Southern Tier ED Group Steering Committee Meets

The Southern Tier Nonprofit Executive Directors Group's Steering Committee had its first meeting on January 25th.

The meeting was attended by:
Joyce Hyatt, CVRHN
Elaine Farwell, Tanglewood Nature Center
Chris Sproule, Triangle Foundation
Denise Townley, Rape Crisis
Nancy Blake, Career Development Council
Dave Hill, Pro Action
Dick Russell, FIA
Patrick Rogers, IHS

1. Statement of Purpose:
a. Discussed what we wanted to accomplish with group,
i. Interactive group, Practical, HR, Fiscal, Functional
ii. Sharing best practices
iii. What will distinguish this from other groups, what do we want each quarter
iv. Development/Networking/Presentations/Books/Tools/like agencies (affinity groups)

2. Small agency needs differ than large agencies. Large agencies often have state or national organizations for online networking. This group can be local networking resource for all agencies

3. Sharing Resources: overcoming territorial barriers and boundaries

4. Surviving Tough Times – general theme
a. Come together for trainings
b. Breakthrough to sharing
c. Newsletter, but use brief summary with links to articles (Dave)
i. Format: electronic, monthly
ii. Possible content: staff changes, quarterly meeting topics, link to blog, classified for excess equipment, supplies, volunteer opportunities, organization of the month, make 2-1-1 your homepage, link 2-1-1 to your website/website links

5. What do you want from networking (what is networking)?
a. Keeping up with program director changes
b. Finding out what’s going on in other agencies
c. Find opportunities to collaborate
d. Find opportunities for training
e. Meet people face to face (socializing)

6. Companies encouraging volunteerism
a. Nurturing a board of directors

7. Board Development: must bring training to them, use regular meeting time, won’t come in separate

8. Moving to electronic communications – difficult for volunteers
a. E-Seniors to train intro to computers, etc. (Joyce)
b. People coming out of workforce into retirement
c. Most agencies need board members/volunteers

9. IHS tools that we can use:
a. Provider Online: news, categories, including events, staffing changes, training, etc.
b. Input directly from member agencies – stakeholder involvement
c. Ihsnet: classifieds, resources, demographics and data
d. 211HL: comprehensive agency information

10. Strategic Planning
Next Steps (February Meeting Goals)
a. Develop mission- Joyce will forward mission statement format, we can begin work prep for next meeting
Mission Statement (rough): The Southern Tier Executive Director’s Group is a collaboration of not-for profit professionals whose purpose is to promote education, peer support, sharing of ideas and networking through quarterly meetings, internet presence and social activities.
b. Schedule meetings- when/where
c. Develop an organizational format
d. Put a list of members/possible members together
e. Plan the March 18th meeting

Next meeting: Friday, 2/13/09, 9:00 – 10:30, Corning Library

Cuts to arts have economic impact

Audrey J. Szychulski, executive director of the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, shared her thoughts in the Star-Gazette on cuts to the arts. She relates that each year NY finishes in the top five states in the U.S. for revenue generated through travel and tourism. She mentions how the top two travel destinations outside of New York City are Niagara Falls and Corning and its Museum of Glass. She discusses the vast number of arts and cultural organizations that reside in the region, and how people spend money that provides a boost to the local economy. Thus, there is a concern about the true impact of cutbacks in the arts sector.

Conversation Starter for Your Nonprofit

Harvard Business Publishing features a blog called Conversation Starter, which offers some great out-of-box ideas to consider. A recent post, Recessions Call for More Creativity, Not Less, features Kevin P. Coyne and Shawn T. Coyne advocating for new ideas and their importance in the current economic environment.

Fundraising in 2009

The Philanthropy Journal offers resources on how nonprofits can sustain and improve their fundraising. Visit their suggestions here. How will your nonprofit approach fundraising this year? Share your thoughts or ideas. Are you optimistic in the New Year?

Online Gifts Might Be Larger Than They Appear

The Nonprofit Times newsletter recently related the following info about online gifts:

At the National Catholic Development Conference in Orlando, Fla., Erin Presseau and Nick Soggu of Silvertech, an agency specializing in online marketing and technology, reminded conference-goers of several facts about online fundraising: First online gifts are one-and-a-half times larger than those by direct mail, and total online donor revenue per year is higher; 46 percent of U.S. adults intend to make a greater percentage of donations online; about 75 percent of people do research online before giving.

Knowing all that, nonprofits can then know of the opportunities that can await them:

• Online tools help nonprofits acquire, cultivate and renew donors with minimal ongoing cost.
• An online presence delivers immediate assistance.
• It extends your reach globally.
• It automates personalization of information and collects data for intelligence, testing and reporting.
• It provides critical internal efficiencies.
• It's easier to manager than ever, even without technical knowledge.
• Direct mail and telemarketing are growing less effective and more costly.
• It is eco-friendly.
• It is convenient and data-driven.
• It provides one unified brand: many voices to many people.
• Online donors cross all age segments.

Do you have any feedback about your online fundraising efforts? Will you be focusing more on this type of giving this year? Share your ideas here.

BoardSource Offers Governance Resouces

BoardSource offers the following presentations from their 2008 BoardSource Leadership Forum:

• Opening BLF Keynote Address by Juan Williams (Video).
• From Strategy To Structure: Fresh Perspectives On the Board's Financial Leadership, presenter - John Griswold, Commonfund Institute (Click here to access the file)
• Nonprofit Governance: The Last 20 Years (Video).
• Nonprofit Governance: The Last 20 Years (Timeline).
• Finding Your Way Through the Financial Turmoil, Open Plenary Speech, Linda Crompton, BoardSource President and CEO.
• Hindsight, Insight, and Foresight: A Look At Governance Past, Present and Future, Moderator Juan Williams. Panelists Dick Chait and Nell Minow (Flash Audio File, Length: one hour, 28 minutes). Click here to access.

Editorialists give some insights about their regions for Gov. Paterson

Hillary Rodham Clinton will soon vacate her Senate position to become U.S. Secretary of State in the Obama administration. Gov. David Paterson will then appoint a Senate replacement. Upstate communities are rightly adamant the new senator pay attention to their concerns, which often are overshadowed by the political power of New York City and other downstate regions.

The Poughkeepsie Journal editorial board reached out to editorialists across upstate, including the Star-Gazette, to get their thoughts on these issues - and to find out what the new senator needs to know about upstate. Read the full editorials here.