NPAction Update
Vol 3, Issue 7
4/5/2005

Welcome to the baseball opening day edition of the NPAction Update! Get out your softball gear and start stretching.

You are receiving this newsletter as requested during your registration with NPAction.org. To unsubscribe, send an email to npaction@npaction.org.


In this issue:
*What's New- 2004 Foundation Giving Estimates*
*Current Poll- This is the End*
*Featured Article- Grassroots Fundraising*
*Featured Resource Links- FOIA Madness*
*Hey, You Asked- Contacting Policymakers*


*What's New*

The Foundation Center has just released its annual estimate of foundation giving for 2004. The estimate found good news, with a new record of $32.4 billion in contributions by 66,000 foundations. While the stock market's recovery has led to an estimated 4 to 6 percent increase in foundation assets, many foundations have still not recovered to 2000 levels, and as a result, a quarter of foundations said they would reduce giving for 2005, with only half saying that they would increase giving.

"Foundation Giving Rebounded in 2004"
http://fdncenter.org/media/news/pr_0503a.html

Read the Full Report:
http://www.fdncenter.org/research/trends_analysis/pdf/fgge04.pdf



*Current Poll*

Last month's poll asked if your organization is seeing an increase in people looking for help that has traditionally been provided by the government. The vote was small but unanimous, with everyone saying that they're seeing a lot more people that need help.

This marks the last of the NPAction polls. We are working on a site redesign with all sorts of great stuff, but responses to our reader survey have led us to discontinue the poll on the new site. Check for some lighter "going away" polls in the next week or two.


Past Poll Results
http://www.npaction.org/article/archive/207



*Featured Article*

All charities need a pool of funders to pass the "public support" test, but how many of us really rely on a small, core group of foundations and donors for our funding? Learn how to broaden your funding in this week's feature article on grassroots fundraising, which comes to us courtesy of the Virginia Organizing Project.

"Grassroots Fundraising:"
http://www.npaction.org/article/articleview/584/1/147/


Remember that you can rate and comment on most NPAction articles by clicking the "New Comment" button at the end of an article.



*Featured Resource Links*

The NPAction Resource Links Directory is a human-edited compendium of tools and references, contributed by nonprofits for nonprofits.

In the face of an increasingly secretive government, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for government information are becoming more important than ever for those who need government information. Filing a FOIA request can be a daunting task, but this guide, produced by the House Committee on Government Reform is a good way to learn to use FOIA. Don't be scared off by its length, half of the document is appendices.

"A Citizen's Guide On Using The Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act of 1974 to Request Government Records:"
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=107_cong_reports&docid=f:hr371.107


For more information on FOIA, as well as news and thought-pieces, it's hard to beat the University of Missouri's Freedom of Information Center. Their site features sample FOIA request letters, state-level FOIA information, and even a newsletter.

Freedom of Information Center:
http://www.missouri.edu/~foiwww/


Suggest a Resource Link
http://www.npaction.org/link/suggestlink



*Hey, You Asked*

An NPAction reader asked how she could find contact information for policymakers, especially those interested in adult education. See the answer to find some great resources for easily writing your federal and state legislators, administrative departments, and Congressional committees.

Finding Contact Information:
http://www.npaction.org/article/articleview/591/1/214/



*"Steal This Code": Put NPAction on Your Site*

NPAction invites organizations to share our tools on their websites. Choose a logo that best meets your needs, whether you want to link to our site, incorporate our search engine with results from a range of nonprofit sources, add the ability to connect to federal lawmakers and national media, or state-level policymakers and media. Just copy the HTML code from our site, and you're ready to go (but when you steal the code, just let us know!).

"Steal the Code" today
http://www.npaction.org/article/archive/208


*NPAction Update Archives*
http://www.npaction.org/article/archive/210/

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NPAction Update is a service for NPAction subscribers. If you received this message from another party, and wish to subscribe, send an email to npaction@npaction.org.

NPAction, an online resource hosted by OMB Watch, provides access to tools and information for nonprofit advocacy from a wide range of organizational partners and sources in order to encourage greater participation by nonprofits in the policy arena. Funding for this project was provided by Atlantic Philanthropies, the Ford Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the Surdna Foundation.

For more information, contact:

NPAction
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E-mail: npaction@npaction.org
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