Retention, Retention, Retention! - Volunteer Managers Workshop

Retention, Retention, Retention!

Volunteer Management Training Offered by 2-1-1 HELPLINE Give Help

Thursday, January 15^th

10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Southeast Steuben County Library

(300 Nasser Civic Center Plaza #101, Corning, NY 14830)

This workshop is free and open to the public

REGISTER HERE!

A high rate of volunteer retention can reduce time and energy spent on recruiting and training, build volunteer loyalty and support, develop volunteers’ skills and competency, and increase community support for your organization. Retention of volunteers is no accident - it's a conscious effort and guiding principle which underlies every stage of the volunteer process from recruitment, training & orientation to daily management and recognition. Through a guided group discussion, participants will learn practical tips, techniques, and best practices for keeping and building a satisfied, dedicated, and supportive corps of volunteers.

Kevin Moss, CVA, Adult Educator and Volunteer Coordinator at Cornell Plantations, will use his years of experience to present this interactive workshop.

To learn more, call 607.776.9467 ext. 219!

________________________________________________________________________________

To subscribe/unsubscribe from the HSC Listserv or review our guidelines, visit www.hsctc.org/listserve

?

The Human Services Coalition of Tompkins County
Celebrating 40 Years of Creating Solutions Together!

Nonprofit Knowledge Matters | The Compensati​on, Benefits, and Employment Issue

 

View this email in your browser              The common sense of compen$ation When questions about a nonprofit leader’s exceptionally high salary make the front page of the paper, we wince. A single nonprofit is being criticized for being an outlier, but it feels as if all charitable nonprofits and their values are being questioned. At the National Council of Nonprofits we are frequently asked, whether by the media, curious nonprofit staff members, or well-intentioned board members, how to determine what the appropriate compensation is for nonprofit staff.   The answer is, “it depends.” The legal process, promoted by the IRS, is to task the board or convene a group of board members (but not anyone employed by the nonprofit) to compare the salary and benefits of similar positions at similarly-sized organizations in your nonprofit’s geographic area, serving a similar mission. The process should be documented. A written description (such as in the minutes of a meeting) of what data was reviewed, and who was involved in the process, can protect the nonprofit and its board of directors from IRS penalties, in the unlikely situation that the IRS would find that the nonprofit approved compensation that was “excessive.” (Our website resources go into more detail about the process recommended by the IRS.) Of course, nothing can completely insulate a nonprofit from media scrutiny, but following the IRS “comparability” process, and taking pains to document all the research that went into approving compensation levels, offers protection against allegations of unreasonable conduct.   Comparing apples to apples, and proving that you did, is common sense, but it’s often hard to nail down data to use for the comparison. And the more practical question that comes up whenever a nonprofit is attempting to fill a position is: what salary level is attractive to candidates, but simultaneously won’t derail the nonprofit’s budget? Determining the appropriate salary and benefits for staff leaders is time consuming, but taking the time to “get it right” will make the hiring process more efficient and ensure that your nonprofit is attracting and retaining the talent it needs to advance its mission.   Read on for some ideas that may help     How many people work for nonprofits in the United States? Here’s a conundrum: As we often point out, the federal government can tell us how many heads of lettuce were grown in the US in a given year, but not how many heads of people were employed by charitable nonprofits! However, the charitable nonprofit community is a bit closer to having the data we need to show our clout and significance as an economic force in the workplace. According to recently released data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”) covering years from 2007-2012, there were at least 11.4 million people employed by nonprofits in 2012, which amounts to 10.3 percent of all private sector employment. (The actual number is higher since the data were based only on employer-units that participate in state unemployment programs, and many nonprofits opt-out of government programs, preferring to follow a private insurance route.) This BLS data revealed that of the nonprofit employees identified, their wages amounted to $532 billion, or 9.8 percent of total private sector wages! BLS made this data available in response to repeated requests from the nonprofit community. The BLS is now seeking input from nonprofits on the methodology of the research, the usefulness of the data, suggestions for future data products, and – most importantly – whether it should continue to release this information, so that the public can benefit from it. The National Council of Nonprofits believes this information is vitally important to nonprofits (which is why we have long included this provision in our annual Public Policy Agenda: “… governments have a responsibility to collect and disseminate nonprofit employment and economic data that identify the impact of nonprofit organizations in their jurisdictions”). Please join us by contacting BLS officials to thank the government workers who rolled up their sleeves to make this data available, and tell them how important it is to your nonprofit so they will continue to release this public information that the federal government already collects. If you have questions about the data, or suggestions on how to improve the usefulness of the data, or the process of obtaining datasets, please also let BLS know.     What’s new in health insurance benefits? Nonprofits that utilize the small-employer health credit to help pay for employee health insurance coverage will see a 7.3 percent reduction next year as the result of the automatic, across-the-board spending cuts known as “sequestration” that were enacted in 2011. The shrinking health credit is only one of thousands of arbitrary cuts that can adversely affect the work of charitable nonprofits. According to the IRS, these and other cuts will occur “unless and until a law is enacted that cancels or otherwise impacts the sequester.” In December 2013, House and Senate budget negotiators reached an agreement to avert another round of sequestration cuts, but that deal expires in 2015. White House officials revealed in October 2014 that President Obama will propose sequester relief in his fiscal 2016 budget due to be released in February 2015. That’s a long time to wait! Please help us help you by sharing your story about the small business health care tax credit with us. Thank you!   For information and special access to health and other types of insurance coverage tailored for nonprofits, such as Directors’ and Officers’ insurance, connect with your state association of nonprofits.     Before your nonprofit hires a professional fundraising firm – CAUTION! $1 million+ in penalties was assessed against a Minnesota fundraising solicitation firm that contacted potential donors in South Carolina with “robo” calls, without registering with the state. Did you know that the majority of states require nonprofits to register BEFORE soliciting a single contribution? Your nonprofit is not off the hook for registration if it is not the one making calls to prospective donors directly or sending out direct mail pieces. Moreover, if your nonprofit is directing potential donors to an online portal (such as Paypal or others) that processes donations, your nonprofit may still be required to register in various states. We recommend that you know your state’s charitable solicitation law and are also aware of state laws in other states where your nonprofit is soliciting contributions. Here is a 50-state fundraising compliance guide. (This guide is not legal advice and was created by Harbor Compliance.)   The “lesson learned” is that nonprofits can be responsible for the actions of their employees, and also of independent contractors they hire. As a result, it’s a good idea to set the limits of authority and define responsibilities for independent contractors in a written agreement with them. See our resources about independent contractors.     Q: Where can I find comparability information about salaries and benefits for nonprofits in my area? A: Many state associations of nonprofits offer salary and benefits reports that are state-specific. Related resources are available on our website.   Q: May interns receive a stipend? A.  If you are not careful, that stipend can turn a volunteer intern into an employee who is owed minimum wage. Read about compensation for interns.   Q: We need to downsize a program and thought that one solution would be to make one of our employees a consultant instead. Any risks? A. It will be important to analyze whether the employee you are downsizing truly meets the definition of a consultant, otherwise your nonprofit could face penalties and back wages. Blue Avocado explains this issue.   Top 10 Nonprofit Employment Mistakes  (Siobhan Kelley, J.D, NonProfit Times)   5 steps to help you decide what salary to pay your employees (Small Business Administration)   Who’s an employee and who’s an independent contractor – and why it matters (National Council of Nonprofits)   Your Voices Last month, we asked if your board monitors the impact of public policies on mission delivery and resources? Here's what you said:       New Resources from the National Council of Nonprofits What does it cost to deliver a nonprofit’s mission? #OwnYourOwnCosts   Worth Reading Two words that change how people think of you: “Thank you” With thanks – Gratitude can win you new friends. (UNSW Australia)   The Paradox of Generosity (Smith and Davidson, Oxford University Press 2014)   Overcoming the nonprofit starvation cycle – A conversation with Ann Goggins Gregory, interviewed by Nell Edgington (Social Velocity blog)   The Sustainability Mindset: Using the Matrix Map to Make Strategic Decisions By Steve Zimmerman and Jeanne Bell (Jossey-Bass 2014)     Share this newsletter with your staff, board, and nonprofit colleagues         Did you receive this email from a friend? Sign up now to receive this free e-newsletter each month. © Copyright 2014 National Council of Nonprofits. All rights reserved  1200 New York Avenue, NW | Suite 700 | Washington, DC 20005 | www.councilofnonprofits.org

 

This message was sent to amarietta@nycon.org from: National Council of Nonprofits | info@councilofnonprofits.org | 1200 New York Ave NW Suite 700 | Washington, DC 20005 United States

 

Manage Your Subscription

Click here to report this email as spam.

This message has been scanned for malware by Websense. www.websense.com

Community Foundation Atlas Now Available

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Cheryl Loe Communications Project Manager Foundation Center (888) 356-0354 ext. 701 communications@ foundationcenter.org	Jenny Hodgson Executive Director Global Fund for Community Foundations +27 11 447 4396 jenny@globalfundcf.org
Community Foundation Atlas Now Available Most Comprehensive Dataset About Community Foundations Just Published New York, NY — October 20, 2014. Today at the 2014 Fall Conference for Community Foundations, an international research collaboration unveiled the "Community Foundation Atlas," the most comprehensive directory of the world's community foundation movement that has ever been published. The online platform, available at CommunityFoundationAtlas.org, maps the identities, locations, assets, roles and achievements of place-based philanthropies around the world. Among the key findings: The global community foundation movement is gaining momentum. Embracing an inclusive definition of "community philanthropy" field, the Atlas has identified 1,827 place-based foundations in 67 countries. While the movement began 100 years ago, the last three decades have seen explosive growth. In just the past 14 years, the number of known community foundations and community philanthropies nearly doubled, growing from approximately 1,000 in 2000 to more than 1,800 in 2014. "Place-based philanthropy is on the rise globally in no small part because community foundations have resoundingly demonstrated to the world their ability to bring local people and resources to the table to address local needs," concludes an analysis of the data gathered from the Atlas's unprecedented survey of the global field and secondary research. The international research effort was spearheaded by the Cleveland Foundation — the world's first community foundation — located in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. Research partners were the New York City-based Foundation Center, the Global Fund for Community Foundations (Johannesburg, South Africa), WINGS, the Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support (São Paulo, Brazil), and CENTRIS, the Centre for Research and Innovation in Social Policy and Practice (Newcastle, United Kingdom). The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, a private American philanthropy headquartered in Flint, Michigan, and longstanding supporter of community foundations worldwide, funded the project. Other key findings: Defining characteristics: Grantmaking and accountability to local residents were almost universally reported by survey respondents as central to the mission of community foundations. Collective impact: Combined grantmaking from community foundations in the last fiscal year totaled more than $4.9 billion worldwide. Education the most commonly cited program area: Foundations most commonly reported extensive programmatic engagement in education, followed closely by human and social services, arts and culture, and health. Strengthening civil society also a priority: In addition to grantmaking, nearly half of foundations surveyed actively foster collaboration between grantees or provide training and capacity-building services to local organizations. Populations served: Almost 30 percent of respondents work at least to some extent in a neighborhood-based service area. Forty percent report having a "local" orientation, while the service area of nearly one in four includes a regional focus. A very small percentage work at a national or international level. The Community Foundation Atlas offers a variety of entry points to further understand the reach and influence of community foundations, including: Organization directory: This alphabetical listing is the portal to profile pages for 1,827 community foundations and community philanthropies. Visitors to the site can select individual organizations to review or filter by geographic region or country of particular interest. A built-in editing function enables foundations to easily update their profiles. Data snapshots: A series of quick facts, deeper-dive infographics and a comprehensive, downloadable analysis present the Atlas's baseline data in accessible form. The infographics are programmed to change in real time as organizational profiles are updated. First-person accounts: Foundations describe in their own words the "most meaningful change" brought about in recent years as a result of their support or initiative. Considered in their entirety, these unrehearsed accounts show how place-based foundations are helping to advance their communities' aspirations, large and small. Stories of struggle and success: From the prosperous cities of Canada to the culturally rich matriarchal villages of rural India come 50 narratives chosen to convey the wide-ranging influence of the global community foundation movement. "Adding to Knowledge," "Encouraging Innovation" and "Stimulating Policy and Systems Reform" are among the highlighted arenas of endeavor. The Atlas provides a long-needed and detailed baseline of information upon which the field can build to facilitate wider exchange of best practices and high-impact collaborations aimed at addressing tough problems that span geographical boundaries. Post-launch planning for updated content, additional research and data analysis, and enhanced functionality for the Atlas will be spearheaded by the Global Fund for Community Foundations and Foundation Center, the platform's host. For more information about the Community Foundation Atlas, visit: CommunityFoundationAtlas.org. Learn about the project partners. About Foundation Center Established in 1956, Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. Through data, analysis, and training, it connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to succeed. Foundation Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. and, increasingly, global grantmakers and their grants — a robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level. Thousands of people visit Foundation Center's website each day and are served in its five regional library/learning centers and its network of more than 470 funding information centers located in public libraries, community foundations, and educational institutions nationwide and around the world. For more information, please visit foundationcenter.org or call (212) 620-4230. View Press Releases Foundation Center • 79 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003 • (212) 620-4230

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This message was sent to Andrew. If you no longer wish to receive email from us, please follow the link below or copy and paste the entire link into your browser. http://www.xmr3.com/rm/1522964-95159442-2-394-AV1-E31D/amarietta@nycon.org/HCS66A8

Click here to report this email as spam.

 

The NonProfit Times Weekly E-Newsletter

IRS Reports 10,000 Fewer Nonprofits In 2012

There were 10,000 fewer registered tax-exempt organizations in 2012 than in 2011. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Data Book for 2012, which was released Monday, there were 1,484,818 501(c) organizations for the fiscal year ending in September, compared with 1,494,882 in 2011 – a decrease of 10,064, or about 0.68 percent.Read more... Professional Development... 5 principles for ethical mentoring “I never meant for that to happen.” Just as the above lament can be the swan song for a nonprofit that doesn't follow good organizational practices, it can also be the epitaph for a mentoring partnership gone wrong. Read more... Human Resources... 15 interview questions you can legally ask There are a lot of laws these days that restrict the kind of information you can request from candidates during job interviews. Since you probably don't want to get in trouble with the law, it's important to know the questions that you can and should ask. Read more... Management... 6 reasons change is good It's usual to resist change. Those who aren't pulling their own (or any) weight know that their gigs can be threatened if they don't do a whirlwind job of convincing change agents just how essential they are. Those who are pulling their own weight (or more) know that their livelihoods are threatened because they are too busy working to prove how essential they are to the operation. Read more... To Read More Click Here

NYS Employers to receive bill for new fee related to Unemployment Insurance borrowing

Read below about the recent news about a new fee per employee for employers related to NYS Unemployment Insurance borrowing. As a nonprofit, there is another alternative, which you can learn about from NYCON:

Find Out if the Unemployment Savings Program for NYCON Members through First Nonprofits Companies can Save You Money.

Why pay a tax if you don’t have to? Many NYCON Members have switched from paying the state unemployment tax rates to First Nonprofit Unemployment Savings Program saving up to 60% of their unemployment costs annually. Find out if you can too. Take NYCON's FREE upcoming Beneft Spotlight: Unemployment Savings Program on August 23rd from 10 am to 11am. REGISTER HERE

A Big Bill for Employers
The Albany Times Union reported that Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday rolled out a sweeping plan to help revitalize the state's economy, complete with an ad campaign and competitive grant program designed to spark innovation.

But businesses have a more immediate concern: The bill is coming due for New York's unemployment insurance.

Citing the need to borrow more than $3 billion from the federal government to prop up its chronically empty account, the state faces a whopping $95 million interest payment on loans for the fund due Sept. 30.

As a result, the state Department of Labor is assessing businesses up to $21.25 per employee to cover the cost. That payment is due Aug. 15.

Complaints about what businesses describe as a hidden tax were rolling in Tuesday after numerous employers received the notices and as Cuomo expounded on his plans for the economy.

"This is something that could -- depending on the number of employees -- be a pretty hefty cost in this economy," said Mike Durant, New York state director for the National Federation of Independent Businesses.

When asked about the surcharge during a news conference outlining his revitalization plans, Cuomo stressed that the bill for interest is ultimately coming from Washington, D.C.

"It's a federal decision whether or not they'll waive the interest payments. I hope that they do," he said, adding that his office was pushing the state's congressional delegation on the issue.

The hefty tab illustrates what can happen as the federal stimulus program, enacted shortly after the recession started in 2008, runs out.

The Department of Labor noted that the stimulus program provided no-interest loans to the states in 2009 and 2010, but not this year.

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/A-big-bill-for-your-boss-1472786.php#ixzz1SetH4Zip

Resources for Volunteer Recruitment and Retention

Through its studies on Volunteering In America, the Corporation for National and Community Service continues to deliver increasingly detailed reports on the trends and habits in volunteering across the country, in order to better understand who is serving in our communities and how, when, and why they serve.

In partnership with HandsOn Network, the Corporation is providing specific resources to support the findings of the Volunteering in Americareports. The resources on this page have been developed to help you increase the capacity of your organization, company, program, or community to effectively engage volunteers of all ages. This page builds on resources developed for previous Volunteering in America reports and includes new and updated resources (as indicated below). Additionally, scroll down the page to learn more about and register for three Ask the Expert webinars facilitated by leading volunteer practitioners and researchers.

Featured Resources

Volunteer Self-Organizing – Resources to help individuals plan and manage projects to bring about positive community change
Recruitment - Strategies to recruit new volunteers, including target populations such as Boomers and students
Retention – Tips for retaining volunteers and plugging “the leaky bucket”
Human Capital Strategies – Innovative techniques for nonprofits during these difficult economic times, including the use of pro bono services, other skilled volunteers, and volunteer leaders
Cost-Effective Volunteering - Practical tips for maximizing resources during an economic downturn
Voluntourism – Resources for understanding the growing trend of combining service and vacations

Nonprofits work to avoid layoffs

As nonprofits continue to be squeezed by rising demand and falling revenue, many nonprofit operations executives are hoping cost-cutting measures will forestall layoffs, a new report says.

Most chief financial officers and chief operations officers surveyed by Bridgespan say layoffs are a last resort and worry that losing staff would mean a decrease in services for constituents.

To keep layoffs at bay, many nonprofits are instituting one or more cost-saving measures:
* Redeploying staff and volunteers to other areas, primarily fundraising
* Renegotiating contracts with vendors, many of which would rather alter terms than lose business
* Cutting staff salaries, benefits and bonuses, and mandating furloughs
* Consolidating operations
* Increasing communications and transparency with all stakeholders
* Grooming volunteers to take on jobs formerly handled by staff
* Soliciting help from board members in fundraising, planning and other areas
* Looking for ways to retain their best staffers

Bridgestar is a program of the Bridgespan Group and works boost leadership in the nonprofit sector.

Appraising Employee Performance in a Downsized Organization

Harvard Business Publishing offered the following article by Tom Krattenmaker. The article addresses the importance of employee performance reviews, even during a period of downsizing or restructuring. As Tom states:
"Done right, performance appraisals can give employees a better understanding of the new and different demands of their jobs in the context of the company's changing needs. Don't duck the tough issues, say the experts, but don't overlook the opportunity to emphasize the future, either. The performance appraisal is a great opportunity to emphasize that employees have a stake in reengineering work processes and helping the company stay competitive in tough times."

He covers the following main points:

• Performance appraisals strengthen the organization
• Make the bottom line clear
• Spend compensation dollars wisely
• Reshaping after downsizing
• A problem of skill or will?

Read the article here.

NY Policy Change for Nonprofits

Although the Federal WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) Act has been in effect for several years, New York State has now enacted its own version of the employee protection notification scheme. The New York State version imposes more stringent requirements, bringing far more employers under the purview of this legislation that the Federal law. The effect is that where many non-profits would never have been affected by the Federal legislation, many will come under the auspices of the New York State version. Read more here about the WARN Act and its impact on your nonprofit if you have 50 or more employees.

This policy update is provided by Kevin M. Stadelmaier, Esq, Legal Advisor, New York Council of Nonprofits (fomerly CCSNYS, Inc.), Legal Accountability and Compliance Services, Western New York Regional Office. Should you have further questions or concerns relevant to the requirements of this New Act, do not hesitate to contact Kevin at (716) 241-5010 x170 or by email.