Boris Kievsy, founder of dotOrgStrategy.com and Speed of Like, outlines how nonprofits can better represent themselves through storytelling. He employs tips and tricks from Hollywood narrative formulas to do so. 

Foundation Center West, in partnership with Community Counseling Service (CCS), hosted a panel discussion, Giving USA Review of Results and Analysis: A National Perspective and a Bay Area Perspective. Philanthropy leaders from the Greater Bay Area discussed current philanthropy trends analyzed in the latest Giving USA report.

Michael Stein, a writer and digital strategist who focuses on social sector causes, addresses donor stewardship. He provides tips for nonprofits on how to engage and retain donors. 

Forty-one states require registration for nonprofits that solicit contributions within their borders. That includes grants. Harbor Compliance answers the top 5 questions they get in regards to grant applications and state registration requirements.

Dan Rivas of Idealware explains why nonprofits don't need "big data". Instead they need "little data": information about their organization and their beneficiaries. Be sure to join us on July 13 for a webinar from Idealware about data collection for nonprofits. 

On June 1, Foundation Center West held a panel discussion, “Beyond Marriage Equality: What’s Next in Funding LGBTQ Issues?” The panelists were: Roger Doughty, president of the Horizons Foundation; Matt Foreman, senior program director, gay and lesbian rights at the Evelyn & Walter Haas Jr. Fund; J. Alexander Sloan, vice president of strategic partnerships and communications at Tides; and Christine C. Tien, M.P.P., J.D., program manager, South Sacramento at The California Endowment. Foundation Center West director, Michele Dilworth, moderated the discussion.

"WARNING: Avoid collaboration if possible!" That’s the bright orange warning in the opening pages of a new handbook by Fund for Our Economic Future that aims to help you recognize -- and achieve -- real "col-lab-or-a-tion" and avoid "co-blab-or-a-tion".

In the digital age, how can social change brands effectively align organizational strategy with the designed experiences they create, to deliver meaningful value, deepen audience engagement, and achieve greater impact? David Schwartz Founder of Constructive shares how social change organizations can increase their impact by providing strategic brand experiences for their audience.

Have you ever been told to “lead from a position of strength?” What exactly does that mean? Turns out that one of the most important questions you can ever ask (and answer) is, “What are my strengths?”

A capital campaign is an effective strategy for raising the millions of dollars necessary to complete large projects. However, due to their complexity and the sheer amount of funds that need to be raised, they can span multiple years and strain an organization’s internal operations. Here are six tips to succeed and maximize nonprofit capital campaigns.