Blogs

$100 million from the Gates Foundation, InBloom has faded into the night. In brief terms, InBloom was designed to wharehouse and store student data for public school systems which in turn can streamline how teachers and administrators accessed student records. The system was meant to extract student data from disparate school grading and attendance databases, store it in the cloud and funnel it to dashboards where teachers might more effectively track the progress of individual students.

According to the New York Times story, the environment, particularly regarding privacy and security, isn't ready for what InBloom had to offer. I recognize that the message grantmakers have been giving in recent years is that there is much to be learned from failure (so it's ok -- especially if the source of the money has really deep pockets) but $100 million to learn this lesson? And which should come first: the investment in figuring out the solution, or figuring out the demand?

This of course raises the question, did the InBloom board really fulfill its fiduciary responsibility using the process it used? And yes, I know, I'm the armchair quarterback offering my own opinion on what InBloom has done (or not) but this of course is the job of a blogger. What's your opinion: good investment; good board; good learning?

I often hear board members I'm working with say: we need to add a lawyer. And indeed, lawyers are popular additions to nonprofit boards but I'm not quite certain as to what exactly is expected with the addition of one. True, lawyers have a way of thinking, a process or discipline, that can be helpful to a board when fiduciary and sometimes strategic matters are up for discussion (which should be every meeting). True, lawyers know particular legal disciplines. For example, real estate lawyers know real estate law and this knowledge could be useful to a community development organization. But of course, the board member attorney could not be engaged in the actual transaction representing the nonprofit, that would be a conflict of interest (and of course, any one who represents themselves would have a fool for an attorney).

So what is the reasoning behind this perceived need? Alas, I believe that many nonprofits do believe that "possession" of a particular skill set embodied in the likes of an attorney or an accountant or even a banker as examples of professionals, will ensure the availability of "free" labor. Reality: it may and it may not. For sure, these and other professionals all can add value to a board but not necessarily as defined by their category (like attorney). When they bring value it is because they are a) passionate about the nonprofit's business caring about outcomes; b) willing to participate equally with the rest of the board in any conversation and/or task that is needed; and, c) likely have networks that can help support the work of the nonprofit if asked by this member. And, I'm sure there are additional benefits that may relate to but are not specific to their "job".

Yes, lawyers as well as all kinds of professions can add value to a nonprofit board. The governance committee however can best begin the conversation about need not with what profession box do we need to check-off but what networks, skills, knowledge, experience and passions, but first, always, passion, will help the board best fulfill its fiduciary duties of care, loyalty and obedience. Recruit accordingly. What incoming members don't know, they can be supported through ongoing training.

http://nonprofitboardcrisis.typepad.com/mbblog/2014/04/nonprofit-board-composition.html

Nonprofit community engagement governance "is a new framework in which governance responsibility is shared across the organizational system, distributing the work of governance among the key stakeholders of an organization: its constituents and community, staff and board. The Community Engagement Governance Framework is based upon the established principles of participatory democracy, self-determination, genuine partnership, and on community-level decision-making. The Framework goes beyond the Board of Directors as the sole locus of governance, and helps organizations to become more responsive to their constituent and community needs, and more adaptive to the changing environment." (see http://bloch.umkc.edu/mwcnl/resources/documents/conferences-2011/firwirth.pdf).

To do this "well" a nonprofit and its board must make a commitment and act intentionaly providing guidancs and structure. I doubt that the 60 plus person board of the San Diego Opera has community engagement governance in mind (ever) although with this large of a board, it likely sometimes feels at board members that there are few community members who love opera who have been left out. This point aside, the Opera board voted to close its doors -- basically citing the lack of resources as the driver. But the opera lovers of San Diego are incensed and are holding onto the stage rigging and saying "no". They've even got a board member to offer $1 million for the board to reverse its decision (I believe this a violation of the duty of obedience, you know, once the board has made a decision) but this point not withstanding, the community is saying no to the board's saying "close".

Is this community engagement governance at its best? Perhaps not given the board's apparent lack of intention to actually solicit the community's opion about the Opera's future but isn't that the point?

In December of 2011, Patricia became a foster mom to a baby girl named Kylie. “When she came to me, she was four months old,” says Patricia, “so light she was like paper.” Now two years old, Kylie is at a healthy body weight but has several significant developmental delays. Fortunately, she now receives free care from an experienced family child care provider named Debra Kelly through the Early Head Start (EHS) program All Our Kin runs in collaboration with the United Way of Greater New Haven. Kylie’s progress is an example of the profound effect that high-quality child care and access to professional health services can have on a vulnerable child.

To continue reading, please click here.

The following New York Times article is a good example of what I think nonprofit leadership can (the now retired Chancellor) and not (the Board of Regents).  While the University is not precisely a nonprofit nor a Board of Regents precisely a board of directors, I believe the principles apply just the same.

Here is the article.

The following is an interesting "article" from Eugen Fram about what I call "polite" boards. Read and learn and feel free to share your own experiences and thoughts on the matter.
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/nonprofit-board-professionalism/" target="_blank">&lt;a href=&quot;http://http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/nonprofit-board-professionalism/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;NIce Guy SyndromeDelegation of Managment RespnsbilityLiability for Nonprofit Board InactionConflict Avoidance by Board DirectorsNonprofit Board ProfessionalismNonprofit Board Selection &amp;amp; RecruitmentRecruiting Nonprofit CEOsBusiness</a>News</a>

At coffee recently a friend serving on a nonprofit board reported plans to resign from the board shortly. His complaints centered on the board's unwillingness to take critical actions necessary to help the organization grow.

In specific, the board failed to take any action to remove a director who wasn't attending meetings, but he refused to resign. His term had another year to go, and the board had a bylaws obligation to summarily remove him from the board. However, a majority of directors decided such action would hurt the director's feelings. They were unwittingly accepting the "nice-guy" approach in place of taking professional action.

In another instance the board refused to sue a local contractor who did not perform as agreed. The "elephant" was that the board didn't think that legally challenging a local person was appropriate, an issue raised by an influential director. However, nobody informed the group that in being "nice guys," they could become legally liable, if somebody became injured as a result of their inaction.

Over the years, I have observed many boards with elephants around that have caused significant problems to a nonprofit organization. Some include:

• Selecting a board chair on the basis of personal appearance and personality instead of managerial and organizational competence. Be certain to vet the experience and potential of candidates carefully. Beside working background (accounting, marketing, human resources, etc.), seek harder to define characteristics such as leadership, critical thinking ability, and position flexibility.

• Failure to delegate sufficient managerial responsibility to the CEO because the board has enjoyed micromanagement activities for decades. To make a change, make certain new directors recognize the problem, and they eventually are willing to take action to alleviate the problem.

• Engaging a weak local CEO because the board wanted to avoid moving expenses. Be certain that local candidates are vetted as carefully as others and that costs of relocation are not the prime reason for their selection.

• Be certain that the board is not "rubber-stamping" proposals of a strong director or CEO. Where major failures occur, be certain that the board or outside counsel determines the causes by conducting a post-mortem analysis.

What can be done about the elephant in the boardroom?

Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet to use, no pun intended! These types of circumstances seem to be in the DNA of volunteers who traditionally avoid any form of conflict, which will impinge upon their personal time or cause conflict with other directors. A cultural change is required to recruit board members who understand director responsibilities, or are willing to learn about them on the job. I have seen a wide variety of directors such, as ministers and social workers, successfully meet the challenges related to this type of the board learning. Most importantly, never underestimate the power of culture when major changes are being considered.

In the meantime, don't be afraid to ask naive question which forces all to question assumptions, as in Why are we doing the particular thing? Have we really thought it through and considered other possibilities? http://bit.ly/1eNKgtw

Directors need to have passion for the organization's mission. However, they also need to have the prudence to help the nonprofit board perform with professionalism.

It is believed, and there's evidence among the mega-nonprofits to support this contention, that a fundraising board can make the make or break difference for a nonprofit.  A Wall Street Journal article on the prospects for the WTC Arts Center states that (the Center) "To succeed, it will need to assemble a high-octane board..."

Fair Haven Community Health Center (FHCHC) is a not-for-profit primary health care organization that has been dedicated to serving the greater Fair Haven Community since 1971. We provide comprehensive health care – from prenatal to pediatric, adolescent to adult and geriatric. Our mission is to provide excellent, accessible health care to the residents of our community, regardless of their ability to pay. 

Our social services staff works closely with our clinicians and patients and families to assist them with housing, personal and financial issues. We believe life experiences are inseparable from personal health. Complex interactions in peoples' lives affect their ability to manage the challenges of even simple medical conditions.

Fair Haven Community Health Center is currently hiring a Social Services Case Manager.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Possesses a pleasant manner and professional attitude.
• Works closely with other clinical programs, social service providers and outreach workers in assisting and following up on client referrals, including implementing comprehensive care plans to meet the needs of clients and families
• Fully integrates with other HIV medical team members, other social service providers, psychiatrist and outreach workers
• Assists clients with obtaining federal and state funded programs & services
• Ensures patient confidentiality, and provides patients with needed information
• Performs other necessary duties as required by the Community Health Center to achieve the goal of providing primary health care

C.  Qualifications

1.  Knowledge

• Knowledge and ability to independently carry out assignments, strong knowledge base of medical terminology and procedures
• Bi-lingual in English and Spanish
• Previous experience in health care setting, ideally in an outpatient setting
• Skill in communication and a pleasant attitude in order to accept  directions, accept constructive criticism and work with all personnel and patients.

2.  Technical Qualifications:

• BSW or other professional degree or equivalent experience in counseling and case management.
• Previous experience in health care setting with HIV and AIDS patients preferred
• Must have Connecticut driver’s license and own transportation
• Oral and written proficiency in English
• Ability to use computer and telephone

To apply:

Contact B.Pace at b.pace@fhchc.org or fax resume to (203) 777-8506 attn B.Pace

Main Street Resources

New England Impact Fund - Executive Job Description

Contact:  Ronny Chatterjee at rchatt99@gmail.com

Main Street Resources (MSR) is launching its third fund, New England Impact Fund (NEIF), to invest in small growing New England social enterprises, minority owned or run companies, and low or moderate income (LMI) and economically distressed area (EDA) located businesses. MSR is seeking two new executives to join its team and focus exclusively on NEIF - one at the associate or junior partner level and one at the senior partner level with potential to build and lead the organization over time. Key responsibilities will be fundraising and investor relations, deal flow development, opportunity screening/structuring, due diligence, financing/closing, portfolio company oversight and support, value realization and overall firm management/operations. 

NEIF will be a $40-60mm Impact Investment SBIC formed to generate superior financial return and meaningful measurable economic development and social impact. NEIF is supported by partnerships with Social Enterprise Greenhouse (the leading social enterprise organization in New England), David Hirsch (long-time MSR advisor/partner and recent past Chairman of the Rhode Island Foundation), and several other highly-regarded organizations, investors, and successful executives and entrepreneurs.  Primary focus areas will be community building, business services, consumer and commercial products, education, health & wellness, sustainable food, recycling, clean-energy and housing. The Fund will be hands-on, creating a network/community of social entrepreneurs and bringing "more than money" to its partners and portfolio companies in terms of value-added support and partnership. Offices will be in Westport, CT and Providence, RI. This regional value-add SBIC approach is consistent with MSR's history, with the added focus on impact. See mainstreetresources.com and segreenhouse.org.

Applicants should have strong relevant educational and professional backgrounds and be passionate about growing small companies and the concept of impact investing, but direct private equity experience is not an absolute requirement.  

IRIS- Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (www.irisct.org), a dynamic nonprofit organization in New Haven CT, is seeking a part-time teacher for its Early Learning Program. The mission of IRIS is to help refugees and other displaced people establish new lives, regain hope, and contribute to the vitality of Connecticut's communities. IRIS currently serves clients from countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba, Congo, and Sudan.

The Early Learning Program is a free, safe, nurturing environment for children ages 1-4 (up to 6 children at a time), weekday mornings from 9:30am-12:00pm, while parents are at English language class on-site at the IRIS office. The Early Learning Program's focus is on early childhood development, positive socialization and school readiness. This is a multicultural classroom with children who often do not hear English spoken in their homes.

With the daily support of an intern or volunteer, duties include providing educational and social programming; arranging for the purchase of snacks and meals; communicating with parents regarding enrollment and program rules; and when appropriate, helping families apply to other licensed, accredited preschool programs.

Awareness of and sensitivity to cross-cultural issues is a must. The ideal candidate will have or be working towards a degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field and have experience with young children in a developmental setting. Candidates should also have experience working closely with other adults and, preferably, supervisory experience.

To apply, send a resume and cover letter to: Tanya Kimball Genn at education@irisct.org. 

Nonprofit Board Addresses Having Done Serious Harm

Nonprofit Finance Fund (nff.org) is conducting its sixth annual nationwide survey examining the current state of the nonprofit sector, and we hope that you will add your voice.

NFF’s Survey is one of many tools that The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven uses to inform improvements in funding practices, and the more data we have, the more effective our decision-making becomes.

The survey, which is anonymous and takes only 10 minutes to fill out, collects data on important financial and management issues facing nonprofits. To take the 2014 survey, please click on this link before it closes on February 17th:http://nff.org/2014

NFF will analyze the results and distribute them to the community in April. Respondents who choose to give their contact information will receive the results directly. View previous years' findings and media attention here: http://nff.org/survey

If you have already filled out the 2014 survey, thank you for supporting this community organizing effort!

Greetings To All

The month of February is upon us at Grove Street and I thought I would recount a special story about our distinguished resident Dalia Bacon –From Wikipeadia the following is a brief recounting of her life and a small note for her remembrance on this Valentines’ Day -  

Delia Salter Bacon (February 2, 1811 – September 2, 1859) was an American writer of plays and short stories and a sister of the Congregational minister Leonard Bacon. She is best known today for her work on the Shakespeare authorship question.

She promoted the theory that the plays attributed to William Shakespeare were written by a group of men, including Francis Bacon, Sir Walter Raleigh and others.

She was befriended by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, and, after securing sponsorship to travel for research to England, in May 1853, met with Thomas Carlyle, who though intrigued, shrieked loudly as he heard her exposition.^[4]

Puzzled by the gap between the bare facts of William Shakespeare's life and his vast literary output, she intended to prove that the plays attributed to Shakespeare were written by a coterie of men, including Francis Bacon, Sir Walter Raleigh and Edmund Spenser, for the purpose of inculcating a philosophic system, for which they felt that they themselves could not afford to assume the responsibility. This system she set out to discover beneath the superficial text of the plays. From her friendship with Samuel Morse, an authority on codes, and encryption for the telegraph, she learnt of Bacon's interest in secret ciphers, and this prompted her own approach to the authorship question.^[8]

By way of this modern era, Dalia is witnessed in the following book published in 2008 by -

Jennifer Lee Carrell, Interred in their Bones – has been reviewed on Amazon Books, to wit: 

  “Jennifer Lee Carrell’s highly acclaimed debut novel is a brilliant, breathlessly paced literary adventure. The action begins on the eve of the Globe’s production of Hamlet when Shakespeare scholar and theater director Kate Stanley’s eccentric mentor Rosalind Howard gives her a mysterious box, claiming to have made a groundbreaking discovery. Before she can reveal it to Kate, the Globe is burned to the ground and Roz is found dead…murdered precisely in the manner of Hamlet’s father.

Inside the box Kate finds the first piece in a Shakespearean puzzle, setting her on a deadly, high stakes treasure hunt. From London to Harvard to the American West, Kate races to evade a killer and solve a tantalizing string of clues hidden in the words of Shakespeare, which may unlock one of history’s greatest secrets.”

This book by Carrell contains many of the theories and notions annunciated by Bacon and as she was admired by Emerson, Whitman, and Hawthorne. Dalia still lives on with her magnus opus which was approx. 1,000 pages of intense study and development leading into madness by her theories on Shakespeare and one very broken heart.

To make mention – Dalia fell in love while developing her hypotheses but was rebuked by her lover and she fell into a deep remorse and heartache never to recover. What is interesting to note – there is always a rose at her grave…..She is interred in front her brother Leonard Bacon at 52 Cedar Avenue.

All The Best

Patricia Illingworth

Chief Docent

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, the region’s largest grantmaker, is accepting applications for the 2014 Responsive Grants process. This grants process is intended to be a source of flexible funding and is open to all requests from nonprofits serving the 20-town region of The Community Foundation for projects and organizational support that meet the eligibility criteria.

Grants awarded in this category range from over $5,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on available funds and terms of grant. Any nonprofit that creates positive sustainable impact in the areas of: arts and culture, basic needs, civic vitality, economic success, quality education, the environment, health and wellness and children and youth is encouraged to apply. In 2013, more than $2.9 million in single and multi-year grants was awarded through the Responsive Grant process; deadline to apply is 5:00 pm on March 28, 2014.

Nonprofit organizations seeking a grant through the Responsive Grant process are strongly encouraged to sign up for the Grantseeker Information Webinar scheduled for Tuesday, February 11, 2014 from 12:30 to 2:30 pm. Grant seekers may attend in person at The Community Foundation or from their office. Register for the webinar here. If you would like to attend in person, please contact Denise Canning at dcanning@cfgnh.org or 203-777-7076 to reserve a seat.

Guiding Principles, Eligibility Criteria and Opportunities for Responsive Grants

Grants awarded through The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s Responsive Grant process are based on The Community Foundation’s commitment to support nonprofit organizations in the Greater New Haven region that strive towards providing the highest quality services and advance ideas, innovations and techniques that improve the quality of life for area residents. It is important that nonprofits continually improve their services and programs by applying what they learn through self-reflection, assessment, evaluation and use of data, knowledge building, risk taking, and the use of sound and prudent financial management practices. It is the belief of The Community Foundation that the best use of the community’s endowment is to invest in nonprofits that 1) display leadership in addressing issues and seizing opportunities in the community, 2) regularly perform evaluation of their services and 3) practice sound programmatic and organizational management. 

The following eligibility criteria applies to all competitive grant opportunities at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven; distributions from permanent unrestricted and preference funds, Community Foundation initiatives and several donor advised funds make grants under this category possible:

• Organizations must be defined as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) or any applicable statute of the Internal Revenue code.
• They must provide services within The Community Foundation’s local service area comprising: Ansonia, Bethany, Branford, Cheshire, Derby, East Haven, North Branford, North Haven, West Haven, Oxford, New Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Milford, Seymour, Shelton, Wallingford, Orange and Woodbridge.
• Applicants must also adhere to a policy of non-discrimination.
•  The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven does not make grants or loans to individuals, nor does it provide permanent funding for projects.

For more information, visit The Community Foundation’s website at www.cfgnh.org/grants.

In addition to providing capacity building workshops, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven raises the visibility of nonprofits through giveGreater.org® (www.giveGreater.org) - an online platform that provide scomprehensive information about local nonprofits serving its 20-town region. The website provides one searchable database for people to find, learn about and give to nonprofits serving Greater New Haven and to engage the community around the issues and opportunities that impact the region. Donors can view profiles and make online donations 24/7. giveGreater.org has distributed over $2.2 million in new and matching funds as a result of direct online donations and several fundraising campaigns;  another campaign, The Great Give® 2014, is scheduled for May 6-7, 2014. Nonprofits interested in creating a profile on the site to participate in this year’s campaign are urged to contact Stephanie Chung at schung@cfgnh.org or call 203-777-7077.

Thanks to the generosity of three generations of donors, millions of dollars each year are distributed from an endowment of more than $400 million and comprising more than 900 named funds at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. In addition to its grantmaking, The Community Foundation helps build a stronger community by taking measures to improve student achievement, reduce New Haven’s infant mortality rate, promote local philanthropy through www.giveGreater.org and encourage community awareness at www.cfgnh.org/learn. For more information, visitwww.cfgnh.org or www.facebook.com/cfgnh.

Position Available:

AmeriCorps VISTA - Food Justice Youth Corps - New Haven, CT

Partnership of CitySeed, New Haven Food Policy Council, Common Ground School

Age 18 or older

Objective: Help us develop youth leadership on food justice issues - support a mobile farmers market and a Youth Food Advocacy Internship with the NH Food Policy Council.Details on VISTA service/pay/benefits and more are on the CitySeed website.

We would especially like to hire a young person from the New Haven Area for this position, so please spread the word! Applicants from all areas welcome! Thank you! 

http://cityseed.org/employment

New Haven Festivals, Inc.

Project Storefronts Coordinator Job Description

Responsibilities:

Record Keeping and Tracking

• Maintain program records which include marketing/promotional material, applications, entrepreneur contracts, etc.
• Track the number of program inquiries, applicants, special events and other activities relevant activities.
• Create brief bi-monthly activity reports.
• Coordinate payment of space related expenses,

Marketing, Social Media and Web

• Post, tweet and upload materials on Project Storefronts social media channels.
• Assist in the creation of content for website and social media channels.
• Check website and social media channels for accuracy.
• Promote Project Storefronts and it activities to interested parties.

Event Planning and Coordination

• Assist in coordinating/planning program-related events and activities.

Entrepreneur Recruitment and Relationship Management

• Scheduling meetings and interviews with interested parties
• Receive paperwork and documentation from entrepreneurs; monthly reports, contracts and other materials
• Work with stakeholders as well as other relevant groups/individuals on entrepreneur recruitment and retention strategies
• Develop relationships with businesses, organizations and individuals in Project Storefronts’ neighborhood for cross promotional activities.

This is a part-time contract position (15 – 20 hours per week) with no benefits. Applicant must be available to work nights and weekends on an as needed basis. Interested parties should submit a brief cover letter and resume to Vivian Nabeta at vnabeta@newhavenct.net. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

About Project Storefronts

Project Storefronts is an award-winning program that brings fresh, innovative arts-related businesses to life in formerly vacant retail spaces in New Haven, by encouraging artists and entrepreneurs to test the viability of art/creative inspired businesses. Project Storefronts provides access to empty storefronts as well as provide participants with a technical support network of business and creative professionals.

Every year, about 1,200 individuals who are released from prison come to  New Haven. Some are at the end of their sentence, while others are serving out criminal convictions in the community under the supervision  of parole or probation officers. When provided the right level of  support and opportunities, these ex-offenders can successfully become law-abiding and productive members of society. But a complex set of  factors make them highly vulnerable to relapsing to criminal activity and going back to prison.

Many ex-offenders have no place to go besides a homeless shelter or to  stay with friends or family in the poorest, most crime-ridden neighborhoods. They most likely lack a high school education and have limited work experience. The result is a disturbingly high recidivism rate. This cycle is devastating to families and neighborhoods and exacts a high cost from taxpayers. As successful reentry programs in New Haven and around the country have demonstrated, however, it is a cycle that can be broken.

Visit www.cfgnh.org to read The Community Foundation's latest issue brief on this topic.