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From the Desk of Jim White
 Dear Friends,
As we come to the end of another year, we should all take stock and take heart in the accomplishments of the nonprofit sector in 2013. Oregon nonprofits--still recovering from the recession themselves--provided fundamental services to our communities. Those communities with a robust group of nonprofits confronting the challenges presented by the weak economy coped better than those that did not. Over the last several years, nonprofits have taken on more, addressing issues such as access to jobs, homelessness, and hunger. In many communities, nonprofits buffeted some of the most withering effects of the great recession. Without the vigor of Oregon nonprofits, our state would have fared much worse.
So what might we expect in 2014? The movement toward economic recovery, however small, is a promising sign--a driver to "grow the pie" of available resources to assist nonprofit action. There are also some trends that nonprofits need to be aware of and influence early to ensure that we build back to a better sector. The National Council of Nonprofits released a trends prediction for 2014, which can be viewed here. I have distilled down what I believe are the top trends that nonprofit leaders in Oregon need to keep their eyes on.
Read the full letter.
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Public Policy News
Government-Nonprofit Contracts & Grants
Strong, cooperative relations between the public and nonprofit sectors are vital to so many important services in our communities around the state. Public funds and nonprofit action--working in tandem--should benefit and address the pressing needs of Oregon's citizens. On December 5, the Urban Institute released Part 1 of their analysis of government contracting to nonprofits. Nonprofit-Government Contracts and Grants: Findings from the 2013 National Survey provides key data on the problems experienced by charitable nonprofits in performing work under contracts and grants with governments, including findings on late payments, failure to pay the full costs of services provided on behalf of governments, changes to written agreements in mid-stream, and unnecessarily burdensome application and reporting requirements.
Simultaneously, the National Council of Nonprofits issued its companion report on common sense solutions to government-nonprofit contracting problems. A Dozen Common Sense Solutions to Government-Nonprofit Contracting Problems explains why reforms are so important right now and provides a menu of proven, replicable solutions that states and localities can utilize to fix broken contracting and grantmaking systems, save money for taxpayers, and work better with nonprofits to serve communities. NAO looks forward to engaging in discussions with government leaders, key coalitions, and our membership on how best to ensure strong public-nonprofit partnership.
Part I of the Urban Institute report does not include state-specific information, but that data will be included in Part 2 of the report in mid-January 2014. Stay tuned!
Charitable Giving Incentive
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Senator Thune (R-SD) sent a joint letter last month to leaders of the Senate Finance Committee asking them to protect the charitable giving incentive throughout the federal tax reform debate. The Senators delivered a simple message that we all have been stressing for the last few years: "The charitable deduction is unique. It is the only provision that encourages taxpayers to give away a portion of their income for the benefit of others. For this reason, it is not a loophole, but a lifeline for millions of Americans in need." Recently, Senator Wyden held a series of meetings throughout Oregon to bring attention to the importance of charitable giving at this critical time when Congress is considering reducing the charitable deduction as part of federal tax reform. NAO has worked closely with Senator Wyden's office over the last year to preserve this important deduction, end sequestration, and continue government funding for vital safety net programs.
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Member of the Month
 Nonprofit Member Our House of Portland provides housing, health care, and other services to people with HIV. They tailor services for residents and clients that define what "living well" means to them. In 2013, Our House ranked #1 in the 100 Best Nonprofits to Work For In Oregon among large nonprofits and ranked #2 among small businesses in Oregon Top Workplaces.
Our House provides an array of programs for people in our community living with HIV/AIDS. They include Our House, Neighborhood Housing and Care Program (NHCP), Esther's Pantry, and Tod's Corner. Learn more here.
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Member Benefits Spotlight
NAO's Nonprofit Job Board
Looking for qualified job candidates or need to post a job announcement? Searching for a job in the nonprofit sector? Visit our Nonprofit Job Board! Users have complete control over the process, making it easy and convenient.
Key features for employers:
- Promotion of the Job Board to our email list of over 7,700 nonprofit professionals
- Opportunity for your opening to be added to the Nationwide Nonprofit Job Network
- Ability to accept applications directly through the Job Board
- Special packaging prices for frequent posters
- JobTarget customer service representatives on call to provide assistance when you need it
Key features for job seekers:
- Ability to apply online for positions directly
- Resume posting options
- Customized job alerts
NAO Members receive special discounts. Please forward this link to the appropriate personnel management staff at your organization.
Questions? Call 503-239-4001, ext. 127 or email membership@nonprofitoregon.org.
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Cultivating Resilience in Rural Oregon Nonprofits: Inclusive Leadership
Consider a spider web: beautiful, strong, and extraordinarily resilient. How can nonprofits, particularly rural nonprofits, cultivate this capacity for resilience? Resilient nonprofits not only withstand change or stressors, they adapt and respond positively and creatively. This series will highlight three key elements that foster resilience: 1) inclusive leadership, 2) diversified resources, and 3) collaboration. These elements require cultural and structural shifts that, together, help nonprofits weave a web of resilience.
 Embracing inclusive leadership presents a prime opportunity for increasingly diverse and often resource constrained rural Oregon communities. Surfacing and engaging the unrealized resource of diversity within the community empowers and enriches individuals, organizations, and the community as a whole. Rural nonprofits are well-positioned to provide the leadership that weaves this strand of resilience.
Inclusive leadership values diversity, works across difference, and shares leadership broadly, especially with: youth and young adults, the working class, immigrants, people of color, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ community. Building this kind of inclusive culture requires commitment and sustained action. NAO and our partners can support you in this work. Read the full article.
NAO Hires New Director of Executive Transition Services
After an extremely competitive process involving over 130 applicants, NAO is pleased to announce that we've selected Kimberli Cumming to be our new Director of Executive Transition Services (ETS) and Associate Teams! After a year of succession planning, Kim is stepping down from her role as Executive Director of The Women's Center of Southeastern Michigan where she's worked for the past thirteen years (eight as ED). We are excited that she'll be coming to Oregon to help take our ETS and Associate Teams program to new heights.
 In addition to overseeing our ETS Team, Kim will be focused on setting up "Associate Teams" of highly-skilled local consultants around the state, based on our successful ETS model. These new teams will build on their knowledge of local contexts to provide interim executive and development leadership, as well as traditional organizational development consulting to their communities. They will also share in the ongoing learning of their peers on other such teams across the state. Learn more about Kim.
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Professional Development Opportunities
Successful Grants Stewardship Webinar Series Continues!
Join us for the remaining five, 90-minute sessions on second Fridays, January 10 through May 9, 2014. Each webinar is $49.50 for NAO Members and $55 for Nonmembers with a 20% discount for the entire series. Learn more.
From Audit to Redesign: The Complete Nonprofit Website Toolkit
Join us for five, 90-minute sessions with five office hours presented in partnership with Idealware. Sessions will be held over ten Tuesdays from January 28 through March 25, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. PST. The cost is $175 for NAO Members and $200 for Nonmembers. Learn more.
Financial Management Webinar Series
Join us for four, 60-minute sessions presented in partnership with the Idaho Nonprofit Center. Sessions will be held on the fourth Wednesday of each month starting January 22, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. PST. Each webinar is $25 for NAO Members and $35 for Nonmembers with a 10% discount for the entire series. Learn more.
Human Resource Webinars Presented by Heffernan Insurance Group
View the 2014 calendar of complimentary webinars.
Project Impact PDX: Building Capacity To Prove & To Improve
 The nonprofit sector in the Portland region is robust. Lives are being touched every day. Communities are being transformed. But our collective capacity to prove and to improve our impact is insufficient.
 To ensure we are doing the greatest good for the communities we serve, we need an enhanced ability to engage in crisp, clear, and effective evaluation. Project Impact PDX will convene a fellowship to design effective models, create fresh evaluation strategies, push new evaluation possibilities, and shape program renovations and innovations.
The sessions--facilitated by Steve Patty, PhD, Founder and Principal at Dialogues in Action, LCC--will be held the second Monday of the month, from 1:30 to 5:00 p.m. for eight months, February to June and September. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. All applications are due by Friday, January 17. The cost is $2,400 for at least two and up to three leaders per organization.
Learn more and apply; follow on Twitter @ProjImpact.
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ABCs of Charitable Contributions for 501(c)(3) Organizations (Dec 19)
This phone forum will help charity leaders, tax practitioners, and others understand the rules involving charitable donations. Register 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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Oregon Nonprofit Event Calendar
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Check out all the great nonprofit events happening around Oregon this month!
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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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