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From the Desk of Jim White
 Dear Friends,
Aren't nonprofits more than the definition of our tax-exempt, charitable status? I certainly hope so. What binds us together as a sector in our work with and for communities? What do we collectively stand for? How should we work with the public and private sectors to improve our world? I believe I may have discovered where part of that answer lies.
As we start 2014, I wanted to offer all of you an opportunity to reflect on how nonprofits are defined according to the law and how that definition can be made more complete when framed by our core values.
Read the full letter.
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Public Policy News
Government-Nonprofit Contracts & Grants
In late December, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released its final guidance for the overhaul of federal grant policies and procedures. Charitable nonprofits, contractors, and grantees achieved a number of long-awaited goals in the guidelines. The OMB guidance acknowledges that indirect costs are legitimate costs and will require state and local governments using federal funds to reimburse nonprofit organizations for their reasonable indirect costs. The OMB guidance explicitly requires pass-through entities (typically states and local governments receiving federal funding) and all federal agencies to reimburse a nonprofit's indirect costs by applying the nonprofit's federally negotiated indirect cost rate, if one already exists. If a negotiated rate does not yet exist, then nonprofits are empowered either to request negotiating a rate or to elect the default rate of 10% of their modified total direct costs. More information on what the guidance means for nonprofit contractors, private foundations, and nonprofits that don't have government contracts or grants can be found here.
Leadership Changes
In December, President Obama nominated Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) to serve as Ambassador to China. If Baucus is confirmed, as expected, then the chairmanship of the powerful Senate Finance Committee will likely pass to Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), who has a record of seeking bi-partisan solutions to tax problems and is a vocal supporter of the charitable deduction. Senator Wyden's respect for the work of charitable nonprofits can be seen in this blog post on his Senate website.
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Member of the Month
 Nonprofit Member Cat Adoption Team (CAT) works with the community to save the lives of unwanted, homeless, sick, and injured cats and kittens by offering shelter, adoption, foster, low-cost spay/neuter, and veterinary services to end needless feline euthanasia. Learn more here.
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Member Benefits Spotlight
Nonprofit Directors & Officers Insurance
NAO 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Members Receive a 20% Discount Applied to Annual Premium
About D&O Insurance
Directors and Officers liability policies protect the Board from legal suits brought against the nonprofit for employment practice problems, including but not limited to wrongful termination, wrongful hiring, and harassment. These problems make up over 90% of the suits defended by Directors and Officers liability policies. Directors and Officers liability policies also defend suits against the Board for wrongful handling of the nonprofit revenues.
For a quote, contact Bliss Sequoia, NAO's program administrator, by visiting their website or by calling 503-364-5401 or 866-364-5401 (toll free).
Here's what our Members have to say:
"Our experience with Bliss Sequoia has been stellar, right from the start. Their agent helped us compare our prior policy to the NAO program, which provided us with increased liability coverage for only a small premium increase. We appreciate the benefits our NAO membership provides, and I recommend Bliss Sequoia to any nonprofit organization."
--Cheryl Snow, Executive Director
Clackamas County Arts Alliance
"We switched our insurance agents to Bliss Sequoia this year. We decreased our premium and even reduced our deductible from $5,000 to $1,000. Even more importantly, the agent patiently guided me through the process of making decisions that best serve our organization."
--Christine Mallette, Executive Director
Illinois Valley Safehouse Alliance
Our list of Member benefits continues to grow--check out what's new here!
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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Cultivating Resilience in Rural Oregon Nonprofits: Diversified Resources
A rural food systems network is dealing with state and federal funding cuts, a regional rural organization providing surfing camps to low-income kids is striving to sustain a full-time staff position, and a rural senior center is one year away from the end of a three-year grant. What thread ties these Oregon nonprofits together? The need for a diverse resource base to overcome challenges and thrive.
This series is spotlighting three key elements in nonprofit resilience, and steps you can take to cultivate them in your nonprofit: 1) inclusive leadership, 2) diversified resources, and 3) collaboration.
Last month, we focused on embracing inclusive leadership. Diversified resources, the focus of this article, is a another key element of nonprofit resilience. Read the full article.
NAO Hires New Rural Programs Coordinator
We are pleased to announce that Maribel Mora has joined NAO as our Rural Programs Coordinator. Maribel will play a critical role in helping us further our statewide mission and achieve our increased commitments to rural communities through the Ford Institute Leadership and Community Vitality Programs. As a bilingual and bicultural staff member, she will also strengthen NAO's capacity to meaningfully engage Oregon's growing rural Latino population.
Maribel has a deep passion for social service and social justice, with excellent cross-cultural work experience and outreach abilities. Maribel hails from Hood River and has a strong understanding of the needs of rural communities. Our Rural Programs Team now has three dedicated staff working in partnership with the Ford Institute for Community Building. Our joint goal is rural community vitality, developing local leadership capacity to build strong organizations. Learn more about Maribel.
NAO Receives Four Major Grant Awards
We would like to thank the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, The Collins Foundation, and the Partnership to End Poverty for their support of our work. Learn more about the projects that were funded.
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Professional Development Opportunities
Breakthroughs in Fundraising (Jan 31 in Portland)
This workshop--for development professionals of all experience levels--will help you gain mastery of the timeless and universal principles that guide all aspects of donor relations and which guarantee success. Join Ron Frey to explore the five key areas where nonprofits must create breakthroughs in today's highly competitive marketplace. Learn more.
The Social Media Policy Toolkit
Join us for three, 90-minute sessions presented in partnership with Idealware. This new course, based on Idealware's popular Nonprofit Social Media Policy Workbook, will explore why the process is as important as the product, how to make these conversations productive and strategic (and maybe even fun), and why a social media policy is an important milestone of digital maturity. Sessions will be held at 10:00 a.m. PST. The cost for all three sessions is $85 for NAO Members and $95 for Nonmembers. Learn more.
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The Oregon Community Foundation's Community Grant Program
Two Community Grant cycles occur annually, with an application deadline of February 1 for a Board decision in early May and an application deadline of August 1 for a Board decision in early November. Please visit OCF's website for application forms and additional guidance.
Benton County Foundation 2014 Grants & Scholarships
The Board of Directors of the Benton County Foundation is proud to announce the opening of the 2014 Community Grant and Scholarship cycles. Benton County Foundation has been investing in our youth and community since 1953. Information and applications are available online; deadlines for submission are listed on each application. Learn more.
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More of Oregon's Millennials are Volunteering
Increasingly, Oregon's Millennials are making a difference in their communities by volunteering; in fact, Oregon now has one of the nation's highest volunteer rates for their generation, according to the report Volunteering and Civic Life in America by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
In 2012, the percentage of Oregon's Millennial generation that volunteered increased to 30.6%, up from 27.9% the year before. Oregon ranks third in the country in terms of its Millennial volunteering rate, trailing only Utah (first at 38.2%) and Vermont (second at 31.3%). See more from the report here.
Giving in Oregon 2013
The Giving in Oregon project of The Oregon Community Foundation has documented philanthropy in Oregon for more than a decade. In addition to providing an objective analysis of contributions to Oregon nonprofits and donations by Oregonians in 2011, this year the Giving in Oregon report includes information about who gives and motivations for giving. Read the full report.
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A New Approach to Information Sharing between Funders & Grantees
Nonprofits can utilize Simplify by entering their core information once into the free GuideStar Exchange and maintaining it there.
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2014 Nonprofit 'State of the Sector' Survey
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Every year, the Nonprofit Finance Fund's survey captures the challenges facing nonprofits nationwide. They share the results with policy makers, advocates, funders, nonprofits, and media to put data in service to social change. But they need your help to make this community organizing effort a success! Take the survey.
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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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Oregon Nonprofit Event Calendar
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Check out all the great nonprofit events happening around Oregon this month!
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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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