MHAST: Men Who Cook, Sponsorship for Mental Health, and More

Please click on the images to enlarge.

Fundraising Software Discount for NYCON Members

SPRING into Fundraising with GiftWorks Software Special 20% Discount Offered to NYCON Members through April 30th.

This special spring discount offer from GiftWorks can help you spruce up your donor or member database and get a fresh start on fundraising!  Take advantage of this deeper discount on one of our most popular "Members Only" group purchasing partnerships! Act now and receive an exclusive 20% discount on GiftWorks products, only for NYCON members. (Not a member? Join NYCON now and save!)    With GiftWorks you can easily manage your donors, donations, gifts and pledges. Integration with QuickBooks, Constant Contact, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn & MapQuest and even track volunteers, events and online donations with ease, all backed by a GiftWorks customer care team that's second to none.   See Giftworks in Action  Join NYCON and GiftWorks on April 16th at 2 pm ET for a special NYCON only showcase of GiftWorks. See all the powerful features in action as well as participate in our Q&A session immediately following the presentation. Click here to register to attend! Try it Out First, For Free NYCON Members get a FREE 30 day trial first, to see if GiftWorks fits your nonprofit needs. Ready to Purchase Giftworks? Members can use the coupon code GWNYCON2013 when buying from the GiftWorks online store. Or you can or call theGiftWorks Sales Team at (888) 323-8766 and press option 2.    ___________________________________________  GiftWorks. Helping NYCON Do Good. Better. (Not to be combined with any other discounts or coupons, discount is not available on a SmartPlan. Discount on GiftWorks Anywhere setup fee only, with purchase or upgrade). Questions? Contact our Membership Team, Valerie Venezia or Amber Vanderwarker or call us at (800) 515-5012 ext. 121 or 126.

Save the Date for the VINES Spring Fundraiser

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

Nonprofit Knowledge Matters | Fundraising Flu

Diagnosis: Serious Illness.

Rx: Manage Expectations and Change the Culture

A new report on fundraising has uncovered a serious issue regarding the health of charitable nonprofits. Like the flu, it’s contagious, spread by mismatched expectations. But, unlike the flu, no immunization shot is available. Instead, staff leaders and board members who are anxious to avoid this debilitating condition can take some basic precautionary measures to recognize the symptoms and commit to re-thinking the organization’s culture.

 

Like influenza, the diagnosis and consequences can be quite serious: Let’s call it, “the Fundraising Flu.” When it hits, nonprofits are so weakened and fatigued that they lack the basic elements necessary to successfully raise money. We’ve all seen it happen. It starts with the germ of mismatched expectations, which leads to disappointment and frustration that weaken relationships and prevent a positive culture surrounding fundraising at the nonprofit.

 

Symptoms of the Fundraising Flu include:

• Board members who expect executive directors to raise all the money.
• Executive directors often don’t have a background in fundraising and view it as geting in their way of doing the “real work” of the organization, and therefore expect their boards and development directors to raise all the money.
• Development directors who feel unsupported by executive directors and boards who are not engaged with fundraising activities.

Fortunately, we can now view the recent insightful report by CompassPoint, Underdeveloped: A National Study of Challenges Facing Nonprofit Fundraising, as a physician's desk reference on the health of nonprofits. The report's prognosis is that charitable nonprofits large and small can suffer from this affliction. While examining the reasons why there is such high turnover and so many vacancies in the development director position throughout the charitable nonprofit community, the report recognizes that it’s more than just the germ of mismatched expectations that leads to Fundraising Flu. It’s also the absence of technology or strategic thinking. Indeed, almost a third of smaller nonprofits who responded to the survey – those with budgets of less than $1 million – reported that they did not have sufficient tools in place, such as either a database to track donor information – or a fundraising plan. In their weakened conditions, without technology or key staff, fundraising, delivery of mission, and eventually sustainability, all suffer.

 

How can we all keep the Fundraising Flu at bay?

The Rx: Recalibrate expectations and change the culture. The report explores the causes of high vacancies that exist for the position of development director: survey data show that a significant number of development directors are being asked to leave because they are not raising enough money or are judged as not well suited for the job. These findings point to mismatched expectations that we see over and over again. Do these scenarios sound familiar to you? Executive directors wish that board members would be more active in raising money; the board expects the executive director to pull millions out of a hat. Meanwhile, the development director is pulling out his/her hair trying to get the executive director to pick up the phone to call a donor, while the board is skeptical whether the development director’s high salary is a worthwhile investment. Obviously there is a disastrous mismatch of expectations going on (everyone thinking that it is everyone else’s fault that the nonprofit is not bringing in more contributions). It’s unfair to expect a development director to succeed at fundraising without the support of the board or executive director (21% of the development directors surveyed characterized their relationship with the executive director as “weak or nonexistent,” and three out of four executive directors characterized their board’s engagement as “insufficient”). It’s also unfair to hire someone who is not experienced or skilled at fundraising and expect money to flow in the door (one in four executive directors reported that their development directors were “novices” in various basic fundraising activities). Executive directors who don’t like to pick up the phone to speak with a donor should not expect their board members or development directors to pick up their slack. And board members who think the reason why the development director was hired is to pick up their slack should step off the board! What jumps out from the report is that development directors are not sticking around when they don’t have the resources to succeed, and those resources includeengaged leadership. The report points out that fundamentally, in order to avoid Fundraising Flu, charitable nonprofits need inspired and engaged leadership around financial sustainability.

 

The report’s experienced authors note that we need a “’fundamental shift in thinking and action across the nonprofit sector” in order to embrace a culture that supports fundraising and is more donor centered. We think that what’s also needed is a dose of better managed expectations. With fundraising, the devil is in the details: not the details of a grant proposal, but the details that keep a nonprofit on track with follow-up, thank you notes, deadlines, and putting all those business cards that are stacked up on your desk into a database. These administrative details are not necessarily most efficiently accomplished by a high level development director. Before hiring a development director, consider whether a development assistant is more appropriate. As played out in this Blue Avocado article, the lack of a development director may not be fatal if what really is needed is a detail-oriented staff member who can keep the fundraising activities on track. But success will only be achieved when there is an overall strategy in place that supports fund development, championed by an executive director and board both willing to provide leadership for the organization’s fund development activities.

 

At its essence the report’s cry for charitable nonprofits to embrace a “culture of philanthropy” (we prefer “culture of sustainability”) is the recognition that charitable nonprofits can’t be successful in fundraising –even if they are fortunate enough to hire a dynamite development director – unless there is fundraising leadership in place (a triad of engagement between the executive director/development director/board of directors) as well as a supportive culture for fundraising. To read more about how to combat the Fundraising Flu, we refer you to CompassPoint's full report, especially the Call to Action that identifies 10 steps for charitable nonprofits to take to immunize themselves from what the authors characterize as the “passive, apologetic, and siloed” nature of fundraising today.

And, for training and peer learning about leadership and fund development, don’t forget to check the calendar of events of your state association of nonprofits. Engagement in fund development is too important not to make it one of the highest priorities for the leadership of your organization.

High Peaks Resort offers opportunity for non-profits to raise money

High Peaks Resort Announces ‘Spring For Hope’

- Unprecedented Assistance for Non-Profit Organizations -

LAKE PLACID (Sept. 6, 2011) – High Peaks Resort in Lake Placid is seeking applications for its Spring For Hope℠ initiative, an opportunity for non-profit organizations to be awarded free use of meeting space, accommodations, and more at the beautiful Adirondacks resort.

This unprecedented opportunity will allow two non-profit organizations to each receive free use of the entire resort for three days during April 8 to 18, 2012. Included are two nights’ accommodations (up to 133 rooms), free meeting space (up to 10,000 square feet), free audiovisual and support services, and 50 percent off all related catering. The application deadline is midnight, October 15, 2011, and winners will be announced in mid-November.

“In these difficult times, it is important to give back to our community. By helping those who help others year round, we felt we could have the greatest impact,“ said Bill DeForrest, CEO and President of Lane Hospitality, owner of High Peaks Resort.

“The quality of life in our community is directly impacted by our active non-profits. ‘Spring for Hope’ isn’t just a way to recognize them, but by providing High Peaks Resort free of charge, we can add our support and hopefully increase the good they do,” added Truett Martin, Vice President of Operations and acting General Manager of High Peaks Resort.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for the winning organizations to do whatever they want with our gift – from holding a fundraiser, offering a thank you trip to staff and volunteers, to planning an annual meeting, seminar or retreat,” Martin said.

Spring For Hope is open to all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations actively engaged in fundraising for their organization. Participants will be judged by a panel of community leaders on their success and impact in benefiting the communities they serve.

High Peaks Resort offers the Adirondacks’ newest and most business-focused conference facilities with expansive meeting space and the latest in conference-support technology. Located in the heart of Lake Placid, overlooking Mirror Lake and steps from historic Main Street, the entire resort will be made available to the winning non-profits.

Click Here To Apply

Eligible non-profits can apply for consideration by visiting www.springforhope.net and completing the application and other requirements. For submissions, questions or other inquiries, email the application and paperwork tolfitzgerald@highpeaksresort.com with “Spring For Hope” in the subject line; or write Spring For Hope, High Peaks Resort, 2384 Saranac Ave, Lake Placid, NY 12946; or fax to 518-523-9908, or call Lori Fitzgerald at 518-523-4411, ext. 361.

About The High Peaks Resort

High Peaks Resort overlooks Mirror Lake while anchoring Lake Placid’s Main Street for an outstanding mountain getaway experience. Surrounded by the six-million-acre Adirondack wilderness park with thousands of miles of trails for hiking and biking, and hundreds of lakes for fishing, High Peak’s 133 beautiful accommodations offer direct waterfront access. Restaurants include the world-famous Dancing Bears and Outdoors at Dancing Bears - with unsurpassed views of the surrounding mountains and Mirror Lake. Other amenities include PR’s intimate lobby bar; two indoor and two outdoor swimming pools; expanded fitness center; Aveda Spa & Salon, and complimentary waterfront activities. Guestrooms feature breathtaking views, patios or balconies; European-style bathrooms with natural stone tiling and rainfall showerheads; high-quality bedding and linens; refrigerators; flat screen televisions with cable and movies; complimentary Wi-Fi, and multi-function music systems with MP3 players. For reservations, visit www.highpeaksresort.com or call 518-523-4411, toll-free800-755-5598.

Annual Victims' Rights Week: April 10th-16th

This year the Crime Victims Assistance Center, Inc. will be again hosting a commemoration of National Crime Victims' Rights Week, April 10th – April 16th. The theme for 2011 is ‘Reshaping the Future. Honoring the Past’.

Schedule of Events

Mini-Remembrance Walls – on display at various Broome County locations March 28th – April 7th

Remembrance Wall - On display at the Oakdale Mall

April 8^th – April 18th

Press Conference - Monday, April 11th at 10:00 am

in front of the Remembrance Wall, Oakdale Mall

“A Tribute to Hope: From Victim to Survivor”

Tuesday, April 12th at 6:00 p.m.

at Cheri Lindsey Park

Rain Date: Thursday, April 14th at 6:00 p.m.

Annual Crime Victims’ Rights Week Breakfast

The McKinley in Endicott

Friday, April 15th at 8:00 a.m. (doors open at 7:30 a.m.)

Reservations Preferred - $20 per person

Keynote Speaker: To be announced

For more information, please call 723-3200 or visit www.cvac.us

Don’t forget to ‘Like’ us on Facebook!!

MHAST Holiday Open House

The Mental Health Association of the Southern Tier invites you to their

Holiday Open House
153 Court St. Binghamton, NY
Thursday, December 2, 2010
4pm to 6 pm

Refreshments, Wreath Raffle, Art Show, and Live music by Lily Drennon and Aaron Bennett


If you are unable to attend, please consider a contribution of a wreath to the MHAST. For more information about donating a wreath, you may call our agency at (607)771-8888. All proceeds from our wreath raffle and donations will benefit the programs and services of MHAST, and have a positive impact on the quality of lives in our community.

Doug's Fish Fry Fundraiser for ACCORD

When: Friday, December 3rd, 2010
Where: GHS Federal Credit Union
910 Upper Front Street
Binghamton, NY
Time: 11:00 am-5: 00pm
Fish and Seafood Sandwiches and Dinners!
Fresh Cut French Fries!
Come support ACCORD, A Center for Dispute Resolution