Philoptima : Open innovation Philanthropy http://www.philoptima.org/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 RSS Feed Generator by Philoptima Copyright: (C) Philoptima http://www.philoptima.org/executive-profile/ http://www.philoptima.org/executive-profile/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Philoptima Executive`s Profile. http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-consultancy/ http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-consultancy/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Philoptima connects grant makers to researchers with the latest solutions to a wide range of community problems. We accomplish this Mission by using an affordable system of prizes to attract a large pool of the best talent and a secure electronic platform to encourage competitive ideas. We also provide a way for prize makers to hear from non-profit organizations proposing to implement well-researched winning solutions. http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-challenges/ http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-challenges/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Foundations and donors can join Philoptima free and consultants, researchers, and experts may apply at any time free. Prizes are posted as they are funded but do not change until the project deadline is passed. Nonprofits may join and propose "problem statements" that are specific to their communities for funding consideration by prize makers. http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-challenge-intro/ http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-challenge-intro/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Registration is free. Fill out this form to register and see our Prize process. Registration does not obligate you in any way. http://www.philoptima.org/crowd-sourcing-expert/ http://www.philoptima.org/crowd-sourcing-expert/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Consultants, experts, and researchers, join the Philoptima faculty and be included in our database for grantmakers to search and access our design prizes in the fields of health, education, public safety, governmental oversight, and the environment. You can earn additional income and recognition for your well-designed responses to problems posed by our prize makers.You may also be selected to consult on various projects sponsored by foundations and other grantmakers. http://www.philoptima.org/nonprofit-registration1/ http://www.philoptima.org/nonprofit-registration1/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Nonprofit Organizations :The Philoptima solutions process has two phases. In Phase 1, grant makers describe a problem, post a design prize and choose a solution from among those submitted by members of the Philoptima faculty. In the optional Phase 2, nonprofit organizations compete for an implementation prize based on the winning solution selected by the prize maker in the first phase. http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-consultant-finder/ http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-consultant-finder/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Registration is free. Fill out this form to look for a consultant, researcher, or expert. Registration does not obligate you in any way. http://www.philoptima.org/prize-type/ http://www.philoptima.org/prize-type/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Your first step is to select the type of Prize you want to post. Prizes come in two types: "Design Prizes" for when you want research to start a project that intervenes in a community problem, and "Implementation Prizes" for when you have a design in mind but want to see how nonprofits would implement the program in your community. http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-products/ http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-products/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Find useful sample policies and suggested procedures that help you meet the new IRS Form 990 requirements and that can be easily tailored for your organization. Or See our latest publications and our recommended reading list with our brief reviews and comments. Or Explore our upcoming seminar schedule for 2009. http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-platform/ http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-platform/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Join the worlds largest online community on philanthropic open innovation free. http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-products_details/1/80/pp/index/ http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-products_details/1/80/pp/index/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 A conflict of interest policy is essential for any nonprofit organization or private foundation. It sets the stage for ethical operating attitudes and defines the priorities of trustees, directors, management, and all other employees whenever they are faced with two competing actions, only one of which is in the company's best interest. Required by all nonprofit accrediting bodies and the new IRS Form 990.Price:$000000000011 http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-products_details/1/92/pp/index/ http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-products_details/1/92/pp/index/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Grow a respectful work environment and keep a professional, high-performance team functioning at its best. Any nonprofit or foundation seeking a workplace free from intimidation, hostility, or sexual harassment needs to start with a clear written understanding of expectations. This policy can be tailored for your business practices but it is invaluable to helping you set the tone. Price:$0000000012.5 http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-products_details/1/90/pp/index/ http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-products_details/1/90/pp/index/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 An employee code of conduct policy goes hand-in-hand with the conflict of interest policy. It is a necessity for any foundation or nonprofit organization to create a work culture of honesty and trust. The code of conduct spells out the type of working relationship employees should have with the company and with each other. Set your expectations high and you will be pleasantly surprised that people flock to your enterprise.Price:$000000000011 http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-products_details/1/109/ba/index/ http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-products_details/1/109/ba/index/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Performance Pacing gives foundations a validated measurement instrument to assess their performance and compare results to others. This e-book includes the statistical evidence to satisfy the most curious intellectual about the reasonableness of this performance system. Buy the e-book and get a bonus section with a sample foundation evaluation policy that can be easily adapted for your use. Advance orders for the e-book being accepted; expected release January 2009.Price:$000000019.99 http://www.philoptima.org/philoptima-news-details/8/ http://www.philoptima.org/philoptima-news-details/8/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 The Philoptima™ website, under development for more than a year, recently moved to a "beta" or test model status.  The site offers grantmakers, donors, and foundations a new way to discover best methods and detailed logic models by using competitive prizes to attract researchers, consultants, and experts to propose solutions to a wide range of social issues in the fields of education, health, public safety, governmental oversight, and the environment. Testing will continue in beta form through the end of 2008. Please report any "Bugs" or suggestions for improvement using the feedback link. http://www.philoptima.org/philoptima-news-details/11/ http://www.philoptima.org/philoptima-news-details/11/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Dr. Byron Harrell discussed the status of the public charter school movement in New Orleans with members of the Philanthropy Roundtable on October 7th at a seminar on educational funding options.  Topics included school leadership, governance issues in charter schools, the new back office model of a charter school cooperative, and charter authorizing.  http://www.philoptima.org/philoptima-news-details/5/ http://www.philoptima.org/philoptima-news-details/5/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Leave it to Google, the internet hot shot, to come up with a striking new way to conduct its philanthropic work.  The founders of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, have started a new hybrid philanthropy and they gave it about $1 billion as seed money to help it carry out a wide-ranging mandate to tackle poverty, disease, and global warming. However, this is like no other philantropic venture that we have seen and we like it so much we think we will copy it here at Philoptima.  The mandate itself is not particularly revolutionary even though it is attempting to confront some gargantuan problems.  The real innovation is the way it is structured. Google.org is referred to as a "double-breasted" hybrid organization because it is like a coin with two sides. It will operate two separate but coordinated entities.  One entity is a for-profit, tax paying organization, and the second is a nonprofit grantmaking charity funded at least partly by the earnings of the first entity. Not only is it uniquely designed to perform effectively and efficiently, it was seeded with a really big startup endowment.  $1 billion pales in comparison to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, but it is big enough money to keep it in the top handful of foundations in the United States. By organizing as a hybrid, Google is required to pay taxes on earnings by the for-profit component.  Gifts to the nonprofit component, however, are tax exempt and deductible.  Functionally, the for-profit status will greatly increase the range and flexibility of the two entities working together. The for-profit side can create and sell products, sell stock, borrow funds, etc. just like any company.  It can hire lobbyists to pressure Congress while the normal private foundation cannot.  But the nonprofit component can retain and grow assets tax free and accumulate wealth subject to the requirement that it donate 5% each year to charities or as internal expenditures that qualify as tax exempt spending.  Great idea, Larry and Sergey!  Something new under the sun, again. http://www.philoptima.org/philoptima-news-details/7/ http://www.philoptima.org/philoptima-news-details/7/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Philoptima™ has been granted trademark protection by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.  As such, the name is protected from infringement by other parties and may not be used as to the words or the logo image without the written approval of the company. http://www.philoptima.org/philoptima-news-details/10/ http://www.philoptima.org/philoptima-news-details/10/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Philoptima™ advises foundations and other Prize Makers on the design of innovative programs with real impact. If you operate a foundation or philanthropy and need experienced consultation on systems design, evaluation, strategies, law & regulation, or best methods, Philoptima can help. http://www.philoptima.org/philoptima-news-details/13/ http://www.philoptima.org/philoptima-news-details/13/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 A new Foundation Evaluation Policy has been added to the product list on Philoptima.  This policy helps a funder set high expectations as a learning organization.  It clarifies for program officers and the staff that the foundation is interested in understanding what works and in learning from its mistakes.  A policy eliminates the constant policy-level debate about what and how a grantee program is to be evaluated and what resources will be devoted to evaluation.  It makes accountability part of the corporate culture and imbeds a higher-level of thinking about both grantee and foundation performance. http://www.philoptima.org/philoptima-news-details/12/ http://www.philoptima.org/philoptima-news-details/12/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 On October 2, 2008, Dr. Byron Harrell presented a model approach to strategic philanthropy he dubbed "Concept Mapping" at the board retreat of a large grantmaking foundation in Virginia.  Mr. Ford Weber of Virgina LISC, an attendee, said "Coming from an experienced foundation executive, Dr. Harrell's message to donors is an urgent call for strategic focus and clarity in grantmaking which should be high on our list if we are to stay relevant in our communities for the long haul." Harrell spoke on the importance of good governance and a clear mission linked to measurable goals, strategies, objectives, actions steps, and budgets if grantmakers want to achieve lasting systemic improvement in their communities. http://www.philoptima.org/open-inventions-faq/ http://www.philoptima.org/open-inventions-faq/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Need help? Read through the frequently asked questions below for answers. http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-guide/ http://www.philoptima.org/open-innovation-guide/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:40 -0500 Some useful terms frequently used in this site are explained here.