Central NY Nonprofit News: 2014

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

National Endowment for the Arts awards CNY Arts a $40K contract

by Eric Reinhardt

Date: 12/8/2014 at 16:58:59

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The National Endowment for the Arts has awarded CNY Arts, Inc. a $40,000 contract through its Art Works grant program.

CNY Arts will use the funds to support implementation of Engage CNY, the local organization’s 10-year cultural plan to boost “the livability and economic vitality” of Onondaga, Oswego, Madison, Oneida, Cortland, and Herkimer counties, according to a news release.

Art Works grants focus on the creation of work and presentation of both new and existing work; lifelong learning in the arts; and public engagement with the arts through 13 arts disciplines or fields, the release stated.

Engage CNY will continue its work connecting audiences to artistic offerings through “collaborative marketing” and through “increased integration” with the region’s higher-education institutions, the organization added.

“It is incredibly gratifying that this process receives support on a national level,” Stephen Butler, executive director of CNY Arts, said in the news release. “This project is the culmination of months of work from dozens of people … This award is a great win for the community.”

Several organizations, including the Skaneateles Falls–based Allyn Foundation; the Central New York Community Foundation; Syracuse–based Gifford Foundation; the Syracuse–based John Ben Snow Foundation; DeWitt–based Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation; the Trust for Cultural Resources of Onondaga County; Empire State Development Corporation; and the New York State Council on the Arts through the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council, have previously supported Engage CNY, according to CNY Arts.

The offices of New York State Senator Dave Valesky, former New York State Assemblywoman Joan Christensen, and the Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau provided initial funding and support for the project, the organization added.

CNY Arts, which is located on the 11th floor of the John H. Mulroy Civic Center at 421 Montgomery St. in Syracuse, says it works to “promote, support, and celebrate arts and culture in Central New York.”

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

ACTION ALERT on Charitable Tax Extenders

Urge Congress to Permanently Extend Key Charitable Giving Incentives

Congress needs to hear from you today!

Leaders in the House and Senate are now considering passing a separate bill to make the charitable provisions permanent. But they need to hear from you today to understand that passing permanent extensions of these tax incentives is very important to nonprofits and the people you serve. Congress shouldn't quit for the year before getting this done.

TAKE ACTION

Time is truly of the essence, so contact your Representative and Senators today by phone, email, or social media.

By Phone:

Call the Capitol switchboard (202-224-3121), ask to be connected to your Senators' and Representative's offices.

By Email:

Find your Senators' email addresses and your Representatives email address and send them this message, along with any other information about how the expired giving incentives have helped your nonprofit perform work in their communities:

Tell your representatives to:

"Make the three charitable tax incentives (extenders) permanent before adjourning; our communities rely on work funded by these incentives and we are counting on your help.

Congress needs to make permanent the three charitable tax incentives - the IRA Rollover, the enhanced deduction for donations of food inventories and donations of conservation easements - so that all nonprofits can plan for the future and secure support for their work. Read more here about why we need these incentives for giving extended.

Tweet to your Representatives Today!

Find your Senators and Representatives Twitter handles and tweet one of the following @ them:

@_____ Our communities deserve better than a 3-week tax extension; make charitable giving incentives permanent #protectgiving

@_____ 3-week tax extension doesn't help the communities #nonprofits serve; make charitable giving incentives permanent #protectgiving

@_____ HR5771 = a 3-week extension; communities served by #nonprofits deserve better. Make charitable giving incentives permanent

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Upcoming Events & Webinars

Best Practices for Internal Controls in Small Arts Organizations [NYSCA Webinar]

December 4th, 2014 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM

Register Now
This webinar is free and the live version is open only to nonprofits receiving funding from the NYS Council on the Arts. The recording will be made available to NYCON Nonprofit Members.

Many small arts nonprofits have limited administrative staff, but the same expectations from funders (and regulators) regarding their organization's internal controls. NYCON has seen this issue come into sharper perspective as we, and many of our nonprofit members (including smaller arts groups) have had to go through the NYS Grants Gateway and Prequalification process in order to continue to receive our state funding. One of the biggest questions we heard during this process was "How can we possibly create, document and consistently apply complex Internal Control processes in an organization with 2 or 3 or 4.... staff people?" This training will focus on the implementation of simple, yet effective internal controls processes that allow your organization to reap the benefits of accountability, efficiency, and fraud prevention despite running a smaller nonprofit.

It's Not Too Late: Year-End Major Gifts Fundraising for Nonprofits [Webinar]

December 9th, 2014 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Presented by Andy Robinson, Consultant and Trainer

Andy Robinson Consulting, LLC
Cost: $49 Member Rate $69 Regular Rate REGISTER NOW
NYCON is proud to partner with our State Association colleagues in Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina to bring you this webinar.

The most effective way to raise money is face to face -- and the most lucrative time to ask is right now! In this webinar, Andy Robinson will walk you through the process of major gifts fundraising, step by step. Whether you're a veteran fundraiser or new to the field, you can expect to gain practical information and advice to help in:

Identifying prospects

Setting up appointments

Meeting with donors

How to structure the conversation -- and "the ask.

Materials & Log-in/Call-In Instructions: Webinar materials (PowerPoint PDF and other handouts), along with instructions on how to log in and call-in, will be emailed to attendees prior to the date of the webinar.

Nonprofit Committee Structures under the New Nonprofit Revitalization Act [Lunch & Learn Webinar]
Wednesday, December 10, 2014 from 11:00am to 12:30pm

Presented by Susan Weinrich, VP of Organizational Development Services

Free & Open to NYCON Members Register Today

Join us for this webinar and explore the changes in nonprofit board committee structure under the new law. Many rules have changed regarding board committees and nonprofit board governance. Gone are standing and "ad-hoc" committees. Now we define them as "committees of the board" and "committees of the corporation." Do you know who can be on each committee? Do you know what the roles and responsibilities are for each? Do you need minutes for each? Who should chair them? How do we bring non-board members onto a committee? For committees of the Board, what authority do they really have and how do we ensure they are accountable to the board? Join us for this webinar on the practical implications of committee structure changes - and learn where to start.

Nonprofit Fraud & Abuse: A Unique and Personal Perspective [Special Webinar]

Thursday, December 11, 2014 11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Free & Open to NYCON Members Register Today

The mismanagement and misappropriation of nonprofit funds is a serious issue. Not only is it illegal, and carries with it significant penalties, it also takes valuable resources from people who truly need services and damages the brand of all nonprofits. It can also severely impact the lives of those involved with the organization. In this honest and frank webinar, you will hear from a former nonprofit executive director recently convicted of conduct relating to grants management fraud.

Learn about the path he chose, the decisions he made, the lessons he learned, and, most importantly, how to avoid this type of event occurring at your own nonprofit organization.

REGISTER NOW:
Space is Limited!

Executive Director Retreat for New Nonprofit Leaders

December 10th-12th, Latham,NY

REGISTRATION

INFO

Participants will be introduced, through practical application, to mastery of the diverse skills necessary to achieve success in their current role. Led by a multi-disciplinary team of experienced instructors, this retreat emphasizes real world elements of nonprofit
executive leadership, management and problem-solving.

Latest Job Postings on the [NEW] NYCON

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Monday, December 1, 2014

Nonprofit Knowledge Matters | The Compensation, Benefits, and Employment Issue

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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: