Wednesday, January 30, 2013

NTEN:Change on Nonprofit Collaboration


Happy 2013 from NTEN:Change!

With all the end-of-year campaigns and, for many of us, time off, chances are you haven't been able to read the latest issue of NTEN:Change yet. We certainly understand the time crunch around this time.
We thought you might be interested in these articles in particular from our December Issue on Nonprofit Collaboration, however, so we hope you'll take a look when you have a few minutes:

Leadership Cheat Sheet: Is Your Organization Ready to Collaborate? Five Questions for Board and Staff, from La Piana's Heather Gowdy and Bob Harrington. Read the article.

Advocacy: Sharing A Cause (and Data) Across Multiple Orgs. Developing a High Touch, Human Platform for Collaboration, from Upwell's Rachel Weidinger. Read this article.

DIY: 5 Tips for Working More Effectively With Consultants , by Dennis Deery. Read the article.
Of course, there are also case studies, how-tos, nonprofit leadership profiles, a podcast, and much more in the current issue: click here to open in the e-reader.

If you'd like to downoad the PDF version of the issue, click here to start the download . You can also access a text-only version of the articles (for translation or accessibility needs).

To read the latest issue click here.

The Empire State Development E-Newsletter


The Empire State Development E-Newsletter
Volume 1, Issue 1     January 2013

A Letter from President & CEO Kenneth Adams
What to expect from Empire State Development this year

Spotlight on Success
GlobalFoundries:  Fastest growing semiconductor company in 2012

Regional Outlook
Governor Cuomo announces $738 million in economic development funding through the second round of  Regional Council awards


2012-2013 Winter Tourism Campaign 
I  NEW YORK's winter campaign is underway

What New York State Can Do for You
New York State Contract System: Doing business with Minority & Women Business Enterprises just got easier

New York's State of the State
Economic Development


Events
What ESD is doing around New York State

For the full online E-Newsletter Click Here


NPQ's annual survey


NPQ's annual survey

Please tell NPQ what to do!
If you fill it out:
 
  1. You will know that you have had an impact on NPQ’s editorial agenda for 2013. We choose topics to follow guided by the answers we get from you;
  2. You may be invited to join NPQ’s Editorial Advisory Board and attend our annual reader advisory committee meeting, an always-fascinating two-day event on the East Coast. The more complete your answers are the more likely it is that you will be selected (if you cannot pay your way, we will, and your name will appear on our masthead as an advisor);
  3. You may receive a free subscription to our print journal (every twentieth respondent completing a survey will receive one);
  4. You will receive a summary of our findings from the survey.
 
Most important, you will know that you have helped direct NPQ—an important information source for civil society—just by showing up (taking the survey) and having informed opinions!

Here's the online article and survey link

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

The Inexpensive Solution to Volunteer Protection

The Inexpensive Solution to Volunteer Protection

Sometimes, volunteers have accidents - injure someone, get hurt themselves, or have an auto accident. Usually, their own insurance is not enough to take care of the damage. And the nonprofit organization's insurance does not protect the volunteer in some critical areas of risk.

Your nonprofit organization has the option of adding volunteers as additional insureds on the commercial general liability (CGL) policy. However, such an endorsement usually excludes volunteers' travel between home and the place of volunteer duty. Also, a CGL endorsement excludes coverage for claims made by one volunteer against another. Finally, the organization risks sharing its own limits of insurance - under the CGL policy - with the volunteer.

Covering volunteers under workers' compensation usually is not the wisest approach. First, a volunteer's injury would affect the claims experience of the nonprofit, which could increase workers' compensation insurance costs. Second, workers' compensation does not protect the volunteer during travel to and from their volunteer duty. 

However, there is an inexpensive solution to the problem...

VIS  

To protect volunteers, the Volunteers Insurance Service (VIS®) program offers the following three coverages separately or combined:
  • Up to $50,000 in accident medical reimbursement as a result of covered accident - at a cost of $3.94 per volunteer per year;
  • Up to $1,000,000 in personal liability insurance - $1.72 per volunteer per year with a minimum premium of $100;
  • For those volunteers who drive, up to $500,000 in excess automobile liability insurance above the volunteer's own insurance -$6.34 per volunteer per year with a minimum premium of $100.  
Total cost per volunteer, if all coverages are selected: $12.00 per year. The organization simply insures the greatest number of volunteers it expects to have at any given time.

VIS® Membership is required in order to sign up for any of the above programs; which an annual membership fee of $135 (July-June fiscal year).

For More Info Click Here

Upcoming Webinars & Exclusive NTEN Membership Offer

Upcoming Webinars from the New York Council of Non-Profits


Pros and Cons of  Restructuring a Nonprofit: What it Means for your Staff and Board
A Webinar Presented by Doug Sauer CEO of NYCON

February 13th, 2013   10:00am to 12:00pm


Dollars through the Door: Who Does What in Nonprofit Fundraising & Revenue Generation
A Webinar Presented by NYCON
March 13th, 2013     10:00am to 12:00pm


As well as a [NEW]  NYCON Membership Benefit: 
Free Membership to the Nonprofit Technology Network Offered to 100 Lucky NYCON Members!

To register for these webinars or to take advantage of the NYCON membership benefit click here! 





Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's Weekly News

News From State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli

DiNapoli: Municipalities Should Ensure Background Checks For Youth Program Workers

Local governments could do more to conduct background checks on individuals working in municipal youth program services, according to an audit released Friday by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

DiNapoli Approves Terms of $3.14 Billion Tappan Zee Bridge Contract

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli last Friday announced he has approved a $3.14 billion contract between the state Thruway Authority and Tappan Zee Constructors to design and build the new Tappan Zee bridge.

Officers of Albany Nanotech Complex Safeguarding Public Funds

Fuller Road Management Corp., the not for profit corporation that runs the State University at Albany’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, is fulfilling its duties to support and provide appropriate internal controls over operations and activities, and promoted an ethical business climate at the multi–billion dollar facility, according to a report released Friday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

DiNapoli: State Tax Revenues Up, But Still Lag Projections

Tax collections through December totaling $46.4 billion were $48.3 million below the state’s latest estimates and $685.3 million below initial estimates in April. Higher than anticipated personal income tax collections in December likely reflect income paid before federal tax increases take effect in 2013 for high income taxpayers, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said last week in releasing the December cash report.

Comptroller DiNapoli Releases Municipal Audits

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli Thursday announced his office completed audits of:
the City of Beacon; the Midway Fire District; the Niagara Falls Housing Authority; the Orleans County; the Town of Otto; and, the Village of Spring Valley.

Also in the news this week

Comptroller urges town of Manlius to conduct background checks on youth program workers

New York pays a record $520 million in overtime, as 5 highest earners each rake in an extra $100K

Bedford Hills prison nurse state's top overtime earner: $150k

Click Here for more of DiNapoli's online news articles.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Updated Economic Impact Brochure now available

Updated Economic Impact Brochure now available

I am pleased to provide our members with the completed Non-Profit Economic Impact Brochure that was created by Riger Advertising.

A special Thank You to those organizations who helped to fund this final stage of a multi-year project.

The pdf file attached is a printable version of the document for your use.  If you are unable to make colored copies and need
to have some made you can contact Deborah Fitzgerald for assistance.

With this portion of the project finally completed, we need to look toward what we would like to accomplish in 2013. This last year we were not able to meet as often as we have in the past. The steering committee focused on getting the brochure completed.


To move forward we will need some new volunteers who are willing to step up and join the steering committee. The current steering committee most of whom have been in place since the group started needs to begin rotate off so that the group can be representative of our whole community of Non-profits. If having an opportunity to meet with, share with and learn from other community ED's has been important to you please consider adding just one more thing to your already very busy life and help keep the Non-profit sector of our community connected.

NY Gov. Cuomo Submits Budget With $1.3 Billion Deficit

NY Gov. Cuomo Submits Budget With $1.3 Billion Deficit
By Kristen Meriwether

NEW YORK—During his third budget address as governor of New York state, Andrew Cuomo, showed just how important a decimal place is. The first slide in his presentation popped up showing a $13 billion budget deficit.
“I just wanted to make sure you guys were paying attention,” Cuomo quipped, to laughter from the crowd gathered at Hart Theatre, Center for the Performing Arts, Albany.
It made the $1.3 billion deficit seem not so bad.
After successfully passing two on-time and balanced budgets during his first two terms in office, Gov. Cuomo, submitted this year’s budget with promises for a historic third year in a row, something not done since 1977 in New York state.
“I wouldn’t say it is a Swiss watch, but it is working better than ever before,” Cuomo said.
Following his passionate State of the State speech two weeks ago, Cuomo aimed to answer the question on everyone’s mind when he rattled off new initiatives and ideas—how are we going to pay for that? While the governor showcased new spending, and cuts, all the while not raising taxes, he let municipalities know the days of reaching for a handout in Albany are over.
“There is no piggy bank in Albany anymore,” Cuomo said.
To alleviate the stress from struggling municipalities, Cuomo proposed a financial task force that would—much like a private company going through bankruptcy—restructure debt and fix the problem.
Much like the federal government, New York State is hoping to kick-start the shaky economy with economic development. Without a surplus of money, the state will have to be smart in how it does it.
“The state is no longer in a position to do this on its own so he is talking about a lot of partnerships,” said Bruce Berg, professor of political science at Fordham University. “The state will be the catalyst, the engine, but it will be the private sector that does much of the growth.”
Unlike in years past where large ambitious programs were announced, the allocations were modest, with things like grants, pilot programs, and tax credits.
To drive tech education, a growing sector in New York state, the governor put up $50 million in a venture capital fund in hopes of bringing tech leaders to partner up to fill vacant high-tech jobs. Money was allocated for partnerships with SUNY and CUNY to update higher education as well. Tax credits for the film industry were extended another five years.

Minimum Wage

Just like in his State of the State address, the governor mentioned raising the minimum wage by $1.50, saying it would increase total wages by an estimated $1.01 billion per year.
The measure drew cheers from the crowd, however, its placement in the budget address drew questions from the Citizen’s Budget Commission. “It is not a budget item. It does not have any effect on the state budget,” Carol Kellermann, president of Citizens Budget Commission. “It is a requirement for private sector employers.”
Kellermann was unsure where the $1.01 billion figure came from and did not believe the figure had any sort of budget impact, such as added revenue figured into the budget, especially since no measure had passed.

Sandy

The governor acknowledged the daunting task of recovering from Hurricane Sandy, one of the worst natural disasters the state has seen. A total of $21 billion in recovery, rebuilding, and mitigation was put in the budget. Cuomo expects $30 billion from the Hurricane Sandy Tax Relief Act, which has passed the United States House of Representative but not the United States Senate.
Cuomo said when the bill is passed he wants to give communities the opportunity to have input as to how that money is spent. “We can’t sit here in Albany and tell the Rockaways exactly what they need to do,” he said.
Ron Deutsch, executive director of New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness applauded the measure, but felt the governor could take it a step further.
“We want them to not only have a say in the rebuilding process, but we should also make sure the people in those communities get first shot at those jobs as well,” Deutsch said.

New Normal

For a state not known for passing on-time and balanced budgets, if the state Legislature can do it for a third straight year, the positive message it will send, will reach well beyond the New York state borders.

“It has a psychological value. It tells the credit markets this is not a short term blip in the way New York State does its budgeting. It shows this is really going to be the new normal,” Kellermann said. “I think it sends a good message to the investor community and I think it sends a good message to tax payers that their elected officials are trying to make sure their money is spent effectively and in a responsible way.”

For the online article click here.

PIANY legislative/regulatory update

PIANY legislative/regulatory update—Jan. 25, 2013

PIANY legislative/regulatory update
Wage Theft Prevention Act employee notices must be distributed by Feb. 1, 2013
Employers who have employees in New York are required to issue annual notices under the Wage Theft Prevention Act to all New York employees between Jan. 1-Feb. 1, 2013.

The New York State Department of Labor released sample notification templates and related information which will assist New York employers in complying with the act.
The department issued notification templates for the following groups of employees:
hourly rate employees;
multiple hourly rate employees;
employees paid a weekly rate or a salary for a fixed number of hours (40 or fewer in a week);
employees paid a salary for varying hours, day rate, piece rate, flat rate or other nonhourly basis;
prevailing rate and other jobs; and
exempt employees.
The dual-language templates are available here.
The department also issued Guidelines for written notice of rates of pay and regular payday, as well as instructions related to the templates.
Finally, the department also issued a document titled, “Frequently Asked Questions About the Wage Theft Prevention Act,” which provides answers to many of the most common questions employers have about the act, along with a fact sheet.

The Wage Theft Prevention Act
The Wage Theft Prevention Act, which was originally signed into law in December 2010, increases penalties for the failure of employers to pay statutorily mandated minimum wage and overtime; requires annual notifications of wages and expands notifications; increases penalties for wage law violations; and strengthens whistleblower protections. The legislation enacts a wide-ranging series of measures to provide information to workers on the wages they are owed, and to increase the sanctions for those who fail to comply with wage and hour laws.

The law:
enacts more stringent and transparent record-keeping and employee notification requirements;
increases the amount of wages that can be recovered as damages in a suit for nonpayment over and above the lost wages themselves from 25 percent to 100 percent, the amount allowable under federal law;
creates stronger collection tools;
raises criminal penalties for failure to pay minimum wage to up to a year in prison and a $5,000 fine; and
strengthens protections for whistleblowers in cases involving wage violations.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Grants for Museum Advancement

Grants for Museum Advancement
Sponsored by the New York State Council on the Arts,
administered by Museumwise: The Museum Association of New York 


The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) has provided $78,605 for the FY 2013 Grants for Museum Advancement program. These funds will be portioned between January and June and July and December in accordance with previous year's application percentages. We anticipate awarding approximately 8 Get Ready; 14 Get Set; and 40 Go! grants in 2013. 

For more Info. Click Here

Pew Report: How internet and social media have transformed the arts

How internet and social media have transformed the arts
By: Peggy McGlone/The Star-Ledger

Social media has become a new way for arts organizations to promote their work, attract new audiences, as well as advertise themselves. Audiences have become more diverse, attracting younger people to the organizations.

For the full story click here

New Webinars, New Benefits for our Members


Tomorrow! [Corporate Member Spotlight]  
Learn More about RER Energy & How Your Nonprofit Can Save Money on Energy Cost
A Webinar Presented by Christopher Flynn of RER Energy Group   January 24th, 2012 10:00am to 10:30am 



RER Energy Group, a new NYCON Corporate Member, is pleased to offer this introducttion to their services and solar photovoltaic energy (PV) for NYCON's members. Legislation enacted in New York State is providing funding through NYSERDA to help the state reach a goal of doubling renewable energy generation by 2015.
Who Should Attend: This workshop will benefit executive directors, finance and accounting staff and anyone responsible for managing electrical energy costs and systems. Members of RER's Staff can work with you to answer questions about solar photovoltaic technology, other renewable energy and currently available incentives.  

Pros and Cons of  Restructuring a Nonprofit:
What it Means for your Staff and Board
 
A Webinar Presented by Doug Sauer CEO of NYCON
February 13th, 2013             
10:00am to 12:00pm

Register
This thought provoking, insightful event will provide you with knowledge gleaned from decades of Doug's work with hundreds of nonprofits in various stages of formal restructuring, shared service models and, certainly, merger. Doug, perhaps more than anyone on the national nonprofit "scene," knows first-hand that merger (or any type of structural "re-engineering" of your organization) is a serious solution to the very complex issues facing today's nonprofits. 


Dollars through the Door: Who Does What in Nonprofit Fundraising & Revenue Generation 
A Webinar Presented by NYCON
March 13th, 2013     10:00am to 12:00pm


This session provides an introduction to the diverse strategies nonprofits can use to generate revenue for their organizations with an emphasis on planning, sustainability and the role of Executive Staff and Board Members in fundraising efforts. We will be covering four key topics that typically arise when discussions of "fundraising" occur.

For the Full Page Click Here

2012 Not-for-Profit Collaboration Challenge


2012 Not-for-Profit Collaboration Challenge
Premise:
With thousands of non-profits competing for funding, and only a limited pool of resources available, collaboration among non-profits on programs and services is becoming a necessity. Since many organizations share common missions and goals, pooling ideas, employees, and resources will allow non-profits to achieve their purpose, often on a larger scale, while making effective use of funding sources and eliminating redundancy and overlap in the community.
In an effort to encourage collaboration among non-profits, SEFCU will provide a total of $25,000 in grants to organizations (two or more) that share a similar mission and collaborate on one more of the products/services they offer. Two groups of non-profits will receive the grant: $15,000 will go to the organizations with the best plan for collaboration, and $10,000 will be awarded to the organizations that submit the plan that finishes in second place.
A collaborative grant supports the projects and programs that are undertaken by a partnership of multiple non-profit organizations. The scope and complexity of the collaboration should benefit from each organization's expertise or provided services and/or enable a more effective and efficient delivery of the program or services than that of an individual organization working on its own. The collaboration may include the sharing of resources to increase the ability of the partners to meet the needs of consumers. For example, if two non-profits both offer similar afterschool programs, they could collaborate, share ideas, and offer a joint program that provides more options and gives the students access to additional resources. Keep in mind, to participate organizations do not need to create a formal collaboration in which two organizations officially merge, but can simply submit a proposal that outlines the program or service they will be collaborating on.
Ready to collaborate?
Once you have identified an organization(s) that matches your mission/goals, you can apply for the SEFCU Collaborative Challenge grant by submitting a written proposal of no more than three typed pages. The propsal should include:
1.    The mission and objectives of the collaboration.
2.    A description of the program and implementation plan. Details should include how existing services/programs will be improved and how it might be unique.
3.    A description of the gap or regional need.
4.    A description/budget of how the challenge funding will be utilized.
5.    An indication of what tangible results of the collaboration are expected and an explanation of how you plan to measure outcomes.
6.    Provide a feasible but aggressive timeline for implementation.
7.    Plans for sustainability of the collaboration.
NOTE: Collaborations or projects in process prior to October 26, 2012 (Partners in Philanthropy Breakfast) are not eligible for submission.
Proposals will be evaluated on the strength of the request and organizations involved as well as the impact on the community and consumers served.
Please include a cover document with your application that includes the following information for all organizations involved in the proposal:
1.    Contact names
2.    Organization addresses
3.    Phone numbers
4.    E-mail addresses
The deadline for challenge proposals is February 1, 2013 and should be submitted to:
SEFCU Community Support
Not-for-Profit Challenge
700 Patroon Creek Boulevard
Albany, NY 12206
or
cbrinkma@sefcu.com
If you have any questions, please contact Carol Brinkman, SEFCU's Executive Vice President of Community Support at  518-464-5317 or cbrinkma@sefcu.com.

Great News for Parks in Governor Cuomo's Budget


Great News for Parks in Governor Cuomo's Budget

There was great news for our magnificent state park system in yesterday'sExecutive Budget release. Governor Cuomo's proposed budget includes a $90 million investment to address the backlog of infrastructure needs and critical safety repairs at New York State Parks and Historic Sites.     

PTNY has advocated for funding for infrastructure for years and we are gratified that, for the second year in a row, an infusion of capital funding will help revitalize our state park system and secure New York's parks and conservation legacy for future generations.    

The proposed budget also includes an additional $19 million for the Environmental Protection Fund, providing critical funding for state and local parks and trails.  

Thank the Governor
Please take a moment to thank Governor Cuomo for recognizing the important role the state park system plays in local economic growth, in the protection of important natural areas, and in providing affordable, close-to-home recreational opportunities to New Yorkers.   
  
Email or call Governor Cuomo at  (518) 474-8390 to thank him for supporting New York's state parks and historic sites. 

What's Next
Now the Legislature and Governor must come to an agreement on the budget. You can help make sure these critical funds are in the final budget. Join us for Park Advocacy Day on March 5th in Albany. Find out more

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Ch-Ch-Changes: Nonprofit Sector Predictions for 2013


Ch-Ch-Changes: Nonprofit Sector Predictions for 2013



Predictions about the non-profit sector have been made for 2013. While some predictions look promising, non-profits hope that others are mistaken.

For the full story click here.