Perpetual Innovation

Tag: Charities

  • Grants Checklist by State for Nonprofits

    Grants Checklist by State for Nonprofits

    NonprofitPlan.org offers a detailed checklist for nonprofits seeking grant funding, ensuring that organizations are fully prepared for their state and federal grant applications. This guide outlines essential requirements such as legal compliance, governance, financial management, and program development. Key elements include mandatory state incorporation, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, and maintaining good standing with the state. Nonprofits must also provide detailed project proposals, financial statements, and evidence of past performance to demonstrate their stability and impact.

    Originally designed for Florida (attached), this checklist can be easily customized for any state, providing a flexible framework for nonprofits nationwide. The checklist emphasizes the importance of mission alignment, sound financial practices, and effective relationship-building with grantmakers. By following this structured approach, nonprofits can enhance their readiness for grant applications, increase their chances of success, and ultimately better serve their communities. NonprofitPlan.org’s guide empowers organizations with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the complex grant application process efficiently and effectively.

    Additionally, this document is produced as part of Strategic Business Planning Company’s Regenerative Dynamic AI Project. This project leverages advanced AI tools to help nonprofits dynamically review, rebuild, and recreate their checklists and strategic plans as needed, when needed, with the available GenAI engines. By incorporating regenerative AI capabilities, nonprofits can stay agile and responsive to changing requirements and opportunities, ensuring sustained impact and success.

    Visit the Blog post related to Funding from Grants, Foundations etc. that includes database and search sources.

    #Fundraising #Grants #Foundations #Nonprofits #Charities #GrantWriter #Checklists #RegenerativeAI #RDAI #RegenerativeDynamicAI

    RequirementsAndPrep4GrantsFla-Consolidated Page 1 – v2Download
  • Funding: Grants from Foundations, Gov and More

    Funding: Grants from Foundations, Gov and More

    All nonprofits need to be able to apply for grants. There are a few good sites that consolidate grant information and allow for searching to find the best potential sources for your charity.

    Before jumping into the grant search process, make sure that all your promotional materials and “trade dress” are in top shape. Your web site, letter head, social media sites (and handles) all need to be organized and ready. Your vision and mission will be prominently available and key brochures/flyers creates. You will want to have a tight budget on specific projects you would like to get funding for. It is usually easier to get money for a specific project like expansion of our tutoring program into a new neighborhood. Look at the checklists and Self-Assessment in Hall & Hinkelman’s (2022) Nonprofit Planning book.

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  • Worldwide Happiness … and Benevolence …

    Worldwide Happiness … and Benevolence …

    Yes, there’s a happiness index. And, yes, there are countries where happiness is much higher than other countries. And, yes, there’s the annual World Happiness Report that tells you all about it. (The UN has designated March 20 as World Happiness Day, now in it’s 10th year of happy days.)

    You would think where the sun doesn’t shine (much) in the dead of winter, that northern countries (and states) that the happiness of the country would be lower. But no. The Scandinavian countries, starting with Finland and Denmark are the happiest countries on earth. Iceland ranks 3rd. Western Europe holds most of the top 20 ranks.

    Israel, ranked #4, would undoubtedly have changes substantially since the terrorist attach on Oct 7th and the ensuing Gaza conflict.  Many countries with poverty and conflicts are low or last.

    Canada (12th) beats out the US (15th). The US is just ahead of Germany and the UK (19th). The Czech Republic and Lithuania were 18 and 20, representing an interesting addition of countries that we don’t always think of as developed countries. In the southern hemisphere, only New Zealand (10th) and Australia (13th) made the top 20 list.

    The World Happiness Report (https://worldhappiness.report/), which is a publication of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and powered by Gallop World Poll data, draws on global survey data from people in more than 150 countries. Countries are ranked on happiness including several factors including their average life evaluations over the three preceding years, in this case 2020 to 2022. This report creates an index that measures life expectancy, per capita GDP, level of corruption, etc. Several questions are asked about feelings of loneliness and generosity. Add them all together and you should get a very good measure about the “happiness” of the people within the country. Not perfect, but not bad.

    International Happiness Day for 2023 had the theme: Be mindful, Be Grateful, Be Kind.

    Benevolence Factor

    Hidden in this report is a benevolence factor. Well, not really hidden, it dominates Chapter 4.  One of the categories in the survey was generosity:

    Generosity:  “Have you donated money to a charity in the past month?” A clear marker for a sense of positive community engagement and a central way that humans connect with each other. Research shows that in all cultures, starting in early childhood, people are drawn to behaviours which benefit other people.

    CNN article on this report said:

    For one, benevolence is about 25% higher than it was pre-pandemic. “Benevolence to others, especially the helping of strangers, which went up dramatically in 2021, stayed high in 2022,” John Helliwell, one of the authors of the World Happiness Report, said in an interview with CNN.

    “Even during these difficult years, positive emotions have remained twice as prevalent as negative ones, and feelings of positive social support twice as strong as those of loneliness,” Helliwell said in a news release.  (https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/world-happiest-countries-2023-wellness )

    There’s some discussion (chapter 4) about how benevolence has remained higher than pre-pandemic. Interesting.

    Since the pandemic, tipping has become more common and more generous. Hmmm… Out of pandemic comes goodness. And happiness too, apparently.

    #Happiness #NonprofitPlan #Benevolence #HappinessReport #Generosity #ImpactfulGiving

    World’s happiest countries for 2023

    1. Finland

    2. Denmark

    3. Iceland

    4. Israel

    5. Netherlands

    6. Sweden

    7. Norway

    8. Switzerland

    9. Luxembourg

    10. New Zealand

    11. Austria

    12. Australia

    13. Canada

    14. Ireland

    15. United States

    16. Germany

    17. Belgium

    18. Czech Republic

    19. United Kingdom

    20. Lithuania

  • Donor: Giving Tuesday

    Donor: Giving Tuesday

    It is giving season, with Giving Tuesday after the long Thanksgiving weekend. Now is the best time of the year to reach into your coffers and give to your favorite charities. Also consider that donations can help reduce your taxes.  GivingTuesday.org  #GivingTuesday

    GivingTuesday.org is an “open source” environment to encourage giving and the philanthropic ecosystem. Find resources for individuals and nonprofits here: https://www.givingtuesday.org/participate/

    As you consider what charities to support, remember to give a quick review with the assessment organizations to make sure that no issues are surfacing with your favorite charities. Also, consider if there may be better charities to support while you are at it. (Local/small charities require a little different approach.)

    Assessment Organizations for Large Nonprofits

    The assessment organizations help people review and evaluate large(r) charities. CharityNavigator is always a good place to start. (See NonprofitPlan.org/links-resources/, also repeated below.)

    Smaller Nonprofits and Local Charities

    Smaller charities will not be reviewed by the assessment organizations, but they still should be reviewed every year before giving. If the local charities is a regional/local chapter of a large charity (often called a Non-Governmental Organization, NGO), then check out the parent first; but realize that the parent will typically do different things than local orgs which do the real work of the charitable concept.

    Maybe a quick Google search? Check to see if they have ratings on social media, etc. Review their web site for donor information. Check to make sure they are in compliance; that they have been filing with the IRS (informational 990 tax returns). You might actually look at the latest tax filing to see if there are any red flags. If the charity provides financial information, get financial and impact information from the website and brochures. (The IRS information is behind, and the 990 forms are hard to read.)

    Best practices for charities are to provide transparency, financial information, impact metrics and privacy policies. This information should be readily available to donors and volunteers one their website and donation materials.

    Impact. And, as always, how impactful do you believe this charity is? And how does this charity match with your personal passion for giving?

    And Then Give…

    Okay. I’m sorry. The spontaneity of the giving – and joy derived from giving – has been interrupted. Ideally, the review process of charities for donations (time & money) should be done at a time during the year when you get the best information (about them) and have plenty of time to review. Remember that donors are essentially the investors in the world of nonprofits. The best causes, and the best charities within those causes, should thrive.

    Giving is part science, and part art. Giving will be better as we all become more informed, plus it elevates the entire philanthropic ecosystem.

    Virtuous Giving Cycle. Consider giving where you will create, or perpetuate, a virtuous cycle. As it pertains to youth, for example; a little help early with health, wellness, or education might create a lifetime of benefit for the kids… and for the community… and for the economy. Possibly, pay-it-forward giving. I’ll help you build your house this year… you help someone else build their house next year. A parable, with a little modification, is:

    Give a kid to fish, feed the kid for a day; teach a kid to fish, feed the adult (and family) for a lifetime.

    Check out Hall & Hinkelman’s book on Nonprofit Planning and Impactful Giving for more on fundraising and philanthropic ecosystems.

    #GivingTuesday #PhilanthropicEcosystem #TheArtOfGiving #GiveForward #PayItForward #PerpetualInnovation #VirtuousCycle

    Hall, E. B. & Hinkelman, R. M. (2022). Perpetual Innovation™: Strategic planning for nonprofits and the art of impactful giving: the gift of giving, the art of caring. ISBN: ‎ 979-8842614615
    Retrieved from: Amazon.com/dp/B0BF8MB13X (Available on Kindle eBook as well.)

    Assessment Organizations

    The assessment organizations help people review and evaluate large(r) charities. CharityNavigator is always a good place to start. (See NonprofitPlan.org/links-resources/, also repeated.)

    • CharityNavigator.org ranks charities within categories. This is the most important site for someone considering which causes to select for charitable giving. Ranks larger Nonprofits. Encompass® rating to rate governance and transparency on impact. Great starting point.
    • CharityWatch.org rates many bigger nonprofit organizations. Great starting point.
    • GuideStar.org does a deeper dive into the non-profit, reporting, officers and programs. Large organizations including many in US and UK. Good starting point. (Candid is the umbrella organization for the Foundation Center and GuideStar, offering more than 88 years of service related to nonprofits.)
    • Give.org, by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, provides a Better Business Bureau type of list Nonprofit organizations. It also provides a BBB-type of environment for reviews and complaints. (As with BBB, use this customer complaint feature carefully. A very large national or international organization might have thousands of complaints but only a tiny fraction of all customers served.)
    • IRS.gov has a searchable database of charities that qualify for charitable tax deductions. Since most people like the added benefit of a tax deduction from their charitable giving, Non-Profits must remain vigilant in maintaining their tax-exempt status as well as their qualifications as a charitable organization. (But, remember, the IRS filings are always a year or more behind. This year’s tax forms are for last year, and organizations can defer filing for months. The IRS takes time, usually 3-years, before removing an organizations tax-exempt status for non-filing. Smaller orgs don’t have to provide as much information.)
    • Canada. Charity Intelligence (Ci) Canada: https://www.charityintelligence.ca
      (Wikipedia on Charity Intelligence Canada.)
    • Charity Commission of England & Wales (register and information): https://www.gov.uk/charity-commission
    • United Kingdom Charities: GuideStar.org (Candid) UK (and other countries)
    • An overview article of Charity Assessment organizations on Wikipedia (current article, no editorial issues).

  • World Water Day 2023 – Accelerating Change

    Originally published at SustainZine March 23 2023. World Water Day, Accelerating Change.

    World Water Day 2023: A Call to Action (https://www.worldwaterday.org/). Be like the humming bird, be the change you want to see in the world.

    Approximately 750m people worldwide do not have ready access to clean water. Double that for people without clean septic/sanitation. The health and wellness of these 2b people can be improved dramatically with clean water and safe septic.

    World Water Day is observed on March 22 each year to raise awareness of the importance of water and to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. This year’s theme is “Accelerating change.” This means that we need to take action to address the water crisis. We need to find ways to use water more efficiently, and we need to protect our water resources.

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