Shakira Geeks Out and Does Some Good

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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