New York Nonprofits is the monthly newsletter of the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc. Select articles are available only to NPCC members (using their assigned password). To receive a print edition of New York Nonprofits and to view select articles, you must be a member of NPCC. To join NPCC, visit www.npccny.org/howto.htm for membership information.
February 2012, Volume 29, No. 2
New Insurance Program
NOC Outsourcing Database
Excessive Compensation at State-funded Agencies
IRS 990 Draft
Good Counsel
NPCC Member Benefits
State of the Sector Survey
Charity Symposium
CHIP Challenge
Lawyers Alliance Training
Documents Webinar
Volunteer Program
Mission-Driven Grant
Community Service Fair
New NPCC Members
Space Ads
Workshop CalendarJanuary 2012, Volume 29, No. 1
Nonprofit Outsourcing Clearinghouse Database
New Insurance Program
NPCC Member Survey
Government Grants Information Service
IRS Form 990 Extension
NYS Wage Theft Act
IRS on 2012 Mileage Rates
University Job Fairs
HR & More
DoSomething Youth Awards
Fellowship Program
UWNYC Community Grants
NYSSCPA Foundation for Accounting Education Conference
New Insurance Program
join us on February 15For years, nonprofits have struggled to find brokers knowledgeable about their insurance needs and sensitive to their cost concerns. Now, Frank Crystal & Co., Inc. (FCC) and Northeast Agencies, Inc. (NEA), have collaborated to bring NPCC members high quality coverage and service along with competitive pricing for coverage of: property, business interruption and crime; general liability; automobile liability and physical damage; workers’ compensation and employer’s liability; and umbrella/excess liability insurance.
Join us on Wednesday, February 15 from 9:30-11:30am for a workshop that will help you understand the basics of insurance coverage and will introduce you to the new NPCC program. Reservations are required; click here.
NOC Outsourcing Database
NPCC’s new database of outsourced service providers offers in-depth information on more than 80 outsourcing service providers that serve nonprofits in the metro-New York area in bookkeeping and financial management, IT, human resources, purchasing, legal services, fundraising, marketing and communications, and risk management. The database, part of the Nonprofit Outsourcing Clearinghouse (NOC) program, makes it easy to compare vendors on items such as price, types of clients, available services and quality. The database is at http://noc.npccny.org.
NPCC’s NOC program helps nonprofits reduce administrative costs, increase productivity and improve operational quality through the use of outsourced services. The program also offers consultations for organizations seeking advice on their back-office functions. If you have questions, contact Amy Karson at noc.npcc@gmail.com.
Excessive Compensation at State-funded Agencies
On January 18, Governor Cuomo signed an executive order aimed at reining in what he described as “excessive compensation” at State-funded service provider agencies.
The order calls for compensation paid to executives and reimbursed by State agencies to be capped at $199,000. It also states that a minimum of 75 percent of New York State payments to service providers “shall be directed to provide direct care or services rather than to support administrative costs, as these terms are defined by the applicable state agency in implementing these requirements. This percentage shall increase by five percent each year until it shall, no later than April 1, 2015, remain at no less than eighty-five percent thereafter.”
The order also calls for the commissioner of each state agency that provides financial assistance or payments to service providers to develop their own regulations relating to the executive order within 90 days. It mandates that “Each agency’s regulations shall provide that, under appropriate circumstances and upon a showing of good cause, a provider may be granted a waiver from compliance with these or other related requirements in whole or in part subject to the approval of the applicable state agency and the director of the budget.” Clarifications of the executive order are anticipated.
The Governor’s executive order is at www.governor.ny.gov/press/1182011EO.
Members of NPCC’s Government Relations Committee including NPCC president Michael Clark and senior consultant Jon Small have been participating in meetings to discuss the additional burdens that this may place on service providers. NPCC is coordinating with other nonprofits to determine the best response to this effort. NPCC members are welcome to send any thoughts they have to Michael Clark at mclark@npccny.org or call him at 212-502-4191.
IRS 990 Draft
The IRS has posted an advance proof version of the instructions to the Form 990, and is accepting comments. Go to www.irs.gov/pub/irs-dft/i990--dft.pdf.
Good Counsel
Good Counsel: Meeting the Legal Needs of Nonprofits is a new book published by John Wiley & Sons that explains the basics of nonprofit corporate law, governance and the tax exemption. It takes a department-by-department look at legal topics relevant to program, fundraising, finance, communications, human resources, operations, contracts, government relations, and more. Written by Lesley Rosenthal, general counsel of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, it is designed help organizations fulfill their missions to do the public good. It is available for $80 at www.wiley.com or for $50 at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
NPCC Member Benefits
In our recent annual member survey, we were astonished at the number of people who noted that they were not aware of many of the services available to them. We take this opportunity to give you a quick guide to the extensive programs and services NPCC is proud to offer you, our 501(c)(3) members, to help your organization and to save you money. Read about all of your benefits at www.npccny.org/member.htm.
State of the Sector Survey
Nonprofit Finance Fund is conducting its fourth annual nationwide survey examining the current state of the nonprofit sector, and we hope that you will add your voice. The survey, which is anonymous and takes 10-15 minutes to fill out, collects data on important financial and management issues facing the nonprofit sector.
The State of the Nonprofit Sector survey is dedicated to raising national awareness among foundations, government, the media, and the general public of the challenges and opportunities nonprofits face as they strive to deliver services. NFF will analyze the results and provide them to all of us—nonprofits, government, foundations, lending institutions, media, and umbrella organizations—in late March. Respondents who choose to give their contact information will receive the results directly. The findings, and the comparison to previous years’ findings, will help identify the most critical areas of need in the sector. View previous years’ findings at http://nonprofitfinancefund.org/survey.
The 2012 survey will be open through February 15. To complete it, go to http://app.fluidsurveys.com/s/NewYork.
Charity Symposium
On Tuesday, February 28 from 8am to 12pm, the Education and Research Foundation of the Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan New York will present its sixth annual BBB Charity Effectiveness Symposium, Thinking Out of the Box: Meeting Challenges with Creative Leadership. Designed for nonprofit and foundation executives, the sessions will explore creative leadership and performance issues affecting nonprofits. Maria Mottola, executive director of the New York Foundation, will offer a keynote address on lessons from grassroots leaders, and and an update will be given by Jason Lilien of the New York Charities Bureau. The cost is $25 per person. Register at www.nycharities.org/events/EventLevels.aspx?ETID=4451.
CHIP Challenge
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is asking for ideas to help enroll uninsured children in Medicaid or CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) coverage. Suggestions should include strategies to cut red tape, capitalize on technology, create opportunities to sign up, focus on retention, and forge partnerships. Each month, the most innovative entries will be highlighted on their blog. Go to http://chip.challenge.gov.
Lawyers Alliance Training
Lawyers Alliance for New York offers a series of low-cost, informative trainings for staff and board members of nonprofit organizations. The winter/spring 2012 workshops and webinars present the legal aspects of nonprofit management, corporate sponsorship, advocacy, employment, and real estate. For the schedule, information, and registration, please visit www.lawyersalliance.org/workshops.php.
Documents Webinar
eVero Corporation’s Intellivue is a single, centralized and secure solution for easily managing documents. It can optimize an organization’s workflow regardless of its size, budget or industry. eVero will offer a free webinar on Tuesday, February 7 at 1pm for NPCC members to demonstrate how its document management service empowers employees to make faster, smarter and more profitable decisions in the face of increasing demands from customers and partners.
Contact Bill Simpson at bill.simpson@evero.com or 516-747-4200 extension 2267 to make a reservation to participate in this free webinar explaining their services.
Volunteer Program
New York Cares is accepting submissions for its three-year Volunteer Impact Partnership (VIP) program. Launched in 2011, the program seeks to increase the capacity of nonprofit and government organizations by improving the utilization and integration of volunteers throughout their organizations.
Enrollees in the VIP program work with New York Cares to create comprehensive three-year volunteer service plans that are customized to each agency’s unique needs. New York Cares provides on-going support and training to implement the plan.
Ideal candidates have the desire and willingness to expand their volunteer programs but need guidance on how best to achieve their goals. Applications are due February 7. Download the application at www.newyorkcares.org/downloads/VIPApplication2012.doc.
Mission-Driven Grant
Ascendant Strategy Management Group has announced its Excellence in Mission-Driven Management Grant Competition that will award a $2,000 grant to the organization that best demonstrates how it utilized strategy and performance management principles to overcome a challenge and achieve its mission. Applicants must submit a video or podcast of no more than three minutes, or an abstract of no more than 1,500 words, describing strategic challenges the organization has faced and how these challenges were overcome with effective strategic planning, communication, and performance management.
The entry deadline is February 15. More information http://bit.ly/rPq0vP.
Community Service Fair
The TeenLife LIVE! Community Service Fair & Expo brings together parents and students to meet with local nonprofits that are actively seeking teen volunteers. The 2012 New York event will take place on Sunday, February 26 from 12-4pm at the Nightingale-Bamford School at 20 East 92nd Street. Nonprofit exhibitors will receive a table with tablecloth, two chairs, two lunches, a table sign, and will also be listed in the printed and online 2012 TeenLife Guide to Community Service-New York.
The cost is $50 to exhibit. A listing in the guide and on TeenLife.com is included. For more information and to register, go to www.teenlife.com/CSFair2012NYC or contact Kimberly Wolf at kimberly@teenlife.com by February 10.
- - - January 2012, Volume 29, No. 1 - - -
Nonprofit Outsourcing Clearinghouse Database
NPCC’s new database of outsourced service providers is a critical part of the Nonprofit Outsourcing Clearinghouse (NOC) program. It offers in-depth information on a variety of vendors vetted by NPCC that serve nonprofits in the metro-New York area in bookkeeping and financial management, IT, human resources, purchasing, legal services, fundraising, marketing and communications, and risk management. The database makes it easy to compare vendors on numerous items such as price, types of clients, available services and quality. The database is at http://noc.npccny.org.
NPCC launched the NOC program to help nonprofits reduce administrative costs, increase productivity and improve operational quality through the use of outsourced services. Over 80 vendors have been vetted and are included in the publicly searchable database of outsourced service providers. We encourage all qualified vendors serving nonprofits in the New York City area to apply to participate in the database. To complete a vendor application, go to https://noc.npccny.org/noc/vendors/application.
Many of the vendors are providing special discounts to NPCC members, so be sure to check out the database at http://noc.npccny.org. NPCC is also running a program for organizations that wish to receive an in-depth consultation of their back-office functions. If you have any questions, contact Amy Karson, NOC program manager, at noc.npcc@gmail.com.
On Tuesday, January 24 from 9:30-11am, NPCC will offer a session, Outsourcing Simplified, that will highlight lessons learned through the NOC program and will feature a panel of outsourcing professionals including Laurence Pagnoni, NonProfit Innovations (fundraising), Jacquie Holmes, Kiwi Partners (bookkeeping), and Joshua Peskay, Fund for the City of New York (information technology). Come learn about ways to improve your organization’s operational efficiency, increase your bottom line and enhance your overall performance. To register, go to www.nycharities.org/event/event.asp?CE_ID=4535.
New Insurance Program
For years, nonprofits have struggled to find brokers knowledgeable about their insurance needs and sensitive to their cost concerns. Now, Frank Crystal & Co., Inc. and Northeast Agencies, Inc. have collaborated to bring NPCC members a new high quality insurance coverage and service plan with competitive pricing for coverage of: property, business interruption and crime; general liability; special events; automobile liability and physical damage; workers’ compensation and employer’s liability; and umbrella/excess liability insurance.
Join us on Wednesday, February 15 from 9:30-11:30am for a workshop that will help you understand the basics of insurance coverage and will introduce you to this new NPCC program. Reservations are required; go to www.nycharities.org/event/event.asp?CE_ID=4539.
NPCC Member Survey
Give Us A Piece of Your Mind: NPCC Programs & Services
NPCC is conducting our annual survey of our programs and services and we need your input. Whether you call once a year or once a week; whether you use one program or 20 — Staples (office supplies), Paychex (payroll processing), MetLife (retirement plan), ReadyTalk (phone and web conferencing), TransitChek, EasyOffice (bookkeeping), or subscriptions to Crain’s, The Chronicle, Stanford Social Innovation Review — or read the articles in our website and newsletter or attend our workshops and roundtables, we need to know what you think about NPCC’s programs and services.
Please share this with all of your staff who use any of our services so that we can get a complete picture of what everyone thinks. The survey is at www.surveymonkey.com/s/2011NPCCSurvey.
Government Grants Information Service
Over 900 individuals with NPCC 501(c)(3) member organizations know that we offer a free service called Government Grants Information Service (GGIS) where you can receive summary notices about grants and contracts available from federal, state and city agencies. Members can choose from over 60 different grant topic areas — from health to culture, environment to housing, preservation to youth development. Within several days of an announcement’s publication, we send a summary that includes a link to the RFP or other appropriate site with more information about the grant.
According to preliminary results of a survey begun in early December, 66 percent of users rated GGIS “very good” or “excellent;” 30 percent rated it “good;” and 4 percent “fair.” And, subscribers have reported over $14 million in grants directly attributed to receiving GGIS notices.
To read more about GGIS and to subscribe, go to www.npccny.org/grants.htm.
IRS Form 990 Extension
The IRS has announced that tax-exempt organizations with January and February filing due dates will have until March 30, 2012 to file their annual returns because the e-file system that processes electronically filed returns of tax-exempt organizations will be off-line during January and February.
In general, the extension applies to tax-exempt organizations whose normal filing deadline is either January 17 or February 15, 2012 (August 31 or September 30 fiscal year ends). The extension is for those filing Forms 990, 990-EZ, or 990-PF. 990-N filers will not be affected. No form needs to be filed to get the March 30 extension. More is at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-12-04.pdf.
NYS Wage Theft Act
New York’s Wage Theft Prevention Act requires employers to issue to all New York employees an annual notice of wages and other information. The first annual notice must be given to employees prior to February 1, 2012.
Read more at www.npccny.org/info/pmei33.htm.
IRS on 2012 Mileage Rates
The Internal Revenue Service has issued the 2012 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. Beginning January 1, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car will be: 55.5 cents per mile for business miles driven; 23 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes; and 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations.
More is at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-12-01.pdf.
University Job Fairs
Columbia University’s spring career fair will be held on Friday, February 24 from 11am to 4pm in the Lerner Hall on the Morningside Heights campus. It provides an opportunity for employers to meet Columbia students and share information about their organizations and promote available employment and internship opportunities to students seeking employment. The fair is open to undergraduate and graduate students and alumni. Nonprofits are eligible to take a table for $150, which includes registration for three representatives. Register at www.myinterfase.com/columbia/employer/home.aspx. If you have questions, contact Patrick Smith at ps2211@columbia.edu.
Pace University’s Job and Internship Fair, held on its NYC Campus on Wednesday, March 7 from 2- 5pm, is an opportunity for nonprofits to connect with students ready to work and professionally prepared and to promote an organization’s internships and full-time job opportunities. The event brings employers together with Pace undergraduates, graduate students and recent alumni in all majors from its schools. Nonprofits are eligible to register by January 31 and receive a discounted registration rate of $125 which includes admission for two people and an exhibit table. For more information, go to www.experience.com/emp/cf_details?fhnd=5449 or contact Helene M. Cruz at hcruz@pace.edu or 212-346-1950.
HR & More
Blue Avocado has posted an article discussing social media policy guidelines for staff and how this issue relates to portions of the National Labor Relations Act. It’s at www.blueavocado.org/content/firing-someone-slamming-their-nonprofit-employer-social-media-legal.
On a similar matter, Nolo Press has published The Nonprofit’s Guide to Human Resources: Managing Your Employees & Volunteers by Jan Masaoka, Blue Avocado’s editor. The guide offers legal information for those in charge of human resources at small and medium size nonprofits. It’s available from both www.nolo.com or www.amazon.com for between $30-$45.
DoSomething Youth Awards
The DoSomething Awards identify exceptional young social entrepreneurs, activists, and community leaders, age 25 and under, who are making a significant social impact. Five finalists will be selected to receive $10,000 community grants and will participate in the Do Something Awards show on VH1. One finalist will be selected to win a $100,000 grant that will be announced during the broadcast.
Applications are due March 1. Nomination forms are at www.dosomething.org/awards.
Fellowship Program
The Kenneth Cole Community Engagement Program at Columbia University is designed to benefit community-based organizations and other New York City nonprofits. All nonprofits—arts organizations, schools and educational institutions, neighborhood associations, etc.—are invited to submit proposals for projects that will help them accomplish their missions. Columbia provides the Fellows with housing and a stipend and no financial contribution is required of the organizations that are selected to host the interns.
The goal of the program is for students to gain academic and practical experience and insight in becoming community leaders. The Fellows will work with community partners to address critical local problems, encourage social action, build community capacity, and implement initiatives that strengthen communities and promote social change. The program culminates in a summer internship in which teams of approximately four Fellows will work on specific, community-based projects with organizations. The deadline to apply to host a Fellow is Monday, January 30. More information is at www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/ocae/kennethcole.
UWNYC Community Grants
United Way of New York City’s 2012 community grants program will offer Collaboration Grants and Community Leaders Impact Grants to health and human services organizations serving New York City residents.
Collaboration Grants of $10,000 to $20,000 will support teams of two or more organizations seeking to create or expand innovative partnerships to achieve measurable outcomes for the people they serve. The application deadline is January 31. Community Leaders Impact Grants will provide professional development grants of $2,500 to $5,000 to mid-level managers working at local community-based organizations. Grants will be awarded in data collection and management, evaluation, fiscal management, technology/social media, and marketing and/or fundraising. The deadline is February 15. For more, go to www.unitedwaynyc.org/pages/community-grants.
NYSSCPA Foundation for Accounting Education Conference
The Foundation for Accounting Education of the New York State Society of CPAs will hold its 34th Annual Nonprofit Conference on Thursday, January 19 at the New York Marriot Marquis Hotel. The full-day conference is designed for CPAs, staff accountants, practitioners, nonprofit executives, board members, and financial employees. The focus is to provide updates in areas of interest in the nonprofit sector and to provide the essentials to those less familiar with the accounting and reporting requirements. By special arrangement with the NYSSCPA, NPCC members can attend for the discounted registration fee of $385 (the non-member fee is regularly $485). The course code is 25550211, with 8 CPE credit hours available for the following fields of study: accounting, auditing, and specialized knowledge/industries (credit hours based on concurrent sessions selected).
If you cannot attend in-person, you can register for the live conference webcast. NPCC members can attend the webcast at the NYSSCPA member price of $285 (non-member fee is $385). The course code is 35550211, with 8 CPE credit hours as follows: 3 hours accounting, 1 hour auditing, 4 hours specialized knowledge.
For more information go to www.nysscpa.org/nonprof/index.htm. To register call 800-537-3635 and indicate that you are an NPCC member eligible for the discount rate.
Welcome New NPCC Members
new 501(c)(3) members joined between November 10, 2011 and January 20, 2012
• Arthur Ashe Learning Center Inc • CURE Development • DG Multimedia Inc. • Elisa Lanera Foundation • Extreme Kids and Crew • Finland Center Foundation • Flying Point Foundation for Autism • Green Light New York • Haitian Memorial Foundation • Institute for Motivating Adolescents and Nourishing Insight (IMANI) • Meatpacking Improvement Association, Inc. • National Association of Asian MBAs • Pottal Fii Bhantal Fouta Djallon (Union for Development of Fouta Djallon) • Swiss Benevolent Society of New York • The Haven Community Foundation • The Rajkumari Cultural Center • Urban Neighborhood Services •
New York Nonprofits
Copyright © 2012
Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc.
1350 Broadway, suite 1801, New York, NY 10018
Daniel J. Myers, writer & editor & website
dmyers @ npccny.org
fax 212-502-4189
www.npccny.orgSelect articles may be reprinted in print form only (they may not be reprinted in any medium other than print) with the express permission of the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc.
New York Nonprofits is a monthly publication of the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc. (NPCC). NPCC was established in 1984 to help nonprofits meet common challenges and problems, to serve as a meeting ground, and to strengthen the nonprofit sector as a whole. NPCC has nearly 1,600 members in the New York metropolitan area, ranging from all volunteer groups to major institutions.
Membership in NPCC provides a place where your voice is heard and adds to the collective voice of the nonprofit community.
Dues for 501(c)(3) nonprofits (that are not grantmakers) are based upon the organization's annual operating budget, and are as follows:
Operating Budget . . . . . . . . .Dues
$0 - $124,999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 35
$125,000 - $249,999 . . . . . . . . . $ 100
$250,000 - $499,999 . . . . . . . . . $ 250
$500,000 - $749,999 . . . . . . . . . $ 350
$750,000 - $999,999 . . . . . . . . . $ 475
$1,000,000 - $4,999,999 . . . . . . .$ 675
$5,000,000 - $9,999,999 . . . . . .$1,200
$10,000,000 + . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,500Grantmaking Member . . . . .$3,000 (requested)
. . . $1,500 (minimum)The following memberships are for those who are not affiliated with a 501(c)(3) organization:
Corporate Member . . . . .$3,000 (requested)
. . . . $1,500 (minimum)
Individual Sustainer . . . . . . . . $1,000
Individual Member . . . . . . . . .$100
Student Member . . . . . . . . . .$15 (with valid, current ID)Please visit www.npccny.org/howto.htm for more information on NPCC membership.
Board Officers: John Craig, chair; Michael Clark, president; vice chairs: Ian J. Benjamin, Richard Burns, Gregory Cohen, Carol Kurzig, Charlene Laniewski, Ilene Mack, Robert J. Vanni; Shin Richard Miyoshi, treasurer; Merble Reagon, secretary; John Temple Swing, founding chair.
Board Members: Seema Agnani, Fran Barrett, Miriam Buhl, Bill Chess, Leslie Goldman, Sandra Lamb, Sheila Lewandowski, Rhonda A. Lewis, Carolyn McLaughlin, Cao K. O, Caroline Kim Oh, Stephanie Palmer, Isaiah Sheffer, Michele Smalley, Emily Smith, Bobby Watts.
Staff & Consultants : Michael Clark, president
Peter Swords, president emeritus
Marcia Brown, director of programs
Danielle Penabad, membership & outreach director
Melkis Alvarez , associate director, special projects
Alison Kincaid, program associate
Molly Knol, executive coordinator
Max Kennedy, administrative assistant
Jon Small, senior consultant, Government RelationsCopyright © 2012 Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc. New York Nonprofits is published twelve times a year. Select articles may be reprinted in print form (they may not be printed in any medium other than print form) with the express permission of the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc.
Daniel Myers, editor, writer, & design, New York NonprofitsNonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc.
1350 Broadway, Suite 1801
New York, New York 10018
phone: 212-502-4191
fax: 212-502-4776
www.npccny.org
