Central NY Nonprofit News

Special Session on Website Design and Strategies

2012-01-26T09:05:00.000-08:00

Ted Hart Returns to CNY

Special Session on Website Design and Strategies

Thursday, February 9, 2012
CNY Philanthropy Center
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Special Session -- Open to All

We are thrilled that international fundraising and ePhilanthropy expert Ted Hart is coming back to Syracuse to provide an intensive session focused on effective website design and strategies.

Those who attended the session with Mr. Hart on Fundraising Day in June are aware of his incredible range of expertise and his dynamic presentation style.

Thursday, February 9, 2012
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
CNY Philanthropy Center
431 East Fayette Street
Syracuse, New York

Cost:
$35 for AFP Members
$50 for non-members (if space is available)
RSVP to
Beverly Mack
mackafpcny@twcny.rr.com

Research shows that a majority of people check out an organization’s website prior to making a first gift to the organization, regardless of whether they make the gift online. Therefore, an effective website that leads the potential donor to make that important first gift is more crucial than ever.

Many organizations pay thousands of dollars for advice on their website design. This special session will include live website review and is sure to give every participant important information that can be used immediately (and without significant cost) to make your website better support your mission and your bottom line.

www.afpcny.org

Announcing our next NEWS Workshop! Nonprofits Going Green: Practical Steps and Resources

2012-01-14T17:35:00.000-08:00

As people and corporations around the world become more "green" they in turn expect the nonprofits they support to also take proactive steps to protect the environment. While a vast majority of charities want to be more green, they often feel they lack the expertise and knowledge base to kick off a successful, budget-conscious approach to this initiative.

This afternoon workshop will help provide a road map to successfully lower costs and increase environmental awareness while providing access to industry leaders who can help get it all done. Our environment will benefit as a result of the nonprofit/NGO sector taking action. This session will provide real-life steps and information to increase your organization’s green profile in a cultural climate that demands ecological responsibility from organizations.

Due to limited space, this workshop is limited to two representatives per organization. Attendees should be affiliated with a nonprofit organization in a board, staff, or long term volunteer capacity.

Register now by clicking here

Facilitated by:

Ted Hart
Founder & CEO of GreenNonprofits and author of The Nonprofit Guide to Going Green

WHEN:
February 8, 2012
2:00pm- 5:00 pm

WHERE:
Central New York Philanthropy Center
431 E. Fayette Street
Syracuse, NY 13202

COST:
$20 per person

Additional Event featuring Ted Hart:
sponsored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals

Website Design and Strategies
Thursday, February 9, 2012
CNY Philanthropy Center
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Cost:
$35 for AFP members
$50 for non-members
(if space is available)

RSVP to:
mackafpcny@twcny.rr.com
(subject line: Ted Hart)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Central New York Community Foundation invites you to celebrate 85 years of giving to the region we love. Over the course of the year, The CNY85 Giving Project will award grants to projects addressing Central New York's greatest needs. Winners will be decided by public vote.

Central New York Community Foundation
431 East Fayette Street, Suite 100
Syracuse, NY 13202
www.cnycf.org* 315-422-9538 * info@cnycf.org

American Red Cross Job Openings

2012-01-12T21:13:00.000-08:00

The American Red Cross is still actively recruiting candidates for Regional Executive Officer (located in Syracuse), Regional Operations Officer (located in Binghamton), Regional Fund Development Officer, Regional Communications Officer, a Community Chapter Executive for Northern New York (located in Watertown), and a few select Fund Development and Program positions across the Central New York Region that will be posted at the end of January. All active jobs can be located at www.redcross.org. Click on Working with the Red Cross, Become an Employee, and “Chapter”.

Hiring Practices Trainings in January

2012-01-12T10:34:00.000-08:00

A Program for Employers and Unions
HIRING PRACTICES THAT PROMOTE A STRONGER WORKFORCE AND COMMUNITY
This program will discuss considerations of hiring people with criminal records and best practices for the use of criminal background checks for employment, including recommendations for interviewing.

Learn how hiring individuals with a criminal record can:
• build a safer community
• create a more diverse work environment
• lead to tax benefits for your business
• produce protections from negligent hiring claims
• promote New York State public policy

This 2 hour program will be offered the following dates, times and locations:
THIS PROGRAM IS FREE.
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED.

Tuesday, January 10, 7:30 am - 9:30 am at
SUNY EOC, LIBBA COTTON ROOM, 1 New St., Syracuse

Friday, January 13, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm at
CNY WORKS, 443 N.FRANKLIN ST./FRANKLIN SQUARE, SYRACUSE

Wednesday, January 18, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm at
SUNY EOC, LIBBA COTTON ROOM 1 New St., Syracuse

Friday, January 20, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm at
CNY WORKS, 443 N.FRANKLIN ST./FRANKLIN SQUARE , SYRACUSE
Register By Emailing
Patricia Warth at:
pwarth@communityalternatives.org

Any questions call:
315.422.5638 ext. 229

Westcott Community Center ED Job Posting

2012-01-10T11:13:00.000-08:00

The Westcott Community Center (WCC) is seeking a full time Executive Director. The WCC is a not for profit agency which serves the extended Westcott and Syracuse community.
The Center provides public education projects, social service programs, and multi program events to a diverse constituency. The Executive Director is responsible for management,
organization and operation of the Center and supervision of the staff and activities under the direction of the Board of Directors of the WCC. The Executive Director is a liaison to
neighborhood groups. Applicant must demonstrate prior successful managerial, grant writing and administrative experience. Non-profit managerial experience is a plus.
BA degree or equivalent required. Some evening and weekend responsibilities. Competitive salary.

A more detailed job description can be found at: http://www.westcottcc.org/ (after Sunday, Jan. 8th).

To apply for the position please submit a resume together with a cover letter by email or hard copy to: search@westcottcc.org or mail to Search Committee, 826 Euclid Ave., Syracuse, NY 13210.

Deadline for receiving resumes is February 3, 2012.

No phone calls please

HSLC meeting on January 13th

2012-01-05T09:23:00.001-08:00

The next meeting of the Human Services Leadership Council will be

Friday, January 13th, 2012
8:00 – 9:30 AM
United Way Building, Rosamond Gifford Conference Room, 518 James Street

Agenda:

Introductions and Announcements

Chair’s Update – Strategic Planning Next Steps…

Treasurer’s Update

Program – Information Sharing – Beth Broadway, Facilitator
During our strategic planning process, many HSLC members asked for opportunities to find out more about one another’s programs and services. Thanks to Beth Broadway for agreeing to facilitate an information sharing program to help HSLC members learn about one another’s agencies.

Commentary: Through microgiving, you can make more than a dime's worth of difference

2012-01-04T10:51:00.000-08:00

Great editorial offered by J. Naples, M&T Bank's Syracuse regional president, chairman of the Onondaga Community College Foundation and chairman of the board of directors of CenterState CEO:

Syracuse, it’s time for a paradigm change in the way we give. Syracuse and Onondaga County’s arts and sciences, educational programs and nonprofits rely on us to survive. Times are tough, though. And some of these organizations, as well as the donors they count on, are coming up short. Some organizations have failed.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to work with a group of local business leaders to head the Onondaga Community College Capital Campaign. We raised several million dollars over a year and a half, exceeding our initial monetary goal and beating our targeted deadline date by over four months.

The people — whom our team knew personally and professionally — were asked to give, and they gave generously. But a campaign like ours cannot be repeated easily over and over again without a change. Like many campaigns, we focused a lot of our attention on a small number of individuals and corporations. As you know, in small cities like Syracuse there are a limited number of large donors to reach out to.

Therefore, we fundraisers and donors must think differently.

First, our civic organizations and nonprofits should engage us with clear-cut goals and concise statements of how donations will positively impact their strategic well-being. Donors need to feel as if they’re investing in something that makes a difference, rather than simply writing a check to keep a nonprofit afloat. Receiving regular, coordinated messages from an organization about how it puts contributions to work makes donors feel like their investments are paying off. Keeping people informed via various media (including emails, letters or social media sites) about the way donor dollars are being used for the success of the organization can help spur more giving.

In a business book called “The Dragonfly Effect,” the co-authors describe how a young South Asian student at Stanford University in need of a bone marrow transplant was given a one-in-20,000 chance of finding a donor. His friends, undaunted by such odds, put in place a plan using social media tools to register 24,611 donors in a matter of weeks. A clear-cut goal plus a compelling story brought people from all over the world together to solve this problem.

Second, Syracuse’s nonprofits need to “democratize” their relationship with the community. More specifically, they need to understand that communications are a two-way street. In addition to dollars, organizations should also solicit ideas from the greater community. For example, what if a local museum reached out to local schools for suggestions and ideas on how best to tailor an exhibit for children? By seeking “personal” involvement from people, one often finds that they will be more likely to contribute their time and also their money.

My employer, M&T Bank, regularly sponsors local events and programs like New York’s Creative Core Emerging Business Competition, as well as On Point for College, which opens doors to higher education for inner city youth. In the past year, our company has given to hundreds of organizations both within and outside of Upstate New York. By participating with these organizations, we have seen firsthand how they improve the community and impact the lives of individuals. We are compelled to give because we understand the mission and see the “return.”

This brings me to my last point. Corporate giving is not enough. Each and every Syracusan must think about personal giving. According to the U.S. Census, there are 111,737 people 18 or older in Syracuse, another 248,034 people in the surrounding areas of Onondaga County.

Given the current economic times, people often don’t feel they are in a position to “write a check” for a good cause. Therefore, I propose we begin to focus on the importance of “microgiving,” or small donations from everyone. If each of those 359,771 adults gave just 10 cents a day ($36.50 per year) to one of Syracuse’s nonprofits, collectively they would raise more than $12.5 million. Ten cents often represents the change one puts on the counter after grabbing a cup of coffee or a burger. What a difference this would make!

In that same light, there are about 35,000 businesses in Onondaga County. If each just gave $100 to a cause, we could raise another $3.5 million. “Microgiving” works, and every small donation helps.

In fact, small donations continue to play an increasing role in all campaigns. For OCC, the Reach Beyond campaign would not have been as successful without the small contributions from close to 1,000 donors who collectively contributed upwards of $500,000. There is no gift too small.

I hope everyone in Central New York makes it their New Year’s resolution to begin the practice of “microgiving” for the “macrobenefit” of our greater community.

Charities get last-minute boost from donors

2012-01-04T10:26:00.001-08:00

CNNMoney report -- Chalk it up to the holiday spirit -- or just smart tax planning -- but charitable giving is looking up this month.

Giving in December is already up 15% from 2010, according to the latest tally by Network for Good, a site that enables donors to contribute to more than 10,000 charities across the country. In November, donations rose 20% over the same month last year.

"This year looks a little better, but not back to pre-recession levels yet," said Katya Andresen, Network for Good's chief strategy officer.

But the best is yet to come. While one-third of all online giving for the year occurs in December, a whopping 22% happens in the last two days of the year, according to Network for Good's online giving study. That end-of-year rush can mainly be attributed to donors looking for some last-minute tax savings.

"It's traditional to think about charity in December and of course, it's the end of the tax year," Andresen said.

Still, with less than 48 hours left in the calendar year, it's unlikely this will be a substantially better year for charities after three years in a row of lackluster giving.

Largest donations of 2011
After sinking in 2008 and 2009, donations still lag far behind pre-recession levels. Total charitable contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations increased slightly in 2010 to $290.9 billion -- but remained below 2007's $310.6 billion, according to Giving USA, a foundation that tracks charitable contributions.

Although Geoffrey Brown, executive director of the organization, says it's still too early to say how 2011 will fare in comparison to last year, "giving is probably going to be flat, if anything," he noted.

Stagnant wage growth, high unemployment, Europe's debt crisis and uncertainty about the economy have weighed on donors, while the government has drawn down support substantially, explained Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy.

"This year was a little better than last year, but, of course, last year wasn't so good," he said.

In a survey by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, 54% of 152 organizations said they raised more money in November and during the first part of December than they had at the same time last year. Nearly 60% of charities predicted they would have an overall gain in donations in 2011, while 28% said donations would fall this year.

"This was a year in which there were certainly disasters both at home and abroad, but not at the scale that we have seen in the past," explained Stacy Palmer, editor of the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

"Even Japan giving was small, it was nothing like the crisis in Haiti," she said referring to the earthquake and tsunami that rocked the Asian nation in March.

Central NY Community Foundation Announces Special Grant Opportunity

2012-01-03T05:42:00.001-08:00

Nonprofit Organizations Invited to Enter The CNY85 Giving Project

The Central New York Community Foundation is excited to announce the opportunity for local nonprofit organizations to win an $8,500 grant in support of a program that addresses the region's greatest needs.

About The CNY85 Giving Project
In celebration of its 85-year anniversary, the Central New York Community Foundation will be hosting The CNY85 Giving Project - a grant competition based on public vote - that will run through 2012. Over the course of the year, The CNY85 Giving Project will award grants to four nonprofit organizations working to improve the quality of life in Central New York. The project that receives the most public votes through our website at the end of each quarter will receive $8,500.

How to Enter
Nonprofit organizations that serve Onondaga or Madison Counties are invited to enter The CNY85 Giving Projectonce during the 2012 calendar year. To view the full Rules & Guidelines and submit your project for consideration in the online public vote, visit www.cny85.org. You must submit your information during one of the four open application periods in January, April, July or October.

An organization can only submit one application during the year, so choose your quarter carefully!

We are currently accepting online entries for projects that promote vitality in Central New York through economic development, transportation, planning and/or environment work.

Calendar & Themes
The CNY85 Giving Project’s four project themes are based on the greatest needs of our community, as demonstrated by our collaborative community indicators project, CNYVitals. For more on the indicators, visit www.cnyvitals.org.

Round 1: Economic Development, Planning & Environment Projects
Entry: 01/01-01/31/12 - NOW ACCEPTING ENTRIES!
Voting: 03/01-03/31/12

Upcoming Rounds:
Round 2: Housing, Health & Human Service Projects
Entry: 04/01-04/30/2012
Voting: 06/01-06/30/12

Round 3: Education & Technology Projects
Entry: 07/01-07/31/2012
Voting: 09/01-09/30/12

Round 4: Arts, Culture, Recreation & Civic Engagement Projects
Entry: 10/01-10/31/2012
Voting: 12/01-12/31/12

Learn More and Enter Now!

2012 brings new focus for 40 Below

2011-12-19T12:26:00.001-08:00

The Syracuse Post-Standard reported about 40 Below:
They've never before put on a big concert, so the New Year's Eve party featuring Joe Driscoll at the Landmark Theatre represents a bold new splash for 40 Below, the seven-year-old Syracuse young professionals group.

That's not all that's new: Leaders say the organization will seek a permanent downtown presence in 2012, while charting a slightly altered course, based on the recognition that hard times have withered its demographic base.

"Six months ago, we saw 40 percent unemployment with young professionals in this community," said Benjamin M. Sio, manager at 40 Below. "We have all these students that are graduating from colleges and the universities in this area, but they're not staying here as much as they could be. .. Supporting them has become a main focus."

Formed in late 2004 after a high-profile summit attracted 600 people to the Oncenter, the nonprofit group has sought to stop or slow the exodus of young professionals from Central New York. It has a membership list of 3,000 but an active base of a few hundred volunteers, who work on projects ranging from building restorations to public art.

Next year, organizers hope to open a "co-working space" somewhere downtown. The space, a concept modeled in other cities, would host group functions and serve as a shared office location for members.

"We're gearing it as a place where individuals and professionals can come," said R.J. Sherman, a member of the location search committee. "If they don't have an office downtown, they can use it to meet with a customer or a client. We're looking to partition it, but also keep more of a modular space, so 40 Below can hold events there."

Sherman said the group has narrowed its search to a few places, based on the usual concerns: Location and expense. The group believes it has something else to bring a landlord.

"We're looking for a low-cost or no-cost kind of lease agreement, in exchange for bettering that space for the building owners and offering something for the community," said Ashlyn Maguire, a fellow committee member.

Since its launch, 40 Below has seen a relatively constant turnover of members, a situation described by its leadership as a natural consequence of the people it seeks to tap. By nature, young professionals are less settled and more prone to move between cities. The goal is to grow the Syracuse community and thus spur more young professionals to establish roots.

"People often first get involved as singles," Sio said. "They get married, they have kids, and they're not able to give 20 hours a week of volunteer time, as they did in the past. We're experienced in having people pass through. That's part of the organization. That's part of the nature of our leadership."

He said the Syracuse group, during its seven years, has run about 75 steering committees on various projects, and hosts a monthly series of speed networking sessions and speakers. The group receives grant money from CNY Works, a local nonprofit, which draws federal funds.

Sio said there is no age requirement for membership: Anyone can join -- even if 40 or above.

"We don't have a 'graduation,'" he said, with a smile.

Still, 2012 will have a commencement of sorts: The first-annual New Year's Eve BeLOW OUT party. Headlining will be Driscoll, a Syracuse native whose beatbox rap has gained an international following. A full house at the Landmark could generate $20,000 to $40,000 for the nonprofit, a huge boost to plans.

"We're really excited about it," Sio said. "We're hoping for a great year."

Community Foundation Awards $506,837 in Community Grants

2011-12-19T09:07:00.000-08:00

Syracuse, NY (December 19, 2011) - The Central New York Community Foundation awarded $506,837 in grants to 21 charitable organizations in Onondaga and Madison Counties from its unrestricted and field of interest funds.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse, in partnership with the Salvation Army, received $54,104 to deploy research-based teen services focused on youth development and job readiness skills at two Club locations.

CenterState CEO received $20,000 to assist in the production of the Metropolitan Business Plan in collaboration with the Brookings Institution and regional partners. The plan will address economic development and community revitalization, including concerns of low employment growth, high poverty rates in the center city and low median household income in the area.

CONTACT Community Services received $30,000 to furnish and purchase technology for its new headquarters, which will provide safe, accessible and comfortable rooms conducive to effective training of people with diverse learning styles and physical needs.

CORA Foundation received $5,000 to support In our View: A Community Perspective, a project that will recruit residents of Syracuse’s Northside neighborhood to become documentary photographers and tell their stories, culminating in an exhibition at the ArtRage Gallery.

Everson Museum received $50,000 to provide a catalog of exhibitions, educational programs and equipment for TONY2012, a community-wide biennial exhibition featuring local artists and partners.

Jewish Home of Central New York received $13,000 to implement the Project upBEAT program to build teamwork and lower stress among long-term caregivers. This grant was funded by the Carriage House Foundation Fund.

Madison Hall Association in Morrisville received $20,000 to enhance access to the building for special events and group gatherings. A number of improvements will be made, including a new staircase, lighting, and the installation of signage at the rear entrance.

Most Holy Rosary School received $2,673 to enhance its literacy program with the purchase of a leveled literacy intervention kit for third graders.

Oneida Community Mansion House received $20,000 for the restoration and painting of the building’s exterior. These improvements will prevent further deterioration, water leakage and damage to the interior of the building.

Open Hand Theater received $11,000 to partner with area communities and artists to design puppets and performances that showcase diversity.

PEACE, Inc. received $40,000 to conduct structural renovations on the DeFrancisco Eastwood Community Center, which houses senior services and other programs.

Prevention Network received $19,200 to expand its underage drinking prevention programming with the implementation of Honor the Code, aimed to reduce alcohol and drug use among high school athletes by offering public awareness, education and recognition about how important it is to follow their codes of conduct.

Syracuse City School District Adult Education received $40,000 to enhance the Points of Entry project by providing innovative supports and incentives that assist newly released justice center inmates with the transition to continuing education and vocational training.

Syracuse Academy of Science Charter School received $25,000 to upgrade the biology laboratory room which will help students in grades 8-12 expand their knowledge in zoology and environmental science. The space is also used for science and math fairs, Olympiads and other STEM competitions.

Syracuse Children’s Chorus received $15,000 in support of its Visions for Peace Spring Concert. The event is being designed in collaboration with Imagine Syracuse’s Young Musicians Project, and will bring together a diverse group of peers around the subject of peace.

Syracuse Stage received $34,900 to support the Arts Emerging education program, which will provide free tickets to the award-winning musical Caroline, or Change. Students will work with local musicians and artists to explore the impact of music on their cultural identity.

The Salvation Army received $31,710 to develop an effective anti-gang strategy for the Syracuse area on behalf of the Community Intervention Committee, which is a subcommittee of Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods and New York State’s Operation Impact Task Force. The collaborative project will include primary data collection, community perception research and the pooling of community resources.

Toomey Residential received $10,500 to renovate a bathroom in the Allen Street Agency Boarding Home, a youth foster care home accommodating teenage boys who have been separated from their families and community due to mental health or emotional difficulties.

Visions for Change received $45,000 to assist families in creating their own personal paths out of poverty by expanding the Circles program. The addition of a Circles Coach will assist more individuals in gaining financial stability by learning to take leadership roles in their lives and in their community.

YMCA of Greater Syracuse received $10,000 to expand the Downtown Writer’s Center programming, which provides new and established writers with the opportunity to take workshops, meet peers and encounter new writing on a regular basis.

YWCA Syracuse & Onondaga County received $9,750 to expand to an integrated online development and client tracking database. The database will be made available to other nonprofits in the community who are seeking to increase diversity on their boards.

The Central New York Community Foundation has served Central New York for 85 years, receiving, managing and distributing charitable funds for the benefit of nonprofit organizations. Grants are awarded for programs in the areas of human services, arts and culture, education, environment, health, economic development and civic affairs. The region’s largest endowed philanthropic foundation, the Central New York Community Foundation awards more than $5 million in grants to nonprofit organizations annually. The Community Foundation, of 431 East Fayette Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, can be reached at (315) 422-9538 or www.cnycf.org.

Central New York lands $103.7 million in state economic development money

2011-12-12T09:46:00.000-08:00

The Post-Standard reported that the region’s economic development officials got more than they hoped for from a trip to Albany Thursday, bringing home $103.7 million in state economic development funds.

Rob Simpson, president of CenterState CEO and co-chair of the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council, said he was “thrilled” with the announcement. Members of the council have been meeting since July hammering out a list of projects that they thought could best improve the region that includes Onondaga, Oswego, Cayuga, Madison and Cortland counties.

The council’s plan included 30 projects and requests for $40 million in state funding. The state delivered $63.7 million more, including $14 million to renovate apartments in Lysander.

The extra millions came as a surprise. Council members had heard there was more money available from other state sources, but didn’t know the other projects were going to be included Thursday, said Syracuse University Chancellor Nancy Cantor, co-chair of the CNYREDC.

The announcement came at an Albany ceremony capping a process Gov. Andrew Cuomo laid out earlier this year.

The state was divided into 10 regions with an economic development council for each. The councils reviewed projects and chose which to include in a plan. The separate regional plans were presented last month to a state committee that chose four as “best plan awardees.”

The North Country, Western New York and Long Island were chosen, along with Central New York, as the best.

Cuomo had said each of the winners would get $40 million while the remaining six regions would split $40 million between them.

Financial news host Maria Bartiromo, emcee for Thursday’s event, introduced videos for each region, then announced that each had been awarded millions in grants, far more than the $200 million Cuomo had talked of. In all, awards of $785 million were announced.

The money came from the $200 million in targeted regional money and from an additional $800 million in money for which companies, housing authorities, non-profits and others had filed state consolidated funding applications.

Good as the news was for Central New York, it appeared that not every project chosen by the local council received state funding. Five projects — including those that would have renovated the Abbott House in Aurora and assisted in expansions at Dupli Envelope and Graphics, Ephesus Technologies, Champlain Valley Specialty Food and Healthway Home Products — did not make the final list.

The Central New York Regional Economic Development Council's largest single money request is for more than $5 million to complete work at the CNY Biotechnology Research Center at the former Kennedy Square apartments.
“If the project is not on there, it means it isn’t funded,” said Austin Shafran, spokesman for Empire State Development. Shafran said regional technical factors could keep a project from getting funding, even it was part of a winning plan.

One factor was how quickly the project would yield new jobs. “We’re ready to create jobs in the short term, for the long term,” he said.

Among the projects that were backed by the regional council and did land funding were:

•3 million for work to the Syracuse’s Inner Harbor.
•$3 million to equip space at the Syracuse Center of Excellence.
•$1.95 million to continue work at the Central New York Biotechnology Research Center and the nearby land.
•$150,000 to build a demonstration greenhouse in Madison County.
•$994,000 to help expand a winery in Cazenovia.
•More than $4 million in support for a dairy cooperative’s plan to build a plant in Cayuga County.
•$349,000 for expansion at the Fulton Companies in Oswego Counties.

Projects that had not been announced before included $14 million — the largest single award in Central New York — to renovate 208 apartments at Greenway in Radisson.

Greenway Apartments rents to people who make less than 80 percent of the area’s median income. Many tenants make less than 60 percent, said Arthur Loomis, a consultant for Liberty Affordable Housing, a Rome-based non-profit taking control of the facility.

“It’s shovel ready,” Loomis said. “The complex, while in good shape, is tired and needs updating. It’s going to be like a brand-new project.” Improvements include new siding, windows and sidewalks, as well as renovated kitchens and bathrooms, Loomis said. Much of the infrastructure hasn’t been updated since the complex was built in the mid-1970s, he said. The residents’ income doesn’t make it possible to renovate extensively without public help, he said.

Renovations to Centerville Court Apartments in North Syracuse won $3,349,255 in state support while efforts to buy and renovate James Street Apartments in Syracuse got $9 million.

In Cayuga County, some $400,000 was announced for the Howland Stone Store Museum in the hamlet of Sherwood. That money is to restore “Opendore,” once home to the Howland family.

In Madison County, the state added $75,000 to provide emergency repairs to the homes of low-income, elderly residents.

In Oswego County, Grassman Energy was awarded $716,500 toward its efforts to begin design and manufacturing of wind turbines of the sort that can be seen at Carousel Center and atop the State University College at Oswego.

Before the winners were announced, Cuomo explained that the regional approach was part of a two-part effort to create jobs in New York.

The first part, he said, was improving the state’s image by improving the reality for business. That meant removing obstacles to job creation.

The second was giving the state’s region more say over what sort of development should be encouraged. “There is no single New York economy,” he said. “You know your strengths; you know your niche.”

Cuomo was joined at the ceremony by Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. The three said separately that they were so pleased with how the process worked that they had already agreed to fund a similar effort next year.

“Three minutes — I’ve never had as short a conversation to get anything done,” Cuomo said of the backstage discussion with Skelos and Silver.

Community Foundation Awards Sabbatical Grants

2011-12-01T06:42:00.000-08:00

December 1, 2011 – The Central New York Community Foundation has announced this year’s Marsellus Sabbatical grant recipients. The John F. Marsellus Sabbatical Program awards grants each year to nonprofit executives seeking personal and professional growth. The program provides executives with a stipend to research, study and reflect for a period of two or four weeks.

This year’s recipients are:

Kathleen Harter, Executive Director, Junior Achievement of Central New York. Kathleen will is the first recipient of the program’s two-week option and will attend a Women in the Woods program at The Sagamore in Raquette Lake, NY, and a professional development seminar, JA’s National Leadership Conference, at the Junior Achievement University.

“Participation in Junior Achievement’s National Leadership Conference will give JA of CNY new tools and information about the latest research in financial literacy skills and how best to deliver them to our students,” said Harter. “Working, as we do, to give children a bright future carries the weight of knowing how much there is to do and how much is at stake.”

Harter’s leadership has greatly benefited the Junior Achievement of CNY and allowed the organization to achieve its goals of increased students served, balance budgets with decreasing expenses, and new initiatives that serve the community. The organization has expanded its student service area from three to six counties in CNY.

“These accomplishments are good examples of the commitment and dedication Mrs. Harter has shown to Junior Achievement in the past eight years,” said Andrew Picco, Board Chair of Junior Achievement of Central New York. “We look forward to what she will accomplish in the future.”

Sally Roesch Wagner, Executive Director, Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation. Sally will take a Spirit Springs Retreat in Middletown, California and visit museums and exhibitions to gain ideas for the Gage Center.

“At the end of the month, the Board would like me to have for them a planning document outlining my vision for the staff and foundation based on my month’s reflection and learning,” Dr. Wagner said.

Wagner will visit the Skirball Museum, Getty Museum, and the Pacific Standard Time exhibitions.

“I extend my wholehearted support to the sabbatical of our Executive Director and Founder, Dr. Sally Roesch Wagner,” said Loretta Zolkowski, President of Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation Board of Directors. “Our future plans include official accrediting from the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, which will give our site international recognition and strongly enhance our tourism potential.”

The Marsellus Sabbatical program was created in 2000 to provide nonprofit executives with a unique opportunity for reflection, revitalization and growth. It was established in memory of the late John F. Marsellus, president and owner of the Syracuse-based Marsellus Casket Company for more than thirty years, to honor his commitment to enhancing the leadership capacity of nonprofit organizations in Central New York.

Applicants must have served in a management position of a nonprofit agency in Onondaga or Madison Counties for at least five consecutive years in order to qualify. Twenty three executives have participated in the program since its inception.

The Central New York Community Foundation has served Central New York for 85 years, receiving, managing and distributing charitable funds for the benefit of not-for-profit organizations. Grants are awarded for programs in the areas of human services, arts and culture, education, environment, health, economic development and civic affairs. The region’s largest endowed philanthropic foundation, the Central New York Community Foundation awards over $5 million in grants to not-for-profit organizations annually. The Community Foundation, of 431 East Fayette Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, can be reached at (315) 422-9538 or www.cnycf.org.

##

Charting a Decade of Online Donations

2011-11-30T12:41:00.001-08:00

Charting a Decade of Online Donations
November 23, 2011, 11:04 am
By Cody Switzer
Only 4 percent of donors had given online in 2001. This year, about 65 percent have given to charity through the Internet.

That’s one of the comparisons made in a new graphic from Network for Good, a fund-raising and volunteerism Web site that celebrates its 10th anniversary this month.

In 2001, the average donation through the site was $226. But this year the average gift is $73, a change that Network for Good interprets as a sign that online giving has “gone mainstream.”

Here’s the full graphic:

NY comptroller says late checks hurt nonprofits

2011-11-15T17:24:00.001-08:00

NY comptroller says late checks hurt nonprofits
Nov. 15, 2011, 3:01 a.m. EST
AP
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli says late contract approvals and payments by the state are hurting nonprofit providers and jeopardizing services.

DiNapoli says state agencies last year were on average six months late in approving nine out of 10 contracts valued at $50,000 or more, often after services were provided.

An analysis of the first half of 2011 shows nearly 90 percent of contracts approved by the comptroller were submitted late by state agencies.

DiNapoli says nonprofits operate on thin margins and provide basic services ranging from health care clinics to work programs, with 22,000 active grant contracts totaling $16.8 billion.

The nonprofit sector employed 1.25 million people statewide last year.

You can access the article by Clicking Here.

HSLC November 4th Meeting

2011-11-01T18:36:00.000-07:00

The next meeting of the Human Services Leadership Council will be

Friday, November 4, 2011
8:00 – 9:30 AM
United Way Building, Rosamond Gifford Conference Room, 518 James Street

Agenda:
Introductions and Announcements
Chair’s Update – Strategic Planning Next Steps…
Treasurer’s Update

Overview of New CNY Vitals Project – Frank Ridzi, CNY Community Foundation
CNY Vitals is a unique community indicators website developed by many partners dedicated to improving the quality of life for those who live and work in Central New York. The purpose of CNY Vitals is to provide timely, accurate data and information on the trends and issues facing Central New York’s residents. CNY Vitals will:

· Provide accurate, up to date data, benchmarks, trends and information across multiple indicator areas
· Activate diverse, multi-sector Indicator Teams
· Raise awareness of community assets, needs and challenges
· Inform citizens and leaders of community-wide plans, goals, and initiatives
· Build and support civic engagement, community partnerships and collaborative efforts
· Provide access points to other regional dashboards and plans
· Maximize our regional competitive edge and assist in creating shared goals
· Provide a mechanism for accountability for policy makers and the community

Update on Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s Leadership Committee on Nonprofit Revitalization – Peter Dunn, CNY Community Foundation

The task force is charged with presenting a series of recommendations to reduce the regulatory burdens and costs for nonprofits while strengthening accountability.

Thanks to Frank Lazarski for agreeing to take care of refreshments for this meeting. I look forward to seeing you!

Randi

Randi K. Bregman
Executive Director
Vera House, Inc.
6181 Thompson Road, Suite 100
Syracuse, New York 13206
(315) 425-0818 ex. 204
www.verahouse.org
24 hour support lines
(315) 468-3260/ (315) 422-7273

Nonprofit Knowledge Matters | Protecting the Charitable Giving Incentive

2011-10-28T10:19:00.001-07:00

Protect the Charitable Giving Incentive

Using Our Outside Voices in the House … and in the Senate

Nonprofits are not used to raising our voices. We teach others to use their “indoor voices,” and we mediate disputes so others won’t yell in anger. We heal the wounded, silently. We feed the hungry, quietly. At times we play loud music and paint loud colors on canvases. But you get the picture: we are not used to yelling.

Recently Tim Delaney, President and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, was in Georgia, Montana, and New York, encouraging nonprofits to raise their voices -- literally. In rooms filled with nonprofit leaders attending major conferences, he designated half the room the loud "Yes” crowd, and the other half the “Nos.” Tim then pointed to one side – “YES” came the refrain; then to the other side and louder “NOs” reverberated. After a few volleys, the friendly competition could be measured in deafening decibels. Tim then instructed the “Yes” side to remain silent – they weren’t allowed to use their voices. After a couple more volleys of loud “NOs” that were met with silence, Tim noted what policymakers hear: silence from the majority who are too busy and too unsure, versus resounding and unmatched “NOs” from the vocal opposition. Each time the “No!” voices boomed against the silence, members of the audience grasped the danger of remaining silent.

Silence is the nonprofit sector’s worst enemy. If nonprofits don’t raise our voices, we are powerless. Right now, it’s urgent that all nonprofits speak up.

The charitable giving incentive is at risk.
Congress is considering, on a tight timeline, how to reduce the deficit by at least $1.2 trillion. Slashing the deficit by that much guarantees that every option to save money will be on the table, without much thought as to the consequences – unless the downside is abundantly clear. The National Council – and so far, more than 20 other national organizations and 2,800 community-based nonprofits across America – think it is abundantly clear that if the Supercommittee recommends elimination of the charitable giving incentive, then individuals and communities served by nonprofits will suffer.

Raise your voice now!
Sign on to the Nonprofit Community Letter to protect the charitable giving incentive.
See which nonprofits in your state have already signed on.
Learn more about the charitable giving incentive.
Spread the word! Tweet:  The #charitable giving incentive that supports #nonprofits is at risk! Take action now to protect it. bit.ly/olnPHp (via @NatlCouncilNPs) or #Nonprofits, tell the #supercommittee not to change the #charitable #giving incentive http://bit.ly/rZcH5q #takeaction (via @NatlCouncilNPs)
Advocacy by nonprofits is legal – and needed.
Join your State Association to keep informed about capacity building and policy issues that impact all nonprofits.

October 25th Board Responsibilities: How Boards Add Value

2011-10-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

The nonprofit board’s job is to ensure that the organization sets appropriate, forward-facing goals consistent with its mission. Boards help an organization develop the capacity to meet these goals, make policy decisions, and work to successfully translate these decisions into practice and results. What must a board know and do in order to fulfill its responsibilities?

Due to limited space, this session is open to executive directors and board members of nonprofit organizations. Ideally, executive directors and board chairs would attend together.

Featuring:

Gwen Webber-McLeod and Carol Love

Gwen Inc. Leadership Development Consulting

October 25, 2011
9:00 am to 12:00 noon

Cost: $30 per person

Central New York Philanthropy Center
431 East Fayette Street
Syracuse, NY 13202

You will learn about:

general board development
legal and fiscal responsibilities of boards
the board’s role in planning for the future
the relationship between the board and the CEO/ED
the board's role as an advisor and ambassador
strategies for developing and monitoring key result areas

Register Here

CNY Community Foundation Received 4-Star Rating

2011-10-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

Syracuse, NY (October 17, 2011) – The Central New York Community Foundation received a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator for sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency. Charity Navigator is one of America’s largest and most-utilized independent evaluators of charities.

Charity Navigator helps charitable givers make sound decisions by providing information on over five thousand charities and evaluating the financial health of each of the charities. The goal is to provide donors with essential information needed to give them greater confidence in the charitable choices they make.

Charity Navigator uses financial information to analyze an organization’s performance in seven categories including organizational efficiency, organizational capacity, and overall financial health. The scores are than compared among organizations to assign a rating of one to four stars. Four stars, the highest rating, is defined as “Exceptional…Exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its Cause.” Approximately one quarter of the charities that are evaluated receive a 4-star rating.

To find out more about the Community Foundation’s rating, visit:
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=5032

The Central New York Community Foundation has served Central New York for over 80 years, receiving, managing and distributing charitable funds for the benefit of nonprofit organizations. Grants are awarded for programs in the areas of human services, arts and culture, education, environment, health, economic development and civic affairs. The region’s largest endowed philanthropic foundation, the Central New York Community Foundation awards more than $5 million in grants to nonprofit organizations annually. The Community Foundation, of 431 East Fayette Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, can be reached at (315) 422-9538 or www.cnycf.org.

New NLRB Poster Requirement - new effective date of the rule is Jan. 31, 2012.

2011-10-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

New NLRB Poster Requirement : new effective date of the rule is Jan. 31, 2012.

Below is information about the new National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) required poster describing employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act.
The National Labor Relations Board has postponed the implementation date for its new notice-posting rule by more than two months. The new effective date of the rule is Jan. 31, 2012.
The Board’s jurisdiction extends to most small business owners. However, some very small employers whose annual volume of business is not large enough to have more than a slight effect on interstate commerce are exempted. In the case of retail businesses, including home construction, the Board’s jurisdiction covers any employer with a gross annual volume of business of $500,000 or more. The Board’s non-retail jurisdictional standard applies to most other employers. It is based on the amount of goods sold or services provided by the employer out of state (called “outflow”) or goods or services purchased by the employer from out of state (called “inflow”), even indirectly. Under this standard, the Board will take jurisdiction over an employer with an annual inflow or outflow of at least $50,000. See “Frequently Asked Question” Link below for more details about the Board’s jurisdiction standards.
A workplace poster that describes employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act is now available for free download from the NLRB website at www.nlrb.gov/poster
Private-sector employers within the NLRB’s jurisdiction will be required to display the poster where other workplace notices are posted. The National Labor Relations Board has postponed the implementation date for its new notice-posting rule by more than two months in order to allow for enhanced education and outreach to employers, particularly those who operate small and medium sized businesses. The new effective date of the rule is Jan. 31, 2012. The decision to extend the rollout period followed queries from businesses and trade organizations indicating uncertainty about which businesses fall under the Board’s jurisdiction, and was made in the interest of ensuring broad voluntary compliance. No other changes in the rule, or in the form or content of the notice, will be made. Employers who customarily post personnel rules or policies on an internet or intranet site must also provide a link to the rights poster from those sites. In addition, copies of the Notice will soon be available without charge from any NLRB regional office.
For further information about the posting, including a detailed discussion of which employers are covered by the NLRA, and what to do if a substantial share of the workplace speaks a language other than English, please see our Frequently Asked Questions. . For questions that do not appear on the list, or to arrange for an NLRB presentation on the rule, please contact the agency at questions@nlrb.gov or 866-667-NLRB.

Voluntary Compliance Program announced by IRS to address worker misclassification

2011-10-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

Information for your members: You may have seen that in late September the IRS announced a voluntary compliance program for employers (including nonprofit employers) to enable those who have mistakenly classified workers as independent contractors to make a correction, along with a modest payment, and avoid the usual penalties of noncompliance. This program’s announcement offers an opportunity to remind nonprofits about the risk of misclassification and share information with them about the voluntary compliance program. See the National Council’s website materials on this topic.

Here is the text of the IRS announcement about the voluntary compliance program (from the IRS’s EO Update circulated on October 4):

“The IRS has launched a new program that will enable many employers, including tax-exempt employers, to resolve past worker classification issues and come back into compliance by making a minimal payment covering past payroll tax obligations rather than waiting for an IRS audit. To be eligible for the new Voluntary Classification Settlement Program an applicant must:

Consistently have treated the workers as nonemployees in the past

Filed all required Forms 1099 for the workers for the previous three years

Not currently be under audit by the IRS, Department of Labor or a state agency concerning the classification of these workers.

Full details, including FAQs, will be available on the Employment Tax Pages of IRS.gov and in Announcement 2011-64.”

Community Foundation Awards $302,495 in Community Grants

2011-09-30T09:14:00.000-07:00

The Central New York Community Foundation awarded $302,495 in grants to twelve charitable organizations in Onondaga and Madison Counties from its unrestricted and field of interest funds.

Child Care Solutions received $8,410 to create a business plan for its education and training services offered to child care professionals.

Chittenango Central School received $4,285 to purchase and implement Caring School Community, a character education curriculum at Bridgeport Elementary. The program will teach empathy, respect and personal responsibility to children in grades K-5.

CNY Works received $25,000 to partner with Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union to bring financial capability training and counseling to low-income and under-employed workers. The program will teach money management concepts and planning for the future with the goal of achieving financial stability.

County North Children’s Center received $29,000 to enhance quality of care for young children through implementation of the Pyramid Model for early childhood development. Trainings will provide families, teachers and therapists with techniques that promote developmentally and culturally appropriate expectations, inclusive practices and support for challenging behaviors.

Friends of CanTeen received $34,000 to complete renovations to CanTeen’s new permanent home in Cicero. The house serves as a safe, supervised place for young adults to go after school, encouraging them away from risky behaviors.

Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park received $100,000 to enhance the Asian Elephant Preserve with a new elephant pool, signage and stadium seating for visitors.

Jim Marshall Farms Foundation received $5,000 to build a barn for equipment used to maintain the Farm, which offers therapy, exercise, workshops and support for individuals suffering from mental illness or physical disabilities.

Madison County Health Department received $7,800 to produce and distribute maps of Madison County trails to promote active lifestyles, tourism and local businesses.

Planned Parenthood - Rochester/Syracuse Region received $10,000 to implement security enhancements at its Syracuse Health Center location.

Southside Community Coalition received $30,000 to establish the South Side Food Cooperative on South Salina Street, in an area where affordable, healthy foods are hard to find.

Southside Innovation Center received $21,500 to implement the Women of Faith in Business program, which utilizes the faith-based organizations and networks that exist on the South Side of Syracuse to build entrepreneurship and business skills in area residents.

Spanish Action League received $27,500 to expand medical interpretation and translation services and cultural sensitively training within the mental health field.

The Central New York Community Foundation has served Central New York for over 80 years, receiving, managing and distributing charitable funds for the benefit of nonprofit organizations. Grants are awarded for programs in the areas of human services, arts and culture, education, environment, health, economic development and civic affairs. The region’s largest endowed philanthropic foundation, the Central New York Community Foundation awards more than $5 million in grants to nonprofit organizations annually. The Community Foundation, of 431 East Fayette Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, can be reached at (315) 422-9538 or www.cnycf.org.

###

High Peaks Resort offers opportunity for non-profits to raise money

2011-09-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

High Peaks Resort Announces ‘Spring For Hope’

- Unprecedented Assistance for Non-Profit Organizations -

LAKE PLACID (Sept. 6, 2011) – High Peaks Resort in Lake Placid is seeking applications for its Spring For Hope℠ initiative, an opportunity for non-profit organizations to be awarded free use of meeting space, accommodations, and more at the beautiful Adirondacks resort.

This unprecedented opportunity will allow two non-profit organizations to each receive free use of the entire resort for three days during April 8 to 18, 2012. Included are two nights’ accommodations (up to 133 rooms), free meeting space (up to 10,000 square feet), free audiovisual and support services, and 50 percent off all related catering. The application deadline is midnight, October 15, 2011, and winners will be announced in mid-November.

“In these difficult times, it is important to give back to our community. By helping those who help others year round, we felt we could have the greatest impact,“ said Bill DeForrest, CEO and President of Lane Hospitality, owner of High Peaks Resort.

“The quality of life in our community is directly impacted by our active non-profits. ‘Spring for Hope’ isn’t just a way to recognize them, but by providing High Peaks Resort free of charge, we can add our support and hopefully increase the good they do,” added Truett Martin, Vice President of Operations and acting General Manager of High Peaks Resort.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for the winning organizations to do whatever they want with our gift – from holding a fundraiser, offering a thank you trip to staff and volunteers, to planning an annual meeting, seminar or retreat,” Martin said.

Spring For Hope is open to all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations actively engaged in fundraising for their organization. Participants will be judged by a panel of community leaders on their success and impact in benefiting the communities they serve.

High Peaks Resort offers the Adirondacks’ newest and most business-focused conference facilities with expansive meeting space and the latest in conference-support technology. Located in the heart of Lake Placid, overlooking Mirror Lake and steps from historic Main Street, the entire resort will be made available to the winning non-profits.

Click Here To Apply

Eligible non-profits can apply for consideration by visiting www.springforhope.net and completing the app lication and other requirements. For submissions, questions or other inquiries, email the application and paperwork tolfitzgerald@highpeaksresort.com with “Spring For Hope” in the subject line; or write Spring For Hope, High Peaks Resort, 2384 Saranac Ave, Lake Placid, NY 12946; or fax to 518-523-9908, or call Lori Fitzgerald at 518-523-4411, ext. 361.

About The High Peaks Resort

High Peaks Resort overlooks Mirror Lake while anchoring Lake Placid’s Main Street for an outstanding mountain getaway experience. Surrounded by the six-million-acre Adirondack wilderness park with thousands of miles of trails for hiking and biking, and hundreds of lakes for fishing, High Peak’s 133 beautiful accommodations offer direct waterfront access. Restaurants include the world-famous Dancing Bears and Outdoors at Dancing Bears - with unsurpassed views of the surrounding mountains and Mirror Lake. Other amenities include PR’s intimate lobby bar; two indoor and two outdoor swimming pools; expanded fitness center; Aveda Spa & Salon, and complimentary waterfront activities. Guestrooms feature breathtaking views, patios or balconies; European-style bathrooms with natural stone tiling and rainfall showerheads; high-quality bedding and linens; refrigerators; flat screen televisions with cable and movies; complimentary Wi-Fi, and multi-function music systems with MP3 players. For reservations, visit www.highpeaksresort.com or call 518-523-4411, toll-free800-755-5598.

The Kauffman Series at Le Moyne College Fall, 2011 Seminars for Not for Profit Leadership

2011-09-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

Real Collaboration: Learning from the For Profits
The mention of the need for collaboration can generate a wide range of responses from complete dread to wild expectations, often depending on where we stand when the idea emerges. Real collaboration, however, has become a necessary mode of operation in most effective corporate ventures. In this workshop we will look at examples of corporate collaboration between partners and even between competitors and engage in a conversation about both the potential benefits and threats from collaboration among non-profits and between corporations and non-profits. To motivate our creative energies, the workshop will begin with a fun business simulation exercise.
This session will be of particular value to those in strategic roles within the organization.
Ron Wright, PhD is the Michael Madden Professor of Business at Le Moyne College.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011, 8:00 – 11:30 (8:00 Breakfast, 8:30 program)
Location: The Reilly Room, Le Moyne College

Skills for Difficult Conversations
What is a hard or difficult conversation? Examples are fairly endless, and include asking a boss for a raise, giving feedback to someone about poor work performance or a work-place behavior that needs changing, or confronting a family member over a sensitive issue. Drawing upon several disciplines and models, David McCallum, S.J. will lead us through an approach for gaining greater insight into ourselves, understanding others and developing effective strategies for difficult conversations. David will present a framework for “Inquiry” which looks at interpretations, feelings, facts, intentions, differences, defensiveness and resistances. He will also present a communication practice that can create greater mutuality, effectiveness, and even transformation through conversation. The intention of this brief yet high impact workshop is to offer practices and skills that can help us grow in our capacity for the difficult conversations in work and life.
David McCallum S.J. is an assistant professor of Leadership and Management and the Director of Mission and Identity at Le Moyne College.
Friday, October 28, 2011, 9:00 – 12:00* (9:00 Breakfast, 9:30 Program)
*Please note that this session starts one hour later than our “usual” time!

Espresso and Herbal Tea
This session is based on the simple idea that there is something particularly urgent about this point in human history. Recent events suggest that an increasingly turbulent "white water" of managerial life requires strategies that balance both decisive action and quiet reflection.
Renée Downey Hart and Dan Orne invite you to explore your options. Managers must deliberately avoid the thoughtless alternatives of "action-without-reflection” (a diet of espresso only) and "reflection-without action" (a diet of herbal tea only) and embrace a life filled with "reflection-in-and-on-action" (a balanced diet of espresso and herbal tea.) We hope to identify and build sustainable life habits that are the foundation of a healthy balance between action and reflection.
Dan Orne, PhD is an Associate Professor of Business Administration at Le Moyne College.
Renée Downey Hart, PhD is a visiting Assistant Professor of Business Administration at Le Moyne College.

December, 2011 (final date to be announced!)

All sessions will be held at Le Moyne College.
• Directions, parking information and locations will be sent with your confirmation the week before the event.
• Continental breakfast will be served
• Fees: $15 per person, per session, payable at the door.
• Checks may be made payable to Le Moyne College.

To register for these events, please send an email with your name, organization and phone number to Renée Downey Hart, downeyrv@lemoyne.edu.

Questions? More information? Renée Downey Hart, 315.445.4485; downeyrv@lemoyne.edu

40 Below Update

2011-09-11T20:53:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Events

40 Below Speed Networking!
Wednesday, September 21st, from 5:30pm-7:30pm
Hotel Skyler (601 S. Crouse Ave, Syracuse, NY 13210)

Join us for this BRAND NEW event! Speed Networking will occur every other month at different locations in the Syracuse area. Come mingle with your fellow 40 Belowers and other community members-- you never know who you might meet!

Syracuse University Local Internship Fair!
Wednesday, September 21st, from 11:00pm-2:00pm
Tents on the SU quad (Syracuse University)
Earlier that day, 40 Below will have a table at the fair to recruit new members and show the community how to get involved with our organization!

40 Below New Year's Eve Party!
Saturday, December 31st
Time and Location TBD

That's right, come celebrate the new year-- 40 Below style! We're still sorting out the logistics, but what better way to spend the end of a successful year than with 40 Below?! More details to follow.

Task Force Meetings
Public Arts Task Force (PATF): First Thursday of every month at 5:30pm, Everson Museum

"It's All Here!" Marketing and Communications Force: Third Thursday of every month at 5:30pm, various locations

Civic Engagement Task Force: First Monday of every month at 5:30pm, various locations

If you'd like to get involved with any of our task forces, please e-mail Andrea Bianchi at abianchi@centerstateceo.com for more information.

ALL ARE WELCOME! WE'D LOVE TO MEET YOU!

Outgoing Leaders
Lastly, we'd like to wish a warm farewell to Elizabeth Ruscitto. Thank you for all your hard work and best of luck to you!

Employment Summit Survey

2011-09-11T19:37:00.001-07:00

Please complete the following survey by 9/16/2011 if you are interested in employment services and supports in our community. Click on the link below!

The 1st Annual Onondaga Employment Summit is asking for your input in planning sessions for the conference. This conference is unique in that it is intended to be a kick off for future discussions and planning in the community around increasing employment for underserved populations, including people in poverty and people with disabilities. The summit is scheduled for November 10th, 2011 at the Crowne Plaza in Syracuse NY. Thank you for your input and participation. Save the Date!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/employmentsummit

Scott Ebner
Mental Health Vocational Coordinator
Associate Executive Director
Onondaga Case Management Services Inc.
ph. 315-472-7363
fax 315-472-0084

WSJ Article on Governor's Charity Compensation Probe

2011-09-11T19:25:00.001-07:00

WSJ.com reported that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's probe of executive pay at nonprofits is bumping up against some of the state's best-known charities with strong ties to the most powerful people in Albany, including the speaker of the Assembly and the governor himself.

Two weeks ago, a state task force named by Mr. Cuomo began asking nonprofits to submit detailed information to the Cuomo administration about their executive pay levels and compensation policies. The task force said it is collecting information on a rolling basis from all nonprofits that receive funding from the state.

But one nonprofit that had not received a request by Wednesday is HELP USA, a homeless housing group founded by Mr. Cuomo in the 1980s. The governor's sister, Maria Cuomo Cole, is the group's chairperson, and its board of directors includes Mr. Cuomo's campaign treasurer Richard Sirota and Jeffrey Sachs, one of his closest health-care advisers, according to HELP's website.

HELP operates homeless shelters and develops low-income housing around the nation and gets most of its $71 million budget from federal, state and city contracts and grants, according to its tax filings.

The nonprofit paid its chief executive, Laurence Belinsky, $546,000 in 2008—including a $157,000 bonus—and $508,000 in 2009, according to IRS filings. His salary is more than 40% higher than the median salary of chief executives of nonprofits based in the Northeast with operating budgets of more than $13 million, according to Charity Navigator, a prominent charity database.

Mr. Belinsky couldn't be reached for comment.

Another powerful group that hasn't received a letter is the Greater New York Hospital Association, which represents many Medicaid-dependent hospitals in the city region and pays its chief executive $2 million a year, according to tax filings.

After a reporter inquired about the status of data requests to HELP and the hospital association, a state official said on Thursday that the task force had mailed letters to the groups.

Meanwhile, one of the first groups to get the request was the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, a social service group run by William Rapfogel, the husband of the chief of staff to Democratic Assembly speaker, Sheldon Silver. Mr. Rapfogel received a $435,000 pay package in 2009, tax filings show.

A spokesman for the taskforce said all nonprofits that receive government money would eventually receive a request for information.

"There are thousands of not-for-profits that we are looking at, so we are sending the letters in waves on a rolling basis," said the spokesman.

Susan Lerner, the executive director of Common Cause, which advocates for transparent government, said the governor's investigation would be successful only if all charities are treated equally.

"You need an objective standard by which to judge what is or is not excessive compensation. Where are we headed with this?" Ms. Lerner said.

Jeff Stonecash, a Syracuse University political science professor, said Mr. Cuomo's probe was treading on politically sensitive ground. "There are some pitfalls here, but there's a lot of gain if he can get the right headlines," he said.

Josh Vlasto, a spokesman for Mr. Cuomo, said the investigation would be fair.

"Politics never got in the way of investigations before, and it won't now. If you think otherwise, just ask Pedro Espada," Mr. Vlasto said, referring to the former Democratic Bronx state senator whom Mr. Cuomo investigated while attorney general.

Mr. Cuomo's investigative foray into state-subsidized charities has been the object of much interest and anxiety around the nonprofit world. The governor has promised a wide-ranging review, an undertaking that could be handled by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, whose office regulates charities.

The governor has been praised for drawing more attention to nonprofit executive pay as it has stretched deeper into six and seven figures. But, depending on how Mr. Cuomo navigates those loyalties and rivalries within the nonprofit world, the task force also carries political risk.

"I can't see that he isn't smart enough or ethical enough to see that it would be problematic to target only organizations with whom he has no connection," said Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, a Lower Manhattan Democrat who introduced a bill this year to limit compensation for hospital executives.

Mr. Cuomo assembled the task force in early August in the wake of a New York Times article that scrutinized the executive compensation of a Medicaid-financed nonprofit group that reportedly paid two of its top executives close to $1 million a year. He put two of his most trusted aides on the task force, Financial Services superintendent Benjamin Lawsky and State Inspector General Ellen Biben.

But the inquiry's goal hasn't been defined. The task force may hold hearings and issue a report, leading to potential regulatory changes and legislation.

comm.UNITY will be holding two forums on Tuesday September 6th from 5:00-6:30 PM and Wednesday September 7th from 9:00-10:30 AM

2011-09-01T06:25:00.001-07:00

Communication can be rough. That’s why we’re here.

Tuesday, September 6 5 - 6:30 pm
or Wednesday, September 7 9 - 10:30 am
Gifford Community Room, United Way, 518 James Street
Please RSVP by Friday, September 2 to commrelations@gmail.com

We understand that with constant changes in technology and the demands of running a nonprofit on a limited budget in a tough economy, it’s hard to keep up. That’s why we’re here to help.

comm.UNITY is Syracuse University’s student-run organization of over 50 dedicated members with different communication specialties. Our mission is to help local nonprofits create and implement sustainable communications plans. Websites, brochures, promotional videos, newsletters, fundraising posters- our team can pretty much do it all!

It is our pleasure to invite you to our 4th annual comm.UNITY forum to find out how we can help you overcome your unique communication challenges and charge ahead with your nonprofit’s mission.
visit us at http://comm.unity.syr.edu

Community Foundation Expanding Nonprofit Executive Sabbatical Program

2011-08-30T10:18:00.001-07:00

August 30, 2011 – The Central New York Community Foundation has enhanced the offerings available to those who apply for the John F. Marsellus Sabbatical. The Sabbatical program, which traditionally awards grants exclusively toward four-week sabbaticals for nonprofit executive directors and senior management staff in Onondaga and Madison Counties, is now offering an abridged two-week program as well.

The new two-week sabbatical offering was introduced as a result of responses received when nonprofit executives were surveyed on their preferences for a sabbatical program. The four- and two- week options both allow time for personal reflection and professional development.

The Central New York Community Foundation invites executive directors and senior management staff of nonprofit organizations in Onondaga and Madison counties to apply for either a four- or two-week sabbatical by October 31, 2011. Applicants must have served in a senior management position of a nonprofit organization in Onondaga or Madison counties for at least five consecutive years and have the approval of the board of directors of their agency. The application guidelines can be viewed on the Community Foundation’s web site at www.cnycf.org/grants or may be obtained by calling the Community Foundation at (315) 422-9538.

This annual grant was established in 2000 in memory of John F. Marsellus, who wished to enhance the leadership capacity of nonprofit executives in Central New York by underwriting a month-long opportunity for personal and professional reflection and development.

The Central New York Community Foundation has served Central New York for over 80 years, receiving, managing and distributing charitable funds for the benefit of nonprofit organizations. Grants are awarded for programs in the areas of human services, arts and culture, education, environment, health, economic development and civic affairs. The region’s largest endowed philanthropic foundation, the Central New York Community Foundation awards more than $5 million in grants to nonprofit organizations annually. The Community Foundation, of 431 East Fayette Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, can be reached at (315) 422-9538 or www.cnycf.org.

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FREE Sessions: Basic Accounting for Nonprofits

2011-08-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

Announcing...
SCORE: Basic Accounting for Nonprofits

This basic accounting workshop facillitated by Syracuse SCORE is designed specifically for nonprofit organizations.Three two-hour sessions will cover accounting basics and will teach you how to manage the numbers. Attendees should plan on taking part in all three sessions. Due to limited space, we ask that only one representative from each organization attend (perhaps an individual with finance-related responsibilities within your organization or a board member). Click the button below to register!

Sessions will include:

An Overview of Basic Accounting: What is it? How does it work? Including definitions of terms and a simplified approach.
The Basics of Successful Accounting: How to make accounting work for your organization.
An Overview and Review of Financial Statements: Learn how and why common accounting reports exist, and how to use them to better understand your organization.

REGISTER HERE

SESSION DATES AND TIMES
Tuesday September 27th, 8:00- 10:00 AM
Tuesday October 4th, 8:00- 10:00 AM
Tuesday October 11th, 8:00- 10:00 AM

Attachment Seminar 9/30-10/1

2011-08-22T10:21:00.000-07:00

SEPTEMBER 30 & OCTOBER 1 2011
ATTACHMENT SEMINAR
SPONSORED BY IACAF, INC, JOWONIO, DAVID FALK COLLEGE OF SPORTS & HUMAN DYNAMICS, FCC CNY
GOLDSTEIN CENTER - SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

Lark Eshleman, Ph.D.
Enhanching Attachments: Parent and Professional Skill-Building for Healthier Children and Families

Register by 9/15 to receive complimentary, signed copy of Dr. Eshleman’s book, "Becoming a Family: Promoting Healthy Attachments with Your Adopted Child"

On-line registration at www.attachment-seminar.eventbrite.com
** Continuing Education Credits will be available at the seminars**

Friday - September 30
8:30 – 9:00 Registration
9:00 – 10:30 Current brain-based research on attachment and trauma, sensory dysfunction and other “interrupted” developmental processes
10:45 – 12:00 Matching practice and neurological understandings: Narrative, Theraplay, EEG Biofeedback, EMDR, in the STAT™ model
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch (on your own)
1:00 – 2:30: Resistant behaviors and how to work therapeutically for best results
2:45 – 4:00: Practical ways for parenting and therapy to complement each other; Working with schools and other professionals to support healing
4:00 – 4:30 Q & A

Saturday - October 1
8:30 – 9:00 Registration
9:00 – 10:30 What is attachment insecurity, attachment disorder, and does my child experience either?
10:45 – 12:00 Why does “traditional parenting” not work, and what to do instead
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch (on your own)
1:00 – 2:30 Hands-on approaches to parenting, let’s try it!
2:45 – 4:00 I am not alone! Working with mental health, school, and other professionals to become a healthy team
4:00 – 4:30 Q & A

Michael Gilbert, Psy.D.
Director
It's About Childhood & Family, Inc.
315.382.0541
www.iacaf.org

Syracuse's 40 Below revamps its organizational structure

2011-08-22T09:49:00.000-07:00

Syacuse.com reported an “organizational redesign process” is bringing sweeping changes for the Syracuse-based young professionals group 40 Below.

The changes include 11 new steering committee members and two additional paid staff members, whose salaries are being paid from a grant through CNY Works, a local nonprofit that receives federal funding, according to Ben Sio, manager of 40 Below.

“It is a reorganization in terms of staff and leadership,” Sio said. “We have it all almost completely in place. We just need a treasurer.”

The two new full-time staff members were hired to “develop new ventures to serve the young demographic professional,” according to 40 Below. They are Ashley Aurilio, who recently graduated from SUNY Cortland, who was named marketing and communications assistant, and Andrea Bianchi, a recent graduate of Binghamton University, who was named task force liaison.

The 40 Below steering committee also recently elected Stephanie Crockett as the new chairwoman. Crockett is a management supervisor at Eric Mower and Associates.

Sio said the leadership of 40 Below, which promotes Central New York as a place to live and work and has 2,500 members, has been planning the reorganization since March.

Several openings were created on the steering committee as people left the group and one-year terms expired, said Sio. The group decided to replace most of the steering committee before fall.

“We felt we should use this time to reorganize, get some new energy and new blood,” said Sio. “We realized at that time the organization needed to refresh itself to do as much as it can for 40 Below.”

The organization promotes civic engagement, public arts and regional marketing.

“We’ve always prided ourselves on having a tangible impact on the community,” said Sio.

The new steering committee members of 40 Below include:

• Brian Balash, a sales agent at Pyramid Brokerage Co. Inc.

• Brenda Cannizzaro, marketing support coordinator for Foundation for Upstate Medical University.

• Micha Crook, registration assistant for the Syracuse Convention and Visitors Bureau and co-founder of Monthly Adventures Productions.

• Lauren Crossett, a financial services professional at Central New York Agency LLC.

• Ryan Goodfellow, a leasing and sales representative at JF Real Estate.

• Aaron Gould, a student at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

• Ashlyn Maguire, a licensed commercial property and casualty broker at First Niagara Risk Management.

• Steven Marshall, a lawyer with Harris Beach.

• Todd Pinsky, a lawyer with Pinsky & Skandalis.

• Madison Quinn, program coordinator for Onondaga County’s Save the Rain Program.

• Ronald Tascarella, an associate relationship manager and banking officer at M&T Bank.

What is your vision of Central New York’s future?

2011-08-18T13:58:00.000-07:00

Share your ideas at an Open Forum
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
from 6 to 8 pm at Le Moyne College
Campus Center
Syracuse, New York

All are invited for open discussion of the draft vision statement posted at:
http://nyworks.ny.gov/content/central-new-york.
This vision is derived from the five counties in the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council: Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga, and Oswego counties. Copies will also be available at the event.

The event is hosted by the Le Moyne College Office of the President in partnership with the
CNY Regional Economic Development Council. For directions and/or more information,
please call 315-445-4255.

Central New York Regional Economic
Development Council

Reminder-- Meet the Foundations September 8th

2011-08-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

Join the Gifford Foundation, Community Health Foundation of Central and Western New York, John Ben Snow Foundation and Central New York Community Foundation to discuss foundation funding and priorities in a facilitated, interactive format.

Reminder! If you haven't yet attended
Meet the Foundations 2011...

Our final session of the year will be taking place on September 8th, 2011.

Join the Gifford Foundation, Community Health Foundation of Central and Western New York, John Ben Snow Foundation and Central New York Community Foundation on September 8th, 2011 from 8:00 to 10:30 AM to discuss foundation funding and priorities in a facilitated, interactive format. Please note that:
The content of this session will be similar to previous sessions, so there is no need to attend more than once. Due to limited space, a maximum of two representatives from each organization should attend.

REGISTER HERE

Attendees will:
Learn more about each of the featured funders
Acquire a better understanding of each funders’ strategic approach to grantmaking
Network with others in the local nonprofit community

REFRESHMENTS
Continental breakfast will be provided.

LOCATION
Central New York Philanthropy Center
431 East Fayette Street
Syracuse, NY 13202

PARKING INSTRUCTIONS
There is limited parking available in the Philanthropy Center parking lot.
There is street parking on East Fayette, East Washington and Genesee Streets.
A Murbro surface lot is located within a block of the building; you may enter on East Washington Street, next to Jazz Central. A covered parking garage is located at 300 East Fayette Street.
Please DO NOT park in the lot in front of Joseph’s at the Carriage House (adjacent to the Philanthropy Center).

Governor Orders Review of Executive Compensation at Nonprofits

2011-08-03T19:48:00.000-07:00

From the Governor's Website

Albany, NY (August 3, 2011) Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that he has created a new task force to investigate the executive and administrator compensation levels at not-for-profits that receive taxpayer support from the state. The task force will be led by the New York State Inspector General Ellen Biben, Secretary of State Cesar A. Perales, the Medicaid Inspector General Jim Cox, and the Superintendent of the Department of Financial Services Benjamin Lawsky.

"Not-for-profits that provide services to the poor and the needy have a special obligation to the taxpayers that support them. Executives at these not-for-profits should be using the taxpayer dollars they receive to help New Yorkers, not to line their own pockets. This task force will do a top-to-bottom review, not only to audit current compensation levels, but also to make recommendations for future rules to ensure taxpayer dollars are used to serve and support the people of this state, not pay for excessive salaries and compensation," Governor Cuomo said.

Governor Cuomo continued, "There is a whole range of compensation levels and extremes that have existed for too long and must be reviewed. The use of taxpayer dollars must be scrutinized at every level."

The Governor's task force will determine the protocol and scope of the investigation in order to target the audit to focus on ensuring that state taxpayer dollars meant to help and protect New Yorkers, particularly the poor and indigent, are going to that purpose and are not being diverted to compensation. It will also provide recommendations for State agency policies and procedures that will ensure that taxpayer dollars are not being diverted to excessive compensation.

Commissioners from the Department of Health, the Office of Mental Health, and OPWDD will also serve on the task force.

The Governor's action follows reports of startlingly excessive salaries and compensation packages for executives at not-for-profits that depended on state Medicaid funding through the Office of People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) and other State agencies.

The State's Medicaid Inspector General has the authority necessary to exclude providers from participation in the Medicaid program if it is found that they have engaged in fraudulent or abusive practices.

There are currently no state rules governing executive and administrative compensation for not-for-profits that receive state support.

According to the Department of the Budget's January 2010 preliminary analysis of not-for-profit employees contracting with the mental hygiene agencies (Office of People With Developmental Disabilities, Office of Mental Health, and Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services), there were approximately 1,926 employees with annual salaries greater than or equal to $100,000. The total value of their salaries was $324.6 million, with an average salary of $168,555.

NYCON Statement on Governor's
Review of Executive Compensation:

"NYCON supports IRS and state enforcement efforts to root out those relatively few and often large institutional nonprofits, especially in health care and higher education, where charitable resources are used for the private and personal gain of executives. Such abuses are a stain on the sector and the Governor is right, public trust is integral to the mission and work of our state's charities. The Internal Revenue Service already provides compensation guidelines as set forth in the federal tax code and we believe those guidelines should be upheld.

It needs to be emphasized, however, that these cases are very much the exception.

The vast majority of community-based nonprofit employees are doing hard and challenging work at compensation levels that are far below public employees and often the for-profit sector. It should also be noted that the phrase "taxpayer supported nonprofits" is misleading as the state government contracts to buy services from nonprofits, just as it contracts with the for-profit sector; except the nonprofit is often expected to unfairly perform at below the actual cost of doing business. Perhaps it is also time to order an extensive review of the executive compensation levels of "taxpayer supported for-profit businesses."

NYCON asks the Governor to take this opportunity to go beyond the immediate executive compensation issue and take a comprehensive look at how the state's overall regulatory and business relationship with the nonprofit sector can be improved in the interest of all concerned."

Doug Sauer, CEO, New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc.
http://www.nycon.org/
1-800-515-5012, ext 103
dsauer@nycon.org

Assemblyman William B. Magnarelli’s CNY Volunteer Fair

2011-08-03T19:27:00.000-07:00

3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 20
Carousel Center

Dear Sir or Madam,
In today’s economic times, the community needs volunteers more than ever. I am organizing a Volunteer Fair to be held from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 20 at Carousel Center.
Organizations in need of volunteers are invited to host a table at the event. Please pass this information to other Central New York agencies interested in attracting volunteers.

Only the first 50 organizations to respond will be able to host a table. Last year we had an overwhelming response and a limited number of tables available. All entrants must be approved for participation.

The information can be emailed to abdellad@assembly.state.ny.us or faxed to (315) 428-1279. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my office at (315) 428-9651
Sincerely,
William B. Magnarelli
Member, NYS Assembly
120th District

Organization Name: _________________________________________________________________________
Address:__________________________________________________________________________________
Name of person(s) representing company at Volunteer Fair:__________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Phone number:____________________________________Fax number:_______________________________
Email Address:_____________________________________________________________________________
Website:__________________________________________________________________________________
Description of business and volunteer opportunities________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Do you need an electrical outlet? Yes No (circle answer)
WWW.Facebook.com/CNYVolunteerFair

Call for Nominations for Special CPA Board Member Award

2011-07-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

2011 Michael H. Urbach, CPA, Community Builders Award Now Accepting Nominations
Sponsored by the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON) and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA)

Submission Accepted through August 22nd, 2011

In recognition of the important role, talents and leadership that a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in New York State can provide as a board member for community-based charities, NYCON and NYSSCPA are pleased to announce the 8th Annual Michael H. Urbach, CPA, Community Builders Award.

The award is named in honor of the late Michael H. Urbach, CPA, former partner of Urbach, Kahn and Werlin, former NYS Commissioner of Tax and Finance and Chair of the State Employees federated Appeal, and board leader of a number of charities.

Award Criteria & Submission

Candidates must:

Be a CPA in good standing and a member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants;

Have served as an Officer on at least 3 different charitable 501(c)(3) community-based nonprofits with service as President/Chair at least once;

Have demonstrated exemplary board leadership resulting in significant and positive organizational impact including, but not limited to, financial turn-around, growth, and/or organizational re-structuring; and

Preference will be given to nominees whose board leadership accomplishments have been with community-based charities.

Deadline - August 22, 2011
Nominations addressing the candidate's qualifications must be received by August 22nd. Nominators are strongly encouraged to address the candidate's qualifications related to the four (4) criteria's mentioned above and to include at least three (3) letters of support from the charities who have benefited from the candidate's volunteer leadership.

Send seven (7) packets of nomination materials to:
Urbach Community Builders Award Committee
New York Council of Nonprofits
272 Broadway
Albany NY 12204

or email the packet to Melissa Currado, Executive Assistant to the CEO at mcurrado@nycon.org.

Announcement & Presentation
The 2011 award will be formally presented at the Annual Member Meeting of NYCON slated for the afternoon of October 6th at Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz, New York.

The Luncheon will take place during CAMP FINANCE, a two-day retreat that provides the very best in knowledge, skill and strategy sessions for your staff and volunteer leaders.

In honor of the late Harold Mandel, a certified public accountant who worked for Urbach, Kahn & Werlin in Albany, NY and retired in West Palm Beach, FL, the 2011 Urbach Honoree has the privilege to award one (1) nonprofit executive of their choice a Camp Finance scholarship in Hal's name. In 2009, Mr. Mandel's family accepted a posthumous Michael H. Urbach, CPA Community Builders Award in his tribute.

Past Urbach Award Honorees
2010
Edward S. Mucenski, CPA of Potsdam
2009
Lewis "Lew" Kramer, CPA of Chappaqua
2008
Mel Zachter, CPA of Staten Island
2007
Eugene H. Fleishman, CPA of Poughkeepsie
2006
Craig Sickler, CPA from Kingston
2005
Paul Battaglia, CPA from Batavia

For More Information
visit NYCON at http://www.nycon.org/ or contact Melissa Currado at (800) 515-5012 or mcurrado@nycon.org

New Employee Fee Related To Unemployment Insurance Will Impact Nonprofits

2011-07-20T09:06:00.001-07:00

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

Schneiderman Appoints Head Of Central New York Community Foundation To Team Charged With Improving Regulations & Reducing Burden

2011-07-19T10:58:00.000-07:00

Schneiderman: Nonprofits Are Critical Part Of Central New York’s Economy – Must Ensure They Have Resources To Thrive
SYRACUSE – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced the appointment of Peter Dunn, the President and CEO of the Central New York Community Foundation in Syracuse, to serve on his Leadership Committee for Nonprofit Revitalization. Mr. Dunn is one of 29 leaders the Attorney General has charged with providing recommendations to improve nonprofit regulation and enforcement in New York.

"I am pleased Peter will serve with his colleagues across the state to reform the rules of the road so the nonprofit sector can thrive,” Attorney General Schneiderman said. “Nonprofits provide critical services to their communities and as the second largest employment sector in the state, their success is crucial to our economy. We can be tough on policing fraud without imposing needless burdens and costs on this vital sector, and the Leadership Committee is a central part of achieving those goals.”

The Attorney General oversees nonprofits operating in New York State, and Schneiderman has made the improvement of nonprofit regulation a priority for his office. Earlier this year, he announced he would convene a group of leaders from New York’s nonprofit, business and labor communities to help eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy that has long plagued nonprofits, such as redundant audits and overlapping reporting requirements, and delays in processing and payment of contracts. The nonprofit sector is the second largest employment sector in the state, providing work for between 17 and 18 percent of New York's labor force.

“The Attorney General’s initiative is a much-needed step in the direction of modernizing nonprofit regulation in New York,” Peter Dunn said. “I am honored to be a part of the Leadership Committee, and look forward to working with Attorney General Schneiderman and my colleagues to provide nonprofits with the tools they need to thrive.”

Peter Dunn has served since June 2008 as the President and CEO of the Central New York Community Foundation. With more than $120 million in assets and more than 500 individual charitable funds under administration, the Community Foundation is a leader in promoting philanthropy for the benefit of Central New York communities and distributed more than $5 million in grants in its most recent fiscal year.

Mr. Dunn is currently a member of the Council on Foundations Legal and Regulatory Action Team for Community Foundations, secretary of the Cathedral Square Development Corporation, a member of the Onondaga County Bar Association Finance Committee and a board member of Syracuse 20/20 and the Near Westside Initiative in Syracuse. He is also a board member of the Grantmakers Forum of New York, a regional association of foundations.

The Leadership Committee’s activities will focus on the following:

Making recommendations on how to reduce regulatory burdens and more effectively address regulatory concerns;
Developing legislative proposals to modernize New York's nonprofit laws that would eliminate outdated requirements and unnecessary burdens; and
Proposing measures to enhance board governance and effectiveness, including through new programs to recruit and train nonprofit board members.

Sauer Named to Attorney General's Nonprofit Leadership Committee

2011-07-19T10:56:00.000-07:00

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman recently announced that NYCON CEO Doug Sauer would be one of the prominent nonprofit leaders appointed to the Committee for Nonprofit Revitalization. The task force, composed of 29 leaders in the nonprofit sector from across New York State, is charged with presenting a series of recommendations to the Attorney General to reduce the regulatory burdens and costs on nonprofits while strengthening nonprofit accountability.

"I'm honored that Attorney General Schneiderman has asked us to bring NYCON's statewide perspective and expertise to this important collaborative effort," said Doug Sauer. "We're proud to represent 3,000 small to moderately sized member nonprofits who provide critical services in communities across New York. It's a testament to the Attorney General's initiative that he is seeking the input of these grass roots groups as he strives to help improve nonprofit efficiency, make oversight more effective and help increase the public's faith in our sector."
In addition to providing critical services to New Yorkers, nonprofits are also a driving economic force. Statewide, nonprofits employ between 17 and 18 percent of the workforce. In New York City alone nonprofits employ 500,000 people.

"For too long, New York's regulatory framework has placed unnecessary burdens on nonprofits, which are simply untenable during these challenging financial times," Attorney General Schneiderman said. "We must modernize the rules of the road so the nonprofit sector can thrive. We can be tougher on policing fraud without imposing needless burdens and costs on this vital sector of New York's economy."

Based on the key issues that the nonprofit sector has identified to the Attorney General's Office, the Leadership Committee's activities will focus on the following:

Making recommendations on how to reduce regulatory burdens and more effectively address regulatory concerns;
Developing legislative proposals to modernize New York's nonprofit laws that would eliminate outdated requirements and unnecessary burdens while strengthening accountability; and

Proposing measures to enhance board governance and effectiveness, including through new programs to recruit and train nonprofit board members.
The Leadership Committee will be staffed by the Attorney General's Charities Bureau Chief, Jason Lilien, and will be charged with completing its work by the end of this year.

Stay tuned to our emails, as NYCON will be seeking the input of all current members on its website at www.nycon.org beginning in August.

SCHUMER: IRS ANNOUNCEMENT COULD MISTAKENLY COST UPSTATE NY CHARITIES, LITTLE LEAGUES, PUBLIC LIBRARIES, MUSEUMS AND OTHERS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EACH

2011-06-22T14:13:00.000-07:00

After Reports That The IRS May Have Mistakenly Stripped NY Groups Of Tax-Exempt Status, Schumer Urges All Nonprofits To Double Check The IRS List To Make Sure They’re Not Included By Mistake

Report Provides County-By-County Breakdown Of The Over 6,000 New York Nonprofit Groups That Lost Tax Exempt Status – Groups Can Correct Error, But Have To Do It Soon Before Costs Go Up

Schumer: Losing Tax-Exempt Status Could Be An Unfair Blow To New York’s Nonprofits

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer unveiled a new section of his website to aid New York nonprofit groups that may have mistakenly lost their tax exempt status. Schumer is strongly encouraging nonprofit groups to check a recently-released Internal Revenue Service (IRS) list, available on Schumer’s website, to ensure that they have not been mistakenly stripped of their tax-exempt status – a move that could cost these groups thousands of dollars. Schumer’s webpage was launched shortly after media reports indicated that several nonprofit groups, including the New Windsor Little League and Plattekill Public Library, were included on the list released June 8th, despite the fact that their paperwork was up to date and filed with the IRS. Several nonprofit groups were never contacted by the IRS, despite several attempts to send mailings and other communications to warn the groups of the looming deadline to avoid losing their designation as a 501(c)(3) group.

“Little leagues, public libraries, museums, meal programs, and other nonprofit organizations that are the very fabric of communities throughout Upstate New York are at risk of losing their tax-exempt status and paying thousands of dollars in penalties through no fault of their own,” said Schumer. “Whether because of a lost notice in the mail or paperwork errors, no nonprofit should needlessly lose their tax exempt status. Every nonprofit group in Upstate New York should take a moment to ensure that they won’t be forced to pay unnecessary taxes this year. I’ve launched this new page on my website to make it easy and painless for groups to make sure that they’re not on the list, and to take steps to correct the problem if they are. Remaining tax-exempt helps keep costs down while boosting fundraising for charity organizations.”

"The good work of community charities has a vital impact on the everyday lives of New Yorkers,” said Doug Sauer, Chief Executive Officer of the New York Council of Nonprofits. “Whether it is providing volunteer first responder assistance, providing food and housing to families in need, caring for our children, disabled and elderly, fostering economic development or creating and promoting arts and culture - charities are integral to our quality of life in ways that are often taken for granted. NYCON is eager to do what we can to assist those organizations whose tax status have been revoked so that they continue their important contributions."

On June 8th, the IRS released a list of 275,000 nonprofits nationwide who automatically lost their tax-exempt status because they failed to file annual reports for three years in a row. The list included over 19,000 New York organizations, including more than 6,000 across Upstate New York. While the IRS believes that many of these organizations are no longer operational, they acknowledge that some groups on the list might not have been aware of the requirement, and are taking steps to allow these nonprofits to reinstate their tax-exempt status. In making the announcement, IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said that, “We realize there may be some legitimate organizations, especially very small ones that were unaware of their new filing requirement.”

The list includes a diverse range of nonprofit groups including sports leagues, public libraries, museums and other educational programs, conservation groups, religious organizations, business networking groups, and others. There are over 106,000 registered nonprofits in New York state, according to the New York Council of Nonprofits, employing over 1.2 million New Yorkers statewide. Included in this total are 3,000 food pantries that feed approximately 3 million people each year. Over 17,000 people work in New York museums, which help contribute over a billion dollars to the state’s economy each year, thanks to visits from 6.6 million families, senior citizens, and students. In 2010, the American Red Cross in New York responded to 3,920 local disasters, and has trained nearly 590,000 people in First Aid. The group has also trained over 168,000 people in emergency preparedness, collected over 400,000 units of blood, and helped over 66,000 military families through their Armed Forces Emergency Services and Community Outreach Programs, according to the New York Council of Nonprofits. New York charities play an important role in communities across the state, and should be allowed to continue to do their good work in a tax-exempt state that will help their bottom line, allowing the nonprofits to serve more Upstate New Yorkers.

Here is how the nonprofits who lost their tax-exempt status break down across the state:

In the Capital Region, approximately 952 nonprofits lost their tax-exempt status.

In Western New York, approximately 687 nonprofits lost their tax-exempt status.

In the Rochester-Finger Lakes Region, approximately 867 nonprofits lost their tax-exempt status.

In the Southern Tier, approximately 562 nonprofits lost their tax-exempt status.

In Central New York, approximately 811 nonprofits lost their tax-exempt status.

In the Hudson Valley, approximately 1,942 nonprofits lost their tax-exempt status.

In the North Country, approximately 426 nonprofits lost their tax-exempt status.

Being included on the list means that these nonprofits are no longer eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions, and that any income the group receives may be taxed. This has the effect of raising taxes on the nonprofit, while also putting a serious damper on their fundraising. The Pension Protection Act, passed by Congress in 2007, requires tax-exempt organizations to file an information return or notice each year with the IRS. Smaller groups are required to file for the first time in 2007, and the law automatically revokes the tax-exempt status of groups that do not file for three consecutive years. As a result, the first nonprofits to be revoked under the new law saw their status removed based on 2010 returns, filed in April of this year.

Fortunately, as long as groups are aware that they have been improperly stripped of their tax-exempt status, they can take corrective action at minimal cost to the group. Any nonprofit that can demonstrate that it has met its filing requirement for one or more of the last three years can fax copies of their past tax returns to be reinstated at no cost to the group. Additionally, those groups with under $50,000 in income that have not filed tax returns over the past three years can file for reinstatement for a reduced fee of just $100. If the groups fail to file by December 31, 2011, that fee jumps to $400-850 for 2012. Due to the limited window to take advantage of cheaper and easier ways to reapply for tax-exempt status, Schumer is encouraging nonprofits across Upstate New York to check his website and the list of those that lost 501(c)(3) status to ensure that their paperwork is up to date. If a group finds that they have lost their tax exempt status, they can follow the instructions on Schumer’s website and take steps to see that it is reinstated.

The new section of Schumer’s website can be accessed by visiting http://schumer.senate.gov/Public/irs_6_22_11.htm

Syracuse Symphony Orchestra creditors gather in court today

2011-06-22T13:11:00.000-07:00

The Syracuse Post-Standard reported that the next step in Syracuse Symphony Orchestra’s filing of Chapter 7 bankruptcy takes place today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York. A creditors’ meeting will be held at 12:30 p.m. in Room 207 at James M. Hanley Courthouse, 100 S. Clinton St., Syracuse.

The SSO voted to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy April 5, two days after laying off its 61 core musicians and 14 contract players. The organization claimed $327,000 in assets and about $4 million in liabilities.

The main secured creditor is M&T Bank, for a loan of about $545,000. The bank has a lien on the SSO’s Steinway piano, music library and other equipment. There are also 559 unsecured creditors, ranging from a $2.7 million debt to the musicians’ pension fund to useless $20 tickets for canceled concerts for its 50th anniversary season.

The SSO owes the Oncenter, the government-owned facility where it plays most concerts, $68,000 for hall rental, food and ticket fees and another $2,500 for parking. Read more here.

Central New York Community Foundation Accepting Applications for Sabbatical

2011-06-22T06:36:00.000-07:00

June 22, 2011 - The Central New York Community Foundation invites executive directors and senior management staff of nonprofit organizations in Onondaga and Madison counties to apply for the 2011 John F. Marsellus Sabbatical. The deadline for submitting applications is October 31, 2011.

Two individuals are awarded funding for a four-week sabbatical of their own design, following the guidelines outlined in the application. Applicants must have served in a senior management position of a nonprofit organization in Onondaga or Madison counties for at least 5 consecutive years and have the approval of the board of directors of their agency.

This annual grant was established in 2000 in memory of John F. Marsellus, who wished to enhance the leadership capacity of nonprofit executives in Central New York by underwriting a month-long opportunity for personal and professional reflection and development.

The application guidelines can be viewed on the Community Foundation’s web site at www.cnycf.org/grants or may be obtained by calling the Community Foundation at (315) 422-9538.

The Central New York Community Foundation has served Central New York for over 80 years, receiving, managing and distributing charitable funds for the benefit of nonprofit organizations. Grants are awarded for programs in the areas of human services, arts and culture, education, environment, health, economic development and civic affairs. The region’s largest endowed philanthropic foundation, the Central New York Community Foundation awards more than $5 million in grants to nonprofit organizations annually. The Community Foundation, of 431 East Fayette Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, can be reached at (315) 422-9538 or www.cnycf.org.

Community Foundation Awards $587,427 in Community Grants

2011-06-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

Syracuse, NY (June 21, 2011) - The Central New York Community Foundation awarded $587,427 in grants to 18 charitable organizations in Onondaga and Madison Counties from its unrestricted and field‑of‑interest funds.

Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum received $5,000 to complete a Cultural Landscape Report that will serve as a business plan for the management of the historic site. This will help the preservation, restoration, and reconstruction of the historic industrial complex.

City of Syracuse received $50,000 from the Spanfelner Fund to develop the landscaping adjacent to the Creek Walk between the Inner Harbor and Onondaga Lake that will enhance recreation opportunities and improve storm water management.

Community Memorial Hospital of Hamilton, NY received $60,000 to replace a vital Endoscopic Video System used in performing surgeries.

Community Resources for Independent Seniors received $5,330 to develop a resource directory of senior services available in Madison County in order to extend the time that seniors can remain in their own homes. This project was partially funded by the Carriage House Fund.

Crouse Health Hospital received $45,000 to implement a nurse-led diabetes clinic for patients transitioning from hospital to home. The program will provide the care, education, and testing necessary for patients to better self-manage their disease.

Fayetteville-Manlius A Better Chance received $2,800 to support technology upgrades including the purchase of a computer and donor tracking software, which will enhance the organization’s development.

Home Aides of CNY received $25,000 from the John M. & Mary L. Gallinger Fund to automate record keeping, allowing health aides to improve response time and the handling of complex cases for home care services. This project was partially funded by the Carriage House Fund.

Junior Achievement of CNY received $30,000 to support its work with the Syracuse City School District’s Naviance Program. With this grant, they will address the current high drop-out rate through identifying at-risk students and connecting them at the junior-high and high school levels to real-world business experiences.

Learning Disabilities Association of CNY received $14,000 to purchase iPads and applications that will be used during Learning without Borders, an academically-based summer program for teens.

Madison County Literacy Coalition received $50,000 to hire an Executive Director and to support the continuing work of the coalition by launching an Imagination Library pilot program.

On Point for College received $22,192 to enhance a program that re-enrolls college “stop-outs” who paused their education by helping them find new pathways to complete a post-secondary credential.

Onondaga Community College Foundation received $100,000 to support the new SRC arena and physical education building on campus. The addition of a local arena would serve both students and community members through new and existing health and physical education courses.

ProLiteracy Worldwide received $100,000 to equip the new Colvin Center on the Near Westside for local literacy programming. This center will be a resource to local residents and programs, as well as a national learning lab to advance adult literacy research, practice, and professional development.

Sarah House received $4,000 to renovate the kitchen in their facility, which provides lodging for the families and loved ones of individuals receiving medical treatment in nearby hospitals.

Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, located in Cazenovia, NY, received $15,000 to renovate an indoor gallery. The renovation will permit the park to keep the indoor gallery open year round, to better preserve art exhibits, and to provide a more comfortable atmosphere for its visitors.

Syracuse Stories received $17,349 to support a film documenting the first Syracuse Stories festival, a program that captures the struggles, achievements, contributions, and hopes of diverse members of the community as they tell their stories thru the arts. A portion of this grant was provided by the Dorothy R. Shoudy Fund to include sign language interpretation at the festival.

Tully Central School District received $16,756 from the William D. Barnet Memorial Scholarship Fund to pilot an e-reader program for high school students in collaboration with the LaFayette, Fabius-Pompey and DeRuyter school districts. This program will allow students to have access to the electronic equivalent of a backpack full of books, dictionary, thesaurus and reference sheets for every subject.

Vera House, Inc. received $25,000 to renovate the emergency shelter’s kitchen to enhance accessibility and the ease of use for residents.

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GIFFORD FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES $900,000 FOR CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVE

2011-06-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

The Gifford Foundation has announced the names of the six local organizations to participate in the third round of ADVANS. ADVANS, or Advancing and Developing the Assets and Value of Nonprofits in Syracuse is a major capacity building initiative started by the Foundation in 2007. In this round of the ADVANS initiative more than $900,000 has been committed to six local nonprofits that undertake and complete a one to three year intensive assessment and business planning process. Those undergoing business planning will receive an additional $100,000 in grants to implement their plans, along with three years of consulting support totaling $55,000. ADVANS follows the organizational capacity model developed by Dr. Susan Kenny Stevens as outlined in the book Nonprofit Lifecycles: Stage-based Wisdom for Nonprofit Capacity. The organizations will work with trained area consultants utilizing the self-assessment techniques of Dr. Stevens, and then identify their primary capacity needs.

"This well-chosen new class of six organizations joins the ranks of 13 nonprofit colleagues who have successfully completed the ADVANS program, and emerged with stronger strategic and operational capacity to better serve the greater Syracuse community," states Dr. Stevens.

The six organizations in this newest round of ADVANS are:

Community Action Partnership of Madison County - CAP’s mission is to partner with individuals and families to promote empowerment, foster economic independence and develop opportunities to create a stronger, healthier community. CAP works for and with
low- and moderate-income families in Madison County to provide education, guidance, and resources for individuals and families striving for economic self-sufficiency.

Cooperative Federal – The mission of Cooperative Federal is to manage the aggregate assets of members in responsible ways, rebuild the local economy in ways that foster justice, and serve the financial needs of members and those underserved by conventional financial institutions. Cooperative Federal programming includes financial services, financial education, business services, affordable housing financing, and the only full lending certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) in the CNY region. Cooperative Federal is currently completing their work in the ADVANS 2 cohort and will be moving into ADVANS 3 for the business planning and consulting phases.

Home HeadQuarters offers housing and related opportunities and services in Central and Upstate NY that improve the lives of underserved people and revitalize the communities in which they live. They offer Nationally-certified Homebuyer Education for first time homebuyers, financial and homeownership counseling, Foreclosure Prevention and real estate planning and development. Home HeadQuarters is also one of the largest regional providers of affordable home and energy improvement loans and grants to area homeowners.

InterFaith Works of Central New York, through education, service and dialogue, provides advocacy and human care through six social service programs which serve people in need, including refugees, the elderly, the disabled, and the institutionalized.

McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Site is dedicated to ending child abuse through intervention and education. Their main goals are to provide a safe, child and family friendly environment for child abuse victims and their non-offending family members and to reduce the trauma that abused children face during the investigative and treatment processes.

The Samaritan Center is an interfaith effort of community members who are committed to serving the hungry and those in need in Central New York in order to promote their welfare, dignity and self-sufficiency. They serve hot, nutritious meals 365 days a year, pair meal service with individual support and case management, traditional information/referral services and the coordination needed to help other agencies assist their clients to their services.

The first round of ADVANS, or ADVANS 1, concluded in the fall of 2010; currently there are four organizations participating in ADVANS 2, which will conclude in November 2011.

About The Gifford Foundation
The Gifford Foundation is a private foundation supporting community needs in Central New York since 1954. Through its grantmaking, they fund organizations in an intentionally transformative and flexible manner. This is based on a fundamental belief that change at the individual and/or organizational level holds the potential to institute change at broader community levels. For information visit www.giffordfoundation.org.

Twenty Five Graduate from The Leadership Classroom

2011-06-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

June 8, 2011 – On the evening of June 7, twenty-five representatives from five local grassroots nonprofit organizations gathered at the CNY Philanthropy Center to celebrate their completion of The Leadership Classroom (TLC). The year-long program is an initiative of the Central New York Community Foundation. Participants learn advanced leadership skills alongside other neighborhood leaders in an interactive setting. After participating in monthly training sessions designed to enhance their leadership skills, each group received a $3,500 grant to implement a project proposed and planned during their training.

The Bhutanese Neighborhood Association will be creating traditional Bhutanese cultural dress that will be worn to reflect their unique identity and traditions at various community cultural events. The organization will also be setting up English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes for elders in their refugee community.

God’s Temple of Faith – Women’s Outreach Group will host a Neighborhood Resource Picnic and Block Party to bring the local community together while also distributing family and women’s health information. Health screenings and safety presentations will also be part of the event.

The Meachem Area Parks Association (MAPA) will create a small brick patio and seating area outside of the Bob Cecile Community Center. Patio bricks will be sold in memory of Valley residents as a fundraiser to support other MAPA events.

TNT Northside will host a community event that celebrates the wealth and diversity of the Northside of Syracuse. Games and activities for families will be partnered with outreach resources. The organization has partnered with twenty other organizations to help make this event impactful.

The Westside Arts Council will purchase planters and benches to be decorated by local artists and residents. Most will be placed within the Near Westside neighborhood and the remaining will be given to the other four organizations from this year’s TLC class to place in their own neighborhoods of the City.

As with previous years, TLC participants formed strong bonds with one another during the course of the training and described the skills they learned as invaluable.

“TLC helped us affirm our work and strengthen us to grow our purpose,” said Isaac Rothwell of the Westide Arts Council. “This has been a year of huge growth for our organizations and TLC was not just a catalyst, but also a stabilizer to keep us grounded.”

The Leadership Classroom is an initiative of the Central New York Community Foundation. The Community Foundation has served Central New York for over 80 years, receiving, managing and distributing charitable funds for the benefit of nonprofit organizations. Grants are awarded for programs in the areas of human services, arts and culture, education, environment, health, economic development and civic affairs. The region’s largest endowed philanthropic foundation, the Central New York Community Foundation awards more than $5 million in grants to nonprofit organizations annually. The Community Foundation, of 431 East Fayette Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, can be reached at (315) 422-9538 or www.cnycf.org.

2011 Fueling Good Program: Nonprofits Can Win Gas for a Year

2011-06-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

IT’S YOUR CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND THEN SOME.
For the 2011 Fueling Good Program, we’re focusing our support on four charitable categories: Education and Social Investment, Energy Assistance and Conservation, Environmental Protection and Restoration, and Health and Well-Being. Your organization must serve one of these interests and have 501(c)3 status to be eligible to participate. Please choose a category during registration. Thank you, and best of luck!

Get an overview of Fueling Good: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvZDcdn9q5U

How it works:
· Starting June 1, nonprofits will be able to register at http://www.fuelinggood.com/ to participate in the summer program. From July 14 – August 11, local communities will begin voting at that site for charities of their choice. (The full rules/details will also be available on the site starting June 1).

· CITGO will be awarding gas to 12 nonprofits at the end of August, with more to follow in the fall.

Who is eligible?
· 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations in the 27 states where CITGO operates.

Le Moyne College Presents: A Kauffman Seminar on June 17, 2011

2011-06-02T07:11:00.000-07:00

Strategic Planning with a Practical Twist…It’s about Execution
Kerry J. Carney, MS, SPHR

A strategic plan is a plan to win for your organization. What do you want your organization to look like and be known for? What will differentiate your organization? What range of services will you be offering? And what geography will you serve? These are among the questions you will answer as you write your Vision Statement.

In this session, you will be exposed to a practical strategic planning process that will enable you to collect your thoughts for building your future and document on a single page. This page becomes the plan for executing your strategy and is built around answering a series of 5 broad questions: What are you building (Vision)? What is the promise to your customer (Mission)? What results will you measure (objectives)? How will you build your organization (Strategies)? What is the work to be done (Action Plans)?

Working in teams, you will create answers to the questions which will result in a roadmap for your strategy and how you plan to execute. The resulting document draft will be a great start for your accountability for the future of your organization.

Kerry J. Carney, MS, SPHR
Kerry has over 25 years of global business experience with smaller, entrepreneurial business units of major corporations--GE, Xerox and Thomson Consumer Electronics. As a member of the leadership team in these business units, Kerry played a key role in the development of strategic plans and implementing organization and people actions necessary to achieve those plans. Her worldwide business experience includes coaching, recruiting and staffing, organization development, training, talent management, compensation planning, communications and employee relations.

Kerry is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and is a past board member of the Central New York chapter of SHRM. She is a member of the local chapter of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). She has an undergraduate degree from Le Moyne College and a Master’s from Western Michigan University. As a consultant with Grenell Consulting Group, Kerry works with for profit and nonprofit clients in areas of strategy and leadership. As an adjunct faculty member at Le Moyne College Kerry teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Organizational Dynamics, Human Resource Management, Staffing and Compensation.

Date: Friday, June 17, 2011
Time: 8:30 Breakfast and registration, 9:00 Start. Event concludes at 12:00 NOON
Cost: $15 per person, payable at the door
RSVP: Renée Downey Hart, downeyrv@lemoyne.edu by Monday, June 13, 2011

--

Renée Downey Hart, PhD
Visiting Assistant Professor
Management and Leadership
Le Moyne College
Syracuse, NY 13214
downeyrv@lemoyne.edu
315.445.4485

The Onondaga County Bar Association ED Job Announcement

2011-05-27T09:24:00.000-07:00

The Onondaga County Bar Association in Syracuse, New York is seeking a full-time Executive
Director. The Onondaga County Bar Association (“OCBA”) is a professional non-profit membership organization serving approximately 1,500 lawyers in Onondaga County and the surrounding area by advancing attorney professionalism, practice development and collegiality within the profession and promoting access to justice for the public at large. The OCBA is currently staffed by four (4) full-time and two (2) part-time employees. The Executive Director is responsible for management, organization and operation of the Association and supervision of OCBA staff and activities under the direction of the Board of Directors of the OCBA. Applicants must demonstrate prior successful managerial and administrative experience. Non-profit managerial experience a plus. BA degree or equivalent required. Travel and evening meetings.
Competitive salary with benefits.

A more detailed job description can be found below.
To apply for the position please submit a resume together with a cover letter including salary
history by e-mail to: Onondaga County Bar Association, at ocbaexecdir.countybar04@gmail.com The application deadline is Monday, June 20, 2011.
*** NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE***

Onondaga County Bar Association
Executive Director
Job Description
Summary:
The Executive Director (“Director”) is the chief executive of the Onondaga County Bar
Association (“OCBA” or “Association”). The Director is responsible for the management of the
operations and resources of OCBA and related organizations.
Responsibilities:
1. The Director leads the day-to-day operations of the Association under the policies
determined by the board. The Director oversees the operations of the Onondaga County Bar
Foundation (“OCBF” or “Foundation”) as well as the Volunteer Lawyers Project, the Pro Bono
Practice Committee, and the other committees and sections of the Association.
2. The Director studies, recommends and oversees implementation of policies,
programs, and plans, including technological advancements consistent with the strategic plans
and the sound fiscal management of the Association and the Foundation. The Director is
responsible for ensuring that the OCBA and OCBF officers and the boards are kept fully
{H1530941.1}
informed of the conditions and operations of OCBA and OCBF to enable board members to
carry out their fiduciary responsibilities.
3. The Director is responsible for the fiscal integrity and sound financial
management of OCBA, OCBF and their respective sections, committees and projects. The
Director shall employ best practices in overseeing the development and management of
appropriate budgetary and financial controls and procedures, including the annual audits, with
the assistance and guidance of the OCBA and OCBF treasurers, finance committees, and boards.
4. The Director develops and maintains positive relations with other legal-related
entities including the Onondaga County Assigned Counsel Program, other bar associations
including bar associations in upstate New York, and the New York State Bar Association, and
with the courts, government agencies, public service organizations, legal assistance agencies,
Syracuse University College of Law and sponsors and vendors to promote the best interests of
the OCBA and OCBF.
5. The Director shall use best practices to hire, supervise, and manage all staff
within the adopted budget and policies of the OCBA. In doing so, the Director should foster a
workplace environment that promotes positive employee relations and focuses on outstanding
performance. The Director is also responsible for recruiting and supervising volunteer staff to
further the goals of the Association and the Foundation.
6. The Director is responsible for generating revenue for the Association which
derives its funding from dues paid by its members and other revenue-generating programs,
including Continuing Legal Education and Legal Referral Service. The Foundation and the
Volunteer Lawyers Project derive funding from contributions made in conjunction with dues
payments and fundraising events, which shall be supported by the Director.
7. The Director is responsible for the communications plan of the Association as
directed by the Board and shall foster effective media relations to support the Association’s
objectives. The Director assists in public policy development, and actively promotes the practice
of law in Onondaga County and the surrounding areas.
Reporting Relationships:
The Director reports and is responsible to the Boards of Directors of OCBA and OCBF,
and is supervised by their respective presidents. The Director is reviewed annually by members of the OCBA executive committee.

Travel:
As required, generally 4 to 6 times a year to meetings and conferences in New York State
and elsewhere in conjunction with our membership in the National Association of Bar
Executives, the Conference of Metropolitan Bar Associations, the New York State Bar
Association, and the American Bar Association.

Leveraging Resources Locally

2011-05-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, June 14th 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm EST

During this free webinar, presenters will explore how one can leverage resources locally through strategic partnerships. These can often have a profound effect on the impact and longevity of our healthier communities efforts. Hear from colleagues on how to coordinate groups to leverage resources, understand what community foundations have to offer and how to better engage with them.

The webinar will feature:

Frank Parisi, Director of Strategic Partnerships for the City of Minneapolis, who works with public and private groups to coordinate and leverage resources

Webb Lyons, Director of Initiatives at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham (http://www.foundationbirmingham.org/index.cfm) and Partner coach for the Birmingham, AL PHC team funded in 2008.

Deb Watson, Vice President of the Winter Park Health Foundation (http://www.wphf.org) and member of the Winter Park, FL ACHIEVE team funded by NACDD in 2011.

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To register for the webinar

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1. Go to

https://yusa.webex.com/yusa/onstage/g.php?d=598787212&t=a&EA=kate.hohman%40ymca.net&ET=77aedbec767246d14fbeb1b69010ffd4&ETR=0150f154b2856784355a7f4c9c44369c&RT=MiMxMQ==&p
2. Click "Register."

3. On the registration form, enter your information and then click

"Submit."

Please note – If you are unable to attend this webinar, it will be recorded and made available

Cayuga Fund Receives $300,000 in Challenge Funding

2011-05-23T08:38:00.000-07:00

May 23, 2011 - The Cayuga Community Fund announced today that it received a combined $300,000 in challenge grants from local foundations. The Emerson Foundation, the Stardust Foundation and Central New York Community Foundation each issued $100,000 challenge grants to match dollar-for-dollar contributions made to the fund.

“The Fund is confident that the amount raised in 2011 will paint a picture of the tremendous generosity of the people of Cayuga County, as they will undoubtedly rise to meet this challenge successfully,” said Robert Bergan, Chair of the Cayuga Community Fund’s Leadership Council.
The Cayuga Fund was established in 2009 by a group of Cayuga county citizens who wanted to keep local philanthropic dollars in the area. In 2009, the Leadership Council exceeded the Fund’s first matching challenge goal of $250,000 from the Stardust Foundation when it raised $287,890 by its fundraising deadline.

The Cayuga Community Fund is a geographically specific fund, administered by the Central New York Community Foundation. The Fund was created to benefit residents of Cayuga County by serving as a source of permanent charitable dollars for nonprofits serving residents of the County. Grants are awarded from the endowment fund annually to support programs in education, health, social services, the arts, civic and environmental concerns, as well as the preservation of historic resources in Cayuga County. In 2010, its first year of grantmaking, the Fund awarded a total of $25,000 to 24 Cayuga-based nonprofit organizations.

Secure credit card gifts can be made to the Cayuga Community Fund online at http://www.cnycf.org/cayuga. Donations by check, made out to “Cayuga Community Fund” can be mailed to Cayuga Community Fund, c/o Central New York Community Foundation, 431 East Fayette Street, Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13202. All contributions to the Fund will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $300,000 until November 15, 2011.

The Leadership Council of the Cayuga Community Fund is chaired by Robert Bergan. Other Council members are Dan Cuddy, Ken Entenmann, Jill Fandrich, Jack Hardy, Howard Hartnett, Alice Hoatland, Beverly Miller, Lisa Marsh Ryerson, David Tehan, Earle Thurston and Steve Zabriskie.

The Cayuga Community Fund is a component fund of the Central New York Community Foundation. The Community Foundation has served Central New York for over 80 years, receiving, managing and distributing charitable funds for the benefit of nonprofit organizations. Grants are awarded for programs in the areas of human services, arts and culture, education, environment, health, economic development and civic affairs. The Community Foundation, of 431 East Fayette Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, can be reached at (315) 422-9538 or www.cnycf.org.

Syracuse CPA to lead state societyby Kevin Tampone

2011-05-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

Gail Kinsella, a partner at Testone Marshall & Discenza, LLP in Syracuse, is the new president-elect of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.
It's the second time in recent years a partner at the firm is set to lead the society. David Moynihan was president from June 2009 to June 2010. Kinsella will take office as society president in June 2012.
Kinsella has also served as president, vice president, and treasurer of the state society's Syracuse chapter. She is a partner in her firm's audit practice group and coordinates its quality control and peer review programs.
She has expertise in auditing, accounting and consulting services for nonprofit organizations, municipalities, employee benefit plans, and closely held entities. Kinsella is a graduate of Le Moyne College in Syracuse

Onondaga County's Oncenter asks Legislature for a $1.8 million bailout

2011-05-15T21:15:00.000-07:00

Syracuse.com reported that Onondaga County’s convention center has run out of cash to pay its bills.

On Thursday, the nonprofit corporation that manages the convention center told county lawmakers it needs $1.8 million from taxpayers — on top of the nearly $1.2 million subsidy it has already received — to keep the complex operating the rest of the year. The Oncenter also receives a $250,000 annual payment for capital costs.

The request comes less than two years after Oncenter’s manager came begging for $575,000 from taxpayers to get through 2009. That money — which lawmakers provided — came on top of a $2.2 million subsidy the center had already received that year.

Steve Cambareri, a local attorney and chairman of the Oncenter’s board of directors, said expenses are exceeding revenues partly because the economy has hurt the convention business, competition from other facilities such as Turning Stone Resort Casino is taking its toll, and the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra went bankrupt this year owing the center $96,000.

Read more here.

United Way of Central New York announces which agencies get money for next three years

2011-05-01T22:13:00.000-07:00

The United Way of Central New York hand delivered letters to 41 local nonprofits Friday, letting them know how much money, if any, they will get from the agency over the next three years.

Linda Wright, executive director of the Salvation Army, was thrilled to learn her human service agency’s annual allocation increased by nearly 19 percent.

“An increase in this environment is a blessing for sure,” she said.

But across town at Enable, an agency that services children and adults with disabilities, the letter contained bad news. The nonprofit will not get any United Way funding for the first time since the 1950s.

Sara Wall-Bollinger, the agency’s executive director, said the loss of United Way money July 1 comes on the heels of cuts in state funding. “It will mean we have to rethink programs,” she said.

The United Way announced it will provide $4.45 million annually for each of the next three years to 95 programs operated by 35 human service agencies.

Every three years the United Way starts out with a clean slate by inviting nonprofits that pass a fiscal and management review to apply for funding. There’s no guarantee agencies that have been funded in the past will continue to get United Way money. The funding decisions are based on recommendations by a team of United Way volunteers who analyze the agencies’ applications.

Agencies applied for about $9 million, twice as much as the United Way has to give.

“Right off the bat you were looking at very strong competition,” said M. Margaret Fabic, vice president for development at the United Way.

Nineteen of the agencies getting funding will see increases in their allocations July 1. Three agencies will get United Way funding for the first time. They include McMahon Ryan Advocacy Site, Women’s Opportunity Center and Hillside Work Scholarship Program.

In addition to Enable, three agencies that have received United Way funding in the past are being cut off. They are the Longhouse Council Boy Scouts of America, New Justice Conflict Resolution Services and Syracuse Behavioral Healthcare.

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central New York and Whole Me, two other agencies invited to apply for the first time, also were denied funding. (Whole Me is an after-school program for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.)

Frank Lazarski, United Way president, said determining which programs to fund is a difficult process. “You are choosing among programs that are good, better and best,” he said.

The United Way is Onondaga County’s largest annual fundraising campaign, collecting nearly $8 million annually. Its agencies feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, help students at risk of dropping out of high school and provide many other humans services.

Catholic Charities and Salvation Army get the biggest allocations.

“The United Way is such an important part of making sure our service system to meet the most fragile folks in our community is successful,” said Linda Wright of the Salvation Army.

Original Article at syracuse.com

Community Foundation Awards Grant to CenterState CEO

2011-04-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

Onondaga County Courier reported that the Central New York Community Foundation has awarded a $25,000 Strategic Partnership Grant to the CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity (CenterState CEO). CenterState CEO will utilize the grant to supplement programs and organizational priorities resulting from the merger of the Metropolitan Development Association and the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce.

“The creation of a unified business organization for the region was an effort 30 years in the making,” said Robert M. Simpson, president of CenterState CEO. “This accomplishment wouldn’t have been possible without the leadership and support of our members and organizations like the Central New York Community Foundation.”

“CenterState CEO provides an example of successful consolidation for other organizations and agencies throughout the area – public and private,” said Peter Dunn, President & CEO of the Community Foundation. “Through this Strategic Partnership Grant we hope to enable CenterState CEO to realize new efficiencies, enhance its programs and build stronger partnerships, benefitting its 2,000 members and the community at-large.”

Read more here.

Human Services Leadership Council: Next Meeting May 13

2011-04-22T20:38:00.001-07:00

The next meeting of the Human Services Leadership Council will be
Friday, May 13, 2011
8:00 – 11:00 AM
(Please not extended time)
United Way Building, Rosamond Gifford Conference Room, 518 James Street

The meeting will be facilitated by Renee Downey Hart of Le Moyne College. Renee will lead us through a strategic planning session to help determine HSLC activities and priorities over the next few years. We hope you can all be there to help us set our direction for the future.

May 6th Exceptional Family Resources’ 2011 Conference—Wellness and Developmental Disabilities

2011-04-21T07:41:00.001-07:00

Exceptional Family Resources’ 2011 Conference—Wellness and Developmental Disabilities—will take place on Friday, May 6, 2011 at Justin’s Grill. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., while the conference itself runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Questions about the conference?
Call EFR at (315) 478-1462, ext 323.

Presenters
Dr. Luis Columna holds a Ph.D.in Kinesiology from Texas Woman’s University in Denton,
TX. He is currently an Associate Professor of Physical Education and Exercise Science in the School of Education at Syracuse University. Dr. Columna’s research interests are related to the physical, emotional and cognitive well-being of individuals with and without disabilities and their families, including those from a minority background.

Linda Quinn, M.S., R.D. holds a Bachelor of Science in Clinical and Community Dietetics from the University of Florida and a Master of Science degree in Nutrition Sciences from Syracuse University. She was named the Distinguished Dietitian of the Year by the NYS Dietetic Association in 2010. She is the Nutrition Services Administrator for the Central New York Developmental Services Office.

. ...is funded by Medicaid, the Onondaga
County Department of Mental Health, the New
York State Office of People with Developmental
Disabilities, United Way of Central New York,
Parent to Parent of NYS, Onondaga County Health
Department, and grants and foundations.

Other Information
 Certificates of Attendance will be available at the exit at the end of
the conference day.

 We are grateful to the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council for its sponsorship of this conference.

This conference will provide you with:
An understanding of why physical activity is especially important for children and adults with developmental disabilities.
Opportunities to explore physical activities that are appropriate and fun for individuals of all ages and abilities.
A clear understanding of which foods can best optimize the health of individuals with developmental disabilities.
Simple ways to plan and prepare easy and nutritious meals that everyone can enjoy.

Friday, May 6, 2011
10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
9:30 a.m. Registration
Justin’s Grill
6400 Yorktown Circle
E. Syracuse, NY 13057
(near Carrier Circle)

Women's Fund Awards Twelve Grants

2011-04-15T08:03:00.000-07:00

April 15, 2011 (Syracuse, NY) - Twelve nonprofit organizations from Onondaga, Madison and Cayuga Counties will be awarded grants at the Women’s Fund of Central New York’s annual grant awards reception on Tuesday, April 26 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Drumlins, 800 Nottingham Road in Syracuse. The organizations will be receiving grants totaling $22,000 to fund programs that support the education of women and girls in Central New York.

Grantees this year include:
• The Boys & Girls Clubs of Syracuse
• Cayuga Home for Children
• Children’s Consortium
• Community Action Partnership of Madison County
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Torch
• Dunbar Association
• Jewish Home of Central New York
• Neighborhood House of Auburn
• Somali Bantu Community Association
• Syracuse Behavioral Healthcare
• Think Positively Pink
• Women’s Opportunity Center

The event will include an hors d'oeurves & cocktail reception. Tickets cost $50 and can be purchased by calling 315-422-9538 or by visiting www.womensfundofcny.org. The event is sponsored by Alliance Bank, Mackenzie Hughes LLP, Lockheed Martin, WCNY, and Visual Technologies.

“This is a great opportunity to celebrate the empowerment of women and girls in Central New York, and the fantastic momentum that the endowment is building that will aid this population far into our future,” said Sarah Merrick, Women’s Fund Governance Council Chair.

The event will also reveal the new logo and branding for the Women’s Fund, which has used a pink and purple theme for over ten years.

“When the Women's Fund started, the purple and pink color combination was consistent with the women's empowering movement,” said Sarah Merrick, Women’s Fund Governance Council Chair. “Now that the Women's Fund has existed in our community for over a decade, we wanted a logo that appeared more sophisticated but would appeal to women from all generations.”

Since its inception in 1998, the Women’s Fund has provided more than 50 grants to programs that support, empower and promote the advancement and full participation of women and girls in Central New York. For more information, visit: www.womensfundofcny.org.

The Women’s Fund of Central New York is a component fund of the Central New York Community Foundation. The Community Foundation connects the generosity of donors with community needs by making grants to organizations working to enhance the quality of life of those who live and work in Central New York. The Community Foundation annually makes more than $5 million in grants and provides leadership support in the fields of arts and culture, community and economic development, education, environment, health and human services.

##

Business Cyber Fraud Conference: Who's Minding Your Business?

2011-04-14T10:23:00.001-07:00

The rising incidence of cyber fraud is a growing concern for businesses and municipalities. Cyber criminals are targeting online accounts, using malware to steal log-in credentials and gain access or draining funds through fraudulent electronic-payment schemes.

There are preventive steps that every business and municipal entity can take to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of cyber fraud. There are also various products and services that can help protect your accounts from attack by criminals.

To learn more about this emerging threat, join experts in the field for an informative half-day, morning conference. Learn the extent of cyber fraud today, find out how it occurs and what are your vulnerabilities, learn about steps you can take at little or no cost to protect your accounts, and hear about additional measures to tighten your online account security.

The Business Cyber Fraud Conference will be held at the Doubletree Hotel Syracuse on May 17, 2011.

Event Hours:
7:30a - Registration
8:00a - Breakfast and program begins
11:00a - Event concludes

More info and registration

Who should attend the event? CEOs, CFOs, controllers, comptrollers, treasurers, partners, principals, IT professionals, and business owners of all sizes.

Fund for Vocational Rehabilitation Awards Grants

2011-04-12T11:45:00.000-07:00

Syracuse (April 12, 2011) - The Allen Speiser Memorial Fund for Vocational Rehabilitation, a component fund of the Central New York Community Foundation, awarded $4,770 in grants to five local not-for-profit organizations.

CNY Works received $625 to eliminate common obstacles to employment for disabled individuals through support of the Employment Network program. CNY Works brings businesses, job seekers and training providers together to provide skilled workers for every business, and employment for every job seeker.

Oswego Industries received $1,000 to establish an internet store for their textiles division, which employs individuals with disabilities. Oswego Industries provides support programs that enable individuals with disabilities to grow with dignity and achieve their highest level of independence and self-fulfillment.

Enable received $500 to send a staff member to the 2011 Supported Employment Training Institute, the only national organization with an exclusive focus on integrated employment and career advancement opportunities for individuals with significant disabilities. Enable has been enhancing the quality of life for people with developmental or physical disabilities through an array of services since 1948.

Unity House of Cayuga County received $745 to enhance the Materials for Building and Enhancing Job Readiness program by purchasing technology equipment for the training room. Unity House provides transitional and permanent housing, respite care, and rehabilitative and employment services for adults with mental health illnesses, developmental disabilities or recovering from chemical dependency.

ARC of Onondaga received $1,900 to hold a staff development simulation program for service providers throughout Central New York. This three-day course, facilitated by Dr. Ronald House, provides an orientation for new staff on how a community rehabilitation service program functions, including intake and evaluation, counseling, fees and employment services. ARC of Onondaga provides residential, vocational, clinical and rehabilitative services along with other resources to help people achieve their fullest potential.

The Allen Speiser Memorial Fund for Vocational Rehabilitation Fund has awarded $26,649 in grants since 2005 for programs that strengthen and support vocational rehabilitation services. Vocational rehabilitation is the process of assisting people with any disabling condition to acquire the social, educational and work skills that will lead to employment. The Fund offers grants to support special projects, make new investments, and provide additional staff training, filling in the gaps left by other funding sources.

The Central New York Community Foundation has served Central New York for over 80 years, receiving, managing and distributing charitable funds for the benefit of not-for-profit organizations. Grants are awarded for programs in the areas of human services, arts and culture, education, environment, health, economic development and civic affairs. The region’s largest endowed philanthropic foundation, the Central New York Community Foundation awards over $5 million in grants to not-for-profit organizations annually. The Community Foundation can be reached at (315) 422-9538 or www.cnycf.org

Charity watchdog gives top rating to United Way

2011-04-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

Syracuse.com reported that an independent charity watchdog group has upgraded its rating of the United Way of Central New York from “poor” to “exceptional” to reflect cost-cutting and other changes the local fundraising group has made to become more efficient.

Charity Navigator, an independent nonprofit that evaluates more than 5,000 U.S. charities based on their annual IRS form 990 tax returns and other factors, has revised its rating of the United Way to four stars, its best rating. The United Way previously had a one-star rating. Its ratings are available online (http://www.charitynavigator.org/).

Sandra Miniutti, a vice president of Charity Navigator, said the United Way’s rating improved dramatically because the organization cut its overhead and fundraising costs. The United Way spent 8 cents to raise $1 in 2010. That’s down from 13 cents in 2009. “Donors want to make sure groups like the United Way are even more efficient than the typical charity because they are passing the money along and taking a cut on the way,” Miniutti said. “We want to make sure that cut is as small as possible.”

The United Way collected more than $8 million in 2009 to fund 39 agencies that feed the hungry, shelter the homeless and provide other human services in the community. It plans to announce the results of its 2010 campaign Wednesday. The United Way fundraiser is Onondaga County’s largest annual campaign.

The United Way reduced its administrative expenses by 14 percent and reduced its staff by 12 percent in 2010 after its annual fundraising drive fell short of its goal in 2009. Read more here.

Become a fan of The I-81 Challenge on Facebook!

2011-04-06T22:55:00.000-07:00

http://www.thei81challenge.org/
As you may be aware, portions of I-81, particularly the elevated sections of the highway in downtown Syracuse, are nearing the end of their lifespan. Over the next decade, portions of the road will need to be replaced, reconstructed, removed, or otherwise changed at a significant cost. The I-81 Challenge is the official decision-making process for this effort, being led by the New York Department of Transportation and the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council (SMTC).

The I-81 Challenge presents the citizens of the Syracuse region with a significant opportunity: a chance to reevaluate the needs and desires of those who use I-81 and live or work in the area, to formulate a vision and a plan that will best serve our goals for the future.

As part of a broad public involvement effort, the SMTC has launched a Facebook page for The I-81 Challenge with a goal of reaching 25 fans by the end of the week.

Along with the project website, blog, and other resources, The I-81 Challenge Facebook page will help stakeholders stay up to date with the latest project news. Anyone who plans to attend a drop-in public workshop in early May can help spread the word through the public workshop Facebook events. Become a fan of The I-81 Challenge today, and help the SMTC spread the word about this important project.

Syracuse Symphony Orchestra's board votes to suspend operations; season canceled, no refunds planned

2011-03-31T07:10:00.000-07:00

Syracuse.com reported that the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra’s board of trustees voted Tuesday to suspend operations as of Sunday because of a shortage of funds. The decision will bring the 50th anniversary season of the orchestra to an unceremonious end.

There were more than 20 Syracuse and regional concerts remaining in the 2010-11 season. The orchestra’s 18 full- and part-time staffers and 61 core and 14 contract musicians will be laid off Monday. However, eight employees will remain to help in the transition, Interim Executive Director Paul Brooks said, although he added that the organization has very little cash to carry out an orderly transition. Brooks said no refunds would be issued to ticket holders, and he said any donations received during the SSO’s public fundraising campaign, "Keep the Music Playing" will not be returned.

Its April 27 concert by renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma also is canceled. But despite suspension of operations, Brooks said, the Syracuse Opera has been assured that the orchestra will play for its two performances of "The Pearl Fishers" April 8 and 10, said Brooks.

Brooks made the announcement after a three-hour closed board meeting in the conference room of Eric Mower and Associates in downtown Syracuse. He said the SSO was without funds to continue operations because it fell short of its March fundraising goal of $445,000, failed to receive $1.3 million in concessions from the musicians for the 2011-12 season and had $5.5 million debt as the major reasons for the suspension.

The SSO has a budget of $6.9 million for 2010-11. "In order to be sustainable, we have to have in place a balanced budget for next fiscal year. We have been unable to reach an agreement with the musicians through diligence on our part and on their part," Brooks said. "In spite of our best efforts, we have to come to the point where we are faced with no other choice but to suspend operations." The board will consult with legal counsel to explore its options and will reconvene next week to consider the next steps, Brooks said.

Management and musicians also will meet Thursday to continue efforts toward a compromise. Brooks stressed this was a suspension, not a closure. But because there will be no concerts, this is effectively a closure, said Jon Garland, chair of the Musicians Committee. "It’s really unfortunate that our board wasn’t able to come forward and meet us part of the way on what we were willing to give back to make the budget work," Garland said.

About 45 SSO musicians, in their formal concert attire, quietly waited in the lobby outside of the conference room as the meeting stretched from daylight to dark. They were solemn as they learned of the news from fellow musicians Jeremy Mastrangelo and Gregory Wood who were present in the trustees’ meeting. SSO Music Director Daniel Hege, who also attended the meeting, chatted with a few musicians afterward and was somber. He declined to comment about the meeting’s outcome.

"It’s an unconscionable betrayal of the trust the community has placed in the symphony," said Garland after hearing details of the meeting. The musicians’ refusal to accept $1.3 million in concessions Monday precipitated the Tuesday board of trustees meeting. The executive committee of the board of trustees told musicians it would propose that the full board take a vote to suspend operations if an agreement wasn’t reached on the concessions.

During the past eight months, the board has struggled to put its finances in order. In July, it was on the verge of being broke and being forced to close. An "angel investor" came to the rescue with operating funds.

Read more here.

NYT editorial and call to action

2011-03-31T07:02:00.000-07:00

**To be an effective advocate, DO NOT answer the question--"Well if you don't want us to cut X, then what should we cut?"

** Simply say: I am calling to inform you about the effectiveness of programs that I have expertise and am familiar with, and I am not comfortable making recommendations on cutting programs that I am not fully educated on.

-------------------------------- Member of Congress BUERKLE: Syracuse 423-5657 DC 202 225-3701 Hello my name is ______ and I live in Onondaga County. I am calling to urge Representative Buerkle to vote against any budget cuts to entitlement programs such as Medicaid or food stamps (SNAP) for FY 2011 or FY 2012. Significant cuts or block granting funds for these programs makes them less effective in responding to economic recessions and helping people make ends meet. We should not attempt to balance the budget on the backs of people who need help the most.

-------------------------------- Senators SCHUMER Syracuse 423-5471 DC 202 224-6542 and GILLIBRAND: Syracuse 448-0470 DC 202 224-4451 Hello my name is _____ and I live in Onondaga County. I am calling to thank the Senator for voting against drastic budget cuts proposed by the House and I encourage them to continue to stand strong! Significant cuts or block granting funds for entitlement programs and drastic cuts to discretionary programs will only slow our recovery from the economic recession. These programs are effective and have a huge impact on people in our communities so please protect them from unnecessary attacks. We should not attempt to balance the budget on the backs of people who need help the most.

--------------------------------
New York Times editorial
March 24, 2011
Let Them Eat Cutbacks

Food stamps are part of the social safety net, but they work more as the ultimate ground-level crutch for Americans staggering against poverty. During the recession, food stamps were an important factor in helping an estimated 4.5 million Americans stave off the official poverty (no more than $21,756 annually for a family of four) that engulfed nearly 16 percent of the nation. The stamps are win-win: $9 in fast economic stimulus for every $5 spent on food for a hungry family. Sad wonder, then, that cuts in food stamps are the latest proposal heading for the House Republicans' budgetary chopping block. An attempt to set them back at the levels of 2007 - and cost a family of four $59 out of their $294 monthly allotment - is part of welfare "reform" legislation being proposed by leaders of the powerful Republican Study Committee. This group, embraced by two-thirds of the House majority, is the conservative engine driving much of the deficit-slashing mania to extremes. Even last year, when the Democrats controlled the House, the political vulnerability of food stamps was clear as sleazy budget deals were attempted to tap the program to protect farm subsidies and other power blocks. Now the threat is worse as Republicans wildly estimate that they could save $1.4 trillion across a decade in cutting the full array of welfare programs - yet still help down-and-out families. Vicious politics is already in the mix, including a surly provision to deny food stamps to any family that includes a worker on strike. Surely hard times should find public servants protecting the neediest first, not targeting them for crumbs from a program more vital to society than another tired round of antiwelfare politicking. Robert Nickerson NYC Washington DC Office of Mayor Bloomberg 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue,NW, Suite 350 Washington, DC 20004 tel: 202-624-5912

New Community Grant Application

2011-03-09T11:38:00.000-08:00

With ease of use in mind, the Community Foundation is introducing a new Community Grant Application for 2011. It collects much of the same information as our previous application, but features a fillable electronic format that should make the application process less complicated. The new application can be used for proposals going forward, beginning with the April 1, 2011 deadline. Please note that the new application contains an updated Evaluation Grid, which is explained in more detail in the Guidelines. Feel free to contact the grants staff with any questions.

Download the Forms Now
Community Grant Guidelines
Community Grant Application

2011 Community Grant Deadlines
April 1, 2011
July 15, 2011
September 30, 2011

Strategic Partnerships - Training & Local Case Studies

2011-03-09T07:17:00.000-08:00

Join us on March 29 at 5:30 pm for the Strategic Partnerships session of our Nonprofit Essentials Workshop Series. (N.E.W.S.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Strategic partnerships can be an effective method to build and sustain nonprofit capacity. If you are considering a future partnership or are just interested in learning more, this workshop is for you! With a well matched partnership your organization can enhance its mission, build credibility, strengthen its brand, engage more individuals, create efficiencies and, most importantly, make a bigger difference in the community. Through the Strategic Partnership Fund, the Community Foundation provides funding for organizations to engage in innovative partnerships. See below for more details on this fund.

Please join us for a one-time, evening workshop and panel at the CNY Philanthropy Center. Due to the size of the workshop, please limit yourself to one attendee per organization.

Featuring:
Doug Sauer
CEO
New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc. (NYCON)

With Panelists:
Tom Dennison, PhD
Professor of Practice, Public Administration, Maxwell School
John Eberle
Vice President, Grants & Initiatives, CNYCF
Pam Hyland
CEO, Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways, Inc.
Rob Simpson
President, CenterState CEO

March 29, 2010
5:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Central New York Philanthropy Center
431 East Fayette Street
Syracuse, NY 13202

5:30 to 6:00 pm: Light dinner buffet
6:00 to 7:00 pm: Presentation by Doug Sauer
7:00 to 8:00 pm: Panel: Local Case Studies
Moderated by John Eberle

Cost: $25 per person

You will learn about:
• Strategic Partnerships: Collaborations, Affiliations and Mergers
• Strategic Restructuring & Business Planning
• Opportunities & Benefits
• Pitfalls & Lessons Learned
• Dynamic Synergies & Mission Expansion
• Local Case Studies

REGISTER HERE

About the Strategic Partnerships Fund
The Community Foundation provides grants of up to $25,000 to nonprofit organizations to implement innovative partnership solutions that maximize the delivery of critical community services while making efficient use of limited staff time and financial resources. Specifically, grants support collaborative ventures among nonprofits seeking to enhance or expand goods and services within a new, cost-effective operational model. The Community Foundation anticipates that successful activities will foster wider community dialogue about strategic partnership and restructuring efforts, and that those case studies can serve as models for strengthening the nonprofit sector.

The Community Foundation recognizes that strategic partnerships are by nature challenging. Organizations must be willing to be very transparent; honestly assessing their assets and liabilities, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats across a vast spectrum of strategic and operational concern. The key to success is strong collegial relationships with high levels of trust among leaders entering into discussions and potential agreements. Prior to submission, senior staff and boards are expected to have evaluated their organization’s mission and vision, managerial leadership, board governance, resources, programming, fiscal management and other operational systems. The Community Foundation requires that applicants have undergone an internal evaluation and assessment of their organization, targeting proposed activities toward addressing their most critical challenges. Please visit our website http://www.cnycf.org/ to learn more.

PARKING INSTRUCTIONS
Limited parking will be available in the lot directly in front of the CNY Philanthropy Center. Please do not park in the adjacent lot in front of Joseph’s at the Carriage House. Additionally…There is street parking on East Fayette, East Washington and Genesee Streets. A Murbo surface lot is located within a block of the building; you may enter on East Washington Street, next to Jazz Central. A covered parking garage is located at 300 East Fayette Street.

HSLC meeting March 11th: Comments Requested

2011-03-02T09:29:00.000-08:00

HSLC Members,

Dan Young, Central Region representative of the Governor's Office, has asked to join us at our March 11 meeting (8:00 - 9:30 AM at the United Way Building). The HSLC Steering Committee has agreed to invite Dan, as well as members of our NYS Delegation ,to engage in a conversation re the impact of the proposed Governor's budget on the people that we serve.

* If you wish to share a brief comment at the meeting , please send it in advance to enolan@hillside.com.

* We hope to collate comments into 5-7 priority areas that we would suggest frame our Legislators ' decisions and actions over the coming weeks.

* At the meeting, we will start with the comments that were pre-submitted and will open the floor only after those issues have been addressed.

* We are asking you to comment on the budget's impact on your constituency, not on your agency. We look forward to hearing from you and expect the conversation on the 11th to be lively and productive.

Thank you. Liz

Elizabeth Nolan, LMSW
Central Region Services Leader
Hillside Children's Center
215 Wyoming Street
Syracuse, NY, 13204
(315) 703-8739

Excellus made $44 million profit in 2010, ending two years of losses

2011-03-02T09:26:00.000-08:00

Syracuse.com reported that Excellus BlueCross BlueShield made a $44.5 million profit in 2010, when it ended two straight years of operating losses, the health insurer reported Tuesday.

Excellus had a profit of nearly 1 percent on its revenues of $5.2 billion in 2010, the company reported to the state. After two years of operating at a loss on the revenue it generated from premiums, the company last year made a $33 million profit on premiums. That's 0.6 percent of its premium income.

Most of the company's profit came from $69 million in investment income, Excellus officials said.

The insurer reported its finances Tuesday in its annual filing with the state Insurance Department. The report showed Excellus paid 53 employees more than $200,000 last year.

Its top three executives took pay cuts of 3 percent to 5 percent -- the second year in a row of salary decreases for top officers. The cuts were because of the company's financial performance in recent years, Excellus said in a news release. The company lost $54 million in 2008.

The company's highest-paid executives last year were David H. Klein, president and CEO, $1.9 million; Zeke Duda, chief financial officer, $1.35 million; and Christopher Booth, executive vice president, $1.05 million.

After a decrease in members in 2009, Excellus reported an increase of 100,000 members last year for a total of 1.8 million. As a result, the company's medical and hospital expenses increased from $4.3 billion in 2009 to $4.6 billion last year. The company's administrative costs totaled $578.5 million last year -- a 1.8 percent increase.

Excellus must put its net income, or profit, into reserves because the company is a nonprofit. That gives the company a safeguard against spikes in expenses or declines in revenue. The company's health plan reserves totaled $1.09 billion at the end of 2010, its filings said. That works out to $709 in reserves per member, the company said.

The average for nonprofit health plans in Upstate New York is $1,058 per member in reserves, the company said. Although it's below the Upstate average, Excellus' reserves level is at a "safe and adequate level," Duda said in a news release. "Our members can feel confident that we are financially strong enough to cover them, even in the event of a catastrophe," Duda said.

In October, the state Insurance Department approved Excellus' request to increase its health insurance policy rates between 5.4 and 12.5 percent.

Excellus, based in Rochester, employs 6,000 workers in 30 offices across Upstate New York, including about 950 in Central New York. The company processed more than 49 million claims last year, paying $4.6 billion to 18,000 Upstate physicians, 130 hospitals and 61,000 pharmacies.

Visit here for the Excellus report.

Human Services Leaderhsip Council March 11th Meeting

2011-02-28T08:35:00.000-08:00

The next meeting of the Human Services Leadership Council will be
Friday, March 11, 2011
8:00 – 9:30 AM
United Way Building, Rosamond Gifford Conference Room, 518 James Street

Human Services Leadership Council Agenda – March 11, 2011
Introductions (with announcements)

Invited Guests: Area State Legislators and the Governor’s Regional Representative

Dialogue regarding the impact of NYS budget proposals on the community members we serve facilitated by the Advocacy Committee (More information to come!)

Chair’s report: Randi Bregman - Strategic Planning Initiative

Treasurer’s Report: Mason Kaufman

Committee announcements:
Advocacy:
Liz Nolan
Mike Melara

Community/ Business Communications:
Sara Wall-Bollinger
Michael Crinnin

Internal Communications and Networking:
Aggie Glavin

Program and Training:
Susan Horn
Marsha Weissman

Next meeting: May 13

Cayuga Fund Accepting Grant Applications

2011-02-23T07:09:00.001-08:00

Cayuga Fund Accepting Grant Applications

February 23, 2011 - The Cayuga Community Fund is now accepting grant applications from tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations [501 (c)(3) or other publicly supported organizations] that reside within Cayuga County.

The application deadline is March 31, 2011. Requests may range from $500 - $5,000. Grants must directly benefit the residents of Cayuga County. Visit www.cnycf.org/cayuga to access the grant application and guidelines.

The Cayuga Community Fund is a geographically specific fund created to serve as a source of permanent charitable dollars available to nonprofits serving residents of Cayuga County. Grants will be awarded from the endowment fund annually to aid vital programs in education, health, social services, the arts, civic and environmental concerns, as well as the preservation of historic resources in Cayuga County.

The Cayuga Community Fund is a component fund of the Central New York Community Foundation. The Central New York Community Foundation has served Central New York for over 80 years, receiving, managing and distributing charitable funds for the benefit of nonprofit organizations. Grants are awarded for programs in the areas of human services, arts and culture, education, environment, health, economic development and civic affairs. The region’s largest endowed philanthropic foundation, the Central New York Community Foundation awards more than $5 million in grants to nonprofit organizations annually. The Community Foundation, of 431 East Fayette Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, can be reached at (315) 422-9538 or www.cnycf.org.

Vocational Rehabilitation Fund Accepting Grant Applications

2011-02-23T07:07:00.000-08:00

Vocational Rehabilitation Fund Accepting Grant Applications

The Allen Speiser Memorial Fund for Vocational Rehabilitation is accepting grant applications from programs that promote the placement and retention of employees with disabilities in the workforce. The application deadline is March 18, 2011. Eligibility is limited to 501(c)(3) nonprofit, human service organizations that serve people with disabilities in Onondaga, Madison, Oswego, Cortland and Cayuga Counties.

Formerly the C.I.G.S. Foundation, the Allen Speiser Fund has been in existence for more than a decade. The Fund offers grants to support special projects, make new investments, provide additional staff training – filling in the gaps that aren’t covered by government sources or other private funding. The Fund provides grants of up to $2,000, or $4,000 for collaborative projects involving two or more organizations, to agencies that support education and employment opportunities for people with disabilities and raises awareness of the employment potential of people with disabilities.

Programs that address job placement and retention through one or more of the following methods will be considered:

· Training for auxiliary personnel - training or technical assistance for professionals, employers, or other individuals who provide workplace oriented services to individuals with disabilities.

· Equipment and assistive technology - any items or pieces of equipment that will be used to enhance functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities in the workplace.

· Materials for building and enhancing job readiness – materials that professionals or employers can use to enhance the employability skills of individuals with disabilities.

· Work supports promoting job accommodation - may include assistance preparing for work, getting to and from work, meeting personal needs in the workplace, and performing job functions.

Visit www.cnycf.org/grants for guidelines and an application form. Questions may be directed to Danielle Gill at 315.422.9538 or DGill@cnycf.org.

The Allen Speiser Memorial Fund, a component fund of the Central New York Community Foundation, supports efforts that advance and have a positive impact on vocational rehabilitation services. Vocational rehabilitation is the process of assisting people with any disabling condition to acquire the social, educational and work skills that will lead to employment.

The Central New York Community Foundation has served Central New York for over 80 years, receiving, managing and distributing charitable funds for the benefit of nonprofit organizations. Grants are awarded for programs in the areas of human services, arts and culture, education, environment, health, economic development and civic affairs. The region’s largest endowed philanthropic foundation, the Central New York Community Foundation awards more than $5 million in grants to nonprofit organizations annually. The Community Foundation, of 431 East Fayette Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, can be reached at (315) 422-9538 or www.cnycf.org.