charity

The winners of the second annual SEIC awards will be announced May 3, 2007 at 6 p.m. in May Auditorium, Simon Hall on Washington University’s Hilltop Campus. A total of $125,000 will be awarded to the nonprofit teams who have successfully proven that their ventures have social value and they have the ability to implement their plans. Leslie D. Michelson is the keynote speaker for the event. He is the founder, CEO, investor, advisor, and director for a portfolio of entrepreneurial healthcare, technology and real estate companies

It’s long been assumed that people are willing to pay more for an item if they know a portion of the proceeds will go to charity. But do they really? Two professors from the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis collected data from eBay auctions. They compared prices of items on eBay’s regular auction with items auctioned through its “Giving Works” program where sellers choose to donate part of their earnings to a non-profit of their choosing. They found out that buyers are willing to pay a 5 percent premium on average for those items linked to a cause. More…

Money going to faith-based organizations can bring a financial benefit to donors.In the aftermath of the Asian tsunami, Americans generously donated money to relief groups around the world. But it appears Americans don’t need a major disaster to give money. Annually, Americans donate $183 billion, with nearly half of that amount going to faith-based organizations. Money going to faith-based organizations, such as churches, mosques, the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities, not only can help provide needed social services to communities, but it can also bring a financial benefit to donors, says a noted community development expert at Washington University in St. Louis. “People who donate money on a regular basis take a closer look at where their money is going,” says Stephanie Boddie, Ph.D., assistant professor of social work in the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University. “They are able to figure out and set aside the money they can donate on a weekly or monthly basis. This can lead to more financial responsibility in the areas of debt repayment and asset building.”