American Idol’s fundraising efforts have raised over $45 million dollars just in the past week for April of 2010. That’s an impressive amount of money and hopefully will go far to help those in need. You can still donate to Idol Gives Back and make a difference! From the site:

“Idol Gives Back, the historic Emmy Award-winning television event and music celebration has raised more than $140 million to benefit charities around the world and across the United States. The two-hour fundraising event returned to FOX on Wednesday, April 21 and raised more than $45 million. Beneficiaries for this year’s event include Children’s Health Fund, Feeding America, Malaria No More, Save the Children’s U.S. Programs and the United Nations Foundation.”

What a great way to help raise money for these terrific organizations. Thanks American Idol!

After such a devastating earthquake in Haiti in early January 2010, the recovery is still proceeding at a very slow pace.  The sheer numbers of displaced people has compounded the challenges, and they need all the help they can get.  

One of the more helpful sites for finding the right organization to donate to is Charity Navigator with a page dedicated to Helping Survivors of the Haiti Earthquake.  There is so much need in Haiti that there are countless organizations focused on filling that need wherever possible.

Unfortunately, there are also organizations that appear to be focused on helping, but are probably not putting donations to effective use.   Charity Navigator also provides an excellent summary of tips for making sure your funds will be used effectively, as well as what to be careful about.   It’s important to do a little research to ensure you will be satisfied with the organization’s efforts.   It’s also important to ensure we don’t contribute to scams and fraud, or become a victim ourselves. 

Tips For Funding Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts

• Avoid Newly-Formed Charities and Give To An Established Charity That Has Worked In Haiti – Establishing a new charity is hard enough, but in a crisis, the odds of succeeding are slim to none. Think of it this way: would you entrust all your savings in a financial firm that just opened, doesn’t even have stationery, and whose employees have no experience in investing money? Doubtful. Find a charity with a proven track record of success in providing disaster relief and one that has worked in Haiti. Start with the list of charities on the right and if a group you are considering supporting isn’t there, then take the time to thoroughly research it before making a gift.
• Do Not Give To The Haitian Government – Haiti is known to be a corrupt country. And news reports post earthquake indicate that the government is pretty much not functioning. If that isn’t enough reason not to give directly to the Haiti government, then consider the fact that contributions to foreign governments are not tax deductible.
• Designate Your Investment – Generally, it is best to trust your chosen charity to spend your donation as it sees fit. But with disaster related giving, you should specify that you want your donation only used to respond to this particular crisis.
• Do Not Send Supplies – Knowing that millions of people are desperately in need of food and water, it is hard not to want to pack up a box of supplies and send it to Haiti. But this type of philanthropy is simply not practical or efficient. Even if mail could get to Haiti, no one is set up to receive these goods, much less organize and distribute them to the victims. Furthermore, charities are often able to partner with companies to acquire large amounts of in-kind donations such as bottled water and new clothing. Instead of boxing up and sending your old clothing, have a garage sale and turn your used goods into cash and donate that to a worthy charity.
• Be Careful Of Email Solicitations

Be Leery Of People That Contact You Online Claiming To Be A Victim – Unless you personally know someone in Haiti, anyone alleging to be in this position is most likely part of a scam. Obviously, people affected by the earthquake are in no position to contact you directly for assistance.

Delete Unsolicited Emails With Attachments – Never respond to unsolicited emails. Do not open any attachments to these emails even if they claim to contain pictures from Haiti. These attachments are probably viruses.

• Seek Out The Charity’s Authorized Website – Refer to our blog as to why this is important.
• Is it safe to make a text donation? – So long as you do your homework, yes. Please visit our blog for a longer explanation.
• Consider The Nature Of The Charity’s Work – Not every charity is responding in the same way. Some are providing medical assistance, some shelter, some food and water. Others will be more focused on either short term or long term rebuilding efforts. And some are just helping to fundraise for other nonprofits. Think about what it is you want your philanthropic investment to accomplish and then take the time to find the charities doing that work. At Charity Navigator we link to each charity’s website so that you can quickly learn more about their plans to help in Haiti.
• Be Inspired By Social Media, But Still Do Your Homework – Social networking tools like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and blogs are delivering heart-wrenching images and information about Haiti to our computers and phones. Many of them include pleas to donate. While these tools can be a powerful tool to inspire your desire to help, you should not blindly give via these vehicles. You must take the time to investigate the groups behind such pleas for help to ensure that it comes from a legitimate nonprofit.
• Avoid Telemarketers – As always, hang up the phone do your homework and give directly to a charity.
• Do Not Expect Immediate Results, But Do Keep Tabs On What Your Donation Accomplishes- It takes time for charities to mobilize, to assess the problems that need to be addressed and to develop effective solutions. Donors need to be patient so charities will not feel pressured to plunge in and offer ineffective aid, simply to placate impatient donors. That doesn’t mean donors shouldn’t hold the charities accountable for delivering on their promises! Be sure to follow up with the charity in a few months to find out (a) how your donation was put to use and (b) if the organization needs additional support to complete the recovery effort.

Source: CharityNavigator.org

The new year has unfolded with many of the same questions as last year… with the central question perhaps, “When are we going to get a handle on this financial crisis?”

It’s certainly affecting business and employment at all levels, and in many communities it’s also affecting charitable causes. Yet at least on a larger scale,  charities seem to be weathering the storm of the recession fairly well.

“Charitable giving by wealthy individuals and endowed foundations in the United States has proven resilient during the economic crisis, with some foundations increasing donations in response.”

“Experts fear a drop-off in 2010 because philanthropy is something of a lagging indicator. Many corporations donate to the arts, education and social services based on a three-year average of profits.”

“I hear from (wealthy) people that they’ve got a tough situation this year,” Tuohey said. “My reaction is, ‘You can afford to lose some.’ Think about the less fortunate, the people who have tough situations every year.”

“Since the heavy economic turbulence of September and October, nearly 50 grant-makers — primarily endowed foundations and corporations ” have pledged more than $100 million in response to the crisis, according to the Foundation Center, which collects grant data from about 1,000 charitable foundations.”

Yet even more challenging for many non-profit organizations are the fragile links within the community for helping people with the basic essentials such as food, clothing and shelter.  Some indications are that more and more people are relying on the same basket of charitable goods and services that these agencies provide, and they may be finding less resources available at critical times. 

Fortunately we’ll be transitioning to warmer months soon, and government leaders are working hard to focus on shortfalls in financial support for key programs and services.  President Obama has asked Americans to step up to the plate to help our fellow citizens and it appears many people have heard that call.  But not eveyone believes charitable organizations are handling the financial crisis well, or receiving enough support from all reaches within the nation. 

“What is required of us now,” President Barack Obama said in his inaugural address this week, “is a new era of responsibility — a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world.” It is a message that nonprofit organizations would like our nation to take to heart, as 2009 fund-raising begins.

“Unfortunately, we nonprofit leaders, like our for-profit counterparts, are laying awake nights. The end of 2008 was disappointing for philanthropy, and some believe that 2009 will be difficult as well. Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy publishes the Philanthropic Giving Index (PGI), which tracks the predictions of nonprofit leaders about charitable giving. Like the more-famous Consumer Confidence Index, it shows a level of gloom not seen in years, falling from 83 to 65 (on a 0-100 scale) in just six months.”

Charitable causes should not depend on political leanings, but obviously some researchers believe it matters and that non-profit groups can capitalize on these trends.

“Reasonable people can disagree on politics, but the numbers on giving speak for themselves. Nonprofit executives, disproportionately politically progressive, do well to remember that many of the folks they will count on in hard times are not necessarily those who share their political views. Understanding this might make for better fund raising in a scary year — and help us all to give credit where it is due.”

Perhaps that’s sage advice for trends in fundraising during challenging times.  Other non-profit experts believe we can equally learn from the mistakes of our political leaders, especially as it relates to fund-raising and non-profit administration.  Goodness knows that learning from the mistakes of others is rule #1 in achieving excellence.

One thing is for sure however, Non-profit organizations are playing an increasingly important role in supporting the needs of millions of Americans.  To that end the Congressional Philanthropy Caucus, stood up in Congress and the Senate in 2007 and 2008 respectively, was formed to help our elected leadership better understand the role that foundations and corporate giving programs provide to the nation.  Hopefully legislative issues such as taxation and public policy programs will better consider the needs and structure of non-profit organizations in society and help them become more effective where appropriate.

Does it seem like we see pink ribbons everywhere these days?  I think by now the pink ribbon’s symbology is very familiar to most Americans, and people support fundraising efforts for breast cancer awareness and research.

But how much is too much?  In other words, when does the ubiquitous nature of pink ribbons and focusing on breast cancer begin to take away from other charitable needs, research and awareness?  That’s precisely the question that a recent MSNBC article has investigated, revealing some startling statistics in The Politics Behind the Pink Ribbon.

“Some advocates for research into other diseases, and some scientists, worry the breast cancer movement is hogging the spotlight — and the money — at the expense of other worthy causes.”

“In the world of cancer charities and government funding, breast cancer is queen. The top four breast cancer charities take in a combined annual revenue of roughly $256 million according to their tax returns. The largest breast cancer charity, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, had a total revenue of $161,974,711 for the year ending March 31, 2007 according to its tax return.”

“The National Cancer Institute (NCI) devoted $572.4 million researching breast cancer in 2007. Other National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for breast cancer boosted the total spent on the disease to $705 million. Plus, the Department of Defense operates its own breast cancer research outfit at a cost of another $138 million in fiscal 2008.”

Let’s see… that’s over $840 million on breast cancer research in 2007…

“By way of comparison, in 2007 the NCI spent $226.9 million studying lung cancer, the leading cancer killer in the U.S., and $73.3 million studying pancreatic cancer, which kills nearly as many patients as breast cancer, usually within a year of diagnosis. Cardiovascular disease, the biggest killer of both men and women, received $381 million.”

The article goes on to show how lobbying efforts provide rich rewards to research groups where “disease advocacy” is important to bring in funding.  But why does breast cancer research funding reach such greater levels of awareness and engagement?   Suprisingly they state it’s because breast cancer victims live a lot longer than other cancer victims.

“Breast cancer organizations have another advantage: many breast cancer patients live to become an army of walking, letter-writing, TV-appearing advocates. Nearly 90 percent of women with breast cancer survive the disease at least five years.
On the other hand, “pancreatic cancer patients are dead,” points out Barron Lerner, professor of medicine and public health at Columbia University, author of a book called “The Breast Cancer Wars.”

It does leave one wondering why there isn’t more balance across America for these needs.  And no one dare questions the feminist aspect of that matter either.  But are prostate cancer needs any less?  Pancreatic, lung, or colon cancer?   It might seem that many cancer diseases are simply not as fashionable.  People don’t want to talk about colon cancer or prostate cancer as readily.  And what about lymphoma or the various childhood cancers and diseases?  Let’s face it, in a world where “what we look like” reigns supreme, breast cancer awareness is going to have the largest share of media attention.  But perhaps the focus has reached a point where many people have begun to question this attention.

“The saturation of breast cancer awareness has left even some survivors dismayed. Writer, social critic, and former breast cancer patient Barbara Ehrenreich has called the movement “an outbreak of mass delusion,” and “a cult.” 

The products — teddy bears, pink-ribbon brooches, and so forth — serve as amulets and talismans, comforting the sufferer and providing visible evidence of faith,” she has written.

That sounds a bit strong if you ask me.  But how can any other cancer disease advocacy group compete with that?  Some say it doesn’t matter, and that any gains in breast cancer research are bound to help other cancer research efforts.  Hopefully that is true.  Yet maybe in a world where curing cancer is the primary goal, regardless of the type, we will focus more on all the needs rather than just one, bright pink ribbon.  

Sometimes it’s hard to decide where to give money or volunteer our time. Really there are so many people and organizations in need that any little bit helps no matter what or where you decide to give. I was talking with someone about this recently and we remarked on how some charities receive a lot of attention and support because people are attracted to their cause. The Humane Society for example. Who doesn’t want to help animals, right? But there are many other charities and causes out there that are not quite so cute or fuzzy, and they still need our help just as much.

But giving money or time is an individual thing, and we are often attracted to helping a charity because we identify with their cause or need. Finding a cure for cancer is something just about everyone desires, and the American Cancer Society is working hard to support the research. One of the more popular charities for supporting cancer research is the National Breast Cancer Foundation. We see countless charity events and publicity about the organization and even a separate non-profit entity supporting the same cause with the Race for a Cure. But even with such wonderful support for these causes, there are other equally dire needs for those afflicted by cancer.

Did you know that there are more dollars going into breast cancer research than for prostate cancer research? A strange comparison to make, but with more men suffering from prostate cancer, some researchers view this as a gender gap in cancer research.

“This year (2007) 218,890 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. By comparison, 178,480 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in women. Not a huge difference, but a new report finds that for every prostate cancer drug on the market, there are seven used to treat breast cancer, and federal spending on breast cancer research outpaces prostate cancer spending by a ratio of nearly two to one.”

If you are interested in supporting prostate cancer research and awareness, you can look at the Prostate Cancer Foundation or the National Prostate Cancer Coalition.

I don’t think anyone is going to start complaining about which charity or research need is getting more money or awareness. When you think about it, awareness and research success for any cancer or other disease is a positive step forward to solving all cancer and related disease issues. Personally I think breast cancer awareness is greater in society because women are probably a lot more involved than men in these issues (and men don’t like to talk about it much).

But there’s more to it than that. What about cervical, or ovarian cancer in women? A good family friend passed away last year because of ovarian cancer. She might have lived if a cancer researcher at any research organization could have found a cure.

It doesn’t really matter what you call it, or how you support it. What is most important is that we find the time, resources and money to support people and organizations that need our help. Personally I try to help people before animals, but that’s just my preference. I love to help animals too. When I’m giving money or financial support, I also want to see if I’m making a good choice.  So I do a little research to make sure the money is being used effectively by the non-profit organization I’m giving to.  There a lots of choices and lots of needs to fill.

We can’t do it all, but we can do something. And there’s always somewhere we can help if we just look around a little.  Giving of ourselves in any way is a good thing.  We may have time, talent or resources that others need.  Does one charity matter more?  No.  How we give, and who we give to, can be a very personal thing.  What’s most important is that we simply give.

When thinking of charitable giving we know there are many ways to “give back” to others.  For some, giving is best accomplished with money, and for others, time.  Philosophically it really doesn’t matter whether we contribute dollars to an organization or contribute our time and personal effort on their behalf.  However when someone needs help, or food, or clothing- there are few substitutes for the real thing.  No amount of opinion, belief or even political thought is going to change the situation of a starving child in the short run.  That child needs food or clothing, now!  Getting money and assistance to the right organization can help target these identified needs.

Over the long run however, charitable giving and philanthropy is a hot-button issue for many people.  Some see “social justice” as being paramount within a society, and leading to a more equal society that is less dependent upon financial giving and the largesse of others.  But it’s really not a simple issue and goes beyond rhetoric into the personal beliefs and values that each of us holds.  Realistically, “the long run” never quite gets here.  We are always faced with children and families in poverty, and others who need our help.  The act of giving something to another human being has been a part of human life since human life began. 

I had been considering how different people “give” to charity when I came across this article by columnist George F. Will.  He recently wrote Bleeding Hearts, but Tight Fists, an interesting article about the contrasts in charitable giving based upon political persuasion.  Nothing is ever so simple perhaps, but he makes a strong case  based on the evidence:  Conservatives tend to give more money to charity than do Liberals.

His article is based on the research conducted by Arthur C. Brooks, a Syracuse University professor who has published a book titled Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism.

Among the research findings:

• Although liberal families’ incomes average 6 percent higher than those of conservative families, conservative-headed households give, on average, 30 percent more to charity than the average liberal-headed household ($1,600 per year vs. $1,227).
• Conservatives also donate more time and give more blood.
• Residents of the states that voted for John Kerry in 2004 gave smaller percentages of their incomes to charity than did residents of states that voted for George Bush.
• Bush carried 24 of the 25 states where charitable giving was above average.
• In the 10 reddest states, in which Bush got more than 60 percent majorities, the average percentage of personal income donated to charity was 3.5. Residents of the bluest states, which gave Bush less than 40 percent, donated just 1.9 percent.
• People who reject the idea that “government has a responsibility to reduce income inequality” give an average of four times more than people who accept that proposition.

“Brooks demonstrates a correlation between charitable behavior and “the values that lie beneath” liberal and conservative labels. Two influences on charitable behavior are religion and attitudes about the proper role of government.  The single biggest predictor of someone’s altruism, Willett says, is religion.”

Using the comparisons in terms of political orientation does not explain the entire story however, because I think ”charitable giving” goes beyond that.  The explanations are not so easily distilled into “religion versus no religion” either.  

Does the research account for personal time and energy, causes, volunteering, activism, etc?  Not if money was the only thing considered as a basis for the research.   But it does make you stop and consider the impact that money does play with respect to charitable giving and help for the needy.  And for those who have a greater income, why might they tend to give less than someone else?  

I deeply believe in giving to others, and that the act of giving can take many forms.  For those who can and do give financial support, we should all be thankful.  As we continue to face economic challenges here in the U.S. and across the world, charitable needs are only going to increase.  It’s hard to send a bag of food to someone, so in that sense, the need for real dollars to get to the right organization, on behalf of those who need help, is very important. 

     It’s time for classes and schoolwork for many of us.  As summer winds down I look forward to new opportunities, and cooler days!  There is much need in the world, and many people helping people.  With the housing crunch and mortgage problems, many people are struggling to keep their homes and refinance mortgages.  Finally Congress is talking about the issues in detail, and may consider relaxing some of th bankruptcy requirements to help prevent foreclosure in some cases.  Lenders are working with clients more than ever before, but consumers must be careful who they work with- there are some shady companies out there who will take advantage of people unfortunately.  But there is always opportunity, even though it may not look like it.  I think it’s important to cultivate a “mindset of abundance.”  What do I mean?  In so many areas of our life we can be grateful for what we have.  Abundance is just a word, but for me it means many things… health and well-being, getting up in the morning to a new day, the time spent with children, family and friends.  It doesn’t necessarily mean money, but I believe appreciation and abundance go hand-in-hand.  With time and appreciation for what we do have, our attitudes begin to change.  We embrace change and opportunity more than looking for problems.  We see new opportunities in our lives and are prepared to move with them, to accept them, to change and improve something we want to do differently.  And I believe that example and attitude is seen by others.  As we grow and develop faith and confidence in our ability to direct our lives, we can give to others in many ways.  A smile, a friendly conversation, insight about a problem, a few hours working with the elderly or a volunteer center, or a recommendation to help someone move in a new direction… all of these things are not necessarily based on financial resources.  But with time, we may be in a position to help financially as well.   One day at a time… and then it’s our time to give one back.  Have a great day!

I was thinking of ways to raise money the other day and remembered some fun times in college.  No, not those fun times… but the ones we spent working for a good cause and raising money for people who needed it.  The weather is warm and summer is coming… pretty soon we’ll see lots of younger kids on street corners in swim suits waving signs to wash your car.  We held many car washes in college, often with most of the money going to our chosen charities.  We held food drives, door-to-door campaigns, raffles and more.  It occurs to me that these small efforts by individuals within their communities goes on every day.  We are really a fund raising nation!  Not all fund raisers are for charity per se, but often just a way for school kids or local organizations to raise money for their programs and events.  So the next time I drive by a car wash or some kids knock on my door, I’ll think twice before saying “not today”.  We can support many great causes and needs throughout the world… but often it’s the small need in your local community that may do the most good!

Does it seem like more and more people are interested in “doing good”?  It seems that way to me… as if people from many places are coming together to voice their desire and intent to help others, do something “good” and take care of the planet.  These views are not limited to one group or political party, but seem to come from all walks of life.  I think it is a change taking place for humanity… a consciousness, intent, collaboration of wills… whatever you want to call it.  But I think that we are approaching a critical mass of this will to do good that is now being heard.  That is not to say there isn’t suffering and hurt throughout the world because we know that there is.  But on an historical scale perhaps, from a comparative basis with the past and the conciousness of humanity… the intent, desire and even capability to promote change and “good” for the benefit of all… these things I believe are now reaching a synchronous harmony in which we can all make a difference.  I really believe we can.  Faith, hope and yes- charity, can do amazing things. 

I’m thinking of many approaches to a charitable giving blog.  This is not a non-profit entity or business, so I don’t think I would attempt to fashion a charitable donation strategy as such.  Perhaps there is, or will be, a way to integrate PayPal or something similar to a blog for making donations to charities.  I know there are many sites that do the same in an integrative fashion- you can pick the charity or charities of your choice- and donate through the website.  This should be about more than that- ideas and approaches to giving back, recommendations for how to accomplish charitable goals, or even stories about people who do “good things” everyday.  I’ll try to develop a useful list of links and sites for giving, as well as for reference.  If you have any ideas or recommendations- feel free to share them!