• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

METRONY.COM

Digital Marketing Consultancy

  • Home
  • Consulting
  • Contact
  • Digital Marketing Audit
  • Social Media Review

philantrohopy

How to develop a fundraising plan

by Admin

How to develop a fundraising plan

Fundraising for nonprofits has always been my favorite volunteer role. There are many creative and fun ways to raise money for a cause. Many nonprofits don’t have anyone to take charge of their programs, as is the case with many small or startup nonprofits. Fundraising is, many times, a group project. Everyone brings in what they can and any monies owed comes out of the board’s pocket.

How-to-develop-a-fundraising-plan-440

The first step to establishing an organized fundraising program is to put someone in charge of it. The second is to establish a budget and a projection of the next few years’ expenditures, keeping in mind there can be a huge variance in year-to-year expenditures.

So how do you get the bills paid? What if there is a special trip or event coming up that needs to be paid for? Here are some fundraising ideas for the startup or re-starting nonprofit:

  • A golf outing. This is a favorite because it does not require a lot of work from the committee. The golf club handles most of the details. Choose a private golf course that will generate interest. Add some high-end raffle prizes and you have an income generating day!
  • A gala event is always nice. This is a lot more work than the gold outing, but it can attract a high price per ticket
    Be sure to check for matching donations from your stakeholder’s workplaces. This can double your donation!
  • Donations of personal property that can be auctioned off
  • Bequeathments

How to develop a fundraising plan

Filed Under: nonprofit, philantrohopy

Doubling Up: Charitable Contributions of Stock

by Admin

Tax loss harvesting is a term investors use to describe the process of timing investment losses to offset taxable income. This is especially common at the end of any year. Another way to reduce taxable income is to donate stocks to an eligible charity. Most Americans donate cash to charities.

Philanthropists can also donate capital assets such as property, stocks, bonds, jewelry, coins or even vehicles. Gifting stocks is a way to double the benefits of philanthropy. By donating stocks or other property, donors potentially reduce income tax liability, plus avoid paying tax on the capital gain of the investment. The stock is transferred directly to the charitable organization. Wells Fargo Advisors gives nice breakdown of the potential tax benefits of giving stock versus cash.

Doubling Up Charitable Contributions of Stock-440

According the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Publication 526, Charitable Contributions, stock donors must gift appreciated publicly traded stock, with a long-term holding period to organizations that are qualified to receive tax-deductible contributions. Gifts of appreciated publicly traded stock, with a long-term holding period, to public charities. Although donors can gift stocks with a short-term holding period or those held at a loss, more restrictions apply. Be sure to check IRS Publication 526 and your tax consultant for advice.

This communication does not provide tax or legal advice. Additional issues may exist that will affect Federal tax treatment of the transaction. The communication was not intended or written to be used, or relied upon by the reader or any other person to avoid federal tax penalties.

Filed Under: Blog, philantrohopy, property, tax deduction Tagged With: charitable giving

Meaningful Ways to Give

by Admin

Yesterday was Giving Tuesday, a global event that celebrates and encourages charitable giving. On Giving Tuesday, or any day of the year, anyone can learn about how to begin giving or ways to give even more. Giving need not be confined to just one day or one season. Practice philanthropy as a daily, weekly or monthly discipline. Remember donations do not always need to be in the form of money. Someone somewhere needs all gifts of goods, services and knowledge.

Meaningful Ways to Give Twitter

Here are meaningful ways for anyone to give to the world we share:

  • Donate your brain! Not your actual brain. Teach a skill to someone who trying to better themselves, make a career transition or anyone that use your knowledge to lift themselves higher. In 2015 I will be teaching NJ ‘treps from various startups how to create buzz around their ideas.
  • Volunteer at an animal rescue. Better yet, fall in love with a furry friend and take a pet or two home with you.
  • Sponsor a coat or blanket drive. This is an easy one. Connect with a local charity or religious organization that can use or distribute gently used coats.
  • Coach a sports team. Coaching is a way to help kids, enjoy yourself and possibly get some exercise at the same time. Experiences is appreciated, but not always required.
  • Organize a food drive for a local food pantry.
  • Participate in a community clean or other day of service. Get your employer to sponsor part of it, and maybe they will count it as paid time off!
  • Donate blood!
  • Of course, cash is king! Be sure to get a receipt!
  • Double down by doubling your cash donation! Many corporations match contributions. Contact your human resources department and find out if your donation is eligible.

Filed Under: Blog, giving, GivingTuesday, philantrohopy

Donate Used Cell Phones to HopeLine

by Admin

An unexpected package arrived at my door last Friday. I ordered new cell phones and switched cell service phone plans although I stayed with the same carrier. I am still waiting for my new phone to arrive but even before I opened it, I knew that this package was too thin and two days too early to be my phone.
Inside was paperwork from my carrier, Verizon Wireless. The receipts for my transaction were already emailed to me, plus I can access them online. The paper copies were redundant but definitely good customer service.

Donate-Used Phone-to-HopeLine.

What was so impressive was that the package contained an envelope to use to send back my old cell phones. Apparently, Verizon collects used cell phones from any carrier and donates them to men and women who are survivors of domestic abuse through a program called, HopeLine.

According to their website:

“HopeLine phones are refurbished phones that are equipped with 3,000 anytime minutes of airtime and texting capabilities…HopeLine phones are available to survivors affiliated with participating domestic violence agencies.”

Since 2001, HopeLine has:

  • Collected 10.8 million+ Phones
  • Awarded over $21.4 million in grants
  • Donated 180,000 HopeLine phones

Verizon not only sends envelopes for the phones, they pay for the postage as well. This was so unexpected. Neither my sales agent nor the customer service representative I spoke to mention the program. It made my day, last Friday, to open my mail and find out a corporation running a giving program.

This is not the first effort from Verizon Wireless. Earlier this year Verizon nailed the messaging with their 2014 commercial 2014 called “Inspire Her Mind,” which beautifully embodies the anti-STEM messaging many girls receive as they grow up. This commercial does a fabulous job demonstrating the effects of societies influence on career decisions. Many adults do not realize how their words become embedded in children’s minds.

Filed Under: Blog, philantrohopy

Check Out Your Charity

by Admin

Each month many of us give money, time or other donations to charitable causes without ever second-guessing their intentions or bothering to investigate a charity. How many times have you tossed in money in to the holiday cash collection buckets outside a store? During the holidays, do you drop off toys to big collection boxes to be shipped off the waiting hands of kids? Have you ever read their financial information, board of director bios or even their mission statement? If you are like most people, the answer is ‘no.’

Check-Out-Your-Charity-440

Sometime ago I became involved in a training organization in an effort to get out of the house more often, socialize and learn something new. I joined by paying a membership fee and became a student in a ten-week training program. At our first organizational meeting, we paid a small sum to purchase some required training equipment. This was not a huge amount of money, under $100. There we learned that our organization is a nonprofit. As a community based nonprofit, part the organization’s mission is to donate to other nonprofits in the area. We are asked to nominate a charity to be the recipient of our monetary donations. Cool, right? Except that I signed for classes not fundraising duty.

At our first class, we are told an upcoming event for the organization needs sponsors and the personal goal for each of our class’ 21 students should be to secure a $250 sponsor. The trainers announced the name of our class charity. The training nonprofit will be donating to this other nonprofit. How much will the second charity receive? Questions about this training organization’s overhead expenses come to mind.
At our second session, the teachers announce a fundraiser at a local restaurant. We are to donate a bottle of wine to add to a large gift basket that will be raffled off at the event. In addition, tickets are on sale, for those that wish to attend. The event will be open to all classes this organization teaches. My ticket gets me into crowded and fun event

The next week after the fundraiser, we are asked to give another $20 for additional classes. I wonder why there is a charge for the classes since the instructors are volunteers and the facilities are paid for. Time to dig up the financials on this organization!

During the next class, the teachers announce an end-of-the year party. It will feature open bar and “free” food. Tickets are $25. Hmmm! Okay, officially red alert and time to take some time to check out this charity’s financials, including IRS 990 filings, mission statement and expenses ratios. Before I even get to do that, 48 hours later, another donation request comes in from them via email for an online cash donation!

I head over to the Charity Navigator website to check them out. If you have not used their service, Charity Navigator is a convenient way to see a nonprofit’s financial history, board members and mission statement. The charity has no record filed. Next, I go to the IRS website to look up their record to see if they are filed under a DBA or variation. No luck, no IRS record. Last, I check out the online corporation record of the state they operate in and find that they are in incorporated with their state.

I head to their website to look for the correct spelling of their name and whatever else I can find out about this organization. I do see the announcement that they are officially a 501(c)(3). According to their own website post announcement, they became a 501(c)(3) only two weeks ago.
I have faith that this group is indeed a nonprofit recognized by the IRS. My gut feeling tells me they are legit but just need to learn to tone down all the donation requests. Considering how long it takes the simplest of nonprofit structures to get paperwork through the IRS, it is no surprise that the IRS website is not up to date either.

Nonprofits are good at heart. This one should have stated up front, that they are more than a training organization but also have a fundraising arm. In addition, hitting up the same contributors week after week is never a good idea as it leads to disengaged donors. Hopefully, over time, this organization will improve its leadership.

Check-Out-Your-Charity-nonprofit

Filed Under: Blog, nonprofit management, philantrohopy

Philanthropic Americans Gave More in 2013

by Admin

Total charitable contributions for 2013 equaled $335.17 billion. These donations came from U.S. individuals, corporations, foundations and bequests according to the data released in the Giving USA 2014: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for 2013. The report summarizes trends in the nonprofit sector.

“Donors are increasingly more comfortable giving to the causes they care about and at a level in keeping with the impact they would like to make.” L. Gregg Carlson, chair of Giving USA Foundation, which publishes the report.

Giving to K – 12 and higher education showed the strongest sector increase with 8.9% growth. Giving to societal, animal and arts causes also showed strong increases in giving ranging from 6.0% to 8.5%. This was the fourth consecutive year in which giving increased. Philanthropic Americans gave more in five different areas.

In 2013:
Total charitable contributions rose 4.4%
Per capita giving by US adults was $1016
Donations from individuals increased 4.2%
Giving by foundations rose 5.7%
Contributions by bequest increased 8.7%

USA-Giving-Trends-2013

Source: Giving USA Foundation

Philanthropic-Americans-Gave-More-in-2013-440

Philanthropic-Americans-Gave-More-in-2013.

Filed Under: Blog, giving, nonprofit, philantrohopy

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to Next Page »

Copyright © 2023 · METRONY, LLC

  • Home
  • Consulting
  • Speaking
  • Book
  • Social Media Marketing
  • Articles
  • Contact