Cash: A Vital Way to Support Families in Need

Action Against Hunger, a 4-Star rated nonprofit earning a Leadership & Adaptability beacon, shares a key strategic humanitarian approach, utilized by non-governmental organizations in times of crisis to effectively deliver on their mission.

Cash transfers have increasingly become a crucial form of international assistance. Why is that?

When life is upended by the unexpected, people may need assistance to get back on their feet. Millions of Americans experienced this firsthand as COVID-19 caused sweeping job losses. The single largest form of aid was direct cash assistance, primarily in the form of stimulus checks. This form of support, known as cash transfers, have been a tool of NGOs for years.

Improving the Finance and Accountability Score: Key Areas to Consider

For nearly two decades, Charity Navigator has rated charities in an effort to make impactful giving easier for all. Recently, we expanded our ratings offerings by creating a second rating system—the Encompass Rating System—to capture over 150,000 additional charities, while still maintaining our Star Rating System. With more features (and a brand new year!), some organizations have asked what can be done to improve their Finance and Accountability rating. If your organization is wondering the same, this post is for you!

Should a Giving Day Be Part of Your Nonprofit’s 2022 Fundraising Strategy?

There are countless methods for acquiring funding to support the important work your nonprofit does, and because all of them require you to invest time and resources, choosing the best match for your organization is crucial. For some organizations, Giving Days, annual fundraising events that aim to create a sense of urgency to drive donations, awareness, and engagement, have been a huge success. Hope for Haiti’s Hike for Haiti Challenge, has seen greater than 35x revenue growth over three years, bringing in $350,000 in 2021.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

Today, January 17, our nation celebrates civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The often-neglected full title for the holiday, the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, offers important direction to us about how to celebrate and mark the occasion. The true meaning of the holiday shouldn’t pass us by.

Make the Most of Your 2022 New Year’s Giving Resolution

It is 2022 and there are many reasons for optimism, but there is also a clear need for action. We are entering a new year amidst a pandemic surge that is overwhelming hospitals across the country. Changing weather and intense disasters from years past are a trend expected to continue in 2022. After years of concern about public health and climate change, you may be feeling burnt out. That feeling is valid, and I hope that you will be able to take some time for yourself to rejuvenate. One form of self-care that I am advocating for this year is optimism. Embrace the notion that things will get better and that you can be part of the solution. Taking action can make you feel empowered and hopeful. To that end, I invite you to join me in a New Year’s Resolution around giving. Here’s how: 

Capital Region Sponsor-A-Scholar: Creating Pathways to College and Future Success

 

In our Giving Season blog series highlighting nonprofits across the U.S., today we introduce you to Capital Regional Sponsor Scholar Inc., an Encompass-rated nonprofit that has earned our “Give With Confidence” designation having an 96 out of 100 rating on Charity Navigator with earned beacons of organizational effectiveness — Finance & Accountability, Impact & Results, Culture & Community, and Leadership & Adaptability

Capital Region Sponsor-A-Scholar has a 24-year history of working with low-income youth in the Albany, Schenectady, and Troy City School  Districts in the Capital Region of New York. Our organization was founded on the belief that post-secondary education is the gateway to financial security and personal achievement. Higher education attainment rates among low- to moderate-income, first-generation-to-college students tend to fall below those of their more financially secure peers. Through our unique blend of individualized guidance, long-term mentoring, and financial support, our program breaks down systemic barriers and gives students the power to decide their futures.