June 24th, 2009 - Posted by Elizabeth Darling - No Comments
The White House Office of Social Innovation and the Corporation for National and Community Service hosted breakfast for nearly 200 conference attendees this morning. The breakfast featured a panel discussion with social entrepreneurs Michele Jolin from the White House, Paul Schmitz of Public Allies, Dorothy Stoneman of YouthBuild USA and Kirstin Lodal of LIFT. The panel shared their respective journeys from initial vision to scaling their service models nationally and internationally. The audience included foundations, major corporations, state service commissions, nonprofit CEOs, government leaders and additional interested participants.
Some questions presented to the panel included:
- How can the government support innovative organizations, evidence of social impact and promising programs that have the capacity to scale?
- How can the government engage private funders?
- Should we try to focus on funding specific issues or on geographic areas?
- What should the criteria be in selecting intermediaries?
A robust discussion ensued, with participants urging for inclusion of persons with disabilities, the business community, community foundations and venture capitalists. Panelists also insisted upon transparency in the distribution.
In addition, the participants emphasized the importance of tracking funds. The Serve America Act authorized $50 million to the Social Innovation Fund. While it still has to pass through the 2010 appropriations process, the fund is intended to go in part to grantmaking institutions with a one-to-one cash match. Subgrantees will also be held to the same cash match requirement. Organizations will have to meet multiple criteria to receive funds, which may include service to philanthropically underserved areas.
If funded by Congress, the Corporation for National and Community Service could release a notice of funding availability (NOFA) from the Social Innovation Fund as early as October. OneStar will continue to keep our partners updated on the progress of this fund, as well as the general progress made by the Office of Social Innovation.
Tags: Nonprofit Organizations·OneStar Foundation·Philanthropy·Social Impact·Social Innovation
June 24th, 2009 - Posted by Elizabeth Darling - No Comments
The kickoff for the 2009 Conference on Volunteering and Service could not have been more appropriate. The event was bookended by First Lady Michelle Obama, passionate champion of national service, and Jon Bon Jovi, proponent of community service, philanthropy and civic engagement! The crowd of 5,000 was inspired to see reflected in our national leadership, a commitment to and acknowledgment of the power of civic engagement through service.
This year’s theme—“Civic. Energy. Generation.”—speaks to the momentum generated around the issue of civic engagement: being involved in community, and being part of the solution. This is a unique moment in our nation’s history, as national service and the power of volunteer involvement is recognized at the highest levels:
- The White House with the President’s renewed call to service;
- Congress and the passage of the Serve America Act;
- Major corporations integrating robust pro bono skilled professional volunteer programs;
- Philanthropists rethinking their funding decisions to incorporate measurable impact;
- Social entrepreneurs implementing innovative solutions to age old problems;
- Many nonprofits beginning to shift emphasis from symptomatic problems to root or systemic causes;
- More K-12 schools embedding service learning into their curriculum and
- Universities committed to infusing student service throughout the academic experience.
As Texans, we know civic engagement is the cornerstone of what makes our state great. OneStar is committed to promoting social responsibility and volunteering as indicators of the healthy communities. If you are not involved locally, consider making an investment in your community through service—it’s good for you!
Tags: Civic Engagement·Community Service·First Lady Michelle Obama·Leadership·Nonprofit Organizations·OneStar Foundation·President Obama·Pro Bono Volunteerism·Serve America Act·Social Impact·Volunteers
June 24th, 2009 - Posted by OneStar Foundation - No Comments
OneStar Foundation is proud to announce that nominations for the 2009 Governor’s Volunteer Awards (GVA) are now open!
Do you know an outstanding volunteer in your community? Do you know of an individual, a business, an organization or an agency that is going above and beyond to make a difference? If so, nominate them for GVA. The deadline is August 28, 2009, and the awards ceremony will be held on December 9, 2009, in conjunction with the Governor’s Nonprofit Leadership Conference.
More information about the nomination criteria—including a downloadable nomination form—can be found on the GVA section of our Web site.
Tags: Governor Rick Perry·OneStar Foundation·Texas·Volunteer Recognition·Volunteerism
June 22nd, 2009 - Posted by OneStar Foundation - No Comments
Last week, President Obama announced a new campaign to encourage volunteerism and service. Titled “United We Serve,” this initiative is kicking off today at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in San Francisco.
“This summer, I’m calling on all of you to make volunteerism and community service part of your daily life and the life of this nation,” said President Obama when he introduced the initiative through a Serve.gov video on June 16, 2009. “And when I say ‘all,’ I mean everyone—young and old, from every background, all across this country. We need individuals, community organizations, corporations, foundations, and our government to be part of this effort.”
Are you planning to participate in a summer of service? What are you planning to do? Tell us in the comments section.
Also, is your organization ready to handle an influx of “United We Serve” volunteers? Check out our posts on the real value of volunteers’ time and on getting ready for volunteers for more information. And feel free to share additional volunteer-related links or tips in the comments section.
Tags: AmeriCorps·Nonprofit Organizations·President Obama·Pro Bono Volunteerism·Resources·Social Impact·Texas·Volunteerism·Volunteers
June 22nd, 2009 - Posted by OneStar Foundation - No Comments
In his blog post “The Worst Question to Ask About Charity,” Dan Pallotta writes about the misconceptions behind measuring a nonprofit’s success through low overhead costs. He argues that judging a nonprofit simply on whether or not it has low administrative costs does not answer the larger, more important question: how much social impact is generated by the work of that organization? The public assumes that there is a direct correlation between low overhead costs and high social impact, says Pallotta, but the two can be mutually exclusive. He doesn’t want people to assume that organizations with miniscule administrative costs must, therefore, be making a difference. In fact, Pallotta states that “major studies on the relationship between organizational strength and impact find otherwise.”
What questions do you think donors and volunteers should ask nonprofit to determine whether or not they are successful? How does your organization measure its success? Join the discussion at Pallotta’s blog, or share your comments below.
Tags: Donations·Nonprofit Organizations·Social Impact
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