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Partners Update - August 2008

In This Issue
2008 Nonprofit Partners Meeting
Upcoming AGM Events
Taproot Foundation Announcement
City of Boston Announcement
New Report Finds Volunteering in America Strong!
Important Message by and about the IRS
New RFPs

August 27, 2008

Dear Partners:

As you know, our office is closed to the public for office renovations for the month of August. During this time, we are busy preparing a fall and winter season full of great programming.
  
In this month's Update, you will find information on upcoming events, more details and registration for our upcoming Nonprofit Partners Meeting, a special notice 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

AGM Office Closed for the month of August

The AGM Office will be closed for the month of August for renovations. Not to worry! We will be available via phone and email for any questions and concerns. All website resources will be fully accessible during this time.
 

Associated Grant Makers invites you to the 7th annual Nonprofit Partners Meeting

Thriving in a Changing Landscape

September 26, 2008

Omni Parker Hotel, 60 School Street, Boston, MA map

8:00 AM to 3:00 PM


Program Agenda:

  • 8:00 am Registration and Continental Breakfast
  • 9:15 Keynote Address: Tracy Gary of Inspired Legacies
    Transformative Leadership: Shaping the World We Want Through Leveraging Nonprofit Excellence
  • 10:30 Concurrent Workshops:
    • Thriving in a Recession
    • You Don't Have Time for an Audit
    • Who are the People in Your Neighborhood: Tools and Tips for Collaborations"
  • 12:15 Networking Lunch*
  • 1:30 - 3 pm Concurrent Workshops
    • Trends, Tools, Tips, and Tricks: An Introduction to Raising Money Online
    • How not to lose your 501 (c) 3: Election Do's & Don'ts

Six Will Win 1 on 1 Coaching Sessions with Tracy Gary!

Cost: $120; AGM Nonprofit Partners/Members - $75

*Please note any dietary restrictions or special needs in the "Notes" field when registering.


For full session details and more information - please contact Carol Lavoie Schuster at 617.426.2606 x15 or clavoieschuster@agmconnect.org

 
PLEASE NOTE - AGM Workshop Rate Change
As of July 1, 2008, there is a $20 fee for the AGM Workshop "Introduction to Grants Research."
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.

Taproot Foundation Announces Capacity Building Service Grants
 
The Taproot Foundation specializes in awarding capacity-building service grants to other nonprofit organizations. The foundation seeks to provide high-potential nonprofits with the critical tools and services necessary to maximize the impact of their work.

Unlike traditional foundations that make cash grants, the Taproot Foundation makes grants of high-quality consulting services. The foundation engages teams of business professionals in pro bono marketing, information technology, human resources, and strategy management service grants, each of which is valued at between $25,000 and $50,000.

Service grant types include: Key Messages & Brand Strategy; Naming & Visual Identity; Visual Identity & Brand Strategy; Brochures; Annual Reports; Web site development; Donor Database development; Performance Management; Human Resources Capacity Assessment; Competitor/Collaborator Analysis; Financial Analysis; Strategic Planning Preparation; and Strategic Scorecard.

To be eligible for a service grant, an organization should: be a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization or operate under the fiscal sponsorship of a 501(c)(3); and be headquartered and provide direct benefits primarily or entirely to residents of the foundation's service areas: New York City; San Francisco Bay Area; Chicago; Boston; Seattle; and Washington, D.C. Area.

Interested nonprofits should visit the Taproot Foundation Web site for further information and complete eligibility criteria.

City of Boston Announces:
BOSTON'S YOUNG ADULT SKILLS TRAINING
 Posting date: 8/25/2008 11:47:00 AM
Deadline: 09/12/2008
Program interest: Education
Website: www.cityofboston.gov

This RFP seeks proposals for programs offering occupational skills training leading to full-time, entry-level employment with benefits. Services will include:

  • outreach and recruitment
  • initial eligibility determination
  • assessment
  • classroom and work-site instruction
  • case management
  • work-based learning opportunities
  • assisted job search and placement
  • post-placement support
In targeting services to young adult men, JCS has identified several promising industry and occupational areas. The following industry areas are recommended based on the perceived interests and skill levels of the target population, the availability of entry-level employment at a living wage, and the potential for career ladders and advancement opportunities.
  • Building Trades- including the range of construction and building trades, targeting both union and private employers
  • Food Services- with a goal of placing participants in businesses with career ladders, such as hotels and high-quality restaurants
  • Logistics- including transportation and delivery, warehouse/inventory, and shipping and receiving
  • Marine Trades- including a range of sub-areas, including boat maintenance and repair; new boat construction; marina technology and customer service; and marine transportation.
Training programs in other industry areas will also be considered. Training providers must demonstrate that the occupational areas selected are appropriate given the credentials, skill levels, and interests of the target population. All proposals are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the local labor market in a given industry, and be able to demonstrate demand for entry levels jobs which require the basic and technical skills provided in the training curriculum.

For additional information, please contact Lynn Dever, Senior Planner, at:
Lynn.dever.jcs@cityofboston.gov (617) 918-5233

Letters of Intent due: Friday, September 12:
Proposal Due at 4:00 PM (no later) on Friday, October 10 at:
Mayor's Office of Jobs and Community Services,
43 Hawkins Street, Boston, MA 02114

Report Finds Volunteering in America Strong

A report from the Corporation for National and Community Service and USA Freedom Corps says that Volunteering in the United States is robust and poised for growth.   According to the report, Volunteering in America: 2008 State and City Trends & Rankings (18 pages, PDF), nearly 61 million Americans volunteered more than 8.1 billion hours of service in their communities in 2007; the report put the total dollar value of that activity at more than $158 billion. On the national level, 60.8 million Americans - 26.2 percent of the population age 16 and older - volunteered through organizations in 2007. For the first time, the study also examined volunteering in seventy-five mid-size cities. Provo, Utah, led the nation with a 63.8 percent volunteer rate, while Minneapolis-St. Paul ranked number one among large cities at 39.3 percent.

Although cross-sectoral support for volunteering has never been stronger, with corporations expanding their social responsibility programs, colleges and universities integrating service learning into their curricula, and political leaders from both parties embracing citizen service, keeping volunteers continues to be a challenge. According to the report, an estimated 22 million volunteers - more than one in three - stopped volunteering between 2006 and 2007.

"We have an unprecedented opportunity to seize this moment and usher in a new era of service in America," said David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. "By giving us a look under the hood of U.S. volunteering, this research shows what we need to recruit and retain tomorrow's volunteers."


For additional findings from the report, visit the VolunteeringInAmerica.gov Web site.
"Volunteering 61 Million Strong; Need and Momentum Grow." Corporation for National and Community Service Press Release 7/28/08.

Five Important Messages about the IRS

  1. Need to get up to speed on all the updates from the IRS, but don't have time?
    Take this great webinar on IRS updates, nonprofits and elections.Click HERE to learn more
  2. Please be careful during this election year!
    This IMPORTANT memo from the IRS about how the IRS will regard links to political/candidate websites that are on nonprofit websites. Click HERE to learn more 
  3. IRS Requesting Comments on Proposed Rule for non-filers of Form 990
    The IRS is requesting comments on its proposed Exempt Organizations Voluntary Compliance Program (EOVCP), which will collect certain information on certain non-filers of Form 990. The information will help the IRS meet its reporting requirements.  Please see HERE for further details, and for information on how to submit comments.  Written comments should be received on or before October 3, 2008 to be assured of consideration
  4. IRS Releases Revised Form 990
    The Internal Revenue Service released revised instructions for the redesigned Form 990 this week, along with additional background documents to help nonprofits make the transition to the new form. As announced previously, adjustments were made in areas including: narrowing the definition of key employee; allowing reasonable efforts for obtaining information about interested or third parties in certain sections; and the standard for determining independence of board members. Clarifications were also made in reporting compensation, including revised definitions for deferred compensation, compensation paid by related organizations, and compensation paid to former employees. Other changes include a narrowing of the definition for "business relationship" in the Governance section, and clarifications on thresholds for reporting transactions with interested persons in Schedule L. Links to the instructions and background documents may be found at: Instructions and Background Information Source: IRS Newswire, Tax Analysts, BNA Daily Tax Report, Independent Sector PolicyDigest  
  5. Attention all Churches and Religious Organizations
    The IRS has recently published the Updated IRS Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations

     
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

Civic Issues

Education

Environment

Health