Four (Not) Stupid Questions About Philanthropy

By Melinda McKee

September 28, 2011

Today is nationally (albeit unofficially) known as “Ask A Stupid Question Day,” a liberating chance to put forth your inquiries without fear of embarrassment. Well, we don't think any of your questions are "stupid" (seriously!), but in the spirit of the day, here are our answers to a few of the most obvious questions in NCGives' world:

American Indian Women & Giving

By Melinda McKee

September 22, 2011

Last week, NCGives had the opportunity to lead a panel discussion at the American Indian Women of Proud Nations conference, held this year in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The session, called "Giving From the Heart: The Culture & Practice of Women's Giving," covered the importance of looking within our own communities for giving resources, instead of depending soley on grants and other "outside support." The potential for women's giving circles was explored, as well as the activity and impact of the NC American Indian Fund.

“Local artist donates supplies to Cumberland County schools” (Fayetteville Observer)

August 16, 2011

Sarah-Lynn Brown remembers taking art at E.E. Smith High School with few supplies in the mid-1990s. "There wasn't a whole lot of money," she said. "That was one thing that kept haunting me." Read more...

Local Giving Circles Are Expanding, Publishing

By Melinda McKee

August 08, 2011

Two North Carolina giving circles we supported in their early days, NGAAP-Charlotte and the (formerly) Women's Giving Circle of Fayetteville, are stepping it up.

Former NC Youth Giving Network member joins Council on Foundations

By Melinda McKee

August 05, 2011

Through the North Carolina Youth Giving Network, NCGives has helped more than 20 youth giving sites get started around the state. We're excited to share that a former student from one site, Youth Grantmakers in Action in Winston-Salem, has recently become a summer associate with the Council on Foundations.

From home cleaning to grantmaking, NC women are paving paths of generosity

By Melinda McKee

July 15, 2011

The past few weeks have seen a lot of admirable action among North Carolina's women givers --

“Goodwill honors Bank of America volunteer” (From Philanthropy Journal)

July 06, 2011

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- In the summer of 2003, Stephanie Johnson received an e-blast through the internal volunteer network at Bank of America, looking for employees to volunteer for either of two agencies that were providing training in financial-management skills for low-income people.

“Guardian Angel funds Alzheimer’s research” (From the Philanthropy Journal)

June 17, 2011

FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. -- In September 1999, two months before her mother died after living with Alzheimer’s disease for 12 years, Laura Gaddis opened a 1,400-square-foot thrift store in Fuquay-Varina with the idea of generating funds to support Alzheimer’s research.

Helping women ‘save the world’ (From the Philanthropy Journal)

May 18, 2011

Headed to the hospital in the fall of 2006 after a serious car wreck, Younghee Overly had an epiphany that led her to shake up her professional life to focus on helping women around the world.

“I was on the way to the emergency room and was thinking I could have died,” she says. “I felt I needed to do something more with my volunteer life.”