Come to the Volunteers Improving Neighborhood Environments first annual fundraiser. They will be celebrating VINE's accomplishments for the past 6 years.
For more info click here
and click here
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
Your March Madness Camp Finance Discount Offer
Are you feeling the March Madness?
The Camp Finance Team at NYCON sure is!
We want to make sure the people who are "mad" about Camp Finance can save on their registration.
From now through the "Final Four" (April 7th, 2013) you can get a $50 discount on paid Full Conference registration for Camp Finance.
Just click here and enter discount code
"MarchMadness"This all inclusive rate covers the workshops, meals and your overnight stay at the lovely Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY on October 10th.
Just a little Thank You to all of you who are as fond of Camp Finance as we are. We love seeing you on the mountain and are looking forward to a great conference again this year!
A Story From the Non Profit Quarterly
On Pay, Some Nonprofit Health Insurers Are Tone Deaf and Wrong
WRITTEN BY RICK COHEN
The mantra of the nonprofit sector right now is “one big tent”—no winners or losers, everyone pledged to everyone else. But it is hard to maintain that mentality when some nonprofits pay so much better than others. Those that seem to be drawing the most attention in an era of national health insurance reform are nonprofit health insurers, some of which are paying very big salaries and earning healthy profits while much of the nation, pre-Affordable Care Act, is underinsured or uninsured (and those who are covered face often escalating policy costs and co-pays).
For example, at the nonprofit Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, serving two million ratepayers in the Rochester, Syracuse, and Utica areas of New York State, the chief financial officer, Zeke Duda, got a $10.9 million payout when he retired at the end of 2011. The salary of the CEO, David Klein, somehow dropped from $5.2 million in 2011 to a not too shabby $3.8 million in 2012 when he retired. The new CEO, Christopher Booth, was the $1.6 million a year president and chief operating officer prior to Klein’s retirement. Excellus is no small operator, with revenues of $6 billion in 2012 and net income of $106 million (compared to $223 million in 2011).
Moving across the state line to Massachusetts, we note that, two years ago, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley tried to stop Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of Massachusetts from paying its board members. At the time, BCBS voluntarily suspended the payments, but now it has announced plans to reinstate the practice. The new plan is to pay board members who chair committees as much as $54,500 annually (down from the maximum of $78,600 proposed two years ago) while other directors can receive up to $47,000 (down from a max of $58,600 proposed two years ago). The plan is also to try to reduce the number of directors from 17 to 14.
Mark Rogers, who runs a “startup online professional community for board members,” ripped Blue Cross for the decision in a Globe op-ed. He contrasts the image of the Blue Cross board meetings with the “overwhelming majority of the nearly 1.6 million nonprofit organizations in America today…governed by boards composed of compassionate, intelligent, and selfless individuals who are dedicated to stewarding their organizations to [a] level of excellence that befits their mission without monetary compensation for their efforts.” His explanation of Blue Cross’s thinking? “It looks like arrogance.”
During the two years of the BCBS suspension of board payments, did Blue Cross find itself just about unable to function? Were board members, such as an executive vice president for Liberty Mutual Insurance and a senior advisor of Bain & Company, finding themselves too financially strapped to provide appropriate board service for Blue Cross? Deidre Cummings, the legislative director of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group, raised a similar query: “One would question why they were able to run their business for the last few years without paying people and why they have decided they have to start doing it again now.”
Perhaps BCBS survived due to the $1,500 payment for attending each board meeting and strategic planning meeting and the $1,200 payment for attending committee meetings. The latter is being reduced to $1,000 in the new structure. All of this is happening, of course, because Coakley’s vision of legislation to control board compensation didn’t come to pass.
Tone deaf? Multi-million dollar salaries to top executives? Five-figure compensation deals for otherwise voluntary board members? When poor people are facing higher costs for health care? Tone deaf and wrong.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Denim Day is coming up. Get your employees/employers involved!
Denim Day is coming up! On Wednesday April 24th we invite everyone to make a social statement with your fashion statement! Employees/employers everywhere are invited to charge your staff $5 each and collect the proceeds for CVAC. For more info check out the links below.
Limited Space Remains! April 10th Infusing Mission Value into Your Board Structure
FREE Training Offered April 10th: Infusing Mission Value into Your Board Structure
Presented by Doug Sauer, CEO, New York Council of Nonprofits
Offered as a part of the Southern Tier Capacity Building Program
Sponsored by United Way of Broome County, The Stewart W. and Willma C. Hoyt Foundation, The Community Foundation for South Central New York, and Conrad and Virginia Klee Foundation
Increasingly, Boards of Directors these days are so focused on minimizing risks that exercising proactive leadership aimed at enhancing the value impact of mission activities is too often taking a back seat. This trend is in part because of the growing influence, if not direction, of the compliance industry - the lawyers, accountants, regulators and for, some, in-house compliance officers.
It is getting more and more difficult in this environment to cultivate and effectively and efficiently motivate and organize board leadership. Mission, not compliance however, is what motivates and drives the passion, commitment and resources (time, effort and treasure) of good board members and leaders. Nonprofits are challenged to build board structures that are infused with mission while providing the assurance that risks are being properly managed. This participatory session will explore board models and practices for helping your board find the right balance.
Date: Wednesday, April 10th, 2013
Time: 9:30am to 12:30pm
Cost: Free to nonprofit directors, board and staff (Board Member must register and attend in order to qualify for Capacity Building Mini-Grant and Assessment Programs)
Location: Broome County Public Library
Decker Room
185 Court Street
Binghamton, NY 13901
This workshop is supported by United Way of Broome County, The Stewart W. and Willma C. Hoyt Foundation, The Community Foundation for South Central New York, and Conrad and Virginia Klee Foundation.
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FREE Training Offered June 19th: Building a Dynamic Leadership Team: Leveraging Your Management and Governance Assets
Presented by Doug Sauer, CEO, New York Council of Nonprofits
Offered as a part of the Southern Tier Capacity Building Program
Sponsored by United Way of Broome County, The Stewart W. and Willma C. Hoyt Foundation, The Community Foundation for South Central New York, and Conrad and Virginia Klee Foundation
No matter what the mission, size or life cycle of a nonprofit is, there always is and always will be a dynamic tension between the roles and responsibilities of governance and management. There are basic principles and parameters to guide the boundaries, but as organizational circumstances change, including board members, officers and executives, so does the relationship(s). The management-governance effort has a fluidity that needs to be carefully cultivated, monitored, and managed so that the leaders on both sides of the equation form and maintain an effective and successful partnership. This session will explore, through presentation and group discussion of case scenario's, the fundamental guiding principles involved, how to prevent unnecessary issues from arising, and knowing when and how to engage or directly intervene when matters go off course.
Date: Wednesday, June 19th, 2013
Time: 9:30am to 12:30pm
Cost: Free to nonprofit directors, board and staff (Board Member must register and attend in order to qualify for Capacity Building Mini-Grant and Assessment Programs)
Location: Broome County Public Library
Decker Room
185 Court Street
Binghamton, NY 13901
This workshop is supported by United Way of Broome County, The Stewart W. and Willma C. Hoyt Foundation, The Community Foundation for South Central New York, and Conrad and Virginia Klee Foundation.
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About the Southern Tier Capacity Building
Program Partners:
New York Council of Nonprofits is the premier governance, management, and support services organization serving charities in the state. NYCON has a membership of 3,200 charities of all types and has offices in Albany, New York City, Rochester, Poughkeepsie, and Oneonta. For more Information visit www.nycon.org or contact Andrew Marietta at 607-436-3124, or at amarietta@nycon.org.
United Way of Broome County works to improve people's lives in our community by focusing on the building blocks for a good life: education, income and health. As the largest non-government funder of human services in Broome County, United Way assesses the overall needs of the community and mobilizes resources to efficiently address them. This is accomplished through the direct management of several critical services, including the Susquehanna River Region 2-1-1 Call Center, and the financial support of more than 50 local health and human service programs.
The Stewart W. and Willma C. Hoyt Foundation, Inc. was created to perpetuate the Hoyts' charitable interest and to use its resources to enhance the quality of life of the people of Broome County, primarily through judicious grantmaking. Stewart and Willma Hoyt's vision and funding, coupled with the prudent management afforded by a dedicated Board, has created a strong mechanism to seek solutions to critical issues facing our community. More information about the Stewart W. and Willma C. Hoyt Foundation is available at www.hoytfoundation.org.
The Community Foundation for South Central New York is now in its 16th year of encouraging and facilitating philanthropy in the region, and serves five counties including Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego and Tioga. Dedicated to being a flexible endowment fund for its communities, it receives both large and small contributions from donors (including individuals, businesses and other foundations) to form the endowment from which grants are made. Since its inception in 1997 the Community Foundation has awarded more than $7.2 million in grants to not-for-profit organizations in the fields of health, human services, education, arts and humanities and has received over $17 million in contributions. More information about the Community Foundation may be found on its website at www.cfscny.org.
The Conrad and Virginia Klee Foundation is a private charitable foundation created in 1957 by Conrad Klee and his wife. Since that time it has made charitable grants to various qualified nonprofit organizations, primarily in Broome County, NY. The Klee Foundation is committed to promoting, nurturing and educating a healthy community. Accordingly, particular focus is placed upon grant proposals seeking funding to support sustainable programs that can demonstrate how they can help to achieve that goal. More information about the Klee Foundation may be found on its website at http://kleefoundation.org.
George A. and Margaret Mee Charitable Foundation
invests in projects and programs of qualified nonprofit organizations that support the communities of Delaware County, New York, Cameron County, Pennsylvania and Broome County, New York and occasionally the surrounding areas. The general categories of funding are Education, Community and Recreation, Health and Human Services and Arts and Culture. It is the Foundation's intent through such investments to assist and support the nonprofit organizations in addressing the current issues and challenges within these communities, thereby working towards positive change and impact in the lives of those they serve. More information about the Mee Foundation may be found at http://www.meefoundation.org.
United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties, Inc.
covers two large, rural Counties and assumes a pro-active role in working collaboratively with organizations to maximize the effects of limited resources in meeting Health and Human Service needs. The United Way seeks to be the leader in improving the quality of life in Delaware and Otsego Counties, particularly in terms of addressing the health and human service needs of people. Priority areas are a Community-wide needs assessment, the advocacy of issues, support for the needed programs that serve the poor and working poor, and the on-going evaluation of United Way funded programs and services. More information about the United Way may be found athttp://www.unitedwaydo.org/
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NYCON Brings You Upcoming Webinars, News & Nonprofit Notes
Expand Your Employee (and Volunteer) Benefits Packages at an Affordable PriceGive employees and volunteers what they want with the NYCON Visioncare Plan through Humana!
We know that the Employe Benefits "Market" can be complicated. Our job is to help make that world more simple, and affordable for nonprofits. To help you understand each type of benefit, it's coverage features and it's costs we are rolling out a series of short 30-minute webinar spotlights on our administered programs: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts and our Vision Program - which is new for 2013!
[Thursday!] 3/21/2013
4/11/2013
Stay tuned for our Flexible Spending Account & Life Insurance Webinars in the Spring....
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Upcoming NYCON Membership Orientation
Great information for new and returning members!
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In our "Get to Know Us" Sessions, NYCON staff will tell you a lot more about our membership benefits - and answer all the questions you have regarding our process, costs and what you get for FREE. Nonprofit Training, Education and Professional Assistance NYCON empowers our members with the best practices, policies, and procedures as well as information on ever-changing regulations, funding, accountability and more. Cost Savings Solutions for Nonprofits
NYCON leverages the purchasing power of thousands of nonprofits to bring you economies of scale on everything from Office Supplies to Fundraising Software.
The Nonprofit Voice in New York State NYCON represents our members on the local, state and national level, giving voice to small and medium sized nonprofits everywhere. |
Nonprofit Audits in a Nutshell
[Free Members Only Webinar]
March 28th, 2013 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Like yours, many nonprofit organizations often find themselves wondering...
To answer these questions and more, the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON) is excited to bring you Nonprofit Audits in a Nutshell, a free webinar on March 28th at 3:30pm Eastern, hosted by our national network, the National Council of Nonprofits. This webinar features practical tips from nonprofits about their audit practices, as well as experts from BoardSource and Raffa and is designed to give you background on everything you need to know about the independent audit process (from legal requirements to practical advice).
Thanks to the support of First Nonprofit Foundation, this exclusive webinar is available, free of charge, to all members of NYCON Don't miss this opportunity - Register Today! Free and Open to Current NYCON Members Only (click here to renew your membership for 2013 before registering.) |
| [Corporate Member Spotlight] DoGoodBuyUs Webinar
April 11th, 2013 2:00pm to 2:30pm
As nonprofits around the country look for ways to bolster their fundraising, hundreds of organizations have turned toDoGoodBuyUs as a way to bridge the gap between causes and the consumer market.DoGoodBuyUs works with nonprofits around the world, helping them sell the products they (and now they) have created. AtDoGoodBuyUs (http://www.dogoodbuy.us) they believe consumerism can change the world so, they created the largest marketplace of charity made products. Now anyone can "do good" just by buying beautiful, often handmade items that support the worthiest causes. From tea to t-shirts, from rain boots to coffee, from jewelry to soaps, the list of amazing products go on.
*Please note that this company is not a NYCON Endorsed Corporate Partner. |
Monday, March 18, 2013
COAD Director Position Available with United Way of Broome County
The COAD Director position is still open and we are looking to fill it as soon as possible. Click here for a copy of the description. If you are interested please let me know. Also, please pass this on to anyone you know who may be interested.
If you have any questions please give me a call or call Tonya Brown, COAD President, at 729-9166.
Thank you,
Nicki French, Administrative Director
Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's Weekly News
News From State Comptroller Thomas P. Dinapoli
DiNapoli: General Electric Agrees to Examine Risks from New PCB Hotspots in Hudson
General Electric Corp. has agreed to prepare an analysis of the actions required to remove recently discovered polychlorinated biphenyl contamination contaminated sediments from the Hudson River and report its findings to shareholders, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced Monday. The analysis will be completed by the end of 2013. In response to the agreement, DiNapoli withdrew a shareholder resolution calling on the company to do such an evaluation.
DiNapoli and Saratoga DA Murphy: Former Fire District Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Stealing Taxpayer Funds
The former treasurer of the Charlton Fire District has admitted to embezzling $500,000 in public funds as the result of an audit and investigation by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and further investigation by Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy, III and the New York State Police.
DiNapoli: Argyle Clerk Rings Up $8K in Personal Debt on Town Credit Card
A former clerk in the Town of Argyle in Washington County used a town credit card to purchase more than $8,000 in personal expenditures, which included $2,900 to a flooring contractor and $1,500 to an insurance company, according to an audit released Monday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
DiNapoli: Mill Neck Manor Overcharged Taxpayers by More Than $280,000
Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf, a Nassau County provider of special education services for children with hearing disabilities, charged taxpayers more than $280,000 it wasn’t entitled to, including extra salary and benefits for the school’s executive director, according to an audit released Thursday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
DiNapoli: Challenges Remain For New York City Budget
New York City’s budget is balanced in the current fiscal year and Mayor Bloomberg has presented a balanced preliminary budget for fiscal year 2014, but a number of issues pose significant budget risks in the years ahead, according to a report released Tuesday by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
DiNapoli: Nassau County Needs to Improve Contract Process
While Nassau County is following established guidelines for approving contracts, the authorization process often misses approval deadlines, according to an audit issued Thursday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Auditors found that because of the lengthy review process vendors began working on half the contracts an average of seven weeks prior to the contract being signed by the county.
Comptroller DiNapoli Releases Municipal Audits
New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli Tuesday announced his office completed audits of the theTown of Columbus; the Town of Hamlin; the Village of Lyndonville; the Town of Mansfield; the Town of Otselic; and, the Town of Pittstown.
Comptroller DiNapoli Releases School Audits
New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli Tuesday announced his office completed audits of: theNiskayuna Central School District; the Patchogue–Medford Union Free School District; the Pine Bush Central School District; and, the South Glens Falls Central School District.
To see the article online click here.
DiNapoli: General Electric Agrees to Examine Risks from New PCB Hotspots in Hudson
General Electric Corp. has agreed to prepare an analysis of the actions required to remove recently discovered polychlorinated biphenyl contamination contaminated sediments from the Hudson River and report its findings to shareholders, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced Monday. The analysis will be completed by the end of 2013. In response to the agreement, DiNapoli withdrew a shareholder resolution calling on the company to do such an evaluation.
DiNapoli and Saratoga DA Murphy: Former Fire District Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Stealing Taxpayer Funds
The former treasurer of the Charlton Fire District has admitted to embezzling $500,000 in public funds as the result of an audit and investigation by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and further investigation by Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy, III and the New York State Police.
DiNapoli: Argyle Clerk Rings Up $8K in Personal Debt on Town Credit Card
A former clerk in the Town of Argyle in Washington County used a town credit card to purchase more than $8,000 in personal expenditures, which included $2,900 to a flooring contractor and $1,500 to an insurance company, according to an audit released Monday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
DiNapoli: Mill Neck Manor Overcharged Taxpayers by More Than $280,000
Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf, a Nassau County provider of special education services for children with hearing disabilities, charged taxpayers more than $280,000 it wasn’t entitled to, including extra salary and benefits for the school’s executive director, according to an audit released Thursday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
DiNapoli: Challenges Remain For New York City Budget
New York City’s budget is balanced in the current fiscal year and Mayor Bloomberg has presented a balanced preliminary budget for fiscal year 2014, but a number of issues pose significant budget risks in the years ahead, according to a report released Tuesday by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
DiNapoli: Nassau County Needs to Improve Contract Process
While Nassau County is following established guidelines for approving contracts, the authorization process often misses approval deadlines, according to an audit issued Thursday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Auditors found that because of the lengthy review process vendors began working on half the contracts an average of seven weeks prior to the contract being signed by the county.
Comptroller DiNapoli Releases Municipal Audits
New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli Tuesday announced his office completed audits of the theTown of Columbus; the Town of Hamlin; the Village of Lyndonville; the Town of Mansfield; the Town of Otselic; and, the Town of Pittstown.
Comptroller DiNapoli Releases School Audits
New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli Tuesday announced his office completed audits of: theNiskayuna Central School District; the Patchogue–Medford Union Free School District; the Pine Bush Central School District; and, the South Glens Falls Central School District.
To see the article online click here.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
The Non-Profit Times Weekly News Letter
The Non-Profit Times Weekly News Letter
NPT Weekly E-News Letter
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The NonProfit Times has started some arguments over on LinkedIn. Join us now to take part in all the fun. | ||||
| AG Might Hamper Advocacy Work | ||||
| Regulations proposed on nonprofit advocacy groups by the New York attorney general could hamper efforts by organizations doing legitimate advocacy on public policy, according to one watchdog group. Read more... | ||||
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| Finance... 4 vital elements to due diligence | ||||
| Many people think of “due diligence” as a by-the-numbers adherence to some set of printed (before the Ice Age, maybe?) guidelines that will keep certain rear ends covered. Read more... | ||||
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| Advocacy... 5 ways to influence change | ||||
| One of the most discussed, yet least understood, aspects of leadership is change. Everyone talks about it but it's an entirely different matter when it comes time to implement it. Add to that the fact that people generally don't like change, it's no wonder that implementing it is easier said than done. Read more... | ||||
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| Boards... A dozen reasons to “retreat” | ||||
| Retreats for board members usually sound great to everybody but the board members who have to go on retreat. They often retreat from them as fast as they can. Read more... To see the article online click here. |
News from NYCON
Dollars through the Door: Who Does What in Nonprofit Fundraising? [Lunch & Learn Webinar]
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM (EDT)
Online - Call And Login Information Will Be Sent To You
24-48 Hours In Advance Of This Workshop Register Today Limited Spots Available
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.
These are
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New Year, Great Time to Explore New Employee Benefits that You Can Afford!
We know that the Employe Benefits "Market" can be complicated. Our job is to help make that world more simple, and affordable for nonprofits. To help you understand each type of benefit, it's coverage features and it's costs we are rolling out a series of short 30-minute webinar spotlights on our administered programs: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts and our Vision Program - which is new for 2013!
3/21/2013
4/11/2013
Stay tuned for our Flexible Spending Account & Life Insurance Webinars in the Spring....
|
Nonprofit Audits in a Nutshell
[Free Members Only Webinar]
March 28th, 2013 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Like yours, many nonprofit organizations often find themselves wondering...
To answer these questions and more, the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON) is excited to bring you Nonprofit Audits in a Nutshell, a free webinar on March 28th at 3:30pm Eastern, hosted by our national network, the National Council of Nonprofits. This webinar features practical tips from nonprofits about their audit practices, as well as experts from BoardSource and Raffa and is designed to give you background on everything you need to know about the independent audit process (from legal requirements to practical advice).
Thanks to the support of First Nonprofit Foundation, this exclusive webinar is available, free of charge, to all members of NYCON Don't miss this opportunity - Register Today! Free and Open to Current NYCON Members Only (click here to renew your membership for 2013 before registering) |
Upcoming NYCON Membership Orientation (for all new and returning members!
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In our "Get to Know Us" Sessions, NYCON staff will tell you a lot more about our membership benefits - and answer all the questions you have regarding our process, costs and what you get for FREE. We will be talking about these benefits. Nonprofit Training, Education and Professional Assistance NYCON empowers our members with the best practices, policies, and procedures as well as information on ever-changing regulations, funding, accountability and more. Cost Savings Solutions for Nonprofits
NYCON leverages the purchasing power of thousands of nonprofits to bring you economies of scale on everything from Office Supplies to Fundraising Software.
The Nonprofit Voice in New York State NYCON represents our members on the local, state and national level, giving voice to small and medium sized nonprofits everywhere. |
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