Thursday, February 19, 2015

Upcoming Events & Webinars





 
 
 
[TOMORROW] February 20th, 2015 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Complying with the Nonprofit Revitalization Act in New York State [Lunch & Learn Webinar]
Presented by Michael West, Esq., Senior Attorney, NYCON 



 
The Nonprofit Revitalization Act is a landmark change in the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law of the State of New York that ushered in a modern era for the operation and governance of nonprofit corporations on July 1, 2014. During this in depth webinar NYCON's Senior Attorney will provide members with a comprehensive overview of the Act as well as take a closer look at the various topics included in the Act that are new and have implications on compliance and board governance in general and your operations specifically. This session will provide you with an overview and a practical set of actions to take to amend your bylaws to meet the new standards of the Act.
 
NYCON is pleased to bring a full calendar of "Members Only Lunch & Learn Webinars" to you in 2015. If you have not renewed your membership you can do so by clicking here. If you are not sure of your membership status please email us at vvenezia@nycon.org. Please note that this webinar is available to 
nonprofit members only.
 
 
February 20, 2014 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
NYCON Membership Benefits Orientation [Webinar]
 
business_people3.jpg
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. Find out how Membership will benefit you by attending this 1-hour session. Learn all about our:
  • 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 Employee Benefits. 
  • 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.
 
 
February 25, 2015 10:30 am to 11:00 am
Corporate Member Spotlight: Crowdfunding Solutions from CauseVox
Presented by Rob Wu, CauseVox Founder & CEO
Recent Camp Finance Presenter

 
 
CauseVox Crowdfunding Platform allows you to create a beautiful fundraising site in seconds. Manage your campaigns effectively with full adminstrative access - and much more.
  • Control your fundraising site's design
  • Create personal and team fundraising pages
  • Tell your stories with built-in content fundraising tools
  • Extend your fundraising site with CauseVox widgets or build your own.
  • Any nonprofit can access CauseVox's basic 'Starter' plan for free, until they raise over $5,000 in funds
NYCON Members can access the upgraded 'Impact' and 'Pro' Plans for FREE for up to three (3) months, regardless of amount of funds raised. (CauseVox does keep 4.25% transaction processing fee.)  
*Please note that CauseVox is not an Endorsed Corporate Partner of NYCON. 
 
 
March 12th, 2015  11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
To SHOP or Not to SHOP: Top Ten Things You Need to Know When Considering the NYS Small Business Health Exchange [Lunch & Learn Webinar]
Peter Andrew, CEO of Council Services Plus, Inc. and Joseph Muldoon, New York State Health Benefit Exchange Project Director


 
The world of Health Insurance has changed a lot over the past few years. New York's Health Exchange, New York State of Health (NYSOH), has established one of the most successful exchanges in the nation. In many ways today's health insurance environment is more friendly to nonprofits - and small organizations in general.  But making a move with any Employee Benefit is no small task, and especially so with Health Insurance. There are a lot of things you need to be aware of as you consider this kind of move. This webinar will highlight the "Top Ten" reasons you might consider NYSOH and identify key issues you should understand before making your decision. Join Peter Andrew, CEO of Council Services Plus, Inc. (NYCON's Insurance Subsidiary) and Joseph Muldoon, New York State Health Benefit Exchange Project Director, for this candid look at the facts, and the biggest pros (and cons) of moving to the NYS Health Exchange.

This information will be extremely useful for small nonprofits that:
  • Have a primary business address within New York State
  • Have a least one common-law employees
  • Have 50 or fewer eligible employees
 
 
March 17, 2015 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM 
Strategic Restructuring for Nonprofits: A "Real World" Approach [Lunch & Learn Webinar]
A  Special Event with Updates for 2015 by our CEO Doug Sauer

 
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. Join us on June 19th and learn from Doug's real world and very practical experiences. Doug will be talking about the variety of options available for restructuring a nonprofit, what the potential benefits and very real risks are -- as well as what the process of  "strategic restructuring" is really like.

There will be time for Q&A at the end of the online session so make sure you take advantage of having our resident expert available to you.
 
 
Plan Ahead for Spring! Upcoming Webinars...
April 23, 2015 2:30 pm
In this Issue...
 
 
Corporate Member SPOTLIGHT:
 
Master of Public Administration Program (MPA) at Marist College 
The Master of Public Administration program (MPA) at Marist College
prepares innovative leaders of public and nonprofit organizations with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for effectively managing in a diverse, technologically engaged and global society. The MPA program's commitment to excellence in education is demonstrated through the integration of public administration theories with the practice of management in the public and non-profit sectors.  Interested in furthering your nonprofit career?
 
 
Benefit Spotlight On:
Membership Benefits Spotlight!
If you like our webinar 'system' you already like ReadyTalk. NYCON is pleased to partner with ReadyTalk to bring members easy-to-use audio and web conferencing at great, low rates!

Members pay only 3.9 cents per minute/per participant for voice conferencing and 7.9 cents per minute/per web conferencing, more than 70% off the regular price of ReadyTalk services.
 

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*REMINDER* CFSCNY Announces Training Opportunities for March 2015

March Trainings Seek to Build Stronger Boards and Highlight Non-Profit Leadership Opportunities
"Connecting Donors Who Care With Causes That Matter"
 
 
 
here.
The Community Foundation for South Central New York is pleased to announce two training opportunities in March.
 
1. The Sullivan County Not-For-Profit Leadership Summit- will be held on March 4, 2015 in Bethel Woods, NY. This day-long summit will include sessions on:
* Collaborative Fundraising, Marketing and Development
* New & Emerging Trends for Not-for-Profits
* Strategic Management Issues
* Co-locating and Administrative Cost Sharing
Find information on registration here 

 
2. The New York Council of Non-Profits (NYCON) will be offering: "Board Impact: Making Service on Your Board a Win-Win" on March 5th in Binghamton. This session will explore the personal, professional and community value of being a board member, and how your organization can leverage and market these areas to bring success to your nonprofit board. Find registration information here.

 
 
For more information contact Program Officer, Tina Barber
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Friday, February 13, 2015

You're Invited! 2015 IHS Annual Conference

 

 
                                                                                                                                             
 
 
Olivia Dates
Director of Communications
Institute for Human Services, Inc.
6666 CR 11, Bath, New York  14810-7722
 
________________________________________________________________________________
To subscribe/unsubscribe from the HSC Listserv or review our guidelines, visit www.hsctc.org/listserve
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The Human Services Coalition of Tompkins County
Celebrating 40 Years of Creating Solutions Together!
 
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Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Nonprofit Advocacy Matters | February 9, 2015

Nonprofit Advocacy Matters banner

 
 
House to Vote on Restoring Expired Charitable Giving Incentives
The House of Representatives is expected to debate and vote this week on a package of charitable giving incentive bills that were recently approved individually by the House Ways and Means Committee. Using the same name as a similar bill from last July, the America Gives More Act of 2015 (H.R. 644), includes bills that would extend and make permanent these giving incentives: the IRA charitable rollover (H.R. 637), an enhanced and expanded deduction of food inventories (H.R. 644), and an expanded tax deduction to promote donation of land for conservation purposes (H.R. 641). The provisions were briefly restored towards the end of last year, but expired again on December 31, 2004. The bill package will also include a proposal to streamline the foundation excise tax by setting a single tax rate of 1 percent on net investment income for private foundations (H.R. 640).
 
Each of the separate components was approved by the House tax committee by a vote along party lines, but received vocal support from almost all committee members. Democratic members, however, explained that they were voting against the bills because the provisions 1) are not paid for with offsetting tax hikes or spending cuts, and 2) should not be considered in a piecemeal fashion, but as part of the negotiations that produce comprehensive tax reform. The White House may issue a veto statement for the same reasons in advance of the vote, which is likely to occur on Wednesday or Thursday.
 
 
President Outlines Spending, Policy Priorities
The federal budget and appropriations process officially began last week with the release of President Obama’s $4 trillion budget proposal for fiscal year 2016. In addition to making spending requests for each federal department, agency, and program, the President’s budget blueprint proposes making several policy changes, including ending sequestration, which it calls “mindless austerity,” and spending $74 billion more than permitted under the Budget Control Act of 2011. He also recommends increasing taxes on bequests of property and again, for the seventh time, urges Congress to limit the value of itemized deductions (including the charitable deduction) for higher-income taxpayers. In the coming weeks, congressional hearings will review and challenge many of the proposals in the President’s budget blueprint. Over the spring and summer, Congress is responsible for turning policy discussions into line-item spending decisions that must be enacted into law before the new fiscal year starts on October 1, 2015. For more information, see “Federal Budget ‘Sausage-Making’ Season Opens.”
 
 
 
Pennsylvania at the Epicenter of Debate on Nonprofit Property-Tax Exemption
Pennsylvania has become the epicenter on the debate over nonprofit property-tax exemption as some lawmakers seek to overturn a court decision regarding the meaning of the phrase "institutions of purely public charity," while municipalities and others look for opportunities to take resources dedicated to nonprofit missions. All of the many issues were raised at a hearing last week before the Pennsylvania Senate tax-writing committee that heard testimony on a pending amendment to the Pennsylvania constitution to recognize the General Assembly’s sole authority to establish what qualifies an organization as a charitable nonprofit for property taxation purposes. That amendment passed the legislature last year, but under Pennsylvania law must be passed again by the newly-elected legislature and then be approved by the voters before it can become effective. Municipalities and their associations are lobbying against the amendment, and sympathetic lawmakers pressed their argument that some nonprofits should be required to pay property taxes and/or make “voluntary” payments in lieu of taxes. Read, “From the Fault Line on Nonprofit Property-Tax Exemptions,” for more on the hearing, including the testimony of David L. Thompson, VP of Public Policy for the National Council of Nonprofits, regarding the challenges nonprofits face in Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
 
Kentucky Takes Step Toward Government-Nonprofit Contracting Reform
A concurrent resolution introduced in Kentucky calls for the creation of a Government Nonprofit Contracting Task Force for the purpose of identifying ways to eliminate redundant, unreasonable, or unnecessary laws, regulations, or policies that negatively affect nonprofit government contracting or funding. The task force, to be made up of representatives from the legislature, state agencies, and nonprofits, would be required to issue a preliminary report in October and a final report a year later, offering recommendations and any proposed legislative changes. The Kentucky Nonprofit Network (KNN), the state association of nonprofits in the commonwealth, supports the task force as an “opportunity for government and nonprofits to work together to identify solutions for contracting relationships that would allow both to benefit from increased efficiency and financial savings - resulting in better services being delivered to the citizens of the Commonwealth.” Read the KNN fact sheet on the concurrent resolution and the National Council of Nonprofits report, Investing for Impact: Government-Nonprofit Task Forces Produce Results for Taxpayers (April 2013).
 
 
Philadelphia’s Wage Floor Raises Familiar Challenge for Nonprofits
Some nonprofits providing services under government contracts and grants are seeking exemptions from Philadelphia’s new $12 per hour wage mandate for city contractors on the grounds that their written agreements do not provide funding for the added costs. The city’s Commissioner for the Department of Human Services (DHS), whose agency has the most contracts with providers affected by the wage increase, agrees with the nonprofits and supports temporary waivers for nonprofits performing under DHS contracts until contract renewal time. Similar concerns have been expressed elsewhere in the country when wage mandates, such as an increase in the federal or state minimum wage, are considered. Last month, for example, CalNonprofits stressed the need for policymakers “to provide a longer phase-in schedule for nonprofits in order to provide time to re-negotiate government contracts that reimburse at minimum wage levels, allowing nonprofits to maintain delivery of critical human services.”
 
Utah Considers Improving Nonprofit Regulations, Disclosures
The Utah Legislature is considering a regulatory clean-up bill that addresses several simmering issues for nonprofits. The bill would repeal a statute authorizing the state to invade the privacy of nonprofit officers by looking into their personal accounts, remove requirements about nonprofit bylaws, repeal existing and delineate new auditing requirements, and create a $25,000 floor for nonprofits that receive government funding to report to the State Auditor's Office. This last item would lessen the adverse impact of a bill passed last year requiring nonprofits that receive “state money” to submit redundant and unnecessary reports.
 
 
Tax Exemption Preserved in Florida
A Florida county assessor’s efforts to force a nonprofit blood bank onto the property tax rolls has been blocked by the Alachua County Value Adjustment Board, which ruled that LifeSouth Community Blood Centers’ work is charitable. The assessor had taken the position that LifeSouth charged for each pint of blood sold to hospitals and thus did not provide charity to individuals who cannot pay. The Value Adjustment Board rejected the assessor’s narrow view of charity and deemed the work of the nonprofit blood bank essential to reducing the burden of government, a component in the Florida property-tax exemption law. According to the Gainesville (FL) Sun, for-profit blood centers in the 1970s were paying individuals to donate blood, which many believed led to hepatitis tainting the nation’s blood supply. The National Blood Policy of 1973 promoted an all-volunteer donor system. In 1974, the Gainesville Civitan Club started Civitan Regional Blood Center, which later became LifeSouth.
 
Localities Support Nonprofits with Revenue Surpluses
The work of nonprofits may benefit from improving tax revenues and local government budgets in at least two communities located on opposite sides of the country. Portland, Oregon is planning to provide additional grants totaling $1.4 million to 16 cultural nonprofits, thanks to new funds from the local arts tax and a surplus in the city’s budget. The seacoast community of Tybee Island, Georgia is considering increasing its support for the work of local nonprofits, such as the Historical Society, by increasing the share of a hotel/motel tax that is made available to cultural and community development organizations. The Tybee Island Mayor is proposing this increased funding because  nonprofits  act to “enhance the quality of life for people who live on the island year round.”
 
 
 
 
Talking a Stand, Publicly
It is one thing to express strong views about an issue affecting nonprofit missions in the privacy of the board room or among like-minded people. To really advance the mission, however, it is necessary to give voice, publicly, to those views. Three state association leaders did just that in recent weeks through articles in their local newspapers. Each took public stands for their missions and the work of nonprofits:
 
Mary Ellen Jackson, President & CEO of the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits, penned “My Turn: Taxing nonprofits is a lose-lose situation,” published in the Concord (NH) Monitor, on February 4. New Hampshire legislators are once again considering a bill mandating that nonprofit charitable organizations with revenue greater than $10 million be taxed under the state’s Business Enterprise Tax. Jackson explains that the bill, “if passed, will result in a loss in revenue for the state, a loss in revenue for charitable organizations, and, most importantly, a loss for people and communities.” She points out that “nonprofits such as Easter Seals, Goodwill, Gateways Community Services, Nashua’s Harbor Homes and others who serve our most vulnerable families will need to come up with revenue to pay this hefty tax,” forcing them “to either curb services or raise more money each year to pay this tax.” 
 
In neighboring Maine, Scott Schnapp, Executive Director of the Maine Association of Nonprofits, is taking issue, publicly, with the Governor’s plan of repealing property-tax exemption for property owned by tax-exempt nonprofits. In “Another View: Hospitals aren’t the only nonprofits affected by LePage’s budget plan,” in the Portland (ME) Press Herald, January 29, Schnapp helps nonprofits and the general public understand how the proposal to allow municipalities to tax nonprofits with property valued above $500,000 “would undoubtedly result in staffing cuts that would diminish services for vulnerable populations and reduce programs that Maine residents rely on and value.” He also corrected the misinformation that the proposal would only apply permit “taxing large nonprofits,” pointing out that the Governor’s plan would also affect “social service agencies, land trusts, educational institutions and organizations that provide healthy outlets for young people, to name just a few.”
 
Readers may recall that the Maine Governor asserted in November that Maine nonprofits “don’t pay their fair share,” and that “they are takers, not givers.” Schnapp and the Maine Association of Nonprofits have been aggressive in pushing back against this mindset and this proposal.
 
 
Heading west from the Northeast, we take note of the article “Charity Inc.: Advocacy for nonprofits,” (Oklahoma City The Journal Record, February 4) by Marnie Taylor, President & CEO, Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits. Writing at the start of the Oklahoma legislative session, Taylor encourages “all nonprofits, large and small, to dedicate time and resources to advocacy and public policy.” Here’s more good advice: “Nonprofit leaders and volunteers should be able to show the public and our policymakers how their missions not only affect the lives they serve but how they save taxpayer dollars, help the economy and improve the state’s standards compared with other states.”

These three leaders are modelling the way for advancing the missions of nonprofits by advocating through the news media. 
 
 
Federal Issues
  • Charitable Giving Incentives
  • Budget and Spending
State and Local Issues
  • Property Tax Policy: PA
  • Government-Nonprofit Task Force: KY
  • Wage Mandates: CA, PA
  • Nonprofit Regulation and Disclosure: UT
  • Property Tax Exemption: FL
  • Arts Funding: GA, OR
Advocacy in Action
 
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 
 
Nonprofit VOTE Webinar
Voter engagement takes planning. Learn about general tactics, strategies, and resources to support your efforts, while developing a 2015 voter engagement timeline for your organization. Register now.
 
 
Worth Reading
On OMB Uniform Guidance
One Small Step for Government, One Giant Leap for Nonprofits,” by Tim Delaney, President & CEO, National Council of Nonprofits, published in GuideStar newsletter, February 5, 2015, explaining how an assist from a new federal law may help nonprofits both recover more funds and bust the Overhead Myth.
 
Survey, Reform, Repeat,“ Beth Bowsky, Policy Specialist for Government-Nonprofit Contracting at the National Council of Nonprofits, published on Nonprofit Finance Fund blog, February 5, 2015, using the OMB Uniform Guidance that calls for more payments to nonprofits as an example to demonstrate the importance of data for nonprofit advocacy.
 
On the Federal Budget Process
Mr. Obama and Congress should work to end sequestration,” Washington Post editorial, February 1, 2015, calling for an end to the arbitrary, across-the-board budget cuts, while reminding readers of how the sequestration budget gimmick came about and stressing the need for policymakers to embrace entitlement and tax reform.
 
Survey Worth Taking
Nonprofit Finance Fund's seventh annual nationwide survey examining the state of the nonprofit sector. The results help illustrate the vitality of the sector in your state and across the country, define the challenges that we all face, and provide information that advances our collective advocacy work. Please take the survey and share it with other nonprofits in your network! 
 
 
Worth Quoting
“Many nonprofits provide needed community services that the government does not. Shelters for those seeking to escape domestic violence provide a safe place to go. Programs at the local YMCA might keep kids in school and away from crime and seniors active and out of the hospital. Land trusts preserve and maintain open space for recreation, wildlife and aesthetics. Many nonprofits, especially museums, theaters and musical groups, are touted to visitors and potential residents as cultural draws to communities.”
- “Taxing nonprofits ‘neither feasible nor desirable’,” Maine Bangor Daily News editorial, February 3, 2015, expressing strong opposition to the Maine Governor’s proposal to tax charitable nonprofits, and quoting the Council of Nonprofits’ David L. Thompson: “Local budget holes are smaller because of the work nonprofits do.”
 
Worth Studying
Senate Democrats letter to Hatch on Tax Reform
Senate Finance Committee Democrats Outline Principles for Bipartisan Tax Reform, a letter from the 12 Democratic Senators on the Committee to Chairman Hatch (R-UT) laying out what will be needed to craft tax reform that is truly bipartisan.
 
Ratios in the News
Legislators in different states have fewer or more constituents to represent. Presuming that fewer is preferred, here is how states’ Houses of Representatives measure up (excluding the unicameral Nebraska legislature):
 
#1: New Hampshire
(3,309:1 ratio)
 
#49: California
(479,157:1 ratio)
 
 
Nonprofit Events
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