Advancement Services Report

Provided as a service of Bentz Whaley Flessner

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Network For Good to Acquire ePhilanthropy Foundation


Below is a press release from the Network for Good. There is a trend of great consolidation in the fundraising services industry.


Network for Good to Acquire ePhilanthropy Foundation:

Combined Resource to Help Nonprofits Boost Online Fundraising

Bethesda, MD – July 29, 2008 – Network for Good, a leading provider of online fundraising services and how-to resources for nonprofits, announced today that it has acquired the ePhilanthropy Foundation, an educational organization helping other nonprofits to use best Internet practices.

The move comes as Network for Good seeks to expand its help tools for nonprofits at a time when many small- to medium-sized organizations are struggling to raise funds and need assistance in starting online giving programs. Because of their low costs and high yield, online outreach programs are especially important during an economic downturn.

Bill Strathmann, chief executive officer of Network for Good, said, "ePhilanthropy Foundation's groundbreaking progress in developing Internet ethics and best practices will do much to help nonprofits get the resources they need. Not only do our organizations want to help a greater number of nonprofits to raise money online, now we collectively will have even more tools to teach them how to do it well."

Network for Good currently provides online fundraising services and training to nonprofit organizations through fundraising tools, e-newsletter communications, free teleconferences presented by industry leaders and its Learning Center (www.fundraising123.org). It will integrate the ePhilanthropy Foundation's unique knowledge and research of how to properly cultivate and support donors, ensuring that people feel secure donating online. The ePhilanthropy Foundation's Code of Ethics has been publicly endorsed by more than 100 organizations and individuals, including Charity Navigator and CFRE International.

Bob Carter, chairman of ePhilanthropy Foundation said, "Our proven leadership in delivering Internet education, advocacy and ethics programs now has the added sustainable support of a strong nonprofit that demonstrates an equal commitment to these principles. Nonprofits across the United States will benefit from Network for Good's decision to invest further in the future of ePhilanthropy."

Network for Good will integrate the two organizations' resources for nonprofits by the end of the summer—thereby bolstering its offering of information, training materials and best-practices education.

About Network for Good

Network for Good is an independent nonprofit organization that helps other nonprofits raise money and reach supporters online. It offers easy, affordable and effective online fundraising services, including donation processing, email outreach and donor management. Network for Good has processed nearly $200 million in donations for more than 30,000 nonprofits since its 2001 founding by AOL, Cisco and Yahoo!. www.networkforgood.org/npo

About the ePhilanthropy Foundation

The ePhilanthropy Foundation is a nonprofit educational organization that seeks to foster the ethical use of the Internet for philanthropic purposes. The foundation provides educational services via conferences and seminars, through various publications and over the Internet via eLearning courses. The Foundation also helps large and small nonprofit organizations learn to utilize the best Internet practices and services to build relationships with supporters, raise money and build trust among donors.

Prospecting: Fund Raiser Predicts Worldwide Competition for

American charities will soon be competing with a world of
nonprofit organizations for online donations, an international
fund-raising expert told participants at a conference in
Washington last week, according to Prospecting, The Chronicle of Philanthropy's
fund-raising column.

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Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Future of Fundraising Technology: Open-Source

Software for fundraising and managing constituents is undergoing a revolution, experts say.

Fueling the revolution is the increasing use by nonprofits of "open-source" software that makes its source code available to users who can modify it, often through collaboration.

Full-text article by Elizabeth Floyd is available via the Philanthropy Journal, 7.22.08.

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Best Practices in Online Video

A conversation with Pat Aufderheide, who led the creation of a guide to the legal rights of people, such as professors and students, who make Web videos.

Full-text article by Jeffrey R. Young is available via the Chronicle of Higher Education, 7.25.08. [Subscription required.]

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Friday, July 18, 2008

Managing Constituent Relationships: Four Case Studies

A review of how four organizations have implemented CRM and what their experiences can mean for your organization.

Full-text article by Anthony Pisapia and Brett Bonfield is available via TechSoup, 7.14.08.

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Thursday, July 17, 2008

New Ways to Connect Data, Computers, and People

A conversation with Edward Seidel, an astrophysicist who will lead the National Science Foundation's efforts to advance computer science by exploring new ways to connect data, computers, and people.

Full-text article by Andrea L. Foster is available via the Chronicle of Higher Education, 7.11.08. [Subscription required.]

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Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Social Networking and Web 2.0

David Lotz, Convio's Director of Higher Education, hosted a session directed at senior-level advancement professionals looking to explore creative ways to advance their programs and to forge ahead in new directions today at the 2008 CASE Summit.

"Alumni today expect a much greater level of personalization and interactivity, so having a Web 2.0 strategy is no longer optional. There is an incredible opportunity for universities to leverage existing alumni networks on sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook, and to dramatically increase the richness and relevancy of their communications," said Lotz.

Full-text article available via MarketWatch, 7.14.08.

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Researchers Renew Their Effort to Reinvent the Internet

A nationwide effort to redesign the Internet will now involve economists and social scientists in hopes of designing a more adaptable network.

Full-text article by Jeffrey R. Young is available via the Chronicle of Higher Education, 7.18.08. [Subscription required.]

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