Noah Rimland Flower and David Ehrlichman of the Monitor Institute recently interviewed GreatNonprofits CEO Perla Ni on crowdsourcing knowledge about nonprofits:
One of the best-known and most-debated examples of crowdsourcing is Yelp.com, which brought a new rapid-cycle feedback loop to the relationship between customers and retail services. GreatNonprofits is built on the same model, offering a place for people who interact with a nonprofit to share their views about its performance.
To see them in action, check out their crowdsourced Top-Rated Nonprofits Awards for 2012.
But the problem Yelp is trying to solve is a simpler one than exists in the nonprofit sector. Many people who receive a nonprofit’s service aren’t paying for it, and many people interact with a nonprofit as a volunteer or a board member rather than as a customer. Since GreatNonprofits has been working on this thorny challenge since 2007, we interviewed its founder Perla Ni to find out what she’s learned so far. Read on to hear how she thinks about their evaluation model, her belief in the value of personal stories, and her experiences at the forefront of creating greater transparency and feedback in the marketplace for social good.
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Earlier this month The Huffington Post highlighted some of the nonprofits that have already qualified for our 2012 Top-Rated List. The HuffPo slideshow focused on charities dedicated to providing support and education for children and families. The nonprofits featured were:
Congrats to these outstanding small charities! These nonprofits are located all around the country and are providing aid and opportunities for children in need. Some are dedicated to educating low-income children by providing the resources necessary to succeed academically. Others provide support and treatment to children facing severe medical conditions.
Check out The Huffington Post article hereand stay tuned for more featured winners of the Top-Rated Awards.
Are you a nonprofit? There’s still time to win a spot on the 2012 Top-Rated List!
Barack Obama delivering his 2012 speech. ©ljlphotography
The 2012 Presidential Election has come to a close. Last night, President Obama delivered a powerful victory speech with some memorable lines, and beyond the usual thanks and personal stories from his campaigning, he had a call to action to the entire country. Text highlights from Barack Obama’s victory speech transcript (video below):
But that doesn’t mean your work is done. The role of citizens in our democracy does not end with your vote. America’s never been about what can be done for us; it’s about what can be done by us together, through the hard and frustrating but necessary work of self- government. That’s the principle we were founded on.
What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on Earth, the belief that our destiny is shared — that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations, so that the freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for come with responsibilities as well as rights, and among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism. That’s what makes America great.
…Continue reading 2012 Election Obama Victory Speech & Transcript
Superstorm Sandy has created chaos on the East Coast. Now you can help those affected begin the long and slow process of recovery and you can support those in need. Millions are still without electricity and transportation and many have homes under water and nowhere to go.
Check out these highly-rated national and local nonprofits helping Sandy victims. Your donation can help these nonprofits provide necessary food, shelter, health and medical aid. These organizations have been highly-rated by volunteers, donors and actual people helped by these charities. (more…)
Want to help get your local charities some well-deserved extra attention? Interested in promoting local giving in your own community? Join our national team of Local Ambassadors!
GreatNonprofits has launched our Get Local campaign for 2012 to encourage local giving this season. Sign up to be a Local Ambassador with us and you’ll get to spread the word in your city about the best charities around. It’s a volunteer position (we’re a nonprofit too!) with a 2-5 hour a week commitment. We’ll give you all the tools you’ll need. Here’s what you’ll do:
Tell others about amazing nonprofits in your city!
- Highlight outstanding nonprofits via the GreatNonprofits microsite for your city
- Use email and social media to spread the word
- Reach out to local newspapers and blogs and let them know about exemplary local nonprofits
Why do it?
- Get great experience reaching out to local media
- Manage the GreatNonprofits microsite for your city. People will see your name and photo!
- Be a major help to your local nonprofit community, enabling it to do more good
- Be part of a nationwide grassroots effort to showcase small, local nonprofits
Check out our available cities.
Sound good to you? Contact Jessica@greatnonprofits.org
Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan recently got himself in hot water for “volunteering” at St.Vincent De Paul Society. Ryan may not have understood the true essence of volunteering at a soup kitchen, but you can. Below are our Top 10 Soup Kitchens to Volunteer For, according to reviews by volunteers!
Society of St. Andrew 
SoSA uses tens of thousands of volunteers to glean farmers’ fields and orchards after harvest for nutritious produce that would otherwise be plowed under or left to rot
GNP users say – “SOSA is one of the best charities that we, as a family have volunteered in. The organizers are extremely personable and down to earth people. Children are not only accommodated but their participation is valued. Its so wonderful to be out there in an orchard or farm connecting to nature and you’re benefiting the hungry in the process.”
Northern Illinois Food Bank
Northern Illinois Food Bank aims to create a hunger-free northern Illinois by providing nutritious food to all those in need
GNP users say – “It is a privilege to help out at a food bank where the staff is setting the trends that other food banks follow. I always look forward to my next visit.”
Lombard Central Presbyterian Church Soup Kitchen
The soup kitchen provides food for those who are in need and also empowers them through partnerships with other community and social agencies
GNP users say – “This is a great service to the persons in need of the West Philadelphia area. They not only offer food, but medical information and limited screening, a warm place to be and even kinder individuals to staff it”
WhyHunger
WhyHunger connects people to nutritious, affordable food while inspiring self-reliance and community empowerment
GNP users say – “This was a great learning experience, I was able to gain a better understanding how WHY connect grassroot groups all over the United States in order to efficiently counter hunger as well as poverty issues”
Center for Food Action
The Center for Food Action provides emergency food, housing, heating, and utility assistance to low-income people in northern New Jersey.
GNP users say – “I have volunteered at the Center all my life and have only the greatest respect for this charity. Their events are well planned and I especially enjoyed helping out at Christmas which is always well run. The Gala is an event I look forward to all year and am always happy with the party. The Center has found a way to remain relevant in a declining donating world and the work they do is remarkable”
Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen
The soup kitchen provides a hot meal to over 1,200 New Yorkers in need every day while counseling staff also work with guests to connect them with benefits, housing and job interviews.
GNP users say – “This soup kitchen feeds the hungry day in day out year after year–feeds them body and soul, including drumming circles and a writing workshop. It is a place where those who happen to need a square meal are treated with respect for their dignity and with authentic compassion”
East End Cooperative Ministry
The Ministry helps individuals and families throughout the East End community, helping people through some of the most difficult times they’ll ever experience.
GNP users say – “I find it truly rewarding to be able to volunteer and get to know the people that I help when I volunteer 3 days a week. I volunteer with a dedicated group of people that thoroughly enjoy providing 2 meals per day to our homebound Meals on Wheels clients, a hot lunch for our Soup Kitchen patrons and emergency groceries for our Food Pantry guest.”
SoupMobile
SoupMobile is a non-profit mobile soup kitchen dedicated to feeding the homeless in the Dallas area.
GNP users say – “The SoupMobile is the most rewarding volunteering I have ever done. The best part is being right there with the homeless to hug them, talk with them, and just simply love them. I have learned so much by serving the homeless. Their boundless faith leaves me humbled. I am so grateful to David Timothy, a.k.a. SoupMan, for this amazing opportunity”
Food Bank of Central New York
The Food Bank of Central New York is a not-for-profit organization working to eliminate hunger through food distribution, education and advocacy in cooperation with the community.
GNP users say – “The Food Bank of Central New York is an incredible place. They took the idea of a food bank and made it so much more – not just handing out bags of food to local families in need (although they still do that, too). They coordinate large donations from local stores and businesses. They ship food to hundreds of food pantries, food banks, soup kitchens, shelters, senior centers, and emergency organizations throughout New York State. They have educational programs that teach people about nutrition, growing their own food, and give them the seeds and materials they need to keep going.”
TASK
The Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) responds to the needs of hungry people in the Trenton area by providing meals to all those who are hungry, providing services to encourage self-sufficiency and improve quality of life, informing the wider community of the needs of the hungry and advocating for resources to meet these needs.
GNP users say – “I first became involved with TASK three years ago and have supported them throughout the years with food and clothing donations and have adopted families for the Christmas holidays. TASK is a wonderful organization. The people that work there, whether it be in the kitchen serving food, the social workers, or the Adult Education volunteers are all extremely dedicated and caring individuals.”
Hey Volunteers! Thanks to your feedback through candid reviews, we were able to compile a list of great nonprofits who are effectively acting on their mission statements. These are organizations that you’ve told us not only talk the talk, but walk the talk!
DC Central Kitchen 
Mission: We use food as a tool to strengthen bodies, empower minds, and build communities
GNP users say: “Its food doesn’t just go straight to the needy, it first drives a culinary program for putting people back on the path to self sufficiency with skills in hand.”
Center for Intercultural Organizing 
Mission: The Center for Intercultural Organizing (CIO) is a diverse, grassroots membership organization working to build a multi-racial, multicultural movement for immigrant and refugee rights
GNP users say: “The Center for Intercultural Organizing (CIO) is an amazing organization that touches the lives of immigrants and refugees. The close-knit intercultural relationships created and fostered through this organization by bringing together so many different cultures (many with long-time historical conflicts) are creating long-term change locally and state-wide; creating a positive ripple effect for American born residents, and maybe even worldwide.”
Cancer Schmancer Foundation
Mission:The Cancer Schmancer Movement is to ensure all women’s cancers are diagnosed in stage 1, when they are most curable
GNP users say: “Coming across Cancer Schmancer, I can’t even describe to you… It has changed everything for me. I know what to look for now. I know what to do. I know how to react. And most importantly, I know that cancer is NOT the boss of me. The Cancer Schmancer Movement has taught me to be a medical consumer, and has comforted me and guided me in helping my dear friend who was just diagnosed… at stage 1.”
Abilities United
Mission: Abilities United champions people with developmental and other disabilities and provides the training, education, and support they need to lead the lives they choose
GNP users say: “When Amber stepped into the warm water at the Betty Wright Swim Center, she walked on her first for the very first time – or more appropriately, she RAN through the water unassisted. Eventually she was able to repeat that experience on land Amber is now 16 and continues to be served by the Betty Wright Swim Center as well as the After School Socialization Program at Abilities United. Abilities United has made a profound difference in our lives!”
Operation Gratitude 
Mission: To lift morale and put smiles on faces by sending care packages addressed to individual Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines deployed in harm’s way, to their children left behind, and to Veterans, Wounded Warriors and First Responders
GNP users say: “As a prior service member, I cannot impress upon you how uplifting it is to receive such generosity from strangers, in any form. In recent years, I have helped put together care packages for service members, full well knowing that there will be a hard-working, well-deserving service man or woman on the receiving end.”
In-Sync Exotics 
Mission: To provide a caring, safe haven to some of God’s most beautiful creatures. We put their needs above all else; the old, the maimed, the unwanted can find sanctuary here
GNP users say: “The exotic cats at In-Sync are so loved and cared for by the staff and volunteers. I have been impressed by the high standards Vicky Keahey sets for the care of these beautiful cats and some of the stories of rehabilitation from the horrid conditions they were rescued from are remarkable.”
WiserEarth
Mission: “Wiser is a free online community space connecting the people, nonprofits and businesses working toward a just and sustainable world”
GNP Users say: “I turned English into Chinese in order to make more people access to it–a green social network engaging in sustainable development. We share interesting information and together hold activities.”
Love Without Boundaries 
Mission: To transform the lives of orphaned and impoverished children by providing hope and healing
GNP Users say: “I have seen the work that LWB does for the children and rural families in China for 8+ years now and know that they have saved lives and changed countless more lives around the world by what they are doing for the children of China.”
Malecare 
Mission: Develops practical, life saving programs for cancer survivors
GNP Users say: “Malecare is a Non-profit organization that brings men from all walks of life together who have or have had prostate cancer. It offers support to individuals who previously would have felt or been isolated.”
Society for Science & the Public
Mission: dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education
GNP users say: “I have been involved in Science Fairs for over 22 years and the International Fair since 1994. The parent body (SSP) that supports this fair does a tremendous job. They support the students, the teachers, and all who are trying to keep kids interested and inspired in the sciences, technology, and engineering.”
Did we miss one? Write a review and let us know in the comments!
The concepts of sharing time and giving to those in need are a part of the learning curve in a child’s life, but why are these ideas so important for kids to learn?
In his book, Giving back: A guide to Volunteering and Donation for Families and Individuals, Stephen P. Ketchpel tells us:
- Giving back empowers a child, making them more independent.
- Volunteering as a family, together as a group, leads to stronger family ties.
- And, the earlier a child participates in this experience, the more he/she enjoys and makes it a part of his/her whole life.
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Want to volunteer or intern at a great Austin nonprofit? Whether you’re new to the city and want to learn about its charities, trying to change up your routine with some local charity work, or just want to volunteer or intern at a neighborhood nonprofit, everyone knows that the best way to find the right place for you is from the people who’ve been there!
Here’s a list of volunteers’ and interns’ favorite Austin charities. Every nonprofit on this list has earned an overall score of 4 or greater out of 5 on GreatNonprofits.org. If your favorite Austin nonprofit or volunteer gig is missing, find it on GreatNonprofits.org, write a positive review, and show your co-volunteers how to start adding reviews and get it on the list!
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Want to volunteer or intern at a great Dallas nonprofit? Whether you’re new to the city and want to learn about its charities, trying to change up your routine with some local charity work, or just want to volunteer or intern at a neighborhood nonprofit, everyone knows that the best way to find the right place for you is from the people who’ve been there!
Here’s a list of volunteers’ and interns’ favorite Dallas charities. Every nonprofit on this list has earned an overall score of 4 or greater out of 5 on GreatNonprofits.org. If your favorite Dallas nonprofit or volunteer gig is missing, find it on GreatNonprofits.org, write a positive review, and show your co-volunteers how to start adding reviews and get it on the list!
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Want to volunteer or intern at a great Pittsburgh non-profit? Whether you’re new to Pittsburgh and want to learn about the city’s charities, trying to change up your routine with some local charity work, or just want to volunteer or intern at a neighborhood non-profit, everyone knows that the best way to find the right place for you is from the people who’ve been there!
Here’s a list of volunteers’ and interns’ favorite Pittsburgh charities. Every non-profit on this list earned has an overall score of 4 or greater out of 5 on GreatNonprofits.org, and must have been reviewed by at least 10 volunteers. If your favorite Pittsburgh non-profit or volunteer gig is missing, find it on GreatNonprofits.org, write a positive review, and show your co-volunteers how to start adding reviews and get it on the list! (more…)
How often do you read reviews of products, restaurants, or movies before you make a purchasing decision?
Do you use TripAdvisor or Amazon reviews or browse the Zagat guides? Most shoppers rely heavily on customer reviews. In fact, 65 percent of customers report reading reviews “always” or “frequently” before deciding to make a purchase. The same also applies to charities. And if you think the large national charitable organizations have the advantage, think again.
Check out full article by CEO Perla Ni in this month’s issue of Advancing Philanthropy!
Want to volunteer or intern at a great Atlanta nonprofit? Whether you’re new to the city and want to learn about its charities, trying to change up your routine with some local charity work, or just want to volunteer or intern at a neighborhood nonprofit, everyone knows that the best way to find the right place for you is from the people who’ve been there!
Here’s a list of volunteers’ and interns’ favorite Atlanta charities. Every nonprofit on this list has earned an overall score of 4 or greater out of 5 on GreatNonprofits.org. If your favorite Atlanta nonprofit or volunteer gig is missing, find it on GreatNonprofits.org, write a positive review, and show your co-volunteers how to start adding reviews and get it on the list!
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Want to volunteer or intern at a great Boston nonprofit? Whether you’re new to the city and want to learn about its charities, trying to change up your routine with some local charity work, or just want to volunteer or intern at a neighborhood nonprofit, everyone knows that the best way to find the right place for you is from the people who’ve been there!
Here’s a list of volunteers’ and interns’ favorite Boston charities. Every nonprofit on this list has earned an overall score of 4 or greater out of 5 on GreatNonprofits.org. If your favorite Boston nonprofit or volunteer gig is missing, find it on GreatNonprofits.org, write a positive review, and show your co-volunteers how to start adding reviews and get it on the list!
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Hurricane Isaac landed in Louisiana on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The Gulf Coast was pelted with rain and residents are dealing with flooding and power outages. GreatNonprofits released a list to inform potential donors, volunteers and people seeking help about the best nonprofits involved in the area. It’s a subject close to our hearts, we decided to launch GreatNonprofits.org after struggling to identify top local nonprofits helping Katrina victims seven years ago.
TOP-RATED DISASTER AID NONPROFITS FOR HURRICANE ISAAC RELEASED
Redwood Shores, Calif. (Wednesday, August 29, 2012) – In the wake of Hurricane Isaac’s convergence on still-vulnerable New Orleans, charity ranking website greatnonprofits.org has released a list of organizations doing work in the area that have been highly-rated by volunteers, donors and actual people helped by these charities.
The list offers up more than just the usual large organizations, and seeks to highlight small, lesser known nonprofits most effectively helping victims of Hurricane Isaac. Charities such as Big Bend Disaster Animal Response Team, working to retrieve pets left behind by evacuees. Many of the charities work on helping disaster victims deal with homelessness and job loss issues, like Coastal Women for Change and Community Center of St. Bernard. The lists of nonprofits covers charities whose missions span from providing food and shelter, to helping the local wildlife recover following the disaster.
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Want to volunteer or intern at a great Chicago non-profit? Whether you’re new to Chicago and want to learn about the city’s charities, trying to change up your routine with some local charity work, or just want to volunteer or intern at a neighborhood non-profit, everyone knows that the best way to find the right place for you is from the people who’ve been there!
Here’s a list of volunteers’ and interns’ favorite Chicago charities. Every non-profit on this list has earned an overall score of 4 or greater out of 5 on GreatNonprofits.org. If your favorite Chicago non-profit or volunteer gig is missing, find it on GreatNonprofits.org, write a positive review, and show your co-volunteers how to start adding reviews and get it on the list!
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Want to volunteer or intern at a great New York City nonprofit? Whether you’re new to New York City and want to learn about the city’s charities, trying to change up your routine with some local charity work, or just want to volunteer or intern at a neighborhood nonprofit, everyone knows that the best way to find the right place for you is from the people who’ve been there!
Here’s a list of volunteers’ and interns’ favorite New York City charities. Every nonprofit on this list has earned an overall score of 4 or greater out of 5 on GreatNonprofits.org. If your favorite New York City nonprofit or volunteer gig is missing, find it on GreatNonprofits.org, write a positive review, and show your co-volunteers how to start adding reviews and get it on the list!
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Want to volunteer or intern at a great San Francisco nonprofit? Whether you’re new to the city and want to learn about its charities, trying to change up your routine with some local charity work, or just want to volunteer or intern at a neighborhood nonprofit, everyone knows that the best way to find the right place for you is from the people who’ve been there!
Here’s a list of volunteers’ and interns’ favorite San Francisco charities. Every nonprofit on this list has earned an overall score of 4 or greater out of 5 on GreatNonprofits.org. If your favorite San Francisco nonprofit or volunteer gig is missing, find it on GreatNonprofits.org, write a positive review, and show your co-volunteers how to start adding reviews and get it on the list!
What makes you want to give back? How can you actively work to raise generous children who find donating time to charity not just responsible but also fun? Check out these tips!
On the CBS Saturday Early Show, clinical psychologist Dr. Paul Donahue offered a few tips for raising a generous and compassionate child who loves to give:
- Teach giving, not taking, at home by encouraging kids to help out in the kitchen. Even young kids can make a real contribution to the family meal.
- Make sure older kids help their siblings. This collaboration – teaching them sports, reading to them, or helping with homework – creates a sense of everyone being in it together.
- Teach kids about respect and caring by being a model yourself. Your kids take cues from you.
- To teach kids about contributing to the community, go beyond donations of food or clothing and perform giving acts, like helping an elderly neighbor with household tasks.
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Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee
Nicholas Kristof gets an A for his picks of great charities! Despite the Three Cups of Tea controversy, he has chosen effective nonprofits according to reviews by volunteers, donors, and clients served. His final grade? A 91% success rate.
Kristof is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the New York Times. His writing focuses on the disenfranchised and abused, like victims of human trafficking, and what we can do to help them. He has traveled to 150 countries, often risking his life to report from dangerous places like Darfur.
We wanted to evaluate Kristof’s picks of nonprofits that readers should support. We took a look at some of Nick’s picks and compared them with reviewer’s ratings on GreatNonprofits.org. Kristof’s pick was judged as good if reviewers gave it an average rating of at least four stars out of five on our site — a requirement every nonprofit met except for the infamous Central Asia Institute. Kristof ended up with a 91% success rate. Congratulations to Mr. Kristof for all he has done to spread awareness and help people who need it most. We feel confident that most nonprofits Mr. Kristof recommends are outstanding organizations. Below are some choice reviews of Kristof’s picks from GreatNonprofits.org:
Acumen Fund
Nick says: “It invests money in for-profit businesses — like WaterHealth International, whose business model is to provide clean drinking water where none is available.”
GreatNonprofits users say: “I am an African that beleives in teaching people to fish not giving them fish. The investments Acumen make in entrepreneurs in developing countries encourages both a return on investment in cash terms and a huge return on investment in human terms” Read More
Afghan Institute of Learning
Nick says: “It is led by Sakena Yacoobi, a force of nature who was educated in the United States, and it now serves 350,000 Afghan women and children annually… Yacoobi runs education programs, training centers and clinics, emphasizing local buy-in and self-reliance.”
GreatNonprofits users say: “I was very impressed by their grassroots, community-based approach to providing education, training and health services to Afghans, particularly to women and children. AIL actually listened to the Afghans they were working with and provided services that they requested and, in turn, asked for input from the people.” Read More
Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee 
Nick Says: “A Bangladeshi antipoverty organization… it emphasizes organizing village women and promoting education, health and microfinance.”
GreatNonprofits users say: “Seeing a woman proudly display the hair dryer for her salon business in Uganda that a BRAC loan enabled her to buy, watching families gather on poultry vaccination day in Liberia… seeing a women proudly showing her rice plot which demonstrated the in-line planting method for rice all gave me a clearer picture of the good work BRAC does. The scale and breadth of their programs is truly stunning. They start small, think big and scale up. They fix what doesn’t work and stop what can’t work.” Read More
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