Rock n' Roll n' Risk Management - Risk eNEWS

Rock n’ Roll n’ Risk Management

By Melanie Lockwood Herman and Alexandra Ricketts

A friend of the Center, who happens to be an accomplished sound engineer, forwarded a terrific article to us this week about how the best rock n’ roll roadies can do things many music fans might believe are impossible. Why? Well, one reason seems to be that roadies and members of production crews are motivated to do the impossible because the show must always go on.

Why Roadies Are Our Best Bet For Typhoon Haiyan Relief In The Philippines, by Ruth Blatt, published at www.forbes.com, features an interview with Charlie Hernandez, a former roadie and production manager for The Police. Blatt, who writes about “the intersection of rock n’ roll and business,” describes how roadies and the rock concerts they support “descend upon a site and then quickly disappear. Along the way, they face technical complexity, divergent regulations, multiple vendors, language barriers, and the certainty of unforeseen obstacles.”

As we read about how touring professionals came together to provide relief in Haiti and Pakistan after the disasters in those countries in 2010, we couldn’t help but see that the talents of roadies offer valuable lessons for nonprofit leaders charged with ensuring that their missions go on.

Risk Tips from the Road

·         Ask for Help and Be Eager to Help — In addition to “somebody to love,” every nonprofit leader needs lots of somebodies to help sustain a charitable mission. The article explains that despite the demands of the work and lifestyle, many roadies and production managers spend their free time helping others. As a result, the best in the business have bigger contact lists in their cell phones than professional match makers. According to our sound engineer friend, keeping a mental note of the skills and interests of people you meet on the road, and saving contact details, are essential to getting the help you need when you need it.

·         Close the Loop — Roadies don’t call it a day until every piece of equipment is packed up and on the truck or headed to the airport. The ability to follow-through until the job is completely done is essential to making sure the band is ready for the next stop on the tour. The commitment to closing the loop is applicable in risk management as well. Whether it’s conducting an in-depth review of the nonprofit’s policies and the actions taken by staff after an accident or near-miss, or taking the time to tell a vendor the reasons you’ve decided to change providers, closing the loop is fundamental to preserving trust in key relationships, learning from experience, and inspiring confidence in your mission and team.

·         Inspire Loyalty — Blatt’s article explains that “fierce camaraderie” is a must in the tough business of rock n’ roll. That means you’re unlikely to hear about a roadie throwing a fellow roadie under the tour bus, literally or figuratively! Many nonprofit leaders have learned the hard way that you need to earn, rather than insist, on loyalty. True loyalty exists in nonprofits where staff members believe that executives bring integrity to the job each and every day. In the world of risk management, lukewarm loyalty is a downside risk waiting to materialize. When staff are disloyal or disillusioned they are more likely to disregard the risk management policies of the nonprofit.

The Queen song The Show Must Go On was the final track on the rock band’s 1991 album, Innuendo. Written principally by band member Brian May, The Show Must Go On is regarded as a tribute to the bravery and fierce determination of lead singer Freddie Mercury, who continued to perform despite being gravely ill. The song was released as a single, just six weeks before Mercury died in 1991. The song reminds us that nonprofit missions are vital to the health and well-being of individuals, communities and the environment, and therefore must also go on. To reach your goal of becoming an effective risk champion, remember to ask for help and give help freely, close the loop after accidents and near-misses, and inspire true loyalty by leading with integrity.

Melanie Herman is Executive Director and Alexandra Ricketts is Project Manager at the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. Melanie and Alex welcome your feedback on this article or questions about the Center’s resources for nonprofits at Melanie@nonprofitrisk.org, Alexandra@nonprofitrisk.org or(202) 785-3891.

Camp Finance to Welcome Dan Pallotta, October 10

Camp Finance to Welcome Dan Pallotta Keynote Address - October 10th "Uncharitable: How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential" NYCON is pleased to welcome Dan Pallotta as this year's Camp Finance Keynote Speaker. Camp Finance will be held at the Mohonk Mountain House on October 10th & 11th. You may know of Dan Pallotta as the TED Talk Phenomenon (over 1.6 million views to date) or as the author of Uncharitable and Charity Case or as the inventor the multi-day charitable event industry with the AIDS Rides and Breast Cancer 3-Days, or as a regular blogger for theHarvard Business Review or maybe as the founder and President of the Charity Defense Council, a new national leadership movement dedicated to transforming the way the donating public thinks about charity and change... But no matter how you heard of Dan, we're sure you are going to want to be there to hear what he has to say at this year's CAMP FINANCE Conference. Register Today   Keynote Address: Uncharitable: How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential The way we've been taught to think about charity and change is upside down. If we changed the way we think about charity, charity could change the world. Our Camp Finance Keynote, based on Dan's book, Uncharitable, the best selling title in the history of Tufts University Press, will challenge you to change the way you think about charity.  The Stanford Social Innovation Review has said Uncharitable "deserves to become the nonprofit sector's new manifesto."  Find out for yourself! About Camp Finance 2013 Given the financial challenges of the past few years, your participation at CAMP FINANCE 2013 offers a welcome opportunity for New York's nonprofits to convene, access experts and connect with peers as we look to the future. Celebrating our 12th year, Camp Finance provides the very best in knowledge, skill and strategy sessions for your staff and volunteer leaders. This year´s workshops are responsive to your professional development and organizational needs with the latest information and tools to empower you to continue to build an effective, compliant, vibrant and sustainable nonprofit organization. From basic concepts to best practices, CAMP FINANCE 2013 has something for everyone. Workshop Tracks Include: Basic Nonprofit Accounting        Accountability and Compliance Issues     Marketing, Fundraising and Communications      Nonprofit Governance Camp Finance Sponsors & Exhibitors Thank you to this year's event sponsors and exhibitors (as of May 14th, 2013)   Sponsors:    Exhibitors: JMT Consulting, Central Business Solutions, The Network Place, Inc.  Camp Finance Pricing  Information Member Full Conference Pricing(Including all meals, activities & classes on 10/10 and 10/11) is $469 per person for a double room and $569 for a single room. Non-member Full Conference Pricing is $669 per person for a double room and $769 for a single room. Day Rates are Available: Members $210 Non-Members $310 REGISTER TODAY Testimonials & Reviews for Dan Pallotta "...we've received high marks for your keynote speech along with comments such as: 'Dan Pallotta was AMAZING - I wish everyone who works for a non-profit could see him speak!!', 'Dan Pallotta was the best keynote speaker since I have been attending ACM Interactivity.'" -Janet Rice Elman, Executive Director, Association of Children's Museums  "The nonprofit world needs innovation, and Dan Pallotta is helping us see how new ideas can help make our world more successful. In these tough times, we need his out-of-the-box ideas!"  -Bobby Shriver, cofounder, Product (RED) More Testimonials for Dan Pallotta

The NonProfit Times Weekly E-Newsletter

IRS Reports 10,000 Fewer Nonprofits In 2012

There were 10,000 fewer registered tax-exempt organizations in 2012 than in 2011. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Data Book for 2012, which was released Monday, there were 1,484,818 501(c) organizations for the fiscal year ending in September, compared with 1,494,882 in 2011 – a decrease of 10,064, or about 0.68 percent.Read more... Professional Development... 5 principles for ethical mentoring “I never meant for that to happen.” Just as the above lament can be the swan song for a nonprofit that doesn't follow good organizational practices, it can also be the epitaph for a mentoring partnership gone wrong. Read more... Human Resources... 15 interview questions you can legally ask There are a lot of laws these days that restrict the kind of information you can request from candidates during job interviews. Since you probably don't want to get in trouble with the law, it's important to know the questions that you can and should ask. Read more... Management... 6 reasons change is good It's usual to resist change. Those who aren't pulling their own (or any) weight know that their gigs can be threatened if they don't do a whirlwind job of convincing change agents just how essential they are. Those who are pulling their own weight (or more) know that their livelihoods are threatened because they are too busy working to prove how essential they are to the operation. Read more... To Read More Click Here

Friends of the Zoo names Murray new director of operations

Friends of the Zoo names Murray new director of operations by Maria Carbonaro 2/13/2013 11:35:00 AM

SYRACUSE — Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo has appointed Lorrie Murray as its new director of operations. Murray will oversee volunteer services, gift shop, and food operations at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park. She will also administer the zoo’s IT services and handle project management. “Lorrie served in three previous positions in her eight-year tenure at the zoo. She is an invaluable member of our team and brings a profound institutional understanding to her new role,” Janet Agostini, president of Friends of the Zoo, said in a news release. Murray began working at the zoo in 2004 as an assistant gift shop manager. In 2007, she was promoted to membership manager. By 2010, her title was changed to membership manager and IT administrator to encompass her role as a liaison for various IT support teams, according to Friends of the Zoo. Murray holds an associate degree in business administration from Cayuga Community College. She has more than 25 years experience in quality control, operations, and customer service. Founded in 1970, the Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo is a nonprofit, 501 (c)(3) support organization to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park, which is operated by Onondaga County Parks. The Friends of the Zoo supports the zoo with marketing efforts, as well as fundraising and development activities. The nonprofit operates the gift shop, catering department, and the Jungle Café. It also provides educational programming to zoo visitors and the surrounding community. Contact Carbonaro at mcarbonaro@cnybj.com For the online version Click Here

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

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

Employment Summit Survey

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

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

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

FREE Sessions: Basic Accounting for Nonprofits

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

Governor Orders Review of Executive Compensation at Nonprofits

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

New Employee Fee Related To Unemployment Insurance Will Impact Nonprofits

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

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

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

GIFFORD FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES $900,000 FOR CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVE

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.

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

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

Leveraging Resources Locally

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

Syracuse CPA to lead state societyby Kevin Tampone

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

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.

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

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.

Charity watchdog gives top rating to United Way

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!

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.