Here is the story of Faith in Action, the acclaimed nationwide grant program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that brings together Americans of all faiths to provide volunteer care and support to those in their communities who are confined to their homes because of a chronic health condition or disability.

But this book is far more than simply an account of the Faith in Action program. Through a series of revealing in-depth interviews conducted in three very different parts of the country, "Promise to Mary" provides a unique and often profoundly moving glimpse into the lives of some of our most isolated and forgotten neighbors--as well as the remarkable volunteers, from all faiths and from all walks of life, who have come to their aid.

If there is an X PRIZE for collaborative thought leadership of the social ecosystem, this book would get it.
Dr. Peter H. Diamandis
Chairman and CEO, X PRIZE Foundation

"The World that Changes the World" is thought leadership at its best--envisioning the future through reflection and analysis of past trends and contemporary challenges.
Senator the Hon. Ursula Stephens
Australian Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector

The multifaceted, multinational, multisectoral insights in this volume offer inspiration, ideas, and opportunity for action and impact.
Dr. Melissa A. Berman
President and CEO, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Inc.

This is a comprehensive primer representing the diversity of perspectives that comprises the evolving global social ecosystem.
Dr. Pamela Hartigan
Director, Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, Said Business School, Oxford University

"The World that Changes the World" puts together the pieces of this puzzle by explaining how these varied actors of the social ecosystem function and interact with each other.
Matthew Bishop
Co-Author, "Philanthrocapitalism: How giving can save the world"

A valuable one-stop resource for the many players in, and observers of, the social ecosystem.
Doug Miller
Honorary President, European Venture Philanthropy Association

"The World that Changes the World" should become the pocket guide for changemakers of the world in the same way that "The Lonely Planet" is for travelers of the world.
Gib Bulloch
Founder and Executive Director, Accenture Development Partnerships

An evocative, immersive memoir that charts the personal evolution of an American philanthropic thought leader and arts advocate. A Life of My Own follows the author's journey from girlhood to the woman she would become. Wilhelm reveals her unique upbringing, diverse work history, family challenges and journey of personal growth with unbridled honesty and narrative energy. When life on the outside seemed under control, her inner life was in turmoil. A search for self-realization explores lies and deception about her origins, and a quest for truth and understanding that ultimately shapes a woman with profound purpose and mission. Donna Wilhelm's memoir will inspire future generations to take ownership of their own life choices and stories as they travel with her on a journey as universal as it is empowering.

Enter the world of the social entrepreneur. A global community of doers, thinkers and leaders who mix business with grass-roots activism to make social change possible. Vinod Kapur created a new breed of chicken that feeds some of the world's poorest villagers. Betty Makoni empowers young women across Africa through her Girl Child Network. Stephen Burks connects developing world artisans with high fashion brands. They are but three. In this book, author and activist Asheem Singh explores how a movement of tiny ventures evolved into a global humanitarian and financial juggernaut, revealing new ways to fight privilege and inequality, rewire philanthropy, government and even capitalism itself. This is a guide to an exhilarating and inspiring world where, through our giving, campaigning and even through our choices as consumers, we can all play a crucial role in taking on the biggest social challenges of our time.

In Chocolate We Trust takes readers inside modern-day Hershey, Pennsylvania, headquarters of the iconic Hershey brand. A destination for chocolate enthusiasts since the early 1900s, Hershey has transformed from a model industrial town into a multifaceted suburbia powered by philanthropy. At its heart lies the Milton Hershey School Trust, a charitable trust with a mandate to serve "social orphans" and a $12 billion endowment amassed from Hershey Company profits. The trust is a longstanding source of pride for people who call Hershey home and revere its benevolent capitalist founder-but in recent years it has become a subject of controversy and intrigue. Using interviews, participant observation, and archival research, anthropologist Peter Kurie returns to his hometown to examine the legacy of the Hershey Trust among local residents, company employees, and alumni of the K-12 Milton Hershey School. He arrives just as a scandal erupts that raises questions about the outsized power of the private trust over public life. Kurie draws on diverse voices across the community to show how philanthropy stirs passions and interests well beyond intended beneficiaries. In Chocolate We Trust reveals the cultural significance of Hershey as a forerunner to socially conscious corporations and the cult of the entrepreneur-philanthropist. The Hershey story encapsulates the dreams and wishes of today's consumer-citizens: the dream of becoming personally successful, and the wish that the most affluent among us will serve the common good.

"Marilyn Bancel has written a highly accessible, readable guide to a very complex process, which is no mean feat. Even if you have been through a capital campaign before and think you're ready-and especially if you're new to the capital campaign process-read it! Preparing Your Capital Campaign provides valuable insights and practical planning tools that will bolster your capacity to take on a campaign's challenge."
--Clara Miller, president, Nonprofit Finance Fund

In this hands-on workbook, fund raising expert Marilyn Bancel shows you how to prepare your organization to embark on a successful capital campaign, detailing each step that must be taken before the launch.

Preparing Your Capital Campaign--part of the Excellence in Fund Raising Workbook Series--breaks down the preparation stage into practical, manageable parts, outlining in straightforward language such essentials as creating a campaign timetable, setting up the campaign committee, determining a campaign goal, and getting the whole organization ready for a fund raising drive. Packed with useful resources, this nuts-and-bolts workbook includes a campaign skills checklist, strategies for estimating fund raising costs, a sample campaign budget, and a list of Web sites tailored to the specific needs of fund raisers.

If you are brand-new to fund raising, the book offers a concise introductory chapter that lays out the basics and answers the key questions about capital campaigns. More experienced fund raisers will benefit from a wealth of reminders for avoiding common mistakes and a framework for staying focused on the factors that are most important for success. Preparing Your Capital Campaign will show you how to make the most of this critical fund raising strategy.

Fundraising expert Kim Klein has trained thousands of groups and individuals to cultivate assets that make good works possible. The Ask and You Shall Receive training package is a do-it-yourself, start-to-finish program on jumpstarting fundraising efforts. A peer-led program designed for use with its companion Participant Manual, the Ask and You Shall Receive Leader Manual walks you through the most common fundraising scenarios with dependable information, methods, prompts, and preparation guidelines. Realistic time allowances keep the training within reach of busy volunteers.

This accessible book provides a concise introduction to the way in which non-governmental organizations (NGOs) work. By bringing together a range of literature - including ideas from international relations and organizational analysis - Hudock is able to develop a new conceptual framework for understanding both the strengths and weaknesses of NGOs as they operate in the development field.

Healthy democracy depends on a strong and vibrant civil society. NGOs have a central role to play in this process, especially those which empower disadvantaged and under-represented groups. However, Hudock shows that over recent years, NGOs have become heavily dependent on development agencies and governments for their funding, jeopardizing their effectiveness. The book argues that we need a thorough organizational and political understanding of the way in which NGOs in the north and south work in order to comprehend fully both the opportunities they can offer and the serious constraints under which they operate. Using many examples and two case studies, Hudock highlights the difficulties faced by NGOs and outlines possible solutions for the future.

"NGOs and Civil Society" will be indispensable reading for all those studying the role of NGOs in development studies, international relations and the sociology of development, as well as for practitioners.

Planned Giving Simplified

A down-to-earth introduction to planned giving by a leading pioneer in the field.

In this groundbreaking book, charitable gift planning expert Robert F. Sharpe, Sr., demystifies the complex world of planned giving for not-for-profit managers. He provides a detailed blueprint for starting and building a successful planned giving program, and develops a rational framework for managing the subtle interplay of legal, administrative, and interpersonal factors involved in the planned giving process.

Central to Sharpe's proven approach is his controversial definition of the effective charitable gift planner as being not so much a fund raiser as an expert at helping potential benefactors satisfy a deeply felt emotional need. Rather than soliciting or closing on planned gifts, the planner's primary focus should be on forming relationships with donors and providing them with the means and opportunity to fulfill their desire to do good.

Using compelling case studies, Sharpe demonstrates his approach in action. He identifies the various types of planned gifts and takes you inside the hearts and minds of the planned givers themselves, revealing their primary motivations and overarching concerns. He then guides you, step-by-step, through the entire planned giving process, and concludes with a clear delineation of the organizational structures required to sustain a planned giving program.

Praise for Planned Giving Simplified

"This book is a must for all who are serious about establishing or maintaining a successful gift planning program for their institution." —Nancy L. Perazelli, CFRE Gift Planning Officer, Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa.

"In his own inimitable style, Bob Sharpe has done an admirable job of describing the planned giving process in an easy-to-understand manner. Woven throughout is the emphasis on the important human relationship between the donor and the charitable gift planner." —Walter T. Weaver, III Director, Finance Support Division, Boy Scouts of America.

"Robert F. Sharpe, Sr., has provided a comprehensive road map of the world of planned giving. He guides [readers] to the desired destination without unnecessary detours along the way. His book will be a valuable addition to the libraries of not only not-for-profit professionals, but also 'givers' who seek a better understanding of the many routes available to them in their gift planning." —Joseph H. Powell President Emeritus and Senior Consultant, Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation.

"The name Bob Sharpe is synonymous with planned giving. I don't know of anybody who knows more about it and who can better convey its importance." —Reverend Dr. Arthur Caliandro Pastor, Marble Collegiate Church, New York City.

"I really like [this book]. It is . . . elegantly simple, direct, and forthright. . . . very enjoyable." —Thomas W. Cullinan, JD Executive Director of Gift Planning, University of Maryland.

This richly textured social history recovers the voices and experiences of poor Egyptians--beggars, foundlings, the sick and maimed--giving them a history for the first time. As Mine Ener tells their fascinating stories alongside those of reformers, tourists, politicians, and philanthropists, she explores the economic, political, and colonial context that shaped poverty policy for a century and a half. While poverty and poverty relief have been extensively studied in the North American and European contexts, there has been little research done on the issue for the Middle East--and scant comprehensive presentation of the Islamic ethos that has guided charitable action in the region. Drawing on British and Egyptian archival sources, Ener documents transformations in poor relief, changing attitudes toward the public poor, the entrance of new state and private actors in the field of charity, the motivations behind their efforts, and the poor's use of programs created to help them. She also fosters a dialogue between Middle Eastern studies and those who study poverty relief elsewhere by explicitly comparing Egypt's poor relief to policies in Istanbul and also Western Europe, Russia, and North America. Heralding a new kind of research into how societies care for the destitute--and into the religious prerogatives that guide them--this book is one of the first in-depth studies of charity and philanthropy in a region whose social problems have never been of greater interest to the West.

This book gives an in-depth analysis of the role of faith in the work of Tearfund, a leading evangelical relief and development NGO that works in over 50 countries worldwide. The study traces the changing ways that faith has shaped and influenced Tearfund's work over the organisation's 50-year history. It shows how Tearfund has consciously grappled with the role of faith in its work and has invested considerable time and energy in developing an intentionally faith-based approach t relief and development that in several ways is quite different to the approaches of secular relief and development NGOs. The book charts the different perspectives and possibilities that were not taken and the internal discussions about theology, development practices, and humanitarian standards that took place as Tearfund worked out for itself what it meant to be a faith-based relief and development organisation. There is a growing academic literature about religion and development, as well as increasing interest from development ministries of many Northern governments in understanding the role of religion in development and the specific challenges and benefits involved in working with faith-based organisations. However, there are very few studies of actual faith-based organisations and no book-length detailed studies showing how such an organisation operates in practice and how it integrates its faith into its work. In documenting the story of Tearfund, the book provides important insights into the practice and ethos of faith-based organisations, which will be of interest to other FBOs and to researchers of religion and development.

The Carnegie Corporation, among this country's oldest and most important foundations, has underwritten projects ranging from the writings of David Riesman to Sesame Street. Lagemann's lively history focuses on how foundations quietly but effectively use power and private money to influence public policies.

In 1739, the London Foundling Hospital opened its doors to take in the abandoned children of the city. It was the culmination of seventeen years of campaigning by Captain Thomas Coram, driven by his horror at seeing children die in the streets. He was supported in his endeavours by a royal charter and by William Hogarth and George Frideric Handel. The Hospital would continue as both home and school for over 215 years, raising thousands of children until they could be apprenticed out. London's Forgotten Children is a fascinating history of the first children's charity, charting the rise of this incredible institution and examining the attitude towards illegitimate children over the years. The story comes alive with the voices of children who grew up in the Hospital, and the concluding, fully updated, account of today's children's charity Coram is an ongoing testament to the vision of its founder.