Nonprofits Now

If You Give a Kid a Book

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 13:00:00 +0000

BookEnds

In 1993, 8-year-old Brandon Keefe believed he could make a difference. By 1998, he was, forming BookEnds as nonprofit organization in Southern California that is about kids helping kids. The organization recycles children's books through student-run book drives and places them in schools and youth organizations in need of books. They believe that a literate child is the foundation of a thriving community. By providing access to books, children are given the resources to develop literacy skills and to experience the joy and imagination of reading.

Recipients of the BookEnds program include:

Inner City Schools
Youth Centers
Homeless Shelters
Family Literacy Centers
After-school Enrichment Programs
Children's Group Homes
Juvenile Detention Facilities

For recipient organizations the ratio of books to kids is 3 to 1; the national average is 22 to 1. Each dollar donated to BookEnds results in more than five dollars worth of books for kids.

BookEnds believes in the power of community service. Through Bookends students have the opportunity to change their lives and the lives of others through community service. Student volunteers collect, sort and personally deliver donated books to quality libraries and inspire a passion for reading.

The Stats to Date:

22,000 student volunteers
585 empty libraries filled in the Greater Los Angeles area
2.1 million books delivered
Serving over 520,000 at-risk children

For more information please visit BookEnds.

Gifts Making a Difference

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Suitcases4Kids is dedicated to helping foster children move with dignity, one suitcase at a time.

History

In 1995 10-year-old Aubyn Burnside had a great idea. Burnside had recently discovered that the average child in foster care has to move three or four times and they carry everything they own in garbage bags."I thought it was horrible that the children had nothing to carry their things in as they moved so many times. I wanted to make them feel special by giving them something of their own," Burnside explained. It wasn't long before the media picked up on the story. Burnside even made an appearance on Oprah and was named one of Oprah's Young Angels of her Angel Network.

A New Chapter

By 2009 the project was all but defunct as Burnside had directed her attention towards other endeavors. Enter Ron Nickerson. He is the founder and president of Suitcases4Kids*, having decided to use his talents and contacts to help children in the foster care system. It was during his research to determine how to best channel his talents that Nickerson discovered Burnside's project and realized it was a perfect fit to accomplish his goals. Nickerson has spent the last 25-years working with children and their families in a variety of settings including residential facilities and psychiatric hospitals. He has also been a social worker for kids in specialized foster care and director of a 30 bed youth detention facility in Boston. Currently Nickerson is a foster dad to several boys with Reactive Attachment Disorder.

Some Stats

Number of children in the United States foster care system: over 463,000 (as of 01/2010)
Average length of stay in foster care: 27.2 months.
Number of children waiting for adoption: 125,535
Number of children abused or neglected: 742,661

For more information on the organization and how you can help please visit the Suitcases4Kids website.

*Please note the name of the organization Aubyn Burnside founded is Suitcases for Kids. You can visit the organization's site here. (The site has not been updated in several years).

A Shelter of Hope and Healing

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:33:00 +0000

Enchanted Makeovers' mission is to transform shelters for women and children into heartwarming havens, uplift the human spirit and empower individuals from all walks of life to pursue their dreams.Interior design Terry Grahl founded the organization in 2009, after spending several years working with women's shelters as a side project of her interior design business. The organization works on a project basis, gathering volunteers and donors to create a lasting impact at shelters. Projects can mean a complete redecoration of the physical space with handmade items and furnishing, or it can mean offering programs and activities such as: gardening, yoga, inspirational hands-on activities, personal makeovers, sewing and cooking classes, handmade gifts provide by crafters from around the world, and the sharing of personal stories.

The organization is guided by the following beliefs:

Everyone is worthy of surroundings that will nurture their soul and allow their greatness to emerge
Without attention to their spirit, there can be no healing
Handmade items are very important to the recovery process. It comes with the love and hope of the creator
A donor's story is woven into each handmade item that is donated
An Open Mind and Open Heart policy- we reach out and help everyone no matter what background or faith
To see ourselves in everyone
It's very important to think and behave in a loving way to ALL people
Actions speak louder than words
If you can tap into your imagination you can get through remarkable things
The journey is just as important as the destination
In helping everyone to fall in love with who they are
Love should be in the smallest detail
Everyone has value and needs to be heard
Child-like faith
In Unity- the state or quality of being one; oneness
In Dignity- respect for the worth of every person
In Integrity- honesty and justice
In Character- moral and ethical strength
In Serving- the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others (Mahatma Gandhi)

What drew me to this organization, was its understanding that providing shelter is just one step in healing process- a physical change in conditions. That in order to truly help these women and children, they need spiritual and emotional nurturing as well. Everyone deserves to live their life with dignity. Enchanted Makeovers is making that possible; in many cases restoring it. For more information please visit Enchanted Makeovers

Sustainable Travel & Tourism

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Background

Sustainable Travel International (STI) is a leader in sustainable tourism development. The organization's mission is to promote sustainable development through responsible travel by providing programs that help travelers, businesses and destinations protect the environment, preserve cultural heritage and promote economic development.

Founded in 2002, STI is committed to providing education and outreach services that help travelers, travel providers and destinations support environmental conservation and protect cultural heritage while promoting cross-cultural understanding and economic development.

STI is dedicated to taking the holistic approach to addressing sustainable development within the travel and tourism industries by providing solutions-oriented programs that generate tangible results and affect long-lasting change.

Priorities

STI priorities include:

Provide capacity development through education and training to travelers, the travel trade, and local stakeholders and assist them in making positive contributions to environmental conservation and socio-cultural sustainability.
Develop, adopt, and promote sustainable tourism standards and industry best practices through the Sustainable Tourism Eco-Certification Program (STEP) and other initiatives that are aligned with the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria.
Support the establishment of local travelers' philanthropy projects and investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and forestry-related carbon offset projects that offer co-benefits and help to mitigate unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions.
Empower destinations to use tourism and related market-based solutions to support sustainable development and generate tangible, measurable results that affect change.

Programs

Advisory Services - STI specializes in business and sustainable tourism development. They make use of professional experts when forming any given consulting team, which affords them great flexibility in where they are able to work and the types of projects taken on.

Book Travel - With STI you can book your trip with confidence. From eco-lodges in Alaska to community-based tourism in Zambia, STI provides a full range of sustainable and responsible travel options.

Buy Local Products - works with Brighter Futures, a venture that enables you to buy hand-crafted and fair-trade products directly from local villagers via the Internet.

Carbon Offsets - invests in clean energy and supports sustainable development while helping offset the CO2 emissions that result from your travel, home, or business.

Eco-Certification - designed to help travelers easily identify responsible tourism businesses and to help tourism businesses manage their impacts; lower costs through resource productivity and waste reduction while contributing to environmental conservation and the well-being of local people.

Eco-Directory - a unique destination guide aimed at helping travelers make responsible choices that only advertises eco-friendly tourism businesses.

Education & Training - provides education and training programs to tourism businesses, government agencies, and non-profits. STI's curricula is flexible, customized to the needs of the trainees, and can be delivered one-on-one or through workshops, training manuals, or on-line through distance learning.

Green Travel Market - designed for tourism businesses that want to 'green' their supply chains, this database features sustainable tourism products that are available in the global marketplace.

Membership - membership is open to individuals, tourism businesses and others who support and are committed to sustainable tourism.

Travelers' Philanthropy - helps to support community development, biodiversity conservation, and other environmental, socio-cultural and economic improvements. It also offers the opportunity to learn how to create a successful travel philanthropy program.

For more information place visit STI's website.

GreaterGood

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Background

GreaterGood is a network of websites that offer the unique opportunity to support causes you care about, with no cost to you. The organization partners with and funds leading nonprofit organizations around the world in order to alleviate poverty and hunger, promote peace, address cancer and other widespread health problems, foster literacy and education, preserve vital habitats in peril, and provide protection and care to vulnerable animals.

GreaterGood accomplishes this mission by:

Alleviating and addressing the root causes of world hunger and food insecurity and promoting peaceful co-existence.
Early detection and treatment of breast cancer and other widespread health concerns, particularly in women.
Preventing and treating childhood illness, disease and other children's health and well-being concerns.
Promoting children's literacy and education.
Protecting and restoring the environment.
Providing care and feeding of rescued animals in shelters and sanctuaries and addressing the root causes of their conditions.

How it Works

Each person's daily click on the Click to Give sites displays sponsor advertising. One hundred percent (100%) of sponsor advertising is paid as a royalty through GreaterGood.org. Supporters can also contribute directly to charity by purchasing Gifts that Give More, where 100% of the donations are given to charity, or by purchasing one of the over 4500 products they carry. There is a 5-30% charity royalty paid on every item purchased from any of the GreaterGood network of online stores.

Results

Last year GreaterGood gave over $3.07 million to charity. And how's this for transparency, you can view exactly where the money went. The organization's website provides a breakdown of every charity they donated to, and the amount of money it received. Site visitors can even look at GreaterGood's giving from the last three years. The IRS 990 forms filed by GreaterGood are also easily accessible.

For more information please visit GreaterGood.org.

Project H.O.M.E.

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 16:25:00 +0000

Project H.O.M.E (Housing, Opportunities for Employment, Medical Care, Education)

None of us are home until all of us are home.

Background

Since 1988, Project H.O.M.E has been a leader in providing comprehensive and effective services to persons who experience chronic homelessness. The organization empowers people to break the cycle of homelessness, address the structural causes of poverty, and attain their fullest potential as members of society.

Co-founded by Sister Mary Scullion and Joan Dawson-McConnon, Project H.O.M.E is a nationally recognized organization that provides supportive housing, employment, education and health care to enable chronically homeless and low-income persons to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty. Under their leadership, Project H.O.M.E. has grown from a winter shelter to 447 units of housing and three businesses that employ formerly homeless individuals.

What makes this organization so effective, is its mission to alleviate the underlying causes of poverty, not simply treating the symptoms and its commitment to the dignity of every person. They strive to create a safe and respectful environment where everyone supports one another in their struggle for self-esteem, recovery, and the confidence to move towards self-actualization. This mission is achieved through a continuum of care comprised of street outreach, a range of supportive housing, and comprehensive services. Project H.O.M.E. addresses the root causes of homelessness, through neighborhood-based affordable housing, economic development, and environmental enhancement programs, as well as providing access to employment opportunities; adult and youth education; and health care.

Project H.O.M.E is committed to social and political advocacy. An integral part of Project H.O.M.E.'s work is education about the realties of homelessness and poverty and vigorous advocacy on behalf of and with homeless and low-income persons for more just and humane public policies. It is also committed to nurturing the spirit of community among persons of walks of life, all of whom have a role to play in making this a more just and compassionate society.

The organization's website provides resources and facts about homelessness, particularly in Philadelphia, where Project H.O.M.E. is based. It is also important to note that Project H.O.M.E.'s board of directors include residents from the housing units, as well as program alumni.

Values

The work of Project H.O.M.E. is rooted in their strong spiritual conviction of the dignity of each person. They believe:

that all persons are entitled to decent, affordable housing and access to quality education, employment, and health care.
in the transformational power of building relationships and community as the ultimate answer to the degradation of homelessness and poverty.
that working to end homelessness and poverty enhances quality of life for everyone in the community.
that the critical resources entrusted to Project H.O.M.E. to achieve its mission must be managed honorably and professionally.

Programs

Housing & Street Outreach- designed to deal with the complex issues of persons with special needs such as mental illness and addiction. The program consists of street outreach, a range of supportive housing from entry-level to permanent housing, and comprehensive services including health care, education, and employment.

Street Outreach: Outreach Teams develop trusting relationships with homeless individuals who have severe mental illness or substance addiction.
Women's Emergency Respite Center: serves women with a long history of street homelessness, many of whom are incompatible or resistant to city-run shelter services.
Supportive Housing & Services: enables each person to break the cycle of homelessness, move towards self-sufficiency and achieve his or her full potential.
Alumni Program: provides residents with the opportunity to stay connected to Project H.O.M.E. community even after moving out of the supportive housing programs.
Affordable Rental Housing: an eleven-story building developed to help address the gap in Philadelphia's affordable housing inventory.
Affordable Homeownership Program: designed to stimulate housing production in North Philadelphia, create positive community impact and scale, and increase development and transformation of a distressed urban community into an attractive place to live. The program includes Block Preservation and Place Making Initiatives, and the Homebuyer Reservation Program

Community Development- The organization's revitalization work is focused in the North Central Philadelphia community known as 'St. Elizabeth's/Diamond Street" neighborhood and Ridge Ave commercial corridor, (a 33-square block neighborhood).

Since 1995, Project H.O.M.E. has been working in partnership with neighborhood residents, corporations, foundations, government, faith communities and others to revitalize this neighborhood. Efforts include the development of affordable rental housing, renovation of affordable homes for homeownership, greening of vacant lots, adult and youth education and enrichment programs and community based health care services.

Economic Development: the program addresses the persistent challenges of long-term economic disinvestment: "vacancy, blight, and high rates of unemployment."
Health Services Program: is committed to addressing the health and wellness needs of the urban community.
Community Organizing: works in cooperation with local Block Captains and civic associations on activities such as community emergency food banks, block clean-ups, and the nationally ranked youth drill team, the North Philly Footstompers.
Honickman Learning Center & Comcast Technology Lab: programs at this 38,000 square foot, three-story technology center are tailored to help residents of the community- children, youth, adults and families- move towards greater prosperity by increasing their educational and employment opportunities.

Education & Employment- Project H.O.M.E recognizes that education and employment are critical tools to help all people improve the quality of their lives. This is particularly vital for formerly homeless people and people from economically distressed neighborhoods that may not have access to meaningful educational and employment opportunities.

Honickman Learning Center & Comcast Technology Lab

Kindergarten-Sixth Grade Program
Teem Program
Adult Education and Workforce Development

Employment Services

Employment Initiatives
Art Program
Social Enterprises: Cafe & Thrift Shop

Awards & Honors

(Just to name a few)

The National Alliance to End Homelessness' Nonprofit Sector Achievement Award
STAR award from The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
Named as one of the "16 most efficient and innovative charities [they] know of anywhere," by Philanthropy Roundtable.

Click here for more information on Project H.O.M.E.'s initiatives.

I'd love to hear about any organizations in your city that are addressing the underlying causes of homelessness and poverty in the community.

Going, Going... Green!

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 19:16:00 +0000

Welcome Back Everyone!

Since this is sort of a re-birth for Nonprofits Now (formerly Nonprofit Awareness) I thought this article, generous contributed by Craig Baird last year, about going green was fitting.

I've listed some go green sites below that are worth checking out.

Craig Baird and his wife Layla, inspired by Earth Day, dedicated one year to green living and blogged (Our Green Year) about it. I I urge everyone to visit Our Green Year and read about the Bairds' incredible journey.

Our Green Year by Craig Baird

"Going green seems to be a fad for a lot of people these days. Whether that is a good or bad thing, I can't really say, but for my wife and I, going green is not a fad but a lifestyle.

It is hard to believe that we are almost one year from when we started Our Green Year, the initiative to go green with something every single day for an entire year. Over 300 days into, with one more month to go, we have had our lives changed by this quest to be green.

This all started for us on April 20, 2008 when we helped organize a large Earth Day celebration in Trail, British Columbia. After seeing the great response we got, my wife Layla and I decided to do something else to educate people about how they can go green in their lives. So, Our Green Year was born. With the idea of going green every single day for a year and blogging about it, we hoped we could show people all the green things that can be done to help the environment. We also wanted to show our readers that if we could do 365 green things, they could so 10, 20, or 100. We wanted to push the message that every little bit helps, and anything we can do as a collective effort to help the environment matters.

Over the course of Our Green Year, we have completely altered our lifestyles. We now shop at the organic store and buy mostly organic items (even though the milk is about four times as expensive!). We don't eat beef anymore, choosing the environmentally friendly bison alternative, and we have cut our meat intake down from a few times a week to once a month, if that. In addition, we have given away half of what we owned through websites like FreeCycle.com, and we have greatly reduced our own consumption by not buying items we do not need and asking ourselves purchase questions to determine what we do need. We have joined several environmental organizations, and donated to even more. Each week we go to websites to 'Click To Help' various things like rainforests and seals. Our home is kept clean by vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice, with no toxic cleaners to be seen anywhere within our cupboards. We compost all of our biodegradable food and items, we grow our own vegetables and we recycle everything from tin cans and bottles to milk jugs and paper. Through our home office we stay energy efficient and we even implement costly penalties for anyone caught doing something 'un-green'.

It is amazing to think about it now, but a year ago we though going green could just include turning off lights and not wasting energy. It can, but we have learned there is so much more to it. There is a joy to making our own better, ice cream and soap scrubs. We enjoy the smell of fresh bread made in our home, and we take pride in mowing our lawn with just a manual lawnmower. Our minds have been altered by Our Green Year. We look around us now at the consumerism that has degraded our environment and realize that there is so much we can all do to help if we wanted to. We are grateful for the chance to have been able to go green, blog about it and educate others.

Through Our Green Year, we have had a lot of press as well. We have appeared on television three times, on the radio four times, several times in the newspaper and even more on the internet. However, 15-minutes of fame is not why we do this. We speak with the media because we want to spread our message about going green with small things.

One of the most common questions we get with Our Green Year is what are we going to do after it is all over. Well, with the end in sight and our daily blogs coming to an end, I only have one answer to that question, and it is we are just going to keep on trucking our green message and going green in our lives!"

Resources for Going Green:

Giving Living (green-living.com)

Green Living Tips (greenlivingtips.com)

G Living: Modern Green Lifestyle Blog (gliving.com) Making going green cool.

Green Living Magazine (www.greenlivingonline.com)

The Daily Green (thedailygreen.com)

Welcome to Nonprofit Awareness 2.0

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:22:00 +0000

Welcome to the next chapter of Nonprofit Awareness. After what has been a long hiatus, the site is back and better than ever. And to reflect this renewed commitment to the non-profit sector and its activities, Nonprofit Awareness has become Non-Profits Now.

It's my goal for this site to serve as a resource for non-profit professionals, donors, volunteers, and anyone interested in making a difference. As you borrow the site, you'll be able to explore various charities, and receive the latest news coming out of the non-profit community. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved, and the resources needed to make informed contributions.

Previous features will remain in the archive for your review. Keep checking throughout the week as more content is added to the site, and be sure to look out for the official site launch next Monday, October 18th.

Email for inquires and submissions.

Special Announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0000

As some of you may have noticed today's posting did not appear on our Blogger site, (www.nonprofitawareness.blogspot.com). That's because Nonprofit Awareness, in an effort to better serve our visitors, has moved. Please set your bookmarks to www.nonprofitawareness.com.

That being said...

I am excited to announce Nonprofit Awareness' new and expanded website. You'll still get the same daily blogs, but now you'll also have access to much more information, tools, and resources.

Our new Resource Section provides nonprofit professionals, donors, volunteers, and those new to charity with the tools and information they need. Our online resources direct visitors to websites that provide easy ways to get involved and information to help you make informed giving decisions. The consulting and professional services allows nonprofit professionals and organizations to easily find tools to help them advance their missions, and the suggested readings focus on all areas of the nonprofit sector. There's even links to nonprofit job banks.

A new site with increased information also comes with increased opportunities for site visitors. With more space, we are now able to offer sponsorships to individuals and organizations. This will not only help increase the visibility of our sponsors, but will also help support our efforts. At least half of all proceeds from our sponsors will be donated to the organizations we feature. Visitors will also have more chances to have their voices heard, through comments, discussion boards, and guest author opportunities. We hope our new space cultivate a sense of community.

Our focus is constantly on finding the best ways to connect individuals and causes, and helping nonprofit organizations. I believe Nonprofit Awareness is achieving this goal by expanding our website. Above I've mentioned just a few additions to our offerings. I invite you all to visit us at our new home.

I thank you all for your support at our Blogger site, and look forward to serving you at our new location.

Cheers,

Courtney

Ashoka:Innovators for the Public

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Founded by Bill Drayton in 1980, Ashoka strives to shape a global, entrepreneurial, competitive citizen sector: one that allows social entrepreneurs to thrive and enables the world's citizens to think and act as change-makers. The organization envisions a world where Everyone is a change-maker: a world that responds quickly and effectively to social challenges; and where each individual has the freedom, confidence and societal support to address any social problem and drive change.

Their Approach:

To ensure that leading ideas for social changes are fully developed and sustained, Ashoka has designed an approach that offers critical inventions on three levels- the individual, the groups and the sector.

Supporting Social Entrepreneurs: Social entrepreneurs are the engines of social change and role models for the citizen sector. Ashoka identifies and invests in leading social entrepreneurs and helps them achieve maximum social impact.
Promoting Group Entrepreneurship: Groups and networks of social entrepreneurs working together accelerate and spread social impact. Ashoka engages communities of entrepreneurs and develops patterns of effective collaborations that change entire fields.
Building Infrastructures for the Sector: A global network of change-makers requires tools and support systems to deliver sustainable social solutions. Ashoka creates needed infrastructure, such as access to social financing, bridges to business and academic sectors, and frameworks for partnerships that deliver social and financial value.

Their Philosophy:

Ashoka is founded on the premise that the most effective way to promote positive social change is to invest in social entrepreneurs with innovative solutions that are sustainable and replicable, both nationally and globally.

The organization has established programs in over 60 countries and supports the work of over 2000 fellows. Ashoka Fellows are leading social entrepreneurs who Ashoka recognizes to have innovative solutions to social problems and the potential to change patterns across society. They demonstrate unrivaled commitment to bold new ideas and prove that compassion, creavity, and collaboration are tremendous forces for change.

Ashoka employ 160 staff in 25 regional offices throughout Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. The organization is extremely transparent, providing their financial statements for review on their website. To learn more please visit Ashoka's website.

Tools for Charity

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Today's posting provides some easy web resources to get involved with charitable work, and tools to ensure that the nonprofits you select are credible. Whether you're looking for simple ways to give or looking to transition into the nonprofit sector, the sites below will help you find a way to get involved that fits your lifestyle.

1. GuideStar:

GuideStar gathers and publicizes information about nonprofit organizations; organizing the information into its large database. They encourage nonprofits to share information about their organizations openly and completely. This is especially important as transparency is vital in the nonprofit community.

Any nonprofit can update its report with information about its mission, programs, leaders, goals, accomplishments, and needs- for free. GuideStar also supplies information from other resources, including the organization's financial statements, which must be made available to the public. You can search for an organization for free. Completing the free registration form gives you access to even more information.

So why is this nonprofit so important, and why are they passionate about providing information on other nonprofit organizations? "Because the best possible decisions are made when donors, funders, researchers, educators, professional service providers, governing agencies, and the media use the quality information that [GuideStar] provides. Those decisions affect our world today and will continue to affect it for generations to come."

GuideStar is a great resource to become familiar with some great nonprofit organizations, and make sure that you're equipped with the facts necessary to make informed giving decisions. To learn more please visit the GuideStar website.

2. The Good Search:

The Good Search is a simple way to give to charity without having to put a lot of effort into it. Simple visit the website, select the charity or school of your choice, search the web as you normally would, and they'll donate to the cause of your choice for every search. It's that easy! For more information please visit The Good Search.

3. FreeRice:

FreeRice is a nonprofit website run by the United Nations World Food Program. Their partner is the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, but don't let the big names scare you. This website makes giving fun and easy. FreeRice has two goals:

Provide education to everyone for free.
Help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free.

This is made possible by sponsors who advertise on the site. The concept is simple- for each right answer you donate 10 grains of rice through the UN World Food Program. The questions range in difficulty, but are all multiple choice: select the proper meaning of each word listed. For more information and to play this wildly catchy game, please visit FreeRice.

4. Action Without Borders (Idealist):

Action Without Borders is a nonprofit organization founded in New York City in 1995. Their mission is to connect people, organizations, and resources to help build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives. They envision a world where all people can lead free and dignified lives, every person who wants to help anther has the ability to do so, and no opportunities for action or collaboration are missed or wasted. The organization is independent of any government, political ideology, or religious creed. Their work is guided by the common desire of their members and supporters to find practical solutions to social and environmental problems, in a spirit of generosity and mutual respect.

The organization works toward their mission by providing a meeting point for individuals and organizations that seek to improve their communities, whether through promoting volunteerism and nonprofit careers, or by facilitating connections between people that can lead to personal and collective action.

The site is filled with information including: nonprofit jobs, volunteer opportunities (including volunteer abroad), nonprofit organizations, consultants, Idealist groups, internships, programs, people, nonprofit books and materials, campaigns, events, and speakers. For more information please visit Action Without Border's Idealist website.

5. Grassroots:

Grassroots provide free web services to nonprofits. Their mission is to serve as a catalyst for positive social change by leveraging modern technologies and best business practices. Their ultimate goal is to adopt 10,000 nonprofit members, and to provide them each with an average of $10,000 of services per year at no charge.

The organization's supporters help them achieve their goal by donating time, services, and money. Nonprofits benefit by receiving free services including hosting and designing and building capacity. Volunteers help by contributing their web and graphic design skills. Grassroots currently serves 1,300 nonprofits in the United States and Canada.

For more information please visit Grassroots.

Hopefully these organizations will help guide, inform, and inspire your involvement with the nonprofit community. Stay tuned for Tools for Charity 2.0 coming May 3rd.

Operation Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Operation Kids is a 501(3)c dedicated to improving the lives of children. Recognizing the many dimensions to a healthy, happy child, they support a researched community of charities providing solutions to issues affecting children's education, health, safety, and well being.

Their mission is to identify the most pressing issues facing the largest number of children, and then support a community of qualified charities and programs most effectively addressing those issues. Issues are determined under the direction of their Whole Child Committee, a select group of experts in children's issues. The Committee helps Operation Kids staff identify effective solutions to those issues. The staff then seeks to identify who demonstrates the most impact and efficiency when implementing those solutions. Operation Kids demands full accountability and transparency in use of its donations. Therefore an "OK" endorsement that a charity or one of its programs receives identifies it as a effort deserving of complete donor confidence.

Their corporate giving consultant service helps companies identify and partner with charities that demonstrate the highest standards of effectiveness and impact, and whose partnership contributes to the company's brand-building efforts. Operation Kids also has competencies in media relations, special events management and Online charitable marketing and fundraising.

Founded in 1999 and incorporated in 2000, the organization is dedicated to sound principles of charitable giving. They:

1. Measurably improve the lives of children

Improving Safety through The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's "Net Smartz" program
Improving Health through the life-changing and life-saving medical procedures of Operation Smile and the Children's Organ Transplant Association
Improving Well-Being through Right to Play's effective programs teaching conflict resolution through sport, in more than 23 countries
Improving Education in New Orleans through the Edible Schoolyard Project, funding for summer science internships at New Orleans Charter Science and Math High School and programs for intellectually disabled children provided by Best Buddies

2. Provide donors with a more accountable and fulfilling experience

Individual donors- your donation, combines with others, support programs and charities where they make a measurable impact. You can know your gift made a real difference
Corporations/Businesses- By understanding the strategy behind corporate philanthropy, they can carefully design and manage corporate giving for maximum impact, thereby better serving your employees, customers, and communities
Foundations- They vet charities and programs and help guide the foundation's giving based on its mission and focus, to ensure maximum impact
Charities- They share best practices and efficient management principles to increase efficiency, accountability, and effectiveness

3. Research the most pressing issues facing the largest number of children

While any issue affecting children is important, some affect greater numbers in more significant ways. Understanding issues in context is valuable to those looking to make the greatest impact with their charitable contributions.

4. Identify charities and programs most effectively addressing key issues

Charities exhibit a wide range of effectiveness and efficiency. Many are well-managed. Some though well intended are not. Donors deserve to understand the effectiveness of a nonprofit organization before giving.

The organization's administrative expenses are fully met through monthly payments from an investment fund, so all contributions to Operation Kids:

Reach the child in need
are focused on your area of interest
are leveraged through matching funds campaigns
are managed every step of the way

For more information please visit Operation Kids website.

Justmeans

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Today's organization, while not a non-profit, focuses on spreading news of good works in all sectors. It also provides an excellent opportunity to get involved in a social network that's all about social responsibility.

JustMeans: Where Good Work Lives

The mission of JustMeans is to provide best in class services that help companies communicate and implement their socially responsible efforts Online. They envision a world where companies integrate social and environmental initiatives into their core business strategies.

So what does that really mean? Well, think of JustMeans as a social GOOD network. Visitors to the site can sign up for a free account to create a profile, which allows you to post your resume for talent searches, list your work and education history, contact information and other social network ids.

You also can post what good work your doing. The feature is very similar to Facebook's status updates or Twitter. Visitors also get to view other members' good work postings, with the option to follow their updates (Twitter).

JustMeans is the fastest growing Online community for executives interested in social responsibility. Their services include: online PR communications, Online CSR reports, Online event networking, and talent recruitment. Companies can post a job, promote a press release, or promote an event. JustMeans also offers an annual membership for unlimited PR and event promotions.

As a visitor to the site, you can view jobs, see what good works JustMeans members and companies are up to, and read about news and upcoming events from the socially conscious corporations that support JustMeans.

For more information please visit JustMeans.

Center for Development in Central America

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Center for Development in Central America (CDCA) is a nonprofit organization seeking to address human needs created by poverty in the Western Hemisphere's second poorest nation: Nicaragua. This mission is accomplished by helping communities become self-sufficient, sustainable, democratic entities. CDCA works with the Nicaraguan community to help them realize their own goals, rather than bringing in "ready made solutions."

CDCA's involvement includes community organization, a flexible approach to needs and priorities as they shift over time, identifying areas where the CDCA can be of service, and following through in those areas, while empowering Nicaraguans and gradually phasing out the need for CDCA's assistance.

The organization's projects are focused in the municipality of Ciudad Sandino, which has been a dumping ground for victims of natural disasters, and is located just outside the capital city of Managua. Ciudad Sandino is the most densely populated area of Nicaragua and the poorest urban area in Nicaragua, with an estimated 80% of the population lacking formal employment, and many living on less than $1.00 U.S per day.

CDCA works in the following areas:

Sustainable economic development- developing long-term jobs so families can feed their own children
Sustainable agriculture- so that poor farmers don't lose their land
Primary health care- in the face of privatization of health care
Education- both technical training for Nicaraguans as well as education of first world volunteers both in the U.S. and Nicaragua
Appropriate technology- seeking to care for the earth as natural resources are consumed, and introducing work techniques that are maintainable

Since its founding in 1994, the organization has:

Organized 1,600 small farmers into a cooperative business to market their organic crops
Built three health centers and one school in rural communities
Built a preschool/feeding center in a community where they also got water and latrines to every house
Organized five cooperatives of workers from the poverty-stricken resettlement community of Nueva Vida (created in response to Hurricane Mitch in 1998)
Started a full-time health clinic to meet the health care needs of poor people in Ciudad Sandino
Hosted nearly 100 delegations and 400 individual volunteers in Nicaragua, all of whom go back to their homes and teach people about Nicaragua
Developed solar composting latrines, stoves that use less wood, and a bio-diesel project

For more information on CDCA's projects and how you can get involved, please visit their website.

The New Teacher Project

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0000

The New Teacher Project (TNTP) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the achievement gap between poor and minority students and white students, by ensuring that high need students get outstanding teachers. The organization was founded in 1997 to address the growing issues of teacher shortages and teacher quality throughout the country. TNTP partners with school districts and states to implement scalable responses to the most acute teacher quality challenges.

Their Approach:

"TNTP believes that the fundamental structures, policies and institutions that influence teacher quality (from certification providers to district Human Resources offices to collective bargaining agreements) must be re-aligned to maximize teacher quality in high-need schools. TNPT provides school districts and states with a range of services, all of which are designed to increase the concentration of highly effective teachers in high-needs schools. They:

Create innovative programs that bring high-quality teachers into hard-to-staff schools
Identify the policy barriers that keep schools from hiring the best teachers possible, and advocate for necessary reforms.
Work hand-in-hand with school districts and school leaders to staff the lowest-performing schools with excellent teachers
Develop new and better ways to prepare, develop, and certify teachers for public schools

TNTP services include:

Teacher recruitment
School staffing
Training and certification
Research and advocacy

The organization's mission: The New Teacher Project partners with educational entities to:

Increase the number of outstanding individuals who become public school teachers
Create environments for all educators that maximize their impact on student achievement

Their vision: Once day, our nation's public schools will be thriving organizations that offer all children an excellent education.

TNTP Core Values:

Foundation- Their work is driven by what they believe to be best for students and their goal of closing the achievement gap. As a disciplined, revenue-generating nonprofit organization, they remain accountable, focused and motivated to meet their goals.
People- Their people drive their success as a company. They strive to recruit and retain a diverse group of dedicated individuals representing the best talent available. TNPT work to ensure these individuals feel valued and supported, and that they have opportunities to develop and grow.
Work- TNTP do what it takes to achieve results. They are purposeful in providing high-quality, responsive and innovative services. They endeavor to work in close collaboration with their clients to develop models that challenge the status quo and raise expectations for what is possible in the effort to increase student achievement, and they strive to inform and influence the national dialogue on education policy.
Culture- They believe in a healthy, productive work environment. They strive for a trusting, supportive culture that emphasizes collaborations and flexibility amongst all staff members. They push themselves to higher levels of performance, they celebrate their successes, and learn from their failures.

Since its founding, TNTP has trained or hired approximately 33,000 teachers, benefited an estimated 4.8 million students, and established more than 70 programs and initiatives in 28 states. For more information please visit The New Teacher Project website.

Ethical Bean Coffee Company

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Last month we had a week long series dedicated to for-profit businesses that either supported nonprofits or were recognized for their socially responsible business practices. I couldn't fit all the great companies then, but today I'll be featuring another great coffee and tea company that's worth supporting, because as we learned a change a small as your brand of coffee is still a step towards a better world.

Ethical Bean Coffee Company, founded in 2003 by Lloyd Bernhardt and Kim Schachte in Vancouver, British Columbia, is the Lower Mainland's fastest growing Certified Fair Trade coffee supplier and B.C's only 100% Transfair Canada Certified Fair Trade Coffee roaster. The company was born from a deep, personal connection to Latin America, a sense of social and environmental responsibility, and a love of coffee. Ethical Bean roasts only 100% Fair Trade Certified and Certified Organic shade grown coffees.

The company believes in global responsibility and environmental sustainability, (organic, shade grown, and bird friendly). Suppliers strive to leave the smallest footprint and to preserve the surrounding ecosystems. They are committed to ensuring small-scale farmers receive a fair price for their efforts, sustaining their businesses and providing a decent standard of living for their families.

Through community partnerships, Ethical Bean has created coffees to help nonprofits. Their Community Blend Partnerships benefits local nonprofit organizations. Each time you buy these special blends, a portion of the proceeds goes to the corresponding organization. Ethical Bean currently has two blends, benefiting Vancouver's Folk Music Festival and Adoptive Families Association of B.C.

They also have a 'give-back' program, (via Child Aid), which benefits children from a region in Guatemala where Ethical Bean sources its coffee. Every December, $1 from every 1lb of coffee sold goes to sponsor kids through primary school. In 2006, 45 students received the aid.

The company also sells tea, and they are just as committed to global and environmental responsibility. To find out about their tea initiatives, philanthropic efforts, and of course product information, please visit Ethical Bean's website.

Fourth Street Clinic

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0000

I was fortunate enough to be made aware of today's organization by a member of the Fourth Street Clinic's fantastic Development team, Joseph Dane. Joseph was also kind enough to provide the following on the incredible work the Clinic does, and why our support is vital:

" Fourth Street Clinic is a nonprofit organization that works to end homelessness by providing comprehensive health care and support services to homeless Utahns. For many of our patients, we are their first and only chance at better health and a way out of homelessness.

Executive Director Allan Ainsworth, PhD. founded Fourth Street Clinic in 1988 to give Salt Lake City's homeless, uninsured, and often very sick population access to primary care service. Opening with a part-time nurse, Fourth Street Clinic is now a full-service health home that offers 6,000 patients coordinated primary care, behavioral health and pharmacy services. Services are provided by 40 staff members, 35 in-house m

edical volunteers and over 300 off-site specialists who see patients on a pro bono basis.

In working to end homelessness it is important to understand the interconnected relationship between health and housing: It is simply impossible too be successful in one without the other. People cannot pay for housing without the presence of good health; it is impossible to achieve good health without a safe, permanent home. Homelessness is very bad for your health evidenced by homeless people being three to six times as likely to experience illnesses than those who are housed. Also, bankruptcy is one of the major causes of homelessness, and half of all personal bankruptcies in the United States result from health problems.

For our patients, if poor health did not cause or contribute to their homelessness, then stress brought on by continuous exposure to extreme weather conditions, malnutrition, violence and communicable diseases and parasitic infestations quickly makes way for a number of chronic and acute health conditions. Common examples are circulatory, dermatological and musculoskeletal issues due to excessive walking, standing and sleeping while sitting up. Sleep deprivation, the emergence of mental illnesses and the need for relief offered by alcohol and drugs then often exacerbate and compound theses illnesses into urgent or emergency medical conditions.

With no health insurance and a life consumed by poverty, our homeless patients often come to Fourth Street Clinic with three or four chronic health conditions requiring continuous treatment, drug therapy and follow up. However it is here that we have found a turning point out of homelessness. Once our patients are properly diagnosed, begin treatments and feel well again, hope returns and housing soon follows.

So join us in providing basic, cost effective health care and a way out of homelessness to thousands of Utahns. $150 will fund one comprehensive office visit. $10 will fill a prescription. All gifts are tax deductible and will help save a life. Visit www.fourthstreetclinic.org today."

Thank you to the Fourth Street Clinic and, in particular, thank you Joseph for providing information about your organization and shining a spotlight on healthcare for the homeless and insured.

RecycleBank

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0000

RecycleBank is a unique organization that rewards you for recycling- "motivating people to recycle and engage in environmentally virtuous activities." They believe recycling is the one thing we can all do. In order to inspire people to take action and recycle, the organization makes recycling understandable, easy, and rewarding.

Recyclebank creates incentives for households to recycle by giving them a large portion of the value derived from helping create the cyclical life cycle of a product. The goal of the organization is to change societies' view of the product life cycle from linear to cyclical. The program helps divert trash from landfills.

The organization even makes recycling to rewards easy. It's a simple three step process after signing up:

Recycle- materials are picked up at your curbside.
Record- The carts (which you're supplied with) have id codes that the truck records to keep track of how much you've recycled.
Reward- the amount you've recycled is converted into RecycleBank Points, which you can use towards a variety of rewards.

RecycleBank rewards come from partner organizations in the form of free products, coupons, and discounts.

For a complete list of rewards, partner organizations, and more importantly how you can sign up with RecycleBank, please visit the RecycleBank website.

These Numbers Have Faces

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0000

I want to thank Executive Director Justin Zoradi for making me awareness of the wonderful organization he founded, and Communications Director Jonathan Saur for providing us with such amazing information on this organization.

"These Numbers Have Faces is a Portland, OR based nonprofit organization working in Cape Town, South Africa. These Numbers Have Faces exists to confront generational poverty in South Africa by providing college scholarships for youth in the township of Gugulethu. It is our goal that through education, we can give young people the opportunity to make positive change in their own communities. These Numbers Have Faces isn't about a cause, it's about people.

No matter what the news media tell us, our dear friends in South Africa are not numbers. They are not color coded charts, pie graphs, or economic statistics. These Numbers Have Faces."

These Numbers Have Faces- The Introduction from These Numbers Have Faces on Vimeo.

For more information please visit the These Numbers Have Faces website. You can also watch more videos about the organization by visiting their Vimeo page.

Doctors Without Borders

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization working in more than 60 countries to assist people, whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe.

The organization was founded in 1971, by doctor and journalists in France. They provide independent, impartial assistance to those most in need. MSF is committed to bringing quality medical care to people caught in crisis, regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation. They operate independent of any political, military, or religious agendas. As a result, 89% of MSF's overall funding (and 100% of MSF-USA's funding) comes from private sources not governments. MSF is also committed to speaking out to bring attention to neglected crises, to challenge in adequacies or abuse of the aid system, and to advocate for improved medical treatments and protocols.

There are over 27,000 dedicated individuals working to advance MSF's mission. They are doctors, nurses, logistics experts, administrators, epidemiologists, laboratory technicians, mental health professionals, and others who work together in accordance with MSF's guiding principles of humanitarian action and medical ethics. The field staff are supported by their colleagues in 19 offices around the world. These offices are in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Most aid workers are from the communities where the crises are occurring, with 10% of teams made up of international staff.

MSF-USA was founded in 1990 in New York City to raise funds, create awareness, recruit field staff, and advocate with the United Nations and US government on humanitarian concerns. In 1999, MSF won the Nobel Peace Prize.

The website provides a wealth of information of the organization, its mission, initiatives, and who you can get involved. For more information please visit MSF's website.

Village Enterprise Fund

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Village Enterprise Fund's mission is to break the cycle of poverty in East Africa through training, seed capital and mentoring for income-generating small businesses. They have staff in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, employing a grassroots model of economic development.

The organization combines education, finance and mentoring to create sustainable income-generating businesses. Their business training empowers groups of five or more to select, create and operate small businesses. The training covers:

Assessing the market for the product or service
Marketing skills
Re-investing profits for growth
Basic record keeping
Group dynamics and decision making
Confidence building

Seed capital grants of $100 or $150 go to trained groups with approved grant applications. The grants are provided in two installments. The first installment is for operation start up; the second upon approval based on a progress report showing profits and revenue. Rural start-up businesses include:

Agriculture (maize, cassava, tomatoes, peanuts)
Animal husbandry (goats, chickens, pigs)
Skilled service and construction (tailoring, carpentry, welding, bicycle repair)
Retail (vegetable kiosks, restaurants and cafes, household goods)

Village Enterprise Fund provides personalized advice and encouragement for at least one year, as part of their on-going mentoring. This coaching helps new entrepreneurs gain confidence, overcome the typical challenges of a new venture, understand local market opportunities, become self-sufficient and grow their businesses.

Empowerment grants of $300 go to our most successful entrepreneurs. These incremental investments take an existing business to a new level.

In the past year the organization has transformed 70,925 lives. For more information on how you can help, please visit Village Enterprise Fund's website.

Southern Bancorp

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Southern Bancorp (Southern), a development bank holding company, was formed in 1986 as the brainchild of then Governor Bill Clinton and Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation to end decades of economic decline in rural Arkansas. They are committed to helping transform rural economics by creating new trends of investment in people, jobs, business, and property.

The organization combines the vision, passion, and creativity of nonprofit organizations with the fiscal discipline, financial capacity, and permanence of the FDIC- insured banks. Southern's family of companies include three commercial banks and three 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations.

"Because of the unique public-private partnership, Southern is able to access both the grassroots individuals most affected by regional change as well as the community leadership base of professional, civic, and governmental institutions that traditional nonprofit organizations are unable to reach. Southern's goal is to organize all of the above in a manner that promotes action and stimulates fundamental community change.

Southern believes that successful regional change must be initiated by communities and that such change will be driven by anchor communities in the region. Anchor communities maintain critical mass of business, industry, and population and have the potential to attract and promote economic activity and growth. Anchor communities are an economic and cultural force within a 50-mile radius that support and transform smaller communities in their sphere of influence. Regional change is possible only when several anchor communities can combine to drive revitalization in the larger region."

Their methods include:

Asset Building: Southern Good Faith Fund- established in 1988 as a microloan fund, modeled after Grameen Bank. Over time the mission has evolved to better meet the needs of Delta residents. This now includes asset building, business development center, career pathways, and public policy programming.
Community Banking
Community Planning
Development Lending
Partnerships
Property Development

To date Southern Bancorp has:

Funded more than $1.7 billion in development loans
Created or saved 7,000 jobs
Assisted 930 individuals in obtaining a certificate or degree with 88% landing a job upon graduation.
Developed more than 175 high quality housing units throughout the Delta.

For more information on Southern Bancorp please visit their website.

Kiva

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.

The organization was established by Matt and Jessica Flannery, after an inspiring trip to East Africa that revealed the successes of microfinance. In October 2005 the website launched, becoming the world's first person-to-person microlending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world. "Since its birth, Kiva has grown from a small personal project to one of the world's largest microfinance facilitators, connecting entrepreneurs with millions of dollars in loans from tens of thousands of lenders around the world."

How It Works:

Lenders browse profiles on entrepreneurs in need and choose someone to lend to. When you lend, using PayPal or a credit card, Kiva collects the funds and then passes them along to one of their microfinance partners worldwide.
Kiva's microfinance partners distribute the loan funds to the selected entrepreneur. Often the partners also provide training and other assistance to maximize the entrepreneur's chance of success.
The entrepreneurs repay their loans. Repayment and other updates are posted on Kiva and emailed to lenders who wish to receive them.
When lenders get their money back, they can re-lend to someone else in need, donate their funds to Kiva (to cover operational expenses), or withdraw their funds.

Loans are usually 6 to 12 months.

Kiva offers many opportunities to keep up with their activities. Beyond lender emails, you can visit Kiva's blog to keep up with their most recent initiatives and read about experiences from the field on the Fellows blog.

The site, in addition to providing great information, it also provides visitors with form letters to invite friends to get involved. Plus there's are plenty of banners to spread the word on Kiva, let people know that you're involved, or feature some of Kiva's entrepreneurs. For more information please visit Kiva's website.

Unitus

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Unitus, founded in 2000, is an international nonprofit organization working to reduce global poverty by increasing access to life-changing microfinance services.

In 2001, Unitus' founders traveled to Bangladesh to learn about Grameen Bank and meet its founder, Muhammad Yunus. The trip left the founders of Unitus convinced that microcredit was the key to large-scale poverty alleviation and they began their increased efforts to eliminate poverty.

Their goal is to reach the most people in need as quickly as possible. To do this, Unitus seeks out and partners with young, high-potential microfinance institutions (MFIs), helping them build capacity, attract capital, and achieve exponential growth. "Rather than directly providing microfinance services, Unitus connects the ambitious visionary social entrepreneurs who lead our partner MFIs with the business expertise, capital investments, and innovative tools and services required to grow faster, dream bigger, and reach farther. Their success in turn provides hope and opportunity for thousands who would otherwise remain stuck in the downward cycle of poverty."

"Unitus believes in the inherent value of every global citizen. They see the potential of all individuals to change the world for the better, given the opportunity. They believe they can transform the future for million of the world's least fortunate by scaling up highly leverages, market-based approaches to fighting poverty using the power of microfinance. Once the working poor are no longer excluded from the resources and opportunities of the world's financial markets, they are empowered to realize their full potential, building stronger families, communities, and lives."

In just seven years the organization has helped their partners serve more than seven million clients. Unitus' goal is to help their partners extend their reach to 15 million families by 2010.

Unitus website is full of useful information about microfinance and their approach. For more information, including the various ways you can get involved please visit their website.

MicroPlace

noreply@blogger.com (Courtney) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Today's feature shows how contagious a good, and importantly successful, idea can be. We continue our focus on micro-finance by featuring MicroPlace, an organization founded by Tracey Pettengill Turner after her inspiring experience working at Grameen Bank, (Monday's feature).

MicroPlace's mission is "to help alleviate global poverty by enabling everyday people to make investments in the world's working poor." The organization merged with Ebay in 2006, creating a "synergy between Ebay's mission to provide economic opportunity and MicroPlace's vision to empower the working poor."

The process is simple and you can invest as little as $20. All you need to do is open an investment account, search the site to find an investment you're interested in, and invest with your paypal or bank account. Investors receive their money back and interest payments directly into the account they paid from. You can then re-invest or cash out.

As we've already seen, micro-finance allows those living in proving to help themselves and their community. MicroPlace provides a simple, user-friendly and inexpensive way for anyone to get involved in micro-finance.

For more information please visit the MicroPlace website.