Where Most Needed

Jerry Lewis & Don Imus: The Downside of Charity-Celebrity Co-Dependency

Hitching a charity's reputation to a single individual is a high-risk strategy that pays off—until it doesn't.

Natural History Museums Face Apocalypse

Declines in funding and a public perception of institutions as boring are leading to a crisis that threatens their extensive, behind-the-scenes scientific research. 

Charities Unwitting Supporters of Shock Jocks

Thanks to the Ad Council (itself a charity), charity ads fill in when commercial advertisers pull out of raunchy radio shows.

Disgruntled Son Blows Whistle on Mom's Favorite Charity

A gossip columnist fills in some details about a messy family feud in Florida involving the heirs of the founder of the National Enquirer. 

Where Bono Blunde(red)

A bad PR week for (Product)Red orchestrated out of San Francisco raises doubts about the prospects for a long-term sustainable charity campaign (sorry, business model) based on product sales without grassroots fundraising. 

Fundraisers Make Sure Something is in It for Me

Savvy participants in fundraising events for medical research use their leverage to steer funding to research that benefits their own family members.

EPA Allows Bleach and Blood to Mix (for Charity)

Clorox successfully petitions to include a fund-raising tie-in to the American Red Cross on product labels. 

Binge for Charity

For young professionals who need an excuse to drink, charitiable causes are very accommodating.

Ellen Degeneres Pigs Out on Girl Scout Cookies

Talk show host buys 1,000 boxes from an Ashtabula, Ohio troop.  Cookie season runs through April, supporting the only major charity that supports itself primarily through sale of a non-donated product.

Also: see the related article "Girl Scouts Fib about Trans Fats (Legally)."

When You Wish Upon a Blog

Entrepreneur wants sponsors to donate $1 for every wish posted to his blog.