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From the Desk of Jim White
 Dear Friends,
Nonprofits typically experience a late summer slowdown, which creates some much-needed breathing room to plan for the coming program year. However, August has been a busy time here at NAO; much of the month thus far has been devoted to gathering and analyzing data so that we can make it available to our Members and the broader sector.
Read the full letter.
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The "Blank Slate" Approach to Tax Reform
In a June 27 letter, US Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) revealed their intention to take a blank slate approach to tax reform, and called on their colleagues to identify existing tax provisions to add back into the the tax code by July 26. NAO and The Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) wrote to Senators Wyden and Merkley on July 24 urging both to preserve the charitable deduction in its current form. On July 25, NAO joined nearly 1,250 national, state, and local nonprofit and charitable organizations in signing Independent Sector's letter to every Senator asking them to preserve the charitable deduction and additional giving incentives in the tax code as Congress proceeds to tackle comprehensive tax reform.
Central Oregon Roundtable (Aug 27 in Bend)
A Central Oregon nonprofit leaders' roundtable on Tuesday, August 27 with State Senator Tim Knopp (R-27) and State Representative Jason Conger (R-54) will address the concerns of the nonprofit community regarding protection of the charitable giving incentive in Oregon. This roundtable, which will be held at the Deschutes Children's Foundation Eastside Campus from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m., is a follow-up to an earlier event held by Representative Conger in the spring of this year, when nonprofit leaders had the opportunity to discuss their concerns directly with policymakers. NAO congratulates Senator Knopp and Representative Conger and the 20 plus nonprofits already confirmed for the event for continuing the dialogue on the important issues facing our whole sector. Please RSVP to Tim Rusk at TimR@mountainstarfamily.org to let him know if you will be able to attend this important meeting.
For the latest overview of public policy advocacy at the local, state, and federal levels, check out the August 12 issue of "Nonprofit Advocacy Matters" from the National Council of Nonprofits.
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Renewing Nonprofit Member Hacienda CDC, a Latino Community Development Corporation, strengthens families by providing affordable housing, homeownership support, economic advancement, and educational opportunities.
Founded in 1992, Hacienda offers many services that benefit the community under four broad categories: Affordable Housing, Homeownership Support, Community Economic Development, and Youth and Family Support Services.
Learn more here.
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Member Benefits Spotlight
Training Discounts
NAO Members receive a 10% discount on all of our trainings. Training opportunities range from nonprofit networks--in Portland, Bend, Eugene, and Medford--to full- and half-day workshops and webinars. Topics include fiscal management, fundraising, cross-cultural effectiveness, Board development, impact evaluation, and more! See our event calendar for information about upcoming sessions.
Already an NAO Member? Thank you!
Not an NAO Member? Join today!
Not sure? View our Nonprofit and Affiliate Member lists.
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2013/14 Nonprofit Network Training Series Kick Off in September!
Annual schedules for NAO's nonprofit networks in your region will arrive in the mail soon. Each year-long series incorporates the most relevant topics facing the nonprofit sector. Sign up for a season pass for cost savings and convenience, or just come to the sessions that interest you.
Equity & Inclusion Leaders Network (Portland)
fka Diversity Leaders Network
Executive Directors Network (Portland)
Nonprofit Board Network (Portland)
Nonprofit Fiscal Managers Association (Portland)
Nonprofit Network of Central Oregon (Bend)
Rogue Valley Nonprofit Network Series (Medford)
South Willamette Valley Nonprofit Network (Eugene)
To receive a discount on our training networks, join NAO today.
Town Hall Series--Join the Conversation
Our ongoing Town Halls offer a special opportunity for nonprofit leaders to join a statewide conversation about our unique strengths and challenges as a sector. The 2013 Town Halls will provide an understanding of what nonprofits can and should do to raise community awareness and protect the people they serve. We encourage you to join us and learn what's happening on the state and federal levels that will impact our sector. We'll have a conversation about making time for advocacy work, and we'll discuss how you can effectively engage your Board in policy discussions and lead them to taking a position.
Town Halls are free events open to nonprofit leaders, staff members, Board members, volunteers, and community stakeholders. Join us in the following communities:
Newport--Wednesday September 4
Roseburg--Thursday September 5
Klamath Falls--Friday September 6
Baker City--Wednesday September 11
NAO's Annual Meeting
NAO will hold our fourth Annual Meeting from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on October 18 in Portland with web-linked viewing hubs in Bend, Medford, and Springfield. Join fellow NAO Members to hear our accomplishments from the past year, discussions on opportunities and threats to our sector, and learn more about the new NAO Theory of Change. We look forward to your involvement in making NAO a responsive organization and collective voice for the sector!
Thank You to Our 2012/13 Supporters!
Your support means a great deal to us, the hundreds of nonprofits we serve, and the thousands of Oregonians they serve. Want to become a sponsor? Learn how.
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Professional Development Opportunities
QuickBooks Made Easy for Nonprofits (Sep 10 & 12 in Portland)
Designed for both new and experienced users, Gregg S. Bossen's updated two-part QuickBooks® training seminar for nonprofits is now being offered on September 10 and 12! Register now.
Fall Major Gifts Symposium (Sep 23 in Portland)
WVDO brings the first Major Gifts Symposium to Portland in over six years! The focus is to look at the bigger picture of why and how nonprofits are successful, give fundraisers the essential tools they need for success, and create an opportunity for executive leadership to understand their role and impact in philanthropy. Learn more or register today.
Assessing Your Advocacy Capacity (Sep 24 Online)
Is your nonprofit trying to strengthen its advocacy program? Is your foundation trying to identify the strengths and gaps among its advocacy grantees? Does your coalition want to determine the combined advocacy strength of its member groups? If so, this webinar is for you. This $35, one-hour session will cover the core concepts captured in Bolder Advocacy's new Advocacy Capacity Tool--who can use it, and how to use it--and basic principles for evaluating the impact of advocacy. Register here.
Lean Portland Seeks Volunteer Opportunity with Nonprofit
Lean Portland is a volunteer group of lean professionals whose goal is to bring continuous improvement methodologies to local nonprofits through annual projects and training. Lean is an approach to improve efficiency of daily work processes, quality, reduce cost, and help your organization to achieve its mission more effectively. Lean Portland seeks a nonprofit that is interested and excited about incorporating lean into their organizations; if your nonprofit wants to be considered for this year's project, please complete this survey.
Intercultural Communication Study Groups
Understanding intercultural communication can help us avoid serious mistakes in our personal and professional relationships. What we think of as "good" communication and conflict resolution (e.g., "I feel" statements, direct processing, assertiveness) is not universal; unfortunately this information is not common knowledge or even being taught in many of our graduate programs. Licensed psychologist Cheryl Porster, PsyD will be running two groups on Tuesday evenings from September to June--a community group, and a therapist and graduate student group. Up to 20 CEU's are available for licensed therapists, and flexible payment options are available. Learn more.
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Does your nonprofit have questions regarding implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)? Send us your questions. They will be answered by an industry expert. Learn more.
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The State of Grantseeking
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GrantStation polls organizations on the status of their grantseeking twice yearly in order to provide the nonprofit sector with a vivid, up-to-date snapshot of grantseeking today. The poll results serve as a benchmark for nonprofits to compare their own grantseeking efforts with those of their colleagues. The greater the number of respondents in your mission focus/sector or geographical area, the more likely that GrantStation can provide a focus sheet, so spread the word and take the survey now!
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Welcome, New & Renewing Members!
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See a list of our new and renewing Affiliate and Nonprofit Members!
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We like to feature the good works of our Members, and offer several avenues for visibility: our website, social media platforms, presentations, and print materials (just to name a few).
Interested in having your organization featured?
Submit success stories and high-resolution photos that demonstrate your mission in action.
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Check Out an Upcoming NAO Training
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Bookmark NAO's Nonprofit Job Board to keep an eye on the latest nonprofit job openings.
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NAO Nonprofit Members receive $15 off of The Oregon Nonprofit Corporation Handbook, Fifth Edition.
Already an NAO Member?
To receive the Member discount code, send us an email or call 503-239-4001, ext. 127.
Not an NAO Member yet?
Join today!
Learn more or purchase The Handbook here.
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