Connection
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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; we typically don't include fundraisers.)
Training
OPPORTUNITIES
+ "5 Volunteer Trends that Can Improve Your Fundraising Bottom Line," FREE Webinar Download, Offered by Convio.
Volunteers give 10 times more to an organization than non-volunteers! In this webinar with volunteer expert Jayne Cravens, you'll dig into 5 volunteer management trends and how they impact fundraising. This exclusive webinar, now available on-demand, will give you a new perspective on the value of a volunteer and how to develop a relationship with your volunteers that can result in not just time given to your organization but talent and dollars. Grab your Volunteer Managers and your Fundraising teams and watch this webinar together! Watch now and get your free copy of the guide From VIP Volunteer to High-Dollar Donor and a free download of Jayne's sample volunteer survey!
+ "Supersize My Online Savvy: Surefire Steps to Fundraising and Social Success," GuideStar webinar, May 16th, 1 pm - 2pm, FREE! If you have few resources but big goals, you need to think smart when it comes to online fundraising and social media. Learn 10 ways to make your efforts more effective-all while saving time and headaches. This webinar features Katya Andresen, the chief strategy officer of Network for Good. I've had the opportunity to hear her in person, and she is fantastic! Registration is online.
+ Not-For-Profit Accounting Conference, May 22nd, Grandover Resort, Greensboro, $275+. Now in its 17th year, this conference is a collaboration between the NC Association of CPAs and the NC Center for Nonprofits. Gain valuable updates on the latest accounting, tax, financial, technology, and operational issues impacting nonprofits alongside CPAs who work with nonprofits, nonprofit staff, and board members. Registration is online.
+ NC Center for Nonprofits' 2012 Public Policy Forum and Nonprofits Day, May 29th-30th, Raleigh. Learn and network with leaders at the Public Policy Forum on Tuesday, May 29th then use what you learn to connect with your legislators on Wednesday, May 30 at NC Nonprofits Day! The Public Policy Forum will be held at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh and features an entire day of workshops and discussions about public policy, civic engagement, and advocacy, along with a networking lunch. The cost is $50 for Center Members. NC Nonprofits Day is your chance to advocate with your elected officials at the Legislative Building in Raleigh. They'll hold a quick briefing at the NC Museum of History at 8:30 a.m. in case you can't attend the Public Policy Forum. NC Nonprofits Day is free but please register so they can keep you in the loop on everything you need to know to prepare. These two days will be a great follow-up to the local discussions and events that will be happening in March and May. More information and registration is online.
Funding
OPPORTUNITIES
+ The Women's Fund of Winston-Salem Releases 2012 Grant Guidelines! The Women's Fund seeks to fund programs that address the challenges women and girls face in achieving economic security. Grants of up to $50,000 are available to organizations creating social change in the community. Smaller organizations have an opportunity to compete for up to $10,000 in funding through The Fund's Grassroots Grants Program. In the last five years, The Women's Fund of Winston-Salem has awarded over $750,000 to organizations to improve the lives of women and girls in Forsyth County. Download the grant guidelines and attend their applicant workshop on Monday, May 14th from 3:30 to 4:30 at Senior Services.
+ MetLife Foundation Granting Awards to Innovative Afterschool Programs! The Afterschool Alliance and MetLife Foundation needs help identifying exemplary afterschool programs serving middle school youth to win a $10,000 MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Award and to be featured in their 2012 series of issue briefs. These awards aim to identify potentially lesser-known, yet highly effective programs and the individuals running them. Nominees will be judged by the innovative nature of their approach and demonstrated effectiveness. Each of the five award winners will receive $10,000 for their program. Act now--the deadline is May 15th!
+ Enter the 4th Annual Clifford BE BIG! in Your Community Contest! BE BIG™
is a multiyear campaign that invites everyone, big and small, to take action and raise awareness for how Clifford's BIG Ideas (Share, Be Kind, Help Others, Be a Good Friend, Play Fair, Have Respect, Be Truthful, Believe in Yourself, Work Together and Be Responsible) can make the world a better place. As part of the BE BIG campaign, the contest will award one $5,000 community grant to bring their BIG Idea to life. In addition, $5,000 in community grants of $1,000 each will be awarded to five (5) first place winning ideas. Last year's Grand Prize Winning BIG Idea was to transform an empty school rooftop into an eco-friendly garden playground. Your BIG Idea might just be next! Scholastic and HandsOn Network will work with the winners to bring their Big Ideas to life! Everyone is invited--parents, kids, teachers or community leaders-- to submit your ideas now through June 22nd! You'll find contest forms and entry rules on Scholastic's website.
+ Nominate an Outstanding Female Leader as a L'Oreal Woman of Worth! You know a future L'Oreal Paris Women of Worth: she's an inspiring volunteer, an outstanding achiever and a beautiful person who's making a difference in our community. Through Women of Worth, L'Oréal Paris will award 10 Women of Worth Honorees a $10,000 donation toward the nonprofit of their choice, as well as national exposure for their efforts. One Honoree will be selected via public vote as the National Women of Worth Honoree and will receive an additional $25,000. Last year, women were celebrated for their work ranging from fostering under-served youth to finding groundbreaking cures for pediatric cancer to helping women veterans at home. Learn more about their stories; I know that there are equally impressive women right here in our comm unity! Nominations will be accepted from April 2nd-May 31st.
+ Home Depot Offering Community Impact Grants! These grants, of up to $5,000, are available to nonprofit organizations, public schools, or public service agencies that are using the power of volunteers to improve the physical health of their community. Grants are given in the form of The Home Depot gift cards for the purchase of tools, materials, or services. More competitive grant proposals will specifically identify projects for veterans and will include housing repairs, modifications, and weatherization work. Once grant applications are reviewed, all applicants will receive a written response within six weeks of receipt of a request. Grant guidelines and application instructions are on their website. The deadline to apply is August 13th!
+ Susan G. Komen for the Cure NC Triad Affiliate Now Seeking a New Executive Director! The Executive Director is responsible for managing the daily operations of the Affiliate, working closely with the Board of Directors to develop, evaluate and execute the Affiliate's strategic direction and to implement established goals and objectives. The Executive Director will also manage all Affiliate programs, services, and activities to ensure that the Komen mission is carried out in their service area.
+ Nominate Yourself, a Co-Worker, or a Friend for the 2012-2013 Class of Leadership Winston-Salem!
Leadership Winston-Salem
HandsOn Supporting Partner, offers an intensive, nine-month program where leaders attend dynamic meetings with civic leaders and learn more about how the community works, grapple with key issues, and learn how they can make a difference. Action learning projects provide a hands-on team experience in tackling key community dilemmas throughout the program. As a 2010 graduate, Amy can attest to the program's value and worth. For more information, contact JoEllen Carson. There's also a PDF brochure or you can go online for more details. The application deadline is June 13th, but there's a special incentive if you apply before May 16th!
+ CenterPoint Human Services to Host FUNday at Central Park in King on May 25th! FUNday brings service recipients, providers and the community at large together to enjoy a fair-like atmosphere. There will be FREE hot dogs and drinks, popcorn, sno-cones, dunking booth, inflatable bounce attractions, fishing, bingo, a petting zoo and much more! The entire day is dedicated to having fun and is "service free" so people can gather together and interact. It's unlike anything you've seen before and the NC Council of Community Programs has awarded it for breaking down stigma and raising overall awareness. Get more details here.
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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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Greetings!
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Sec. Linda Carlisle and Mayor Joines shared their thoughts with us, and stayed to hear the inspirational stories from our volunteers. Sec.Carlisle was a first-time presence at our event, and immediately upon
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Sec. Carlisle with winners of our Family Volunteer award, Cameron and Sue Kent. Cameron also graciously served as our emcee for the breakfast.
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returning to Raleigh on Tuesday, sent us a short note remarking upon how impressed she was with the quality of our volunteers, the event itself, and the work and support of HandsOn in our community. As always, this event helps reinforce the reasons why our work to engage, support, and recognize community volunteers is so important and reminds me how
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Dr. Sifford receiving his Forsyth County Governor's Award
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lucky I am to
have a role in that work. I especially want to thank our two Supporting Partners, HanesBrands, Inc. and Wake Forest Baptist Health, as well as our numerous table sponsors this year. If you missed it, we'll be setting our 2013 date soon so that you'll be able to mark your calendar. If you're interested in nominating a volunteer for next year, we anticipate having the nominating process open up in late August, with nominations due in October. (This timeline is based on deadlines given to us by the Governor's Office, and will be subject to change.)
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A modest Dr. Sifford with his Medallion Award waving off photographers while Gov. Bev Purdue peeks out from behind.
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We are also very excited that one of our local Governor's Award winners, Dr. James Sifford, was chosen by our volunteer selection committee to be Forsyth County's nominee for a statewide Governor's Medallion Award, which he won! Only 20 winners from 100 Governor's Awards nominees (one from each county) are chosen each year for this extra level of recognition. We were pleased to accompany Dr. Sifford and a team from Second Harvest Food Bank of NWNC to Raleigh to see him accept this award. 
In June, we'll host our last Nonprofit Essentials class for the year, and have a brief celebration that will recognize all of our NE and Women's Emerging Leaders 2011-2012 graduates. If you're interested in either of these programs, please let us know, as we'll begin planning for the 2012-2013 versions in earnest in the coming months. I can't believe that we're almost halfway through the year, and the summer beckons us all to enjoy its charms. Personally, I'm looking forward to getting an opportunity to catch my breath and recharge my batteries--I hope you're able to do the same!
 Executive Director
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HandsOn Board:
Leadership Development
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Thursday, May 10th, 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Location: Salemtowne's Community Center Board Room (get directions) ( see map; center is shaded in gold) ( Note: MapQuest and Google maps will *not* provide correct directions.)
Enjoy one of our most popular classes at a time perfect for folks who can't take time away from work! To help nonprofits increase the effectiveness and leadership capacity of their boards, we developed this workshop specifically geared for board members who are in leadership positions or who are moving towards leadership roles on nonprofit boards as officers or committee chairs. Developing board leadership is key to creating strong, knowledgeable boards that help organizations gain credibility, build financial resources, and serve as advocates and ambassadors of the organization. Topics covered in the class include a review of board officer roles and responsibilities, committee chair accountabilities, attributes of effective board and committee leaders, a self-assessment leadership instrument, advanced Roberts Rules of Order training, planning processes and tools, leading and conducting effective meetings, group communications, appraising board and committee effectiveness, and other topics of interest as identified by workshop participants.
The workshop will be led by Karl Yena. Karl retired from RJR Nabisco, Inc. as Director of Worldwide Organization Development & Training. He served over 20 years as a senior level manager providing consulting services to RJR corporate and operating company management of Del Monte, Nabisco, Sea Land Shipping , Kentucky Fried Chicken, etc. on a national and international (over 30 countries) basis in the areas of strategic and operational planning, organizational analysis, staffing structure, training and leadership development. He also served as Special Assistant to the Chairman and CEO. Karl has designed and facilitated over 100 distinct training programs and he continues to provide training and development to several Fortune 500 firms.
An avid volunteer, Karl works annually with over 100 nonprofits in North Carolina and in the Eastern US. He provides on-going mentoring/coaching to several current Executive Directors and assistance to municipalities, churches, civic associations, and non-profits in a wide variety of areas including effective management and governance, strategic planning and fund development. He currently Chairs one board and serves on ten local nonprofit Boards, including Komen for the Cure, Shepherd's Center, Leadership Winston-Salem, Second Harvest Food Bank, Forsyth County Youth Council, and Twin City Stage. Over the past 30 years, he has served on over 200 non-profit Boards.
Cost: $35 for Supporting Partners/ $45 all others. Cost includes a light supper and extensive take home materials. For the greatest impact from this training, full board leadership teams or multiple board members from the same nonprofit are encouraged to attend. Class size is deliberately limited to help ensure a conducive learning environment; we often sell out, so register early!
(Not sure if you're a Supporting Partner? You can view the list on our website.)
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Just in Time for the Legislative Session:
Join Us for Forsyth County's District Day!
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Friday, May 11th, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Location: Senior Services, 2895 Shorefair Drive (see map)
Don't miss this important event for all of us who are affected by the actions of the state legislature. This year's District Day is built upon our successful efforts last year, and is designed to offer nonprofit staff, board members, volunteers and clients the opportunity to hear from Forsyth County legislative representatives about the State budget and insights into proposed initiatives.
David Heinen, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy with the NC Center for Nonprofits, will join us during lunch to provide an update on the state budget, share insights from his perspective, and offer training/coaching tips for advocating your cause. Following lunch, beginning around 2 pm, members of the Forsyth County legislative delegation will share their thoughts on the budget and proposed initiatives that will have an impact on nonprofits. Bring any questions you may have as this will be a time to hear directly from our representatives, as well as a time for them to hear from you about the impact of budget decisions on nonprofits.
Cost: FREE! To keep the session accessible to all who might be interested, we've kept the cost to a minimum. We do ask that you bring your own lunch; we'll bring drinks and desserts. However, please register below so that we can plan properly!
(Not sure if you're a Supporting Partner? You can view the list on our website.)
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Fundraising Peer Learning Group
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Wednesday, May 16th, 8:00 am to 9:00 am
Location: Winston-Salem First's Worship Center (formerly First Assembly,) 3730 University Parkway (see map.)
Interested in sharing fundraising ideas, tips, trends and best practices? Then join us and our partner the Winston-Salem Foundation for this FREE, informal group. Clare Jordan, with Capital Development Services, will facilitate this informal discussion and information sharing session, which will use small groups to generate practical information useful to your work in fundraising and development. This is a great opportunity to meet other nonprofit staff, volunteers and board members involved in similar work while exploring concerns and discussing effective solutions.
For planning purposes, please register below and indicate your preference for breakfast.
Cost: FREE! A light breakfast is optional. It is FREE to Supporting Partners and is available to all others for a small charge.
(Not sure if you're a Supporting Partner? You can view the list on our website.)
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Nonprofit Essentials 2011-2012:
Advocacy and Communication
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Thursday, May 24th, Noon to 4:30 pm
Location: WFU campus, Reynolda Hall, Room 301. Parking is available on Davis Field. For directions to the Reynolda Hall and to Davis Field, see map.
Nonprofits play an active role in shaping public policy. This class examines successful advocacy strategies used by nonprofits to advance their organization's mission for the public good while considering related legal, ethical and tax issues, and measuring the success of your advocacy. Course includes coaching on how to tell your story in a way that conveys the importance and value of your mission.
 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. 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. Cost: $35 per person for Supporting Partners/ $45 all others. $300 for all nine classes! (This is the eighth class of the 9-part series; you may begin at any point. Signing up for the full series is a great option for organizations that have several employees who could benefit from taking different courses. Learn more about our Nonprofit Essentials series here.) The cost includes take-home materials and a networking lunch with your peers.
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Nonprofit Essentials 2011-2012:
Grantwriting
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Thursday, June 21st, Noon to 4:30 pm
Location: WFU campus, Reynolda Hall, Room 301. Parking is available on Davis Field. For directions to the Reynolda Hall and to Davis Field, see map.
A practical course designed for those seeking to develop grant proposal writing skills. Participants will learn how to research funding sources and approach funders, and learn best practices
Cost: $35 per person for Supporting Partners/ $45 all others. $300 for all nine classes! (This is the last class of the 9-part series; you may begin at any point. Signing up for the full series is a great option for organizations that have several employees who could benefit from taking different courses. Learn more about our Nonprofit Essentials series here.) The cost includes take-home materials and a networking lunch with your peers.
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NEWS YOU CAN USE
The NonProfit Times Releases Best Nonprofits to Work For List--Are You On It?
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The Nonprofit Times has released this compelling report that ranks the top 50 non-profit organizations to work for with regard to the following areas: leadership and planning, corporate culture and communications, role satisfaction, work environment, relationship with supervisor, training and development, pay and benefits, and overall employee engagement.
Are you, or a peer nonprofit, on the list? What changes can you make to your workplace so that you can be on this list next year? The list includes both national nonprofits, local affiliates, and small groups as well, so don't use your size as an excuse!
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NEWS YOU CAN USE
Show Solidarity with Independent Sector and Their Campaign to Have Lawmakers Address Poverty
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Independent Sector has launched an initiative - through a Change.org petition - to demonstrate to policymakers the nonprofit community's shared principles around poverty. The petition urges the US Congress to hold harmless those federal programs that address income inequality and that assist those in poverty when budget cuts are made. In the petition, Independent Sector outlines these principles:
As a matter of justice, fairness and effectiveness, Independent Sector believes that steps taken to address the nation's fiscal challenges should favor policies that will not exacerbate income inequality or increase poverty:
- Deficit reduction solutions should include additional revenue and reduced spending, in both discretionary and mandatory programs...
- Spending reductions should be undertaken prudently, so as to not increase poverty or widen inequality...
- Revenue increases should maintain or increase the progressivity of the tax code, and neither entitlement nor revenue changes should increase burdens on those at the bottom of the income scale or least able to care for themselves...
- Tax policy should advance America's strong tradition of giving and volunteering...
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NEWS YOU CAN USE
Two Senate Bills Help Nonprofits Save Money!
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Late last month, the U.S. Senate approved postal reform legislation that will continue to protect nonprofits special discounted mailing rate even during USPS restructuring. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives, which must act by mid-May to prevent thousands of post offices across the country from closing. The proposed House bill would eliminate the discount.
The Senate also entertained a new bill that would expand the small employer health credit to make more nonprofits eligible, allowing them to have 50 or fewer employees (up from the current limit of 25) with average earnings of $57,000 or less (up from $50,000) to claim the credit. It also would eliminate some of the complex rules that made some nonprofits ineligible for the existing small employer credit.
Many thanks to the NC Center for Nonprofits for these updates!
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We Make it Easy to Make a Difference!
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