Beat Your Drum for Nonprofits

Dear Nonprofit Leader,

I write to urge you to check out the following blog post. You know I have never done this before, so it must be important. And it is.

As nonprofits across the country have been going to our federal officials to discuss how their health care reform plans affect nonprofits, we keep hearing government officials say things like: "Gee, we hadn't thought about nonprofits as employers."

So, in this blog column, the President of the National Council of Nonprofits points out how nonprofits keep being taken for granted and urges nonprofits to "beat the drum" to "remind government that we exist, and we exist at a scale that should not and cannot be ignored any longer."

In this Great Recession, our nonprofits are being asked to meet increasing community needs with decreasing resources - while also paying escalating costs, such as constantly increasing health insurance premiums. As the blog column warns: that "math just doesn't work."

If you agree that our government officials shouldn't ignore, overlook, or forget about nonprofits, then please join me and the New York Council of Nonprofits by contacting our federal officials to urge them to respect the more than 60,000 nonprofits in New York by including us in health care reform in a meaningful way.

Let's all "pick up a drum" and start making some noise, telling our stories about how New York's nonprofits add real value to local communities and individual lives every single day. Otherwise, we will be forgotten - which would be "unfair and unsafe to those depending on services we deliver and the benefits we provide."

Contact Your Senators:
Gillibrand, Kirsten E. 478 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington DC, 20510(202) 224-4451
Contact Senator Gillibrand Now.
Schumer, Charles E. 313 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington DC, 20510(202) 224-6542
Contact Senator Schumer Now.
Click here for your members of Congress

Thank you again for the work that you do and for raising your voice on behalf of our nonprofit community here in New York.
Sincerely,
Doug Sauer, CEO
New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc.
http://www.nycon.org/

October Forum Offered by MHAST

For information contact:

Keith W. Leahey, MSW

Executive Director

MHAST

153 Court Street

Binghamton, NY 13901

607.771.8888 ext. 349

September 22nd Membership Event

The Membership Committee of the South Central New York Executive Directors Group will be hosting a member event at Traditions at the Glen on September 22, 2009 from 5-7PM.
Current member’s of the South Central Executive Directors Group are encouraged to bring one guest who is an Executive Director of a not-for-profit organization and who is not currently a member of the South Central Executive Directors Group.

The evening will include a brief introduction to non-member Executive Directors discussing the purpose of the group and the benefits of becoming a member of the SCNYED Group. Membership applications will be available on-site.
Below is a registration form. Please RSVP no later than September 8th.

SCNYED Group – Member Event at Traditions at the Glen.

Yes, I will be attending this event
No, I will not be attending this event

Member’s Name: ____________________________________
Member’s Email: ____________________________________
Member’s Agency: ___________________________________
I will be bringing a non-member guest who is an Executive Director of a not-for profit organization.
Name: ______________________________________________
Title: _____________________________________________
Agency: _____________________________________________
Please email registration form to info@yourmha.com no later than September 8th
Questions?
Keith Leahey, Membership Chair, at keith.leahey@yourmha.com or (607)771-8888 ext.349
Information about Traditions and driving directions: www.traditionsresort.com

United Way and Howland Foundation Award $58,952 in Program Grants

New Channel 34 reported that the United Way of Broome County and the Helen T. Howland Foundation have agreed to provide Venture and Special Assistance Grants, totaling $58,925, to 11 programs. Recipient programs are either innovative, new human service programs in Broome County or special one-time purchases and projects that demonstrate a high level of need and also fit within focus areas defined within the United Way’s Community Investment Strategy Report.

At the heart of the United Way’s Community Investment Strategy is commitment to mobilizing the caring power of Broome County to advance the common good. The United Way believes the betterment of the community can be achieved by focusing on three basic building blocks: Education, Income, & Health. Grants awarded as part of the 2010 Venture and Special Assistance Program address these three building blocks through programs in Quality Early Child Care, Youth Mental Health, Chemical Dependency Prevention, Physical Fitness & Wellness, Health Access, Service Access for Seniors, and Other Community Needs. Read about the projects here.

ED Group Fundraising Survey Findings

The ED Group implemented a survey around nonprofit fundraising activities to aid EDs in a number of ways. Almost 30 nonprofits participated and give their input regarding how much fundraising they do, what kind of fundraising activities, and even when their events are held. Want to see when most fundraiers are taking place? Take a look at the survey here. This information can be helpful as you plan new events or consider other dates. The results also report how much money is raised and staff involved.