GuideStar Blog

Each month, subscribers of GuideStar's free e-newsletter are invited to share their responses to the Question of the Month. February's newsletter asked readers what topic they would find most useful at a nonprofit conference. Answers fell into three categories:

Nobody is comfortable in a time of war. Distress affects our lives, without regard for personal involvement or political beliefs. We can agree, though, that thousands of people suddenly find themselves in critical need of help. Fortunately, the nonprofit sector heeds that call: there are many different groups that make it their mission to support folks of all ages and needs, at home as well as abroad.

There was a time, not so long ago, when having a Web site was a luxury.

Those days are over. In a recent GuideStar/Network for Good survey, an overwhelming majority (89 percent) of nonprofit respondents said their organizations had a Web site. Another 8 percent reported that their organizations planned to launch a Web site this year.

Last month GuideStar invited newsletter subscribers to take part in a survey on nonprofits and the Internet. More than 1,000 people responded, sharing information about their organizations' Internet presence and experiences with e-philanthropy.

Lists of humanitarian organizations working in and around Iraq abound.

They comprise dozens of charities—how is a donor to choose? GuideStar, the premier source of information on U.S. charitable organizations, offers the following suggestions.

Are you thinking of becoming a member of a nonprofit board? Are you already on a board? If so, you probably hope to do a better job than the board members of so many of the corporations that were engulfed in highly publicized scandals last year. The failure of their boards to uncover wrongdoing at places like Enron, WorldCom, and Tyco made headlines around the world. Less noticed were failings in the nonprofit world. The entire board of the United Way of the National Capital Area, for example, resigned last fall amid allegations that the organization was misusing its funds. This article will give you some practical advice to help you avoid these pitfalls. Note: This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as legal advice.

BoardSource and INDEPENDENT SECTOR wish to thank Dan Moore, Vice President for Public Affairs, GuideStar; Tom Hyatt, Principal, Ober Kaler; and Paul Nelson, President, Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability for sharing their professional insights and expertise on this document.