Socially Conscious Entrepreneurs | By Chad Brooks, BusinessNewsDaily 22 JUN
Socially responsible business practices — including organic, fair trade, handmade, giving back and going green — are becoming the norm for for-profit, as well as nonprofit, businesses. We’re committed to covering this side of small business with our weekly wrap-up of news affecting businesses that have embraced this socially responsible model, combining a for-profit business with nonprofit sensibilities.
The Vatican's view
Add the Vatican to the list of those weighing in on the need for socially responsible businesses. Carol Glatz of the Catholic News Service reports on the recent Executive Summit on Ethics for the Business World, during which Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican’s secretary of state, said that there is no way businesses can remain ethically neutral. Bertone said business leaders must have a social conscience and see their work as part of a new social contract with the public and civil society.
Catching mom's eye
Socially responsible businesses looking to attract moms with their online marketing better be offering them something worth their while. A BusinessNewsDaily report this week points to new research that says two-thirds of moms preferred coupons and discounts in ads, while less than half wanted ads that simply provide useful information. In addition, the study from About.com found that online ad tone and format also are important to moms.
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Those searching for a higher education degree in social responsibility should check out a guide from the University of Wisconsin. The Big Ten school has released a guide on the numerous colleges across the country that offer programs with a focus on sustainability. Universities with their own offerings include Michigan, North Carolina, George Washington, Stanford and Yale.
Ditching the catalog
In an eco-friendly move that’s also lightening the load of its sales force, one clothing company is going electronic with its catalogs. BusinessNewsDaily writes this week about the Tom James Co., a clothing and apparel manufacturer that has replaced its sales team's printed catalogs and brochures with electronic versions pre-loaded onto iPads. Each member of the company’s 450-member sales force is equipped with iPads.
Lights, camera, action
Socially conscious businesses wanting to pump up their public relations potential need to use video, according to one expert. David Murdico, managing partner of Supercool Creative, a Los Angeles-based viral marketing agency specializing in online video creative, writes this week that video can bring the positive actions of these businesses to the forefront and help move brands closer to both new and existing fans and customers. The advice was part of Murdico's top 10 ways that video can be used by PR professionals to help brands tell their stories.
Truth or myth?
Social entrepreneurs should not let myths hold them back from starting their own venture. This week, BusinessNewsDaily dispels some of the top urban legends of the business world. The largest — that 50 percent of businesses fail — isn't true, according to the Small Business Association, which says seven out of 10 businesses survive at least two years.
We hear about a lot of socially responsible businesses each week. Here are this week’s favorites:
Apple Visual Graphics: An environmentally friendly printing company that has cut petroleum-based products out of the printing equation. The business is recognized by the Forest Stewardship Council and certified by the Rainforest Alliance as a green printer.
On Twitter @AppleVisualNYC
JP Selects: An online site featuring eco-conscious health and beauty products. A percentage of the proceeds from sales of JP Select's brand partners’ products will go to the Grow Appalachia hunger initiative and John Paul DeJoria’s Peace, Love and Happiness Foundation, which supports humanitarian efforts worldwide.
On Twitter @JPSelects
Mar Y Sol: A socially responsible brand that collaborates with artists in New York and artisans in Madagascar to create authentic handmade accessories using natural materials sourced from forests in Madagascar. The sale of the products enables families in Madagascar to gain economic independence.
On Twitter @MarYSolBags
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Seven-Figure Gift From Detroit Couple Spurs Discussion of African-American Philanthropy | PND | Foundation Center
Seven-Figure Gift From Detroit Couple Spurs Discussion of African-American Philanthropy
A seven-figure gift to the Detroit Institute of Arts from former General Motors group vice president Roy Roberts and his wife, Maureen, has put a spotlight on the relative dearth of high-profile African-American philanthropists, Crain's Detroit Business and the Detroit Free Press report.
In recognition of the first seven-figure contribution to DIA by an African American, the museum will rename one of its galleries after the couple.
According to Chacona Johnson, president of the Detroit Public Schools Foundation, people typically don't associate African Americans with traditional philanthropy because the bulk of African-American giving historically has supported churches; indeed, it still does. And despite efforts by a growing number of cultural institutions in Detroit and elsewhere to cultivate African-American donors, it could take a generation or more before long-established giving patterns in the African-American community begin to shift. Still, the Roberts' gift has elevated African-American philanthropy to a new level, said the DIA's Nettie Seabrooks.
Roy Roberts told the Free Press that he and his wife are optimistic their gift will broaden the vision of African-American philanthropy. "We have four kids, six grandkids," said Roberts. "When they come back twenty-five years from now, what are they going to see, and what will it say about us? [The gift is] a way for us to teach our grandkids to get the best education possible, work as hard as you possibly can, and when you get a little more than you need to take care of your family, you give back."
Stryker, Mark. “DIA Gallery Renamed for Big Benefactors: Ex-GM Exec Roy Roberts and Wife, Maureen.” Detroit Free Press 5/04/11.
Welch, Sherri. “The Color of Philanthropy: Black Donors Often Under the Radar.” Crain's Detroit Business 5/08/11.
Seven-Figure Gift From Detroit Couple Spurs Discussion of African-American Philanthropy | PND | Foundation Center
A seven-figure gift to the Detroit Institute of Arts from former General Motors group vice president Roy Roberts and his wife, Maureen, has put a spotlight on the relative dearth of high-profile African-American philanthropists, Crain's Detroit Business and the Detroit Free Press report.
In recognition of the first seven-figure contribution to DIA by an African American, the museum will rename one of its galleries after the couple.
According to Chacona Johnson, president of the Detroit Public Schools Foundation, people typically don't associate African Americans with traditional philanthropy because the bulk of African-American giving historically has supported churches; indeed, it still does. And despite efforts by a growing number of cultural institutions in Detroit and elsewhere to cultivate African-American donors, it could take a generation or more before long-established giving patterns in the African-American community begin to shift. Still, the Roberts' gift has elevated African-American philanthropy to a new level, said the DIA's Nettie Seabrooks.
Roy Roberts told the Free Press that he and his wife are optimistic their gift will broaden the vision of African-American philanthropy. "We have four kids, six grandkids," said Roberts. "When they come back twenty-five years from now, what are they going to see, and what will it say about us? [The gift is] a way for us to teach our grandkids to get the best education possible, work as hard as you possibly can, and when you get a little more than you need to take care of your family, you give back."
Stryker, Mark. “DIA Gallery Renamed for Big Benefactors: Ex-GM Exec Roy Roberts and Wife, Maureen.” Detroit Free Press 5/04/11.
Welch, Sherri. “The Color of Philanthropy: Black Donors Often Under the Radar.” Crain's Detroit Business 5/08/11.
Seven-Figure Gift From Detroit Couple Spurs Discussion of African-American Philanthropy | PND | Foundation Center
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Education a Top Priority for Donors, Survey Finds
Education a Top Priority for Donors, Survey Finds
March 3rd, 2011 |
Although more than half of all charitable donations in 2009 went to religious organizations, a new survey from the NonProfit Times and Infogroup/Nonprofit found that donors, when asked which type of organization actually needs money, see education as a top priority.
According to the survey, 35 percent of respondents listed education as the type of organization most in need of support, followed by health (24 percent), civic or community (12 percent), religion (9 percent), overseas crisis/relief (8 percent), environmental (7 percent), and political (1 percent). Responses of “none” and “don’t know” totaled 4 percent. However, the most recent data available from the Giving USA Foundation found that more than one-third of total donations made by individuals between 1992 and 2009 went to religious groups, including $100.9 billion in 2009, compared to $40 billion for education organizations.
“I think a lot of this is people saying one thing and doing another,” said Larry May, senior vice president for strategy at Infogroup/Nonprofit. Media coverage also may have influenced survey respondents’ decisions to vote for education over religion. Poor performing schools, for example, tend to receive more coverage than congregations, which in turn may influence the way people give.
The way survey questions were posed may have influenced the results, said former Giving USA editor Melissa Brown, now an Indianapolis-based philanthropy consultant. “Asking about which organizations are in need of financial support is not the same as asking, ‘which one do you most want to support’ or even ‘which one do you think does the most important work in the world,’” said Brown. “This might be why less than 10 percent advance religious organizations in response to the question. They know they and most of their friends are giving to a religious group and probably that is the bulk of their charitable giving, so the funding stream at that organization, at least, is comparatively secure.”
http://www.pnnonline.org/education-a-top-priority-for-donors-survey-finds
March 3rd, 2011 |
Although more than half of all charitable donations in 2009 went to religious organizations, a new survey from the NonProfit Times and Infogroup/Nonprofit found that donors, when asked which type of organization actually needs money, see education as a top priority.
According to the survey, 35 percent of respondents listed education as the type of organization most in need of support, followed by health (24 percent), civic or community (12 percent), religion (9 percent), overseas crisis/relief (8 percent), environmental (7 percent), and political (1 percent). Responses of “none” and “don’t know” totaled 4 percent. However, the most recent data available from the Giving USA Foundation found that more than one-third of total donations made by individuals between 1992 and 2009 went to religious groups, including $100.9 billion in 2009, compared to $40 billion for education organizations.
“I think a lot of this is people saying one thing and doing another,” said Larry May, senior vice president for strategy at Infogroup/Nonprofit. Media coverage also may have influenced survey respondents’ decisions to vote for education over religion. Poor performing schools, for example, tend to receive more coverage than congregations, which in turn may influence the way people give.
The way survey questions were posed may have influenced the results, said former Giving USA editor Melissa Brown, now an Indianapolis-based philanthropy consultant. “Asking about which organizations are in need of financial support is not the same as asking, ‘which one do you most want to support’ or even ‘which one do you think does the most important work in the world,’” said Brown. “This might be why less than 10 percent advance religious organizations in response to the question. They know they and most of their friends are giving to a religious group and probably that is the bulk of their charitable giving, so the funding stream at that organization, at least, is comparatively secure.”
http://www.pnnonline.org/education-a-top-priority-for-donors-survey-finds
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards
What are the basic responsibilities of nonprofit boards?
By: BoardSource
Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards
1.Determine mission and purpose. It is the board's responsibility to create and review a statement of mission and purpose that articulates the organization's goals, means, and primary constituents served.
2.Select the chief executive. Boards must reach consensus on the chief executive's responsibilities and undertake a careful search to find the most qualified individual for the position.
3.Support and evaluate the chief executive. The board should ensure that the chief executive has the moral and professional support he or she needs to further the goals of the organization.
4.Ensure effective planning. Boards must actively participate in an overall planning process and assist in implementing and monitoring the plan's goals.
5.Monitor, and strengthen programs and services. The board's responsibility is to determine which programs are consistent with the organization's mission and monitor their effectiveness.
6.Ensure adequate financial resources. One of the board's foremost responsibilities is to secure adequate resources for the organization to fulfill its mission.
7.Protect assets and provide proper financial oversight. The board must assist in developing the annual budget and ensuring that proper financial controls are in place.
8.Build a competent board. All boards have a responsibility to articulate prerequisites for candidates, orient new members, and periodically and comprehensively evaluate their own performance.
9.Ensure legal and ethical integrity. The board is ultimately responsible for adherence to legal standards and ethical norms.
10.Enhance the organization's public standing. The board should clearly articulate the organization's mission, accomplishments, and goals to the public and garner support from the community.
References
•Richard T. Ingram, Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards, Second Edition (BoardSource 2009).
Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards
By: BoardSource
Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards
1.Determine mission and purpose. It is the board's responsibility to create and review a statement of mission and purpose that articulates the organization's goals, means, and primary constituents served.
2.Select the chief executive. Boards must reach consensus on the chief executive's responsibilities and undertake a careful search to find the most qualified individual for the position.
3.Support and evaluate the chief executive. The board should ensure that the chief executive has the moral and professional support he or she needs to further the goals of the organization.
4.Ensure effective planning. Boards must actively participate in an overall planning process and assist in implementing and monitoring the plan's goals.
5.Monitor, and strengthen programs and services. The board's responsibility is to determine which programs are consistent with the organization's mission and monitor their effectiveness.
6.Ensure adequate financial resources. One of the board's foremost responsibilities is to secure adequate resources for the organization to fulfill its mission.
7.Protect assets and provide proper financial oversight. The board must assist in developing the annual budget and ensuring that proper financial controls are in place.
8.Build a competent board. All boards have a responsibility to articulate prerequisites for candidates, orient new members, and periodically and comprehensively evaluate their own performance.
9.Ensure legal and ethical integrity. The board is ultimately responsible for adherence to legal standards and ethical norms.
10.Enhance the organization's public standing. The board should clearly articulate the organization's mission, accomplishments, and goals to the public and garner support from the community.
References
•Richard T. Ingram, Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards, Second Edition (BoardSource 2009).
Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards
Monday, February 7, 2011
PND - News - Report Calls for National Effort to Help Youth Navigate Path to Employability
Report Calls for National Effort to Help Youth Navigate Path to Employability
Despite billions of dollars spent on education reform efforts over several decades, American high schools and colleges are failing to prepare millions of the county's young people to lead successful lives, a new study from the Pathways to Prosperity Project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education finds.
The report, Pathways to Prosperity: Meeting the Challenge of Preparing Young Americans for the 21st Century (52 pages, PDF), argues that the nation's strategy for education and youth development has been too narrowly focused on an academic, classroom-based approach, which in turn has produced only incremental gains in achievement and attainment.
To remedy the situation, the authors recommend the development of a broader school reform effort that embraces multiple pathways to help young people successfully navigate their personal development. According to the report, only 30 percent of young adults successfully complete the preferred pathway to success — attending and graduating from a four-year college. The report further argues that American employers need to play a greatly expanded role in supporting the pathways system and providing additional opportunities for young adults to participate in work-based learning related to their programs of study, and that the nation needs to develop a new social compact in which every young adult will be equipped by their mid-20s with the education and experience needed to lead a successful life as an adult.
Supported by Accenture, and the DeVry, GE, Pearson, Irvine, Kellogg, and Nellie Mae Education foundations, the two-year study found that the percentage of teens and young adults with full-time jobs is at its lowest level since the end of World War II.
"We are the only developed nation that depends so exclusively on its higher education system as the sole institutional vehicle to help young people transition from secondary school to careers, and from adolescence to adulthood," said Robert Schwartz, academic dean and professor at HGSE, who heads the Pathways to Prosperity Project. "Unless we are willing to provide more flexibility and choice in the last two years of high school, and more opportunities for students to pursue program options that link work and learning, we will continue to lose far too many young people along the path to graduation."
“Report Calls for National Effort to Get Millions Of Young Americans Onto a Realistic Path to Employability.” Harvard Graduate School of Education 2/02/11.
Despite billions of dollars spent on education reform efforts over several decades, American high schools and colleges are failing to prepare millions of the county's young people to lead successful lives, a new study from the Pathways to Prosperity Project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education finds.
The report, Pathways to Prosperity: Meeting the Challenge of Preparing Young Americans for the 21st Century (52 pages, PDF), argues that the nation's strategy for education and youth development has been too narrowly focused on an academic, classroom-based approach, which in turn has produced only incremental gains in achievement and attainment.
To remedy the situation, the authors recommend the development of a broader school reform effort that embraces multiple pathways to help young people successfully navigate their personal development. According to the report, only 30 percent of young adults successfully complete the preferred pathway to success — attending and graduating from a four-year college. The report further argues that American employers need to play a greatly expanded role in supporting the pathways system and providing additional opportunities for young adults to participate in work-based learning related to their programs of study, and that the nation needs to develop a new social compact in which every young adult will be equipped by their mid-20s with the education and experience needed to lead a successful life as an adult.
Supported by Accenture, and the DeVry, GE, Pearson, Irvine, Kellogg, and Nellie Mae Education foundations, the two-year study found that the percentage of teens and young adults with full-time jobs is at its lowest level since the end of World War II.
"We are the only developed nation that depends so exclusively on its higher education system as the sole institutional vehicle to help young people transition from secondary school to careers, and from adolescence to adulthood," said Robert Schwartz, academic dean and professor at HGSE, who heads the Pathways to Prosperity Project. "Unless we are willing to provide more flexibility and choice in the last two years of high school, and more opportunities for students to pursue program options that link work and learning, we will continue to lose far too many young people along the path to graduation."
“Report Calls for National Effort to Get Millions Of Young Americans Onto a Realistic Path to Employability.” Harvard Graduate School of Education 2/02/11.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Partnership to Foster Innovative, High-Growth Firms in U.S.
Partnership to Foster Innovative, High-Growth Firms in U.S.
February 1st, 2011 |
As part of President Obama’s national strategy to stimulate economic growth and the creation of quality jobs, the White House announced the launch of the Startup America Partnership.
Chaired by Steve Case, co-founder of AOL, CEO of Revolution LLC and chairman of the Case Foundation, the Partnership will receive launch funding from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Case Foundation, and act as an independent private-sector alliance intended to dramatically increase the development, prevalence and success of innovative, high-growth U.S. firms. Carl Schramm, CEO of the Kauffman Foundation, will serve as a founding board member of the effort.
The Startup America Partnership will work closely with the White House to advance the goals of its Startup America initiative. The Partnership will bring together top entrepreneurs, start-up firm funders, CEOs, university presidents, foundations, and other leaders to help entrepreneurial companies start or grow. Partners (including corporations, foundations, startup funders, CEOs and others) will contribute funds to existing proven models or develop new programs and efforts to help entrepreneurs.
“America’s story has been forged in large part by entrepreneurs who have against great odds created innovative products and services that have changed the world – and created millions of jobs,” said Steve Case. “Our nation once again looks to these creative risk-takers to unleash the next wave of American innovation, and I am pleased that President Obama has made supporting and celebrating entrepreneurs a major priority of his economic strategy. I am honored to chair the Startup America Partnership, and look forward to working with the White House to champion the creation of new start-ups, and help accelerate the growth of speed-ups.”
“We are pleased to help lead this partnership,” said Carl Schramm. “At Kauffman, it is our mission to develop and fund programs to support entrepreneurs, and to help educate policymakers about the role entrepreneurship and innovation play in our society. This partnership will bring together partners from across the private, public and non-profit sectors, working together toward a common goal: supporting the entrepreneurs who are the lifeblood of our economy.”
To date, more than a dozen firms and organizations have joined the Startup America Partnership. They include the following commitments:
■Increased corporate investment and support for startups from companies such as Intel, HP, IBM, Facebook, and others, including:
■Intel Capital will commit $200M of new investment in U.S. companies. Senior Intel leadership will also serve the Startup America Partnership and share best practices from years of successful programs designed to support Intel portfolio companies.
■IBM will invest $150 million in 2011 to fund programs that promote entrepreneurs and new business opportunities in the United States.
■HP is investing more than $4 million in 2011 in the HP Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs (HP LIFE), a global program launched in 2007 that uses educational and technology outreach aimed at helping entrepreneurs and small business owners create and grow commercial opportunities.
■As part of Facebook‘s ongoing commitment to encourage entrepreneurs, the company will launch Startup Days, a new series of 12 to 15 events around the country designed to provide entrepreneurs with access to expertise, resources and engineers to help accelerate their businesses.
■To foster entrepreneurship through higher education, as part of its overall $50 million commitment to entrepreneurship, The Blackstone Charitable Foundation has announced a $5 million expansion of the Blackstone LaunchPad program piloted at two Detroit colleges. Based on a model created by the University of Miami, LaunchPad will be replicated over the next five years in five other distressed regions around the country.
■The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), a nonprofit that provides entrepreneurship education for at-risk high school students from low-income communities, is launching new programs supporting young entrepreneurs and their teachers. Ernst & Young LLP will honor NFTE youth entrepreneurs at regional Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award® galas across the country, bringing important attention to the next generation of young entrepreneurs. The Pearson Foundation is working with NFTE to build its Digital Teacher Network, a free online community for teacher collaboration and training that will be used not only by NFTE’s 5,000 certified teachers but also by any educator interested in entrepreneurship. Google is sponsoring two new efforts in NFTE’s Bay Area programs: The Flat Classroom Exchange will allow local educators to team-teach the NFTE program in real time and leverage each teacher’s individual expertise, while the Makers Class project will integrate NFTE’s curriculum with invention and engineering lessons. New Markets Education Partners is providing NFTE with seed capital to launch in 2011 an interactive, online business planning course and social network connecting mentors, teachers and students.
The Startup America Partnership will continue to marshal private-sector resources to spur entrepreneurship in the U.S. with a focus on three key areas:
■Acceleration and Scale: Replicate successful community-based entrepreneurship accelerator programs; encourage increase in experienced mentors to support startups and encourage partnerships with large companies to serve as customers or funders of current firms.
■Education: Identify resources to help expand high-impact entrepreneurship education throughout the country
■Commercialization: Increase the number of colleges and universities committed to commercialization outcomes, through efforts that include clearing the path to market for primary research, supporting the extension of successful accelerator programs, and spurring regional ecosystem development, faculty engagement, and streamlined technology licensing.
For more information about the Startup America Partnership and to see a full list of partner commitments, visit www.startupamericapartnership.org and follow the Partnership on twitter.com/startupamerica and www.facebook.com/startupamerica.
February 1st, 2011 |
As part of President Obama’s national strategy to stimulate economic growth and the creation of quality jobs, the White House announced the launch of the Startup America Partnership.
Chaired by Steve Case, co-founder of AOL, CEO of Revolution LLC and chairman of the Case Foundation, the Partnership will receive launch funding from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Case Foundation, and act as an independent private-sector alliance intended to dramatically increase the development, prevalence and success of innovative, high-growth U.S. firms. Carl Schramm, CEO of the Kauffman Foundation, will serve as a founding board member of the effort.
The Startup America Partnership will work closely with the White House to advance the goals of its Startup America initiative. The Partnership will bring together top entrepreneurs, start-up firm funders, CEOs, university presidents, foundations, and other leaders to help entrepreneurial companies start or grow. Partners (including corporations, foundations, startup funders, CEOs and others) will contribute funds to existing proven models or develop new programs and efforts to help entrepreneurs.
“America’s story has been forged in large part by entrepreneurs who have against great odds created innovative products and services that have changed the world – and created millions of jobs,” said Steve Case. “Our nation once again looks to these creative risk-takers to unleash the next wave of American innovation, and I am pleased that President Obama has made supporting and celebrating entrepreneurs a major priority of his economic strategy. I am honored to chair the Startup America Partnership, and look forward to working with the White House to champion the creation of new start-ups, and help accelerate the growth of speed-ups.”
“We are pleased to help lead this partnership,” said Carl Schramm. “At Kauffman, it is our mission to develop and fund programs to support entrepreneurs, and to help educate policymakers about the role entrepreneurship and innovation play in our society. This partnership will bring together partners from across the private, public and non-profit sectors, working together toward a common goal: supporting the entrepreneurs who are the lifeblood of our economy.”
To date, more than a dozen firms and organizations have joined the Startup America Partnership. They include the following commitments:
■Increased corporate investment and support for startups from companies such as Intel, HP, IBM, Facebook, and others, including:
■Intel Capital will commit $200M of new investment in U.S. companies. Senior Intel leadership will also serve the Startup America Partnership and share best practices from years of successful programs designed to support Intel portfolio companies.
■IBM will invest $150 million in 2011 to fund programs that promote entrepreneurs and new business opportunities in the United States.
■HP is investing more than $4 million in 2011 in the HP Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs (HP LIFE), a global program launched in 2007 that uses educational and technology outreach aimed at helping entrepreneurs and small business owners create and grow commercial opportunities.
■As part of Facebook‘s ongoing commitment to encourage entrepreneurs, the company will launch Startup Days, a new series of 12 to 15 events around the country designed to provide entrepreneurs with access to expertise, resources and engineers to help accelerate their businesses.
■To foster entrepreneurship through higher education, as part of its overall $50 million commitment to entrepreneurship, The Blackstone Charitable Foundation has announced a $5 million expansion of the Blackstone LaunchPad program piloted at two Detroit colleges. Based on a model created by the University of Miami, LaunchPad will be replicated over the next five years in five other distressed regions around the country.
■The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), a nonprofit that provides entrepreneurship education for at-risk high school students from low-income communities, is launching new programs supporting young entrepreneurs and their teachers. Ernst & Young LLP will honor NFTE youth entrepreneurs at regional Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award® galas across the country, bringing important attention to the next generation of young entrepreneurs. The Pearson Foundation is working with NFTE to build its Digital Teacher Network, a free online community for teacher collaboration and training that will be used not only by NFTE’s 5,000 certified teachers but also by any educator interested in entrepreneurship. Google is sponsoring two new efforts in NFTE’s Bay Area programs: The Flat Classroom Exchange will allow local educators to team-teach the NFTE program in real time and leverage each teacher’s individual expertise, while the Makers Class project will integrate NFTE’s curriculum with invention and engineering lessons. New Markets Education Partners is providing NFTE with seed capital to launch in 2011 an interactive, online business planning course and social network connecting mentors, teachers and students.
The Startup America Partnership will continue to marshal private-sector resources to spur entrepreneurship in the U.S. with a focus on three key areas:
■Acceleration and Scale: Replicate successful community-based entrepreneurship accelerator programs; encourage increase in experienced mentors to support startups and encourage partnerships with large companies to serve as customers or funders of current firms.
■Education: Identify resources to help expand high-impact entrepreneurship education throughout the country
■Commercialization: Increase the number of colleges and universities committed to commercialization outcomes, through efforts that include clearing the path to market for primary research, supporting the extension of successful accelerator programs, and spurring regional ecosystem development, faculty engagement, and streamlined technology licensing.
For more information about the Startup America Partnership and to see a full list of partner commitments, visit www.startupamericapartnership.org and follow the Partnership on twitter.com/startupamerica and www.facebook.com/startupamerica.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Social Media and Mobile Marketing Best Practices for Nonprofit Organizations e-Newsletter
Social media and mobile technology have fundamentally changed the way nonprofits communicate with their supporters. It has also changed the way supporters use email, and thus how nonprofits publish e-newsletters. Below is a list of e-Newsletter Best Practices for nonprofits to consider and integrate into their website, social media and mobile technology campaigns.
Please Note: Three new best practices are added each month. Please subscribe to DIOSA Communication's Best Practices e-newsletter to be alerted when new e-Newsletter Best Practices have been posted.
1. Keep your e-Newsletter design simple.
Five years ago three-column e-Newsletters loaded with graphics and 4-5 stories were the standard best practice. Not anymore. People are inundated with information all day long from a variety of sources and too much content can be both a visual and mental distraction. If you want to get the attention of your readers, keep your e-Newsletter design simple. Single column, black text on white, and a subtle color for your background with a bright, colorful header at the top. Oceana was a pioneer in utilizing e-mail newsletters and their current design is great example of how to successfully design an e-Newsletter in an age of social media.
2. Keep paragraphs short, color links, and use bold headlines to make it easy to skim.
Web writing 101. Keep paragraphs short. Put line breaks between paragraphs. Color your hyperlinks to make them stand out. Use bold headlines to make your e-newsletter easy to skim. People are very busy these days and bombarded with information. They need to be able to digest to gist of your e-newsletter in 5-10 seconds and understand quickly what they need to click on to take action, learn more, make a donation, etc. See a recent CARE e-Newsletter for an example.
3. Publish e-Newsletters that are 500 words or less that focus on 1-3 stories.
Before blogging, Facebook and Twitter, one of the primary purposes of e-Newsletters was to distribute a lot of information about what was happening with your organization. Now there are numerous channels where your supporters can get that information. Too much information in your e-Newsletter will overwhelm your readers. Keep it on the shorter side. Focus on one to three stories in 500 words or less. A good example is the Oceana e-Newsletter. It is 263 words and focuses on one story - a pitch to take a quiz.
4. Follow the CAN-Spam Laws.
Following the CAN-Spam Laws are crucial for nonprofits. People must opt-in to receive your e-Newsletter. You can't subscribe them just because you think they would like to receive it. You must also clearly have unsubscribe instructions at the bottom of each e-Newsletter, as well as snail mail address. Nothing is more annoying to potential supporters than subscribing them to an e-Newsletter without their permission, then making them jump through hoops to unsubscribe. Most web-based e-Newsletter vendors (like Constant Contact) will automatically prompt you to do this before you send out your first e-Newsletter. If you are managing your e-Newsletter in-house, whatever you do, don't break the CAN-Spam Laws.
5. Add a "Donate Now" button to your e-Newsletter.
Not every e-Newsletter should include a pitch for your supporters to donate, but every e-Newsletter should include a "Donate Now" button. See an Amnesty International e-Newsletter for an example.
6. Add a social networking icons to your e-Newsletter.
Like "Donate Now" buttons, not every e-Newsletter should include a "Follow us on Twitter!" or "Friend us on YouTube!", but every e-Newsletter definitely should include social networking icons. Again, see the Amnesty International e-Newsletter for an example.
7. Add an e-Newsletter "Subscribe" button to your Facebook Page.
Using the Static FBML App on Facebook, you can add a "Subscribe" button to your Facebook Page. With just a little bit of html know-how, you can easily add a "Donate Now" button to your Facebook Page that links directly to the donate page on your website. See the Facebook Page of Independent Diplomat for an example.
8. Add an e-Newsletter "Subscribe" button to your Blog.
Blogging is one of the fastest ways to grow your e-Newsletter. Prioritize allowing people to subscribe to your e-newsletter over subscribing to your blog via RSS on your organization's blog. See Greenpeace's blog as an example.
9. Ask people to subscribe to your e-Newsletter via Tweets and Status Updates.
The day before you send out an e-Newsletter, post a Tweet/Status Updates asking people to subscribe to your e-Newsletter. Let them know that the can expect the e-Newsletter within 24 hours. It builds anticipation and increases your opt-in rate. Example Tweet/Status Update:
Sending our my Web 2.0 Best Practices e-Newsletter tomorrow. To receive a copy, please subscribe! http://conta.cc/2VeW7A
10. Keep e-Newsletter "Subject" lines on the short side.
Short subject lines tend to result in the highest open rate. Thus, limit your subject lines to 60 characters or less. Examples of good subject lines:
What you are doing is working (Personal)
Wow (One/Two Word Statements)
Help shut down puppy mills in Missouri! (Call to Action)
Save the Date: 8th Annual Winter Gala (Informational)
URGENT: Haiti needs our help (Motivational)
http://www.diosacommunications.com/enewsletterbestpractices.html
Please Note: Three new best practices are added each month. Please subscribe to DIOSA Communication's Best Practices e-newsletter to be alerted when new e-Newsletter Best Practices have been posted.
1. Keep your e-Newsletter design simple.
Five years ago three-column e-Newsletters loaded with graphics and 4-5 stories were the standard best practice. Not anymore. People are inundated with information all day long from a variety of sources and too much content can be both a visual and mental distraction. If you want to get the attention of your readers, keep your e-Newsletter design simple. Single column, black text on white, and a subtle color for your background with a bright, colorful header at the top. Oceana was a pioneer in utilizing e-mail newsletters and their current design is great example of how to successfully design an e-Newsletter in an age of social media.
2. Keep paragraphs short, color links, and use bold headlines to make it easy to skim.
Web writing 101. Keep paragraphs short. Put line breaks between paragraphs. Color your hyperlinks to make them stand out. Use bold headlines to make your e-newsletter easy to skim. People are very busy these days and bombarded with information. They need to be able to digest to gist of your e-newsletter in 5-10 seconds and understand quickly what they need to click on to take action, learn more, make a donation, etc. See a recent CARE e-Newsletter for an example.
3. Publish e-Newsletters that are 500 words or less that focus on 1-3 stories.
Before blogging, Facebook and Twitter, one of the primary purposes of e-Newsletters was to distribute a lot of information about what was happening with your organization. Now there are numerous channels where your supporters can get that information. Too much information in your e-Newsletter will overwhelm your readers. Keep it on the shorter side. Focus on one to three stories in 500 words or less. A good example is the Oceana e-Newsletter. It is 263 words and focuses on one story - a pitch to take a quiz.
4. Follow the CAN-Spam Laws.
Following the CAN-Spam Laws are crucial for nonprofits. People must opt-in to receive your e-Newsletter. You can't subscribe them just because you think they would like to receive it. You must also clearly have unsubscribe instructions at the bottom of each e-Newsletter, as well as snail mail address. Nothing is more annoying to potential supporters than subscribing them to an e-Newsletter without their permission, then making them jump through hoops to unsubscribe. Most web-based e-Newsletter vendors (like Constant Contact) will automatically prompt you to do this before you send out your first e-Newsletter. If you are managing your e-Newsletter in-house, whatever you do, don't break the CAN-Spam Laws.
5. Add a "Donate Now" button to your e-Newsletter.
Not every e-Newsletter should include a pitch for your supporters to donate, but every e-Newsletter should include a "Donate Now" button. See an Amnesty International e-Newsletter for an example.
6. Add a social networking icons to your e-Newsletter.
Like "Donate Now" buttons, not every e-Newsletter should include a "Follow us on Twitter!" or "Friend us on YouTube!", but every e-Newsletter definitely should include social networking icons. Again, see the Amnesty International e-Newsletter for an example.
7. Add an e-Newsletter "Subscribe" button to your Facebook Page.
Using the Static FBML App on Facebook, you can add a "Subscribe" button to your Facebook Page. With just a little bit of html know-how, you can easily add a "Donate Now" button to your Facebook Page that links directly to the donate page on your website. See the Facebook Page of Independent Diplomat for an example.
8. Add an e-Newsletter "Subscribe" button to your Blog.
Blogging is one of the fastest ways to grow your e-Newsletter. Prioritize allowing people to subscribe to your e-newsletter over subscribing to your blog via RSS on your organization's blog. See Greenpeace's blog as an example.
9. Ask people to subscribe to your e-Newsletter via Tweets and Status Updates.
The day before you send out an e-Newsletter, post a Tweet/Status Updates asking people to subscribe to your e-Newsletter. Let them know that the can expect the e-Newsletter within 24 hours. It builds anticipation and increases your opt-in rate. Example Tweet/Status Update:
Sending our my Web 2.0 Best Practices e-Newsletter tomorrow. To receive a copy, please subscribe! http://conta.cc/2VeW7A
10. Keep e-Newsletter "Subject" lines on the short side.
Short subject lines tend to result in the highest open rate. Thus, limit your subject lines to 60 characters or less. Examples of good subject lines:
What you are doing is working (Personal)
Wow (One/Two Word Statements)
Help shut down puppy mills in Missouri! (Call to Action)
Save the Date: 8th Annual Winter Gala (Informational)
URGENT: Haiti needs our help (Motivational)
http://www.diosacommunications.com/enewsletterbestpractices.html
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Are Bad Schools Immortal?
The Scarcity of Turnarounds and Shutdowns in Both Charter and District Sectors
December 14, 2010
by David A. Stuit
Foreword by Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Amber M. Winkler
This study from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute finds that low-performing public schools—both charter and traditional district schools—are stubbornly resistant to significant change. After identifying more than 2,000 low-performing charter and district schools across ten states, analyst David Stuit tracked them from 2003-04 through 2008-09 to determine how many were turned around, shut down, or remained low-performing. Results were generally dismal. Seventy-two percent of the original low-performing charters remained in operation—and remained low-performing—five years later. So did 80 percent of district schools. Read on to learn more—including results from the ten states.
Read full report:
http://www.edexcellence.net/publications-issues/publications/are-bad-schools-immortal.html
The Scarcity of Turnarounds and Shutdowns in Both Charter and District Sectors
December 14, 2010
by David A. Stuit
Foreword by Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Amber M. Winkler
This study from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute finds that low-performing public schools—both charter and traditional district schools—are stubbornly resistant to significant change. After identifying more than 2,000 low-performing charter and district schools across ten states, analyst David Stuit tracked them from 2003-04 through 2008-09 to determine how many were turned around, shut down, or remained low-performing. Results were generally dismal. Seventy-two percent of the original low-performing charters remained in operation—and remained low-performing—five years later. So did 80 percent of district schools. Read on to learn more—including results from the ten states.
Read full report:
http://www.edexcellence.net/publications-issues/publications/are-bad-schools-immortal.html
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Thursday, December 30, 2010
NTEN Receives $1.1 Million From Google to Boost Nonprofit Technology Adoption
Posted on December 30, 2010
NTEN Receives $1.1 Million From Google to Boost Nonprofit Technology Adoption
The Nonprofit Technology Network in Portland, Oregon, has announced a two-year, $1.1 million grant from the Google Inc. Charitable Giving Fund of Tides Foundation to promote the benefits of technology to nonprofit leaders.
The grant will support NTEN's efforts to educate technology leaders about the evolving role of technology in nonprofit work and to produce research and training on cloud technologies — Web-based applications that manage constituent conversations and information — visualization, and collaboration. The funds will also be used to develop and distribute NTEN:Change, a free quarterly journal for nonprofit leaders.
"This is not just an investment in NTEN, it's an investment in our entire sector," said NTEN executive director Holly Ross. "With this support, we can provide new ways to help our community connect with each other and learn about the most important technology strategies, tools, and trends. What's more exciting is that we can now reach beyond our core audiences and help a broader part of the sector transform technology into social change."
“NTEN Receives $1.1Million Grant From Google to Aid Nonprofit Technology Adoption.” NTEN Press Release 12/20/10.
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/news/story.jhtml?id=319800002
NTEN Receives $1.1 Million From Google to Boost Nonprofit Technology Adoption
The Nonprofit Technology Network in Portland, Oregon, has announced a two-year, $1.1 million grant from the Google Inc. Charitable Giving Fund of Tides Foundation to promote the benefits of technology to nonprofit leaders.
The grant will support NTEN's efforts to educate technology leaders about the evolving role of technology in nonprofit work and to produce research and training on cloud technologies — Web-based applications that manage constituent conversations and information — visualization, and collaboration. The funds will also be used to develop and distribute NTEN:Change, a free quarterly journal for nonprofit leaders.
"This is not just an investment in NTEN, it's an investment in our entire sector," said NTEN executive director Holly Ross. "With this support, we can provide new ways to help our community connect with each other and learn about the most important technology strategies, tools, and trends. What's more exciting is that we can now reach beyond our core audiences and help a broader part of the sector transform technology into social change."
“NTEN Receives $1.1Million Grant From Google to Aid Nonprofit Technology Adoption.” NTEN Press Release 12/20/10.
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/news/story.jhtml?id=319800002
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