New York Nonprofits is the monthly newsletter of the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc. Select articles are available only to NPCC members (using their assigned password). To receive a print edition of New York Nonprofits and to view select articles, you must be a member of NPCC. To join NPCC, visit www.npccny.org/howto.htm for membership information.
July 2009, Volume 26, No. 7
The 2009 New York Times Company Nonprofit Excellence Awards Winners
Government Grants Information Service
NPCC Government Relations Committee Update
ClearView: City Contracts
GreaterNY
IRS on Closings
CareerLink
Federal Lobbying Reporting Thresholds
Election Activities
NYS Shared Work: Layoff Alternative
Good Governance: IS Principles Workbook
IRS on Cellphones
IT Staffing Report
Cultural Resource Survey
WebRight: Content Management System
NYC Women’s Resource
Minimum Wage Increase
Actors Work Program
Social Media: Fenton Guide
Best Places to Work
Dialing In: Goodman Center Report
NTEN Conference Materials
Taglines Report
Union Square Awards
New NPCC Members
Space Ads
Workshop CalendarJune 2009, Volume 26, No. 6
Background Check Service
The 2009 New York Times Company Nonprofit Excellence Awards
Free Six Month Membership for New Members
NYC Nonprofit Initiatives
New Rules for Thrift Stores
New Transit Tax
IdeaEncore
Form 990: Board Issues
Community Organizing
Fenton Social Media Grant
Cambridge Pro Bono Engagement
The 2009 New York Times Company Nonprofit Excellence Awards Winners
On June 18, the third annual New York Times Nonprofit Excellence Awards were presented to four nonprofit organizations.
The awards presentation was preceded by a question and answer session moderated by Jack Rosenthal, president of The New York Times Company Foundation, with each of the finalists’ executive director and a board member. Rosenthal noted that the awards program represents a sea change from the day not too long ago when the nonprofit world was exquisitely polite and closely held — contrasted with our purpose now of sharing best practices. Given cuts in government funding, changes in philanthropy, and the general gloom of the economy today, he said it was fortuitous that Michael Clark, president of NPCC and Diane McNulty, executive director of The Times Community Affairs Department and all the other people involved in creating the awards had given us the chance to both celebrate and to learn.
The New York Times Nonprofit Excellence Awards 2009 Winners
New York Cares, recognized for Overall Management Excellence, meets pressing community needs by mobilizing caring New Yorkers in volunteer service. www.nycares.org
Groundwork, Inc., awarded Excellence in Management, helps build powerful youth and powerful communities by educating and supporting children and families in and around public housing. www.groundworkinc.org
Vera Institute of Justice, also awarded for Excellence in Management, uses research, practice and innovation to help improve justice and safety across the United States and around the world. www.vera.org
Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project, awarded for Excellent Communications, promotes community economic justice and the elimination of discriminatory economic practices that harm communities and perpetuate inequality and poverty. www.nedap.org
New York Cares, as winner of the Overall Management Excellence award, received a $25,000 cash award. All other winners received cash awards of $5,000 each. The six finalists received a total of $35,000 in scholarships to Social Enterprise Programs in Executive Education at Columbia Business School.
Special recognition for their efforts was given to two finalists, Citizens Advice Bureau (www.cabny.org), a Bronx based settlement house whose mission is to improve the economic and social well-being of low-income individuals, families and communities, and Legal Information for Families Today (www.liftonline.org), which empowers court involved families with legal information and compassionate guidance so that they can successfully navigate the Family Court system.
Ronna Brown, president of Philanthropy New York (formerly New York Regional Association of Grantmakers) thanked all involved, including the Selection Committee members who spent untold hours reading applications, Hildy Simmons who chaired the Selection Committee, and all of the strong, well-managed nonprofits that applied. She pointed out that the Awards program helps the philanthropic community since funders also need strong, well-managed nonprofits.
Michael Clark noted that the organization views the Awards as an educational program: it seeks to improve nonprofit management and increase public awareness, so that all can learn from the “best of the best.” A key component of this is the Awards guiding document, Seven Areas of Nonprofit Excellence (online at www.npccny.org/info/7AreasofNonprofitExcellence(2009).pdf), rooted in many best practices programs throughout the country. He applauded the six finalists who, with their passionate, laser-like focus on management issues, have a great deal to teach organizations. Clark thanked Diane McNulty of The Times Community Affairs Department, who agreed four years ago to undertake the venture, Ronna Brown, and NPCC’s Kristy Grammer who so ably manages the awards and “makes it all happen.”
Hildy Simmons, chair of the Selection Panel, noted that for this year’s round, 217 individuals attended application clinics to learn about the Awards, and 86 qualified applications were received. In February, the entries were winnowed down to 10 semi-finalists who then completed a second application. As with the 86 original applications, the 10 semi-finalist applications were reviewed by the Selection Committee, and in April, six groups were chosen as finalists and site visits were undertaken. Finally, the panel selected four winners.
In 2007, NPCC and Philanthropy New York joined the Times Company in establishing The New York Times Company Nonprofit Excellence Awards. All 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations based in and serving New York City, Long Island and Westchester are eligible to apply. Additional support for the program is provided by the Social Enterprise Programs at Columbia Business School Executive Education, the Surdna Foundation, the Fund for the City of New York, McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, The New York Community Trust, the Altman Foundation, The Clark Foundation, The Venable Foundation, Independence Community Foundation and the Hagedorn Foundation.
More information about the awards can be found at www.npccny.org/info/awards.htm and at http://nytawards.fcny.org. A summary of the six finalists strengths can be downloaded at www.npccny.org/info/2009AwardsFinalistsStrengths.pdf. The guiding principle in the awards, Seven Areas of Nonprofit Excellence, is at www.npccny.org/info/7AreasofNonprofitExcellence(2009).pdf.
Government Grants Information Service
NPCC 501(c)(3) members are eligible to sign up for a free subscription to our Government Grants Information Service (GGIS) to receive summary notices about grants and contracts available from federal, state and city agencies. Members can choose from over 60 different grant topic areas they are interested in — from health to culture, environment to housing, preservation to youth development. Within several days of an announcement’s official publication, subscribers receive a summary that includes a direct link to the RFP or other appropriate site with more information about the grant.
Over 770 NPCC members are currently subscribers. According to our most recent survey last fall, 60.2 percent of users rated GGIS “very good” or “excellent;” 35.5 percent rated it “good;” 4.3 percent “fair;” and none rated it “poor.” Twenty-three subscribers reported over $10.5 million in grants directly attributed to receiving grant or contract notices via GGIS.
If you’re not familiar with GGIS, you can read more about it and subscribe at www.npccny.org/grants.htm.
NPCC Government Relations Committee Update
NPCC’s Government Relations Committee, chaired by Bob Vanni and staffed by Jon Small has worked steadily at a number of levels over the past six months. The following are highlights of their efforts on the federal, state and local levels.
UPMIFA: The Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA) has now been adopted by more than 30 states in one form or another and is now under active consideration in the New York State legislature (A7907/S4778). Its key provision is that it would permit boards to make expenditures they deemed prudent from endowment (permanent) funds whose value has sunk below the value that was contributed (so-called “underwater funds”). The Government Relations Committee has been actively involved in considering this potential legislation and meeting with various groups to discuss it, including convening an early meeting of interested parties in conjunction with the New York Community Trust and Professor Harvey Dale of NYU. The Committee has endorsed the legislation and NPCC’s board gave its own endorsement at its February meeting. The Committee will continue following its progress.
Prompt Contracting: The Committee has been working closely with Susan Hager, CEO of the United Way of New York State, to support legislation (A8327/S5659) to achieve prompt contracting payments on State contracts. Our letters to legislators point out the need the eliminate the chronic problems with the late payments. To date, even the passage of legislation to deal with the problems has not been effective. Whether this year’s legislative session will bring progress remains to be seen.
Lobbying: Compliance with the State and City lobbying reporting and registration requirements continues to impose significant burdens on nonprofits. The current chaos involving the New York State Commission on Public Integrity (i.e., the departure of its Executive Director and the purported firing of the Commissioners by the Governor, to which the Commissioners have not agreed) has caused us to postpone our intended new effort to see if burdens might be eased by raising significantly the thresholds for registration and reporting from their current levels ($5,000 for NYS and $2,000 for NYC).
Museums: New York State Assemblyman Brodsky has recently introduced legislation we are following (A6959/S4584) that would prohibit museums from “de-accessioning” items from their collections to pay for operating expenses. While this legislation is of a sub-sector specific nature that is not usually the focus of the Committee’s work, it does appear to raise questions of excessive reach. Our concern for the nonprofit sector is that the bill may treat thousands of nonprofits as “collecting institutions” subject to various requirements that would make no sense for non-museum-type organizations. The Committee has commented several times to Brodsky’s office regarding our concerns and are seeking continuing dialogue to clarify the bill.
NPCC’s Government Relations Committee is also following developments on other issues, including: Applying Private Foundation Rules to Public Charities; Estate Tax Legislation that Could Affect Charitable Giving; and, Requiring Charities to Send Names of All Donors and Amounts Donated to the IRS.
ClearView: City Contracts
The New York City Comptroller’s Office has unveiled ClearView, a database which users can search for five years of City contracts. ClearView provides details regarding approximately 90,000 contracts, contract amendments, leases, and concessions that City agencies have with businesses, nonprofits, and other government entities. Contracts can be searched according to City agency or the name of the company doing business with the City; the nature of the services being provided; contract amount; contract number; a company’s tax ID number; or the date the Comptroller’s Office received the contract.
Search results can be downloaded to an electronic file that can be imported into a spreadsheet application. The contract information will be updated nightly to provide the most up to date information.
The site is at www.comptroller.nyc.gov/clearview.
GreaterNY
Greater New York is a new strategic partnership program pairing business executives and nonprofit executive directors to build stronger and more effective nonprofits. Through two-year one-on-one partnerships, leaders work together to develop and implement innovative solutions to nonprofit business challenges using best practices from both the private and nonprofit sectors. This program is an initiative of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, a nonprofit designed to aid public programs and address emerging needs through innovative projects.
Greater NY seeks to serve nonprofit organizations that provide human and social services, or cultural organizations providing programs for vulnerable residents, with annual operating budgets between $2 and $20 million. Applicants must currently receive funding from the City of New York to apply. Letters of interest are accepted on a continuing basis.
More information is available at www.nyc.gov/html/nonprofit/html/assistance/greater.shtml.
IRS on Closings
The IRS has released a fact sheet explaining the steps that nonprofit organizations must follow to notify the government if they end operations by shutting down, transferring their assets, or merging with another nonprofit organization.
It’s available at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4779.pdf.
CareerLink
CareerLinkNYC is a new website offering unemployed New Yorkers links to resources such as employment opportunities, benefits like unemployment insurance and health insurance, and resources for those interested in starting a business or continuing education. It also includes a calendar with upcoming events related to jobs and an “ask the expert” column. It’s online at www.careerlinknyc.com.
Federal Lobbying Reporting Thresholds
Earlier this year, the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives issued revised guidance regarding the Federal Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA), which included increased dollar amounts for registration and reporting purposes. The financial threshold for registration for the new quarterly reporting periods is $3,000 in lobbying income for a lobbying firm and $11,500 in lobbying expenses for organizations that employ in-house lobbyists. The previous amounts were $2,500 in lobbying income for a lobbying firm and $10,000 in lobbying expenses for those employing in-house lobbyists.
In early June, the Secretary of the U.S. Senate and Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives issued updated guidance on how to interpret the LDA as updated by the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007.
Lobbying Disclosure Act Guidance is available at http://lobbyingdisclosure.house.gov/amended_lda_guide.html.
Election Activities
A reminder: 501(c)(3) nonprofits are prohibited from participating in electioneering activities, meaning that an organization cannot support nor endorse any candidate running for political office. An organization can, however conduct get-out-the-vote activities provided that they are nonpartisan in nature.
NPCC has information on voter registration drives at www.npccny.org/info/adv8.htm, and a memo, Advocacy Without Fear, at www.npccny.org/info/adv2.htm.
More guidance is available from the Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest at www.clpi.org and from Alliance for Justice at www.afj.org.
NYS Shared Work: Layoff Alternative
The New York State Department of Labor offers a program called Shared Work whereby full-time employees of organizations facing a “decline in business” may be eligible for partial unemployment insurance payments to supplement a reduction in wages. The plan can be a way for employers to retain valuable employees and avoid the issues of re-hiring and training new staff once finances improve.
Employers with five or more full-time employees that have paid unemployment insurance for four quarters are eligible to participate. The employees’ hours must be reduced by at least 20 percent but no more than 60 percent and the employees’ fringe benefits may not be reduced (pension, vacation, etc.). The plan can cover an employer’s total work force, a particular shift or shifts, or a work unit.
Shared Work benefits are charged against an employer’s rating experience (thereby increasing an employer’s unemployment insurance premium). Employers must submit an application plan to the Department of Labor at least two weeks prior to the proposed starting date, but no more than four weeks. (Reportedly, the Department of Labor has been quite helpful toward applicants and is able to turn these arrangements around quickly.) The plan must have the agreement of a collective bargaining representative if there is a union agreement in effect. Although a Shared Work plan may be approved for up to 53 weeks, only 20 weeks of benefits will be paid in a given benefit year.
More information and applications are at www.labor.state.ny.us/ui/dande/sharedwork1.shtm.
Good Governance: IS Principles Workbook
Since their release in 2007, Independent Sector’s Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice have helped nonprofit organizations strengthen their operations. Now, the Principles Workbook: Steering Your Board Toward Good Governance and Ethical Practice provides further support for nonprofits in examining and improving their governance practices. The principles, developed by the Panel on the Nonprofit Sector in 2007, are 33 recommendations to help organizations of all sizes and missions as they work to improve their operations.
The Workbook offers a way for leaders to assess the areas where their organizations are doing well and where there is room for improvement. It distills the core concepts of each of the 33 principles and suggests points for board and staff to discuss about their current practices. Progress worksheets accompany each of the four sections to assist nonprofits and foundations in making plans and recording progress. It can be downloaded for no charge (registration required) at www.independentsector.org/issues/accountability/workbook.html.
IRS on Cellphones
The IRS is seeking comments on ways to simplify the procedures under which employers substantiate an employee’s business use of employer-provided cell phones or other similar devices (IRS Notice 2009-46).
Since 1989, employers and employees have been required to keep a log of business and personal use on employer-provided mobile communication devices to substantiate costs that are allowable as business expenses.
The IRS has proposed three methods for complying with the substantiation requirement to best determine the amount of cell phone expense that is attributable to either personal or business use that would eliminate the existing need to maintain a log of calls and usage.
Go to www.irs.gov/irb/2009-23_IRB/ar07.html to read more, or Independent Sector has more information at www.independentsector.org/programs/gr/Cell_Phone_Provision.htm.
Comments are due by September 4.
IT Staffing Report
The nonprofit sector works hard to use technology effectively, but it’s an uphill battle. What should your organization budget for IT expenditures? How do you know if the solutions you’re getting are the right fit for both your budget and your needs?
NTEN partnered with the NonProfit Times on a survey to offer a closer look at the current state of nonprofit IT staffing and to give organizations the information they need to evaluate and improve their own IT staffing. NTEN’s hope is that this survey will provide a context of what similar organizations are doing. Download the report at http://nten.org/research/it_staffing_2008.
Cultural Resource Survey
In an effort to assess the resource-sharing needs and offerings that cultural organizations might employ to help manage the current financial crisis, the Alliance for the Arts is issuing the Cultural Resource Exchange Survey.
Many groups are already sharing materials, services and space in an effort to maintain programming but cut costs. The Alliance seeks help in understanding the needs and possibilities of the cultural field in New York City. The aggregate findings will be shared with the field. If the Alliance establishes an online resource listing service or convenes meetings to encourage resource-sharing and collaboration, they will ask your permission to include your response. Otherwise responses will remain confidential.
The survey will be open thru the end of July. To participate, go to http://survey.allianceforarts.org/index.php?sid=76748&lang=en.
WebRight: Content Management System
If your organization is struggling to keep your website current and engaging, you should explore the Fund for the City of New York’s WebRight.
WebRight is a content management system with a built-in page editor that can be adapted to an existing website design. WebRight allows staff to update web content easily with only basic computer skills, including building pages, portfolios, slideshows, virtual tours; attaching files, digital photos, audio and video; maintaining a public calendar of scheduled events; and linking to third-party donation or ticket-selling sites.
The WebRight Content Management System includes a built-in page editor that allows anyone to update content or add sections, pages, images, files or multimedia from any location with internet access. It includes five years of free web hosting on the Fund’s server, domain registration, and training for staff. The fee for the core portion of WebRight is $3,000. Additional features such as event calendars, custom donation/registration forms, a simple database, publication order forms, a private members-only section or a message board are also available. The Fund can create new designs for websites ranging from templates to full custom design. Fees range from $1,000 for a design template and start at $3,000 for custom design. To see some examples of these, go to www.fcny.org/fcny/cii/webfactory.
For more information about WebRight, contact Jill Borrero at 212-925-6675, extension 202 or jborrero@fcny.org.
NYC Women’s Resource
If your nonprofit provides housing, legal, economic, health, or any other social services, the NYC Commission on Women’s Issues invites you to register with the NYC Women’s Resource Network. This site is an online tool for individuals to find nonprofits and governmental agencies that work to support women and families in New York City. Register at www.nyc.gov/women.
Minimum Wage Increase
The federal minimum wage increases to $7.25 per hour as of July 24. New York State is currently at $7.15. Information is at www.dol.gov/esa/whd/flsa.
Actors Work Program
If your organization is in need of part-time or temporary help, you might explore the Actors Fund Work Program, a program of The Actors Fund. The Actors Fund Work Program (AWP) assists its clientele in identifying and finding work that either complements their industry career and/or uses their skills in a new career.
The AWP clientele has been an excellent workforce for the City’s nonprofit community, working both full and part time, on a regular basis or project work for youth programs, workforce development programs, arts programs, etc. They offer a wide-set of skills to the workplace —administrative skills, project management skills, customer service, and teaching experience.
The AWP staff works closely with employers to assess the needs for specific jobs and only refers candidates who are appropriate. There is no fee for the services. For more information, contact Katherine Schrier at kschrier@actorsfund.org or 212-354-5480.
Social Media: Fenton Guide
Don’t miss Fenton’s latest free guide: WATTA? What Are They Talking About: Social Media, Web 2.0 and Your Online Engagement Strategy.
The guide is designed to give nonprofit and cause-driven organizations a well-grounded overview of how to develop an effective social media campaign strategy. It’s available at www.fenton.com/watta.
Also, check out Fenton’s July 29 workshop at www.npccny.org/workshop.htm.
Best Places to Work
Crain’s New York is running its second annual Best Places to Work competition designed to recognize workplaces based on an employee survey measuring factors including work environment, innovations and ideas, as well as an employer survey of policies and practices. The deadline is July 17.
To be eligible for consideration, companies must be a publicly or privately held business; a for-profit or not-for-profit business; have a facility in New York City; have a minimum of 25 full-time or part-time employees working in New York City (Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island and Queens); and must be in business a minimum of one year. Read more at www.crainsnewyork.com/section/bestplacestowork or www.bestplacestoworknyc.com.
Dialing In: Goodman Center Report
Before you schedule your next conference call, videoconference or webinar, read the new report from The Goodman Center on non-F2F meetings.
This spring more than 1,200 people completed their online survey and provided a much clearer picture of the potential downsides of “meeting without meeting.”
To download the new report, Dialing In, Logging On, Nodding Off: The True Costs of Teleconferences, Videoconferences and Webinars, go to www.thegoodmancenter.com.
NTEN Conference Materials
Many materials and handouts from the 2009 NTC (Nonprofit Technology Conference) are now available for no charge at NTEN’s site.
Materials include articles, session materials and slide handouts on topics ranging from the return on investment of technology investments, online communications, fundraising appeals, virtualization, cloud computing, and more. They’re available at www.nten.org/ntc.
Taglines Report
The new, free Nonprofit Tagline Report, an in-depth analysis of current practices and a guide to making the most of a tagline (in eight words or less) is available. The report features the first-ever list of nonprofit taglines, featuring over 1,000 taglines submitted to the Getting Attention Nonprofit Tagline Award Program.
It can be found at www.gettingattention.org/tagline_report.pdf.
In addition, the 2009 Tagline Awards are accepting entries at http://is.gd/19ASm.
Union Square Awards
The Union Square Awards are dedicated to supporting innovative grassroots organizations in New York City. Awards of $50,000 each are given to emerging grassroots groups and organizations addressing critical social justice issues in New York City. The program particularly looks to support organizations working on homelessness and hunger, HIV/AIDS issues, youth leadership and organizing, family and community development, economic self-sufficiency, and conflict resolution. In addition, the Union Square Arts Award will provide $35,000 to an arts organization working with youth and families in low-income communities. Nominations are being accepted for the 2009 awards. More information and nomination forms are at www.unionsquareawards.org.
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Background Check Service
Through NPCC’s membership in the National Council of Nonprofits, NPCC members are eligible to take advantage of a low-cost background check service from MyBackgroundCheck.com.
MyBackgroundCheck.com offers a comprehensive and cost effective volunteer and employee tracking system that exceeds typical background screening programs to provide volunteer and community protection and valuable risk management features.
NPCC members can have access to standard volunteer screening services for $6.95 per screen. The service includes a Social Security trace, U.S. criminal search, and national sex offender registry search. This price is 72% less than the regular rate and 13% off the nonprofit rate.
Standard employment screenings are available for $20.95, 53% off regular rates and 16% off nonprofit rates, and include all features of the volunteer screening, plus previous employment verification and education verification.
For more information, go to www.mybackgroundcheck.com/ncn or contact Shaun Brackett at 866-945-0888 or sbrackett@mybackgroundcheck.com. Or contact Craig Weinrich at NPCC at 212-502-4191 or cweinrich@npccny.org.
NPCC will host a webinar on July 8 at 12pm about the service. Sign up at www.nycharities.org/event/event.asp?CE_ID=4076.
The 2009 New York Times Company Nonprofit Excellence Awards
Now in its third year, the New York Times Company Nonprofit Excellence Awards honor outstanding management practices and encourage innovation among New York’s large and diverse nonprofit community.
On June 18 at TheTimesCenter, this year’s six finalists will participate in a Best Practices workshop to share their management strategies. Up to four winners will then be chosen and honored at an awards reception.
The finalists for this year’s awards are: Citizens Advice Bureau (www.cabny.org), Groundwork Inc. (www.groundworkinc.org), Legal Information for Families Today (www.liftonline.org), Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project (www.nedap.org), New York Cares (www.nycares.org), and Vera Institute of Justice (www.vera.org).
To register for this year’s ceremony, go to www.nycharities.org/event/event.asp?CE_ID=3932. To read more about the awards, please go to www.npccny.org/info/awards.htm or the May issue below.
Free Six Month Membership for New Members
Do you know of a nonprofit group that could benefit from belonging to NPCC? If so, let them know about our free six-month membership for groups outside of Manhattan before time runs out.
Thanks to a generous foundation grant from the Booth Ferris Foundation, nonprofits from outside Manhattan may receive a free six-month membership to NPCC if they join before September 30.
This opportunity helps NPCC represent a wider variety of the nonprofit sector throughout the New York City metro area. An expanded membership base will save more nonprofits time and money when they access our information, services and cost-saving programs; provides NPCC more strength in securing and negotiating discount member services; and allows NPCC to help further strengthen and represent the entire sector in dealing with legislative matters and elected officials.
The offer is for new, first-time 501(c)(3) nonprofit memberships only and is available until September 30, 2009. (The discount does not apply to Grantmaker, Corporate, Individual or Student NPCC memberships.)
All sectors of the nonprofit community — from arts and culture to health and human services — are eligible for the six month offer provided their main office is physically located in Staten Island, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Long Island or Westchester County.
To join NPCC, go to www.npccny.org/6months.htm or contact Craig Weinrich at NPCC at 212-502-4191, extension 30 or cweinrich@npccny.org.
NYC Nonprofit Initiatives
As part of the initiatives to assist nonprofits that Mayor Bloomberg introduced in April, the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services has unveiled two new websites where you can check the status of your City contract to see where it is in the pipeline. The data will be updated weekly. In addition, the Office of Operations will report on City agencies’ efficiency in processing contracts.
To check on City Council discretionary funding of $25,000 or more, go to www.nyc.gov/html/mocs/html/vendors/council.shtml. To check on other City contracts go to www.nyc.gov/html/mocs/html/research/human_services.shtml.
To read more about the Mayor’s initiatives go to www.nyc.gov/nonprofit or check out our summary from the May issue below.
New Rules for Thrift Stores
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act signed into law in August 2008 makes it illegal for resellers to sell any recalled products, as well as most children’s items and toys that exceed certain levels of lead and phthalates.
The new law does not require resellers to test children’s products for compliance with the lead limit before they are sold. However, resellers cannot sell children’s products that exceed the lead limit and should avoid products that are likely to have lead content, unless they have testing or other information to indicate the products being sold have less than the new limit.
Resellers that sell products in violation of the new limits could face civil and/or criminal penalties. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued guidance that is at www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/smbus/sbguide.pdf. Information is also at www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09086.html.
New Transit Tax
In early May, Governor Patterson signed into law the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax, a new tax on salaries paid by employers with employees within the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (which includes New York City, and Rockland, Nassau, Suffolk, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess and Westchester counties).
The 0.34% tax applies to employers (including nonprofits) that are required to withhold New York State income tax from employees’ wages and whose payroll expense exceeds $2,500 in any calendar quarter. The tax on employees’ salaries is to be paid quarterly by employers and will be retroactive to March 1, 2009.
Information is at www.tax.state.ny.us/sbc/mta.htm. Since this has just been rolled out, details are somewhat sketchy and more information will most likely be forthcoming. NPCC’s Government Relations Committee will be considering action to seek repeal of the tax as it applies to nonprofits, as the tax violates the general principle that nonprofits should be exempt from taxation.
IdeaEncore
IdeaEncore Network is a new online, peer-to-peer, learning marketplace where nonprofits can share, sell, and buy all types of knowledge and information including ready-to-use tools, templates, training content, policies and procedures.
Nonprofits seeking information or those that wish to make their content available are welcome to do so. The online file downloads and sharing services enable users to publish, browse, share, and retrieve files. The system is designed to provide incentives for sharing and a range of intellectual property protections for shared materials.
Users can search by content categories that include capacity building, financial management, personnel management, technology, and more. Or, users can browse for resources by organization types that include volunteers, housing, education, and more. To visit, go to www.ideaencore.com.
Form 990: Board Issues
The newly revised IRS Form 990 asks for much more information about governance and board members, some of it delving into facts about board members that a nonprofit manager completing the 990 won’t necessarily know, unless they ask each board member. In particular, questions in Part VI of the core form, Governance Management, and Disclosure, ask for the number of “independent” board members and whether there were family or business relationships among board members.
At her recent financial manager’s workshop, CPA Karen Kowgios discussed this issue, and offered a questionnaire and definitions that NPCC members can use to help accomplish the task of answering these questions.
You need to ask these individuals these questions, because, Kowgios cautions, “You shouldn’t assume that you know the answers.” While you’re not required to get this information in writing, she notes, “You are required to sign off on the 990 and you are required to answer the question as to whether the board reviewed the 990.” She also recommends requesting board members complete such a questionnaire before the end of your fiscal year since your 990 probably won’t be completed for months after the fiscal year end.
Kowgios’ sample questionnaire can be modified to suit your needs. Take the results from the completed questionnaires and charge the governance or executive committee to review, summarize and share the results with the board for review before it’s incorporated into the draft of the 990, since some board members won’t get to this portion as it’s further in the back of the 990.
The documents are available at www.npccny.org/members_only/fi29.htm.
Community Organizing Resources
Alliance for Justice has released a free web resource allowing users to find case studies, tools, methodologies, and theoretical approaches to evaluating community organizing. Many of the resources included are freely available to the public, as well as books and other publications available for purchase.
The goal in compiling the resources is not to rate or rank them, but to create a library with the potential for future expansion. Users are invited to share stories and offer feedback on their usefulness, as well as additional resources.
The site is at www.afj.org/reco.
Fenton Social Media Grant
Social media tools like Twitter and Facebook present exciting new opportunities for nonprofits to do online outreach, but many organizations lack the resources to explore them. To help break new ground and continue your good work, Fenton Communications is offering three $10,000 Social Media Grants to nonprofits in the New York City area.
Selected grant recipients will receive up to $10,000 worth of social media analysis, monitoring and strategy services from Fenton. To enter an organization must be a New York City area nonprofit organization interested in expanding its mission or campaign through social media. The deadline is June 12. More information is at www.fenton.com/socialmediagrant.
Cambridge Pro Bono Engagement
Cambridge Leadership Associates is offering a year long pro bono engagement to a selected nonprofit organization.
Through its Adapt New York program, they will work with the nonprofit selected to co-design a comprehensive year-long program that may include individual coaching for senior executives, leadership capacity assessments, focused team alignment sessions, an adaptive leadership workshop for both employees and critical external stakeholders, and a leadership-immersion program for key managers working on critical business challenges.
The application deadline is June 12. For more information, go to www.cambridge-leadership.com or to www.cambridge-leadership.com/downloads/documents/CLA_NonProfit_Request_for_Applications-050609.pdf.
Welcome New NPCC Members
new 501(c)(3) members joined between April 24 and June 19, 2009
• African Cultural Center, Inc. • Apex Network Center, Inc. • Artadia: The Fund for Art and Dialogue • Asian Programs Foundation • Associated Medical Schools of New York • Bechirot, Inc. • Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester • Broadway Community, Inc. • Bronxville Montessori School • Brooklyn Computer Assistance Project Inc. • Careers for People with Disabilities, Inc. • Caring for the Homeless of Peekskill, Inc. • Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies • Center for Educational Pathways • Christ Fellowship Pentecostal Church, Inc. • Cicatelli Associates Inc. • Community Center of Northern Westchester • Concrete Safaris • Crossroads Counseling Center, Inc. • Daughters of Isis Foundation, Inc. • Dominican Sisters Family Health Service, Inc. • El Centro Hispano, Inc. • Evangelical Church of God in Christ, Inc. • F.Y. Eye, Inc. • Family Service Society of Yonkers • Fine Arts Orchestral Society of Yonkers • First Book Staten Island • Focus Haitian Music, Inc. • Friends of Israel Sci-Tech Schools, Inc. • Ghanaian Civic Association, Inc. • Global Autism Project • Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise • Gowanus Canal Conservancy • Greater New York Al-Anon Family Intergroup • Green Long Island dba LI Green • Ground Zero Museum Workshop • Grow Brooklyn • Haitian Americans United for Progress (HAUP) • Health and Welfare Council of Long Island • Healthy Directions • Heidelberg University Association • Help the Children International, Inc. • Henry M. Hald Association d.b.a. Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School • Hindu Community Outreach • Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center • Island Harvest • Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation • John A. Coleman School - Westchester Campus • Ladydoves Self Enrichment Organization, Inc. • La Verite Youth Services, Inc. • Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY) • Meals on Wheels of Staten Island • Mind on the Media • Mount Kisco Child Care Center • Nassau County Museum of Art • National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum • National Urban Alliance for Effective Education • Neighborhood Law Center, Inc. • Nepperhan Community Center Inc. • New Rochelle Public Library • Organization for Visual Progression • OurMed • Paramount Center for the Arts • Peace of Heart Choir, Inc. • Pro-Choice Public Education Project • Project Sunshine Inc. • Resource Development Counsel • Socialmarkets (SMORG) • Society of Saint Vincent de Paul Diocese of Rockville Centre • South Shore Child Guidance Center • Support Connection, Inc. • Terreform ONE • The Bereavement Center of Westchester • Three Village Historical Society • Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office • UPROSE - United Puerto Rican Organization of Sunset Park • VIP Community Services • Westchester Institute for Human Development • Westchester Martin Luther King, Jr. Institute for Nonviolence •
New York Nonprofits
Copyright © 2009
Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc.
1350 Broadway, #1801, New York, NY 10018
Daniel J. Myers, writer & editor & website
212/502-4191, extension 21
dmyers @ npccny.org
fax 212/502-4189
www.npccny.orgSelect articles may be reprinted in print form only (they may not be reprinted in any medium other than print) with the express permission of the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc.
New York Nonprofits is a monthly publication of the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc. (NPCC). NPCC was established in 1984 to help nonprofits meet common challenges and problems, to serve as a meeting ground, and to strengthen the nonprofit sector as a whole. NPCC has over 1,600 members in the New York metropolitan area, ranging from all volunteer groups to major institutions.
Membership in NPCC provides a place where your voice is heard and adds to the collective voice of the nonprofit community.
Dues for 501(c)(3) nonprofits (that are not grantmakers) are based upon the organization's annual operating budget, and are as follows:
Operating Budget . . . . . . . . .Dues
$0 - $124,999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 35
$125,000 - $249,999 . . . . . . . . . $ 100
$250,000 - $499,999 . . . . . . . . . $ 250
$500,000 - $749,999 . . . . . . . . . $ 350
$750,000 - $999,999 . . . . . . . . . $ 475
$1,000,000 - $4,999,999 . . . . . . .$ 675
$5,000,000 - $9,999,999 . . . . . .$1,200
$10,000,000 + . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,500Grantmaking Member . . . . .$3,000 (requested)
. . . $1,500 (minimum)The following memberships are for those who are not affiliated with a 501(c)(3) organization:
Corporate Member . . . . .$3,000 (requested)
. . . . $1,500 (minimum)
Individual Member . . . . . . . . .$ 100
Student Member . . . . . . . . . .$ 15 (with valid, current ID)Please visit www.npccny.org/howto.htm for more information on NPCC membership.
Board Officers: John Craig, Chair; Michael Clark, President; Vice Chairs: Natalie Abatemarco, Ian J. Benjamin, Gregory Cohen, Carol Kurzig, Sandra Lamb, Merble Reagon, Robert J. Vanni; Carla Hunter, Treasurer; Shin Richard Miyoshi, Secretary; John Temple Swing, Founding Chair.
Board Members: Fran Barrett, Richard Burns, Miriam Buhl, Lucy Cabrera, Sean Delany, Lewis Harris, Gregory King, Jessica Lee, Rhonda A. Lewis, Ilene Mack, Carolyn McLaughlin, Cao K. O, Caroline Kim Oh, Stephanie Palmer, Isaiah Sheffer, Michele Smalley, Emily Smith, Walter Sweet, Peter Wilderotter.
Staff: Michael Clark, President: mclark @ npccny.org
Peter Swords, President Emeritus
Marcia Brown, Director of Programs: mbrown @ npccny.org
Craig Weinrich, Membership, Outreach & IT Director: cweinrich @ npccny.org
Kristy Grammer, Associate Director, Special Projects: kgrammer @ npccny.org
Alison Kincaid, Office Administrator akincaid @ npccny.org
Jon Small, Senior Consultant, Government Relations: jsmall @ npccny.orgCopyright © 2009 Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc. New York Nonprofits is published twelve times a year. Select articles may be reprinted in print form (they may not be printed in any medium other than print form) with the express permission of the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc.
Daniel Myers, editor, writer, & design, New York Nonprofits
Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc.
1350 Broadway, Suite 1801
New York, New York 10018
phone: 212/502-4191
fax: 212/502-4776
www.npccny.org
