For Immediate Release 

Raybin Elected Chair of Giving Institute: Leading Consultants to Non-Profits

Will lead group that advises philanthropic entities worldwide 

Glenview, Ill. (Jan. 21, 2009) – Nancy L. Raybin, managing partner of Raybin Associates in New York City, has been elected chair of Giving Institute: Leading Consultants to Non-Profits, a consortium of firms that provide advice and counsel to philanthropic entities worldwide.

Raybin, a fundraising consultant and expert in the field of philanthropic giving, also previously served as chair of the Institute’s research arm, Giving USA FoundationTM. She follows George C. Ruotolo Jr., CFRE, chair of Ruotolo Associates in Cresskill, N.J., in the role.

Also elected to the Giving Institute board for two-year terms at a recent meeting were:

Thomas W. Mesaros, CFRE, Vice Chair
David H. King, CFRE, Vice Chair
Jeffrey D. Byrne, Treasurer
Aggie Sweeney, CFRE, Secretary
George C. Ruotolo Jr., CFRE, Immediate Past Chair

“To become the leader of this prestigious group in a time of such turmoil is both an opportunity and a challenge,” Raybin said. “Collectively, we have some of the best minds in the field of fundraising consulting, and because of the nature of the way the Institute is constituted, we are able to draw on each other’s expertise and knowledge to help clients around the world.” The Institute’s 35 member firms serve more than 5,000 clients annually in every area of nonprofit development.

Raybin Associates, for example, is a strategic planning, fundraising, and management consulting group serving gift-supported and grant-making organizations. Founded in 1973, the firm has served as counsel to nearly 1,500 schools, colleges, human service agencies, hospitals, cultural organizations, religious institutions and other gift-supported groups, as well as to foundations.

Because of the collaborative nature of the Institute, as well as its association with Giving USA, the seminal report on who gives what to whom in America, Giving Institute is able to put forth the most creative and effective ideas for nonprofits, especially in the current challenging fundraising environment.

“We clearly need to help our broad client base navigate their way through these economic storms; one way we intend to do that is to marshal our resources and produce information that will be helpful to the sector prior to the publication of Giving USA 2009 in June,” she added.

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Giving Institute: Leading Consultants to Non-Profits, an international association of leaders in the philanthropic consulting field, is headquartered in Glenview, Ill. Its 35 member firms have specialties in all areas of philanthropic consulting, including fundraising, executive search, capital campaigns, feasibility studies and marketing communications. Its mission is to advance the practice of philanthropy through research, education and best practices. Formerly known as the American Association of Fundraising Counsel, it was founded in 1935 and is know for, among other things, composing the industry’s first code of ethics, a code still used today.

For more information, visit www.givinginstitute.org.

Editors: To reach Nancy Raybin directly:
Nancy Raybin, Managing Partner
Raybin Associates Inc
370 Lexington Ave Ste 414
New York, NY 10017
nraybin@raybinassociates.com
212/490-0590 New York office
917/747-3840 cell
804/633-5135 Virginia office