Upcoming Events & Training

From Audit to Redesign: The Complete Nonprofit Website Toolkit   Five, Live, 90-Minute Sessions. June 4th - July 2nd, 2013  NYCON Members: $140; Non-Members: $200 Members can use code "NYCON2013" to get the discount. Membership will be verified. Non-members will be charged $200 for this webinar series.]  Register Now    Can you remember when your organization's website was designed? Can  your supporters and constituents navigate and find the information they need? Can your staff members easily create or update content on your website? If you answered no to any of those questions, it might be time to bring that website into the 21st Century.  Over five Tuesdays in June and July, join Idealware as they walk you through Website 101, review best practices for accessibility, mobile-optimized sites, and reinforcing your organization's online brand. They'll also take a look at the content management systems (CMS) that can give even your least tech-savvy staff members the tools to update website content themselves. Finally, they'll talk about how your website content works alongside your email, direct mail, and social media efforts to create your organization's communications mix. Takeaways from the course: Define goals for how your website will serve your audience Learn best practices for designing an accessible, usable, and polished website Compare your content management system (CMS) options How to make sure your website shows up well on search engines  Create your organization's website action plan with next steps and action items for an improvement process Brought to you through a partnership between the New York Council of Nonprofits and Idealware. Five, Live, 90-Minute Sessions. June 4th - July 2nd, 2013  NYCON Members: $140; Non-Members: $200 Members can use code "NYCON2013" to get the discount. Membership will be verified. Non-members will be charged $200 for this webinar series.] Register Now Social Media Myth Busting: If You Build It,  Will They Come?  [Lunch & Learn Webinar] June 14th, 2013 11:00am to 12:30pm Presented by Andrew Marietta, Regional Manager, Central NY Office, NYCON and Valerie Venezia, Vice President, Membership & Marketing, NYCON Free for NYCON Members Only Register Sometimes it seems like there's a new hot social media tool launched every day of the week. Figuring out what these tools do, how our nonprofit should use them, and frankly, if you need to use these tools can boggle anyone's mind. As busy nonprofit staff and board members we need to know what specific tool do we use for our specific goals? How do we measure success? This webinar will help cut through the clutter of social media mayhem and help you simplify, refocus, and target social media tools based on organizational needs and a focused message (and maybe even some actual metrics!)  Register  Workers Comp Issues for Nonprofit Arts Organizations [Webinar for NYSCA Grantees]  Friday, June 21, 2013 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM (EDT) Presented by Frederic J. Buse, Managing Director, Schwartz Heslin Group, Former Director of Unemployment Insurance, NYS; Department of Labor and Michael West, Esq. Legal Advisor, New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc. Register Now Virtually all employers in New York State - including nonprofit employers - must provide workers' compensation coverage for their employees. For many nonprofit arts organizations specifically the world of workers comp gets, well, more complicated. Many organizations have seasonal, time delimited or specialized artistic talent working on projects, shows, performances or exhibits. Determining who should and shouldn't be covered is a priority for arts organizations and can save time, money and legal wrangling down the line. This webinar will cover the details of workers comp as it applies to the special needs of nonprofit arts groups, how to determine "employee" status and risks of not properly defining employment status. We will also be discussing recent trends in New York State in regard to workers comp. Register Now  Camp Finance 2013: Rethink, Retool & Reboot! Preparing for Better Days Ahead October 10th & 11th, 2013    New Paltz, NY Register Now with Memorial Day Discount Codes We're kicking off the summer with savings! From now until May 31st take $40 off your CAMP FINANCE single occupancy registration with codeMEMDAY1. Or take $20  off your double occupancy registration with code MEMDAY2. Click here for more information on what CAMP FINANCE will be offering this year, including details on our newly announced Keynote Speaker Dan Pollatta, author of   Dan Pallotta, Author,  Camp Finance Keynote Speaker "Uncharitable" and "Charity Case. "Dan's Keynote, titled after his first book "Uncharitable," challenges the way we've always been taught to think about charity and change. If we changed the way we think about charity, Dan argues, charity could change the world. This is a keynote you do not want to miss.  Take advantage of the savings now. And remember you can use the code for each staff or board member you register. If you do, you'll be celebrating again when October rolls around and you're packing your bags to join us at CAMP FINANCE. To take advantage of this offer please CLICK HERE and enter code MEMDAY1 (for a single occupancy registration) or MEMDAY2 (for a double occupancy registration) before 5pm on Friday, May 31st. Other Upcoming Trainings of Interest to NYCON Members Webinars from IDEALWARE NYCON Members Receive 20% off with code NYCON2013When Registering. Membership will be verified and non-members will be charged $40. Measuring Your Mission: Using Data to Track Organizational Health and Success May 30, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Eastern. $40.00 Getting Started with Online Conferencing and Seminar Tools  June 6, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Eastern. $40.00 Thursday, June 6th, 1:00 - 2:30 EST Getting Started with Social Media Fundraising June 27, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Eastern. $40.00 Free Fundraising, Marketing & Social Media Webinars from NETWORK FOR GOOD June 4 1 p.m. EST           Nonprofit 911:   Free Marketing Resources for Your Nonprofit REGISTER   MIss a Recent Webinar? Check Out Some of Our Recordings Free Educational & Member Benefits Spotlights For All Members of NYCON: NYCON Membership Benefits - Overview  [Benefits Spotlight] Budget & Cash Flow Tool Kits Webinar  [Benefits Spotlight] Employee Benefits Packages - Overview  [Lunch & Learn] The Art & Science of Board Decision Making: Document!  Free Educational Webinars Designed for Members Funded by NYSCA:  How to be a Fiscally Compliant Arts Organization  Governance Vs. Management: A Webinar for Nonprofit Arts Organizations  Managing Cash Flow for Arts Organizations  Strategic Planning for Arts Organizations  Employees vs. Independent Contractors: Roles, Rules & Risks

This Morning, NYCON CEO Doug Sauer Testifies in Front of Senate Committee

Dear Members & Friends, This morning I, along with many esteemed colleagues, will be testifying in front of the Senate Committee on Corporation, Authorities and Commissions regarding the recent proposed amendments to NYS' Not-for-Profit Corporate Law. Our testimony will be streamed live today from 10am to 12pm. I encourage you to watch it if you can. Following the oral testimony, NYCON's written remarks will be posted online both on the Senate website and our own. We encourage you to read them and let us know what you think.   In general, NYCON supports these changes. It's been over 40 years since the law was amended and certainly, we know times have changed. It's our view that the amendments should, first and foremost, enhance and simplify not complicate and protract the nonprofit community's ability to partner with NYS to deliver on mission - for basic human needs, for healthcare, for quality of life issues, for arts & culture, the list goes on and on.   As you will see many times we are in agreement - case in point, allowing board members to vote via email - however there are some areas in which we would suggest changes or additions to what has been proposed. NYCON's main concerns are regarding: Ensuring mergers, dissolutions, and other forms of corporate affiliations easier, cheaper and quicker Ensuring voting officers and board members are volunteers and not paid Addressing the misconceptions and proposed additional reporting requirements around nonprofit "excessive" executive compensation. Again, our full remarks will be posted online at the conclusion of today's hearing. We welcome your feedback on these amendments and your thoughts in general on nonprofit policy & the current state of affairs in New York. Please click here to send us your comments. Thank you for taking the time to read this today and for all the work that you continue to do in your communities. We truly do appreciate it.            Sincerely,            Doug Sauer, CEO            New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc. (NYCON) Links & Resources Public Hearing: To examine the re-codification of New York State's not-for-profit corporation law in an effort to reduce unnecessary burdens on nonprofits and to enhance nonprofit governance and oversight A.G. Schneiderman, Senate And Assembly Committee Chairs Propose Groundbreaking Legislation To Reform New York's Charities Laws Send us Your Feedback! Proud Member of  the National Council of Nonprofits

Improve Your Nonprofit's Website This Summer

From Audit to Redesign: The Complete Nonprofit Website Toolkit! Brought to you through our partnership with Idealware, this webinar series takes place each Tuesday from June 4 through July 2 and are held from 1:00pm  - 2:30pm (EST). Pricing for Five 90-minute sessions: Only $140 for the entire series for NYCON Members with code NYCON2013;  $200 for Non-Members [Membership will be verified] Find Out More & Register Online Can you remember when your organization's website was designed? Can your supporters and constituents navigate and find the information they need? Can your staff members easily create or update content on your website? If you answered "no" to any of those questions, it might be time to bring that website into the 21st Century. Join Idealware for From Audit to Redesign: The Complete Nonprofit Website Toolkit, an amazing five-session webinar series presented in partnership with Idealware, and they'll walk you through Website 101, review best practices for accessibility, mobile-optimized sites, and reinforcing your organization's online brand, and review content management systems. From Audit to Redesign: The Complete Nonprofit Website Toolkit will look at all aspects of your website, including:   ·         Defining goals for how your website will serve your audience.    ·         Learning best practices for designing an accessible, usable, and polished website.    ·         Comparing your content management system (CMS) options.    ·         How to make sure your website shows up well on search engines ·         Creating your organization's website action plan with next steps and action items for an improvement process.    In addition to the five webinars, participants in the Toolkit will have access to Office Hours. These are one hour time blocks during which you have access to an Idealware expert one-on-one.    Webinars take place each Tuesday from June 4 through July 2 and are held from 1:00pm  - 2:30pm (EST).   Pricing for Five 90-minute sessions: Only $140 for the entire series for NYCON Members with code NYCON2013;  $200 for Non-Members [Membership will be verified] Find Out More & Register Online What Nonprofits are Saying About Idealware Webinars "This entire seminar was just fantastic. I learned so much. I especially liked all the practical applications and examples given. I will definitely recommend this course to other people. Great job!!" "Really liked the format-especially having the slides in advance. Allowed me to listen more and parallel process the information that applied to my organization." "Excellent seminar. Very informative. Great examples to illustrate points. Friendly, personable presenters." "We loved the seminar and found it very useful for our nonprofit organization. The ability to ask questions during the presentation, and the work book, are very valuable tools."

NY AG, Lawmakers Propose Overhaul of Laws Governing Nonprofits (Business Journal Central New York)

NY AG, lawmakers propose overhaul of laws governing nonprofits by Eric Reinhardt 5/15/2013 9:45:00 AM

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on Tuesday joined members of the state Senate and Assembly in proposing legislation to overhaul the laws governing New York’s nonprofit sector. The proposed Nonprofit Revitalization Act and Executive Compensation Reform Act would be the first “major reforms” to the state’s charities laws in more than 40 years, the attorney general’s office said in a news release. The proposals are meant to “make New York a model for nonprofit governance in the country, while cutting unnecessary red tape to better enable nonprofits to perform,” the statement said. New York’s nonprofit organizations are responsible for one in seven jobs in the state and generate hundreds of billions of dollars in annual revenue, according to the attorney general’s office. The lingering recession, slow economic recovery, and a series of weather-related disasters have provided financial, strategic, and governance challenges for nonprofits. “At the same time, the public’s trust in the nonprofit sector has ‘eroded,’ as stories of public officials and other people abusing charities have been uncovered,” according to the statement from the attorney general’s office. The Nonprofit Revitalization Act would require charities’ boards of directors to perform active oversight over financial audits. The nonprofit boards would be responsible for retaining independent auditors and reviewing results of the audit. Larger charities (those with more than $1 million in annual revenue) would be required to follow additional oversight procedures, according to the attorney general’s office. That same proposal would also require full disclosure of transactions between a nonprofit and insiders who stand to benefit. The provision is intended to prevent conflicts of interest. The nonprofit’s board of directors should also determine if the transaction is “fair, reasonable, and in organizations’ best interests,” as described in the attorney general’s statement. When a charity engages in a substantial transaction with an insider, the board will have to consider alternatives and document its basis for choosing the insider transaction, according to the attorney general’s office. The Nonprofit Revitalization Act would also streamline procedures for nonprofit mergers, property sales, and corporate dissolutions, according to Schneiderman. The Executive Compensation Reform Act is intended to “rein in excessive compensation,” he added. The proposal would require the boards of nonprofits to review and approve CEO compensation. Charities with annual revenue of more than $2 million will also have to review the compensation of their five highest-paid officers or key employees and compare it to the compensation provided at similar organizations, the attorney general said. From Business Journal Central New York (link)

27 Nonprofits Receive Retreat Grants from Omega

27 Nonprofits Receive Retreat Grants From Omega To Strategize On How to Survive and Keep Thriving

PRWeb

Published 5:00 pm, Thursday, May 16, 2013

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PRESS RELEASE

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Omega’s 9th Annual Service Week to Focus on Nonprofits Reinforcing a Broad Range of Social Services, Including Those Supporting Strength & Safety for Women & Girls in the Mid-Hudson Valley & Beyond.

RHINEBECK, New York (PRWEB) May 16, 2013

As service-oriented nonprofits struggle to survive in the current budget-slashing environment, Omega is offering 27 nonprofits the opportunity for much needed planning retreats where they can develop solutions to the challenge of balancing high demands and low resources. For the ninth consecutive year, Omega has offered grants to its nonprofit peers to participate in their own strategic planning retreats at Omega’s 200-acre campus in Rhinebeck, New York. Since its inception, approximately 184 organizations and 3,178 people have participated in this unique retreat grant program. Omega’s annual Service Weekis comprised of two sessions. The first session focuses on Mid-Hudson Valley nonprofits that address social service, social justice, and safety-net needs. The second session brings together nonprofits that serve women and girls for a unique experienced called the Women Serving Women Summit.

“At a time when nonprofits that provide safety net services are forced to do more with less, our Service Week grants provide a rare opportunity for these organizations to get out of the office and take a step back from the front line of their work to plan, network, and build capacity,” said Carla Goldstein, chief external affairs officer at Omega and cofounder of the Omega Women’s Leadership Center. “The 2013 Women Serving Women Summit focuses on organizations working to ensure the safety of women and girls since their well-being and ability to thrive is crucial to worldwide social, political, and economic development,” concluded Goldstein.

All grantees are awarded two-day, two-night organizational retreats that include free room and board, a private meeting space, use of all the facilities at Omega, and a consultation with Omega’s partner, the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON). NYCON will also host a roundtable on fundraising.

“The positive value and impact of Service Week on grantee nonprofits and the communities they serve becomes more evident each year. Today’s service and business challenges are many, and Omega has truly stepped up to help—contributing space, support, and opportunity that only Omega can provide,” saidDoug Sauer, chief executive officer of NYCON.

Omega’s Service Week program is divided into two distinct sessions:

Session 1) 9th Annual Service Week, May 27–May 29. For nearly a decade, Omega has been committed to serving those who serve others through its annual Service Week grant program. Grantee organizations can utilize the time to develop strategic plans, cultivate relationships among their board members and with other nonprofits on campus, re-engage with their mission statement, deepen staff cooperation, and enjoy some much needed peace and relaxation. Service Week is funded in part by a grant from the Dyson Foundation that supports Mid-Hudson Valley nonprofits.

“Our participation in Service Week truly set the foundation for development within our organization. The backbone for a broad organization strategic plan that we formed at Omega has positioned us to take important steps toward implementation,” said Milan Bhatt, executive director at Worker Justice Center of New York, participants in the 2012 Service Week.

Session 2) 3rd Annual Women Serving Women Summit, May 29–31. The only nonprofit leadership retreat of its kind, the Women Serving Women Summit, a convening of nonprofits working to improve the lives of women and girls, is an integral part of the Service Week program. Coordinated by the Omega Women’s Leadership Center, the theme of this year’s summit, Building Safety & Strength, brings together national and regional organizations serving the needs and interests of women and girls.

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/business/press-releases/article/27-Nonprofits-Receive-Retreat-Grants-From-Omega-4522155.php#ixzz2Tl6lMvrI