Rick Cohen

After almost 8 years as the executive director of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP), Rick Cohen became Nonprofit Quarterly as NPQ's national correspondent in 2006.  Prior to joining NCRP, he was vice president of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) in charge of strategic planning.  He also served as vice president under Jim Rouse at the Enterprise Foundation (now Enterprise Community Partners), directing Enterprise's field programs.  Rick has also worked in the public sector as Director of Jersey City's Department of Housing and Economic Development and served as a consultant to numerous government agencies and nonprofits.  He began his professional career as a planner with Action for Boston Community Development, one of the nation's original anti-poverty agencies.  Rick has also authored or co-authored three books and numerous articles and op-eds for professional journals and newspapers, testified at Congressional committees and roundtables, and appeared on radio and television including the CBS Evening News, the ABC Evening News, the British Broadcasting Company, Fox News (including "the O'Reilly Factor"), CNN's American Morning, the Public Broadcasting System ("Religion and Ethics"), National Public Radio ("All Things Considered", "Morning Edition", and "Marketplace"), and others.  In 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, Rick was named to the NPT Power & Influence Top 50 list by The Nonprofit Times.  In addition to Rick's regular columns in Nonprofit Quarterly magazine, the NPQ Newswire, and NPQ's Cohen Report (http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org), he also writes investigative pieces for the Blue Avocado (http://www.blueavocado.org/).  In 2010, Rick won the gold National Azbee "news analysis/investigative" award of the American Society of Business Publication Editors (for his Youth Today article on the Promise Neighborhoods program and minOnline's Editorial and Design Award for Freelance Editorial and Design (for his Blue Avocado series on the demise of the Vanguard Public Foundation).

Planning for December in June: a path to year-end fundraising success

It’s never too early to start strategizing for year-end fundraising. In turbulent economic times, a fine-tuned direct mail strategy is more important than ever.

Actionable ideas for nonprofit excellence

Kral delivers a well organized book that cleverly weaves real life examples of nonprofit excellence alongside actionable ideas that any nonprofit employee can put into practice.

memorial day
On Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a day on which we remember that the sacrifices of others is for naught if our work does not seek to preserve what theirs did.

Decline in Christianity
Declining religious affiliation and civil society

This November, the third Givers, Doers, & Thinkers conference will address the question: How will declining religious affiliation change civil society in the years to come?

stewardship culture
The benefits of stewardship culture

By cultivating a culture of stewardship, your organization can strengthen its service of clients and colleagues alike.

donor intent
The Kansas Government Just Protected Charitable Donations 

A new bill in Kansas provides legal pathways to protect donor intent when written agreements are in place.

belonging
Are Americans Losing Their Sense of ‘Belonging’?

A new “Belonging Barometer” has troubling indications for the health of civic culture in America.