As NPQ notes the passing of 2011 and the beginnings of 2012, we want to note some trends that we think will span the two years and have profound implications for civil society, at least in the near future. These trends are overarching; they have to do with the relationship between people/communities and institutions such as government and corporations, and even nonprofits. They have to do with civil society—and with citizen (understood in its broadest sense) action. 

We’re pleased to provide a link today to a piece that NPQ board member Cindy Gibson just published on the blog of the Center for Effective Philanthropy: What Strategy Is…and Isn’t—Hint: It’s Not Rocket Science. When foundation execs talk about strategy, do they really know what they’re talking about—not just in terms of designing strategies that make sense, but even being able to distinguish “strategies” from goals or tactics or programs?

Just ten days after Louis C. K. released his new stand-up comedy special “Live at the Beacon Theater” to download online for just $5, the comedian had already raked in over $1 million in profits. Louis C. K. did what we hope other celebrities and affluent individuals will follow: he announced his precise intentions with respect to what he will be doing with his earnings, including giving $280,000 to charities.

Buzzwords are no strangers to the world of Philanthropy. Read this list and share your own.

A New Year’s Eve demonstration in Oregon included chants of “Hey, hey, ho, ho, the middle class has got to go.” What’s going on?

Bank of America and Wells Fargo are donating some of the homes on which they have foreclosed – in fact the numbers of homes being donated to charity is growing by leaps and bounds!

When Lady Gaga wants to make a splash, she knows how to do it, whether showing up at an awards dinner clad in slabs of meat or arriving at an event encased in a giant egg. Now the nation’s most charitable celebrity—according to DoSomething.org—is launching an anti-bullying charity that doubtless will be hard to ignore.

Red Bank Mayor Pat Menna thinks that the tax exempt status of a quarter of his city’s tax base is way too much.  He’d like to see the New Jersey legislature allow municipalities like his to tax nonprofits that purchase any additional property above and beyond what they currently own—regardless of what they intend to do with the property.

Do you wonder whether the articles that interested you most also stimulated other Nonprofit Quarterly readers? Here are the 10 most popular NPQ online articles published in 2011. See whether they matched your favorites.

According to the 2011 World Giving Index (a measure of three charitable behaviors compiled by the British Charitable Aid Foundation from Gallup polling data), the United States is now the world’s most giving nation. Some of the other countries high on the list might surprise you.

Because it takes a while for housing assessments to catch up with changes in housing prices, some local tax bases will begin only this year to feel the effect of that shrinking tax base.