Catching Up with Back on My Feet

We’ve all been there. It’s the New Year and you decide that you’re going to start running. Just a few easy jogs a week. How long does your new running program last? One week, two? Maybe a month? With Back on My Feet (BoMF) in Baltimore, 76% of participants will stick with their first month of the program, which includes thrice-weekly 5:30 am runs (yes, that’s 5:30 AM, as in, before the sun rises.)

Runners gather together before the Nikia Half Marathon in Maryland

BoMF, a national organization, uses running to help the homeless gain self-esteem and structure in their lives as a stepping stone to obtaining stable employment and housing. Participants, or Residents, must have 90% attendance at the three weekly morning runs in their first month to gain access to the Next Steps stage that includes job and education training.

Last December, the One Percent Foundation Partners voted BoMF the top organization for the 2012 Poverty Cycle, awarding them a $10,000 grant. Regional Executive Director Ashley Kilpatrick caught up with us and explained how great of a year 2013 has been for the Baltimore chapter, in part due to the OPF grant.

In their Organization Profile, BoMF proposed using a $10,000 grant to clothe all Residents for a year. The organization gets a discount from Brooks, a top-of-the-line running gear manufacturer, but as any runner knows, a good pair of running shoes is not cheap. Factor in the need to dress for both cold Baltimore winters and steamy mid-Atlantic summers, outfitting participants has run the organization $2,500 a quarter in the past. However, after receiving a generous donation of 100 pairs of shoes from Newton and a successful shoe donation campaign, BoMF has been able to operate on a much lower gear budget than anticipated and has only spent about $1,000 so far in 2013.

With the excess funds, BoMF was able to hire a Communications and Development Intern – greatly expanding their capacity to communicate their mission to the community. Being able to both reach potential new volunteers as well as engage the 170 current volunteers has been a huge help to the organization. According to Ashley, volunteers are the “heart and soul” of the organization, and the organization would not be successful without them. The OPF grant helped enable BoMF to expand the number of Residents, bringing them closer to employment and housing.  Check out two resident snapshots and more facts about the Baltimore program below!

The next time you’re considering hitting the snooze button for your run, think of the BoMF residents and volunteers who were out running at 5:30.

Back on My Feet – Baltimore, by the Numbers:
76 – Total participants served in 2013 thus far
14 – Participants who have run their first race
12 – Participants who have found stable employment.
9 – Participants who have become alumni, meaning they have stable housing and employment
9 – Participants enrolled in job training courses

Resident Snapshots

Resident Reginald

Reginald from team Christopher Place is a team player who is always looking out for his teammates. He is a very talented runner and has been very dedicated with moving his life forward in the three months that he has been with Back on My Feet. Reginald recently began work at Grassroots, a landscaping company, where he is a driver and landscaper. Despite long hard days at his job, Reginald has maintained 100% attendance.

Despite being a new runner with Back on My Feet, John of Helping Up Mission has gone above and beyond. In the short time he has been with Back on My Feet, he has volunteered at two races, attended a social event and has been actively running at optional Saturday morning runs. He is a quiet leader who sets a positive example for his teammates through his actions. His positive attitude and commitment to his team are traits that will be valued by any employer.

Looking to get involved with Back on My Feet?  If you’re in Baltimore, consider running the Sneaks Come Out at Night 15k or 5k relay on August 3.  Not in Maryland?  The organization has chapter in 10 U.S. cities.

—meredithjames | no comments
(posted in OPF Updates)

March Madness for Good – A Grant Madness Recap

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(posted in OPF Updates | tagged grant madness, grantees)

Teetering on the Edge: The Looming Fiscal Cliff and What it Means for Nonprofits

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(posted in OPF Updates)

Catching Up with… Global Press Institute

Like for most nonprofits, 2010 and 2011 were not good years for the Global Press Institute (GPI).   Amidst the recession, the organization, which empowers women in 26 developing countries through journalism, found it hard to find enough funds to run programs and pay employees, let alone grow or expand their coverage.

However, the OPF Partners were still very much impressed by GPI, and awarded the nonprofit a $5,000.01 grant in the 2011 International Aid Grant Cycle.  When the check arrived in early 2012, Executive Director Cristi Hegranes explained that “it was the kick we needed” to get going in the right direction.

OPF’s grant was immediately put to good use.  While many grants GPI receives are earmarked for a specific news desk, primarily those in highly visible countries, OPF’s funding was unrestricted.  With the grant, GPI was able to provide more consistent employment and better technology for its reporters in Zambia and Cameroon, two countries that are often overlooked by other grantors, and made it possible for a mother to reunite with her son.  One of the Cameroon reporters lived in the city where the high cost of living prevented her from raising her son, who was with his grandparents back in her home village.  With the OPF grant, GPI was able to extend full time employment to the reporter, who promptly brought her son to live with her in the city.

In the 11 months since receiving the OPF grant, GPI has become partners with six additional foundations, securing necessary funding to expand programs and upgrade technology so that all reporters have the tools they need to succeed.  Buoyed by an exceptional 2012, Hegranes and her team have ambitious plans for 2013 and beyond.  The organization is planning on hiring a Senior Marketing Manager to oversee content marketing for the organization.  By syndicating their stories, GPI aims to become 25% self-sustainable by the end of next year.

The organization will also update their news desk technology so that each reporter is able to capture their story with photos and videos.  Additionally, with plans to expand multimedia presence, GPI will train reporters on video journalism.  Once these goals are met, Hegranes plans on opening GPI news desks in 25 new countries by the end of 2014, doubling the organization’s reach.  While OPF cannot take all of the credit for such an exceptional year, the International Aid grant kicked off a transformative year for GPI.

—meredithjames | no comments
(posted in OPF Updates)

Don’t just be a fan, be a champion for your cause

You are casually perusing Facebook when you notice your friend’s hilariously bad picture of his new handlebar moustache. You laugh, and then notice that he is doing it in support of Movember, a movement to raise awareness about prostate cancer. Inspired by his cause, and wanting the rest of your friends to laugh too, you share the picture and donate a few bucks to his campaign. You feel great, euphoric even, at your amazing philanthropic contribution toward ending one the most prevalent male cancers.

In a world where endless posts cross our screens and vie for our attention, does retweeting or posting on your newsfeed really engage your friends?

According to the Millennial Impact Report, 42 percent of young adults give to wherever “inspires them at the moment,” so why are we replacing real conversations and experiences with the share button? In addition to retweeting your friend’s funny ‘stache, take the time to tell two friends about your dad’s experience with prostate cancer or explain how one in six men will be diagnosed with the disease. That’s a REAL share.

Social media makes it easy to be a fan of an organization or cause, but actively getting your friends involved is much more difficult. What happened to championing your cause? The Impact Report notes that millennials who “form long-term volunteer relationships…tend to give larger gifts and encourage friends and family to give and volunteer as well.” So, if you’re really passionate about improving child literacy rates, after you share on Facebook make sure to bring a friend along the next time you tutor fifth-graders at the neighborhood school.

Don’t be afraid to dig deeper into the issue you are passionate about. Talk to leaders of local nonprofits and find out what their needs are. Maybe the local chapter of Everybody Wins! needs a new logo and one of your friends is a budding graphic designer. It’s a great opportunity to get your buddy involved while helping an organization.

In the age of Instagram, muploads, and check-ins, it’s easy to forget that authentic sharing happens offline, face to face. We love and appreciate our fans, but it’s the champions who really help us achieve our mission.

—meredithjames | no comments
(posted in OPF Updates)

Reactive Giving Isn’t Enough to Rebuild a Community

With several news outlets calling Hurricane Sandy the “Perfect Storm,” it’s natural to want to help.  Photographs of flooded subways and blacked-out skylines have overtaken Twitter feeds, Facebook timelines, and televisions, and even in far-away San Francisco, amidst World Series celebrations, front pages display the destruction. Providing aid through monetary donations is increasingly easy; the Red Cross set up a text-to-donate number and Apple enabled users to donate via iTunes.

In the wake of the disaster, reactional giving has the potential to bring in millions, if not billions of dollars to support relief efforts. Over $1 billion was raised in response to the gulf coast hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. In addition to private support for Sandy, companies such as the NFL, Disney and Target have pledged millions, and NBC is hosting a telethon featuring Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi this Friday to support the Red Cross. Even the cast of Jersey Shore, most known for spray tans and hair gel, has pledged to aid in rebuilding the New Jersey coastline.  According to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, nearly one-third of all post-disaster giving will come within four weeks, two-thirds will occur within two months and in six months, nearly all giving will end. How will our communities continue to rebuild after six months?

While reactive giving provides necessary capital for relief organizations, it is only part of disaster philanthropy. Proactive philanthropy for disaster relief organizations allows for better precautionary planning and earlier mobilization. It also provides the sustained support necessary to fund multi-year rebuilding efforts. Thoughtful, educated giving not only ensures that the needs of Hurricane Sandy victims are met, but that aid organizations are in a better position the next time disaster strikes. When Sandy coverage dwindles, don’t forget how you feel today. Set up a calendar reminder for six months from now to reassess the relief needs and provide extra-needed support when new stories flood the front page. The One Percent Foundation believes in thoughtful, sustainable giving that includes both short-term and long-term focus and seeks to educate Millennials about impactful philanthropy.

Don’t get us wrong, reactive donations are extremely helpful and enable organizations to provide the help millions of Americans need. If you, like other Millennials, prefer to support smaller nonprofits on the ground, check out Team Rubicon. TR deploys military veterans to crisis situations and responded to Sandy with Operation Greased Lighting, mobilizing over 100 veterans to the East Coast.

For more information about disaster philanthropy, visit the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.

Cross posted from Good.is

http://www.good.is/posts/disaster-philanthropy-reactive-giving-isn-t-enough-to-rebuild-a-community

—meredithjames | no comments
(posted in OPF Updates)

So, what is a matching grant? Defining common grant types

Last week, we received exciting news that Sustainable Conservation is going to match the $5,000.01 grant they received from the OPF’s Environment Grant Cycle.

If you were left wondering “This sounds really awesome, but what exactly does it mean?” don’t sweat it.  There are lots of different types of grants and keeping them all straight can be confusing.  Luckily, we are here to define “matching grant” as well as introduce you to some other types of donations.

• Matching  – Donors promise to match the amount of money an organization raises from other sources in order to leverage their investment further.  Matching grants can also come in the form of corporate matches, when a company doubles the donation of an employee.
• Capital – These grants can be used for large investments, such as to purchase property, construct a new building, or build an awesome new website.
• Endowment – These are permanent, annual gifts to an organization for operating or project costs.
• General – An organization can use this grant for day-to-day expenses, such as rent, salaries, and other operations costs.
• Project – An organization receiving a project grant must use the funds for a specified project usually designated when the organization applies for the grant
• Seed – These grants are awarded to organizations to help “jump start” a project, campaign, or to get simply aid in getting the organization off of the ground
• Unrestricted – This type of grant comes with “no strings attached” in terms of intended purpose. An organization is free to use the money where they need it.  This is the type of grant OPF awards!

There you have it, a greater understanding of types of donations and a few more words in your arsenal should “Types of Grants” come up in a weekend game of Scattergories.

Have a philanthropy term you’ve always been curious about?  Let us know and we would be happy to increase your philanthropic knowledge!

Source: http://www.cfsww.org/nonprofits/resources/grantdefinitions.html

—meredithjames | no comments
(posted in OPF Updates)

Catching up with the United Teen Equality Center

Through the One Percent Giving Circle, the One Percent Foundation awards grants to effective, innovative organizations.  A testament to the caliber of our Partners is the high quality of organizations they select as grantees, which continue to succeed and grow long after OPF’s assessment is complete.

In Summer 2011, the $5,000.01 grant winner for the Poverty Cycle was United Teen Equality Center (UTEC) in Lowell, Massachusetts.  Over the past year, the organization has made significant progress toward achieving its ambitious goals.  UTEC engages disconnected youth in education and workforce development programs to inspire them away from a life of violence and poverty.

UTEC Workforce Development Program participants enjoying a meal together

This organization, which impressed Partners by its intensive street outreach and gang peacemaking initiatives, has been hard at work increasing the number of youth served in its programs.  One of the goals for fiscal year 2012 was to serve 85 youth in Workforce Development Programs, an increase of 130% from the previous year.  UTEC met, and exceeded this goal, by serving 90 youth, and set a goal of 130 for next year.  Impressively, the organization retained 91% of program participants who remained within their service area.

In order to make room for these additional program participants, UTEC is set to open a new, 7,000 square-foot addition to their current youth center on November 13, doubling their current program space.  The new center will be home to the only youth run café in the area, and is expected to be named the oldest LEED Platinum certified building in the country.

For more information about the United Teen Equality Center, you can visit their website or follow them on Facebook.

UEC's new, green building under construction

—meredithjames | no comments
(posted in OPF Updates)

Poverty Primer

Nominations for the One Percent Foundation’s Poverty Grant Cycle open on Monday.  To get you in the nominating mood,  we put together a basic poverty primer for you to peruse.

Poverty in the United States is measured by the Census Bureau by comparing household’s annual income to the “poverty threshold,” which is calculated based on family size, the number of children and the age of the householder.  Based on this definition, there are currently about 48.5 million Americans living in poverty, or 15.9% of the population, a number that has been increasing for the past 4 years.

In developing countries, poverty is even more prevalent.  The United Nations defines poverty as living on less than $1.25 a day and currently 22.2% of the world’s population is living below this level.  In 2000, the United Nations made it one of their Millennium Development Goals to eradicate poverty.

Poverty is associated with substandard housing, homelessness, inadequate nutrition and healthcare, and poor academic achievement.  In the U.S., children who are from families living below the poverty line are 4.7 times more likely to drop out of school and being impoverish is also a reliable predictor of child abuse and neglect.

With a litany of associated problems, poverty reduction is a necessary goal for improving the well-being of nearly one-sixth of Americans and one-fifth of the world.

In the U.S., poverty alleviation strategies take many forms, from providing basic, immediate necessities to long-term projects aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty.  Organizations that run food banks and homeless shelters are examples of those tackling immediate needs, while job training and educational organizations provide more long-term benefits.

Poverty alleviation strategies in developing countries focus more broadly on sustainably growing economies through strong policies, including promoting trade and developing industry, but there is still a need for programs focusing on providing food, shelter, education and job training.

Poverty reduction is a broad topic, but one with lots of room for innovative, creative solutions.  Get thinking about awesome organizations you know of that work to alleviate poverty and nominate them for an OPF grant.  You can do that by logging into your OPF account and clicking on “Nominate an Organization.”  Hurry, nominations close October 15!

—meredithjames | no comments
(posted in OPF Updates)

Is emotional, thoughtful giving an oxymoron? Harnessing Millennial giving patterns

The One Percent Foundation strives to make philanthropy more accessible to Millennials, and as a result, we are always looking for new research on Millennial giving.  The recently released 2012 Millennial Impact Report reinforced that OPF’s goals are in-line with Millennials’ values, and helped reveal important trends for how our generation engages in giving.

One of the most interesting findings was that Millennials prefer to “give in the moment,” but that this does not imply their giving is haphazard or random.  According to the report, “Millennials described a willingness to give based on emotion and in moments of inspiration, but they still want to know that their gifts will have an impact” and subsequently, one of the most effective ways of motivating Millennials to give is describing tangible uses of their gifts.

Is it really possible to simultaneously give emotionally and thoughtfully?  Emotional giving implies a spur-of-the-moment decision that does not allow time to explore the impact of a donation.  If Millennials are giving because of an inspirational moment, how thoughtful and well-researched can their gift really be?

A strong relationship between an organization and its Millennial supporters can achieve a high-level of awareness about an organization’s fundraising goals while creating an emotional bond.  Organizations can use this connection to educate supporters about the tangible impact of donations while fostering  the familiarity necessary for  ”in the moment” giving.  Additionally, the Giving Report also notes that Millennials are more likely to give larger gifts to organizations with which they have a strong relationship.

In what other ways is it possible to make emotional, yet well-researched gifts?

—meredithjames | no comments
(posted in OPF Updates)