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Partners Update - April 2008

In This Issue
Upcoming AGM Events
AGM August Office Closing & Annual Meeting Save the Date
AGM Workshop Rate Change
Grant Writing USA Workshop
New RFPs
THREE Important Notices from the IRS

April 15, 2008

Dear Partners:

Spring is finally here (or at least that's what the calendar tells us).  Though we are still feeling the echoes of winter, let's 'spring forward' and gear up your skill sets, networking and access to information.

In this month's Update, we are providing you with all of the above and more! This month, you will find information on upcoming events,  policy changes for a local foundation, important news from the IRS, links to RFP's and much much more.
 
See our website (www.agmconnect.org) for more information or feel free to call me with any questions.
 
Carol Lavoie Schuster
Program Manager

clavoieschuster@agmconnect.org
617.426.2606 x15

Upcoming AGM Partners Events

Please see the events calendar on our website (www.agmconnect.org/events) for details and a complete listing of all our upcoming events.

AGM Office Closed for the month of August

The AGM Office will be closed for the month of August for renovations. We will be available via phone and email for any questions and concerns. All website resources will be fully accessible during this time. More information to come.
 
Save the Date! AGM Nonprofit Partners Annual Meeting
Friday September 26, 2008
The AGM Nonprofit Partners Annual Meeting will be on Friday September 26, 2008 at the Omni Parker Hotel in downtown Boston. More details to follow.
AGM Workshop Rate Change
As of July 1, 2008, there will be a $20 fee for the AGM Workshop "Introducation to Grants Research."
Grant Management Workshop
 
New England Law Library Consortium, Inc. and Grant Writing USA invite you to attend a grant management workshop in Boston, May 12-13, 2008. If your organization receives or plans to receive government grants, this class is for you.

City, county and state agencies as well as nonprofit organizations, K-12, colleges and universities are welcome. Federal pass-through grant managers and staff are also encouraged to attend. You do not need to work in the same profession as the host agency.

Checks, cards, and purchase orders are welcome. Multi-enrollment discounts are available. For more information including venue location, tuition, graduate testimonials and online enrollment, please visit us at: Grant Writing USA

 
Prefer to speak with a live person? Cathy will be happy to assist.

Cathy Rittenhouse
Grant Writing USA
Customer Care
800.814.8191
cathy@grantwritingusa.com

 
RFPs

Please visit the AGM RFP Database (available to Associate and Fellow Partners) for a complete listing of RFPs in Community Development, Arts & Culture, Education and more!

New RFPs (posted and available to all levels of Partnership)  

Arts and Culture

Knight-Batten Awards for Innovations in Journalism
Posted April 14, 2008
Deadline: June 11, 2008

LEGO Invites Children to Display Their Creativity With Second Annual LEGO Creativity Awards
Posted April 14, 2008
Deadline: June 11, 2008

National Endowment for the Arts: Learning in the Arts for Children & Youth
Posted April 14, 2008
Deadline: June 9, 2008

Dana Foundation grants professional development programs for arts educators
Posted April 15, 2008
Deadline: June 4, 2008  

Save America's Treasures
Posted April 15, 2008
Deadline: May 20, 2008

Civic Issues

Emergency Fund for Seizing Strategic Opportunities
Posted April 15, 2008
Deadline: Ongoing

Open Society Institute Invites Innovative Thinkers to Confront Global Challenges
Posted April 15, 2008
Deadline: Ongoing

Community Development

First Nations Development Institute Announces Financial Education Funding Program 
Posted April 15, 2008
Deadline: June 2, 2008  

Wachovia NEXT Awards for Opportunity Finance                                                         
Posted: April 15, 2008
Deadline: May 30, 2008 

Wal-Mart Community Grants
Posted: April 15, 2008
Deadline: Ongoing

Bank of America Accepting Applications for Neighborhood Builders and Local Heroes Programs
Posted: April 11, 2008
Deadline: June 27, 2008

Education

Brown Rudnick Charitable Foundation Renews Grant Program Dedicated to Help Inner-City Educators
Posted: April 15, 2008
 Deadline: Ongoing  

American Immigration Law Foundation Offers K-12 Education Grants 
Posted: April 15, 2008
Deadline: June 1, 2008  

Toyota International Teacher Program to Send Educators to Galapagos Islands
Posted April 9, 2008
Deadline: May 9, 2008  

Environment  

Best Buy Support Electronic Recycling Programs
Posted: April 15, 2008
Deadline: Ongoing  

Health

Tufts Health Plan Foundation                                                                                                        
Posted April 15, 2008
Deadline: July 7, 2008  

Youth Development

Baseball Tomorrow Fund
Posted April 15, 2008
Deadline: Ongoing

Three Important Notices from the IRS

#1 - IRS hints at imminent crackdown on nonprofit political activity

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is taking a closer look at political organizations disguised as nonprofits, according to Lois Lerner, Director of the Exempt Organizations Division at the IRS. Since the Federal Election Commission (FEC) began overseeing violations of campaign finance laws by 527 groups, tax regulators and law experts believe those intent on circumventing the laws have moved to other areas of the tax code. The explosive growth of these "social welfare" organizations and recent allegations has brought concerns to the IRS, Lerner told Roll Call. "It's not that you can't [act politically], it's that you can't do too much of it," Lerner said. "There's not a clear-cut line. We really are looking at all the facts and circumstances involved." While revoking the tax-exempt status of an organizations and issuing a stern fine" is the practice of the IRS, a source within the agency indicated that serious violators could "go through our criminal investigations area and it could end up at the Justice Department." Source: Roll Call

#2 - IRS Posts Guidance on Good Governance

The IRS has posted guidance (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/governance_practices.pdf) on its website outlining key areas of governance for nonprofits, including foundations.  The document points that well-governed nonprofits are more likely to follow the law, safeguard charitable assets, and serve charitable interests.  The document addresses areas of governance including mission, organizational documents, governing body, policies, financial statements, transparency and accountability.

Additional IRS guidance is available here: http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=178221,00.html

#3 - RS Releases Draft Instructions for 2008 Form 990, Seeks Public Comment

The Internal Revenue Service is seeking public comments on the draft instructions to the 2008 Form 990, the annual return most tax-exempt organizations must use to report information about their operations. The instructions are for the redesigned Form 990 that organizations will file for their 2008 tax year (returns filed in 2009), which was released in final form in December 2007 (IRS news release
 IR-2007-204).

The IRS is seeking comments from the public on the 2008 Form 990 instructions, in an effort to make sure the final instructions address the needs of the tax-exempt community. The comment period is open until June 1, 2008. Included with the instructions are special highlights lists indicating certain items in the instructions on which the IRS would especially like to receive public comments. As with comments received on the draft Form 990, the IRS plans to post comments on the instructions on its Web site.

The draft 2008 Form 990 instructions are organized according to a consistent format. There is a general overview of the form or schedule explaining its purpose, an explanation of who must file that particular schedule, and then line-by-line instructions to aid in answering each question on the form or schedule.

The draft instructions also contain a number of new tools designed to make it easier for the organization to answer the questions and to promote more uniform reporting. These tools include a comprehensive glossary of terms; a sequencing list to help organizations determine the order in which to fill out parts of the form; a compensation table to help organizations determine how and where to report items of compensation; and many illustrative examples. These aids were developed in response to comments received last year in connection with the draft Form 990.

Comments on the instructions should be e-mailed to the IRS at   Form990Revision@irs.gov.   To facilitate posting on the IRS Web site, please e-mail comments in a text (not picture) format. Comments on the instructions received via e-mail will be posted on this website, after removing the submitter's e-mail address.  Comments may also be mailed to:

IRS
Draft 2008 Form 990 Instructions, SE:T:EO
1111 Constitution Ave., NW.
Washington, DC 20224