Portland, OR. It’s time to focus on year-end charitable donations! On our partner’s page, there are live links to hundreds of your favorites. They’re listed by categories like animals, arts, and education. Please explore PortlandSocietyPage.com for ideas, and watch for our features about many worthy local charities. If you’d like to suggest your favorite nonprofit for a feature, contact us at [email protected]
At Big Brothers/Big Sisters Columbia Northwest‘s Baltazar Ortiz Community Mentoring Initiative, editor Elisa Klein visited with Danielle and her program little sister, Kyara.
The website, Charity Navigator is a research tool for donors and evaluates how charities use money. The organization also offers these tips for smart giving:
Be Proactive In Your Giving Smart givers generally don’t give reactively in a knee-jerk fashion. They don’t respond to the first organization that appeals for help. They take the time to identify which causes are most important to their families and they are specific about the change they want to affect. For example, they don’t just support generic cancer charities, but instead have targeted goals for their giving, such as providing mammograms to at-risk women in their community.
Hang Up The Phone / Eliminate The Middleman Informed donors recognize that for-profit fundraisers, those often used in charitable telemarketing campaigns, keep a large portion (in some cases all) of each dollar they collect (read our report about telemarketing for more specifics on the costs affiliated with this form of fundraising). Wise donors never give out their personal information – like credit card accounts, social security numbers – over the phone. If they like what they hear in the pitch, they’ll hang up, investigate the charity on-line and send their contribution directly to the charity, thereby cutting out the middleman and ensuring 100% of their donation reaches the charity. Taking it a step further, donors may want to reconsider supporting a charity that uses an inefficient telemarketing approach and instead identifies a charity that does not use telemarketing to raise funds.
Be Careful Of Sound-Alike Names Uninformed donors are easily confused by charities that have strikingly similar names to others. How many of us could tell the difference between an appeal from the Children’s Charity Fund and the Children’s Defense Fund? Their names sound the same, but their performances are vastly different. Would you be surprised to learn that the Children’s Charity Fund is a 0-star charity while the Children’s Defense Fund is a 3-star charity? Informed donors take the time to uncover the difference.
Confirm 501(c) (3) Status Wise donors don’t drop money into canisters at the checkout counter or hand over cash to solicitors outside the supermarket. Situations like these are irresistible to scam artists who wish to take advantage of your goodwill. Smart givers only support groups granted tax-exempt status under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All of the charities evaluated by Charity Navigator meet this basic requirement.
Check The Charity’s Commitment To Accountability & Transparency In 2011, Charity Navigator added an Accountability & Transparency dimension to its rating system. It tracks metrics such as whether the charity used an objective process to determine their CEO’s salary, whether it has an effective governance structure, and whether it has a whistleblower policy. This data is critical because charities that follow good governance and transparency practices are less likely to engage in unethical or irresponsible activities. So, the risk that such charities would misuse donations is lower than for charities that don’t adopt such practices.
Obtain Copies Of Its Financial Records Savvy donors know that the financial health of a charity is a strong indicator of the charity’s programmatic performance. They know that in most cause areas, the most efficient charities spend 75% or more of their budget on their programs and services and less than 25% on fundraising and administrative fees. However, they also understand that mid-to-large sized charities do require a strong infrastructure therefore a claim of zero fundraising and/or administrative fees is unlikely at best. They understand that a charity’s ability to sustain its programs over time is just as important as its short-term day-to-day spending practices. Therefore, savvy donors also seek out charities that can grow their revenue at least at the rate of inflation, that continue to invest in their programs and that have some money saved for a rainy day. All of this analysis is provided on Charity Navigator’s website for free, but when considering groups not found here, savvy donors ask the charity for copies of its three most recent Forms 990. Not only can the donor examine the charity’s finances, but the charity’s willingness to send the documents is a good way to assess its commitment to transparency.
Review Executive Compensation Sophisticated donors realize that charities need to pay their top leaders a competitive salary in order to attract and retain the kind of talent needed to run a multi-million dollar organization and produce results. But they also don’t just take the CEO’s compensation at face value; they benchmark it against similar-sized organizations engaged in similar work and located in the same region of the country. To help you make your own decision, Charity Navigator’s analysis reveals that the average CEO’s compensation of the charities we evaluate is almost $150,000. In general, salaries tend to be higher in the northeast and at arts and education charities. Sophisticated donors also put the CEO’s salary into context by examining the overall performance of the organization. They know it is better to contribute to a charity with a well-paid CEO that is meeting its goals than to support a charity with an underpaid CEO that fails to deliver on its promises. (Check out our CEO Compensation Study for more benchmarking data.)
Start A Dialogue To Investigate Its Programmatic Results Although it takes some effort on their part to assess a charity’s programmatic impact, donors who are committed to advancing real change believe that it is worth their time. Before they contribute, they talk with the charity to learn about its accomplishments, goals, and challenges. These donors are prepared to walk away from any charity that is unable or unwilling to participate in this type of conversation.
Concentrate Your Giving When it comes to financial investments, diversification is the key to reducing risk. The opposite is true for philanthropic investments. If you’ve taken the time to identify a well-run charity that is engaged in a cause that you are passionate about, you should then feel confident in giving it a donation. Spreading your money among multiple organizations not only results in your mailbox filling up with more appeals, but it also diminishes the possibility of any of those groups bringing about substantive change as each charity is wasting a percentage of your gift on processing expenses for that gift.
Share Your Intentions And Make A Long-Term Commitment Smart donors support their favorite charities for the long haul. They see themselves as a partner in the charity’s efforts to bring about change. They know that only with long-term, committed supporters can a charity be successful. And they don’t hesitate to tell the charity of their giving plans so that the organization knows it can rely on the donor and the charity doesn’t have to waste resources and harass the donor by sending numerous solicitations.
Portland, OR. Harry Potter’s in the house at the Pittock Mansion this holiday season. The theme of this year’s Pittock Mansion Christmas display is a Wonderful World of Books. The exhibit runs through January 5th, from 10:00 am-4:00 pm daily. From children’s classics to modern-day mysteries, this year’s display is a book lovers dream. Organizers invite you to experience the literary visions of local decorators as they transform the Mansion’s rooms into magical storybook settings. Here’s a look inside:
The wizarding world of Harry Potter
The dining room features A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens.
The fairytale of Cinderella features little birds and mice.
It’s made complete with Cinderella’s glass slippers.
There’s a display for Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It the novella by Truman Capote published in 1958 upon which the famous film was based.
For the gourmets, Irma S. Rombauer’s The Joy of Cooking is a favorite.
The Joy of Cooking series is one of the world’s most widely read cookbooks series. It’s on display in the Pittock Mansion kitchen.
One table is set using The Tale of Peter Rabbit as a theme. The children’s book was written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter
Madeline is on display. The 1939 book was written and illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans,
“We were excited with this year’s theme because it gave the decorators an opportunity to highlight old favorites, like Beatrix Potter, as well as to be inspired by new favorites, such as Harry Potter,” Curator Patti Larkin explains. “While much of our content today arrives electronically there’s still a strong connection to printed books. Whether it’s a classic or just a light tale that piques our personal interest, the stories in books continue to resonate.”
Over 70 volunteers began developing their designs for 18 rooms of the Mansion last January. During the exhibit, volunteer musicians will be playing in the Music Room providing Christmas carols and festive music.
This year Pittock Mansion will be hosting a book drive from Monday, November 25 through Sunday, December 8 in collaboration with Community Action for Head Start children, aged 0-5. Full donation guidelines can be found here.
Tickets are available both online and onsite. Admission is $13 for adults, $11 for seniors, $9 for youth and children 5 and under are free. More info at: http://pittockmansion.org/exhibits/
Pittock Mansion is a historic house museum in Portland, Oregon operated by the Pittock Mansion Society in collaboration with Portland Parks & Recreation.
The Pittock Mansion Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The mission of the Pittock Mansion Society is to inspire understanding and stewardship of Portland history through Pittock Mansion, its collections, and programs.
Address: 3229 NW Pittock Drive, Portland, OR 97210
Portland, OR. The Oregon State University Foundation welcomed 19 individuals, families and businesses into the Milton Harris Society at the 2019 OSU President’s Dinner on November 6th. Named after the first donor to give $1 million dollars to OSU, the society honors donors who have contributed at this level or above. OSU President Ed Ray was among the donors welcomed into the Harris Society for his personal philanthropy to the university. Leslie & Jay Culbertson ’72 were among the over 20 honored. In the photo above, they posed with President of Oregon State University Edward John Ray (Jay and Leslie Culbertson at center) and OSU Foundation President & CEO Mike Goodwin. (Photo credit, AJ Meeker)
Andrea Pastega Vloon and Angela Snow at the benefit which was held at The Nines.
Mark and Laurie Reser
Susan Casey, Marcia Randall, and Coach Pat Casey
Mike Rich and Alex Gary
OSU President Ray and OSU Foundation President & CEO Mike Goodwin were joined by student emcees Alessandra Ferriso and Srimanyu Ganapathineedi, as well as several other student speakers, in expressing their gratitude and celebrating the impact of donors on the university community, Oregon and beyond.
New Harris Society Members:
Andrejs (Andre) J. Auskaps ‘74
Blount International
Bettyjo D. Bruner ’75 & Betty Bruner
Jane C. & Chun Chiu ’70
Barbara Brown Coles ’70 & David G. Coles ’70
Marion R. & William E. Collins
John C. Compton ’53 & Betty Kindsfather Compton ’52
Seth S. Crawford ’03, ’05 MPP & Eric B. Crawford ’07
Leslie & Jay Culbertson ’72
Marilyn Barry Duncan ’64 & Douglas J. Duncan ’78
Eldon H. Graham ’60
Deborah Zerba Hallander ’73 & Douglas C. Hallander ’71
Bruce E. Hofer ’70
William ’69 & Mary Jabs
Jimmy Powell ’69
Beth & Edward J. Ray
Cheryl Castle Rogers
Captain Guy S. Thompson
Jana & Doug Tindall ’78
Here’s a look the OSU “The New Horizon” Video:
From OSU: Themes of risk and reward, courage and hope, vision and generosity shone throughout the 2019 OSU President’s Dinner. It is thanks to our generous donors that students, faculty, and the OSU community are empowered to seek out new horizons and improve the quality of life for all through education, service and discovery. As President Ray said during the program, “Beaver Nation is resilient, creative and remarkably successful, and our momentum as a university and as a community is absolutely unstoppable. I know the best is yet to come for Oregon State University, our graduates and all those we serve.”
Portland, OR. U.S. Bank recently gifted Girls Inc. of the Pacific Northwest a $50,000 Community Possible grant to help expand its Eureka! program. The grant is part of U.S. Bank’s new annual $1 million fund focused on organizations driving economic development across the country in the areas of workforce preparation, affordable housing, and arts and culture.
“Eureka! is a five-year STEM program that motivates girls to pursue post-secondary education and careers in STEM fields,” said Elizabeth Nye, executive director of Girls Inc., of the Pacific NW. “Our goal is to promote greater representation of all women in STEM fields and to increase the potential for women to access higher-paying and more secure employment. Eureka! girls graduate with the knowledge, skills and confidence to enter higher education and see themselves as an important part of the workforce of the future. We’re excited that U.S. Bank has joined us in building a more equitable future for girls in Oregon.”
Girls Inc. Pacific Northwest will use the funds to expand its Eureka! program focused on engaging girls in STEM-related fields. Through the new annual Market Impact Fund, U.S. Bank invests $50,000 grants to 20 nonprofit organizations across the country. The new Fund is in addition to U.S. Bank’s Community Possible giving platform focused on grant cycles in the areas of Work, Home and Play.
“Establishing this new Fund allows us to further focus our efforts on supporting those organizations such as Girls Inc., which are working to close historical economic gaps in the areas of greatest need,” said Stacey Dodson, Portland and Southwest Washington market president for U.S. Bank. “Our communities are stronger when people have jobs, stable housing and when their communities are connected through the arts, recreation and play. Our goal is to give larger grants to create meaningful local impact working with and through market leaders and nonprofit organizations who know their communities the best.”
At Girls Inc., girls participating in the Eureka program discover their ability to excel in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). Women earn just 18% of all computer science and engineering degrees in the U.S, even though these paths provide great earning potential and represent top jobs of the future. This investment from U.S. Bank helps ensures that girls in Portland are building the skills and gaining the confidence to pursue education and careers in STEM and thus ensuring girls have opportunities to be financially independent and exercise control over their futures.
About Girls Inc. Pacific Northwest: Girls Inc. of the Pacific Northwest inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold through direct service and advocacy. Our comprehensive approach to whole girl development equips girls to navigate gender, economic, and social barriers and grow up healthy, educated, and independent. These positive outcomes are achieved through three core elements: people – trained staff and volunteers who build lasting, mentoring relationships; environment – girls-only, physically and emotionally safe, where there is a sisterhood of support, high expectations, and mutual respect; and programming – research-based, hands-on and minds-on, age-appropriate, meeting the needs of today’s girls. Join us at girlsincpnw.org.
About U.S. Bank: U.S. Bancorp, with 74,000 employees and $488 billion in assets as of September 30, 2019, is the parent company of U.S. Bank, the fifth-largest commercial bank in the United States. The Minneapolis-based bank blends its relationship teams, branches and ATM network with mobile and online tools that allow customers to bank how, when and where they prefer. U.S. Bank is committed to serving its millions of retail, business, wealth management, payment, commercial and corporate, and investment services customers across the country and around the world as a trusted financial partner, a commitment recognized by the Ethisphere Institute naming the bank a 2019 World’s Most Ethical Company. Visit U.S. Bank at usbank.com or follow on social media to stay up to date with company news.
Portland, OR. The fourth annual Tennis Ball to benefit Portland Tennis & Education (PT&E) was a “smashing” success. On November 2nd over 365 education advocates, philanthropists, business leaders, tennis players, and other supporters packed the Melody Event Center in Southeast Portland. They raised $250,000 which is a record for PT&E and will be earmarked for afterschool programs that feature academic support and tennis coaching for low-income students. (Photo credit, Matt Banner)
Scholar athlete Leilani shares the story of her 10 years in the PT&E program.
At the event, board members Susie Hunt Moran, Executive Director Jorge Fuenmayor and board member Harry Aldrich pose for a photo.
Guests gathered around tables decorated with vintage wooden tennis racquets for cocktails, dinner, and live and silent auctions and had the opportunity to hear from two longtime PT&E students who shared their stories and the impact the program has made in their lives.
From Portland Tennis & Education:
Portland Tennis & Education (PT&E) is dedicated to the academic success and lifelong health of Portland’s underserved youth and their families. PT&E students, known within the organization as scholar-athletes, participate in a year-round, tuition-free program that includes academic tutoring, project-based learning, fitness, outdoor education, science and music clubs, and tennis. Students enter the program as young as kindergarten and often stay until they graduate high school, meaning they receive consistent, ongoing support to help them succeed. Life skills are taught at every stage of the program, ranging from eye contact and a firm handshake to writing a resume and preparing for a job interview. 100% of PT&E Scholar Athletes have graduated high school on-time and continued on to college or professional careers.
NONPROFIT BENEFIT TICKET GIVEAWAYS!
Sign up for our free weekly highlights for the chance to win two tickets terrific nonprofit events! If you "like" us on facebook, or sign up for our weekly news highlights, you'll be entered to win! Sign up today!
Look for another ticket giveaway soon! Are you a nonprofit looking to bolster your publicity with facebook and tweets? Email us and we'll run a contest with tickets to your event! [email protected]
