Where Does $100 to Kids Wish Network Go?
Kids Wish Network is a Florida-based non-profit 501 (c) (3) under fire for good reason: Of the $14 million raised last year, less than $1.2 million went to grants for kids. That’s 9%, or $9 out of every $100 in revenue raised. But, its worse than that. $1 million of the revenue raised were non-cash contributions and these non-cash contributions (toys, clothes, games, etc) were granted as wishes for kids, which means only $200,000 of the $13 million in cash raised in 2017 was spent on granting wishes for sick kids. Bottom line: a little bit more than a dollar out of every $100 received in cash was used to grant wishes for sick kids. Shameful. Read more 
Executive Compensation at the World Wildlife Fund
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is one of the most recognized conservation groups in the world. A 501 (c) (3) based in Washington, DC (but with offices worldwide), WWF has 605 employees who received total compensation of $87.1 million in 2017, which equates to an average compensation of $144,000, according to the organization’s IRS Form 990. However, only 188 individuals received more than $100,000 in compensation, with the 14 most highly compensated listed below: Read more
Jonathan Franzen Is Really The Great American Essayist
He’s not the richest or the most famous. His characters don’t solve mysteries, have magical powers or live in the future…but he shows us the way we live now.
Lev Grossman wrote those words for the cover of the August 23, 2010 cover of Time magazine, calling Jonathan Franzen “the great American novelist.” In the midst of the great recession when most people were thinking about the economy, unemployment, and the sinking real estate market, America needed a hero and with the recent publication of Franzen’s fourth novel, Freedom, Time magazine found their guy but fell short of naming him “Man of the Year” for writing what most critics considered great literature. Read more
Comparing Mathew 25 Ministries and Samaritan’s Purse
Mathew 25 Ministries and Samaritan’s Purse are very similar organizations in that they are both non-profit 501 (c) (3)’s whose primary mission is to provide humanitarian aid to those in need (although Samaritan’s Purse also appears to be heavily into “spiritual aid”). In addition, both are managed by members of a family (the Mettey family for Mathew 25 Ministries and the Graham family for Samaritan’s Purse).
Both organizations awarded approximately $200 million in grants (primarily non-cash) in 2017. Whereas Mathew 25 Ministries awarded the most assistance in grants (primarily clothing and household goods, personal care items, and drugs/medical supplies) to countries in Central America and the Caribbean, Samaritan’s Purse awarded the most grants (primarily Shoebox gifts that contain toys, hygiene products, school supplies, clothing, crafts) to recipients in Sub Sahara Africa.
In 2017, both organizations filed an IRS Form 990 which reports the following information: Read more
Baked Honey Crisp Apple Crumbles
It’s nearly impossible for me to walk by a pyramid of fresh apples in the grocery store especially if the apples are Honey Crisp – those sweet, tart, super crispy delicious apples that are also great for baking because they retain their shape and don’t turn to mush easily.
One of my favorite ways to enjoy a Honey Crisp Apple is to bake it with a nutty oat filling in the core. These baked apples really do taste like an Apple Crumble Pie but the healthier version. Easy to make, Baked Honey Crisp Apple Crumbles are a perfect mid-afternoon snack or an evening dessert served in front of the fireplace. Read more
Fundraising at the Natural Resources Defense Council
Fundraising is at the core of any non-profit with one of the most pressing donor concerns being how much an organization spends on fundraising. For the Natural Resources Defense Council – a New York City-based organization that raised $177 million last year – the answer appears to be about $12.3 million (or 7% of revenue), according to the IRS Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2017. These expenses are summarized as follows: Read more
Where Does $100 to the Natural Resources Defense Council Go?
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) was created in 1970 by a group of attorneys and law students in New York “to safeguard the earth – its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends.” Initially funded with a $400,000 grant from the Ford Foundation, the NRDC is considered one of the most influential environmental non-profits in the country. Read more
Executive Compensation at the Natural Resources Defense Council
The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) raised $177 million last year and spent $129 million, leaving $48 million added to the net fund balance which had a $306 million balance at year-end.
The largest expense of the New York-based organization is compensation-related expenses, which totaled $67 million for the 662 staff (an average of $101,200 each). However, 179 employees received more than $100,000 in total compensation with the 16 most highly compensated individuals listed as follows: Read more
Chili Green Quesadillas
Every single day I try to figure out how to get beans and greens into my diet in new and different ways. One morning, I simply took out some of the vegetables (onions, mushrooms and kale) I felt like eating and then sifted through rows of canned beans and decided on kidney beans (which always make me think of chili). I also had a package of whole grain sprouted tortillas so the idea of making Chili Green Quesadillas took over. Read more
The Ultimate Peanut Butter Cup by Eat Chic Chocolates
Nearly 100 years in 1928, Harry Burnett (“HB”) Reese created the peanut butter cup – that quintessential combination of chocolate and peanut butter that became one of America’s favorite candy confections. Although the classic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup will always hold a special place in culinary history, dozens of variations have since been created based on the simple idea of blending chocolate with a nut butter to make the ultimate candy treat.
My personal favorite peanut butter cup is made by Eat Chic Chocolates – a Brooklyn-based company that specializes in handcrafted chocolate filled with house made nut and seed butters. Read more
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