Community Foundation Awards $42,705 in Grants for the Hearing and Visually Impaired

March 25, 2013 (Syracuse, NY) - The Central New York Community Foundation awarded $42,705 in grants to three charitable organizations for projects that serve the hearing- and visually- impaired.

Arc of Onondaga received $17,000 to improve the acoustic conditions in five classrooms at Parkside Children’s Center. The upgrades will provide an enhanced learning environment for children with hearing impairments.

Aurora of Central New York, Inc. received $11,405 to support the continuation of its low-cost hearing aid program for children with auditory impairments. Funding will allow the program to provide up to 15 hearing aids.

Syracuse University School of Education received $14,300 to support a physical activity program for children with visual impairments in Central New York. This program will work in partnership with the Syracuse City School District to enhance the frequency and quality of physical activity for these children and involve their families by offering workshops on ways to maximize recreational and sport opportunities.

These grants were awarded by the following field-of-interest funds, administered by the Community Foundation: J. Henry & Martha E. Deboer Fund, J. Daniel and Diane Pluff Fund, and Dorothy R. Shoudy Memorial Hearing Impaired Fund.

Established in 1927, the Central New York Community Foundation encourages local philanthropy by supporting the growth of a permanent charitable endowment for the betterment of the region.  The Community Foundation is the largest charitable foundation in the region with assets of more than $130 million. It awards close to $6.7 million in grants to nonprofit organizations annually and has invested more than $100 million in the community since its inception. The Community Foundation serves as the steward of charitable legacies for individuals, families and corporations through the administration of nearly 600 funds. The organization also serves as a civic leader, convener and sponsor of special initiatives designed to strengthen nonprofits that address the region’s most pressing challenges. For more information, visit www.cnycf.org.

###

Your March Madness Camp Finance Discount Offer

Are you feeling the March Madness?

The Camp Finance Team at NYCON sure is!

The games are finally underway...and you've probably spent some serious time putting together your picks, butwhile you were brushing up on your bracketology, we were busy putting together our 2nd Annual "March Madness Camp Finance Discount Offer!"We had a great response to this offer last year and while we are finalizing workshops and speakers for 2013 we wanted to let you register early...at adiscount!
We want to make sure the people who are "mad" about Camp Finance can save on their registration.

From now through the "Final Four" (April 7th, 2013) you can get a $50 discount on paid Full Conference registration for Camp Finance.

Just click here and enter discount code

"MarchMadness"

This all inclusive rate covers the workshops, meals and your overnight stay at the lovely Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY on October 10th.

Just a little Thank You to all of you who are as fond of Camp Finance as we are.  We love seeing you on the mountain and are looking forward to a great conference again this year!

A Story From the Non Profit Quarterly

On Pay, Some Nonprofit Health Insurers Are Tone Deaf and Wrong

WRITTEN BY RICK COHEN

The mantra of the nonprofit sector right now is “one big tent”—no winners or losers, everyone pledged to everyone else. But it is hard to maintain that mentality when some nonprofits pay so much better than others. Those that seem to be drawing the most attention in an era of national health insurance reform are nonprofit health insurers, some of which are paying very big salaries and earning healthy profits while much of the nation, pre-Affordable Care Act, is underinsured or uninsured (and those who are covered face often escalating policy costs and co-pays).

For example, at the nonprofit Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, serving two million ratepayers in the Rochester, Syracuse, and Utica areas of New York State, the chief financial officer, Zeke Duda, got a $10.9 million payout when he retired at the end of 2011. The salary of the CEO, David Klein, somehow dropped from $5.2 million in 2011 to a not too shabby $3.8 million in 2012 when he retired. The new CEO, Christopher Booth, was the $1.6 million a year president and chief operating officer prior to Klein’s retirement. Excellus is no small operator, with revenues of $6 billion in 2012 and net income of $106 million (compared to $223 million in 2011).

Moving across the state line to Massachusetts, we note that, two years ago, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley tried to stop Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of Massachusetts from paying its board members. At the time, BCBS voluntarily suspended the payments, but now it has announced plans to reinstate the practice. The new plan is to pay board members who chair committees as much as $54,500 annually (down from the maximum of $78,600 proposed two years ago) while other directors can receive up to $47,000 (down from a max of $58,600 proposed two years ago). The plan is also to try to reduce the number of directors from 17 to 14.

Mark Rogers, who runs a “startup online professional community for board members,” ripped Blue Cross for the decision in a Globe op-ed. He contrasts the image of the Blue Cross board meetings with the “overwhelming majority of the nearly 1.6 million nonprofit organizations in America today…governed by boards composed of compassionate, intelligent, and selfless individuals who are dedicated to stewarding their organizations to [a] level of excellence that befits their mission without monetary compensation for their efforts.” His explanation of Blue Cross’s thinking? “It looks like arrogance.”

During the two years of the BCBS suspension of board payments, did Blue Cross find itself just about unable to function? Were board members, such as an executive vice president for Liberty Mutual Insurance and a senior advisor of Bain & Company, finding themselves too financially strapped to provide appropriate board service for Blue Cross? Deidre Cummings, the legislative director of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group, raised a similar query: “One would question why they were able to run their business for the last few years without paying people and why they have decided they have to start doing it again now.”

Perhaps BCBS survived due to the $1,500 payment for attending each board meeting and strategic planning meeting and the $1,200 payment for attending committee meetings. The latter is being reduced to $1,000 in the new structure. All of this is happening, of course, because Coakley’s vision of legislation to control board compensation didn’t come to pass.

Tone deaf? Multi-million dollar salaries to top executives? Five-figure compensation deals for otherwise voluntary board members? When poor people are facing higher costs for health care? Tone deaf and wrong. 

NYCON Brings You Upcoming Webinars, News & Nonprofit Notes

Expand Your Employee (and Volunteer) Benefits Packages at an Affordable PriceGive employees and volunteers what they want with the NYCON Visioncare Plan through Humana! We know that the Employe Benefits "Market" can be complicated.  Our job is to help make that world more simple, and affordable for nonprofits. To help you understand each type of benefit, it's coverage features and it's costs we are rolling out a series of short 30-minute webinar spotlights on our administered programs: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts and our Vision Program - which is new for 2013!  [Thursday!] 3/21/2013 [Benefit Spotlight Webinar] Vision Insurance    4/11/2013  [Benefit Spotlight Webinar] Dental Insurance Plans & Administration through NYCON  Stay tuned for our Flexible Spending Account & Life Insurance Webinars in the Spring....

Upcoming NYCON Membership Orientation    Great information for new and returning members!

3/22/2013 [Please note the date change] Membership Benefits Orientation [Webinar]  In our "Get to Know Us" Sessions, NYCON staff will tell you a lot more about our membership benefits - and answer all the questions you have regarding our process, costs and what you get for FREE.      We will be talking about these benefits. Nonprofit Training, Education and Professional Assistance NYCON empowers our members with the best practices, policies, and procedures as well as information on ever-changing regulations, funding, accountability and more. Cost Savings Solutions for Nonprofits NYCON leverages the purchasing power of thousands of nonprofits to bring you economies of scale on everything from Office Supplies to Fundraising Software. The Nonprofit Voice in New York State NYCON represents our members on the local, state and national level, giving voice to small and medium sized nonprofits everywhere.

Nonprofit Audits in a Nutshell   [Free Members Only Webinar] March 28th, 2013    3:30pm to 4:30pm  Register Today!   Like yours, many nonprofit organizations often find themselves   wondering... Do we need to have an independent audit? (And what does that entail anyway?) Are there special rules for us because we receive government grants? How can we prepare so that the process goes smoothly?    What's the board's role? To answer these questions and more, the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON) is excited to bring you Nonprofit Audits in a Nutshell, a free webinar on March 28th at 3:30pm Eastern, hosted by our national network, the National Council of Nonprofits. This webinar features practical tips from nonprofits about their audit practices, as well as experts from BoardSource and Raffa and is designed to give you background on everything you need to know about the independent audit process (from legal requirements to practical advice).     Thanks to the support of First Nonprofit Foundation, this exclusive webinar is available, free of charge, to all members of NYCON Don't miss this opportunity - Register Today! Free and Open to Current NYCON Members Only (click here to renew your membership for 2013 before registering.)

[Corporate Member Spotlight] DoGoodBuyUs Webinar April 11th, 2013  2:00pm to 2:30pm Register Now As nonprofits around the country look for ways to bolster their fundraising, hundreds of organizations have turned toDoGoodBuyUs as a way to bridge the gap between causes and the consumer market.DoGoodBuyUs works with nonprofits around the world, helping them sell the products they (and now they) have created. AtDoGoodBuyUs (http://www.dogoodbuy.us) they believe consumerism can change the world so, they created the largest marketplace of charity made products. Now anyone can "do good" just by buying beautiful, often handmade items that support the worthiest causes. From tea to t-shirts, from rain boots to coffee, from jewelry to soaps, the list of amazing products go on. DoGoodBuyUs is the newest Corproate Member* of NYCON. On this spotlight webinar you will learn:  Why products have become a successful part of many NPO's strategy How to get started, what the process is like, services offered and more.. The long term benefits Join us on April 11th at 2pm for a quick 30 minute overview on just how DoGoodBuyUs can Do Good by your nonprofit & community. *Please note that this company is not a NYCON Endorsed Corporate Partner.

Building a Powerful Grants Calender! [Lunch & Learn Webinar]  Presented by Cynthia Adams, Founder, Grantstation.com April 12th, 2013 Free for current NYCON Members  $50 for Non-members  Register Now This webinar will take participants through the processof establishing a grants calendar for the next 12 to 18 months. Fast-paced, and filled with action steps, Cynthia Adams will discuss how to design and adopt a Grant Decision Matrix before beginning the process of building a specific grants strategy for each project. All participants will also receive a set of worksheets that they can use to create their own approach to building grants calendars and grants strategies for their organizations. This webinar is for beginning, intermediate and advanced grantwriters.

The 15th Annual Day of Commitment Registration Now Open

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE

15^TH Annual Day of Commitment

to Eliminate Racism and Promote Diversity

The YWCA Syracuse & Onondaga County will recognize the Day of Commitment to Eliminate Racism and Promote Diversity by hosting professional development workshops & luncheon on

Thursday, April 25, 2013 at the SRC Arena at Onondaga Community College.

Check-in/Registration: 8AM-8:30AM

Workshop Session 1: 8:30AM-9:45AM

Workshop Session 2: 10AM-11:15AM

Luncheon: 12PM-1PM

We will celebrate people who make a difference by inducting them into the YWCA Academy of Diversity Achievers. Past recipients of this honor have come from business, academia, and community organizations such as Lockheed Martin, WSTM-TV 3, The Salvation Army and Upstate Medical University. Click here to see the Diversity Achievers Class of 2013.

This year’s Keynote Address will be provided by Theresa Mohamed, EdD

Register Here

**Cash, Credit/Debit, or Check will be accepted at the door.

Workshops Include:

Communication: The tie that binds presented by Khalid Bey

How to build diverse alliances presented by Maria Revelles

Understanding the working refugee population presented by Wendy Carl Isome & April English Palozzola

Click here for full workshop descriptions

CONNECTING FOR BETTER HEALTH CONFERENCE

This conference highlights best practices in areas of health information technology, innovation and collaboration, and current initiatives in Central New York.  All topics are of great importance to those who use health care, pay for health care, and, of course, those who provide health care. Experts will present on successes they have had that we can learn from. Come network with prominent leaders and the more than 100 people expected to attend from across our community including nurses, professors, care coordinators, hospital executives, social service agencies, county health departments, health insurance executives, employers and patients.
Keynote Speakers: DEPUTY COMMISSIONER RACHEL BLOCK Rachel Block is Deputy Commissioner for Health Information Technology Transformation in the NYS Department of Health, where she has overseen development and implementation of New York’s statewide health information technology strategy since May 2009.  She was the founding executive director for the New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC), a statewide multi-stakeholder organization committed to advancing health information technology adoption and use in New York from 2006-2009.  Rachel is a past president of the board for the eHealth Initiative and currently serves on its Leadership Council.  ANN F. MONROE Ann Monroe has served as president of the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York since it began operation in 2003. Her leadership guides the Foundation in balancing the best practices of health care philanthropy with the local interests and needs of our targeted communities. For more information visit: www.healtheconnections.org/conference WHEN April 30, 2013 10:00am to 4:00pm Registration begins at 9:00am WHERE Holiday Inn 441 Electronics Parkway Liverpool, NY 13088 Register Workshops: HEALTH IT HealtheConnections RHIO – Connecting You to Better Care. Presenters:  Rob Hack & Karen Romano, HealtheConnections RHIO Central New York Data-driven quality initiatives utilizing EHRs: Developing clinical measures and a disease registry to drive community quality improvement. Presenters:  Corey Zeigler & Charlie McArthur, Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION Technical, Practice and Reimbursement Perspectives of Telemedicine: Panel Discussion.  Presenters: Terry Yonker RN, MS, FNP-BC, Finger Lakes Community Health and Carol Tytler, CNY AHEC Sustaining Vibrant Primary Care through Collaborations.  Presenter: Diane Cooper Currier, Oswego County Opportunities CURRENT INITIATIVES Understanding the NY Health Insurance Exchange. Presenter:  John Romancik, Benefits Specialists NY Health Homes in Central New York: Panel Discussion. Presenters:  Shawna Craigmile-Sciacca, Onondaga Case Management, Kimberly Pecor, CNY Health Home, and Karen Romano, HealtheConnections RHIO Central New York

Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's Weekly News

News From State Comptroller Thomas P. Dinapoli

DiNapoli: General Electric Agrees to Examine Risks from New PCB Hotspots in Hudson

General Electric Corp. has agreed to prepare an analysis of the actions required to remove recently discovered polychlorinated biphenyl contamination contaminated sediments from the Hudson River and report its findings to shareholders, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced Monday. The analysis will be completed by the end of 2013. In response to the agreement, DiNapoli withdrew a shareholder resolution calling on the company to do such an evaluation.

DiNapoli and Saratoga DA Murphy: Former Fire District Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Stealing Taxpayer Funds

The former treasurer of the Charlton Fire District has admitted to embezzling $500,000 in public funds as the result of an audit and investigation by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and further investigation by Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy, III and the New York State Police.

DiNapoli: Argyle Clerk Rings Up $8K in Personal Debt on Town Credit Card

A former clerk in the Town of Argyle in Washington County used a town credit card to purchase more than $8,000 in personal expenditures, which included $2,900 to a flooring contractor and $1,500 to an insurance company, according to an audit released Monday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

DiNapoli: Mill Neck Manor Overcharged Taxpayers by More Than $280,000

Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf, a Nassau County provider of special education services for children with hearing disabilities, charged taxpayers more than $280,000 it wasn’t entitled to, including extra salary and benefits for the school’s executive director, according to an audit released Thursday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

DiNapoli: Challenges Remain For New York City Budget

New York City’s budget is balanced in the current fiscal year and Mayor Bloomberg has presented a balanced preliminary budget for fiscal year 2014, but a number of issues pose significant budget risks in the years ahead, according to a report released Tuesday by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

DiNapoli: Nassau County Needs to Improve Contract Process

While Nassau County is following established guidelines for approving contracts, the authorization process often misses approval deadlines, according to an audit issued Thursday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Auditors found that because of the lengthy review process vendors began working on half the contracts an average of seven weeks prior to the contract being signed by the county.

Comptroller DiNapoli Releases Municipal Audits

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli Tuesday announced his office completed audits of the theTown of Columbus; the Town of Hamlin; the Village of Lyndonville; the Town of Mansfield; the Town of Otselic; and, the Town of Pittstown.

Comptroller DiNapoli Releases School Audits

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli Tuesday announced his office completed audits of: theNiskayuna Central School District; the Patchogue–Medford Union Free School District; the Pine Bush Central School District; and, the South Glens Falls Central School District.

To see the article online click here.

The Non-Profit Times Weekly News Letter

The Non-Profit Times Weekly News Letter

NPT Weekly E-News Letter

SPEA Connect Online MPA and Cartificate Programs Make a difference in your organization and with your constituents by earning the #2 ranked MPA degree from Indiana University.  When you enroll in one ofSPEA's online graduate programs you will learn from some of the world's leading nonprofit management and public affairs experts.  SPEA's #1 ranked nonprofit curriculum allows working professional to develop expertise in fund development, grant administration, financial management, human resources, management and program evaluation.

The NonProfit Times has started some arguments over on LinkedIn. Join us now to take part in all the fun.

AG Might Hamper Advocacy Work

Regulations proposed on nonprofit advocacy groups by the New York attorney general could hamper efforts by organizations doing legitimate advocacy on public policy, according to one watchdog group. Read more...

Be a Better Fundraiser in One Day Fundraising Day In New York 2013 America's premier one day conference. Register at www.frdny.org June 7, 2013 at the Marrriot Marquis New York For greatest savings, register by March 31st!

Finance... 4 vital elements to due diligence

Many people think of “due diligence” as a by-the-numbers adherence to some set of printed (before the Ice Age, maybe?) guidelines that will keep certain rear ends covered. Read more...

Nonprofit Organizations Salary and Benefit Reports Purchase and download your copy of the nation's most comprehensive reports on 252 nonprofit positions from entry level to the executive office including base salary, bonus practices, total cash compensation, salary increases, employee turnover, and more. All this and more is available in the new 2012 Salary and Benefits Report from The NonProfit Times and Bluewater Nonprofit Solutions.

Advocacy... 5 ways to influence change

One of the most discussed, yet least understood, aspects of leadership is change. Everyone talks about it but it's an entirely different matter when it comes time to implement it. Add to that the fact that people generally don't like change, it's no wonder that implementing it is easier said than done. Read more...

Job Special Featured Employer Special $595 Contact Mary Ford with any questions, or for placement @ 973-401-0202 Ext 206 or email at mary@nptimes.com  What's included: * Online 30 day posting at www.nonprofitjobseeker.com * Also posted at indeed.com * Listed in feature job section of main page of nonprofitjobseeker * Banner ad to run for 30 days that ad is running, SITE WIDE * Job tweeted to @nptjobs & The NonProfit Times Twitter list 3 x each * All ads are automatically posted to our Facebook career center page * Two hundred-word listing in the print and digital editions of our magazine * Blog post of your listing on http://nptjobs.blogspot.com * JOBS Banner on NPTJOBS enewsletter (299,910 circulation) * BONUS: Ad will be posted in the Job of The Week section in our weekly eNewsletter

Boards... A dozen reasons to “retreat”

Retreats for board members usually sound great to everybody but the board members who have to go on retreat. They often retreat from them as fast as they can. Read more... To see the article online click here.

News from NYCON

Dollars through the Door: Who Does What in Nonprofit Fundraising? [Lunch & Learn Webinar] Wednesday, March 13, 2013 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM (EDT)  Online - Call And Login Information Will Be Sent To You 24-48 Hours In Advance Of This Workshop Register Today Limited Spots Available This session provides an introduction to the diverse strategies nonprofits can use to generate revenue for their organizations with an emphasis on planning, sustainability and the role of Executive Staff and Board Members in fundraising efforts. We will be covering four key topics that typically arise when discussions of "fundraising" occur.  These are the importance of integrating fund development planning at the board and staff level. how to build and effective board/staff partnership including the role of each in creating and implementing a plan. overcoming the fear of the "ask" with consistent, impactful messaging and considering new and innovative entrepreneurial approaches. Register Today Limited Spots Available

New Year, Great Time to Explore New Employee Benefits that You Can Afford! We know that the Employe Benefits "Market" can be complicated.  Our job is to help make that world more simple, and affordable for nonprofits. To help you understand each type of benefit, it's coverage features and it's costs we are rolling out a series of short 30-minute webinar spotlights on our administered programs: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts and our Vision Program - which is new for 2013!   3/21/2013  [Benefit Spotlight Webinar] Vision Insurance    4/11/2013  [Benefit Spotlight Webinar] Dental Insurance Plans & Administration through NYCON      Stay tuned for our Flexible Spending Account & Life Insurance Webinars in the Spring....

Nonprofit Audits in a Nutshell   [Free Members Only Webinar] March 28th, 2013    3:30pm to 4:30pm  Register Today!   Like yours, many nonprofit organizations often find themselves   wondering... Do we need to have an independent audit? (And what does that entail anyway?) Are there special rules for us because we receive government grants? How can we prepare so that the process goes smoothly?    What's the board's role? To answer these questions and more, the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON) is excited to bring you Nonprofit Audits in a Nutshell, a free webinar on March 28th at 3:30pm Eastern, hosted by our national network, the National Council of Nonprofits. This webinar features practical tips from nonprofits about their audit practices, as well as experts from BoardSource and Raffa and is designed to give you background on everything you need to know about the independent audit process (from legal requirements to practical advice).     Thanks to the support of First Nonprofit Foundation, this exclusive webinar is available, free of charge, to all members of NYCON Don't miss this opportunity - Register Today! Free and Open to Current NYCON Members Only (click here to renew your membership for 2013 before registering)

Upcoming NYCON Membership Orientation  (for all new and returning members!

3/22/2013 [Please note the date change] Membership Benefits Orientation [Webinar]  In our "Get to Know Us" Sessions, NYCON staff will tell you a lot more about our membership benefits - and answer all the questions you have regarding our process, costs and what you get for FREE.      We will be talking about these benefits. Nonprofit Training, Education and Professional Assistance NYCON empowers our members with the best practices, policies, and procedures as well as information on ever-changing regulations, funding, accountability and more. Cost Savings Solutions for Nonprofits NYCON leverages the purchasing power of thousands of nonprofits to bring you economies of scale on everything from Office Supplies to Fundraising Software. The Nonprofit Voice in New York State NYCON represents our members on the local, state and national level, giving voice to small and medium sized nonprofits everywhere.

Special 4-Day Bonus Issue from the Blue Avocado

Free Webinar! Google Analytics for the Enthusiastic Beginner
Tuesday, April 16, 2013 3:00 pm eastern /12:00 noon Pacific

Speaker:  Bonnie Massa, Massa & Company

Wonder what all the hype is about around web analytics? Thanks to Blue Avocado and American Nonprofits, you can join this overview of Google Analytics, a free web analytics tool that shows you how visitors are using your site. We will start with how to capture data on visitors and then hit the highlights of using Google Analytics to improve your website. This overview is for beginners and executives that want to know the value of the tool but not necessarily how to operate it . . . Click here to register free . . . offer closes March 15, 2013.

Another Free Webinar! Nonprofit Sustainability:  Making Strategic Decisions for Financial Viability 
April 12, 2013  12:00 pm eastern/9:00 am pacific

Speakers:  Jan Masaoka, Blue Avocado and CEO of CalNonprofits, and Steve Zimmerman, Spectrum Nonprofit Services

Too often program goals are discussed separately from financial means, although we all know that both must be discussed together. Jan and Steve will present the methodology for doing so from the book they co-authored with Jeanne Bell: Nonprofit Sustainability: Making Strategic Decisions for Financial Viability. This model can be used as an adjunct to or substitute for traditional strategic planning. Click here to register free. Offer ends March 15.

Board Recruitment Time? Learn the Blue Ribbon Nominating Committee Technique
Wednesday, April 10, 2013 3:00 pm eastern/12:00 pm pacific

Speaker:  Jan Masaoka, Blue Avocado and CEO of CalNonprofits

Board recruitment discussions usually start with the tired question, "Who do we know?" Instead, let's start with "What are the three most important things for the board to accomplish this year, and what kind of board members do we need in order to do so?" Tested successfully with hundreds of nonprofits, we'll also tackle some difficult questions such as whether and how to recruit people of different races or educational backgrounds, whether to have clients or parents (or other direct beneficiaries) on the board, and whether to have fundraising or donation requirements. Based on the tested and popular Blue Ribbon Nominating Committee technique. Click here to register free . . . through March 15 only.

Free "Gift of Learning" online courses from Cornerstone

This was such a hit in the last Bonus Issue, we’re pleased to offer this again. And we’re grateful to Cornerstone to offer this once more to Blue Avocado readers and American Nonprofit members!

The Cornerstone OnDemand Foundation established the “Gift of Learning” program to over 40 classes of downloadable e-learning content -- such as leadership training, effective communication, project management, and desktop product tutorials -- to nonprofit professionals at no cost.

The Foundation is offering this to five individuals per organization...and 300 organizations will be selelcted to receive the access to the Gift of Learning library. How do you become eligible? The first 300 Blue Avocado readers that respond on March 15, 2013 (starting 9 am Pacific/12 noon Eastern) are eligble.  Send an email to Blue Avocado's Susan Sanow at blueavocado@hotmail.com with the subject line "Gift of Learning” will be awarded the opportunity to access thousands of courses. Your e-mail must include the following information:

• Your organization's name
• Nonprofit tax ID number: you must have U.S. 501(c)(3) status to qualify
• Name of the contact person, and contact person's e-mail address and phone number

Once we reach 300 interested organizations, this offer will expire.

If your organization is chosen to participate, you will receive an introductory email directly from the Cornerstone OnDemand Foundation no later than March 29, 2013. Selected nonprofits will have access to the Gift of Learning for a three month period (April 1, 2013-July 1, 2013.)

(And if you were awarded the "Gift of Learning" last fall, please step aside and let another organization benefit!)

April 1? No Foolin'… It’s a Blue Avocado Contest!

As April Fool's Day approaches, we wonder what our best April Fool's joke news headlines would be for the nonprofit community. So give it a try. Submit your headline with a 2-to-3 sentence opening paragraph. Here is a sample to get you started:

AmeriCorps to Exclusively Serve Businesses in 2014
The AmeriCorps program announced that beginning in 2014, AmeriCorps Volunteers will only be placed in small for-profit businesses.  While historically placed with nonprofits, it is clear that nonprofits are better managed and there is a greater need to support the small business community.

Submit your April 1 headline and 2-3 opening sentences tosusan@blueavocado.org.  Use the subject line April Fool's. Send in your entry by Friday, March 22, 2013.  You may be featured in our special April Fool's Day issue!  What's in it for our top 10 favorite/funniest entries? You'll win a copy of Jan Masaoka’s book, The Nonprofit’s Guide to Human Resources. Good luck!