Looking for a source for gifts, rewards, or prizes for your new members, volunteers, fundraisers, or as rewards for a job well done? How would you like to give gift certificates away for dining out?

I thought that would get your attention!

Restaurant.com is a website that offers gift certificates to restaurants all over the U.S. and discounts them up to 60%. There are a few catches (aren't there always) but usually they are pretty simple:

• There are some cities where there aren't any participating restaurants.

• Read the fine print. Many gift certificates require a minimum purchase or a specific type of purchase (i.e. ordering two entrees).

These could also work for fundraising auctions (dinner with a board member), tricky trays, and fundraising basket raffles. Just use your imagination.

For more information check out: http://www.restaurant.com/

It's one of the new buzz words, Giving Circles. But are they really that new? And just what are they?

A partial description from Wikipedia:

• Giving Circles are a form of philanthropy consisting of groups of individuals who pool their funds to donate to their communities and seek to increase their awareness and engagement in the process of giving. Through this process, they seek to impact their own communities or larger areas - possibly to global impacts. The circles can serve as a form of shared, or collective, giving in the context of community economic development or other social ventures.

• Members of giving circles donate their own money, decide together where to give their money, and have some sort of social or educational interaction associated with the giving. Many circles, in addition to donating their money, also contribute their time and skills to supporting local causes.

• Giving Circles as they currently manifest themselves are a new trend, but they are built on old traditions dating back hundreds of years to mutual aid societies and other forms of giving for the community. Several years ago, Giving Circles were predominantely composed of women. Women continue to make up the majority of today's Giving Circles - but today the make up of Circles are more diverse in race, age and gender.

• The structure of the circles can be informal or formal. On the informal side, circles may vote and choose and organization to support and each member writes an individual checks. Formal circles may have their money housed at a local community foundation and have staff people that support the work of the circle. Giving Circles range in size from a handful of members to several hundred.

Sound interesting? Looking for more information? Here are some websites and downloadable reports on giving circles:

• An ABC News story, Charity Giving with a Group, looks at the Giving Circle phenomenon.

• Giving Circles, from New Ventures in Philanthropy, has lots of resources about and for giving circles including: FAQ, templetes and documents, and a downloadable Guidebook to Giving Circles.

• Giving Circles and Fundraising in the New Philanthropy Environment, a new study based on interviews with 17 nonprofit leaders whose charities received funding from giving circles. Looks at the challenges and opportunites with this type of fundraising.

Are you ready to start your media blitz for a new event? Or perhaps you're gathering your resources for a future campaign?

Whatever the reason, Congress.org has a comprehensive list of contacts for you. And it's free too!

Find national, regional, and local media contacts. Look for editors, reporters and producers. Search by state or zip code. Search by newspaper, TV, radio, and more. And if you're looking for contacts in government you are in luck also:

• President & Vice President
• Congress
• Federal Agencies
• Supreme Court
• State Officials
• Local Officials

Get postal addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. Did I mention it's free!

So bookmark this site, it's a valuable reference- http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media

Protect sensitive information or risk fines and penalties

In the recent wake of credit card thefts, identity thefts, and other unsavory online criminal activities, businesses that handle credit card data are now required by state and international laws to protect sensitive information or risk fines and penalties.

While many of these laws will undoubtedly affect large e-commerce outfits, nonprofit accepting online donations or dealing with certain types of personal information will also need to take certain precautions to keep data safe.

Read the whole article over at TechSoup, the technology place for nonprofits.

Auctionpay announces complimentary on-demand web seminars full of information and tips to improve fundraising auctions.

Best practices provided by an experienced on-site events manager. Hear tips to achieve higher event revenue and solutions to avoid common auction pitfalls.

I've listened to this 26 minute presentation. It's a combination of audio and slideshow with lots of good tips for every phase of an auction.

View this presentation here: https://admin.acrobat.com/_a700532016/p77141099/

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation announced the fourth year of its signature philanthropic program -- the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative. In 2007, the Foundation will allocate $20 million globally to the initiative, which recognizes, nurtures and rewards organizations, local heroes and student leaders helping to rebuild and revitalize their communities in 44 of the bank's major markets.

"Bank of America created the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative to provide community support where it's needed most -- at the local level," said Andrew Plepler, president of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. "In addition to recognizing individuals and young leaders making a difference in their neighborhoods, this program is about building partnerships with nonprofit organizations and providing critical funding flexibility, enabling them to better serve their clients and strategically plan for long-term sustainability and growth."

Working with community partners, the Foundation developed the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative to provide the 44 participating markets with essential support through three key programs:

• Neighborhood Builders: $200,000 in grant funding and leadership training over the course of two years to two local nonprofit organizations working to promote vibrant neighborhoods. These grants are "unrestricted funds" -- highly unusual in the nonprofit community -- and can be utilized by the organization to cover operating expenses and build program capacity.

• Local Heroes: recognition of five community heroes whose achievements and leadership on local issues contribute significantly to neighborhood vitality. Recipients will direct a $5,000 contribution to an eligible nonprofit of their choice.

• Student Leaders: development of five exemplary high school students with an interest in improving their neighborhoods. To further their personal and educational growth, the Foundation provides funding for each student to participate in a paid, eight-week summer internship with a community-based organization as well as a series of leadership training and community service activities with local Bank of America executives.

Award recipients will be chosen by a local selection committee comprised of private, public and nonprofit sector leaders and chaired by the bank's local presidents in the 44 Neighborhood Excellence Initiative communities. Applications and nominations for the awards will be available online at http://www.bankofamerica.com/foundation. The deadline for applications is March 9, 2007 for Student Leaders and June 29, 2007 for Neighborhood Builders and Local Heroes applications. Applicants are encouraged to submit as early as possible:

National Volunteer Week is the time to thank one of America’s most valuable assets – volunteers – and call the public’s attention to all that they do to improve our communities. This year’s National Volunteer Week is April 15 - 21.

The 2007 theme is "Inspire By Example" because it truly reflects the power volunteers have to inspire the people they help, as well as, to inspire others to serve!

This year the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation is asking you to recognize your volunteers' achievement by joining the thousands of organizations working to deliver the President's Volunteer Service Award to deserving volunteers during National Volunteer Week and throughout the year.

Free help is available for you at their website including planning materials, media templates, recognition ideas, and background information: http://www.pointsoflight.org/programs/seasons/nvw/

It was recently brought to my attention by a Cyberzine reader that we don't cover the sponsorship of individuals and that there is a great hunger for more information on the subject. Their immediate need was for the sponsorship of individual athletes.

I was able to refer them to a couple of different sources for more information:

• http://www.fencing.ca/downloads/sponsorship_info_eng.pdf - This is a PDF file for seeking individual sponsors for fencing athletes in Canada.

• http://www.amazon.com/Athletes-Guide-Sponsorship-Individual-Sponsor/dp/1884737781 - The Athlete's Guide to Sponsorship: How to Find an Individual, Team, or Event Sponsor (Paperback) by Jennifer E. Drury, Cheri Elliott listed here by Amazon.com

If you have any knowledge of any other resources please let me know so I can pass them on.

Thanks,

Deane
brengled@fundsraiser.com

National & Global Youth Service Day is the largest service event in the world. Millions of youth will participate in the 19th Annual National & Global Youth Service Day on April 20-22, 2007.

National Youth Service Day projects are organized by youth, along with communities, schools, and local organizations. Projects cover a broad range of issues including literacy, the environment, healthcare, nutrition, and poverty.

Planning Tool Kits, Service-Learning Curriculum Guides, classroom posters, grant money for service projects, and more are available for youth, parents, teachers, and organizations.

For more information surf on over to: http://www.ysa.org/nysd/about/nysd_about_parent.cfm#item1

Not-for-profit organizations across the U.S. can now take advantage of free and discounted printing tailored exclusively to meet their unique needs. The online company, Not For Profit Printing (www.notforprofitprinting.com) is a Three Leaves, LLC full color commercial printing and design company, dedicated to helping the non-profit sector. The site offers organizations free prepackaged printing and low cost custom printing including materials for fundraising, special events, and donor solicitations.

Free prepackaged products include professional graphic design, prepress and labor and are available to order online for a nominal processing charge. Free products include: save the date cards, invitations, thank you cards, event posters, newsletter/bulletin shells and brochure shells. New designs are offered throughout the year and products can be customized by the organization using an inkjet, laser printer or copier.

Low cost custom products have the graphic design included or organizations can upload their own artwork. Discounted pricing is standard and products are offered in minimal quantities for smaller organizations. All products on the site include free shipping. A range of custom designed products are available and organizations can also request a quote for any product they do not see on the site.

Not For Profit Printing was created by Three Leaves, LLC to address the growing needs that organizations face to create professional looking pieces without the high cost of commercial printing. Three Leaves, LLC is a commercial printing and design company that operates several state-of-the-art online printing sites. All products feature full color, high quality commercial offset printing with facilities located throughout the U.S.

For more information visit Not For Profit Printing on the web at:notforprofitprinting.com.