*Boomers Desire Meaningful Jobs: A national survey released by MetLife Foundation and Civic Ventures finds that half of nonprofit employers actually see Boomer workers as
highly appealing, with an additional 39% finding them moderately appealing. In addition, the survey finds that nonprofits with experience hiring late-career or recently
retired workers are the most positive about hiring more.
This survey is based on a nationwide telephone survey of 427 nonprofit employers in the fields of social services, health care/health services, education/youth development
(not including schools), the environment, community agencies, crisis intervention agencies and other causes. Key findings from the employer survey include:
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More than four in 10 nonprofit employers (42%) see recruiting and hiring talent as a top human resource concern, and only 9% expect it will get easier to find the
talent they need;
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Nonprofits with experience employing late-career or retired workers are more likely than other employers to view these workers as very appealing by a margin of 53 to
40%. They are also more positive about workers who have switched from business to nonprofits (40 to 29%); and
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Some employers expressed "serious concerns" that encore workers could demand higher salaries (25%), be reluctant to learn new technology (23%), lack
technical/professional skills (20%) and could have higher insurance/benefit costs (19%).
Source: MetLife Foundation
*Small Businesses Still Philanthropic Despite Poor Economy: According to the results of an exclusive study by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, small businesses are very
engaged in charitable giving, though the economic crisis is affecting size of donations. The survey, which was conducted by Chamberlain Research Consultants for The Chronicle
and the Advanta Bank Corp., a company that offers credit cards to small businesses, examined giving by 1,033 small businesses. It found that 66% of those who give through
their company donate cash, while 51% volunteer, 41% give services and 39% contribute products.
But the poor economy has already started to hurt small businesses' philanthropy. 60% of small-business owners say the economic turmoil has affected their giving. The
survey also found that 38% of businesses gave less over the last year, 47% gave the same amount and just 14% donated more. Among the survey's other findings:
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Social service charities won the largest share of support from small companies: 62% say they gave to such organizations, more than any other cause; 55% gave to
educational organizations; 44% to health charities; 28% to arts institutions; and 27% to environmental causes;
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Just 43% of small-business leaders say they use charitable giving as a way to promote their company; and
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Less than half of small-business leaders (43%) say their business is not doing enough charitable giving. They say a lack of money, organization and time are the three
main reasons they do not contribute more.
Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy
*Consumers Anxious About Government Bailout: With the government's $700 billion bailout package approved for deployment, a survey commissioned by TrueCredit.com and
conducted by Harris Interactive(R) indicates that 38% of U.S. adults feel the bailout plan will not be at all effective, and only 1% of U.S. adults believe the initiative
will be very effective for helping to improve the current economic climate. These findings could have possible ramifications when it comes to consumer confidence and
spending--issues of utmost importance for marketers.
Conversely, about half (52%) say they feel it will be somewhat effective. In the short term, the economic climate is likely to affect consumers' spending habits. A
majority (68%) say they already spend or plan to spend less as a result of the current economic climate. Surprisingly, three in 10 consumers say their spending habits have
not and will not change.
The majority of U.S. adults (55%) say that current economic conditions will affect their discretionary spending; nearly half (47%) say it will impact their retirement
savings; while about three in 10 (31%) say it will affect their interest rates when they will be able to retire.
Source: TrueCredit.com