Free Trainings: Infusing Mission Value into Your Board Structure

Southern Tier Capacity Building FREE Trainings: 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.   REGISTER HERE      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.   Southern Tier Capacity Building Mini-Grant and Assessment Programs:Nonprofits who have a Board Member attend will qualify to apply for the 2013 Southern Tier Capacity Building Mini-Grant Program, as well as special assessment support offered directly by the New York Council of Nonprofits. The  Mini-Grant Program and special assessment assistance are supported by United Way of Broome County, The Stewart W. and Willma C. Hoyt Foundation, The Community Foundation for South Central New York, Conrad and Virginia Klee Foundation, George A. and Margaret Mee Charitable Foundation, and United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties, Inc.

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.    REGISTER HERE      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.   Southern Tier Capacity Building Mini-Grant and Assessment Programs:Nonprofits who have a Board Member attend will qualify to apply for the 2013 Southern Tier Capacity Building Mini-Grant Program, as well as special assessment support offered directly by the New York Council of Nonprofits. The  Mini-Grant Program and special assessment assistance are supported by United Way of Broome County, The Stewart W. and Willma C. Hoyt Foundation, The Community Foundation for South Central New York, Conrad and Virginia Klee Foundation, George A. and Margaret Mee Charitable Foundation, and United Way of Delaware and Otsego Counties, Inc.

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 3,000 charities of all types and has offices in Albany, New York City, Buffalo, 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 raises funds from the community each year to fund specific programs that help thousands of people. A donation to United Way goes directly to help people in the Broome County community--producing positive results that improve the lives of local residents. Working through 30 local partner agencies, United Way supports about 60 programs in education, income, and health, the building blocks for a good life. United Way also sponsors four direct service programs. More information about United Way of Broome County is available at www.uwbroome.org.  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 14th 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 $5.5 million in grants to not-for-profit organizations in the fields of health, human services, education, arts and humanities and has received over $16 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/

Broome County leaders plan meeting with Binghamton Zoo officials

Pressconnects reported that decision comes after 'heated' annual meeting.
Broome County leaders plan to meet Friday with the head of the Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park to discuss ongoing issues at the facility.

Legislature Chairman Jerry Marinich and county Executive Debbie Preston are expected to get together with interim zoo Executive Director Dave Conklin, and possibly board Chairwoman Sharon Witte, to get an update on the regional attraction, the search for an executive director, fundraising and the possibility of increased oversight.

"At this point here, I think the zoo is in a desperate need for an executive director," Marinich said. "I certainly believe, myself, the zoo is an important part of the fabric of Broome County."

This development comes after a Wednesday Press & Sun-Bulletin report about a perceived communication breakdown between the board and some zoo employees. Tuesday's annual meeting of the Southern Tier Zoological Society became heated and emotional as staffers and others raised concerns about the zoo's current leadership. Employees said they want consistency, transparency and financial stability, among other things.

The two sides need to work together, Preston said. It's a facility that annually has about 60,000 to 70,000 people come through.

"I totally want to see the zoo succeed," she said. "After reading the paper, I guess I'm concerned right now with the current direction."

Broome County also has a vested interest in the zoo since it contributes a hefty amount of funding toward it. The county's 2012 budget contains $286,454 for the zoo; the zoo's total budget for 2012 is $913,161. In 2011, the zoo received $295,313 from the county toward its $1 million budget.

Because a substantial amount of money is allocated for the zoo, which leaders say enhances the area's quality of life, an audit of the facility's finances is not off the table, Marinich said.

"If this warrants it, I will ask for it," he said.

Conklin said he welcomes the opportunity to sit down with county leaders and talk about the issues at hand.

"They need to have me sit down with them and explain what's going on and why that disruption happened (Tuesday), and I think they deserve the answers," he said. "Honestly, I'd like an opportunity to put them at ease."

There is a disconnect between the staff and the board, and both sides need to work together to bridge the gap, Conklin said.

"There isn't a person involved in this entire thing who doesn't have the zoo's best interest at heart," he said.

Zoo Education Curator Patricia Searles, who essentially served as a spokeswoman for some staffers during Tuesday's meeting, said zoo officials and county leaders setting up a meeting is a step in the right direction.

"This is pretty much what we mainly wanted to do -- get it out there and get the lines of communication open," she said. "If the community loves our zoo as much as we do, they're going to have to help us ..."

Better communication could start with the ongoing search for a permanent executive director. It has been narrowed to five candidates, and a decision could come by March.

"Hopefully the board will be able to find a director that the staff feels comfortable with as well," said Conklin, who is no longer interested in the permanent position.

When it comes to directors, there's been significant turnover at the zoo over the past decade.

On Aug. 16, Sheila Green, who served as executive director for less than two years, left the facility. Board members cited a "personnel issue," but Green said during a phone interview Wednesday she was let go.

"Basically, it was that I was not the face of the zoo and I was not a good fit," she said.

When the decision was made, Green said she didn't inquire further.

"It was kind of like the writing was on the wall and there was no reason to continue asking," she said.

Green said she worked hard to bridge the gap between the staff and the board.

"When I was there, I was very honest and upfront with the staff that it was a group effort to keep the zoo going and that's what we were striving for," she said. "A zoo is a very unique institution in how it works. You're dealing with living beings. It's a business yes, but it's also a service for a community."

Green was the zoo's fourth executive director since Steven Contento retired in 2002 after 17 years. Laura Jane Stewart was fired nine months into the job in 2003, and her successor, Jarod Miller, served for a year before resigning. Mike Janis took over in January 2006 and helped the zoo regain its accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which it had lost in 2005 due to turmoil over previous leadership and finances. Janis left in January 2010, with the board again citing a personnel matter. Janis, in a previous interview with this newspaper, also said he was let go.

Moving forward, Marinich said it's important the zoo has solid leadership, not only on the business and animal sides, but the relationship side as well.

"It's important they all work together with one common goal," Marinich said. "And I'm hoping with a new executive director, they can pull all that together."

June 20 Meeting for Disaster Assistance for Broome County Government and Private Nonprofits

April-May 2011 Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-line Winds
FEMA (1993 DR) NY

DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

APPLICANT BRIEFING FACT SHEET


A briefing for applicants requesting Federal/State disaster assistance due to the April-May, 2011 Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-line Winds will be held on: Monday, June 20, 2011 at: 9:00 AM for Broome County. The briefing will outline provisions of the FEMA declaration for public assistance that provides reimbursement for eligible storm related and flood expenses to county, municipal, state and certain private non-profit organizations. This briefing is not intended for residents, private property owners or businesses.

TOPICS AND ISSUES TO BE COVERED

- Program Overview - Application Procedures
- Eligible Applicants - Debris Clarence
- Funding and Payments - Emergency Services Costs
- Contracting - Eligible Expenses
- Preparation of Claims - Documentation and Records


WHO SHOULD ATTEND

 The Executive Officer, Supervisor, Mayor or Director.

 Someone familiar with the types of disaster damages or costs, such as the Public Works or Highway Superintendent, Engineer, Maintenance Supervisor or Facility Manager.

 The person responsible for documentation and record keeping of disaster costs, such as the Clerk or Finance Officer.

LOCATION INFORMATION

 Location Address: Downtown Center – Binghamton University Downtown Center, 67 Washington St, Binghamton - ROOM 120, FIRST FLOOR
 Driving instructions: Please use the Water Street Entrance to the parking lot.
Buzz into the parking lot, tell them you are with the FEMA meeting.
 Local Point of Contact: Tom Vroman, Broome County Emergency Services
 Telephone Number: 778-1887

Registration / Briefing

The briefing will last approximately two hours. Participants will complete and submit a Request For Assistance (RFA) application and associated documents at the briefing and receive instructions about remaining steps and procedures.