“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.”
Robert F Kennedy
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Initiative links building owners with nonprofits
Initiative links building owners with nonprofits
The agencies need extra commercial space, and there’s plenty available
Dallas Business Journal - by Bill Hethcock Staff writer
An increased demand for space to store food and other supplies for the needy has prompted a Dallas energy consultant to play matchmaker between the nonprofit community and the commercial real estate industry.
Carolyn Cantrell, director of the Dallas office of Good Energy LP, has launched an initiative called “Good Space for Good People” in which her company will serve as a clearinghouse for commercial properties that landlords and building owners make available for nonprofits.
“Many nonprofits have a real need for more space right now because of the economy, and the commercial real estate community has more space than they’d like to have because leasing is down,” Cantrell said. “The economic downturn has provided an opportunity to tie them together.”
In addition, tax deductions may be available for in-kind donations of space, she said.
One of the organizations needing space is the North Texas Food Bank, said Jan Pruitt, the food bank’s president and CEO. NTFB’s member food pantries and other agencies it supplies have seen a sharp increase in first-time clients over the last six months. Many are recently laid-off workers who never imagined they would rely on a food pantry, soup kitchen or meal program for help, she said.
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“I think there is a win-win here,” Pruitt said. “If someone is unable to rent or lease out warehouse space, and they can get a tax write-off for helping the food bank, that’s a win on both sides.”
The rising demand has left the food bank in need of 70,000 to 90,000 square feet of warehouse and distribution space, said Paul Wunderlich, NTFB’s chief operating officer. About 260 nonprofits in 13 counties receive food from the food bank, and many of those groups need more warehouse space as well, he said.
The food bank especially needs cooler and freezer space, Wunderlich said. Ideally, the space would be in western Collin County, but the food bank is happy to consider any space, he said.
“You have to be innovative and nimble in the nonprofit industry, and you have to take advantage of opportunities as they come along,” he said.
NTFB currently operates out of a 70,000-square-foot warehouse it owns in South Dallas, which is at the southern end of its service area. The food bank would consider ownership or long-term leases in donated space, Pruitt said.
“We’re kind of like a kettle here,” Pruitt said. “We’re starting to boil and we need more space to relieve the pressure.”
In addition to the food bank, the recession has caused the Dallas-area chapter of the [CompanyWatch allows you to receive email alerts with stories related to your companies of interest.
Nonprofits with a property request and building owners or commercial real estate firms with available property may contact Cantrell at 972-200-9777 or carolyn@goodenergy.com.
The agencies need extra commercial space, and there’s plenty available
Dallas Business Journal - by Bill Hethcock Staff writer
An increased demand for space to store food and other supplies for the needy has prompted a Dallas energy consultant to play matchmaker between the nonprofit community and the commercial real estate industry.
Carolyn Cantrell, director of the Dallas office of Good Energy LP, has launched an initiative called “Good Space for Good People” in which her company will serve as a clearinghouse for commercial properties that landlords and building owners make available for nonprofits.
“Many nonprofits have a real need for more space right now because of the economy, and the commercial real estate community has more space than they’d like to have because leasing is down,” Cantrell said. “The economic downturn has provided an opportunity to tie them together.”
In addition, tax deductions may be available for in-kind donations of space, she said.
One of the organizations needing space is the North Texas Food Bank, said Jan Pruitt, the food bank’s president and CEO. NTFB’s member food pantries and other agencies it supplies have seen a sharp increase in first-time clients over the last six months. Many are recently laid-off workers who never imagined they would rely on a food pantry, soup kitchen or meal program for help, she said.
[CompanyWatch allows you to receive email alerts with stories related to your companies of interest.
You can watch up to ten companies at a time.
] The North Texas Food Bank has distributed 3 million more meals this year than at this time last year, and its agencies have ordered 40% more food in the same period, Pruitt said.“I think there is a win-win here,” Pruitt said. “If someone is unable to rent or lease out warehouse space, and they can get a tax write-off for helping the food bank, that’s a win on both sides.”
The rising demand has left the food bank in need of 70,000 to 90,000 square feet of warehouse and distribution space, said Paul Wunderlich, NTFB’s chief operating officer. About 260 nonprofits in 13 counties receive food from the food bank, and many of those groups need more warehouse space as well, he said.
The food bank especially needs cooler and freezer space, Wunderlich said. Ideally, the space would be in western Collin County, but the food bank is happy to consider any space, he said.
“You have to be innovative and nimble in the nonprofit industry, and you have to take advantage of opportunities as they come along,” he said.
NTFB currently operates out of a 70,000-square-foot warehouse it owns in South Dallas, which is at the southern end of its service area. The food bank would consider ownership or long-term leases in donated space, Pruitt said.
“We’re kind of like a kettle here,” Pruitt said. “We’re starting to boil and we need more space to relieve the pressure.”
In addition to the food bank, the recession has caused the Dallas-area chapter of the [CompanyWatch allows you to receive email alerts with stories related to your companies of interest.
You can watch up to ten companies at a time.
] American Red Cross and many other nonprofits to require not only additional warehouse space, but office and retail space as well, Cantrell said.Nonprofits with a property request and building owners or commercial real estate firms with available property may contact Cantrell at 972-200-9777 or carolyn@goodenergy.com.
Saving nonprofits through pro bono adoption
Robert Miller of The Dallas Morning News, provides a fresh outlook for companies to continue to embrace nonprofits.
Saving nonprofits through pro bono adoption by Robert Miller
Blaine L. Nelson, managing partner for Deloitte's North Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma region, has devoted most of his adult life to solving challenges confronting the nonprofit sector.
His résumé attests to that commitment: He's the immediate past chairman of the board of governors of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra; a member of the board of directors of the Dallas Opera, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and North Texas Regional Chamber of Commerce; a member of the Dallas Citizens Council and the advisory board of the American Film Institute Dallas; a former member of the board of directors of the Utah Symphony; and a former mayor of Fruit Heights, Utah.
Dr. Kern Wildenthal, president of the Southwestern Medical Foundation and the Dallas Opera, just recruited Nelson to help choose a permanent executive director for the Dallas Opera.
Nelson thinks philanthropy can still be effective if it adapts to meet changing economic conditions.
"In the world of corporate philanthropy, cash has long been king," he said.
"However, at a time when charitable cash contributions are being squeezed, when 76 percent of corporate grant-makers acknowledge they must adjust their giving strategies, and when there is renewed national emphasis on volunteerism, this one-track approach focused on 'show me the money' is untenable.
"It is a mind-set that must change."
At a crossroads
Nelson thinks corporate philanthropy is at a crossroads because of the recession. And for some of the more than 14,000 nonprofits in North Texas, their very survival hangs in the balance.
"Yet few corporate donors and nonprofits are thinking about using skilled volunteerism as a valued currency to complement existing philanthropic strategies and help offset declines in giving. But they should, because it's likely that those grant makers and nonprofits that seize the opportunity to expand their definition of corporate giving could emerge stronger and better able to weather the times ahead.
"The time is right to redefine the traditional definition of corporate giving, to encompass what many business leaders consider their most valuable asset: the skills of their employees."
Volunteer support
Nelson cited a recent report by his company, the 2009 Deloitte Volunteer Impact Survey, which found that 95 percent of nonprofits need more skilled volunteer support. And 97 percent said they could increase their organization's impact if they had more consulting resources on a pro bono basis.
"And while 78 percent of corporations agree that their employees' skills would be valuable to philanthropic organizations, only 50 percent offer this type of support," Nelson said.
The need for cash, of course, is legitimate and undeniable, Nelson said. But with corporate donations on the decline, the need to hasten the adoption of pro bono as a complementary giving strategy has never been more urgent.
"Consider this: Four in 10 nonprofits say they will spend between $50,000 and $250,000, or more, for outside business consultants in 2009," he said.
"If they secured pro bono support instead, they could free up those funds for other uses."
So why the slow adoption of pro bono?
"One reason is that both sides cite significant barriers to the effective giving and getting of skilled support, given its inherently sophisticated nature. But these barriers are not insurmountable."
Nelson offers a simple plan: Corporate donors should take stock internally and talk with current grantees about what types of skilled volunteer support is available.
"Nonprofits need the most help in marketing, legal and strategic planning. Those are areas in which almost any large company has experience.
"Second, they should offer a signed commitment. Companies generally follow through with financial contributions, but many nonprofits have felt the sting of unfinished pro bono projects in the past; 88 percent see the lack of a formal commitment as problematic."
Taking the right steps
Nelson said nonprofits can also take important steps.
"First, they must be ready to accept pro bono help. The Volunteer Impact Survey found that nonprofits are generally better equipped to cultivate cash vs. volunteers. So make sure to assign qualified staff or board members to solicit and oversee pro bono engagements in their areas of expertise.
"And second, when negotiating sponsorship contracts, think beyond the cash mentality. Recognize pro bono service as an asset that should garner benefits. Treat it as the valuable currency it is."
Nelson said these ideas are just for starters.
"It's been said that no one should ever waste a crisis. Indeed, these challenging economic times are cause for many corporate givers to readjust their giving strategies to the new reality.
"Given the unlikelihood of increased cash giving, make pro bono the new currency. If our workforce is one of corporate America's most important assets, let's make it the community's too."
10:17 AM CDT on Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Saving nonprofits through pro bono adoption by Robert Miller
Blaine L. Nelson, managing partner for Deloitte's North Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma region, has devoted most of his adult life to solving challenges confronting the nonprofit sector.
His résumé attests to that commitment: He's the immediate past chairman of the board of governors of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra; a member of the board of directors of the Dallas Opera, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and North Texas Regional Chamber of Commerce; a member of the Dallas Citizens Council and the advisory board of the American Film Institute Dallas; a former member of the board of directors of the Utah Symphony; and a former mayor of Fruit Heights, Utah.
Dr. Kern Wildenthal, president of the Southwestern Medical Foundation and the Dallas Opera, just recruited Nelson to help choose a permanent executive director for the Dallas Opera.
Nelson thinks philanthropy can still be effective if it adapts to meet changing economic conditions.
"In the world of corporate philanthropy, cash has long been king," he said.
"However, at a time when charitable cash contributions are being squeezed, when 76 percent of corporate grant-makers acknowledge they must adjust their giving strategies, and when there is renewed national emphasis on volunteerism, this one-track approach focused on 'show me the money' is untenable.
"It is a mind-set that must change."
At a crossroads
Nelson thinks corporate philanthropy is at a crossroads because of the recession. And for some of the more than 14,000 nonprofits in North Texas, their very survival hangs in the balance.
"Yet few corporate donors and nonprofits are thinking about using skilled volunteerism as a valued currency to complement existing philanthropic strategies and help offset declines in giving. But they should, because it's likely that those grant makers and nonprofits that seize the opportunity to expand their definition of corporate giving could emerge stronger and better able to weather the times ahead.
"The time is right to redefine the traditional definition of corporate giving, to encompass what many business leaders consider their most valuable asset: the skills of their employees."
Volunteer support
Nelson cited a recent report by his company, the 2009 Deloitte Volunteer Impact Survey, which found that 95 percent of nonprofits need more skilled volunteer support. And 97 percent said they could increase their organization's impact if they had more consulting resources on a pro bono basis.
"And while 78 percent of corporations agree that their employees' skills would be valuable to philanthropic organizations, only 50 percent offer this type of support," Nelson said.
The need for cash, of course, is legitimate and undeniable, Nelson said. But with corporate donations on the decline, the need to hasten the adoption of pro bono as a complementary giving strategy has never been more urgent.
"Consider this: Four in 10 nonprofits say they will spend between $50,000 and $250,000, or more, for outside business consultants in 2009," he said.
"If they secured pro bono support instead, they could free up those funds for other uses."
So why the slow adoption of pro bono?
"One reason is that both sides cite significant barriers to the effective giving and getting of skilled support, given its inherently sophisticated nature. But these barriers are not insurmountable."
Nelson offers a simple plan: Corporate donors should take stock internally and talk with current grantees about what types of skilled volunteer support is available.
"Nonprofits need the most help in marketing, legal and strategic planning. Those are areas in which almost any large company has experience.
"Second, they should offer a signed commitment. Companies generally follow through with financial contributions, but many nonprofits have felt the sting of unfinished pro bono projects in the past; 88 percent see the lack of a formal commitment as problematic."
Taking the right steps
Nelson said nonprofits can also take important steps.
"First, they must be ready to accept pro bono help. The Volunteer Impact Survey found that nonprofits are generally better equipped to cultivate cash vs. volunteers. So make sure to assign qualified staff or board members to solicit and oversee pro bono engagements in their areas of expertise.
"And second, when negotiating sponsorship contracts, think beyond the cash mentality. Recognize pro bono service as an asset that should garner benefits. Treat it as the valuable currency it is."
Nelson said these ideas are just for starters.
"It's been said that no one should ever waste a crisis. Indeed, these challenging economic times are cause for many corporate givers to readjust their giving strategies to the new reality.
"Given the unlikelihood of increased cash giving, make pro bono the new currency. If our workforce is one of corporate America's most important assets, let's make it the community's too."
10:17 AM CDT on Tuesday, May 26, 2009
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