Smart Giving & Fundraising in the Digital Age
Charitable giving and nonprofit fundraising have shifted in recent years alongside the significant economic, social, and technological changes of the past decade. It is more common now for donors and nonprofits to “meet” online and for donations to happen on a screen than through the mail. While this presents some unique challenges, it also provides unique opportunities.
To confidently navigate smart giving and fundraising in the digital age, be sure to weigh your assurances, assumptions, and alternatives.
ASSURANCES
Nonprofits can assure donors they are making a wise contribution by demonstrating accountability on their websites. Be sure to post your annual financial reports and your Meets Standards® seal if you complete the Council’s Accountability Wizard® review process. It’s also critical to provide secure payment methods if you accept online donations.
Donors should always check for these assurances before donating. You share sensitive personal and financial information when you donate online, and a secure website safeguards this data against theft and misuse.
ASSUMPTIONS
Nonprofits should thoughtfully consider the impression their website and social channels create. Put your best foot forward – an organized layout, a responsive design that
is mobile-friendly, accessibility features, and authentic content help donors understand your work and connect with your mission. At the same time, it’s wise for donors to keep in mind that the online version of our favorite organization is often curated and not necessarily reflective of the full story. Verify first impressions and assumptions by crossreferencing other resources including the Council’s list of reviewed nonprofits.
ALTERNATIVES
Nonprofits are well served by offering donors multiple ways to connect. Different generations have varying comfort levels with online giving and digital communications.
Donors are also encouraged to be openminded and consider alternatives. If you have been hesitant to make online donations, consider how the process creates efficiencies for the organization you care about. If you’re open to switching your once-a-year donation to a monthly recurring gift, know that the organization will appreciate having a more even disbursement of funds.
The digital landscape continues to evolve and offers both nonprofits and donors new opportunities to connect and contribute in meaningful ways. By ensuring security, transparency, and flexibility, nonprofits and donors can build trust and extend their impact. With careful consideration of assurances, assumptions, and alternatives, nonprofits and donors will feel confident embracing change.
• Planned Giving: Maximizing Benefits for Both Donors and Nonprofits
• Status Update with Kris Kewitsch
• Giving Guide 2024
• Planned Giving: Let's Make a Plan! IN THIS
Three Easy Ways Check Out Nonprofits Before Giving
Check out the Giving Guide (pg 3) for a list of reviewed nonprofits.
STATUS UPDATE WITH KRIS KEWITSCH
Hello, Council Friends!
The Council is on the move! I am thrilled to announce that Charities Review Council is part of the inaugural cohort of nonprofit organizations moving into EquaSpace 1 – a colocation space for nonprofits opening later this year at the Court International Building in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
New Space, New Opportunities
Why is the Council moving? Opportunities abound to advance our mission of building donor and nonprofit relationships while managing our resources wisely.
In a shared space with other community leaders, the Council will build impactful bridges and synergies alongside EquaSpace 1’s other nonprofit residents. We will develop new relationships and new avenues to continue connecting the nonprofit sector to generous donors and the Council’s valuable tools and resources. In close proximity to more nonprofits, we will leverage the opportunity to offer our expertise directly and through partnerships to strengthen accountability and transparency at an important time for the sector.
In this shared space, the Council will also have access to shared resources and amenities at a cost manageable for nonprofit budgets. This means even more of our budget can be directed to serving nonprofits and donors, and this enables the Council to offer a dynamic working environment appealing to and supportive of employees in a way that individual nonprofits are not always able to invest.
Making the Move
As we prepare for this move, the Council’s staff and board are reflecting on those proverbial questions that arise with moving, such as what truly serves us, and what may not need to make the move? This transition presents a valuable opportunity for the Council to take stock of where we are, both as an organization and as a team. It is a chance to thoughtfully evaluate the tools, practices, and programs – our floor plans and blueprints –that have supported our mission, while also identifying any elements that may no longer align with our evolving goals.
With the right mindset, we are approaching this move not as daunting task but as a new space to fill with fresh perspective, energy, and growth. We invite you to visit us in our new space in the new year!
In partnership,
Kris Kewitsch Executive Director, Charities Review Council
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Melvin Clark, Vice Chair, Allianz Investment Management
Carolyn Deters, Treasurer, Gifts for Seniors
Garnetta Lowman, Chair and Program Committee Chair, Tangelo Tree Consulting
Stacey Nelson-Kumar, Past Chair, Comcast
Jonathan Palmer, Nonprofit Hero for-Hire, LLC
Molly Raymond, City of Minneapolis
Lisa Zellmer, Secretary, Beacon Interfaith
STAFF
Olivia Felland, Donor and Nonprofit Relations Coordinator
Dimitri Kaasan-Stull, Program Manager
Kris Kewitsch, Executive Director
INTERNS
Naa Korkoi Larmie Anneka Markell Megan Crowell
Sponsored by
MEETS STANDARDS® NONPROFITS
This go-to list features nonprofits that have voluntarily completed our nonprofit review process and have earned Charities Review Council’s Meets Standards® Seal, a visual marker of nonprofit strength.
Our review process is good for three years and requires a small administrative payment (.04% of an organization’s annual operating expenses).
Accountability Standards®
Charities Review Council's Meets Standards® seal
Our 25 Accountability Standards® are benchmarks measuring nonprofit performance in four critical areas: governance, finance, fundraising, and public disclosure. They represent a balance of nonprofit sector promising practices, public expectations, and legal/regulatory requirements. The Standards have evolved over the Council’s 75+ years, with broad participation from Minnesota’s nonprofit and philanthropic communities, to reflect reasonable public expectations for nonprofits. To learn more, visit: SmartGivers.org
GIVING GUIDE FALL 2024
✔ 180 Degrees
✔ 360 Communities
✔ A Breath of Hope Lung Foundation
✔ Accessible Space, Inc. (ASI)
✔ Achieve Twin Cities
✔ Alexandra House, Inc.
✔ Ampersand Families
✔ Angel Foundation
✔ Animal Folks
✔ Annex Teen Clinic
✔ ArtReach St. Croix
✔ Assistance League of Minneapolis/St. Paul
✔ Association for NonsmokersMinnesota
✔ Avenues for Youth
✔ Banyan Community
The checkmark indicates that the nonprofit Meets Standards® For an up-to-date list, go to: SmartGivers.org/organizations
✔ Basic Needs, Inc of South Washington County dba Stone Soup Thrift Shop
✔ Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative
✔ BestPrep
✔ Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities
✔ Bloom Early Learning
✔ Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities
✔ Breaking Free
✔ Breanna's Gift
✔ Bridges to Learning, Inc.
✔ Bridging
✔ C.A.R.E. Clinic
✔ CAIR California (LA, SV/CC, SD, SFBA)
✔ CAIR-Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh)
✔ Camp Fire Minnesota
✔ Camp Odayin
✔ Can Do Canines
✔ Cancer Legal Care
✔ Carmen Pampa Fund
✔ Cars for Neighbors
✔ Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud
✔ Charities Review Council (Self-Review)
✔ ChildFund International
✔ Children's Dental Services
✔ Children's Home Society of Minnesota
GIVING GUIDE FALL 2024
✔ Children's Law Center of Minnesota
✔ City of Lakes Community Land Trust
✔ Climate Generation
✔ CommonBond Communities
✔ Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County
✔ Community Dental Care
✔ Community Resource Connections
✔ Community Thread
✔ Como Friends
✔ COMPAS
✔ Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa
✔ Cookie Cart
✔ Cornerstone Advocacy Service
✔ Cultural Wellness Center
✔ Daily Work
✔ DARTS
✔ DinoMights
✔ Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota Foundation
✔ Dodge Nature Center
✔ Ed Allies
✔ Emma Norton Services
✔ Environmental Initiative
✔ Every Meal
✔ EVOLVE Adoption & Family Services
✔ Exercisabilities, Inc
✔ Exodus Lending
✔ Faith's Lodge
✔ Family Pathways
✔ Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley, Inc.
✔ Family Tree Clinic
✔ FamilyMeans
✔ FamilyWise Services
✔ Feed My Starving Children
✔ Feeding Our Communities Partners
✔ Foundation for Essential Needs
✔ Fraser
✔ Fresh Energy
✔ Freshwater Society
✔ Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness
✔ Friends of the Hennepin County Library
✔ Friends of the Mississippi River
✔ Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys
✔ Girls on the Run Minnesota
✔ Give Us Wings
✔ Global Minnesota
✔ Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota
✔ Great River Greening
✔ Great River Rescue
✔ Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery
✔ Guild
✔ Habitat for Humanity of Douglas County
✔ Haiti Teen Challenge
✔ Hammer Residences, Inc./ dba Hammer & NER
✔ HandsOn Twin Cities
✔ Hastings Family Service
✔ Helping Paws of Minnesota
✔ Honoring Choices Minnesota
✔ Hope Community
✔ HopeKids, Inc.
✔ Housing First Minnesota Foundation
✔ HousingLink
✔ Hudson Hospital Foundation
✔ ICA
– Intercongregation Communities Association
✔ Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota
✔ Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners
✔ Jewish Family Service of St. Paul
✔ Junior Achievement North
✔ Keystone Community Services
✔ Koochiching Aging Options
✔ La Oportunidad, Inc.
GIVING GUIDE FALL 2024 continued...
✔ Lakes & Prairies CAP
✔ Lakes Area United Way
✔ Lakes Center for Youth and Families
✔ Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers
✔ League of Women Voters Minnesota
✔ Learning Disabilities Association, Inc. (LDA Minnesota)
✔ Lee Carlson Center for Mental Health & Well-Being
✔ LifeSource
✔ Lifeworks Services, Inc.
✔ Lighthouse Ministries International of Africa
✔ Listening Point Foundation Inc.
✔ Loaves & Fishes
✔ Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry
✔ Lutheran Social Service of MN
✔ Make-A-Wish Foundation of Minnesota
✔ MATTER
✔ McLeod Emergency Food Shelf
✔ MDI
✔ Merrick Community Services
✔ Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance
✔ Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge
✔ Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement
✔ Minnesota Alliance With Youth
✔ Minnesota Boychoir
✔ Minnesota Computers for Schools
✔ Minnesota Council on Economic Education
✔ Minnesota Independence College and Community
✔ Minnesota Justice Foundation
✔ Minnesota Land Trust
✔ Minnesota Music Coalition
✔ Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance
✔ Minnesota Public Radio, American Public Media
✔ Minnesota State Fair Foundation
✔ Missions Inc. Programs
✔ Mississippi Park Connection
✔ MORE
✔ MSS
✔ My Very Own Bed
✔ NAMI Minnesota
✔ Neighborhood Network for Seniors
✔ Neighbors, Inc.
✔ Neuro Hospitality House
✔ New Pathways
✔ Northcountry Cooperative Foundation
✔ Northern Dental Access Center
✔ NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center, Inc.
✔ Northwoods Partners
✔ One Heartland
✔ Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless
✔ Operation HELP
✔ Opportunity Neighborhood
✔ Opportunity Partners
✔ Pawsitive Perspectives Assistance Dogs (PawPADs)
✔ Pawsitivity Service Dogs for Veterans
✔ PeaceMaker Minnesota
✔ People Incorporated
✔ People Serving People Charities
✔ PFund Foundation
✔ Plymouth Christian Youth Center
✔ PRG, Inc.
✔ Print the Love
✔ PRISM
✔ ProAct, Inc.
✔ Project FINE
✔ Project For Pride In Living Inc.
✔ Project Success
✔ Ramsey County Library Friends
✔ Reach for Resources
✔ Rebuilding Together Minnesota
✔ Regions Hospital Foundation
GIVING GUIDE FALL 2024 continued...
✔ Retrieve a Golden of the Midwest (RAGOM)
✔ Rise
✔ Saint Anthony Park Area Seniors
✔ SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education)
✔ Second Harvest Heartland
✔ Semcac
✔ Senior Community Services
✔ ServeMinnesota
✔ Simpson Housing Services, Inc.
✔ Sing Out Loud
✔ Small Sums
✔ Sojourner Project, Inc.
✔ Solid Ground
✔ St. Cloud Municipal Band
✔ St. Croix Valley Foundation
✔ St. David's Center for Child & Family Development
✔ St. Louis Park Emergency Program
✔ St. Paul Youth Services
✔ Steve Rummler Hope Network
✔ Tanzania Life Project
✔ Tasks Unlimited
✔ The Bridge for Youth
✔ The Family Partnership
✔ The Food Group
✔ The Lift Garage
✔ The Link
✔ The Open Door
✔ The Reading Center / Dyslexia Institute of Minnesota
✔ The Village Family Service Center
✔ Three Rivers Park District Foundation
✔ Touchstone Mental Health
✔ Tree Trust
✔ Trellis
✔ Tubman
✔ Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, Inc.
✔ Twin Cities Public Television
✔ United Way of Hastings
✔ United Way of Olmsted County, Inc.
✔ Urban Boatbuilders
✔ Urban Homeworks, Inc.
✔ Vail Communities
✔ Valley Outreach
✔ VEAP
✔ VocalEssence
✔ WACOSA
✔ Washburn Center for Children
✔ Wayside Recovery Center
✔ WellShare International
✔ Western Communities Action Network, Inc. (WeCAN)
✔ Westfields Hospital & Clinic Foundation
✔ Wilderness Inquiry
✔ Wings for Widows
✔ Wishes & More
✔ WithAll
✔ Women's Advocates, Inc.
✔ Women's Foundation of Minnesota
✔ WomenVenture
✔ Youthprise
✔ YWCA of Minneapolis
REVIEWS IN PROGRESS
On March 15, 2024, the nonprofits listed as “Review in Progress” were working with Charities Review Council to attain or renew their Meet Standards® status. View an up-to-date list at SmartGivers.org/organizations
Accord
Alight (formerly American Refugee Committee)
Amery Hospital & Clinic Foundation
CAPI USA
Children's Home Society of Minnesota
Children's Shelter of Cebu
Eastside Meals on Wheels, Inc.
Face to Face Health and Counseling Service, Inc.
Faribault Area Public Schools Educational Trust Association
H2O For Life
Hennepin Health Foundation / D.B.A.
Hennepin Healthcare Foundation
Homes Within Reach (also known as West Hennepin Affordable Housing Trust)
International Institute of Minnesota
Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA)
Minnesota Veterinary Medical Foundation
Northeast Youth & Family Services
Northside Achievement Zone
Olivia Hospital & Clinic Foundation
Pillsbury United Communities
PROP (People Reaching Out to People)
River Valley Riders
Southside Family Nurturing Center
St. David's Center for Child & Family Development
Stepping Stone Emergency Housing
The Phoenix Residence Inc.
The Reporters, Inc.
United Way of Douglas & Pope Counties
Volunteer Lawyers Network
Wallin Education Partners
White Bear Area Food Shelf
White Bear Lake Area Historical Society
Woodbury Options for Women
1915 Highway 36 W, Ste 133
Roseville, MN 55113 (651) 224-7030
SmartGivers.org info@smartgivers.org
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THE SMART GIVER
WRAPPING UP 2024 WITH HOLIDAY GIVING
How can you make the most of this giving season, which kicks off in November with early giving and Give to the Max Day on November 21st?
Extend your contributions, kindness, and connections by:
MATCHING – Don't forget to utilize your employer’s matching gift program when you make a year-end contribution. It’s also a common time of year for nonprofits to feature fundraising matches, which can double or triple your contribution, so be sure to watch for these opportunities.
GIFTING – Do you have family members that are passionate about a cause or hard to shop for? This year, consider making a donation in your loved one’s name. It can be an especially
meaningful gift for that person who always says, “You don’t need to get me anything, I have everything I need”.
SHARING - Don’t forget that your time and skills are equally valuable to financial contributions. Volunteer with your family over a holiday break, organize a fundraiser at your workplace, share with your network which organizations you will be contributing to this Give To the Max Day!
These are all powerful ways to generate the community spirit and goodwill people seek out at the holidays.