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Nonprofit Board Host not home

Posted by Mike Burns on May 4, 2015 at 3:27pm

If nonprofit boards are the surrogate owners of a nonprofit representing the public/taxpayer's interests, it stands to reason that good governance would mean that the board would sit ever ready to listen and hear the needs, wants and interests of the many stakeholders/constituents of what the nonprofit has to offer. If a board accepts this concept it then must also accept and value the concept of community engagement.

In last week's conference on governance, David Renz of the Bloch School of Management and host of the conference suggested that a nonprofit board need not be the "home" of governance but the "host" of governance. While the daily tasks are focused on fiduciary and strategic duties, these tasks are then informed by the community such that the board must always act from a more "global" or community-wide perspective and not then just from its several or whole biases and interests.

Unionization is certainly one arena that actually changes the position of the board from being a home to being a host effectively and legally forcing the board's governance to consider the interests of the employees in its actions. The unionization of home health care aides in Pennsylvania will then go a long way toward making those nonprofit home health aide provider boards much more of a host than home in their governance. One must wonder if the workers for nonprofits would have moved to unionize had the boards of the nonprofits been acting as host not home and whether indeed there is a lesson for all nonprofits.

Here's the Wall Street Journal article describing the unionization event.
Pennsylvania Home Health Care Aides Vote to Unionize
Two pending lawsuits seeking to block union drive may not be resolved for months
By
KRIS MAHER
April 24, 2015 6:39 p.m. ET
1 COMMENTS

A union claimed victory Friday in its effort to organize 20,000 home health aides in Pennsylvania, even as two pending lawsuits seeking to block the union drive may not be resolved for months.

Home health aides voted 2,663 to 309 in favor of being represented by the United Home Care Workers of Pennsylvania, according to the union, which is a joint partnership of the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

The union noted that it won 89% of votes cast. Mary Kay Henry, president of the 1.9-million-member SEIU, which represents 600,000 home care workers, applauded the win in a tweet Friday afternoon.

But legal challenges could undo the victory. Two lawsuits are pending in Pennsylvania state court alleging that an executive order issued by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf that allowed the vote violates the state’s constitution and labor laws.

The executive order permits an elected representative of home care workers to reach an agreement with the state Department of Human Services over wages, benefits, dues and other issues.

On Thursday, the judge hearing the cases said he would allow a representation vote to proceed but issued a preliminary injunction barring any union that won from reaching an agreement with the state. The lawsuits are scheduled for argument in September.

Among other things, the lawsuits complained that the executive order violated state law by allowing a union to win representation by gaining a majority of votes cast rather than a majority of eligible votes. In this case, votes for the union represented about 13% of eligible votes.

“Part of the reason they won was that the executive order was drafted as a handout to the unions,” said David Osborne, general counsel for The Fairness Center, which filed one of the lawsuits challenging the executive order. The nonprofit organization in Harrisburg, Pa., represents workers in disputes with unions.

Jeff Sheridan, a spokesman for Gov. Wolf, said the governor is pleased the process is moving forward. “The governor’s plan ensures that seniors, consumers, and direct care attendants will continue to have a voice in shaping the future of the homecare industry,” Mr. Sheridan said.

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Tours Opening Grove Street Cemetery

Posted by Patricia B. Illingworth on April 29, 2015 at 7:30am

13358888659?profile=originalGreetings To All,

Well, another year of tours is upon us. So to give out the information - Grove Street Cemetery will open this weekend May 2rd and May 3rd until the end of Thanksgiving Weekend. Times set for the tours are every Saturday the tour will begin at 11:00am and then every Sunday the tour will begin at Noon. All tours are for free. If there is a need for a private, group, or special tours, please feel free to call me at 203.389.5403 or send me am email p.b.i.newhaven@att.net.

Hoping to make new friends and reconnect with old friends!!!!!

Patricia Illingworth, Chief Docent

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Linear Trails: Connecting People to Places and Each Other

Posted by The Community Foundation for GNH on April 22, 2015 at 12:26pm

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In Greater New Haven and north through the state’s central corridor, off-road linear trails are getting lots of people moving again, while also bringing value to the economy, the environment and the community.

Often built on abandoned railroad beds and following rivers or other natural features, linear trails are usually paved and handicapped accessible. They are making important connections within and between cities, suburbs and town centers. They offer commuters a healthy and less-expensive alternative to car travel. They provide natural corridors for birds and wildlife. They connect residents and visitors alike to parks, historic sites and other special places. And they connect people with each other. Read more

 

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When Good Donors Do Bad Things

Posted by Mike Burns on April 16, 2015 at 3:10pm

Well-meaning supporters can undermine their own good works with certain annoying actions

ILLUSTRATION: GARY HOVLAND FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
By 
http://topics.wsj.com/person/A/biography/7337","text":"Biography";},{"type":"link","icon":"twitter","url":"http://twitter.com/VeronicaDagher","text":"@VeronicaDagher";},{"type":"link","icon":"email","url":"mailto:Veronica.Dagher@dowjones.com","text":"Veronica.Dagher@dowjones.com"}]}">VERONICA DAGHER
April 12, 2015 11:02 p.m. ET

Generous donors give their money, their time and sometimes their valuable connections to charities. Some also give unsolicited advice, demand favors and leave a charity wondering if their donation was worth the hassle.

Of course, charities are loath to complain directly to any donors, especially big ones. And most donors have no idea when they are crossing the line.

With that in mind, here are some of the mistakes donors make, at least in the eyes of those on the receiving end of their largess—and how donors can avoid the offending behavior.

THE MISTAKE: GIVING UNWANTED GIFTS

The situation: Some donors have something they want to give away, even if that something isn’t what the charity wants. Joshua Lamont, a communications expert whose career has focused on philanthropy and the nonprofit sector, says a customer once told him about a donor who insisted a charity accept his large taxidermy collection of animals killed on safari. The stuffed animals had nothing to do with the charity’s mission of arts education, but the donor wouldn’t take no for an answer.

The staff was sent on a “wild goose chase” to find a way to resell the items, says Mr. Lamont, director of corporate communications atBlackbaud Inc., a provider of software to nonprofits.

The fix: Realize that an intended recipient may fear giving offense by saying “no, thanks.” If a donor wants to give away, say, a rare stamp or safari collection, Mr. Lamont recommends making sure the charity can use the items to fulfill its mission so it can receive the “related use” tax deduction.

THE MISTAKE: GIVING THE WRONG GIFTS

The situation: Even if a charity normally would take certain kinds of gifts, there can be a mismatch during times of emergency. When devastating floods hit Colorado in 2013, a lot of donors brought clothing and household supplies to the offices of Mile High United Way, says its president Christine Benero. But what the group needed was cash and other resources to provide housing for victims, Ms. Benero says.

While their generosity was greatly appreciated, it took time to explain to donors that what they brought wasn’t needed for the flood-recovery effort and to recommend where those items would do the most good.

The fix: “Doing a little homework in advance always helps provide donors more information on how to fulfill a particular need,” Ms. Benero says. Check a charity’s website to find out what’s most needed, or call the charity before dropping off unsolicited goods.

THE MISTAKE: ASKING FOR A LOT FOR A LITTLE

The situation: Donors deserve to know how their funding is making a difference, but they sometimes get carried away, says Melissa Berman, president of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors in New York. Ms. Berman recalls a donor who gave $2,000 to a charity and wanted a 20-page custom report on the donation’s impact in return. “It probably cost the nonprofit more than $2,000 in time to produce the report,” she says.

The fix: When donors want information on results, they should start by asking the nonprofit how it tracks and report on results, Ms. Berman says. “If you really need customized information, at least be sure the nonprofit agrees that your approach is feasible.”

THE MISTAKE: MICROMANAGING

The situation: Donors who micromanage the projects that their gifts fund can be a real headache for charities, says Ajay Kaisth, a financial planner in Princeton Junction, N.J.

Mr. Kaisth recalls a donor who gave a gift for an exhibition of women’s art. While the event was still being planned, she constantly asked for updates about the art coming in, sought permission to choose which art to show, and wanted to know every detail about the opening—down to the drink menu.

The fix: While donor involvement is appreciated, micromanagement is not. “Don’t put constraints on the charity’s ability to produce an event that best meets its needs,” Mr. Kaisth says.

THE MISTAKE: EXPECTING PERSONAL FAVORS

The situation: Sometimes donors think their gifts entitle them to unusual things in return. Laura Fredricks, a fundraising expert in New York, says she knows of an elderly man who was thinking of making a bequest to a charity and who subsequently asked the charity’s development officer to mow his lawn, drive him to doctor’s appointments and do some work on his car.

“The donor preyed on the development officer’s vulnerability, implying that if you do this…I will give,” Ms. Fredricks says.

The fix: “Donors need to realize the development officer isn’t there as a personal assistant or hired help,” she says.

THE MISTAKE: MAKING FALSE PROMISES

The situation: Donors who make a verbal pledge but don’t follow through can put a charity in a difficult position, says Betsy Brill, a philanthropy consultant in Chicago.

Ms. Brill describes how a high-net-worth donor who had supported a certain charity in the past told the executive director at a fundraiser that she was “very excited” about a new initiative and pledged several million dollars. The executive director counted on that amount for the following year’s budget. But when he followed up with a formal proposal, the donor had changed her mind. The charity was left in a precarious position and was unsure if the program could move forward.

The fix: “Donors shouldn’t make promises they can’t keep,” says Ms. Brill, and “nonprofits should never book a pledge until it is signed, sealed and delivered.” Ms. Brill recommends enlisting the help of prestigious fellow supporters to seek commitments in writing.

THE MISTAKE: RESTRICTING GIFTS

The situation: A restrictive gift can unnecessarily complicate things for the charity. For instance, a domestic-violence center in Ann Arbor, Mich., received a small gift that was restricted to helping pets of women who stayed at the shelter, says Robert Oliver, a financial planner on the shelter’s finance committee. Pets rarely factored into the shelter’s work, but the bookkeeper had to account for the gift separately, and the money just sat in the bank until it could be used for its stated purpose.

If the donor had understood the charity better, she would have trusted it with unrestricted funds, Mr. Oliver says.

The fix: “Research the charity so you understand what they need and give an unrestricted gift,” he says.

THE MISTAKE: BEING A KNOW-IT-ALL

The situation: Donors often confuse providing money with having wisdom, says Sammy Politziner, co-founder of Arbor Brothers, a New York-based philanthropic organization.

When a successful businessman recently met the executive director of one of the charities Mr. Politziner works with, the potential donor asked a few general questions, then launched into a monologue about how he would approach developing the organization.

“He didn’t ask [specific] questions first, didn’t listen and wasn’t asked for advice,” Mr. Politziner says. While the donor was just trying to help, he hijacked the agenda and didn’t know what he was talking about. “Unsolicited, peanut-gallery suggestions about what’s best for participants or how a program should be run are particularly galling to nonprofit leaders,” Mr. Politziner says.

The fix: Mr. Politziner says, no matter how experienced, donors should first ask: “What challenges are you facing that you think I might be able to help with?”

Ms. Dagher is a reporter for The Wall Street Journal in New York. She can be reached atveronica.dagher@wsj.com.

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Nonprofit Governance Book Review

Posted by Mike Burns on April 11, 2015 at 12:31pm

I just completed reading "Corporate Concinnity in the Board Room: 10 Imperatives to Drive High Performing Companies" by Nancy Falls published by Greenleaf Book Group Press (www.gbgpress.com).

For sure you will learn two items in this book.  First, concinnity is a real word and can be used in a sentence. According to most references including the first page of the book, concinnity is the skillful and harmonious arrangement or fitting together of the different parts of something.

Second, you will learn everything and more about Nancy Falls who shamelessly distributes factoids, and sometimes a number of times, in every chapter.  One might even begin to think that the book is like the many premiums given away (like pens, mouse pads etc.) to promote Nancy Falls.  

The good news about Corporate Concinnity is there are some interesting points applied with references to nonprofits and for-profits alike that could be used by any consultant, board chair, board member and CEO.  As noted in the title, Nancy proposes that there are 10 "imperatives" if followed will increase the effectiveness of a corporate board and in turn, increase the performance of a corporation.  One core principle is that corporate boards do indeed matter with the potential to have both a negative and positive impact on a corporation.  Ms. Falls offers two definitions in her introduction worthy of note to frame the book's topics.

Leadership is the process of utilizing appropriate "hard" skills and "soft" skills to influence people in driving toward stated company goals.

Corporate Governance is the framework through which a board of directors helps a company meet its goals and objectives while simultaneously ensuring that it meets is obligations to multiple stakeholders.  It is also the system of rules, practices, and processes by which a company is directed and controlled.

The 10 imperatives include (as translated by me): 

1. Board members and staff must be very clear about who is responsible for what and when and how and recognize when to change the rules they have created to adapt to corporate needs.

2. The number, diversity and tenure and size of a board matters and decisions on these matters is informed by external as much as internal factors.  Getting right is the challenge that requires maintaining inquiry

3. Recruit the right people, again, being sensitive to corporate needs, particularly business cycles, and external elements (remember Jim Collins?)

4. Stakeholders matter in decision making

5. Information matters but what matters equally is understanding what and how much to be effective in making decisions as well as who to ask and when

6. Be mindful of culture when trying to make change

7. Something about compensation that I didn't really grasp the importance of

8. Executive coaches are the perfect answer to addressing CEO developmental needs - not the board -- the board is too close and has another role  (these felt like an overt pitch by Ms. Falls to hire her).

9.Succession planning for CEO's and board members is essential for the long range wellness of a corporation

10. Wisdom is the lifeblood of a successful board and corporation.  The three components of wisdom: cognition, reflection and, compassion.

Are these really the right imperatives to drive high performing companies?  I'm not 100% sure they are but I think there's enough fodder to work from to certainly increase performance, especially of the board.  While Corporate Concinnity is a bit too prescriptive for my taste (versus more evidence driven for each point) there are lessons for consideration.  Also, Ms. Falls is inclusive of nonprofits and that is helpful and she connects the content well with her examples but I would wonder that it might have been more effective to do one Corporate Concinnity for for-profits and another for non-profits.  I believe there are nuances that have been overlooked.  

Still, there are gems like: the stakeholder analyses graph (not new concept but helpfully presented); a topic grid for planning board meeting agendas; an overly complex chart on organizational stage of development (could be significantly simplified but has interesting content); an uber-detailed board skills matirx that includes a very helpful list of functional skills; and, somewhat helpful snippets on a huge number of matters.  

Ms. Falls has written and include-all definitive prescriptive missive on corporate governance which is worth picking-up and reviewing aloud by the board governance committee.  One would hope that despite all the governance literature out in the world, this lens could add value.

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BILL 5505

Posted by Summer Spellman on April 8, 2015 at 2:42pm

If you haven't done so, please sign the petition. CT's children deserve it!

https://www.change.org/p/eric-coleman-william-tong-stand-with-our-kids-on-hb-5505

Legislation is being proposed that could potentially be devastating to the Children's Law Center as well as the children we represent.  This could be extremely damaging to the program you have supported over the years. Mass numbers are critical to contact legislators. 

 

Here is the link to the proposed bill:  http://www.cga.ct.gov/2015/TOB/H/2015HB-05505-R01-HB.htm

We are also attaching KeyTalking Points about the pending legislation to give you more information. Talking Points: Bill 5505

Judiciary Committee members must vote on Bill 5505 on FRIDAY, APRIL 10 in order to meet the deadline for the April 13 final committee bill. 

 

We understand that those in favor of the bill are lobbying hard and we need to make a final all-out push to influence judiciary committee members on our point of view. Please help in several ways:

  • Write an IMMEDIATE letter to the editor of any Connecticut news outlet
  • Forward this email on to all your friends, family and colleagues.

THANK YOU!

The Children's Law Center of Connecticut

www.clcct.org

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Touching the Hearts of Possible Donors and Volunteers—Just How Is It Done?

Posted by Lee Cruz on April 7, 2015 at 2:47pm

Three years ago, former accountant Marion Ruthig created an organization that focused on increasing community involvement in the public sector through the art of storytelling over that of facts and figures. Her nonprofit, I Support Community, focuses on linking potential donors and volunteers to nonprofits based on the unique telling of each organization’s story. Through a series of videos, I Support Community highlights the meaningful work organizations do in the hope that interested individuals will be inspired to join in the organization’s narrative...

https://nonprofitquarterly.org/philanthropy/25899-touching-the-hearts-of-possible-donors-and-volunteers-just-how-is-it-done.html?utm_content=13963397&utm_medium=social&utm_source=googleplus  

But for more on what motivates donors, we highly recommend the classic “What do Donors Want?” by Cynthia Gibson and William Dietel. It does an excellent job of summarizing the research relative to this topic. There is plenty of other material on this topic in our pages, like this piece on Millennial giving and this one about what motivates women to give. This research is a treasure trove of information and ideas. Wander around NPQ’s “stacks” for a bit and see what you might find.—Michele Bittner and Ruth McCambridge

https://nonprofitquarterly.org/philanthropy/25899-touching-the-hearts-of-possible-donors-and-volunteers-just-how-is-it-done.html?utm_content=13963397&utm_medium=social&utm_source=googleplus

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“It was meant to be”: A new provider builds her family child care business from the ground up

Posted by Jessica Sager on April 3, 2015 at 10:28am

Providing high-quality care for very young children is hard work. Family child care providers have to be energetic, positive, patient, and knowledgeable about child development and best practice in the field. However, they also must be able to manage a sustainable business, which takes a different set of skills.

Click here to read All Our Kin's new blog post about supporting family child care providers as they build sustainable businesses!

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Chief Dean Esserman receives Manware Award form Family Centered Services of CT

Posted by Susan D'Orvilliers on April 1, 2015 at 1:30pm

Family Centered Service of CT is pleased to announce that Dean M. Esserman, Chief of the New Haven Department of Police Service, will be the recipient of the Richard Manware Award at its annual Spring Cocktail Party and Auction on May 7, 2015.   

 “The theme of this year’s Spring Cocktail Party and Auction is Opening Doors.  So much of what happens to victims of child abuse and domestic violence happens behind closed doors,” stated Cheryl Burack, Executive Director of Family Centered Services of CT.  “This event allows us to raise awareness about the challenges that children and families in our community face on a daily basis, and the services that are available to help them”. The Board of Directors of Family CT selected Chief Esserman because of his advocacy on behalf of victims of domestic violence and his community collaborations. “As Chief he has opened the doors of the police station to Family Centered Services, allowing us to have a Victim Advocate at the station two days a week.”

 Esserman is one of the country’s leading advocates for a community development approach to crime. Esserman is a member of the New York and Massachusetts Bar and has served as a distinguished professor at Roger Williams University School of Law and School of Justice Studies and currently holds a lecturer’s appointment at the Yale University Child Study Center and Yale Law School.  He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the New York University School of Law. 

To purchase tickets go to www.familyct.org click on the purchase tickets icon

 

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Poverty Shrinks Brains from Birth...

Posted by Lee Cruz on April 1, 2015 at 11:59am

Poverty Shrinks Brains from Birth

Studies show that children from low-income families have smaller brains and lower cognitive abilities
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March 31, 2015 |By Sara Reardon and Nature magazine | Véalo en español
 

Researchers have long suspected that children’s behaviour and cognitive abilities are linked to their socioeconomic status, particularly for those who are very poor. 
Credit: BerSonnE/Thinkstock

More: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/poverty-shrinks-brains-from-birth1

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Walking Another Walk

Posted by Patricia B. Illingworth on March 29, 2015 at 6:30pm

Greetings to All,

Usually I speak to the fact Grove Street Cemetery is starting to bud with the idea of Spring and come in an just enjoy a "walk-about" whenever.

But now I would like to endorse another walk - The Connecticut Autism Walk. It is a wonderful walk to assist in the curing of this disease. This year the walk will be on May 3rd (rain or shine) at the Choate Rosemary Hall Athletic Field in Wallingford, CT beginning at 9:30am. This walk is 2.5 miles through the lovely historic area of Wallingford, CT.

It is a real hoot!!!! There will be raffles, flowers for sale, food trucks, contests, music and just a lot of fun for all.

If you need more information, then these truly remarkable persons who have been totally involved with this great project are George and Lisa Carranzo, owners of Grand Apizza at 111 Grand Ave, Fair Haven - 203-624-7646. Or the website is www.ctautismwalk.com.

So there are many walks......the best to all.

Patricia Illingworth

Chief Docent

Grove Street Cemetery

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Elm City Montessori School Executive Director

Posted by Mira C Debs on March 24, 2015 at 3:53pm

13358888662?profile=originalElm City Montessori School (ECMS) is New Haven’s first public Montessori school designed to serve students ages 3- 13.  The school opened in the fall of 2014 as Connecticut’s only local charter school.

We seek a visionary Executive Director committed to Montessori as a vehicle for social justice to work with our Principal and Board in establishing Montessori as an exemplary public education model in New Haven.

The Executive Director reports to the Elm City Montessori School Board of Trustees and oversees external community relations, partnerships, school operations, budgeting, external reporting and fundraising at the school in accordance with the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Charter School standards, policies and regulations.  The ED will ethically manage all assets of Elm City Montessori School according to legal standards of the State of Connecticut.

QUALIFICATIONS

The Executive Director will have demonstrated competency in all the areas listed above, plus

  • Master’s degree in fields related to education, educational policy or related field and 5+ years work experience in educational leadership
  • Strong knowledge of New Haven and Connecticut education and non-profit networks
  • Resides in or plans to live in New Haven’s vibrant urban community
  • Fluency in Spanish preferred

 

PERIOD OF EMPLOYMENT

The Executive Director will serve 12 months.  Contract for the first year will be a one-year renewable contract.  The next & subsequent contracts will be three-year contracts with preset minimum raises.

 

Salary and Benefits

Compensation 
Competitive salary, commensurate with experience, and comprehensive benefits package 


 

Responsibilities include:

Organizational Leadership


  • Oversee the organization to reflect the principles of equity, justice, and the dignity of each individual.
  • Develop a culture of high expectations.
  • Establish an effective leadership style, and involve members of the administration and faculty in decision-making.
  • Be accessible and communicate effectively with all constituencies.
  • Create a strong leadership team for the organization.
  • Work with the leadership team to develop short and long-term goals organization-wide. 

  • Monitor non-academic outcomes to ensure that the school is meeting its performance goals.

  • Be a resource and support to the school Principal.
  • Work with the Board of Trustees to ensure the development and implementation of appropriate policies for long- term organizational management.
  • Coordinate all Board communication with school staff, families and community at large
  • Remain current with trends and research in education, particularly those affecting charter school operation and educational leadership. 


Personnel


  • In partnership with the Principal, recruit, support and retain a highly effective faculty and staff.
  • Create procedures governing the hiring process at ECMS and a strategic recruiting plan for seeking candidates who will add to the school’s racial, 
cultural, and gender diversity.

  • In partnership with the Principal, develop staff orientation, ongoing mentorship, meaningful evaluation and performance metrics for non-teaching staff.
  • Supervises staff with responsibility in external community relations, operations & fundraising.

Community Relations & Student Recruitment

  • Represent Elm City Montessori School before the public and clearly articulate the school mission to a diverse group of students, families, community members, policy makers and donors.
  • Develop strong working relations with the New Haven Public School District, the CT Department of Education, other school leaders and additional constituents.
  • Work cooperatively with other schools and organizations to ensure ECMS school operations 
demonstrate good practice, especially those of admission, outreach, staff recruitment and development and fundraising. 

  • Produce and supervise recruitment materials, news releases and other media documents. Grant approval of media interviews to School employees.
  • Act as the primary manager of all external commutations.

 

Finance and Fundraising


  • Provide oversight for all funds, physical assets, and other property of Elm City Montessori School.
  • Safeguarded and administer all financial systems, reporting, and tracking of the budget.
    • Work with Board Finance Committee on Elm City Montessori School’s budget.
    • Develop, implement and manage fiscal policies, procedures and systems.
    • Establish and implement a development plan to guide fundraising efforts.
    • Cultivate and maintain support from private donors and foundations.

 

Operations

  • Contract with any outside personnel needed for general operations and technical support.
  • Oversee and coordinate operations, renovations and upkeep of the physical plant.
  • Oversee and coordinate the general organization of the school, in regards to the school’s office, the way the school tracks information, etc.
  • Oversee data reporting to the state and to the federal government.
  • Ensure compliance with all Federal, State, and Local laws and mandates, including those pertaining to Special Education and students with IEP’s or 504 plans. 

 

To Learn More and Apply

Please visit our website at www.elmcitymontessori.org to learn more about Elm City Montessori School. Elm City Montessori School is an equal opportunity employer and people from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. The application deadline is April 10, 2015. Please send resume and cover letter to info@elmcitymontessori.org. A July 2015 start date is preferred.

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Nonprofit Board Stages of Development

Posted by Mike Burns on March 23, 2015 at 2:02pm

Nonprofit boards go through a number of stages to reach maturity.  

I have framed these stages to be akin to human developmental stages: infancy, juvenile, adolescence and maturity.  My study suggests that boards in their infancy and early juvenile stages tend to pay more attention to operations and management (often being operations and management) and when past this, begin to focus on governing while hanging onto managing in late juvenile and early adolescence stages.  Toward the end of adolescence, boards begin to embrace a role more dominated by governing and in a mature state, lead an advanced form of governance that embraces strategy as well as advocacy and fundraising (a form of advocacy I might pose).

That said, when founders "hang-in" and "on" to leadership throughout these stages, the good news in a loyal subscription to the original mission.  It's not that later board members don't hang-onto mission but new members often bring shifts and missions can indeed morph if not change altogether without the presence of founders.  Clearly, orientation is critical throughout the life of a nonprofit board.

Below is a story about Cuba's Ladies in White.   As the Washington Post article notes, this group of women are dissidents seeking human rights and justice for those who have been jailed for speaking out against the government.  It should however come as little surprise that a group of dissidents might someday experience dissonance among their ranks driven however not by newcomers specifically but by the daughter of the founder.  Laura Maria Labrada Pollan believes the group's leadership has strayed from the way of her mom and she has even created another nonprofit.  

This is certainly an interesting study, based of course on limited data, of board life stages in motion.  I can't say the group ever really grew past adolescence but one thing crisis does do is to move a life stage away from forward.  And so, the Ladies in White must re-think their future and determine first how important is the voice of the founder's daughter, thus presumably the founder.  

Here's the story.

 

Laura Maria Labrada Pollan, daughter of the late co-founder of Cuba’s Ladies in White dissident group, Laura Pollan, on her T-shirt, reads a statement to reporters in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, March 19, 2015. Labrada says she rejects the management of current leader Berta Soler, and the expulsion of group members. She also said that Soler will no longer be able to use her parents’ home, which historically has functioned as the Ladies’ meeting house and headquarters. (Desmond Boylan/Associated Press)
By Associated Press March 19

 

HAVANA — The daughter of a founding member of Cuba’s Ladies in White publicly split with their current leader Thursday in the latest sign of division within the dissident group, which a decade ago was awarded the European Union’s top human rights prize.

Laura Maria Labrada, whose mother, Laura Pollan, was the Ladies’ leader and public face before her death in 2011, criticized Berta Soler’s management and the expulsion of group members.

“I have decided going forward to withdraw authorization for Berta Soler to use my mother’s name or associate it with behavior that goes against the principles she always defended,” Labrada said at a news conference in her mother and stepfather’s home.

She added that Soler is no longer welcome at the house, which traditionally has been the Ladies’ meeting place and headquarters.

 

Calls to Soler’s cellphone rang unanswered Thursday. Her husband and fellow dissident, Angel Moya, said she was in Miami.

The split came weeks after video surfaced online showing group members allied to Soler shouting down another longtime member, Alejandrina Garcia, during a December gathering at the home.

“Down with traitors!” ‘’She should leave!” and “We don’t want to hear her!” they yelled at Garcia, who had also disagreed with Soler’s leadership.

The scene resembled the “acts of repudiation” in which pro-government counter-protesters sometimes accost Cuba’s dissidents, yelling revolutionary slogans and personal epithets.

“As long as I am alive I will never allow another situation like the one that happened here,” said Hector Maseda, Pollan’s widower.

Some Ladies in White living overseas had called for Soler’s resignation in response to the incident. Soler announced she would submit her leadership to a referendum among members still on the island, a vote which she survived last week.

Labrada alleged that since Soler took over in 2011, members have been mistreated and unfairly expelled. Like Garcia, who was at the news conference, she also criticized the inclusion of men in their protests.

 

Labrada said she welcomes ongoing U.S.-Cuba negotiations on restoring diplomatic relations and reopening embassies in each other’s countries, in contrast to Soler’s harsh criticism of President Barack Obama after the December announcement.

Labrada said she has the support of 100 Ladies in White who are calling for an election, rather than a referendum, and the reincorporation of ousted members.

She also said she intends to start a nonprofit foundation named after her mother to help needy children, abused women and the elderly.

Wives and mothers of 75 activists jailed in a 2003 crackdown on dissent formed the Ladies in White over a decade ago to press for their loved ones’ release.

They became known for weekly marches along Havana’s leafy 5th Avenue on Sundays after Mass, wearing white and carrying gladiolas.

The last of the 75 prisoners were released in recent years, and nearly all the original Ladies have left the group.

With mostly new membership, they now protest to demand freedom for others they consider political prisoners and for democratic reform.

The government accuses dissidents of being traitors and “mercenaries” who accept money from abroad to undermine the revolution and Cuba’s Communist system.

In 2005 the European Union awarded its Sakharov human rights prize to the group.

___

Andrea Rodriguez on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ARodriguezAP

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Development Officer

Posted by Kathleen Crisafi on March 23, 2015 at 1:15pm

POSITION OVERVIEW:

This Development Officer builds and stewards relationships with high net-worth donors and prospects, as well as manage employee giving campaigns primarily in the higher education and legal industry communities in the greater New Haven area. This position also represents United Way at corporate and community functions and recruits volunteers to provide support for initiatives specific to the higher education and legal industry communities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITY AREAS:

Cultivate, solicit and steward donors in this portfolio of Alexis de Tocqueville ($10,000+) and Leadership ($1,000-$9,999) Society members and move them toward special and major gifts. Increase and retain existing contributions and attract first time donors.

a. The development officer will, as a part of Resource Development Team, develop and build relationships with existing major and leadership contributors and prospects, educating them about United Way and motivating them to maintain and increase their level of participation. This includes personal meetings, engagement opportunities, targeted communications efforts as well as through personal solicitation. Responsible for: 

b. Stewardship and solicitation of 200-250 donors each year.

  • Visiting 5 – 7 donors per week on average at their homes, offices and at events.
  • Recruiting donors to participate as volunteers in fundraising and other divisions.
  • Writing cultivation strategies to direct and monitor the progress of donor relationships.
  • Working to identify prospects for endowing memberships in the de Tocqueville and Leadership Societies in collaboration with team members and other colleagues.

Identify donors and prospects to expand the base of major and leadership givers with a particular focus on individuals working in the higher education and legal industry.

a. The development officer determines donors giving potential, identifies prospects for solicitation and utilizes volunteer or organizational resources most appropriate to initiate and maintain contact. Based on research and on analysis of the existing donor base demographics as well as leads referred by donors or others, the development officer will assess potential for successful solicitation and employ volunteer and organization resources accordingly.

Manage assigned employee giving campaigns particularly in the higher education and legal industries.  Organize giving opportunities; maintain year-round engagement through informational meetings, volunteer opportunities, and fundraising.  Analyze data from prior campaigns to identify means and methods to increase overall employee participation.

a. Cultivate relationships with key members within the assigned workforce responsibilities. 

b. Recruit and train workplace champions to lead the local giving opportunities.  Identify giving methods that increase participation. 

Serve as member of the West Haven Chamber of Commerce to recruit and engage prospects to enter into an employee giving campaign. Provide assistance with other industry events during campaign season as requested.

a. The development officer will work with volunteers to solicit donors and establish relationships with new prospects. This includes but is not limited to: invitations to Alexis de Tocqueville Society, Leadership, or other events and committees, participating in business development teams, serving as liaison between Chamber members and United Way, serving as liaison between development and Community Impact to create unique volunteer opportunities for major donors, their colleagues and families.

Women’s Leadership Affinity group responsibilities

Manage, recruit, and cultivate relationships within the Women’s Leadership Affinity group.  The development officer will help organize tours, draft correspondence and meet special customer service needs of the Women’s Leadership Affinity group as required increasing membership, donations, and community outcomes.

 REQUIREMENTS:

  • Bachelor Degree in related field required; comparable experience considered.
  • 5 years or more fund raising experience with a proven successful track record required (high end annual fund or individual gift experience a plus); comparable experience considered.
  • Demonstrated ability to establish warm relationships with a wide variety of people.
  • Knowledge of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) principles preferred.
  • Excellent written, oral communication and presentation skills required.
  • Knowledge of local business, civic and cultural communities highly desired.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks simultaneously.
  • Proficiency in a Microsoft Office environment required. Previous donor database use preferred.
  • Commitment to excellence and to the mission of the United Way.

To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to employment@uwgnh.org.  No phone calls, please.  United Way of Greater New Haven is an equal opportunity employer.

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Creating Urban Oases for People & Wildlife - Proposals Due April 1!

Posted by Joel Tolman on March 20, 2015 at 5:36pm

In 2013, New Haven was designated one of the nation's first urban wildlife refuges. With support for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Audubon Connecticut, and many other funders and partners, New Haven has been creating oases for people and wildlife at locations across the city. Now, we are seeking two more sites for restoration efforts. Do you know a corner of our city that needs to be turned into an urban oasis? 

Click on the RFP below to learn more and apply!

urbanrefugeRFP.docx

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Quinnipiac River Watershed Based Plan

Posted by The Community Foundation for GNH on March 18, 2015 at 3:00pm

The Quinnipiac River Watershed Based Plan identifies priority issues for the watershed and provides recommendations to address them. 

Although advances and upgrades in wastewater treatment have improved water quality over the past several decades, the water quality of much of the Quinnipiac River and its tributaries remains poor as a result of elevated levels of bacteria and impairments to aquatic life.

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) (i.e., a “pollution budget”) developed for the Quinnipiac River and its major tributaries by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP) in 2008 indicates that bacteria loads must be reduced by over 90% for the impaired segments to meet water quality standards and once again support contact recreation.

The plan recommendations include watershed-wide recommendations that can be implemented throughout the Quinnipiac River watershed, targeted recommendations that are tailored to issues within specific subwatersheds or areas, and site-specific recommendations to address issues at selected sites that were identified during the watershed field inventories. Recommendations are classified according to their timeframe and overall implementation priority.

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Nonprofit Board Responsibility

Posted by Mike Burns on March 12, 2015 at 1:36pm

   You may remember when as kids and something went bad (a dish broke, the dog got out, a fuse blew from a key put in an electric socket), your first response to the authorities, aka your parents, was to say "I don't understand how that happened" or "I didn't do it".

The board of the Interfaith Housing Development Corporation of Bucks County (PA) has pretty much taken the same position as it is now faced with what should be considered a tragedy around its holdings and the individuals who will be affected.  

The simple story: the nonprofit appears to have made a variety of bad management decisions. These decisions have seriously affected the value of its assets and in-turn, is threatening to radically and negatively affect its low-income tenants.  Of course, to understand every error would require a much deeper analysis but suffice it to say that the evidence points to the board's lack of understanding and responding to market changes.  

This is likely now understood by the board but, and back to my opening, the board is not quite ready to take the "blame" or "own the problem".  Instead, the problem is the "lack of a business plan" and the county not coming through for the organization. Really?  In my opinion, if this board doesn't have the connections to reach those who can offer a lifeline, maybe reaching out to other affordable housing nonprofits for a merger conversation would be more responsible.  Certainly, anything but saying it's not their fault.

Here's the Philadelphia Inquirer article.  

 

 Tenants of federal-backed Bucks nonprofit face loss of homes

        BEN FINLEY, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

LAST UPDATED: Monday, February 23, 2015, 1:08 AM
As things stand, Melvin and Fayette Howard will lose their modest but well-kept Bristol Township rowhouse on April 10. The house will be sold at a sheriff's auction after more than a year of foreclosure proceedings.
 
It's not their fault: The blame rests with the nonprofit from which the Howards rent their home, the Interfaith Housing Development Corp. of Bucks County.
 
The private affordable-housing group, which has received millions in federal taxpayer dollars and owns nearly 80 rental properties, is teetering on the verge of financial collapse.

"They sent me a notice that I should send my rent to a bank," said Melvin Howard, 69, a disabled veteran. "And I haven't heard from anybody since."

The housing market crash that began around 2005 - Bucks County's real estate values declined about 25 percent from 2006 to 2011, based on state figures - hobbled many of the nation's affordable-housing nonprofits, experts say.

But most have endured. That may not be the case with Interfaith, one of only a few organizations in Bucks that offers housing to lower-income residents.

The 28-year-old organization said it could not operate much longer without a new business plan. The old one relied mostly on a bullish real estate market and banks that would lend to low-income home buyers.

A former Interfaith executive director said the group should have dissolved years ago. He faults poor management and the county government, which continued to approve much of Interfaith's public funding.

During the real estate boom, the group bought houses, rehabbed them, and eventually sold them to renters, many of whom secured mortgages. Home values appreciated between sales, providing Interfaith with much of its revenue.

But in the last several years, not one Interfaith renter has been able to acquire a loan, as few, if any, houses gained equity.

Three properties are now in foreclosure and set for the April sheriff's sale, imperiling renters in four houses, including the Howards.

Interfaith has been behind on other mortgages. And some of the land it bought with taxpayer money sits undeveloped.

Bucks County also has had a steep decline in the availability of housing for people with lower incomes.

Among the more than 50,000 rental units, a county study released last year found the number renting for less than $1,000 a month fell by nearly half from 2000 to 2010. Rents of $1,000 or more increased by 146 percent.

The Howards live on fixed income and pay far less than $1,000 a month.

"We don't have the kind of money where we can up and put money down on a place," Melvin Howard said.

Interfaith board members said they hoped the county would help them form a new business model. In the meantime, they're negotiating with the bank to prevent the sheriff's sale.

"Our primary concern is our residents," said Sister Rita Margraff, president of Interfaith's board. "We're making a lot of moves to keep our residents in housing."

The foreclosures stem from Interfaith's failure to develop a $1.5 million housing project in Bristol Township. The county and the township had chipped in a combined $800,000, which included money allotted from federal housing programs.

Interfaith also got a private loan. But it had trouble getting more money to build, and the project stalled.

The nonprofit defaulted on the loan last year. Tied up in the same mortgage was the Howards' home and a multi-unit property on nearby Marie Lowe Drive, leading to their foreclosure.

David Fornal, attorney for the mortgage holder, National Penn, declined to comment on the matter.

Besides the tenants, another concern is the loss of taxpayer money. If the three properties are sold to buyers who fail to meet low-income requirements, Bucks County must pay back tens of thousands of dollars to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

But even more HUD money, about $3.5 million, is invested in nearly all of Interfaith's properties, which face an uncertain future.

Rob Loughery, chairman of the Bucks County Board of Commissioners, said the county had been working with several banks to stabilize Interfaith mortgages, not just the ones in foreclosure. The goal, he said, is to keep low-income renters in all of the homes, even if Interfaith closes.

A new housing advisory board will address the county's lack of affordable housing and Interfaith's future, Loughery said.

"I don't think anything ill of what they were doing," Loughery said of Interfaith. "They probably made some poor decisions. But who didn't [during the housing bubble]?"

Experts say most nonprofits suffered during the downturn. But few relied on a strong housing market to thrive. Liz Hersh, executive director of the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, said, "Off the top of my head, I am not aware of any housing nonprofits for whom [the downturn] was catastrophic. Most have adapted to the new realities."

Chris Auth, Interfaith executive director from 2009 to 2011, said it should have shut down. Before he arrived, Interfaith evicted a few tenants to sell houses for much-needed income. The staff was too large, Auth said, and mortgages went unpaid even then.

The county continued to approve funding, even when Interfaith failed to pay taxes. "Interfaith should have gotten out of business," Auth said. "It could have found a viable nonprofit to have merged with."

Meanwhile, the Howards are considering their options, which are few. The sheriff's sale is in seven weeks.

Melvin Howard said he would like to buy the property, an agreement the county will try to broker. The bank declined to comment.

"I feel hurt and that they have neglected me," Howard said of Interfaith. "It ain't like we're young and can jump up and move."


Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20150223_Tenants_of_federal-backed_Bucks_nonprofit_face_loss_of_homes.html#Pl8jhdH42Lx6KVmc.99

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IRIS is hiring a Operations and Finance Director

Posted by Kelly Hebrank on March 10, 2015 at 6:04pm

  IRIS- Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services

Job Opening

Operations and Finance Director

March 2015

 

IRIS – Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (www.irisct.org), a dynamic nonprofit organization in New Haven CT, has an immediate opening for the full-time position of Operations and Finance Director.  IRIS helps refugees and asylees—people fleeing persecution in their home countries who are invited to the US by the federal government—to start new lives and become self-sufficient, contributing members of their communities. IRIS currently serves clients from countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Congo, Eritrea, and Sudan.

 

General Description

The Operations and Finance Director will provide overall management of IRIS’ operations, finances, and human resources.  The goal of this position is to ensure a smooth operation of the day-to-day business of IRIS, making it possible for clients to be served effectively; for staff members to function efficiently; and for IRIS to comply with government requirements. 

In 2015, the Operations and Finance Director will also provide primary oversight of the operational components of IRIS’s move into a new office, and the current process of IRIS becoming an independent 501(c)3 organization. 

The Operations and Finance Director will supervise the Operations Manager and Bookkeeper/Accountant and other staff as appropriate.  The Operations and Finance Director will serve on the Management Team, and will report to the Executive Director. 

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include:

 

1)      Financial and Grants Management

  • Lead the creation of the annual budget, and create budgets for all new programs and grant proposals.
  • Regularly monitor expenses and income to ensure adherence to approved budgets and grant requirements. 
  • Review and approve all payment requests.  Sign checks.
  • Review and approve biweekly payroll, and allocate time among funding sources.
  • Process incoming financial donations and payments by providing the Bookkeeper with information on how to designate the income in Quickbooks.
  • Review and approve month-end financial reports prepared by the Bookkeeper.
  • Support the Bookkeeper and Operations Manager in preparing for the annual financial audit and preparation of financial statements. 
  • Coordinate and write or review financial and programmatic reports for grants and programs.
  • Ensure that IRIS is compliant with terms and conditions of all grants and contracts.         

 

2)      Fund Development

  • With ED and other development staff, help manage IRIS fundraising, including grant proposals, annual appeals, individual donor cultivation and stewardship, and fundraising events.

 

3)      Organizational Effectiveness and Governance

  • Maintain knowledge of all contracts, especially federal refugee programs and grants (Reception & Placement, Preferred Communities, Office of Refugee Resettlement- Refugee Social Services, Refugee School Impact Grant, and Health Promotion).  Disseminate information to relevant staff.
  • Complete the process for IRIS to become an independent 501(c)3 organization.
  • Work with Executive Director to prepare financial information and other reports for bimonthly meetings of the IRIS Board of Directors

 

4)      Human Resources

  • Update Personnel Policies as necessary and disseminate to current staff and new hires.
  • Contribute to the improvement of operational systems, processes and organizational policies as necessary, and disseminate to staff.
  • Coordinate staff insurance benefits with external insurance company; review and evaluate plan options for renewal. 
  • Research and implement new insurance and benefit plans when IRIS becomes an independent organization.
  • With Executive Director, develop procedures for annual staff performance evaluations.
  • Coordinate staff recruitment, including drafting new position descriptions, posting job announcements, conducting interviews, making selections, and coordinating training of new hires.
  • Serve on staff wellness team that promotes staff wellness and self-care.  Arrange staff trainings as necessary.

 

Requirements

The successful candidate will have a minimum of 5 years of experience in a senior administrative position, non-profit experience preferred; experience creating budgets and providing financial management; excellent writing, communication, and organizational skills; and the ability to handle multiple demands and shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment.  Candidate must be fluent in English. Candidate must have a demonstrated commitment to the mission of IRIS and awareness and sensitivity to multicultural issues.  Candidate must be proficient with MS Windows and MS Office, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.  Experience with Quickbooks, GiftWorks, Salesforce, and MS Access or other databases a plus.

 

To apply, send an email to Executive Director Chris George, at humanresources@irisct.org by March 23rd with the following:

  • A subject line that says “OPERATIONS AND FINANCE DIRECTOR: [your first and last name]”
  • A Cover Letter describing your relevant skills and experience, and why you are interested in this position
  • An attached resume
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