Special Announcement

As some of you may have noticed today's posting did not appear on our Blogger site, (www.nonprofitawareness.blogspot.com). That's because Nonprofit Awareness, in an effort to better serve our visitors, has moved. Please set your bookmarks to www.nonprofitawareness.com.

That being said...

I am excited to announce Nonprofit Awareness' new and expanded website. You'll still get the same daily blogs, but now you'll also have access to much more information, tools, and resources. 

Our new Resource Section provides nonprofit professionals, donors, volunteers, and those new to charity with the tools and information they need. Our online resources direct visitors to websites that provide easy ways to get involved and  information to help you make informed giving decisions. The consulting and professional services allows nonprofit professionals and organizations to easily find tools to help them advance their missions, and the suggested readings focus on all areas of the nonprofit sector.  There's even links to nonprofit job banks.

A new site with increased information also comes with increased opportunities for site visitors. With more space, we are now able to offer sponsorships to individuals and organizations. This will not only help increase the visibility of our sponsors, but will also help support our efforts. At least half of all proceeds from our sponsors will be donated to the organizations we feature. Visitors will also have more chances to have their voices heard, through comments, discussion boards, and guest author opportunities. We hope our new space cultivate a sense of community.

Our focus is constantly on finding the best ways to connect individuals and causes, and helping nonprofit organizations.  I believe Nonprofit Awareness is achieving this goal by expanding our website.  Above I've mentioned just a few additions to our offerings. I invite you all to visit us at our new home.

I thank you all for your support at our Blogger site, and look forward to serving you at our new location.

Cheers,

Courtney

Ashoka:Innovators for the Public

Founded by Bill Drayton in 1980, Ashoka strives to shape a global, entrepreneurial, competitive citizen sector: one that allows social entrepreneurs to thrive and enables the world's citizens to think and act as change-makers. The organization envisions a world where Everyone is a change-maker: a world that responds quickly and effectively to social challenges; and where each individual has the freedom, confidence and societal support to address any social problem and drive change.

Their Approach:

To ensure that leading ideas for social changes are fully developed and sustained, Ashoka has designed an approach that offers critical inventions  on three levels- the individual, the groups and the sector.

• Supporting Social Entrepreneurs: Social entrepreneurs are the engines of social change and role models for the citizen sector. Ashoka identifies and invests in leading social entrepreneurs and helps them achieve maximum social impact.
• Promoting Group Entrepreneurship: Groups and networks of social entrepreneurs working together accelerate and spread social impact. Ashoka engages communities of entrepreneurs and develops patterns of effective collaborations that change entire fields.
• Building Infrastructures for the Sector: A global network of change-makers requires tools and support systems to deliver sustainable social solutions. Ashoka creates needed infrastructure, such as access to social financing, bridges to business and academic sectors, and frameworks for partnerships that deliver social and financial value.

Their Philosophy:  

Ashoka is founded on the premise that the most effective way to promote positive social change is to invest in social entrepreneurs with innovative solutions that are sustainable and replicable, both nationally and globally.

The organization has established programs in over 60 countries and supports the work of over 2000 fellows. Ashoka Fellows are leading social entrepreneurs who Ashoka recognizes to have innovative solutions to social problems and the potential to change patterns across society. They demonstrate unrivaled commitment to bold new ideas and prove that compassion, creavity, and collaboration are tremendous forces for change. 

Ashoka employ 160 staff in 25 regional offices throughout Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. The organization is extremely transparent, providing their financial statements for review on their website. To learn more please visit Ashoka's website.

Tools for Charity

Today's posting provides some easy web resources to get involved with charitable work, and tools to ensure that the nonprofits you select are credible. Whether you're looking for simple ways to give or looking to transition into the nonprofit sector, the sites below will help you find a way to get involved that fits your lifestyle.

1. GuideStar:

GuideStar gathers and publicizes information about nonprofit organizations; organizing the information into its large database. They encourage nonprofits to share information about their organizations openly and completely. This is especially important as transparency is vital in the nonprofit community. 

Any nonprofit can update its report with information about its mission, programs, leaders, goals, accomplishments, and needs- for free. GuideStar also supplies information from other resources, including the organization's financial statements, which must be made available to the public. You can search for an organization for free. Completing the free registration form gives you access to even more information.

So why is this nonprofit so important, and why are they passionate about providing information on other nonprofit organizations? "Because the best possible decisions are made when donors, funders, researchers, educators, professional service providers, governing agencies, and the media use the quality information that [GuideStar] provides. Those decisions affect our world today and will continue to affect it for generations to come."

GuideStar is a great resource to become familiar with some great nonprofit organizations, and make sure that you're equipped with the facts necessary to make informed giving decisions. To learn more please visit the GuideStar website.

2. The Good Search:

The Good Search is a simple way to give to charity without having to put a lot of effort into it. Simple visit the website, select the charity or school of your choice, search the web as you normally would, and they'll donate to the cause of your choice for every search. It's that easy! For more information please visit The Good Search.

3. FreeRice:

FreeRice is a nonprofit website run by the United Nations World Food Program. Their partner is the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, but don't let the big names scare you. This website makes giving fun and easy. FreeRice has two goals:

• Provide education to everyone for free.
• Help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free.

This is made possible by sponsors who advertise on the site. The concept is simple- for each right answer you donate 10 grains of rice through the UN World Food Program. The questions range in difficulty, but are all multiple choice: select the proper meaning of each word listed.  For more information and to play this wildly catchy game, please visit FreeRice.

4. Action Without Borders (Idealist):

Action Without Borders is a nonprofit organization founded in New York City in 1995. Their mission  is to connect people, organizations, and resources to help build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives. They envision a world where all people can lead free and dignified lives,  every person who wants to help anther has the ability to do so, and no opportunities for action or collaboration are missed or wasted. The organization is independent of any government, political ideology, or religious creed.  Their work is guided by the common desire of their members and supporters to find practical solutions to social and environmental problems, in a spirit of generosity and mutual respect.

The organization works toward their mission  by providing a meeting point for individuals and organizations that seek to improve their communities, whether through promoting volunteerism and nonprofit careers, or by facilitating connections between people that can lead to personal and collective action.

The site is filled with information including: nonprofit jobs, volunteer opportunities (including volunteer abroad), nonprofit organizations, consultants, Idealist groups, internships, programs, people, nonprofit books and materials, campaigns, events, and speakers. For more information please visit Action Without Border's Idealist website.

5. Grassroots:

Grassroots provide free web services to nonprofits. Their mission is to serve as a catalyst for positive social change by leveraging modern technologies and best business practices. Their ultimate goal is to adopt 10,000 nonprofit members, and to provide them each with an average of $10,000 of services per year at no charge.

The organization's supporters help them achieve their goal by donating time, services, and money. Nonprofits benefit by receiving free services including hosting and designing and building capacity. Volunteers help by contributing their web and graphic design skills. Grassroots currently serves 1,300 nonprofits in the United States and Canada.

For more information please visit Grassroots.

Hopefully these organizations will help guide, inform, and inspire your involvement with the nonprofit community. Stay tuned for Tools for Charity 2.0 coming May 3rd.

Operation Kids

Operation Kids is a 501(3)c dedicated to improving the lives of children. Recognizing the many dimensions to a healthy, happy child, they support a researched community of charities providing solutions to issues affecting children's education, health, safety, and well being.

Their mission is to identify the most pressing issues facing the largest number of children, and then support a community of qualified charities and programs most effectively addressing those issues. Issues are determined under the direction of their Whole Child Committee, a select group of experts in children's issues. The Committee helps Operation Kids staff identify effective solutions to those issues. The staff then seeks to identify who demonstrates the most impact and efficiency when implementing those solutions. Operation Kids demands full accountability and transparency in use of its donations. Therefore an "OK" endorsement that a charity or one of its programs receives identifies it as a effort deserving of complete donor confidence.

Their corporate giving consultant service helps companies identify and partner with charities that demonstrate the highest standards of effectiveness and impact, and whose partnership contributes to the company's brand-building efforts. Operation Kids also has competencies in media relations, special events management and Online charitable marketing and fundraising.

Founded in 1999 and incorporated in 2000, the organization is dedicated to sound principles of charitable giving. They:

1. Measurably improve the lives of children

• Improving Safety through The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's "Net Smartz" program
• Improving Health through the life-changing and life-saving medical procedures of Operation Smile and the Children's Organ Transplant Association
• Improving Well-Being through Right to Play's effective programs teaching conflict resolution through sport, in more than 23 countries
• Improving Education in New Orleans through the Edible Schoolyard Project, funding for summer science internships at New Orleans Charter Science and Math High School and programs for intellectually disabled children provided by Best Buddies

2. Provide donors with a more accountable and fulfilling experience

• Individual donors- your donation, combines with others, support programs and charities where they make a measurable impact. You can know your gift made a real difference
• Corporations/Businesses- By understanding the strategy behind corporate philanthropy, they can carefully design and manage corporate giving for maximum impact, thereby better serving your employees, customers, and communities
• Foundations- They vet charities and programs and help guide the foundation's giving based on its mission and focus, to ensure maximum impact
• Charities- They share best practices and efficient management principles to increase efficiency, accountability, and effectiveness

3. Research the most pressing issues facing the largest number of children

• While any issue affecting children is important, some affect greater numbers in more significant ways. Understanding issues in context is valuable to those looking to make the greatest impact with their charitable contributions.

4. Identify charities and programs most effectively addressing key issues

• Charities exhibit a wide range of effectiveness and efficiency. Many are well-managed. Some though well intended are not. Donors deserve to understand the effectiveness of a nonprofit organization before giving.

The organization's administrative expenses are fully met through monthly payments from an investment fund, so all contributions to Operation Kids:

• Reach the child in need
• are focused on your area of interest
• are leveraged through matching funds campaigns
• are managed every step of the way

For more information please visit Operation Kids website.

Justmeans

Today's organization, while not a non-profit, focuses on spreading news of good works in all sectors. It also provides an excellent opportunity to get involved in a social network that's all about social responsibility. 

JustMeans: Where Good Work Lives

The mission of JustMeans is to provide best in class services that help companies communicate and implement their socially responsible efforts Online. They envision a world where companies integrate social and environmental initiatives into their core business strategies.

So what does that really mean? Well, think of JustMeans as a social GOOD network. Visitors to the site can sign up for a free account to create a profile, which allows you to post your resume for talent searches, list your work and education history, contact information and other social network ids. 

You also can post what good work your doing. The feature is very similar to Facebook's status updates or Twitter. Visitors also get to view other members' good work postings, with the option to follow their updates (Twitter).

JustMeans is the fastest growing Online community for executives interested in social responsibility. Their services include: online PR communications, Online CSR reports, Online event networking, and talent recruitment. Companies can post a job, promote a press release, or promote an event. JustMeans also offers an annual membership for unlimited PR and event promotions.

As a visitor to the site, you can view jobs, see what good works JustMeans members and companies are up to,  and  read about news and upcoming events from the socially conscious corporations that support JustMeans.

For more information please visit JustMeans.

Center for Development in Central America

Center for Development in Central America (CDCA) is a nonprofit organization seeking to address human needs created by poverty in the Western Hemisphere's second poorest nation: Nicaragua. This mission is accomplished by helping communities become self-sufficient, sustainable, democratic entities. CDCA works with the Nicaraguan community to help them realize their own goals, rather than bringing in "ready made solutions."

CDCA's involvement includes community organization, a flexible approach to needs and priorities as they shift over time, identifying areas where the CDCA can be of service, and following through in those areas, while empowering Nicaraguans and gradually phasing out the need for CDCA's assistance.

The organization's projects are focused in the municipality of Ciudad Sandino, which has been a dumping ground for victims of natural disasters, and is located just outside the capital city of Managua. Ciudad Sandino is the most densely populated area of Nicaragua and the poorest urban area in Nicaragua, with an estimated 80% of the population lacking formal employment, and many living on less than $1.00 U.S per day. 

CDCA works in the following areas:

• Sustainable economic development- developing long-term jobs so families can feed their own children
• Sustainable agriculture- so that poor farmers don't lose their land
• Primary health care- in the face of privatization of health care
• Education- both technical training for Nicaraguans as well as education of first world volunteers both in the U.S. and Nicaragua
• Appropriate technology- seeking to care for the earth as natural resources are consumed, and introducing work techniques that are maintainable

Since its founding in 1994, the organization has:

• Organized 1,600 small farmers into a cooperative business to market their organic crops
• Built three health centers and one school in rural communities
• Built a preschool/feeding center in a community where they also got water and latrines to every house
• Organized five cooperatives of workers from the poverty-stricken resettlement community of Nueva Vida (created in response to Hurricane Mitch in 1998)
• Started a full-time health clinic to meet the health care needs of poor people in Ciudad Sandino
• Hosted nearly 100 delegations and 400 individual volunteers in Nicaragua, all of whom go back to their homes and teach people about Nicaragua
• Developed solar composting latrines, stoves that use less wood, and a bio-diesel project

For more information on CDCA's projects and how you can get involved, please visit their website.

The New Teacher Project

The New Teacher Project (TNTP) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the achievement gap between poor and minority students and white students, by ensuring that high need students get outstanding teachers. The organization was founded in 1997 to address the growing issues of teacher shortages and teacher quality throughout the country. TNTP partners with school districts and states to implement scalable responses to the most acute teacher quality challenges.

Their Approach:

"TNTP believes that the fundamental structures, policies and institutions that influence teacher quality (from certification providers to district Human Resources offices to collective bargaining agreements) must be re-aligned to maximize teacher quality in high-need schools. TNPT provides school districts and states with a range of services, all of which are designed to increase the concentration of highly effective teachers in high-needs schools. They:

• Create innovative programs that bring high-quality teachers into hard-to-staff schools
• Identify the policy barriers that keep schools from hiring the best teachers possible, and advocate for necessary reforms.
• Work hand-in-hand with school districts and school leaders to staff the lowest-performing schools with excellent teachers
• Develop new and better ways to prepare, develop, and certify teachers for public schools

TNTP services include:

• Teacher recruitment
• School staffing
• Training and certification
• Research and advocacy

The organization's mission: The New Teacher Project partners with educational entities to:

• Increase the number of outstanding individuals who become public school teachers
• Create environments for all educators that maximize their impact on student achievement

Their vision: Once day, our nation's public schools will be thriving organizations that offer all children an excellent education.

TNTP Core Values:

• Foundation- Their work is driven by what they believe to be best for students and their goal of closing the achievement gap. As a disciplined, revenue-generating nonprofit organization, they remain accountable, focused and motivated to meet their goals.
• People- Their people drive their success as a company. They strive to recruit and retain a diverse group of dedicated individuals representing the best talent available. TNPT work to ensure these individuals feel valued and supported, and that they have opportunities to develop and grow.
• Work- TNTP do what it takes to achieve results. They are purposeful in providing high-quality, responsive and innovative services. They endeavor to work in close collaboration with their clients to develop models that challenge the status quo and raise expectations for what is possible in the effort to increase student achievement, and they strive to inform and influence the national dialogue on education policy.
• Culture- They believe in a healthy, productive work environment. They strive for a trusting, supportive culture that emphasizes collaborations and flexibility amongst all staff members. They push themselves to higher levels of performance, they celebrate their successes, and learn from their failures.

Since its founding, TNTP has trained or hired approximately 33,000 teachers, benefited an estimated 4.8 million students, and established more than 70 programs and initiatives in 28 states. For more information please visit The New Teacher Project website.

Ethical Bean Coffee Company

Last month we had a week long series dedicated to for-profit businesses that either supported nonprofits or were recognized for their socially responsible business practices. I  couldn't fit all the great companies then, but today I'll be featuring another great coffee and tea company that's worth supporting, because as we learned a change a small as your brand of coffee is still a step towards a better world.

Ethical Bean Coffee Company, founded in 2003 by Lloyd Bernhardt and Kim Schachte in Vancouver, British Columbia, is the Lower Mainland's fastest growing Certified Fair Trade coffee supplier and B.C's only 100% Transfair Canada Certified Fair Trade Coffee roaster. The company was born from a deep, personal connection to Latin America, a sense of social and environmental responsibility, and a love of coffee. Ethical Bean roasts only 100% Fair Trade Certified and Certified Organic shade grown coffees.

The company believes in global responsibility and environmental sustainability, (organic, shade grown, and bird friendly). Suppliers strive to leave the smallest footprint and to preserve the surrounding ecosystems. They are committed to ensuring small-scale farmers receive a fair price for their efforts, sustaining their businesses and providing a decent standard of living for their families. 

Through community partnerships, Ethical Bean has created coffees to help nonprofits. Their Community Blend Partnerships benefits local nonprofit organizations. Each time you buy these special blends, a portion of the proceeds goes to the corresponding organization. Ethical Bean currently has two blends, benefiting Vancouver's Folk Music Festival and Adoptive Families Association of B.C.

They also have a 'give-back' program, (via Child Aid), which benefits children from a region in Guatemala where Ethical Bean sources its coffee. Every December, $1 from every 1lb of coffee sold goes to sponsor kids through primary school. In 2006, 45 students received the aid.

The company also sells tea, and they are just as committed to global and environmental responsibility. To find out about their tea initiatives, philanthropic efforts, and of course product information, please visit Ethical Bean's website.

Fourth Street Clinic

I was fortunate enough to be made aware of today's organization by a member of the  Fourth Street Clinic's fantastic Development team, Joseph Dane. Joseph was also kind enough to provide the following on the incredible work the Clinic does, and why our support is vital:

" Fourth Street Clinic is a nonprofit organization that works to end homelessness by providing comprehensive health care and support services to homeless Utahns. For many of our patients, we are their first and only chance at better health and a way out of homelessness.

Executive Director Allan Ainsworth, PhD. founded Fourth Street Clinic in 1988 to give Salt Lake City's homeless, uninsured, and often very sick population access to primary care service. Opening with a part-time nurse, Fourth Street Clinic is now a full-service health home that offers 6,000 patients coordinated primary care, behavioral health and pharmacy services. Services are provided by 40 staff members, 35 in-house m

edical volunteers and over 300 off-site specialists who see patients on a pro bono basis.

In working to end homelessness it is important to understand the interconnected relationship between health and housing: It is simply impossible too be successful in one without the other. People cannot pay for housing without the presence of good health; it is impossible to achieve good health without a safe, permanent home. Homelessness is very bad for your health evidenced by homeless people being three to six times as likely to experience illnesses than those who are housed. Also, bankruptcy is one of the major causes of homelessness, and half of all personal bankruptcies in the United States result from health problems.

For our patients, if poor health did not cause or contribute to their homelessness, then stress brought on by continuous exposure to extreme weather conditions, malnutrition, violence and communicable diseases and parasitic infestations quickly makes way for a number of chronic and acute health conditions. Common examples are circulatory, dermatological and musculoskeletal issues due to excessive walking, standing and sleeping while sitting up. Sleep deprivation, the emergence of mental illnesses and the need for relief offered by alcohol and drugs then often exacerbate and compound theses illnesses into urgent or emergency medical conditions.

With no health insurance and a life consumed by poverty, our homeless patients often come to Fourth Street Clinic with three or four chronic health conditions requiring continuous treatment, drug therapy and follow up. However it is here that we have found a turning point out of homelessness. Once our patients are properly diagnosed, begin treatments and feel well again, hope returns and housing soon follows.

So join us in providing basic, cost effective health care and a way out of homelessness to thousands of Utahns. $150 will fund one comprehensive office visit. $10 will fill a prescription. All gifts are tax deductible and will help save a life. Visit www.fourthstreetclinic.org today."

Thank you to the Fourth Street Clinic and, in particular, thank you Joseph for providing information about your organization and shining a spotlight on healthcare for the homeless and insured.

RecycleBank

RecycleBank is a unique organization that rewards you for recycling- "motivating people to recycle and engage in environmentally virtuous activities." They believe recycling is the one thing we can all do. In order to inspire people to take action and recycle, the organization makes recycling understandable, easy, and rewarding. 

Recyclebank creates incentives for households to recycle by giving them a large portion of the value derived from helping create the cyclical life cycle of a product. The goal of the organization is to change societies' view of the product life cycle from linear to cyclical. The program helps divert trash from landfills.

The organization even makes recycling to rewards easy. It's a simple three step process after signing up:

1. Recycle- materials are picked up at your curbside.
2. Record- The carts (which you're supplied with) have id codes that the truck records to keep track of how much you've recycled.
3. Reward- the amount you've recycled is converted into RecycleBank Points, which you can use towards a variety of rewards.

RecycleBank rewards come from partner organizations in the form of free products, coupons, and discounts.

For a complete list of rewards, partner organizations, and more importantly how you can sign up with RecycleBank, please visit the RecycleBank website.