Connection
OPPORTUNITIES | |
We're happy to share these items of interest from around our local network. Please e-mail us any opportunities you would like to be featured in future editions! (The Nonprofit Connection usually goes out during the first ten days of the month.)
Training
OPPORTUNITIES
+ "Piedmont North Carolina Come to the Table Conference: Communities of Faith Relieving Hunger and Supporting Local Farms," Friday- Saturday, February 18th-19th, $5-$10, Wake Forest University, Benson University Center. This two-day event will include workshops, networking opportunities, and a local lunch on Friday, with tours and volunteer opportunities at local food ministries and other projects on Saturday. All are welcome, and free registration is available for those who would otherwise be unable to attend. More details and registration links are on their website. Display space is also available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis to farms, faith communities and nonprofits. Come to the Table is a project of the Rural Life Committee of the NC Council of Churches.
+ "Developing High Performance Teams," web workshop, Monday, February 21st, 2 pm to 3:30pm, $99 per connection, TRP Enterprises. Every leader and manager is challenged to develop and guide teams. Every employee needs to be a loyal and effective team member. This online workshop provides unique skills to help you do that. You will learn how to: eliminate the barriers to being an effective team member; implement techniques and tools to see the team as an "organism" rather than a disparate group of people; creatively solve problems; inspire the team to implement the Ten Commitments for effective teamwork; incorporate the qualities of respect, cooperation and other characteristics of good teams. For more details, and to register, go to TRP's website. You'll also find a full list of other upcoming webinars on their site. TRP is a Consultant Partner of HandsOn NWNC.
+ "Shining Our Skills in Challenging Times - NCAVA's Regional Training Event," March 21st, Morganton, NC, $65 for full day; $35 for either half-day session. The second in a series of regional training events that NCAVA has planned in an effort to provide training closer to home for volunteer managers whose travel/training budgets have been reduced, and also to provide training beyond what is provided at their annual conference (scheduled for May 18th-20th at Atlantic Beach.) This regional training is open to anyone, not just NCAVA members. For more details on the agenda, and to register, go to NCAVA's website.
Funding
OPPORTUNITIES
+ Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust Healthcare Division's Grants Deadline is March 15th! As many of you know, through their Healthcare Division, the Trust provides grants to address healthcare and wellness needs for the underserved throughout the state, with emphasis on Tier One counties (in HandsOn's service area, this includes Surry County.) The focus is on the following categories: Diabetes, Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Access to Primary Care, and Community Change (including increasing physical activity and good nutrition, and decreasing risky behaviors.) An advance consultation with a member of the Trust staff is the first step of the application process. Visit the Trust's website to learn more about grant application guidelines.
+ SIGN-A-RAMA Announces 2011 Signs of Support In-Kind Grant Program!
SIGN-A-RAMA's Signs of Support grant program aims to support local non-profits through assisting, replacing or creating effective, affordable signage for their cause. This year, they plan again to award $30,000 in free and discounted signage to Triad-area non-profits and charitable organizations. Examples of products and services being offered through Signs of Support include but are not limited to: banners and banner stands; vehicle lettering and graphics; window graphics; building signage and lettering; and directional signs. Nonprofits can request signs for events and can include interior or exterior, temporary or permanent needs.
Sign-A-Rama of Greensboro is accepting applications until February 28th! For more information, go to their website or call 545-1124.
+ Youth to Be Recognized as Huggable Heroes! Entries are now being accepted for the 2011 search for Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes, which recognizes young leaders between the ages of eight and 18 years old, doing extraordinary things in their communities to better the lives of others. Ten Huggable Heroes will be awarded with a $7,500 educational scholarship and a $2,500 donation to the nonprofit of his/her choice. Entry forms are available at all Build-A-Bear Workshop stores and online. The deadline is February 28th!
+ Disney Friends for Change Grants Support Youth Environmental Service Projects! Youth Service America, together with Disney, is now accepting applications from youth around the world that will support youth-led service projects that focus on making environmentally friendly changes and engage youth on Global Youth Service Day, April 15-17. The program will award 50 $500 grants to youth-led service projects that demonstrate youth leadership, creativity, and the commitment to making a positive impact on the environment. Applicants must be young people ages 5 - 25, who seek to engage younger youth, or their peers, as volunteers; they must also be associated with a school or nonprofit organization. Â Disney's Friends for Change initiative encourages projects that address issues of waste, habitat, climate, and water. For project ideas, download the Friends for Change Green Your Scene Toolkit. The application deadline is March 10th! Learn more details at YSA's website.
+ Funding Available for Social Justice Work! The Fund for a Just Society, a program of the Unitarian Universalist Association, provides grants to nonprofit organizations that address issues of social and economic justice. The Fund supports organizations that use community organizing to bring about systemic change leading to a more just society and mobilize with those who have been disenfranchised and excluded from resources, power, and the right to self-determination. Consideration is given to projects that are less likely to receive conventional funding because of the innovative or challenging nature of the work or the economic and social status of the constituency. The maximum grant amount is $15,000; however, most grants range between $6,000 and $8,000. The next application deadline is March 15th! Visit the Unitarian Universalist Association website t o review the funding guidelines.
+Third Annual BE BIG Contest Now Open! Scholastic Media, HandsOn Network and American Family Insurance have launched a Call for Nominations for the Clifford the Big Red Dog® BE BIG in Your Community Contest. Last year, sixteen year old Jennifer won the Grand Prize of $25,000 from the BE BIG Fund to create a hospital classroom for young cancer patients at her local hospital. This year's winners will receive grants totaling $75,000 to help make their BIG ideas a reality. You can learn more online at HandsOn Network's website. Nominations are being accepted now through June 17th. + Grants Available to Help Children in Need! The Dorothea Haus Ross Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that serve vulnerable children. The Foundation provides grants to organizations that offer direct aid to children in need, including those who are ill, orphaned, disabled, injured, abused, or malnourished as well as children who have limited access to education. Most grants are one-time awards in the range of $1,000 to $15,000. Letters of inquiry are accepted throughout the year. Visit the Foundation's website to review the funding priorities and application guidelines. + Winston-Salem Foundation Seeks Nominations for Winston-Salem Foundation and ECHO Awards! The Winston-Salem Foundation Award was established to recognize personal dedication in support of the Foundation's basic mission: to improve the quality of life for all individuals in our greater community. It is given annually to a resident from the greater Forsyth County area who has demonstrated visionary leadership in a community activity or on behalf of a community organization. This is not a lifetime achievement award, but is designed to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to our community within the recent past.The Winston-Salem Foundation Award is the Foundation's highest honor bestowed on behalf of a grateful community and includes a $10,000 cash grant to a charitable organization selected by the winner.
Given in conjunction with the ECHO Network, the ECHO Awards honor people and informal groups who are building social capital. Social capital is defined as connections among people, based on trust, that enhance cooperation for mutual benefit. We hope to recognize those who personify the ECHO logo of building a stronger community by building connections among people. Nominees for an ECHO Award can be: individuals, informal groups, or organizations; unsung heroes and heroines from our community; and/or community members who lead wherever they are involved. Award winners receive a gift of $1,000 to donate to a charitable organization of their choice, hopefully one that is building social capital in our community. Recipients of all awards will be announced at the Foundation's Community Luncheon on May 4th at the Benton Convention Center. To learn more about both awards, and to make a nomination, go to the Foundation's website. Deadline for all nominations is March 4th!
+ Suggest a Candidate for United Way's 2011 Project Blueprint! United Way is beginning their next session of Project Blueprint, a program to recruit and train members from underrepresented communities to serve on non-profit boards and committees. The program will run over lunch on Tuesdays from noon - 2:00 pm, with lunch included. There will be an Orientation session at the United Way Board Room on Tuesday, March 15th from 5-6:00 pm, with class sessions running from Tuesday, March 22nd through Tuesday, May 3rd. A closing reception will be held after work on May 10. This program is free to participants, so it's a great opportunity! For more information, including a brochure and the application, go to United Way's website, or contact Carol Atwater (721-934) or Noelle Stevenson (721-9336) for more information
+ Nominate your nonprofit for a Nonprofit Sector Stewardship Award! Organized by the NC Center for Nonprofits, the Nonprofit Sector Stewardship Awards pay tribute to nonprofits whose organizational effectiveness furthers the public's understanding of and trust in the state's nonprofit sector. Award recipients will be recognized at the N.C. Center's 2011 Conference & Public Policy Forum, Sept. 22-23 in Greensboro, and will also receive $500 to invest in board and staff development. Click
for more information. Nominations must be received by Monday, March 7th!
+ Got Supporters? Win $5,000 from GuideStar-KIMBIA! It's time for your supporters to go public about their relationship with your organization. By telling the world how they feel about you, they'll be giving your organization a chance to win $5,000 in the first GuideStar-KIMBIA nonprofit giveaway for 2011. The nonprofit that garners the most new reviews between February 1st and February 28th, will receive a $5,000 gift from KIMBIA. Anyone who has firsthand experience with your organization and is not a paid employee can write a review. So ask your board members, volunteers, recipients of your services, donors, and other stakeholders to declare their love for your organization. You can download a free tool kit to help spread the word. Then complete the entry form to get started!
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HandsOn
JOIN / GIVE NOW
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HandsOn NWNC invites nonprofits to financially support our mission to build the capacity of local nonprofits and increase volunteerism. In exchange for a minimum $50 donation, our Supporting Partners receive a variety of discounts on our program offerings and other special opportunities, that can lead to savings as great as $800 per year! Vendors and consultants who work with nonprofits are also encouraged to become Supporting Partners. Join HandsOn and Become a Supporter
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February 2011- Vol 4, Issue 2
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| Greetings! |
How many of you watched the Super Bowl last week? I'm guessing most of you did, as it had the highest ratings for a Super Bowl yet. While I'm not really a huge football fan, as a nonprofit fan, I was very excited by Green Bay's win. Why? The Green Bay Packers are the only nonprofit major league sports franchise in the US! Their innovative ownership structure is a testament to the power and creativity that can be found within the nonprofit sector; without this flexibility, there is probably no way that one of the smallest media markets in the states would be able to support a Super Bowl contender. When you hear cheeseheads talk about the close relationship between them and the team, it's not just talk--they are the team's main stakeholders and shareholders. How would your stakeholders describe their relationship to you? Would they show up in freezing cold temperatures to support you? Do they propel you to victory every year? I think in many cases the answer is "yes," but it's definitely worth some reflection.Last month, we were honored to again celebrate the Martin Luther King Day of Service with a hugely successful "Read-In" event at Wake Forest University! Focusing on the theme of "Follow the Leader. Become a Leader." the event promoted Dr. King's messages of social justice, non-violence, service, and literacy. The event was held on January 15th with Ms. Mütter D. Evans, founder and chief organizer of the Annual Noon Hour Commemoration, as our emcee.
 | | Read-In volunteer with child. Click on photo to see our whole album! |
Approximately 100 pre-registered children attended and over 142 adult volunteers and volunteer leaders took part to make the day a success! Each child was given a new civil-rights themed book and was allowed to choose two donated books to take home. The children and their matched volunteer interacted with volunteer leaders at a variety of "stations" the allowed them to learn about Dr. King, strengthen skills, and perform various acts of community service. They were also given opportunities to share their own dreams and inspirations with others.
The best part of this event is the great partners we work with to pull it all together: Wake Forest University, Communities In Schools of Forsyth County, Winston-Salem VISTA Initiative, Winston-Salem State University, Salem College, Big Brothers Big Sisters, My Sistas Keeper, Wiley Middle School, Forest Park Elementary School, GIFTS, and OneEconomy Corporation's AmeriCorps VISTA program. Thank you to all our volunteers and our partner organizations for your hard work and dedication!
This month, our spring programming starts to heat up. I've already gotten heaps of group volunteer service project requests, and I want to thank those of you who respond quickly to these. As a result of your timely turnaround, I was able to submit a "wish list" of over 20 possibilities for BB&T's Project Lighthouse initiative this year. Group projects can be a great way to introduce your organization and mission to a whole new audience, and I hope you'll continue to find ways to take advantage of these requests. If you ever need help thinking about how to engage a short-term volunteer group event with your organization, don't hesitate to give me a call.
February also means the start of our spring capacity-building offerings. We had a standing room only crowd at an information session on Wake Forest University's Summer Nonprofit Internship Immersion program earlier this week (missed it? we've uploaded the request form to our website,) and this morning, we held our popular HandsOn Board Leadership Development Class with Karl Yena (missed that, too? we'll be holding another session later in the spring). Later this month, we'll also be holding classes on starting a new nonprofit and fund development--see the details below. This spring you'll have lots of opportunities to connect with your peers, learn new skills, discover new opportunities to strengthen your nonprofit, and unleash your creativity. I hope to see you at one of our events soon!
Think spring!  Executive Director |
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Starting a New Nonprofit: What You Need to Know
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Tuesday, February 15th, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Location: Wake Forest University campus, Worrell Professional Center for Law and Management, Room 1124. Parking is conveniently located next to the center,along the road just inside the University Parkway gate. (see map)
One of the things that HandsOn NWNC and Wake Forest University's Community Law and Business Clinic have in common is the time we take to counsel and support social entrepreneurs who want to turn their passion for a cause into something more. This workshop came out of this shared work, and will help guide participants through the complex and sometimes confusing process of starting a nonprofit in NC. It will begin by examining the pros and cons of forming a nonprofit, potential partners, and alternatives to consider. Other topics to be covered include: working through the legal requirements and paperwork, writing a business plan, identifying potential funding sources, developing a board of directors, and tapping into other resources that are available to help make your potential nonprofit successful. The class will be taught by Steve Virgil, Director of the Institute for Public Engagement. He is an Associate Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the School of Law's Community Law and Business Clinic, where Wake Forest clinical students offer legal services to non-profit organizations and entrepreneurs who create new businesses in low-wealth areas in Forsyth County. For the past year Steve has served on the Faculty Public Engagement Advisory Board and has become a familiar face in the local community. Before joining the faculty in 2008, Steve directed a similar law clinic at Creighton University School of Law; practiced law with the Urban Development Office of Cleveland Legal Aid in Ohio and the Kutak Rock law firm in Omaha; and clerked for the Honorable George W. White, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio. He is the founder and General Counsel of the Great Plains Environmental Law Center and a former National Association for Public Interest Law Equal Justice Fellow with the Nebraska Appleseed Center. We're offering this class in the evening to make it as easy as possible for those working in other fields to attend; we've also kept the cost to a minimum for the same reason. If you, a friend, a member of your church, or anyone else you know has ever talked about forming their own nonprofit, we hope you will encourage them to attend!
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Information Session: ShareMeister
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Wednesday, February 23rd, Noon to 1:30 pm
Location: Senior Services, 2895 Shorefair Drive (see map)
Come join us for what we think will prove to be another popular information session. We know that all of you are on the lookout for additional revenue these days, and ShareMeister can help! ShareMeister is a web-based development tool available to all nonprofits at no cost. By integrating nonprofit and advertiser needs within a user's browser, ShareMeister has created a unique platform that generates substantial new revenue for nonprofits, while allowing them to connect with their donors throughout their entire time online.
ShareMeister was recently able to develop their connection with us into a new nationwide partnership with HandsOn Network, which will bring the benefits of ShareMeister to all 250+ HandsOn affiliates and their thousands of nonprofit partners across the country. Come hear Jason Wall, Vice President of Business Development for ShareMeister and you'll be among the first local nonprofits in the network to learn about this exciting collaboration and the benefits it can bring to your organization! Cost: FREE! Please bring your own lunch; we'll provide the drinks and desserts. Please register if you would like to attend!
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Nonprofit Essentials: Fund Development
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Thursday, February 24th, Noon to 4:30pm
Location: WFU campus; Benson University Center, room 401A. Parking is available in Davis Field, adjacent to Benson (see map)
In our first spring semester class in our Nonprofit Essentials series held in conjunction with Wake Forest University's Institute for Public Engagement, you'll examine key strategies and tactics for successful fundraising. These include: learning how to implement techniques & strategies to increase annual giving operating support and securing new gifts; gaining a better understanding of where your annual fundraising program is, and where it needs to go to raise more needed funds; and rethinking annual fundraising stewardship strategies .Participants will get a chance to review current philanthropic trends and innovative ways in which nonprofits are generating financial support in the current economy.You'll depart with specific tactics and strategies that you can start using immediately. The class will be taught by Michelle Speas, MA,CFRE, and who is the Founder & President of The NonProfit Collaborative in Advance, NC. She also serves as the National Partnership Director for Africa Renewal Ministries in Uganda, East Africa. With extensive nonprofit experience both here and abroad, Michelle was honored as the 2008 Fundraising Professional of the Year by the NC Triad Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She currently sits on the board of numerous nonprofits in Winston-Salem. Our Nonprofit Essentials Series, launched last fall, is primarily taught by Wake Forest University staff and faculty, and classes are located on WFU's campus. Individuals can register to take single classes or all nine classes and receive a significant discount (you can begin the series at any time with any of the classes.) This is a great option for organizations that have several employees who could benefit from taking different courses. If you have any questions concerning Nonprofit Essentials, please contact HandsOn NWNC at 724-2866. Cost: $35 per person for Supporting Partners/ $45 all others. $300 for all nine classes! The cost includes take-home materials and a networking lunch with your peers.
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Taming of the Spew:
Web Publishing and Social Media Workshop
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Tuesday, March 8th, 9:30 am to 12:30pm
Location: Salemtowne's Community Center. NOTE: Mapquest directions are incorrect! Use entrance off of Bethabara Park Rd. (get correct directions)
Understand the nature of today's internet publishing environment from content management to social networking. This workshop will feature a short presentation followed by a guided demonstration where you will learn the skills to build a powerful website and tie in social media streams to encourage more engagement from your visitor/fans/followers. Bring your wireless-enabled laptop and get hands-on; you also just come watch the demo and learn. Topics covered include a welcome to cloud computing; using a content management system for publishing; creating plug-ins for productivity and promotions; embedding shared media; tips and tricks for social networking. Basic computer and internet literacy is required. Many thanks to Piedmont Communities, our technology partner, for providing this training for our network!
Cost: $25 per person for Supporting Partners/ $35 all others. The cost includes take-home materials and a networking lunch with your peers.
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Making Play Work:
Unleashing Your Inner Creative
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Friday, March 15th, 1pm to 5pm
Location: TBA (will be posted on our website soon; we will e-mail early registrants with the location)
Tired of doing the same old things, the same old ways? Are your board and staff members tired of it, too? This innovative PlayShop will provide you with the tools to uncover and harness your own individual creativity. By the end of the class, you'll be able to identify and address limited thinking that negatively impacts your personal productivity and your organization as a whole. Walk away with concrete, take-home strategies for how to implement creative practices into your personal development, interpersonal relationships, business processes, and board and staff meetings. Our presenter is Suzy McCalley, the Founder and Director of Art Tasting, a local organization dedicated to increasing our community's access to the arts. She teaches weekly interdisciplinary arts classes at The Children's Home and plays the violin, writes, sings, and acts. Cost: $25 per person for Supporting Partners/ $30 all others. The cost includes take-home materials and a mid-afternoon snack.
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NEWS YOU CAN USE
Come Out to Support Second Annual NC Nonprofits Lobby Day on March 1st in Raleigh!
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The NC Center for Nonprofits is organizing the second annual NC Nonprofits Day on March 1 at the legislature in Raleigh. Unite with hundreds of your nonprofit peers from across the state to advocate for your cause and the nonprofit sector. This event is for all nonprofit staff, board, volunteers, and those served by nonprofits. And, it's free! You can learn more about this event and register today online.
The Center is offering a free webinar on Friday, February 25th at 1:00 pm.. They'll share tips to help you make the most of your time at the legislature and a briefing on the sector's main policy issues. (Registration is required.)
We hope that you'll be able to attend and help the Center spread the word. You'll find a flyer here that you can share with your staff, board, constituents, and other organizations. Please let us here at HandsOn know if you're planning on attending, too; if there is enough interest, we'll be happy to help arrange carpools or other options to make transportation easier. The more people that participate, the greater our collective voice for North Carolina's nonprofit sector. In these unprecedented budget times, that voice is more important than ever!
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NEWS YOU CAN USE
Regulation Reform Affects Nonprofits, Too!
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Both state and national regulations are getting closer scrutiny this year, as lawmakers look at any and all means to spur job growth. Nonprofits have a stake in this debate, too, as our ability to meet our missions can be enhanced or hindered by undue regulation. The NC Center for Nonprofits wants to know if there are specific regulations that you find impede your ability to deliver on your mission in the most effective and efficient way possible. In addition, The U.S. House of Representatives has already set up a web portal for feedback on federal regulations, and the N.C. General Assembly will be seeking input on North Carolina regulations later this year.
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| NEWS YOU CAN USE
IRS Simplifies Reporting Requirements for Small Nonprofits!
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Late last month, the IRS announced that nonprofits with gross annual receipts of $50,000 or less can file the Form 990-N (e-Postcard) for tax years beginning after January 1, 2010. This means your nonprofit may not need to file a Form 990 or Form 990-EZ this year if your budget is below $50,000. Thanks to the NC Center for Nonprofits for the head's up!
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| FEATURED CONSULTANT
The INS Group
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Starting this month, we'll be featuring one of our Consulting Partners in our newsletter, just like we feature a volunteer and a Supporting Partner on our website. This way, we hope to share with you some of the resources that our network of consultants can bring to your organization. To learn more about becoming a Consulting Partner, please check out our website.
The INS Group provides creative solutions to help organizations build their capacity through strategic planning, strategic fund development planning, board development, executive coaching, grant writing, grant research, organizational assessment and development services. In business for 11 years, the INS Group works with nonprofits, community-based and faith-based organizations, educational institutions and government agencies nationally.
Ruth Peebles, the founder of The INS Group, works with HandsOn NWNC as one of our Organizational Assessment consultants. Although based in Raleigh, she has worked extensively with nonprofits throughout the Triad. To learn more, contact them at:
The INS Group
PO Box 20575
Raleigh, NC 27619
Phone: 919-266-3072
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We Make it Easy to Make a Difference!
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