Policy Poll: Government Contracting & Prompt Payment Practices

Take the "Government Contracting and Prompt Payment Poll": Help Enhance the Upcoming National Report with Real Stories from New York's Nonprofits!   Deadline: December 2nd As many of you are well aware, government contracting issues have an immense impact on the ability of nonprofits in New York State to carry out their mission.  Though we are the only state with a "Prompt Contracting" law designed to safeguard nonprofits through the contracting process, there are still many hurdles New York Nonprofits face when attempting to get timely, adequate payment for our services.  NYCON strives to be an active and committed partner both with our Members and representatives of  government on initiatives aimed at improving the state contracting process.   In order to do this, NYCON is now asking all nonprofits with government contracts to please take a few moments to complete this Pulse Poll: Contracts and Grants regarding your recent experiences. Results from this poll will be used to supplement and enhance the findings from the upcoming Urban Institute study. We would greatly appreciate any stories and specific examples you can provide on how your government contracts or grant experiences have affected your organization or those you serve.   All stories will be kept anonymous unless you have given your permission to use your experience as an example in any discussions or documents produced regarding these issues.   NYCON does expect media sources to be contacting our office after the study's release. We hope your answers can be a resource for us to draw upon to give a clear and realistic picture of how state contracting problems impact New York's nonprofits presently.      Click here to take the Pulse Poll: Contracts and Grants, or paste this link into your browser: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PulsePollContractsandGrants  Please complete your survey ASAP, but no later thanDecember 2, 2013. Also, please share this message broadlywith your colleague organizations that may have government contracts or grants.     If you have any questions, please call us at (518) 434-9194 ext 126or email avanderwarker@nycon.org. Sincerely,                  Doug Sauer, CEO New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc. (NYCON) The Urban Institute, along with the National Council of Nonprofits, will be releasing a study on December 5th, 2013 on state contracting and payment practices.

CCPA SEMINAR: Helping Persons with Dementia

The College of Community & Public Affairs at Binghamton University

Fall Seminar Series

Enhancing Cognitive Stimulation in Persons with Dementia -- Paul Gould, PhD, LCSW

Friday, December 6, 2013 -- 9:00am – 12:00 pm at the University Downtown Center, 67 Washington Street, Binghamton             

Persons with dementia often experience increased incidence of depression and behavioral problems due to a lack of stimulation. This workshop will address the need for positive stimulation in persons living with dementia and identify a variety of activities that may be used to promote cognitive stimulation at varying levels of the disease. Several activities will be illustrated as part of the workshop. This workshop is appropriate for family members, caregivers, and professionals working with aging adults. 

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Each half-day workshop is $65/person and includes morning refreshments.

To register go to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CCPASeminarsF2013

Upcoming Events & Trainings

The Five "I's" of Fundraising [Lunch & Learn Webinar] November 14th, 2013 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM Presented by Susan Weinrich, VP of Organizational Development & Capacity Building Services, NYCON Free for NYCON Members Only  Register Geared towards the Board members, participants will learn how fund development fits within their overall board responsibilities and how to organize themselves to help address this challenging area. This session covers a range of strategies for generating revenue with an emphasis on fundraising. Topics include: Creating a development plan Organizing a fund development committee Fundraising strategies for success Staff & board roles in fund development Most importantly, it will help Board Members overcome their fear of fundraising and recognize that their involvement is critical to the success and sustainability of the organization. NYS Grants Gateway Info Session: Best Practices for Nonprofit Governance & Policy Creation [Vestal]  Friday, November 15, 2013 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Presented by Michael West, Esq., Legal Advisor, NYCON  REGISTER  Are you in the process of becoming 'prequalified' with New York State in order to receive funding for a contract currently in place or for future funding for which you'd like to be considered?  Your prequalification status may be delayed for multiple reasons. If your application is being held (or if you haven't been able to complete it) due to questions about any of the following reasons this workshop will be a great resource for you. Operational documents (charitable determination letter from the IRS, audit, IRS Form 990, Organizational chart, etc.) Governance Policies & Practices (internal controls, separation of duties, nepotism and other clauses in your bylaws and personnel policies) Other Documents or Governance Policies that you don't have and aren't sure how to create. In this session we will be focusing on best practices for nonprofit governance and policy creation as they relate to the Grants Gateway portal, the prequalification questionnaire and the online Document Vault. We will also be discussing the options and process for NYCON assistance available to you as a member.    Striving for Self-Sufficiency: Earned Revenue & Entrepreneurial Strategies [Utica]  November 21, 2013 from 9:00AM - 11:30AM Presented by Doug Sauer, CEO, NYCON   Cost is $10 (At the Door)  A Program of the Mohawk Valley Nonprofit Leadership Group  Register  There was a time where the most stable and viable nonprofits were those that relied on the traditional business model of contributions and government grants. Dependency on the "market" forces of philanthropic and taxpayer support is increasingly being viewed a limitation regarding sustainability as often they are outside of the influence and control of the nonprofit. Achieving self-sufficiency involves a third leg to the revenue stool - earned revenue, where there is a direct exchange of a product, service or privilege for monetary value. Participants in this workshop will have an opportunity to discuss and learn about earned revenue and entrepreneurial strategies - the pros, cons, and preparation and cultural shifts necessary to proceed down the entrepreneurial path.   This presentation is being funded by the Cororate Partners of The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties.   We appreciate their support.Please visit their website for more information, www.foundationhoc.org    How Changes in New York's Unemployment Program Affect Your Nonprofit [Lunch & Learn Webinar]  November 22, 2013 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM Presented by Cecilia Piazza, Director, Unemployment Program, First Nonprofit Companies  REGISTER  This webinar will discuss, in detail, the various unemployment insurance  coverage options currently available to nonprofit organizations, and specifically how unemployment compensation rates are assigned, the upcoming tax cost increases in New York State and various federal and state unemployment insurance benefit programs for claimants.  Did You Know? Nonprofits Have Options Nonprofits typically have fewer unemployment claims than the private sector; therefore, they often subsidize the state unemployment fund by paying more than necessary. Federal and state laws allow 501(c)(3) organizations to reimburse the state unemployment fund, rather than pay the UI tax in advance of having actual claims. FNC's unemployment programs may well reduce your unemployment costs if you currently participate in the state tax system, and can provide you with a safety net if you have already chosen the reimbursable option. Participation in FNC programs provides: Unemployment insurance savings of as much as 60% No pooling or shared risk Fixed annual cost Fully insured option to eliminate risk or Stop Loss Insurance with customized attachment points to minimize your exposure Professional representation in unemployment hearings and claim amount auditing included Access to training and services that can decrease the number of invalid claims If your nonprofit employs 10 or more people, this is an option worth learning about and exploring. FNC covers over 1,500 nonprofit employers across the country. They want to help even more organizations save money and avoid risk - starting right here in New York. Beyond Collaboration: Exploring & Navigating Corporate Affiliations [Hudson]  December 11, 2013 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM   A Workshop Provided by the New York Council of Nonprofits with Support from The Dyson Foundation Presented by Doug Sauer, CEO and Dave Watson, Senior VP of Legal Accountability and Compliance Services & General Counsel  Register Today      FREE Perhaps now more than ever, community-based nonprofits are seeking ways to do businessdifferently and are exploring whether affili  ation may be a path to sustainability and growth.  Join NYCON's highly experienced staff experts in learning about the various forms, processes, potential benefits and risks associated with corporate affiliations,including merger, acquisitions, subsidiary relationships and shared service arrangements. This initiative is available to help nonprofit organizations, libraries or units of government based in the Mid-Hudson Valley (Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, and Ulster counties) move from the exploring the feasibility of strategic restructuring, to planning the restructuring and implementing the plan, to enhancing the restructured entity. Funding is available for additional technical assistance, consulting, training or meeting facilitation and more. If, after this session, your organization is contemplating a serious merger or restructuring, then we encourage you to take advantage of this valuable resource through The Dyson Foundation. The "Beyond Collaboration" Workshops are provided as a part of The Dyson Foundation Nonprofit Strategic Restructuring Initiative. New Tools for Creating a Vibrant, Engaged and Energized Board in the 21st Century [Lunch & Learn Webinar] December 13, 2013 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM (EST) Presented by Andrew Marietta, Regional Manager, NYCON Central New York Office and Valerie Venezia, VP of Membership & Marketing Free for NYCON Members; $50 for Non-Members While we still have to recognize the traditional factors that motivate our Boards of Directors, we also need to acknowledge the fact that the most successful ways to connect with these individuals may have completely changed. Models of board meetings & board communication have not caught up with the current ways we engage in our "everyday" communication. This session will help identify motivating factors (both old & new), identify and discuss new ways of recruiting & engaging board members and how new online tools can help make the best use of everyone´s time and accomplish more with less. For those of you who attended this workshop at Camp Finance, on this webinar we will be able to spend more time on areas of concern like: managing & directing cultural change within your organization and additional specifics on tools you can use to make your (and your board members) life easier. Free for NYCON Members; $50 for Non-Members

New Report Addresses Opportunities for Funders That Collaborate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Cheryl Loe Communications Project Manager The Foundation Center (888) 356-0354 ext. 701 communications@ foundationcenter.org	Noah Rimland Flower Monitor Institute, a part of Deloitte Consulting LLP (415) 932-5345 nflower@deloitte.com
New Report Addresses Opportunities for Funders That Collaborate Companion "Interactive Tool Finder" Aids the Search for Technology Solutions New York, NY — November 7, 2013. A new report released today sheds light on how online tools are changing the way funders collaborate. Harnessing Collaborative Technologies: Helping Funders Work Together Better is the product of research conducted jointly by the Monitor Institute and the Foundation Center. This report helps funders learn about the different phases of collaboration and online tools that can help them advance all types of sharing, coordination, and cooperation. "Increasingly, foundations seek to leverage the impact of their giving by joining with others to address large, complex problems," said Katherine Fulton, president of the Monitor Institute, a part of Monitor Deloitte. "The logistical challenges they face in working together can be daunting, but new technologies can make collaborations easier by reducing inefficiencies and enabling new methods of working together that were difficult to imagine just a few years ago." The report aims to help funders get smarter about how emerging new technologies can help them work together more effectively and provides guidance on how to make thoughtful choices about investing in the development of new tools that facilitate collaborative work. An interactive tool finder developed by GrantCraft, a joint service of the Foundation Center and the European Foundation Centre, complements the report by presenting seven distinct collaborative needs (including finding partners, designing strategies, and assessing progress) and 17 types of tool functionalities (ranging from data gathering to project management) in an online matrix that facilitates intuitive exploration of available resources. This free resource helps users generate custom results that provide details on recommended solutions, including their cost; whether they are best for small-, medium-, or large-sized collaborations; how easy they are to use; and if there is a mobile-friendly version. "In a time when the challenges of repairing the world seem to know no bounds, working together as a global community of problem-solvers is more important than ever," said Lisa Philp, vice president for strategic philanthropy at the Foundation Center. "Technology is helping funders harness the power of collaboration, opening up new opportunities for strategic partnerships and making it easier to build effective relationships across organizations and geographies." The research on which the report is based included an extensive literature review on collaboration in philanthropy, detailed analyses of trends from a Foundation Center survey of the largest U.S. foundations, interviews with 37 leading philanthropy professionals and technology experts, and a review of more than 170 online tools. The content of the report is divided into three primary sections: an introduction to emerging technologies and the changing context for philanthropic collaboration; an overview of collaborative needs and tools; and recommendations for improving the collaborative technology landscape. Key Findings from Harnessing Collaborative Technologies outlines overarching themes from the report and serves as a companion piece to the full report. The Harnessing Collaborative Technologies: Helping Funders Work Together Better report and Key Findings executive summary can be downloaded for free in the Gain Knowledge area of the Foundation Center's web site and from the Monitor Institute's web site. Funding for the project was provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. About the Foundation Center Established in 1956, the 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. The 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 the Center's web site 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 visitfoundationcenter.org or call (212) 620-4230. About the Monitor Institute Monitor Institute is a social change consultancy that works with innovative leaders at nonprofits and foundations to advance social impact across a diverse range of issues. Monitor Institute strives to be a scout for social innovation, bringing new approaches to clients and contributing to the public debate on leading-edge topics such as impact investing, strategic philanthropy, and networked collaboration. As a for-profit/for-benefit hybrid, Monitor Institute pursues social impact while operating as a fully integrated unit of Deloitte Consulting LLP. Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. For more information, please visit monitorinstitute.com or call (415) 932-5382.

You're Invited to our Second Annual Volunteer Managers Conference!

Developing Effective Leadership Skills for Volunteer Managers: 2013 Volunteer Conference

When Wednesday November 13, 2013 from 8:00 AM to 3:45 PM EST Add to Calendar Where Corning Museum of Glass 1 Museum Way Corning, NY 14830 Driving Directions

Join IHS and the 2-1-1 HELPLINE Give Help program  for our second Annual Volunteer Conference. The  Conference is an opportunity for organizations to  share their experiences working with volunteers,  build skills to better manage them, and learn about  new trends and issues. Volunteer leaders of all  different experience levels are invited to this event with  our keynote speaker, Shirley Brown from Follow  Through Consulting, panels of volunteer administrators  and volunteers, and conference wrap up discussion. Get more information  Click here for the conference brochure. Register Now! I can't make it We look forward to seeing you at the conference and please contact us with any questions.    Sincerely,    Tess McKinley Institute for Human Services/ 2-1-1 HELPLINE Give Help mckinleyt@ihsnet.org 607-776-9467 x.217

Nonprofit Advocacy Matters | October 7, 2013

Paying for Indirect Costs Essential to Success, New Report Finds Prevailing government policies and practices render many charitable nonprofits less efficient and effective, according to findings presented in a new report by the National Council of Nonprofits. Investing for Impact: Indirect Costs are Essential for Success details how a combination of inconsistent terminology by governments, arbitrary application of those terms, and unrealistic expectations impair the ability of nonprofits to deliver services that governments at all levels contract with them to provide and weakens the viability of the entire sector to provide services to the public on behalf of governments. Among other findings, the report challenges outdated thinking and demonstrates that actual indirect costs range from 20 percent to 40 percent at charitable nonprofits. Investing for Impact offers practical solutions that governments at all levels can adopt to strengthen the government-nonprofit contracting relationship while ensuring higher-performing partners and cost savings for taxpayers. Charitable nonprofits are invited to help ongoing contracting reform efforts by sharing your experiences and problems with contracting with local and state governments. For more on the report and on the Council of Nonprofits’ government-nonprofit contracting reform initiative, go towww.govtcontracting.org. Long Federal Shutdown Means Greater Demands, Impact on Nonprofits When the federal government shut down on October 1 due to the failure of politicians to reach agreement on a bill to fund federal programs, many people presumed that the government would be closed for only a few days and the impact would be relatively light. However, the widening chasm between the political parties suggests that the shutdown could continue for weeks, perhaps even spilling over to and beyond the October 17 date when the federal government will hit the statutory debt limit. Every day of shutdown increases the tally of adverse effects for nonprofits and the people they serve. Many federally funded, community-based programs that provide food for infants, children, veterans, and seniors, such as Meals on Wheels and WIC (Women, Infant, and Children Supplemental Nutrition), report having only enough resources to continue operating for a few more days. At least 23 Head Start programs in 11 states have already run out of money, leaving children without access to vital educational programs and their parents scrambling for options. People who could be applying for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans' benefits, or other essential programs -- all of which have been idled during the shutdown -- turn to charities for help. Members of the VISTA national service program continue to accrue their stipends during the shutdown, but they won’t be paid until government operations resume, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service; yet, VISTA participants reportedly are prohibited from taking second jobs to earn other income while they wait to be paid.  Government shutdowns – just like arbitrary sequestration cuts – may stop funding, but they do not stop human needs. Indeed, they actually increase needs. When people are in need, they turn to charitable nonprofits for help – yet nonprofits have been stretched beyond capacity the last several years since the Great Recession due to higher demands for help and reduced revenues. Dealing with the Federal Government Shutdown at the State Level The National Governors Association has made clear that state governors oppose the federal government shutdown and are concerned about whether and how the states will backfill reduced federal support, especially if the political impasse goes on for long. “We will not be acting as the federal government's bank,” said Michigan Budget Director John Nixon, suggesting that individuals will have to turn elsewhere for help. Arizona took it a step further, cutting off welfare assistance to the very poor. To avert additional pressures on nonprofits and their communities, State Associations across the country are working to prepare nonprofits for the range of effects the government shutdown could have on their work and the people they serve: Maryland Nonprofits’ blog offers information about how the shutdown could affect nonprofits and some of the major safety net programs on which their clients rely. The blog also includes a link to a survey that nonprofits can use to share how the shutdown is affecting their organization and the communities they serve. The North Carolina Center for Nonprofits is providing to its members guidance released by the N.C. Office of State Budget and Management on how the shutdown could affect nonprofits with state contracts and grants. Similarly, the Connecticut Association of Nonprofits is circulated information on the shutdown from one of their U.S. Representatives and the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management. Several other State Associations are also collecting stories and feedback from nonprofits in their states about the impact of the shutdown, including the Foraker Group in Alaska, Nonprofit Association of Oregon, and Utah Nonprofits Association. The Minnesota Budget Project (of Minnesota Council of Nonprofits) is sharing the impact of the government shutdown on Facebook and Twitter. Nonprofits Prepare for 2014 State Tax Reform Discussions Tax reform discussions for the 2014 legislative sessions are already underway across the country. Last week New York Governor Cuomo announced the creation of a new tax reform committee tasked with reducing sales taxes for individuals and businesses. The new tax committee must submit its report to the Governor by December 6, 2013. The Nebraska Legislature’s Tax Modernization Committee kicked off a series of tax reform hearings in September that seek to gather input from the public on tax reform topics. The Committee has until December 15 to submit its recommendations to the Legislature. The Nonprofit Association of the Midlands is working to engage local nonprofits in the state tax reform dialogue to ensure the organizations have a seat at the table on tax changes that could negatively affect their work in communities. Vermont policymakers during their 2014 session are also expected to discuss a tax reform proposal that would cap all itemized deductions, including the charitable giving incentive, at 2.5 times the standard deduction. Common Good Vermont and several other nonprofits in the state have alreadyvoiced concerns about the proposed change. Taxes, Fees, PILOTs Property Tax Exemptions: The New Jersey Supreme Court ended a decade-long battle over property taxes, ruling that nonprofit organizations that provide housing and other services to mentally ill and disabled persons do not owe property taxes on their residential facilities. The Court’s unanimous decision stressed the importance of protecting nonprofits’ tax-exempt status because it decreases the demands on government. The case represents a crucial precedent in New Jersey, where the state and local governments have tried on several other occasions in recent years to levy taxes, fees, or PILOTs on charitable nonprofits. Property Tax Exemptions: The Ohio Tax Commissionruled that a hospital must be reimbursed for more than $1 million in property taxes assessed by a local school district. The nonprofit hospital had been paying property taxes for five years despite having applied for tax-exempt status in 2008. The Commission ruled that the hospital is classified as a nonprofit organization and, therefore, should have been exempt from property taxes during this period. Business Taxes: A New Hampshire State Representative is considering submitting a bill that would apply the state’s Business Enterprise Tax to nonprofit colleges and hospitals. The tax currently charges businesses above a certain size a 0.75 percent fee on interest, dividends, and compensation, but exempts charitable nonprofits. Some nonprofits in New Hampshire are pushing back against the idea: “They provide a public good, which is why they’re exempt from the Business Enterprise Tax and generally exempt from taxes,” a nonprofit representative said. “It would be a direct challenge to their tax-exempt status.” Government-Nonprofit Contracting News Illinois Implements Reforms that Benefit Nonprofits and Taxpayers Illinois taxpayers, individuals receiving vital services, and nonprofit service providers are the beneficiaries of ongoing contracting reform efforts. Key areas of progress include creation of an electronic document repository, reduction of nonprofit monitoring from annual reviews to once every three-to-five years, and adoption of a common contract agreement template that five separate state agencies can use, according to a report to the Illinois General Assembly from the Management Improvement Initiative Committee (MIIC). The Centralized Repository Vault (CRV) is generating savings by allowing nonprofits to electronically upload standard documents like an organization’s articles of incorporation and IRS Form 990 only once, when previously they were required to submit as hard copies to each state agency multiple times – thus saving taxpayers the costs of storage and retrieval. The MIIC is also working on a process for accepting deemed status of service providers to reduce regulatory burdens on nonprofits and a new standardized billing system and reporting format. MIIC was created in 2011 by the General Assembly to improve government-nonprofit contracting practices and procedures across Illinois’ five human services agencies. Denver Strengthens Partnership with Nonprofit Contractors Nonprofits in Denver are seeing positive results from the City’s efforts to improve contracting and partnerships. The Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships (DOSP), which serves as a liaison between the City and local charitable nonprofit service providers, last week began posting a listing of funding opportunities on DOSP’s website and expanding its newsletter to highlight City funding opportunities for their nonprofit partners. The Office also released a guide for City agencies on the selection process for nonprofit funding streams to support efforts to structure a clear and transparent selection process, and is providing training to City employees on working effectively with nonprofits. Denver’s commitment to streamlining contracting processes is demonstrated by DOSP Executive Director, Dace West: “As a City, we elect to work with the nonprofit community to complement and support services already provided by City agencies or to meet needs that the City does not have the capacity, resources or expertise to address. As a result, the City is able to more effectively and efficiently execute its vision of creating a world-class city where everyone matters.” Additional State and Local Issues Disputes over Collection Bins Leads to Regulation, Litigation Louisiana Nonprofits Could Face Legislation on Funding, Regulation Nonprofits Take to Advocacy to Avoid Another Round of Sequestration Nonprofits nationwide are actively engaging with policymakers in efforts to prevent a second round of sequestration cuts from taking effect in January of 2014. The Maine Association of Nonprofits is hosting a discussion with Senator Angus King to end sequestration and demonstrate how the arbitrary and across-the-board cuts are limiting the ability of nonprofits to serve their communities. Similarly, the National Head Start Association held a rally on October 2nd at the US Capitol to demonstrate the adverse effects of current and future sequester cuts. Those cuts have already forced Head Start programs nationally to drop 57,000 children from their early education programs in addition to firing teachers, cutting schedules and reducing transportation for low-income families. The advocacy efforts of nonprofits like these are essential for ensuring that policymakers and the public see the true cost of these arbitrary cuts and recognize the impact they have on charitable nonprofits and the communities they serve. Readers can share stories about how sequestration has affected their communities and read others, from every state, atwww.GiveVoice.org.