The world of non-profits revolves around money. I know it’s counterintuitive, but only the leanest organizations can operate without significant funds. When you’re a business and you’re using money to make money, you typically have some margin for error. But when you’re trying to use money to do good, every bit of effectiveness makes a difference. That’s why The Center for Effective Philanthropy exists. They are a Cambridge, MA and San Francisco, CA based non-profit that works “to provide data and create insight so philanthropic funders can better define, assess, and improve their effectiveness – and, as a result, their intended impact.” They are what I like to call a meta-non-profit; an organization that serves other charitable organizations.
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I mentioned earlier in the week in the post about Museum Hack that I can sometimes get a little bored at museums. That’s not true at kids’ museums. I’m not sure what is says about my maturity level, but when I was in college, Amy and I would get really excited to take her sister (15 years younger) to the local science/children’s museum. She loved it, but I think we loved it even more. Next time we go to the West Coast, we might have to visit the Bay Area Discovery Museum. It’s a Sausalito, CA based museum that “is designed to ignite creative thinking in children.” What makes it sound even more awesome than other children’s museums that I’ve been to is that they put their 7.5 acres of natural space to use as part of the experience.
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I admit to liking bad music. I don’t listen to music all that often, but when I do, I’m perfectly happy listening to Top 40 stuff. I know that most of it is musically questionable, but I can’t help that I like it. I’ve tried listening to Classical music, but I can’t get into it. Maybe one day that will change. And if it does, I’ll have to check out the Handel and Haydn Society. They are based in Boston, MA, and they are “considered America’s oldest continuously performing arts organization.” They’re coming up on 200 years of excellence “in the field of Historically Informed Performance” (see here for a more in depth explanation). In other words they perform pieces “using the instruments and techniques of the composer’s time.”
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InvestmentNews is our sponsor this week, and they would like to tell you about their NextGen Virtual Career Fair on November 8th. It’s an awesome opportunity for students and interns to network and find finance jobs on the spot.
I often find charity events frustrating. It’s not the events themselves that bother me–it’s the auctions and raffles. Non-profits have an amazing ability to get all kinds of high value donations (which should be the hard part), but they completely fail when it comes to extracting as much value as possible out of those donations. It could be an inexperienced auctioneer, poorly priced raffle tickets, a confusing silent auction, or a complicated payment process. Technology can solve a lot of these problems, and that’s exactly what BidPal has done. They’re an Indianapolis, IN based company that “improves charitable fundraising events from start to finish with event management solutions, automated auctions, payment processing, online fundraising, consulting services, and much, much more.” BidPal actually came in at #74 on this year’s Inc. 5000 with 4,323% three-year growth to $10.2 million in revenue.
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My parents will tell you that I’ve always liked to argue. That’s why I joined the Debate Club in high school. The club only put on one debate (and I can’t remember the topic), but I definitely participated. I always love competing in anything, and I think it’s silly that most schools endlessly promote competition in sports but shy away from any formalized academic competition. Things like Debate Clubs are great for kids, and that’s why the Boston Debate League was started. It’s a non-profit organization that is “transforming school culture through debate.” They’ve only been around since 2005, but the organization has already expanded to the point where they expect to serve 800 debaters this school year.
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What do hipsters love? Brooklyn and things with suggested prices/contributions (you can feel like a full paying customer without being a full paying customer). They also like artsy stuff. I have to imagine that the Brooklyn Museum is a hipster’s paradise, but then again it’s probably paradise for a lot of people considering that it’s “one of the oldest and largest art museums in the country.” They have more than half a million square feet of space and an amazing group of collections “that range from the ancient to the contemporary and encompass virtually all the world’s principal cultures.”
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Education is a lot like compound interest. You do way better if you get a good start (and vice versa). Apparently some states “use third grade academic performance data to predict the number of prison beds they will need in the following decade.” That’s depressing, but it makes sense and tells us a lot about how important the first few years of school are. If children are already behind at such an early age, how will they ever catch up? BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life) is a Boston, MA based non-profit that has some answers. They aim “to transform the academic achievements, self-confidence, and life trajectories of children living in under-resourced, urban communities.” This is done through after-school and summer educational experiences that are designed to help kids catch up during the time that they’re not in school (apparently the lack of summer learning opportunities explains “2/3 of the academic achievement gap between children from low-income communities and their higher-income peers”).
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While I tend to think that the importance of home ownership is overrated by most people in the U.S., I do realize how powerful the psychology of owning something can be. This becomes far more important when it comes to how you make your living. Using someone else’s capital is often the easiest choice, but it gives you very limited control over your future. This may not matter so much if you’re an accountant who is working in a competitive labor market, but it’s a huge deal if you’re farming for subsistence–and that’s what much of the world’s people do. Landesa is a Seattle, WA based non-profit that “works to secure land rights for the world’s poorest people– those 2.47 billion chiefly rural people who live on less than two dollars a day.” They do this because they believe that when people own the land, they can invest in improving it without worrying about having to worry about someone else reaping the rewards.
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I used to be really interested in politics, but over the past decade I’ve come to the realization that business is usually a better way to enact positive change than public policy is. While I might have lost most of the faith I had in the political process, I still realize that it’s necessary for a functioning society. The only way that it’s going to get better is for better people to go into politics. American Council of Young Political Leaders is a Washington, DC based non-profit (big surprise there) that is “recognized as the pre-eminent catalyst for introducing rising political and policy professionals to international affairs and to each other.” The organization was founded in 1966 by leaders from both American political parties because they saw how important fostering cooperation and understanding could be at the height of the Cold War.
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Entering third grade was a big deal for me. It had nothing to do with school though. It was all about the fact that I was eligible to become a member of Wakeman Boys & Girls Club. That meant that a three minute walk from my house gave me access to bumper pool, ping pong, and basketball. I absolutely loved it. While it was mostly fun and games for me, I knew that there was more to the club than that. We were required to take our hats off when we entered the club, and all of the rules were enforced strictly, but fairly. It wasn’t a place to go and get into trouble. That’s exactly what Boys & Girls Clubs of America wants. They are an Atlanta, GA based national non-profit with clubs all across the country that aims to “promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence.”
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I may be a dog person (this is my puppy Garçon), but I love big cats. They are the ultimate land-based predators, which is why I hope to one day see a mountain lion in the wild (from the safety of a car though). The problem with big cats is that there is one predator higher up in the food chain: us. Whether it’s protecting livestock, killing them for their fur, or infringing on their habitat, humans have had a severely negative impact on populations of big cats across the world. It’s time to make up for an ugly past, and that’s why Panthera exists. They are a New York, NY based non-profit that “is the world’s leading conservation organization devoted exclusively to the protection of wild cats.” Panthera got its started in 2006, and since then has been working to protect 37 species of wild cats.
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I love New England. I grew up on the absolute southern edge of the region, but I’ve spent a lot of time enjoying the natural resources in all six of its states (mostly through fly fishing). One thing that is interesting about New England is that the areas surrounding some of its most sensitive ecosystems are quite populated. That means that they’re constantly being infringed upon. Conservation Law Foundation is a Boston, MA based non-profit that believes “that healthy communities and a clean environment are a right for all New Englanders, not a privilege for the few.” Since 1966 they have used a combination of scientific research, business/market forces, and legal work to protect “all parts of New England’s environment, including everything from oceans to river to mountains, from parks to forests, from big cities to small towns, from Maine to Rhode Island.”
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If you want to change something, you need to be able to measure it. Whether you’re talking about weight, revenue, or toxic emissions, establishing a yardstick for success is the first step in accomplishing a goal. The problem is that some of the most important things that we want to change are the hardest to measure. The environment is a perfect example, and that’s exactly what Global Footprint Network is focused on. They are an Oakland, CA based non-profit that was “established to enable a sustainable future where all people have the opportunity to live satisfying lives within the means of one planet.” As a result, Global Footprint Network is focused on “measuring human impact on the Earth so we can make more informed choices.”
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What do Laura Bush, Julia Child, Katharine Hepburn, Sandra Day O’Connor, and Eleanor Roosevelt all have in common? Besides the fact that they all are/were women, they were also all members of the Junior League. I’ve heard of the Junior League from friends Facebook posts, but I never really knew what it was today. It is “one of the oldest, largest and most effective women’s volunteer organizations in the world.” There are 155,000 women involved in 293 Leagues across four countries, and those Leagues make up The Association of Junior Leagues International. The organization was founded in 1901 and is based out of New York, NY. Their aim is “to develop exceptionally qualified civic leaders who collaborate with community partners to identify a community’s most urgent needs and address them with meaningful and relevant programs and initiatives that not only improve lives, but also change the way people think.”
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For me Father’s Day is all about wildlife. I’ve spent every one for the past 20 years in woods of Michigan on a fishing trip with my Dad. It used to mark the end of the trip, but this year it’s the beginning. Every year we get to reap the benefits of the work done by conservation organizations. Up there a lot of the work is done by non-profits with a sporting focus, but I’ve come to realize that there quite a few organizations that protect wildlife just because it’s something that should be done. One of these is Defenders of Wildlife. They’re based in Washington, DC, and they aim to “protect and restore imperiled species throughout North America by transforming policies and institutions and promoting innovative solutions.” The organization was founded in 1947 and operates at both a national and local level.
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We all know someone with hypertension (aka high blood pressure)–nearly a third of people over the age of 20 in the United States have it. It’s a seriously health issue, but it’s common and relatively easily treated. Pulmonary hypertension sounds like it would be a similar malady, and in some ways it is, but it’s also much rarer and far more serious. Because it’s currently an incurable condition that can be extremely deadly, you’d think that it gets a lot of attention from the medical establishment. However, because only about 1,000 new cases are diagnosed every year, it doesn’t. Pulmonary Hypertension Association is trying to change that. They are a Silver Spring, MD based non-profit that is working to “to find ways to prevent and cure pulmonary hypertension, and to provide hope for the pulmonary hypertension community through support, education, research, advocacy and awareness.”
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A week in the desert has reminded me just how live-giving water is. Even a tiny trickle of a river can completely change the landscape out there. Seeing that reminds me how vital our oceans are to our planet’s health. While 12% of the earth’s land is protected in one way or another, only 1% of its oceans are protected. Marine Conservation Institute is a Seattle, WA based non-profit that is trying to change that. They “use the latest science to identify important marine ecosystems around the world, and then advocate for their protection, for us and future generations.” Because of the nature of oceans and the fact that they cover more than two thirds of the earth’s surface, it’s easy to overlook how fragile and important they are. Marine Conservation Institute exists to remind us.
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A wedding is a perfect example of how live music brings people together. I got married last night, but I’m writing this beforehand, so I can’t tell you how good the live music was. But I’ll bet that young and old were hitting the dancing floor together. Since we can’t go to wedding every weekend (though it can start to feel like that sometimes), we have to seek live music elsewhere. Levitt Pavilions is a non-profit organization that provides exactly that. They are a Los Angeles, CA based non-profit that “partners with cities to build and transform outdoor music venues into community treasures.” There is actually a Levitt Pavilion in the town that I went to high school in, though I must admit that I’ve never been. I assumed that it was just a local thing, but today I learned that there are six Levitt Pavilions across the country (Los Angeles and Pasadena, CA; Westport, CT.; Bethlehem, PA.; Memphis, TN.; and Arlington, TX).
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I’m getting married a week from today, which is why Amy and I went to three dance lessons last week. We’re not looking to do anything special. We’re just making a last ditch effort to be merely below average when 200+ people watch our first dance. The standards for dancing ability are a bit different for Youth America Grand Prix, which is a New York, NY based non-profit that runs “the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition.” Every year they put up more than $250,000 in scholarships so that some of the world’s most talented young dancers can get the training that they need to pursue a professional career. The competition was started in 1999 by two Bolshoi Ballet dancers, and has gained momentum ever since.
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My dad is an architect. I was dragged on all kinds of architectural tours as a kid, and that hasn’t changed now that I’m adult. Whenever my parents come to visit Chicago, we end up spending an afternoon on some sort of architectural expedition. About half the time my dad comes up with a random place that he wants to see, and we drive around looking for it. The rest of the time, we end up doing a more formal tour–usually through the Chicago Architecture Foundation. It’s a Chicago, IL based non-profit organization that is “devoted to celebrating and promoting Chicago as a center of architectural innovation.” It all started in 1966 when community members banded together to save the Glessner House (we already did that tour) from demolition. That eventually led to the founding of the Chicago Architecture Foundation, which was then a founding member of the Association of Architecture Organizations.
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When we cover non-profits, we end up focusing mostly on organizations that operate at the national level. The only reason for this is that these organizations typically get more exposure and are more likely to have multiple job openings. There are tons of locally focused organizations with great career opportunities, and many of them fill similar niches in different communities. FACETS is a perfect example. They’re a Fairfax, VA based non-profit that helps “parents, their children and individuals who suffer the effects of poverty.” FACETS is entirely focused on the Fairfax County area, so they can tailor the help they offer to the unique needs of the community.
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I’m in Michigan on a short fly fishing trip, and that means that I’m making the most of my access to public land. It’s easy to forget how lucky we are in the United States to have access to so many interesting places for free. Much of that is thanks to organizations like The Trust for Public Land. They’re a national non-profit based in San Francisco, CA that was “founded in 1972 with goals of protecting land in and around cities and pioneering new land conservation techniques.” Since then they’ve done work on more than 5,000 parks and conservation projects, and by using “sophisticated finance and legal techniques,” they’ve had amazing success.
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Our country was built on railroads. Rail travel changed the way that nearly every entity did business in the 19th and early 20th centuries, much like the Internet has done during our lifetimes. The similarities don’t end there. The railroad system was subject to multiple boom and bust cycles, and that led to far more rail being laid than could ever be used. Chances are that you have abandoned rails somewhere near you. Rails-to-Trails is an organization that wants to put them to use. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit that is aiming “to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people.” Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has been around for more than 25 years now, and in that time they’ve helped the number of rail-trails grow by more than 700%.
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Last year I was lucky enough to spend a day in Yellowstone National Park. It was a short trip, but I saw all kinds of wildlife including elk, bison, and a fox. One thing that becomes obvious almost instantly once you’re in the park is that there are a lot of people coming into close contact with wild animals. This is kind of the point, but it can have bad consequences for the wildlife. Many animals can become injured or orphaned, and that’s when the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary steps in. They’re a Red Lodge, MT based non-profit that is “the only public refuge in Montana to house native animals that cannot be returned to the wild due to injury or habituation to humans.”
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I love cooking for friends and family. There’s something extremely rewarding about feeding people and helping to fulfill one of their most basic needs. But there’s more to it than that. Sharing a meal creates a connection and brings people together. That’s why Food & Friends exists. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit that fosters “a community caring for men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses by preparing and delivering specialized meals and groceries in conjunction with nutrition counseling.” The organization started in a church basement in 1988, and has continued to grow since. They are now able to serve 5,300 square miles surrounding the DC area.
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Cancer is a scary word, and it’s at its scariest when we’re talking about kids. It would be nice if kids didn’t even have to know what cancer is, but every year in the U.S. about 10,000 kids under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer. About 1,500 will end up dying from the disease. Pablo Thrailkill Castelaz was one of the kids who didn’t make it. He died just days after his sixth birthday in 2009 after a “valiant yearlong battle with bilateral Wilms Tumor, a rare form of childhood cancer.” In his memory The Pablove Foundation was formed. It’s a Los Angeles, CA based non-profit that is “fighting childhood cancer with love.”
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I wonder how many great books were never published because major publishing houses didn’t think they would sell enough. Even Harry Potter may have never been published if it weren’t for an 8 year old nagging her dad to get her another chapter. But it’s not always about shortsightedness. Some books are extremely important, but don’t have mass market appeal. That’s why publishers like The New Press exist. They’re a non-profit that “publishes books that promote and enrich public discussion and understanding of the issues vital to our democracy and to a more equitable world.” The New Press is based in New York, NY and has been publishing important books since 1992.
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Nearly every culture has its own take on bread. From tortillas to bialys to focaccias to baguettes to naan, there are innumerable ways to turn a grain into something a little easier to eat. There is evidence of rudimentary flatbreads from over 30,000 years ago, but we’ve come a long way since then. What I find interesting is that the staple breads from across the world are becoming luxury items here in the U.S. A non-profit that is taking advantage of this trend is Hot Bread Kitchen. They’re based in New York, NY, and they increase “economic security for foreign-born and low-income women and men by opening access to the billion dollar specialty food industry.” How? They sell a multi-ethnic line of breads that are inspired by the people whom they are training for jobs.
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Yesterday I heard that Y Combinator is funding its first non-profit. It’s pretty cool to see a for-profit incubator dipping its toes into the non-profit world, but there have been non-profit incubators around for a long time. One of them is Earth Island Institute. They’re a Berkeley, CA based organization that acts as a “hub for grassroots campaigns dedicated to conserving, preserving, and restoring the ecosystems on which our civilization depends.” So far they have incubated over 100 startup environmental projects and helped them get off the ground by providing administrative and financial resources that are essential for early stage non-profits.
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In a place like New York City, it’s nearly impossible to build something without tearing something else down. That means that a lot of still useful stuff is sent off to the dump while new construction material is shipped in from afar. This is not only wasteful, but it’s also terrible for the environment. Build It Green! NYC is a New York, NY based non-profit that is “working towards reducing the amount of unnecessary construction and demolition (C&D) waste clogging our landfills.” They do this through two stores that make Build It Green! NYC “New York City’s only non-profit retail outlet for salvaged and surplus building materials.”
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