NYU - the first ever FLiP event sponsor!

The RSVPs are piling up for FLiP's next event!

Not only will this event feature guest speaker Sharna Goldseker - Vice President at the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, not only will this event have special  guests to mingling with the crowd, and not only will the bar be offering drink specials to all FLiPs, but now we can officially announce that NYU is on board!

Our close friends at the George H. Heyman, Jr., Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising at NYU have generously offered to sponsor the event! So, now in addition to all the great benefits, the appetizers are on NYU!

Just in case you forgot, here are the event details:

November 14
Black Sheep Restaurant and Bar - 583 3rd Avenue at 38th Street – 2nd Floor
6:00-8:00 PM

RSVP: either on FLiP's Facebook Group OR by e-mailing Lyndsay Reville at lreville@changingourworld.com.

We'll be "revealing" our special guests later this week and in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

FLiP Follows: LinkEducation Part 3 - The Advisory Board

Months ago FLiP launched an occasional reality series, “FLiP Follows.” We highlighted LinkEducation, a startup nonprofit, as they navigated their way through launching their website, getting their first donations, and running their first event. LinkEducation was founded by three young education sector professionals who invented a creative way to fill an ongoing need. We haven’t checked in with our friends in a while, so I thought it was time for an update.

But first, here’s some background for those new to FLiP (our community has more than doubled since our last “FLiP Follows!”):

Alright, so you're 23 years old and you're working for Teach For America. Sure, you're young, but you have a killer idea for a nonprofit. You notice that New York City teachers and parents are often unaware of the many education programs available to their kids, and have no time or resources to search for these services. Meanwhile organizations that provide services to teachers and students have no reliable way to reach them. Your idea is, quite simply, to create a website for the two halves to meet. There turned out to be such a positive reaction to the idea that you and two of your friends incorporate an organization, assemble an Advisory Board, put together a Board of Directors, get your 501(c)3, and start raising money, all while holding down full time jobs.

But let’s hold up a minute, because I just breezed over the topic of the day: The Advisory Board. I’ll be honest, after I met Rachael, Rachel, and Anna and was asked to join their Advisory Board, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. My role was clearly supposed to be to offer fundraising advice, but how would that work? Would I meet with the founders often, as I would with a client, or was I being asked to attend meetings and events?

FLiP's Next Event: FLiP-on-Tap

The Future Leaders in Philanthropy (FLiP) are hosting another networking event in New York City! FLiP-on-Tap will feature a fantastic guest speaker, great networking opportunities, and drink specials all evening.

WHEN: November 14 6:00-8:00 PM
WHERE: Black Sheep Restaurant and Bar - 583 3rd Avenue at 38th Street – 2nd Floor
HOW MUCH: Free!
RSVP: Your RSVP is not "required" to attend, but because of limited space please shoot an e-mail to Lyndsay Reville - lreville@changingourworld.com if you will attend
WHY: To meet dozens of other FLiPs, to network with experienced professionals, and to learn about philanthropy!

What is FLiP-on-Tap?
It’s simple! Just like all of our FLiP events, it’s a chance for young professional fundraisers and grantmakers to meet, network, and learn a little more about our sector.

Why “on tap?”
The FLiP-on-Tap series takes place at great happy hour locations throughout New York City!

Our last event drew about 80 FLiPs, and we’re expecting well over 100 to attend on November 14. We’re also happy to announce that this event will feature guest speaker Sharna Goldseker - Vice President at the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies (ACBP). Sharna directs 21/64 (www.2164.net), a division specializing in next generation and multi-generational strategic philanthropy. Sharna has a tremendous amount of knowledge about the role young professionals and young donors play in the sector, and we’re looking forward to hearing what she has to say!

In addition to Sharna, FLiP has invited a number of special guests to attend the event and be available to chat about the sector. Stay tuned to http://flip.onphilanthropy.com next week as we reveal our special guests!

What is FLiP?
The Future Leaders in Philanthropy (FLiP) site - http://flip.onphilanthropy.com - is the hub of a growing community of young professionals in the philanthropic sector. The FLiP community is made up of ambitious young fundraisers and grantmakers who wish to advance their careers and succeed in the industry.  On the FLiP website, readers can find articles offering tips and advice, as well as support and guidance from other FLiPs from around the world.

Founded in New York in 2006, the FLiP community has expanded rapidly and now includes thousands of young professionals around the world. FLiP has also begun hosting live, real-world, networking events in New York City and Washington, DC. The first two events each attracted over 80 FLiPs, and the upcoming 3rd event is likely to draw well over 100 people.

Notes from a Team In Training Insider – Part I

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is dedicated to finding a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and Hodgkin’s disease.  Its mission is also to improve the quality of life of patients and their families through education and support.  Since inception, the organization has given more than $483 million for blood cancer research, nearly all of which comes from contributions made to LLS’s fundraising campaigns.  Of the 66 Chapters nationwide and in Canada, the National Capitol Area Chapter (NCA) and the New York Chapter (NY) are two of the largest.

LLS was established in 1949.  Following the death of their 16 year old son, Robert, from leukemia, the de Villiers family started a fundraising and education organization in his name.  They were frustrated by the lack of effective treatments available for leukemia, a disease that carried a certain death sentence at that time.

Craig Newmark gives web advice for small nonprofits

I hope you've noticed that in the last few weeks we have been listing a selection of upcoming class at NYU down the right side of this page. We've had some great feedback so far on our idea of promoting these classes.  Hopefully we can draw some attention to upcoming courses like "How to Be a Philanthropist on $5/week" and "Government Funding." But for one particular seminar (a one-day class), I thought it was important to post about it.

On October 23, Craig Newmark (the Craig of Craigslist) is going to be at NYU offering web advice specifically designed for small nonprofits. How often do you have a chance to pick Craig's brain? Also, knowing this class is designed for organizations that may not have a ton of cash handy, for a registration fee of $150 NYU is allowing you to bring along two colleagues for free. Course description below:

When Craig Newmark founded craigslist.org over 10 years ago, he created a free marketplace that today caters to millions of people and continues to expand around the world. In this seminar, Newmark shares the secrets of his success and his thoughts on how his principles might best be applied to small nonprofit organizations who wish to utilize the internet to grow and attain their goals. Topics include how to attract more hits on your website and techniques for increasing the number and size of online contributions. 

Registrants are invited to bring up to two additional staff members from their organization at no additional charge.  Please contact Robert Lesko at 212-998-6764 to register.

Meet-A-FLiP: Elizabeth R. Miller

We first met Elizabeth Miller after her great post on Richard Marker's Blog: Wise Philanthropy. Elizabeth is a Program Associate at The Overbrook Foundation, located in New York City. You'll see a lot of more of Elizabeth in the next few months, as we've asked her to tell us, through a series of posts, what it's like to work for a family foundation. The Overbrook Foundation is a family foundation established in 1948 by Frank and Helen Altschul. Its mission is to improve the lives of people by supporting projects that protect human and civil rights, advance the self-sufficiency and well being of individuals and their communities, and conserve the natural environment.

Future Leaders in Philanthropy (FLiP): Tell me a little about your background. Where did you go to school, what did you major in, and how did you come to be involved in philanthropy?

Elizabeth Miller (EM): After a year at the University of Chicago, I transferred to New York University's College of Arts and Sciences, where I majored in Politics, with a minor in Journalism and Mass Communication. After moving to New York I realized that my main academic interests were how the consolidation of mainstream media was affecting the ability of social change organizations to get their messages heard. While I was in college, I interned at Fenton Communications, a large public interest communications firm, and MediaChannel.org, a website concerned with the political, cultural and social impacts of the media, large and small. These two experiences introduced me to the world of contemporary media (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and convinced me that it was a field to be further explored.

Landing at Overbrook happened by chance. I heard about an available internship here/there through Free Press, a partner organization of MediaChannel.org. Overbrook was interested in hiring someone with a background in media to help them prepare for a fall Board of Directors' retreat that would focus on media, both as a program area and as a tool that was useful across the range of its Environment and Human Rights Grantees. I applied and got the position. I came to Overbrook in June of 2004 to help them prepare for that retreat and stayed on through my senior year at NYU working 15 hours a week. When I graduated, I was offered a full-time position as a Program Assistant (now Program Associate) and I've been here ever since.

FLiP: What is your job like? What are the day-to-day responsibilities?

EM: Overbrook is a small family foundation with only five other staff members. This means that my day-to-day work can vary. On a daily basis, I provide ongoing support in the development of grants and program management, including conducting background research on prospective grantees, along with reviewing and assessing active proposals. My work focuses particularly on the identification, recommendation and administration of the Foundation's media-focused grants, although I often assist in other areas of the Foundation's grantmaking. I also produce a Semi-Annual Report on Grants and The Overbrook Foundation Quarterly Newsletter which we distribute to our grantees, friends of the Foundation, and post on our website. In the fall, I also work to coordinate and implement programs at the Foundation's Annual Fall Retreat. I assist the President in preparing docket materials and developing agendas for the Board of Directors and Committee meetings.