Philanthropy Front and Center-San Francisco

Watch This! Meet the Grantmakers: Careers in Philanthropy

View the recording of our Meet the Grantmaker program, presented September 16, 2008, featuring Robert Bassine, vice president, human resources, Silicon Valley Community Foundation; Charles Casey, president, Pacific Foundation Services; Vincent Robinson, managing partner, 360 Group; and June Sugiyama, director, Vodafone Americas Foundation. These panelists discuss the myths and realities of working as a grantmaker, career paths in philanthropy, the core competencies foundations are looking for in prospective candidates, and how the field has changed and how this has impacted hiring trends.

Last Call for Reality Grantmaking--Compete to Win $1,000 Grant!

Our next exciting edition of Reality Grantmaking, co-sponsored with the Development Executives Roundtable (DER), is scheduled to take place on November 12th from 9:30am-12:30pm.  During the session we will review real proposals submitted by real organizations and award real money!  Make the program even more suspenseful by submitting a proposal for consideration.  The deadline is coming up Monday, November 3rd for your short, two-page LOI.  More information about how to apply is available on the DER web site.

Webinars on the New Form 990 Next Week

You probably know by now that nonprofits will need to use the new Form 990 to file their 2008 tax information. If you haven't learned about it, prepare for it now with two free webinars offered next week:

Wednesday, Nov. 5, 10:00am-11:00am (PT)
Preparing for the New Form 990: Insights From the Internal Revenue Service
Steven Clarke, Form 990 Redesign Project Manager for the IRS, will discuss changes to the Form 990 and how they could affect your organization. Ample time will be allowed for questions and answers. Presented by the Foundation Center.

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 11:00am-12:00pm (PT)
Preparing for the New Form 990
Four IRS and tax-exempt sector experts will discuss the redesigned 990; make sure you know what parts of the form to complete; and answer your questions to help you become familiar with and prepare for the changes now. Presented by the IRS. Register at Tax Talk Today.

Our FAQ on the new Form 990 will help you quickly find resources on this topic, too.

This Week at the Foundation Center (October 27-31)

• Monday, October 27, 1:00-2:30 pm Introduction to Corporate Giving for Arts Organizations; and 2:30-4:00 pm Corporate Support for the Arts
• Tuesday, October 28, 9:30-11:00 am Grantseeking Basics; and 11:00 am-12:00 pm Introduction to Foundation Directory Online
• Wednesday, October 29, 10:00 am-12:00 pm Meet the Grantmakers: Funding for Arts Organizations; and 1:00-2:30 pm How to Approach a Foundation
• Thursday, October 30, 1:00-2:30 pm Proposal Writing Basics; and 2:30-3:30 pm Proposal Budgeting Basics

Our library is open Monday through Friday free of charge and no appointment is necessary.

Library Hours:

Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday
10:00 am-5:00 pm
Wednesday
10:00 am-8:00 pm

• Monday, October 27, 1:00-2:30 pm Introduction to Corporate Giving for Arts Organizations; and 2:30-4:00 pm Corporate Support for the Arts
• Tuesday, October 28, 9:30-11:00 am Grantseeking Basics; and 11:00 am-12:00 pm Introduction to Foundation Directory Online
• Wednesday, October 29, 10:00 am-12:00 pm Meet the Grantmakers: Funding for Arts Organizations; and 1:00-2:30 pm How to Approach a Foundation
• Thursday, October 30, 1:00-2:30 pm Proposal Writing Basics; and 2:30-3:30 pm Proposal Budgeting Basics

Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday
10:00 am-5:00 pm
Wednesday
10:00 am-8:00 pm

From the Answer Desk: Finding Sponsorships

Q: What is "sponsorship" and how can my organization get started with this type of support?

A: Sponsorship is a funding arrangement where one party (usually a corporation or business) pays, in part or entirely, for the project or event of another party (in this case, a nonprofit organization) and receives wide acknowledgment and visibility in return.

One way to begin finding grantmakers interested in sponsorships is by using the Foundation Directory Online. A quick search in the Professional version for "sponsorships" in Types of Support yields nearly 700 results. Foundation Directory Online Professional is available for free use at the Foundation Center-San Francisco and all California Cooperating Collections.

Learn more about getting started with sponsorships by reading an excerpt [PDF] from the book Made Possible By (available in our lending library). Written by Patricia Martin, this step-by-step guide shows you how to identify potential partners and negotiate terms. To learn more, register for "Introduction to Corporate Giving" a free training discussing the world of corporate support for nonprofit organziations offered at the Foundation Center-San Francisco library and learning center or as a webinar.

The Foundation Center's FAQ "How Can I Find Corporate Sponsorship?" provides additional, helpful links for investigating sponsorship and how to secure them.

Do you have a question? Ask Us!

Philanthropy Chat with Eleanor Clement Glass, Silicon Valley Community Foundation

We just posted our latest Philanthropy Chat. In this edition Janet Camarena interviews Eleanor Clement Glass, chief of donor engagement and giving at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Eleanor discusses the foundation's new giving priorities, how the current economic crisis is informing the foundation's work, what's on the minds of Silicon Valley donors, and trends in the Silicon Valley philanthropy scene. I posted previously about the Silicon Valley Community Foundation's regional meeting.

If you  want to listen to other Philanthropy Chats peruse the offerings in our Events Archive.

This week at the Foundation Center (October 20-24)

• Tuesday, October 21, 1:00-2:30 pm Writing an Artist Statement; and 3:00-4:30 pm Business of Art
• Wednesday, October 22, 5:00-6:30 pm Grantseeking Basics; and 6:30-7:30 pm Introduction to Foundation Directory Online
• Thursday, October 23, 11:00 am-12:30 pm Grantseeking Basics for Individuals in the Arts; 1:00-3:00 pm Meet the Grantmakers: Funding for Individual Artists; 3:15-5:00 pm Meet the Grantmakers: How to Apply to the Creative Work Fund; and 3:00-4:30pm Grantseeking Basics for Individuals in the Arts in Berkeley
• Friday, October 24, 12:00-1:15 pm Finding Foundation Support for Your Education; and 1:15-2:00 pm Getting Started with Grants to Individuals Online

Our library is open Monday thru Friday free of charge and no appointment is necessary.

Library Hours:

Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday
10:00 am-5:00 pm
Wednesday
10:00 am-8:00 pm

Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday
10:00 am-5:00 pm
Wednesday
10:00 am-8:00 pm

From the Answer Desk: Jobseeking in the Nonprofit Sector

Q: Where can I find out about job openings in the nonprofit sector?

A: Securing a position with a nonprofit organization is no different than finding any other job. The usual sources should be consulted: classified advertisements in national or local newspapers, Internet resources, employment agencies if appropriate, and your own network of friends and acquaintances who might know of job openings.

The following Web sites regularly post nonprofit job listings:

• The Job Corner, part of the Foundation Center's Philanthropy News Digest, features current full-time job openings at U.S. foundations, grantmaking public charities, and other nonprofit organizations. You can also sign up for the free weekly e-mail-based "Job Corner Alert."
• The Chronicle of Philanthropy provides searchable job listngs. Openings are browseable in the following categories: fund-raising, program, executive, administrative, early career opportunities, and by field. The most recent listings are available only by subscription, but previous listings can be viewed at no charge. You can also sign up for a free notification e-mail.
• The Community Career Center allows you to search available job openings by work location, member affiliation, primary skill, job type, and work type/mission.
• Idealist provides searchable listings of job openings, nonprofit internships, and volunteering opportunities. There is also a Nonprofit Career Center with useful advice and information for those seeking employment in the nonprofit sector.
• Nonprofit Times contains job listings at all levels and provides resume posting and career services.
• OpportunityKnocks.org offers searchable job postings and career resources.
• DotOrgJobs.com has listings for jobseekers in more than 10 categories (organized by job title and region), and employers can post employment opportunities.
• Philanthropy News Network contains job postings in the nonprofit sector, primarily at the executive level.
• YNPN's Career Center allows searching for nonprofit jobs by job title, position type, and organization type. You can also sign up to have the new job postings emailed to you.

Do you have a question? Ask Us!

Survival Strategies for Tough Times

If all of the dire economic headlines have you down and worried about your annual year-end fundraising push, then take a moment to read some sage advice from Michael Selzer, author of Securing Your Organization's Future, and frequent contributor to the Center's PhilanTopic blog. 

The "A to Z Nonprofit Survival Guide for Uncertain Times" post is compiled from Selzer's past writings and strategy recommendations that he learned from grantees, clients, and fellow consultants.  The list is a good reminder that the worst thing we could do as fundraisers is to assume our donors don't want to hear from us.  After all, amid all of the negative headlines and bear market forecasts, nonprofits may be the only source of good news and hope in our communities, so it is fitting Selzer begins his list with A for "Accentuate the positive." 

SVCF Regional Meeting

Yesterday, in the company of more than 1,000 people, I attended the first regional meeting of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) at the Flint Center in Cupertino. The new foundation was formed in January 2007 through the merger of Community Foundation Silicon Valley and Peninsula Community Foundation.  Several board and staff members spoke about the complexities of the merger, SVFC's current progress and remaining work, and the opportunities and challenges in building the foundation's reputation for leadership both in the community and among philanthropic institutions.

For me, and I suspect many others in attendance, CEO Emmett Carson's speech highlighted the event. (Download the transcript of his remarks.)  After giving some background on SVCF's new grantmaking strategies, Carson used the opportunity to launch the Strengthen the Safety Net campaign. With this $1-million challenge grant for every $1 donated SVFC will send $2 to nonprofits in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties that provide food and shelter. Overall it was an inspiring program. SVCF titled this meeting "A new tradition" and I hope it does become a recurring event.