Mitch Hurst Communications

Strategic Marketing & Communications for Nonprofits and Grantmakers

Linkage

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Anand Giridharadas of The New York Times believes corporations ought to think more about how to do good while turning profits in addition to what they give away after the profits are made.

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Bitcoin has a charity. Called, oddly enough, the BitGive Foundation. All evidence points to it existing in the real world.

Inside Philanthropy points to criminal justice reform as a fine example of philanthropy’s use of big data.

Volunteer on Instagram. Support your favorite nonprofit with your high-quality photographs. Quite clever.

The Clinton Foundation vs. Charity Navigator. If you run a charity you may want to refrain from trying to strong-arm a Charity Navigator board member to change your rating.

If I got piles of money from a relatively small group of wealthy donors I’d want to have some secrets too. Not so fast, says a California judge.

Ayn Rand spins in her grave. Company gives all profits to charity.

Some good advice on how nonprofits can survive “Mobilegeddon.” Yes, your audience uses their mobile phones. A lot.

Interlude

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George Harrison’s “Bangladesh” is widely regarded as the first song written exclusively for charitable purposes.

Saturday linkage

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From around the worldly web:

  • link iconImpact Investing is the focus of a new book by those who do that sort of thing at Deutsche Bank and Bamboo Finance. The New York Times has a story. [More on this in a future blog post.]
  • President releases tax returns and you want to wake up this morning being the Fisher House Foundation.
  • Pretty cool story from NPR [and a clever headline] about a nonprofit that “rescues” produce discarded at the U.S./Mexico border and distributes it to needy families.
  • Waiting for the endless litany of nonprofit scandals in the state of New York to end? Keep waiting.
  • You wouldn’t think to connect California skateboarding culture and women in Peru and Uganda. This guy did. He’s also got a pretty amazing mustache.
  • Some Los Angeles nonprofits are caught between the proverbial rock and hard place when it comes boosting minimum wages.

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Interesting reads from around the Intertubes:

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A rundown of interesting Interwebby items from the past few days:

  • Online collaboration: Why it oftentimes is more efficient than face-to-face meetings, according to the Harvard Business Review.
  • Nonprofits in politics: Former aides to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush register nonprofit to collect untraceable donations to the not Jeb Bush for President Campaign. Bush’s spokesperson says, “nothing illegal here as Jeb is currently not a candidate for President.”
  • link iconMuslims and philanthropy: On HuffPo, California Community Foundation executive talks to three women leaders within the Muslim community about how foundations can better engage Muslims in their work.
  • Danger danger! Foundations with close ties to government officials are much more dangerous than corporations with close ties to government officials.
  • Underage prisoners: The Economist blasts the uniquely United States habit of imprisoning young offenders. Also, filed under prison reform, a NYT Magazine piece about a most unusual prison in Norway.
  • Unorthodox philanthropy: The makers of the x-rated party game Cards Against Humanity are donating the latest version of their game to provide scholarships to women in STEM. Cards Against Humanity is not a game you’re likely to encounter at your average nonprofit Holiday gathering.
  • Regional philanthropy: The Foundation for the Carolinas announced a big jump in asset growth in 2014. It has its work cut out as state legislators down that way do their best to turn the legislative clocks back to 1950, gutting civil society in the process.
  • Ironic philanthropy: Free market purist goes nonprofit. The National Review makes Milton Friedman roll in his grave.
  • Mobile giving: New app Tinbox loops corporations into the online giving game. An interesting twist on gift matching.