Category Archives: Giving

Getting to Know the Catalogue Review Team: Part II

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Welcome to week two of our “Getting to Know the Catalogue Review Team” series, where we invite you to get to know the members of our community who help us determine which small charities are the very best in Greater Washington. Part one can be found here.

This week we’re featuring Sandra Hoehne, ‎a 2-time reviewer and Catalogue supporter, and Maegan Scott, Program and Communications Officer at Meyer Foundation. This year marks Maegan’s 3rd as a Catalogue reviewer.

How did you hear about the Catalogue? And, how did you become a reviewer?

Sandra Hoehne, Catalogue supporter: I cannot remember how I found out about the Catalogue. Around ’09 or ’10 I was planning our yearly giving. Like many people, I give at the end of the year so that I know exactly how much we can afford to give. I found the Catalogue’s Donate Now / Decide Later option and was hooked. Also, my husband and I live and work in Arlington and so many of my favorite local non-profits have been featured in the Catalogue.

As to reviewing – after meeting Barbara [Harman] and Nancy [Swartz] and being infected by their enthusiasm and energy, I knew that I wanted to do whatever I could to help them. Donating money was one way, but getting my hands dirty with the reviewing process was the next step.

Maegan Scott, The Meyer Foundation: The Meyer Foundation has been a long-time supporter and partner of the Catalogue, and was one of the funders that helped to bring the publication to DC in 2003. Meyer staff has served as reviewers each year since the Catalogue launched in the Washington region. I was honored to become part of that tradition three years ago.

What do you enjoy most about reviewing nonprofits for the Catalogue?

Sandra: I enjoy seeing that though the need in the DC area is so great in all areas that the Catalogue covers, the drive to help is just as strong and lack of resources does not discourage dedicated people.

Maegan: There are actually two things. I love being introduced to organizations that haven’t or may never apply to Meyer for funding. I feel like it gives me a much more comprehensive understanding of the great work taking place across the region. I use that information in a lot of different ways, for example connecting friends to organizations they may fall in love with or even to pursue volunteer opportunities myself. I also just love the Catalogue’s mission and the emphasis it places on storytelling. I know that the organizations that are selected to be Catalogue nonprofits are going to get excellent visibility and coaching and become part of a network that will help increase their overall effectiveness.

What is one piece of advice you would give to future Catalogue applicants?

Sandra: Be succinct. And, maybe don’t include the resume of each Board Member in your application.

Maegan: Remember that this application will be read by a real live human being. I think so many groups are used to producing proposals and reports that are highly structured (especially groups with government grants and contracts) that they hesitate to tell their organization’s story beyond numbers and metrics. Of course, numbers and metrics are important, but don’t lose the passion and enthusiasm that brought you to the work in the first place. I want to read about it!

What is one piece of advice you would give to new/future Catalogue reviewers?

Sandra: Clear your schedule for a day to do this. It is more taxing emotionally than you would think and you will need a little recovery time.

Maegan: Give yourself plenty of time and look at everything, including websites. Spend just as much time with the organizations you’re familiar with as you do with the groups that are new to you. Be honest in the comments; constructive feedback is sometimes more useful than glowing praise.

Given your experience as a reviewer, when you see a nonprofit with the Catalogue’s “seal of approval” what does that mean to you?

Maegan: I love seeing the Catalogue seal! I think it’s such a powerful branding tool. When I see the seal, I know that this is a well-managed organization doing meaningful and impactful work and that it survived a thorough financial review by RAFFA. And because not all Catalogue nonprofits use the seal, I also know that this organization cares about leveraging and maximizing its inclusion in the Catalogue.

How has being a reviewer had an impact on your views of philanthropy in Greater Washington?

Sandra: It has really educated me on how much work nonprofits do, in addition to their primary purpose, to handle the very rigorous scrutiny to which something like the Catalogue subjects them. Having good intentions, identifying a need, and addressing it seem to me only a part of the equation. I have new respect for nonprofits that make it through these vetting procedures and are able to sell themselves and prove their worthiness. They not only have to accomplish their stated goal, but the organization itself and the administration have to be exemplary.

What do you feel your unique background brings to the Catalogue review process?

Sandra: I have been involved in small businesses my entire career. I find myself reading every application as if it were a business plan and the investment being sought is placement in the Catalogue. I wonder what kind of returns can be expected and how quickly. Since space in the Catalogue is limited, I only want the organizations that seem most poised to leverage that “investment” to have access to it.

Maegan: Even before working at the Meyer Foundation, a lot of the work I did focused on systems-building — who and what need to be in place to get the job done. Since joining the Foundation, I have seen and learned SO much about what works and what doesn’t work in how nonprofits are built (especially in terms of finance, boards, and executive leadership) and my belief that solid infrastructure matters if we’re going to see the social change that we’re all working to create has deepened exponentially. So a lot of what I bring to the review process is that — I’m assessing the organization’s capacity (including its potential) to advance its mission, I’m asking how well are the internal gears working.

When reading applications, have there been any “industry trends” (i.e. program design, donor engagement, ways of measuring impact, etc.) you have noticed since becoming a reviewer? Or, what trends in the nonprofit sector have caught your attention in the past year?

Maegan: I’m partially biased because of my role at the Meyer Foundation, but increasingly I’ve noticed organizations using social media as a way to strategically engage all of their stakeholders and not just the rote “thank you” tweet or Facebook post to a foundation or donor as a way of acknowledging a gift. We’re seeing more active engagement with clients and volunteers, and assertive program messaging and advocacy.

I’ve also seen more comprehensive and creative ways of talking about sustainability. Beyond secure and diverse funding streams, nonprofits applying both to Meyer and the Catalogue are writing about infrastructure and investing in talent and talent pipelines.

Stay tuned next week when we hear from Hedrick Belin, Catalogue reviewer and President of Potomac Conservancy!

Spring2ACTion in Alexandria on April 9th

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On April 9th, the City of Alexandria will Spring2ACTion with 24 hours of giving to support the powerful work of community charities. Hosted by ACT for Alexandria, this year’s goal is raise $1,000,000 (last year, Spring2ACTion raised more than $600,000 for 97 charities)!

Currently, 13 charities in the Catalogue for Philanthropy network are Alexandria-based. Spring2ACTion is your chance to support these organizations in a big way: each donation provides a chance for them to win up to $40,000 in grants and prizes.

Each charity has a campaign page on Razoo that details how you can make a difference at various giving levels, from $10 (which can provide fresh coffee for 80 residents at Carpenter’s Shelter, for example), all the way up to $1,000 (which can pay for an educational field trip for 105 students in Community Lodging’s summer program).

See below for the Spring2ACTion campaign pages for participating Catalogue for Philanthropy charities:

ALIVE!

The Art League

Carpenter’s Shelter

Center for Alexandria’s Children

Community Lodgings

Computer CORE

Empowered Woman International Inc

Friends of Guest House, Inc

Liberty’s Promise

SCAN of Northern Virginia

Senior Services of Alexandria

The Child and Family Network Centers

The Joey Pizzano Memorial Fund Inc

Don’t forget to tweet us @CatalogueDC to tell us how you’re participating in Spring2ACTion 2014!

Age is Just a Number

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Every now and then, and advertisement is so simple in its design that you can’t help but take notice. Amid the noise of a 24-7 media culture, a simple concept with a powerful message can leave an unexpected, lasting impression on the viewer. Though some Madison Avenue execs have perfected this art to promote consumer products (i.e. any iPhone ad you’ve ever seen. ever.), others have used this method to call attention to important social issues.

This week, Advertising Age featured a PSA by Age U.K., a British advocacy group for older people, as its “Ad of the Day.”

“The ad, titled “Love Later Life,” features a poem by English beat poet Roger McGough that was commissioned for the spot and is expertly read by 91-year-old Sir Christopher Lee. It’s the one inescapable element of the human condition that connects us all: nothing can stop us from growing older. But the ad’s simple visuals of people aging from childhood to age 102 let the message truly shine that age, in some ways, really is a state of mind.”

Testimonials on the Age U.K. website add depth to ad’s message by featuring audio and video of older individuals depicting the challenges of aging, which include issues such as financial challenges, health care and emotional support.

The Catalogue for Philanthropy has 10 charities that are passionately focused on the issue of aging, and each has ways that you can help whether by giving a donation or your time.

What can you do with $100?

Looking to volunteer?

Capitol Hill Village: Capitol Hill Village is just that: a virtual village in livable, walkable surroundings where volunteers unite to help older adults age safely and comfortably ? in their own homes and in their beloved neighborhood. Capitol Hill Village is a “volunteer first” organization, meaning that they use volunteers when we can to fill request from our members. Services request can range from gardening to rides to physicians appointments to friendly visiting and walks. CHV also relies greatly on volunteers to provide administrative duties, such as writing articles for our newsletter and working in the office.

Seabury Resources for the Aging seeks friendly visitors for isolated older adults; home repair and maintenance projects so that seniors can age in place more safely, meal delivery, office support, committees and councils to support our work in the community, work on public education efforts, website/IT support or building spruce up projects.

#GivingTuesday Best Practices Summit 3/18/2014

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“Oh the weather outside is frightful,
but planning for #GivingTuesday can be so delightful…”

Monday’s “snowpatricksday” storm may not have been our idea of spring weather, but it was the perfect backdrop to get us in a winter mindset for today’s #GivingTuesday Best Practices Summit at the United Nations Foundation Headquarters in the District.

The all-day summit brought together fundraising experts, thought leaders and key partners that helped make #GivingTuesday 2013 a success. For those unable to attend in-person, the UN Foundation’s LiveStream channel allowed others from all over the U.S. (and the world!) to listen in.

#GivingTuesday is a campaign to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season. It celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations. This year’s #GivingTuesday is on Tuesday, December 2nd.

Although #GivingTuesday is still more than 8 months away, it’s not too early to begin planning. Below are some quick tips we learned from various panelists throughout the day:
  • START EARLY! It’s never too early to begin building anticipation for #GivingTuesday on your social networks. Use the tools that givingtuesday.org provides and find ways to incorporate them in your communications plans throughout the year. Also, now is the time to start evaluating your online giving experience (through your website, social media, etc.). You can do a lot with marketing and social media, but if the donation experience you offer your users is complicated or confusing, your efforts may fall flat. The simpler the better!
  • Get Creative! Been itching to try a fun new donor outreach initiative? Don’t be afraid to try something new on #GivingTuesday. “Surprise and Delight” your audience by making giving a fun, fulfilling experience.
  • Establish metrics! How can people make a difference with their donation? How will you measure the success of your campaign? As one panelist said, “You can’t analyze data if you don’t have it.” Start thinking about your metrics (and how you’ll communicate them) now.
  • Collaborate! #GivingTuesday is the perfect opportunity for nonprofits to work hand-in-hand with other nonprofits to share resources and best practices. Talk to others in your network, and brainstorm how you can work together to make a big impact on December 3rd.
  • Establish partnerships! Pick your 5 dream partners and ask them to participate in #GivingTuesday with you. Given that this is a rapidly growing, national movement, this could be a great way to get a foot in the door.
  • Have fun! Above all, #GivingTuesday should be a fun experience for your organization and your donors. If you can communicate your organization’s enthusiasm, donors will take note and feel the same!

For more great tips on #GivingTuesday, we recommend following @givingtues on Twitter for continuing updates and ideas to make the most of the day.

Stay tuned for more on Catalogue’s #GivingTuesday planning throughout the year…

Rethinking the “Impact Question”: Evaluating the (Nonprofit) Evaluators, Part IV

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The following blog, written by Catalogue for Philanthropy President and Editor, Barbara Harman, was published in the Huffington Post on Monday, February 24th. It is the final post in a series on the “evaluation problem.”

In my previous post, I argued that metrics measure something, but not everything. Let’s take a look at what a basic, metrics-based “logic model” looks like (though note that Charity Navigator’s new model is much more extensive and challenging than the more streamlined model I am suggesting here):

Inputs (what you bring to the table as resources: staff, funds, expertise)
Activities (programs and services; what you do)
Outputs (things that can be measured — numbers of people you serve, units of housing you build, meals you provide, numbers of classes you conduct)
Outcomes (results — impact you have in the short, medium and long-term)

Good, but not good enough. For the model to be complete, it needs to begin with a description and analysis of the community in which you work and the specific challenges you face. If you want to know, at the end of the process, what impact really means, you first have to know, and state, what the conditions are in which your work takes place and out of which it emerges. Describing these is a complex task — sometimes even a moving target — that doesn’t easily lend itself to metrics.

In addition, how you assess your results will depend on what you value. If, at the end of the line, you are measuring something intangible like the resiliency or grit of vulnerable children who have grown up in poverty, you will have a greater challenge before you than will an organization seeking, say, to measure an increase in the rate of employment for job-seeking adults, where numbers are their friends. (This is not to say that the work is harder, only that the task of assessing the work is.) You have to make sure that you have identified grit and resiliency, and any other critical life skills, as core values, and you have to explain why they are.

As citizens and donors, we should do what we can to make sure that those organizations are working to build more creative communities, and to devise programs to deal with extremely challenging (if not, thus far, intractable) social problems, are not excluded because their outcomes are not as easy to measure as others. If I am visiting a community center in Washington, DC’s Ward 8 where the average family income is $9100 a year, I should not be looking at outcomes the same way I would if I were visiting a community where the somewhat better-off youngsters need a smaller boost in order to be successful. The hill is steeper in some places than it is in others, and we have to take that into account.

At the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington, we have approached these questions in what is, given the direction that evaluation appears to be taking, a rather unusual way. We have gathered the community of professionals in the field — from foundations, corporate giving programs, peer nonprofits, government agencies and the philanthropic advisory community — and asked them to evaluate applicant nonprofits. Our review process has three stages: programmatic review (the conditions you address, the programs you have created, the impact you have); financial review (reasonable projections of income and expenses; diversified funding; transparency); and site visits (reviewers are asked to share their experience of previous visits, not to visit anew).

Some 120 individuals participate annually, sharing their expertise and direct knowledge. Communities have this knowledge, but it is rarely aggregated or shared with the public at large. We share it in our annual print catalogues and, of course, online, and we are able to do what the rating entities cannot do: actually evaluate need, program quality, and impact — without overburdening community-based nonprofits that, by and large, lack the resources to perform extensive evaluations themselves.

Creating communities of knowledge — actually pooling the know-how of people who have expertise in the field — seems like an obvious thing to do in the service of philanthropy, especially in an era in which knowledge-sharing has become so much easier. It means, too, that we can ask questions that don’t lend themselves to easy answers because we can use the brainpower of the community to identify the nonprofits that are doing the best work. There is no reason why this model could not be shared, and why there could not be a Catalogue for Philanthropy in every region of the country — something we hope to make happen in the not-too-distant future. (A note: the Catalogue focuses on community-based nonprofits with budgets below three million. These are not, by and large, the ones reviewed by Charity Navigator, though this is a category into which the great majority of all nonprofits falls.)

For the moment, though, nonprofits need to remember that — unless they are primarily reliant on the U.S. Government, in which case they had better pay attention to its model — most individual donors are not themselves professional givers. Many are driven more by their desire to give back, their personal passions, and their wish to make a difference and than they are by evidence-based impact assessments.

This does not mean that data and measurement do not matter or that a reasonable approach to evaluating impact should not be part of what foundations are funding and even teaching. But charities also need to find a way to assess their work in a manner that does justice to its complexity, and then translate what they learn into an account that will have meaning and power for individual donors whose contributions make up nearly three quarters of all donations. We should keep in mind that it is not just the good work we do that matters, but also the speaking and writing about it — the sharing of it — that counts. We need to train ourselves and teach others how to be agents of the imagination, ready and willing and equipped to tell compelling stories about the differences for the better that philanthropic work makes.

The task is a challenging, but essential, one. It needs more attention than it has received and I intend to address it in future posts.

You’ve made your list, but have you checked it twice?

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Still searching for the perfect gift?

This year, save yourself from a frantic last-minute trip to the mall and consider giving the gift that gives back. The Catalogue for Philanthropy offers gift e-cards that make the perfect gift for anyone on your list: from that one person who has everything to the budding junior philanthropist in the family. In fact, we can’t think of a time when a Catalogue gift card wouldn’t be a great gift.

Still looking for inspiration? What about giving a Catalogue gift card…

  • as a “thank you” to your favorite hard-working barista, postal carrier, dog-walker or doorman?
  • as a way to introduce philanthropy to the next generation in your family? (We think the inspiring work of our charities as told in the Catalogue makes a great substitute for the annual reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas”)
  • as a hostess gift for holiday parties?
  • as a creative gift for teachers at your child’s school?
  • for the neighbor who is always there to lend a hand?

The Catalogue for Philanthropy’s e-gift card not only captures the spirit of the holidays through the joy of giving, but it also gives recipients the opportunity to support the causes that mean the most to them, whether in the environment, arts, education or human services. And it’s SO easy to give! Simply click. Give. And inspire.

#GivingTuesday is here! How will you make an impact in your community today?

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Since Thanksgiving, retailers have been promoting incredible steals and deals to help you complete your holiday shopping. What if you could turn the pennies you saved from those deals into pennies given to our Catalogue for Philanthropy charities?

The Catalogue’s #APennySaved campaign, in partnership with #GivingTuesday, combines the thrill of saving with the thrill of giving. We encourage you to turn your holiday savings into tangible good in the community through your support of our 350+ vetted charities.

After you give, don’t forget to tell us about it on social media! Use the hashtags #GivingTuesday and #APennySaved to tell us about how you’re supporting our community with the money you saved. Together we can make this a season of getting AND a season of giving.

Looking for ideas on ways to give? Think about how you saved, and use the wish lists below to guide your giving! Remember, this is only a small sample of our network of 350+ charities. Go to cfp-dc.org/nonprofits to learn more about them.

Saved $10 on a gift for your sibling? Use that $10 for:

Saved $25 on a gift for mom or dad? Use that $25 for:

And for the really savvy shoppers out there…Did you save $50 on a holiday gift?Use that $50 for:

Happy Giving!!

Reflections from the Road: Holiday Journeys and #GivingTuesday

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As we prepare for the holidays – packing suitcases, loading up the car, battling traffic or airport lines – it seems that the process of getting to our destination has become as much a part of holiday tradition as turkey, stuffing and that awkward annual dinner toast from a distant relative.

This inevitable “are we there yet?” mentality stretches beyond just the holiday travel season — it extends to our personal goals, career objectives and other milestones in life. Yet, while we’re on these personal journeys, it’s important that we use this time of year to stop and reflect — here, in this moment — on the things that have brought us to where we are today…and be thankful.

This Tuesday, December 3rd, #GivingTuesday gives us that unique opportunity after both Thanksgiving and the holiday shopping that follows to further reflect on all that we’ve been given, and turn our gratitude into impact.

As an official #GivingTuesday partner, the Catalogue for Philanthropy encourages you to reflect and re-think your approach to holiday shopping: as you shop for loved ones this year during the sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, turn your pennies saved into pennies…given.

With the Catalogue’s #APennySaved campaign, think about using your holiday shopping savings to lift up those in need in our community through your support of our 350+ local, vetted charities (You can learn more about them and give at www.cfp-dc.org/nonprofits). Use the money you save on items purchased this holiday weekend to change your community for good.

This holiday season, travel safely, reflect on the journey, and give thanks by giving back.

 

 

Online Giving Grows

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by Jenn Hatch

If you’ve seen an increase in online contributions, you’re not alone: a new study from the Chronicle of Philanthropy found that online donations rose 14 percent from 2011 to 2012, far outpacing the 1.5 percent increase seen in off-line giving from individuals, corporations and foundations.

In a world where we can reload a parking meter or pay for a cup of coffee from our phones, what can nonprofits do to capitalize on this online-giving trend? In short, make it simple, efficient and mobile-friendly. Here are some highlights from the study:

Go Mobile

The American Lung Association, which gets 29.6% of its donations online, saw a spike in online giving after revamping their website and email appeals to display well on mobile devices. In addition, other groups like Young Life added quick-response (QR) codes to their printed promotional materials to accommodate potential donors on the spot.

Offering mobile giving options has an added benefit: the Environmental Defense Fund found that first-time donors who gave online made a contribution nearly double that of donors who gave their first gift after a direct mail appeal ($40-$50 online vs. $20-$25 direct mail).

Go Monthly

As monthly givers are often the most reliable donors, many nonprofits have re-designed their online giving pages to promote monthly, quarterly or even semi-annual gifts. Giving members the option to renew their support online with a monthly gift is another way to increase overall contributions.

Be Social

Many groups use Facebook, Twitter and other social-networking sites to share their impact stories, but several nonprofits have taken these to the next level by having supporters reach out online to their friends and family. For example, the Seattle Children’s Hospital Foundation paired updates about hospital news, new medical techniques and success stories with end-of-year fundraising appeals to raise over $8,000 from a network of 60,000 Facebook fans.

Online fundraising offers donors a simple, efficient, timely and “green” way to support causes they are passionate about. And as this trend continues, its more than likely that the next generation of donors will make online giving the norm. So check out our past tips on “Growing Your Nonprofit Online” and stay tuned for more trends in the Millennial generation this fall.

Around Town: May 18-19

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If you are looking for a fun way to learn, make a difference, and get out of the house this weekend, these Catalogue nonprofits are waiting for you! See what is in store for the DC Metro area this weekend on Around Town. Heading to one of these events? Let us know–we would love to hear about it:

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Grocery Deliveries to Low-Income Seniors in North Capitol/Shaw

We Are Family Senior Outreach Network
We Are Family will be delivering groceries to over 250 low-income seniors in the North Capitol and Shaw neighborhoods.
When: Saturday, May 18, 2013 (10:00 AM – 2:00 PM)
Where: Metropolitan Community Church, 474 Ridge St. NW, Washington, DC 20001
Fee? no
Volunteer Info: Volunteers will help assemble and deliver grocery bags to low-income seniors. Although a car is not needed, it is helpful.
Contact: Mark Andersen, (202) 487-8698
For more information: click here

LAMB 10th Anniversary Fiesta & Auction

Latin American Montessori Bilingual Public Charter School
Join us in celebrating LAMB’s 10th anniversary at the Fiesta & Auction! Food, music, silent auction & live auction, including items for many fabulous restaurants, hotels, and local businesses. Venga a disfrutar!
When: Saturday, May 18, 2013 (6:00 PM – 10:00 PM)
Where: Latin American Montessori Bilingual Public Charter School, 1375 Missouri Ave. NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20011
Fee? yes $35 in advance; $45 at the door
Contact: Colleen Renk or Iyon Rosario, (202) 726-6200
For more information: click here

The Big 33: The World’s Most Important Dinner Party

A Wider Circle
Come see why Zagat calls 9159 Brookville Road one of the finest dining establishments in town. Okay, not really, but come see – and share – what A Wider Circle is all about! It only costs A Wider Circle $33 to provide a child or adult with all of his or her basic need items – from beds and dressers to sheets, towels, dishes, pots, pans, and much, much more! $33 is only a suggested donation. We invite you to come on out, share in some great food, hear about the work, and enjoy a wonderful dinner party. Have questions or want to RSVP? Call 301-608-3504 or email Dinner@awidercircle.org All are welcome, so please feel free to share this invitation with friends, family members, neighborhood listservs, or anyone who may be interested.
When: Saturday, May 18, 2013 (7:00 PM)
Where: A Wider Circle’s Center for Community Service, 9159 Brookville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Fee? no
Contact: Erin Fiaschetti, (301) 608-3504
For more information: click here

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Dance Place
DC based Christopher K. Morgan & Artists joins forces with NY based skybetter and associates for an evening of contemporary dance employing sinuous and abstract movement combined with detailed musicality. Performance includes Inclement Weather, choreographed by Sydney Skybetter, centering on the hallucinogenic memory of a beloved, lost grandmother. Co-presented by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
When: Sunday, May 19, 2013 (7:00 PM)
Where: Dance Place, 3225 8th Street NE, Washington, DC 20017
Fee? yes $22 General Admission; $17 Members, Seniors, Teachers and Artists; $10 College Students; $8 Children (17 and under)
Contact: Carolyn Kamrath, (202) 269-1608
For more information: click here