Office Closed for Holidays
Topics: Communications
Meyer Memorial Trust's office will be officially closed from noon, December 24th until 8:30 a.m. on Monday, January 3. We wish you the happiest of holidays and the best new year ever!
Three Words for 2010
Topics: Communications
A few years ago, community and social media leader Chris Brogan developed a meme to help him set goals for the new year:
What do we know about recovery of giving after recessions/depressions?
Topics: Communications
The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University has just published
a report in GivingUSA Spotlight analyzing its research on charitable
giving after The Great Depression and more recent economic recessions,
including the one nonprofit organizations are facing now.
What's abuzz in the nonprofit world?
Topics: Communications
Seth Godin --
well known in social media and marketing, often associated with the
concept of "permission marketing" and well known author and speaker in
those circles -- has set off a vigorous and sometimes heated discussion
about how well (or not) nonprofits are doing in adapting to change.
Working together to raise awareness and funds through social media
Topics: Communications
There's an innovative use of social media happening this week that Portland nonprofits might find especially interesting.
What to expect from area foundations in 2009
Topics: Communications
Grantmakers of Oregon and Southwest Washington recently conducted a
survey of foundations in our region to determine how the economic
downturn has affected them and how, in turn, they expect it to affect
their grantmaking this year.
The results are in. GOSW is generously sharing those results with us
all... You can read a summary of findings, watch a slide show, and even
listen to an audio report. It's all here!
Can we measure the value of foundation grantmaking?
Topics: Communications
Yes we can, say Robert J. Shapiro and Aparna Mathur, in a newly published study: The Social and Economic Value of Private and Community Foundations. (Shapiro is the head of Sonecon and author of the new book .
Good gifting for the holidays!
Topics: Communications
In this season for gift giving, are you aware of the good gifting options now available? Lucy Bernholz's recent blog post about good gifting had a number of great ideas.
Things like:
Are foundations accountable enough?
Topics: Communications
There's a lot of talk going around these days about foundation accountability. (See this summary article
on the Chronicle of Philanthropy website.) The call for more scrutiny
might intensify given the fact that the current economic crisis is
being blamed at least partly on loose regulation and lax oversight.
Way better than reality tv...
Topics: Communications
In case you haven't been following it, there's something really
exciting happening on the Internet that I believe deserves the rapt
attention all nonprofit organizations, foundations and donors these
days.
Go ahead, make our day!
Topics: Communications
We just got an email that made our day, from Lisa Arkin at Oregon Toxics Alliance:
I wanted to share a very fun thing with you! I was
reading the Meyer Memorial Trust blog and saw an entry by Bob Reeves,
the Executive Director of the Eugene Science Factory. He mentioned his willingness to share the museum’s space with other non-profits for an event.
PDX TIX is a dream come true
Topics: Communications
Today I met with a Portland visionary and got VERY excited about
what a project she has been working on could mean for nonprofit
organizations. I can’t stand not sharing it with you this minute…
Here’s the scoop I got from Ellen Bergstone Beer, Executive Director of Film Action Oregon:
The connec+ipedia Backstory
Topics: Communications
Below is a script from the connectipedia launch event on June 10,
2008. While we have made available a video of the entire event, we
realize that not everyone has broadband Internet access, which makes it
difficult to view lengthy videos. This script provides the narrative of
the event, with links to much shorter video presentations of individual
speakers.
connectipedia launched but you can still watch
Topics: Communications
Thanks to those of you who attended the connectipedia launch
yesterday! And to the wonderful geeks who helped introduce this new
tool to you....
We are so excited to have this project off the ground so everyone
can become part of it... because that's what will determine whether or
not it achieves what we set out to do in bringing it this far.
Make time for connec+ipedia
Topics: Communications
Like many foundations, MMT has been building a "knowledge
management" system to archive information in an accessible way to help
us be the best grantmakers we can be. But we've been approaching this
task with a bigger end in mind.
A nonprofit by any other name
Topics: Communications
Is it just me, or does anyone else have a problem with calling the
world in which we operate "nonprofit" or "not-for-profit?" Should a
name really highlight what we don't have? Do we want to be known by
something we lack?
Of course we all know that not making a profit is just shorthand for
the legal requirements we all must meet to be entitled to our defined
tax status with the IRS. But I'm one of those who thinks words matter.
And that we can surely do better than nonprofit.
Does this ring true for you?
Topics: Communications
Stanford Social Innovation Review recently published an article titled Creating High-Impact Nonprofits.
The authors spent several years studying 12 of the most successful
nonprofits in recent U.S. history and they discovered a number of
things that surprised them:
Rest in peace, Warne Nunn
Topics: Communications
This morning we learned that trustee emeritus Warne Nunn has passed
away at age 86. Warne may well have been Meyer Memorial Trust's best
ambassador. He tirelessly traveled across the region, visiting grantees
and prospective grantees. He always had a word of encouragement for
nonprofit organizations and advocated for their needs passionately in
meetings with MMT's board of trustees. Warne had a special love for
Oregon history, public libraries and programs that supported
underserved children and families.
Where were you?
Topics: Communications
It's been so much fun hearing your answers to the question in my
previous email that I thought it only fair to share them with you:
Do you remember where you were on this day 27 years ago when you heard a particularly explosive news item?
Here are the answers so far. Please add your own below...
How we did on March 9th...
Topics: Communications
First, a big thanks to all of you who attended our first ever
gathering for nonprofits on March 9th. And a special thanks to those
(98 of you!) who took the time to fill out our online survey form to
help us know how you thought the event went.
2007: the best year yet!
Topics: Communications
As part of philanthrophy's efforts to be more accountable and more
effective, Meyer Memorial Trust has been engaged in a new level of
self-reflection, self-evaluation and strategic planning for the last
few years.
Who's sustainable now?
Topics: Communications
Something has been weighing heavily on our minds for some time now,
and we'd like to know what you think. It's about the expectations of
foundations regarding sustaining program funding after foundation
grants have been spent.
Pain at the pump redux
Topics: Communications
We wanted to bring you up to date about the discussion that has been
taking place on our blog about the effect of rising fuel prices on
nonprofit organizations, and let you know where things stand. (We posed
a question last month on our blog.)
Pain at the pump?
Topics: Communications
We're wondering how rising fuel prices are affecting the nonprofits
we serve? There is a lot of media coverage about the effect on
consumers and businesses, but little public discussion about how the
recent rapidly rising prices are affecting nonprofit organizations.
We're hoping you will take a moment to share with us specific examples
of effects on your organization and its work. Has your organization
made any changes as a result?
Taking a meeting...
Topics: Communications
Okay, so we are puzzled about something and need to level with you and ask for your feedback.It seems that, despite our best efforts to communicate that it's not necessary, grant applicants are afraid that if they don't meet with us before submitting a proposal, they will be at a disadvantage. Folks tell us they feel they need to establish and nurture a relationship with a program officer. They report they believe they need to cultivate a program officer, who will then shepherd their proposals through the grants application process.
