April 2008: Donations

A Donation is a gift given, typically to a cause or/and for charitable purposes. A donation may take various forms, including cash, services, new or used goods as i.e. clothing, toys, food, vehicles, emergency and humanitarian aid items, and can also relate to medical care needs as i.e. blood or organs for transplant. Charitable gifts of goods or services are also called gifts in kind.

It's simple: those who have something they do not need offer it to those in need. If you have items you no longer need, use donate them to an online donation service. Use online donation services to find items that others are willing to give you or to acquire items at a minimal cost.

Donors can restrict their offer to qualified charities so that they can get a receipt to claim as a deduction on their income tax return. You can request a receipt from a recognized non-profit charity if you desire a tax write-off.

Relationship building is a crucial part of the fundraising process.

Login to read the full article.

March 2008: The Grant Writing Team

Many of the best-written proposals are a team effort, and it shows when you read them. Organizing a grant writing team can be an effective strategy. Each member of the team may be assigned more than one role. Most teams consist of two to four people. Focusing on these roles will help you organize your time and schedule important activities that need to be done. You will find that the more you delegate duties, the easier your grant preparation process will become. As the saying goes: "Many hands make light labor". Before we go any farther, let's look at the rolls that can, and probably should, be involved in the grantsmanship process.

Login to read the full article.