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).

A donor is skeptical over how well a nonprofit is working to gain his trust
A donor’s trust is hard to earn

A recent Wise Giving Alliance report is both too broad and not broad enough to give guidance on how to inspire donor confidence.

GDT Podcast / Episode 44

This week, Jeremy Beer chats with Ericka Andersen about re-engaging the women saying “no” to religion.

Microphones representing finding your voice when doing effective fundraising writing
Imitation is the sincerest form of fundraising

The best fundraising writing captures a person’s “voice” without abandoning the rules and practices of effective donor communications.

Empty college campus indicating donors stopping giving because of lack of free speech
Charitable givers putting colleges, universities on notice

More donors will likely follow suit in the months ahead.

GDT Podcast / Episode 43

This week’s episode with James Whitford is a perfect transition from Thanksgiving weekend into the giving season.

Elk grazing that have been protected by philanthropy
How Philanthropy Is Preserving the Environment

Private companies and philanthropists—not failed government programs—are our best hope for solving the conservation issues bedeviling our country.

happy thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving!

Reflecting on civil society and our gratitude for voluntary associations this Thanksgiving Day.

Last-minute tips for Giving Tuesday

The good, the bad, and the ugly from 2022—and how you can learn from it.