundraising gap, but still... we can do better than this.

I'm making my first donation to help Pakistan today. (I'm donating through the American Red Cross, www.redcross.org, but there is a big list of places where you can donate at the end of the Chronicle of Philanthropy article). Will you join me?

Washingtonians - open your wallets!

2010-07-02T07:07:00.001-07:00

According to a recent article in the Washington Post, giving by Washington area charitable foundations dropped in 2009 by more than the national average. Giving by Washington area foundation dropped by 9.6%, while the national average was 8.4% (and 8.4% was the largest drop ever tracked by the Foundation Center).

So... if you live in the Washington area, please consider giving a little extra this year! Need some ideas? You can always make a gift to the Neighbors in Need program at the Community Foundation for the National Capitol Region - which provides for basic needs like food and shelter during these tough economic times. Or you can give to your favorite park, museum, school, homeless shelter, faith community...

Very small nonprofits - heads up!

2010-05-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

If you are involved in a very small nonprofit - a PTA, a little league, etc. - heads up! You may not have had to file with the IRS in the past (if you had less than $25,000 in revenues), but there is a form you have to file now, and if you do not do so by May 17, you may lose your nonprofit status.

The IRS is concerned that word has not gotten out about this new requirement, and as many as 300,000 nonprofits may lose their status. I've heard/read stories about this in the Chronicle of Philanthropy and NPR over the past couple of days, so I'm doing my part to spread the word! You can find more information HERE.

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=222668,00.html?portlet=6 is a link to the IRS site with more information on this easy-to-file form.

400 hours!

2010-05-06T11:22:00.001-07:00

Last night I went to the volunteer appreciation event at Georgetown University Hospital, where I have been volunteering for four years. I was thrilled to be presented with my 400 hour pin! Meaning that I have given more than 400 hours of volunteer service to the hospital. (I volunteer in an area called Oncology Infusion, where the patients are primarily cancer patients who come to the hospital on an outpatient basis to get chemotherapy).

Volunteering at G'town Univ. Hospital is the highlight of my week. Literally. So here's my unsolicited advice: find a place to volunteer, and make a commitment to volunteer there on an ongoing basis. You will get so much out of it, by forming longterm relationships with the "clients" and staff.

What are your volunteer commitments? Or what commitments would you like to make?

Focus on What's Working

2010-04-28T11:31:00.001-07:00

I am a fan of the Heath Bros. (kinda like the JoBros, but without the skinny jeans and screaming pre-teen fans) Chip and Dan Heath wrote Made to Stick, one of my favorite "work books," which focuses on which message are "sticky" and which ones don't stick with you.

In a recent article in Fast Company Magazine, they talked about one of their theories: don't just focus on what's broken and trying to fix it; look at what's working and try to do more of it. Chip Health recently spoke about this idea at a Council on Foundations meeting, and sighted a great example from the nonprofit community. Read about his talk HERE.

My new favorite word: Slacktivism

2010-04-22T10:34:00.001-07:00

In the May issue of Fast Company, Nancy Lublin turned in another great column, this time on the benefits and pitfalls of "Slacktivism" - thinking you can change the world by just clicking your mouse, sending a text, or posting the color of your bra on your Facebook profile (anyone else remember that one?!). Turns out, Slactivism has done some good, but is it really encouraging ongoing activism and philanthropy? Read Nancy's column HERE.

Twitter Tampon Trend and Nonprofit Fundraising

2010-04-01T15:12:00.000-07:00

Finally, a real use for Twitter!

Check out this article from the Chronicle of Philanthropy. When people on Twitter starting making fun of the new iPad, calling it the iTampon, a resourceful nonprofit staffer saw this as an opportunity to bring attention to a project at her organization, GlobalGiving - providing eco-friendly feminine products to girls in Uganda.

"Narcissistic Praise Hounds"

2010-03-15T13:45:00.000-07:00

Interesting article in today's Chronicle of Philanthropy about charitable giving among Generation Y (born 1981 - 1991) and Generation X (born 1965 - 1980) donors.

Robert Lappin is a class act!

2009-12-23T11:56:00.000-08:00

As reported in the Chronicle of Philanthropy on 12/22/09:

Madoff Victim Recognized for Making Up Staff's Pension Losses

Robert Lappin, the Massachusetts real-estate mogul and philanthropist, has been named one of The Boston Globe’s Bostonians of the Year for restoring his employees’ retirement funds after they were decimated by Bernard Madoff’s fraud.

Mr. Lappin and his family paid more than $5.1-million into staff members’ 401(k) accounts, which, like his family’s wealth, had been heavily invested with Mr. Madoff. Mr. Lappin, whose foundations are major supporters of Jewish causes, lost most of his $20-million personal fortune to the Madoff scam.

There's a special place in heaven reserved for this guy!

Support Wikipedia

2009-12-17T12:33:00.000-08:00

Do you use Wikipedia as much as I do? If so, read HERE.

I plan to put this on my year-end giving list!

Easy gift idea that supports a great cause!

2009-12-08T19:23:00.000-08:00

I am a proud Steering Committee member of the Tranquil Space Foundation (TSF), a DC-based charity whose mission is to expand opportunities for girls and women to develop their "inner voice" through yoga, creativity, and leadership activities.

A couple of my favorite TSF activites include:

Giving out mini-grants to amazing organizations like Girls on the Run, Nest, and The Women's Collective.

Teaching TranquilTeens workshops for at-risk teenage girls, helping them to positively express themselves and learn relaxation techniques through yoga and creativity exercises.

Now you can support the Tranquil Space Foundation through your holiday giving. Donate a "goody bag" for one of our TranquilTeens workshops in the name of a friend or family member. The goody bags include a yoga CD (so the girls can practice yoga at home), a journal, and creative crafting items.

You can learn more and make your donation by clicking HERE.

Proud of my alma mater, UVA

2009-12-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

Everyone who says you can't raise big dollars in this economy, take note:

I was reading my University of Virginia alumni magazine last night, and I saw that the University just reached the $2 billion mark in its 7 year, $3 billion campaign. Not only has the university received some serious "mega-gifts," but more than 77,000 alumni have contributed. That's what happens when you have an outstanding campaign chair, clearly articulated campaign goals, a great development office, and an alumni base that is incredibly passionate about the school.

$3 billion may seem like an audacious goal, but take note: In 1990, state revenues made up 29.9% of the academic division budget and 22.9% of the overall budget. Today, those numbers are 10% and 6%, respectively.

Meanwhile, we're not slacking academically! Far from it. The same magazine reported that in this year's US News & World Report ranking of America's best colleges, UVA is again the #2 public university in the country, tied with UCLA, and tied for 24th among all universities, public and private. UVA has ranked either first or second among public colleges and universities since 1992.

Another secret of fundraising success? Having a great product to sell.

Microlending, American Style

2009-12-03T12:48:00.001-08:00

You might be familiar with the concept of "microlending" - making a small loan (or grant) to help would-be business owners start their own businesses and stop the cycle of poverty. For example, when I was in Uganda several years ago I heard about a woman who got a small loan to buy a sewing machine, so she could start a sewing and tailoring business. The money helped her to launch the businesses, providing an income for her and her family, and it also helped her to establish credit so that she could someday approach an established bank for a bigger loan.

Groups like Kiva and Grameen Bank are famous for enabling every day people to make microloans to benefit people in developing countries. (and the founder of Grameen Bank is famous for winning a Nobel Peace Prize). GOOD magazine recently highlighted some groups that are enabling folks like you and me to make microlending-type gifts to people and projects here in the good old U.S.of A. Here are the groups that GOOD highlighted:

Accion USA
Project Enterprise
Grameen America
KIVA
Kickstarter

I love the idea of helping someone in New York, Appalachia, or any poor neighborhood in America start their own business and lift themselves out of poverty. I think this will land on my year-end giving list!

Holiday Shopping to Benefit Lombardi Cancer Center, 12/10

2009-12-02T11:50:00.000-08:00

I am a longtime volunteer at the Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University Hospital (I volunteer w/ cancer patients every Wednesday morning), and I want to let you know about a great opportunity to buy unique holiday gifts while supporting Lombardi.

The annual Gift of the Arts event is taking place on December 10 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. You can purchase one-of-a-kind holiday gifts made by local artists. A portion of the proceeds from each purchase will support the the Lombardi Cancer Center's Arts & Humanities program - where artists work with patients on beading, creative writing, painting, knitting, and other artistic pursuits. I have personally seen the great benefits that patients get from these arts programs. There will be everything from oragami gift boxes to handmade wooden flutes (with flute lessons!) to unique knit projects.

Please consider making this part of your holiday shopping this year!

Shakira Geeks Out and Does Some Good

2009-12-01T13:16:00.000-08:00

Music sensation Shakira recently wrote an op-ed which was published in The Economist. I have a new found respect for this smart cookie with truthful hips and a passion for doing good! The focus of her op-ed was childhood education, particularly in impoverished nations around the world.

More info on Shakira and her Barefoot Foundation HERE.
Read her article in The Economist HERE.

Great tips for big fundraising events

2009-11-30T13:35:00.000-08:00

As a professional fundraiser, I have a bias against big fundraising events. While they may gross a lot of money for a charity, when you subtract the costs of putting the event on, most of them don't actually net that much. And then, when you add up the value of the staff time that goes into putting on the event, they make MUCH less money! My biggest beef is that most charities don't really use their fundraising events well. It's not just about who is in the room that night... it's about how you follow up with those folks throughout the year to make them ongoing friends of, and donors to, your organization.

That being said, I recently read a great column in Fast Company magazine by Nancy Lublin, the CEO of Do Something. She wrote about a big event that Do Something recently had in New York. They raised money, had high-voltage celebrities, and honored "five amazing youths for doing amazing things, from building an orphanage in Nepal to registering thousands of new voters." However, the event did not generate nearly the PR buzz that they had hoped. Her column includes some great tips. Here's my favorite:

At the beginning of an event, most people ask people to turn their cell phones off. We should be asking people to turn their cell phones on! (but, says Lauren, keep them on vibrate). That way, people can tweet, blog, and update their Facebook status during the event.

Read more of her great event tips HERE.

Celebs Gone Good

2009-11-23T16:59:00.000-08:00

Vh1, the network for people who still think of themselves as semi-cool (like me), but can't figure out what's going on with all those kids on MTV (like me), recently aired a show I can really get behind: Top 20 Celebs Gone Good.

The show (and web site, and blog, and message board... you get the idea) chronicles the ways that celebrities are bringing their starpower to causes they care about, so that you and I will sit up and take notice.

Check it out to see what the likes of Natalie Portman, Cameron Diaz, will.i.am, Bono, Matt Damon, Alicia Keys, and others are doing to change the world - or to change your mind. I'll highlight some of my favorites in the coming weeks.

Vote on Facebook for your favorite charity!

2009-11-18T12:29:00.000-08:00

Chase Community Giving is giving away $5 million to Facebook users' favorite charities. Find info HERE, get onto Facebook, and vote!

3 DC charities left off of CFC

2009-10-30T13:37:00.000-07:00

I just read in the Chronicle of Philanthropy that 3 DC non-profits were accidentally left off of the Combined Federal Campaign list due to an error at the the United Way of the National Capital Area. Those three groups collectively raise $70,000 - $80,000 through the CFC. Yikes! The United Way says that they'll make up expected losses to those groups through their own funds, but I thought everyone involved would benefit from a little Facebook/blog shout-out:

Jewish Federation of Greater Washington
Animal Allies
Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons

Please keep these groups in mind when making your giving plans!

Ludacris - my lunch companion

2009-10-27T14:05:00.001-07:00

OK, me and about three hundred other people, but it still counts, right?!

I went to the National Press Club last Friday to hear Ludacris (née Chris Bridges) talk about his philanthropic, delivered via his foundation, the Ludacris Foundation.

Highlights:

Ludacris and rapper T.I. each gave $10,000 to Atlanta flood relief, and then, through a series of phone calls to music industry friends, raised $100,000 in one day.
The Foundation is involved in some great causes, including helping runaways (he had a song about this), teaching kids about living healthy lifestyles (i.e. obesity prevention), and economic stimulus work in Atlanta.
Ludacris is very proud of both the money that has been given away and the direct services hours he's given. He is committed to being a physical presence among the people he is helping.
His diamond earrings were as big as golf balls!
When asked what the best thing is about being a celebrity is, he said "You have all this money, and people STILL give you free stuff!"

Overall, he was charming, intelligent, and super impressive. Chris, I'm ready for our one-on-one lunch!

Meet the 2009 Fellows - MacArthur Foundation

2009-10-03T20:15:00.001-07:00

I love reading about each year's new crop of MacArthur Fellows - otherwise known as the MacArthur Genius Grants. Totally secret selection process, and each of the Fellows (in diverse fields including the arts, science, law, human rights, health, etc.) receives $500,000.

Meet the 2009 Fellows - MacArthur Foundation

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Kindness, Facebook, and $10,000

2009-09-14T08:27:00.001-07:00

A random act of kindness that was documented on Facebook has yielded $10,000 in donations to food banks in California! Is it possible that Facebook is more than just a massive time suck? Read the inspiring story HERE.

O Magazine's Power List

2009-08-21T14:04:00.000-07:00

Check out O Magazine's interesting take on the "20 remarkable visionaries who are flexing their muscles in business and finance, politics and justice, science and the arts."

Guiding Light to dress job hunters - Crain's New York Business

2009-07-17T12:27:00.001-07:00

Guiding Light to dress job hunters - Crain's New York Business

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Michael Jackson, Philanthropist

2009-06-30T12:48:00.000-07:00

A recent entry on the Chronicle of Philanthropy's Give and Take blog talks about Michael Jackson as a philanthropist and suggests that he was at the forefront of celebrity-driven philanthropy:

The entertainer supported dozens of charities during his life, including USA for Africa, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. He reportedly was listed in the 2000 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records for “Most Charities Supported by a Pop Star.” The number was 39.

As a humanitarian, he is perhaps best know for “We Are the World,” the 1985 song he wrote with Lionel Richie that raised millions of dollars for famine relief in Africa. To honor the King of Pop’s philanthropy, some fans and small companies have pledged to make donations to his favorite charities.

What a special soul. Read the entire post HERE.

Holocaust Museum, and Honoring Officer Johns

2009-06-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

I was absolutely heartbroken last week after the tragic shooting at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM). A place that was designed to teach tolerance became a site of hate and violence.

I am very proud to have worked at the USHMM in the late 1990s. I was a fundraiser there, and I also volunteered in their education department, giving tours to school groups and to law enforcement officers (including FBI agents and local police forces). It was so inspiring to see the ways that the Museum transformed its visitors every day.

I felt moved to visit the Museum on Friday, because I really wanted to be a part of the Museum's visitation numbers that day. I am happy to report that this was not an original idea! The Museum was CROWDED. Lots of visitors, including school groups, and the Museum was out of Permanent Exhibiton passes by the time I got there in the late afternoon. Evidently, there were lines around the block to enter the Museum on Friday. I'm so glad that people showed up to show the world that one lunatic act of hate will not deter people from getting educated and valuing diversity and tolerance.

A fund has been set up to honor Officer Johns, the security guard that died in the shooting. Find information about the fund, and about Officer Johns, HERE.

Gotta Love Dolly!

2009-05-21T13:13:00.001-07:00

More great news from one of my favorite philanthropists, Dolly Parton, who has an amazing childhood literacy program called Imagination Library. She will work with United Way to provide 1 million children with free books every month by 2014. Learn more about the Divine Miss Dolly's efforts HERE.

The Poorer You Are, the More Things Cost

2009-05-18T07:25:00.000-07:00

BRILLIANT article today in the Washington Post. "The High Cost of Poverty" explains how "the poorer you are, the more things cost." A brief excerpt:

"The poor pay more for a gallon of milk; they pay more on a capital basis for inferior housing," says Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.). "The poor and 100 million who are struggling for the middle class actually end up paying more for transportation, for housing, for health care, for mortgages. They get steered to subprime lending. . . . The poor pay more for things middle-class America takes for granted."

Poverty 101: We'll start with the basics.

Like food: You don't have a car to get to a supermarket, much less to Costco or Trader Joe's, where the middle class goes to save money. You don't have three hours to take the bus. So you buy groceries at the corner store, where a gallon of milk costs an extra dollar.

A loaf of bread there costs you $2.99 for white. For wheat, it's $3.79. The clerk behind the counter tells you the gallon of leaking milk in the bottom of the back cooler is $4.99. She holds up four fingers to clarify. The milk is beneath the shelf that holds beef bologna for $3.79. A pound of butter sells for $4.49. In the back of the store are fruits and vegetables. The green peppers are shriveled, the bananas are more brown than yellow, the oranges are picked over.

(At a Safeway on Bradley Boulevard in Bethesda, the wheat bread costs $1.19, and white bread is on sale for $1. A gallon of milk costs $3.49 -- $2.99 if you buy two gallons. A pound of butter is $2.49. Beef bologna is on sale, two packages for $5.)

The article goes on to talk about things like banking - the poor often do not have checking accounts, so they have to pay high fees to go to check cashing establishments, which means that they get less of their hard-earned money.

Link to the article HERE.

Obama budget and nonprofits

2009-05-08T15:49:00.001-07:00

How will Obama's budget proposal impact nonprofits? It's getting mixed reviews. Find out more from this Chronicle of Philanthropy article.

Fun DC charity events!

2009-05-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

There are a couple of really fun DC charity events coming up this week. I wish I could go to them! Alas, I have conflicts - teaching a class on Wednesday night, and going to the Opera on Saturday night. But I am totally behind both of these artsy causes and encourage you to go in my stead... and let me know how they are!

The Smithsonian Young Benefactors' Roaring Twenties Gala and Silent Auction

The Washington Ballet Young Benefactors "beerandballet"

Hop on the Bus, Gus....

2009-04-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

Besides the fact that I loved that Simon & Garfunkel song when I was a kid (I thought it was hilarious, until I became a lover who had been left in 50+ ways... but that's a whole other blog post...) I was excited to dig into my GOOD Magazine this weekend for "the transportation issue."

I've lived in the DC area for almost 16 years and looooooove public transportation. Love it, love it, love it. I've also had the pleasure of taking public transportation in lots of other places around the world - just used the heck out of Le Metro in Paris; have ridden the rails and public buses in India; and know the 1/9 subway in NYC almost as well as the Metro here in DC.

And I love the bus. That's right, not a misprint. I love the bus. Love riding above ground. Love saying "good morning" and "thank you to the bus driver." The bus is the bomb. When it's on time. And I don't have to wait 20 extra minutes in the cold. And it doesn't double my total travel time...

Believe it or not, it looks like the good folks in Bogota, Columbia really got it right. Their bus system is amazing. Read about it here.

And take the bus, or the Metro, or whatever is available where you live. It's cheaper than driving, it's good for the planet, and you see all sorts of new, interesting faces there!

Join me at Lunafest DC!

2009-03-31T14:00:00.000-07:00

I just bought my ticket to Lunafest DC, taking place on April 23 from 7 -9 p.m. in DC's Dupont Circle. This event is being sponsored by the Tranquil Space Foundation, an organization that I'm so proud to be a part of. From the Tranquil Space Foundation's web site:

LUNAFEST was established in 2000 by Luna, the makers of the Whole Nutrition Bar for Women, to simultaneously promote women filmmakers, raise awareness for women’s issues, and support worthy women’s nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada. 100% of proceeds from the DC LunaFest will benefit Tranquil Space Foundatino and the Breast Cancer Fund.

We'll be showing short films by, for, and about women, while raising money for some great causes. Please join me at this fun event! Find event into and purchase tickets HERE.

I am an economic stimulus package

2009-03-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

Recession? What recession? I've been spending money like a fiend lately. I don't know what's gotten into me, but... you can't take it with you, right?

If everyone chokes up and stops spending money, this economy is gonna go nowhere fast. Enough with the "recession chic." Maybe instead of packing our lunches, we all should be supporting our local sandwich shop once a week! Instead of eating frozen pizza, we all should be heading to the locally-owned restaurant down the street.

Instead of making due with a frayed, 3 year old dress for my upcoming vacation, I just bought a new dress from a local designer - the "little black dress" that I'll do doubt use for years. I'm doing my part!

Come on, people! Don't leave me out here all alone, wearing out my credit card!

Earmarks - not the coming of the apocalypse!

2009-03-11T12:17:00.000-07:00

With the passage of the Federal omnibus spending bill today, there's been lots of talk about earmarks - almost all of which seem to be portrayed as wasteful pet projects that Members of Congress and Senators sneak in at the last minute to make themselves look good, pay off people who have supported their campaigns, etc.

I was thrilled today when I found out that one of my clients will be getting funding through an earmark. Their funding, in the $200,000 range, will provide much needed mental health counseling to senior citizens in the community who are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (I don't want to provide too many details, out of respect for the client's privacy). This client is part of a consortium of nonprofits that also got funding for things like mental health counseling for homeless people, senior citizen housing, and programming for young adults with developmental disabilities.

I think that the earmark reforms that President Obama is suggesting are a great idea (click HERE to learn more), but I hope that people out there in cyberland realize that earmarks can provide incredible services to people in communities all across this country!

My 15 mintues of fame

2009-02-23T11:07:00.001-08:00

OK, if this is really my 15 minutes of fame, I demand a recount! But I'll take what I can get - I think this is the closest I ever will get to the Society Pages. Look for me in the pink top and gray skirt.

http://hollywoodonthepotomac.blogspot.com/2009/02/red-cross-oscar-night-2009.html

The Oscar Night Gala to benefit the Red Cross of the National Capital Area was a blast! Lots of posh folks decked out in their finest, and I met some really fun people. It's so nice to have a fun night AND support a great cause at the same time.

Appalachia

2009-02-14T15:06:00.000-08:00

I was blown away by Diane Sawyer's hour-long special on the people of central Appalachia, which aired last night on ABC. So many of us are touched by stories of poverty from halfway around the world - what about the extreme poverty that Americans are dealing with right here, on our shores? Sawyer highlighted several children and families in the Kentucky hills who are battling homelessness, joblessness, drug addiction, and poor or non-existent healthcare. There was the young high school football star who chose to live in his truck, rather than dealing with the poverty and alcoholism in his own home. And the young mother who walked SIXTEEN MILES to and from school each day to earn her GED. And the young girl who desperately hopes that her drug addicted mother will kick the habit. I am definitely putting some of these organizations on my own philanthropic giving list.

15 minutes of fame...

2009-02-09T20:14:00.000-08:00

I recently purchased a really great product to help me with my business planning - it's a new, creative approach to the traditional business plan, called the Right-Brain Business Plan. I sent a copy of my business plan - now in the form of a colorful mobile hanging next to my desk! - to the creative guru behind the Right-Brain Business Plan, Jennifer Lee of Artizen Coaching. She posted it in her newsletter - my 15 minutes of fame!

Swanky Oscar Night Soiree

2009-02-05T12:46:00.000-08:00

If you're as big a movie fan as I am, you are always looking for something fun and festive to do on Oscar Night. Personally, I'm pulling for Slumdog Millionnaire to take the big prize (the soundtrack also is great!), and I also think Micky Rourke was amazing in The Wrestler...

Through Pamela's Punch (a blog written by a local gal about town), I just found out about a fun, swanky Oscar Night soiree taking place at the Hard Rock Cafe downtown. Oscar Night 2009 will benefit the Red Cross of the National Capitol Area. There will be a silent auction, a "swag bag," 17 big screen TVs to watch the Oscars, good food and drinks... and cheering for your favorite flicks! It's the only Academy sanctioned Oscar viewing event in the DC area.

Party goers are encouraged to dress to the nines! It's black tie, baby.

Anyone want to join me for this fun, philanthropic event?

Tranquil Space Foundation

2009-02-02T18:47:00.000-08:00

I had such a great meeting yesterday with the board and steering committee of the Tranquil Space Foundation. What a smart, dedicated, and compassionate group of volunteers! I can't wait to get started on our next project - deciding which women and girl focused nonprofits will be the recipients of our next round of mini-grants. To learn more about the foundation, or contribute to the foundations' work, check out their web site.

A Month of Charities: The Washington Ballet... plus, Inaugural reflections

2009-01-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

Whew! Now that the Inauguration buzz is subsiding, I can get back to blogging and sharing some great charities with you for the rest of the month of January. I took part in all sorts of fun events, including an Inaugural concert at the 9:30 Club (featuring Sheryl Crow and the Beastie Boys!), trekking down to the National Mall to witness the main event (had Silver tickets and was DENIED! Secret Service shut down our area. But made up for it by witnessing the event w/ friends and thousands of others on Pennsylvania Avenue, about 3 blocks from the Capitol), checking out the Art of Change Inaugural Ball, etc, etc....

One of the highlights was taking part in a Move For Change yoga workshop the day before the Inauguration with the lovely yogini and activist Seane Corn. Unfortunately, Seane was under the weather and had to step out of her class - a great guy filled in for her. Then I took a wonderful makeup class w/ Seane on Wednesday, which was a fitting "bookend" to the whole Inaugural whirlwind - a great way to get centered after so much excitement and to focus on change, positivity, and unity (rather than the "us versus them" mentality that so much of the election period fostered).

The Move for Change workshops took place at The Washington Ballet. I practiced next to a fantastic yogi who could move and stretch like crazy. His practiced was so focused and so impressive - it's fun and inspiring to do yoga next to someone who can really rock it out like that. I didn't find out until class was over that I was practicing next to none other than Septime Webre, the celebrated Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet! So, to honor him, I am highlighting The Washington Ballet in this post. They have some great community programs, including movement and language arts programs for DC public school students. (plus, I hear that their galas and parties are the place to be!)

A Month of Charities: Goodwill Fashion Shows

2009-01-15T08:48:00.000-08:00

I love this trend - places like Goodwill Industries are starting to launch fashion shows that feature the clothes you can get at their stores. You can find some really good vintage stuff, and LOW priced designer wares, at Goodwill! Goodwill Greater Washington has actually launched a Goodwill Fashion Blog. Brilliant! They are even having an Inauguration Donation and Travelin' Trunk Show in DC on January 17, to capitalize on all the Inauguration frenzy. What a great way to be both charitable and fabulous.

The next time a charity calls you to ask for a donation...

2009-01-13T09:20:00.001-08:00

... bear in mind this shocking (and kind of depressing) article from the New York Times ("Telemarketers Take Hefty Share of Charity Dollars, Cuomo Says", December 30, 2008):

On average, just 39 cents of every dollar raised by commercial telemarketing companies for charities in New York State actually go to charity, the state attorney general, Andrew M. Cuomo, concluded in a report issued on Tuesday. The balance, he found, is used to pay fees and expenses associated with professional fund-raising.

I've personally had a very bad experience with a charity telemarketer. I got a call from a local charity that I had donated to in the past, and while I thought the call was from one of the charity's volunteers, it was actually from a paid telemarketer. This person was relentless in asking me for a gift, and when I mentioned that I was having a problem and could actually use some assistance from the charity, he just kept pushing for a donation. Ugh!

Next time you get one of these calls, ask if the caller is a volunteer, or ask if they can mail you some info, or ask if you can donate online. Lots of options for you, the generous donor!

A Month of Charities: American Film Institute

2009-01-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

On Saturday night, I saw Slumdog Millionaire in the magnificent American Film Institute (AFI) Theater in Downtown Silver Spring. What a great space! If you love the art of film, you have to be a part of AFI! From their web site:

AFI is a national institute providing leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media.

AFI trains the next generation of filmmakers at its world-renowned Conservatory, maintains America's film heritage through the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and explores new digital technologies in entertainment and education through the AFI Digital Content Lab and K-12 Screen Education Center.

A Month of Charities: Kiva

2009-01-08T06:25:00.000-08:00

One of the coolest ideas out there, Kiva "lets you lend to a specific entrepreneur in the developing world - empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty"

Through Kiva, you can make a small business loan to:

Isiah, who sells electrical parts in Ghana
Anastasia, who sells clothing in Tanzania
Asunscion, (71 year old!) a cook in Peru
Tuilaguila, a fisherwoman in Samoa

and countless other hardworking business owners around the world. Become your own, mini Donald Trump and invest in these worthy businesses!

A Month of Charities: Capital Area Food Bank

2009-01-06T11:25:00.000-08:00

Our nation's food banks DESPERATELY need your help - this economy means increased demand and decreased funds. From the web site of the Capital Area Food Bank:

Did you know that calls to the Capital Area Food Bank's Hunger Lifeline, our emergency food referral hotline, have increased 113% over a 6 month period versus last year?

Please consider making a donation of healthy food, or cash, to the Capital Area Food Bank.

Ombama

2009-01-05T12:18:00.000-08:00

Another fun advert from Lululemon Athletica (a yogawear and sportswear company):

A Month of Charities: Tranquil Space Foundation

2009-01-04T18:50:00.001-08:00

The Tranquil Space Foundation is dedicated to: "Expanding opportunities for girls and women to develop their “inner voice” through yoga, creativity, and leadership activities." In addition to making grants to nonprofit programs that help women and girls, the Tranquil Space Foundation also runs a yoga and creativity for teenage girls called "Tranquil Teens." It's a really unique group! (full disclosure: I'm on the steering committee!)

A Month of Charities: Environmental Integrity Project

2009-01-02T08:35:00.000-08:00

I'm going to kick off 2009 by highlighting some of my favorite charitable organizations and nonprofits on my blog. I'd love to call this "Charity-a-Day," but heck, a girl's gotta take some time off once in a while! But I will update almost every day. If you have a suggestion of a nonprofit organization I should highlight, please let me know.

Today I'm drawing your attention to the Environmental Integrity Project, an amazing nonprofit with a unique and critical mission: enforcing environmental laws that already are on the books.

From their web site:

Environmental laws that guarantee clean air and water, protect human exposure to toxic waste, and preserve natural resources are viewed as a birthright by most Americans. On paper, these laws are impressive in scope; in practice, they are often ignored. The Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) works closely with local communities to protect the public's health and resources by promoting better enforcement of federal environmental laws. EIP also seeks to protect these laws from political interference.

Their work means so much to folks in local communities - cleaning up local rivers where fish are dying off due to power plant runoff, reducing air pollution in a town that is in the shadow of a huge factory expansion, helping an elderly woman with asthma breathe a little easier now that a nearby power plant is monitoring its fine particle emissions...

No other organization is fully focused on the important work that EIP is doing - check them out!

Recession Obsession Sale

2008-12-25T19:48:00.000-08:00

Times are tough at America's non-profits. Donations are down, and, at many charitable organizations, the need for their services is up. To help non-profits through the crunch, I'm offering a 30% discount on "Grant Writing Quick Tips" - a focused, finely-tuned e-book that offers all of the highlights of a foundation relations and grant writing seminar in one, high-impact resource.

From tips to help your grant proposal stand out from the pack, to guidelines and a worksheet on proposal budgeting, to strategies for finding and keeping donors, "Grant Writing Quick Tips" is a great resource for any non-profit organization (or a great gift for your favorite charity).

Check it out HERE.

How about a non-profit "bailout"?

2008-12-22T14:36:00.000-08:00

The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently reported that Independent Sector, a national coalition of charitable foundations, is working on a proposal to ask Congress for a loan fund to help non-profits deal with the current economic crisis. While non-profit donations are decreasing, their caseloads are increasing because of the crisis (for example, more people are in need of food, clothing, shelter, job counseling, health care, etc.).

Ideas for Giving

2008-12-15T10:39:00.000-08:00

The December 2008 issue of Washingtonian magazine is focused on giving. It features articles on great Washington-area organizations that need your donations; how to set up a foundation, donor advised fund, or giving circle; ways to use your skills through volunteerism; and inspiring stories of people who are making great impacts in small ways. Pick up a copy today and get inspired!

Go Jo-Bros!

2008-12-09T12:40:00.000-08:00

Teen sensations The Jonas Brothers just topped Charity Folks' list of the biggest draws on its online charity-auction web site. They raised $450,000 in an online charity auction to benefit their Change for the Children Foundation.

Who else is on the list? Check it out here. I was shocked! Hint: Nary a Bono or Brangelina in sight...

(OK, you have to admit... they are sort of unbearably cute!)

Advice for Obama

2008-12-05T11:08:00.000-08:00

In a recent edition of the Chronicle of Philanthropy (11/13/08, p.6), non-profit leaders from a variety of different fields (and with a variety of agendas) offered their advice on what our new President can do to promote and support charities and foundations. Here's a sampling of what they had to say:

Offer extra tax benefits for gifts to antipoverty charities
Create a cabinet-level philanthropy position
Help students pay for college, through Americorps and loan forgiveness programs tied to volunteerism
Streamline the process that ensures that charitable donations do not flow to terrorist organizations
Allow non-itemizers to deduct their charitable contributions from their adjusted gross income on their tax returns
Create a National Institute of Philanthropy, similar to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Require Americorps service for all college students who receive federal financial aid

Do you agree with these ideas? Have any new ones?

Inspiring Women

2008-11-16T14:02:00.000-08:00

What's more glamorous than inspiring others?

Glamour Magazine just held its Women of the Year Awards. Where else would Hillary Clinton, Tyra Banks, and Jane Goodall appear on the same list?! If you are looking for a dose of inspiration, check out the award winners. You might be especially interested in learning about the Women of the Year Fund Honorees, Yemini trailblazers Nujood Ali and Shada Nasser who are crusading for rights for child brides.

What do you think of the list? Who would you add?