Experience Project (http://www.experienceproject.com), the first and largest Social Experience Website, recently launched cause-based programs for raising funds and increasing awareness for numerous nonprofits. The first program began a few months ago through partnerships with animal shelters to help feed animals in need (http://www.savepups.com). Experience Project has a large animalloving community, so it was an ideal choice to work with animal shelters for the initial launch.

The program works by having users answer fun trivia questions, and revenue is generated through the ads that appear with every click. To increase awareness through viral word-of-mouth growth, Experience Project leverages social networking platforms, like Facebook and MySpace, and website discovery sites, like Digg. The program has proven to be highly successful in attracting visitors (100K per month), and Experience Project is currently working to roll out the program for other non-profits whose causes are important to the Experience Project community. Some of these causes include breast cancer, autism, and the environment.

Non-profits can participate in the program for free, thereby allowing resource-strapped organizations to reach out to hundreds of thousands of users with minimal effort -- they also receive 100% of the funds raised. The result is a win-win scenario for both parties as the partnership also helps drive incremental traffic to Experience Project.

“As a destination site dedicated to fostering rich and meaningful conversations about real life issues, we are truly excited to be able to offer programs that raise awareness for the many issues that touch the lives of our community,” noted Julio Vasconcellos, who heads up cause-based marketing.

Experience Project is the first Social Experience Website where you can anonymously share and connect around the life experiences that are important to you. Explore over one million life experiences, share your own stories anonymously, and find like-minded people who are open, supportive, and just “get it”. Experience Project is the first place on the web where who you are is more important than who you know. Experience Project can be found at http://www.experienceproject.com.

The new management of Reader’s Digest continues to revamp the publisher’s operations. In an agreement reached with Time Inc., RD has agreed to sell its fundraising division QSP to Time for $110 million. QSP uses school and youth groups to sell magazines, gifts, food and books door-to-door and over the Internet. The unit has struggled in recent years as increased competition has resulted in a loss of sales reps which in turn as hurt its financial performance. QSP has about 400 reps. Time said QSP fits with its view that fundraising is a growing area for increasing magazine subscriptions. RD said it was selling the unit because it doesn’t fit with its strategy of focusing on building its core content businesses.

For QSP, moving to Time Inc. is a reunion. RDA and Time Inc. jointly ran QSP after it was founded in 1963. RDA bought Time Inc.'s share in 1971.

Some, though, are questioning it as a strange buy. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Through the "Art and Science of Grant Writing" workshops launched in 2004 (HUD Faith-Based and Community Initiatives), participants received personal instruction from key HUD staff on how to become more competitive for Federal grants, secure 501(c)(3) status, and the organizational structure necessary to secure government funds. Workshop topics include: organizational capacity building, grant proposal writing techniques, accessing government funds, HUD common factors for award, and tips on working with local government agencies.

HUD is offering 60 free Grant Writing Training workshops in 2008 from March - September. The sessions are FREE and open to the public. Registration is on a first come, first served basis. Register early for the wonderful learning opportunity!

Visit HUD's website for more information, dates, and locations: http://www.hud.gov/offices/fbci/grantwriting08.cfm.

Want to get a look at the proposed future rules on the reporting of charitable gifts? Would you like to comment on them?

The IRS proposed new guidelines on Thursday, Aug. 7, that define its requirements for documenting the value of cash and noncash gifts submitted as tax deductible.

The proposed rules, which are open to public comment until November, apply to all cash contributions and also define when “qualified appraisals” of noncash gifts are required and what constitutes a qualified appraisal.

Read a short summery and get a link to the full text of the proposed regulations at: http://www.afpnet.org/ka/ka-3.cfm?content_item_id=24613&folder_id=2545

Sound to good to be true? A free color printer!

You know there has to be a catch, right?

Well sure there is. Several in fact. But if you meet the requirements you could be eligible.

It's not just for nonprofits but for anybody that could use a color printer. Find out lots more at: http://www.freecolorprinters.com/.