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From the Desk of...
 Summer is sizzling and so are we.
As you know over the last year EA has been researching and adding new programs and services along with changing our name. Executive Alliance is now Alliance of Nonprofits. This name aligns more directly with our mission of Advancing a Powerful Nonprofit Sector. However I find myself saying Executive Alliance when I answer the phone. Old habits die hard. I figure if I sometimes use the old name that some of you are too. So I challenge us to help each other make the name transition, and to make it fun I'm willing to put some money where my mouth is. If when you call and I or another staff member answers the phone using something other than Alliance of Nonprofits, we will give you a coupon for a free registration to the next ED Forum.
While we are extending our services and programs we are still focused on our three pillars – Public Policy, Leadership Development/Capacity Building, and Voice & Position. We have not changed our focus or the quality of programming & service we offer. In September we will be introducing a couple new services that you have been asking for. Many of our members and many of our programs and services have had a statewide focus. We will continue to provide services and programming to all nonprofits no matter where they are located.
Our 2nd annual Economic Impact Survey was sent to nonprofits around the state and we have received a good sample with which to develop the Economic Impact Report. The 2009 Report was very popular with our elected officials, even the ones that felt they understood the sector.
The Day in Olympia task force is underway meeting and developing our January 25th Nonprofit Day in Olympia. We have heard from nonprofit leaders asking how they can involve their organization and community in this impactful day. If you are interested in being engaged in the planning, email me at mbrown at exec-alliance dot org.
In addition to putting January 25th on your calendar, save May 6th for the 17th Annual Washington State Nonprofit Conference. This crowd pleasing conference is the MUST attend conference. In these changing times, achieving effective results demands a paradigm shift that can only be realized with exposure to new thoughts and ideas. The Conference will help you discover and implement ideas that deliver results. It will train your mind to search for innovative solutions. It will provide opportunities to make valuable connections with other nonprofit professionals and suppliers who have solutions you need. And, it will prepare you for the long road ahead.
There are so many fabulous events and programs over the next few months there isn’t space to talk about them all. Check out our Event page on the website for details. Being a proponent of not recreating the wheel, we are partnering with the Association of Fundraising Professionals on the Part II in the 3-part series on Collective Leadership for Successful Fundraising on Aug 31st. Part III will be held at the AFP Major Gift Symposium on Tuesday, September 28th. On August 17th, we are co-presenting with CityClub Seattle The Race to Reach Voters as part of the Law & Politics Series.
Congratulations to the Alliance’s Chair of the Board! Susie Burdick President/CEO of the Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center was awarded the 2010 NDOA Professional Achievement Award. Click here for details. http://data.memberclicks.com/site/ndoa/NDOA_Burdick_Award_2010_Release.pdf
We have a number of events in August, so check out the Alliance Event Calendar. And remember applications are due for the Peer Coaching program starting in September.
Warmly,
Melany
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Membership Corner
Love EA alliance of nonprofits? Attend the membership committee and help establish goals and membership outreach programs. If you’d like to learn more give us a call, 206-328-3836. You’re a member, get involved! Learn more about the various committees here.
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EA EVENTS & PROGRAMS
Collective Leadership for Successful Fundraising – Part II
Hosted by EA alliance of nonprofits &
the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)
The Big Picture; Creating a Leadership Partnership in Fundraising
August 31, 2010 - 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
The 2100 Building
2100 24th Avenue South, Seattle 98144
To have a truly effective fundraising program, it takes a partnership among executive, board and development professional leadership. How do you work as a team? Come join a facilitated discussion on best practices - and those to watch out for - for creating fundraising partnerships that work. Featuring a panel of key professionals in a conversation facilitated by AFP President-Elect Peter Drury of DZO Strategists. This rich discussion began in spring 2010 at the Washington State Nonprofit Conference and the topic will continue with a focus on partnership for major gifts fundraising at the AFP Major Gifts Symposium on September 28, 2010.
Click Here to Register!
Law & Politics Series
The Race to Reach Voters
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Rainier Square - Third Floor Atrium | 1333 Fifth Avenue, Seattle
Registration: 11:30 a.m. | Luncheon & Program: 12:15 – 1:30 p.m.
Box Lunch: $20/CityClub Members | $25/Guests and co-presenters | $30/General public
Coffee & Dessert: $12/CityClub Members | $15/Guests and co-presenters | $18/General public
Featuring:
Dan Brady, Executive Director, Washington State Republican Party
Keli Carender, Washington Tea Party
Thomas Goldstein, Executive Director, Washington State Bus
Bill Broadhead, Owner, The Mercury Group
Once a candidate is in the running, how do they win? With the rise of social media, the continued decline of local political coverage in the “mainstream” media, and the growing influence of local political blogs, how can campaigns reach and persuade voters? Our recent mayoral race showed that it’s not always the most well funded or establishment-backed candidates who win elections, and raising those funds has been made more complicated with a recent Supreme Court ruling on corporate political donations. This forum will examine how different types of organizations are working to win - from grassroots to youth driven, private consultants to the state party structure. What should we expect to see in the Fall? Join us with your own questions as we take a look at what goes on behind the scenes in modern politics.
Please note: All EA alliance of nonprofit members may register at the Guest and Co-presenters rates – Box Lunch: $25 or Coffee & Dessert: $15
Click Here to Register!
Hosted by CityClub
Co-presented by EA alliance of nonprofits
Other upcoming events 
September
Issue Forum: Initiative 1098 –
September 16, 2010
Registration Opens – 2:00 p.m.
Forum 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Click Here for More Information
Leadership Speaker Series -- Luncheon
Special Guest Keynote – Economist Bruce McKane
Sponsored by 
September 29, 2010
Registration 11:30 a.m.
Program 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Click Here for More Information
October
Candidates Forum: The Race for Senate
October 13, 2010
Registration – 8:00 a.m.
Forum 8:30 – 10:00 a.m.
ED/CEO Forum
Hosted by EA alliance of nonprofits & Executive Service Corps of Washington
October 15, 2010
Registration 8:00 a.m.
Forum 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
What Every ED/CEO Should Know About Financial Information --
Seminar
Sponsored by Jacobson Jarvis
October 28, 2010
Registration 7:30 a.m.
Seminar 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Location Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center
November
EA Member Holiday Event – November 18, 2010
December
Leadership Speaker Series – December 9, 2010
Peer Coaching
 No Matter Where You’re Headed…
Peer Coaching is the way to go!
Peer-to-Peer learning is the best way to sort out your most difficult issues while building camaraderie in the process!
If you are an:
· Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, with 7 years of experience or more;
· Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer with 6 years or less experience
· Development Director/VP of Development
· Chair or President of the Board
It’s time to read the signs. Peer Coaching Cohorts are perfect if you’re interested in:
· Advancing your professional growth,
· Eliminating the overwhelming challenges that come with your role,
· Sharing ideas,
· Gaining second opinions,
· Building a supportive network
Join the Movement - Learn more about the Peer Coaching Program here.
Register Today and start moving in the Right Direction…
The Deadline for Registration is August 5th.
Peer Coaching is an ongoing program; cohorts meet once per month for three hour sessions; sessions are convened by a trained facilitator.
Email Yalonda Gill-Masundiré for additional infomation.
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Public Policy
Elections will be upon us sooner than we think. Here are 2 links regarding voting in Washington.
Nonprofit Vote
Who has filed already?
I-1098 Would Cut Taxes, Fund Improvements in Health Care & Education
According to the Washington Budget & Policy Center Initiative 1098 offers Washingtonians an opportunity to enact important long-term reforms to our state’s inadequate revenue structure. The measure would reduce taxes for homeowners and small businesses while providing additional resources for education and health care through a new tax on high incomes.
The proposed tax on high incomes would generate some $1.7 billion per year in additional resources for Washington State. The graph below shows how the new revenue would be spent.
About 45 percent ($766 million) of the revenue would be spent on improvements to Washington’s education system. Another 21 percent ($357 million) would be used to lower property taxes for homeowners and businesses. The remaining revenues would be spent on new funding for health care services ($328 million) and lowering B&O taxes for small businesses ($249 million).
How does this initiative hurt or help the nonprofit sector?
This initiative would generate one billion dollars in net revenue for Washington State. 70% of funding will be designated to the Education Legacy Trust Fund for K-12 class size reductions, extended learning opportunities, pre-kindergarten, and expanding access to higher education, and 30% to fund the voter-approved Basic Health Plan, public health services, and long-term care for vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities.
However, right now, no funding has been allocated for social services.
What do you think about this initiative? Email us at I-1098 to share your thoughts about this issue.
I-1053’s Supermajority Requirement
Initiative 1053, one of the five ballot measures examined in the latest policy brief from the Budget & Policy Center, would undermine legislative flexibility and rational decision-making at time when these attributes are most needed. Among other things, the measure would reinstate a requirement that all tax increases – no matter how small – be subject to a public referendum vote or a supermajority (two-thirds) vote in the legislature.
The supermajority requirement distorts rational decision-making by elected officials. Even in normal economic times, the requirement gives a small minority of lawmakers the ability to obstruct important legislation. The supermajority mandate is especially problematic during recessions, when a handful of legislators can block measures needed to preserve basic public services and prevent further economic damage.
This year, lawmakers temporarily suspended the expanded supermajority requirement that was established under I-960 – an action that allowed them to enact a modest package of revenue enhancements needed to protect fundamental public services like health care and education.
If enacted, I-1053 would prematurely reinstate the supermajority requirement, making it virtually impossible for legislators to adopt a rational and balanced approach to Washington’s ongoing economic problems in the coming year.
To read the entire paper, please visit Washington Budget & Policy Center’s website.
Financial Regulatory Reform Enacted, Cuts Debit Card Fees
Recently the Senate passed and sent to President Obama the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (H.R.4173). The measure imposes new restrictions on risky financial investments, creates a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau within the Federal Reserve, and allows the Federal Reserve to regulate the amount of fees that nonprofits and merchants can be charged for debit card transactions. President Obama is expected to sign the bill this week.
Nonprofit Sector Act Federal Data of "Uncertain Quality"
The case for the Nonprofit Sector and Community Solutions Act, H.R. 5533, was made recently by SubsidyScope, a program of Pew Charitable Trusts. In seeking to analyze the effects of tax subsidies and federal grants, the authors reached the following conclusions:
"It is challenging to assemble and present spending and subsidy data regarding the nonprofit sector because the federal government does not identify nonprofits as a distinct budget category. Further, federal budget data are of uncertain quality; specifically, the data available through USAspending.gov are incomplete because certain program information is missing for a number of records, making it difficult to discern which specific agencies and programs may be awarding funds to nonprofits."
A key component of H.R. 5533 is to overcome the data challenges that SubsidyScope, and many other nonprofit researchers, have identified.
IRS Seeks Comments on New Disclosure Requirement
The health care reform law enacted earlier this year requires nonprofits and businesses, starting in 2012, to report aggregate payments to vendors in excess of $600 for goods and other property. The requirement applies for payments to all vendors, not just those related to health care. Currently, nonprofits and others are required to file Form 1099s for payment of services by independent contractors, but not for goods from vendors. The IRS is seeking public comment on how to most effectively carry out the law change, with the stated goal of minimizing burdens and avoiding duplicate reporting. The deadline for comments is Sept. 29, 2010. Please share this information with your accounting and operations personnel and send the National Council your ideas on how best to limit the impact of this new reporting requirement.
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COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS
NEW Nonprofit Events Calendar
Are you looking for a place to post your nonprofit events and find out the latest happenings in the sector throughout the greater Puget Sound Region?
Or are you sometimes puzzled about the best date & time to book an event due to not knowing if there will be other events scheduled at the same time?
Events will be posted at: www.exec-alliance.org under events or Nonprofit Events Calendar.
WA Major Gifts Symposium
Tuesday, Sep 28, 8 am to 5 pm
Bell Harbor Conference Center
AFP Washington Chapter will host this year’s Major Gifts Symposium on Tuesday, September 28th, at the Bell Harbor Conference Center.
Join your peers at the 3rd Annual AFP-WA Major Gifts Symposium. And please forward this to other interested colleagues, your executive director or CEO, and your board members. Space is limited.
http://events.linkedin.com/AFP-WA-Major-Gifts-Symposium/pub/371465
Thinking About Major Gifts? Then You Can't Miss This! And AFP Members -- take advantage of special member price BEFORE August 1st.
AFP Member price BEFORE August 1st: $125. Member price ranges from $125 to $175. Non-member prices range from $190 to $225.
Symposium features: CEO Summit, national consultant and author Laura Fredricks, regional fundraising expert Susan Howlett, and a take-away tool developed by Peter Drury & DZO Strategists with AFP-WA.
3rd Annual Not-for-Profit Board Governance Conference
Please join us for our annual conference where we hope you will gain new insights, strategies and a positive outlook that will allow you to focus on the things that matter to the organization you serve. Keynote speaker, Diana Aviv, President & CEO of the Independent Sector, will talk about A New Era of Governance as she explores the new IRS Form 990 as well as the potential legislation of not-for-profits. She will also share real-life examples of what can go wrong and how to prevent such situations to ensure the health and vibrancy of your not-for-profit for years to come.
Concurrent breakout sessions throughout the day will be facilitated by Clark Nuber professionals along with experienced not-for-profit professionals from well respected organizations in our community, including World Vision, Seattle Pacific University, The Alford Group, Hopelink, Perkins Coie, among others.
Breakout Session Topics:
- How to Make Your Investment Policy Statement Work for You
- Setting Strategic Goals that Actually Drive Behavior
- For Board Members: Risks Real and Imagined
- Washington State Tax Update
- Form 990: A Melodrama (Or What the Watchdogs See)
- Managing Risk Starts at the Top
- Cost-Cutting Strategies for the Road Ahead
- Raising, Saving, and Growing Money in Tough Times: The Board Member’s Role
Registration:
$110 per person registration fee includes technical instruction and meals. Parking is not included. To help us with space planning, please indicate your choice of breakout sessions when registering.
Click here to register.
Join us for an elegant evening with great wine, great chocolate & great friends
while supporting the Washington Poison Center.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
6:30 - 9:30 pm
Fremont Studios
155 North 35th Street, Seattle
$50 per guest
online registration will open August 2nd
The Washington Poison Center, a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity organization, is the only Poison Center serving our State. Help keep our life-saving services available 24/7 at no cost to your family, friends and neighbors.
Your Evening of Wine & Chocolate includes:
- Tasting Washington wines
- Sampling local chocolate desserts
- Bidding on silent auction items
- Visiting with Mr. Yuk
Mary Borges will be accepting the William O. Robertson, MD Award on behalf of Safe Kids Washington.
The William O. Robertson, MD Award is presented to a member of the
Washington Community who has made a difference in poison prevention.
Please join us for
Atlantic Street Center’s
Century of Hope
Gala Showcase
Featuring some of the best vocalists, instrumental musicians and comedic talent Seattle has to offer!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
5:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Seattle Marriott Waterfront 2100 Alaskan Way
$100 per person
Gourmet Dinner Silent and Live Auctions
Look for your invitation in the mail, or contact us at (206) 329-2050, Ext 123
or ascinfo@atlanticstreet.org for more information.
Day of Caring 2010
United Way of King County invites you and your organization to join us for Day of Caring 2010 on Friday September 24th. Day of Caring is the largest single day mobilization of volunteers in King County with over 9,000 volunteers heading out last year from companies all over the region. We are looking to offer even more options for volunteering this year with your help. Follow this link to register for Day of Caring: http://bit.ly/docprojectregistration
Upcoming training opportunities from United Way of King County
For cost and descriptions of each of our workshops, please bookmark our training calendar or call 206.461.5014. Registration form (PDF)
Remy Trupin, Washington Budget & Policy Center CEO
asked by the Governor to help deal with the mammoth problems we face in maintaining public structures from education to health care. He’ll be on a diverse panel of leaders who will be advising the governor in preparation for the creation of next year’s budget proposal. The group will hold four public meetings, beginning July 19th in Tacoma.
Janis Avery Named CEO of Treehouse in Recognition of 15 Years of Innovative Leadership
Janis Avery has been named Chief Executive Officer of Treehouse effective immediately, the organization announced today.
The promotion recognizes Ms. Avery’s visionary leadership over the past 15 years and reflects the Board of Directors’ strong vote of confidence and respect.
Janis Avery has served as Executive Director of Treehouse since 1995. Under her leadership, Treehouse has grown from serving 950 foster kids to over 5,000 foster kids annually. Programs have expanded to include innovative educational success programs including cutting-edge Educational Advocacy and College and Career Planning. As a result of these expansions, the organization has grown from $450,000 to $6.5 million and from 10 staff to 60 staff.
During her tenure, Ms. Avery has developed a reputation for partnering and collaborating across the community to provide both simple and complex resources foster youth need to have a normal childhood and become self-sufficient adults. Ms. Avery has worked tirelessly to raise awareness that foster children can and should succeed in school among state legislators, state agency leadership, community partners, families and youth.
Call for Nominations
Friend of Housing Award & Margaret M. Sevy Lifetime Achievement Award
Do you know an individual or organization doing exceptional work in the affordable housing arena?
The Washington State Housing Finance Commission honors individuals and organizations throughout Washington for their contributions to providing affordable housing to low- and moderate-income residents of Washington. This tradition of excellence is exemplified through the presentation of annual Friend of Housing Awards and selected recognition of sustained contributions through the Margaret M. Sevy Lifetime Achievement Award.
To find out more about how to nominate an individual or organization for one of these awards, go to: Friend of Housing Award and Margaret M Sevy Award.
The deadline for nominations this year is August 20, 2010.
Technology Leadership Academy
Now more than ever, nonprofit leaders must understand the potential technology has to help them meet their missions. You require effective ways to manage technology and lead others to use the available tools to your best organizational advantage.
That's why we're thrilled to invite your organization to apply for the Technology Leadership Academy, our 9-week online training program designed to help nonprofit leaders do just that.
Learn more and apply to the Technology Leadership Academy here.
The Academy will be a unique opportunity to learn and interact with your peers while creating a tight network of nonprofit leaders working toward a common mission: to use technology to create more social change. Thanks to the generous support of Microsoft, we're able to offer the Technology Leadership Academy at no charge to qualifying organizations. You must apply for acceptance to the Academy, and there are, of course, some application requirements.
Mentoring Opportunity
In addition to its Executive Master of Nonprofit Leadership degree, Seattle University offers an undergraduate minor in nonprofit leadership. I am designing a new nonprofit leadership course, which I am teaching to undergraduate students this fall. In putting this course together, I thought it would be powerful to give the students an experience relating to and working with a nonprofit leader.
Would you be willing to be a mentor for a nonprofit leadership undergraduate student? The timeframe would be 10 weeks (unless you mutually decide to continue), Oct 1-Dec. 10, 2010. The time commitment would be a minimum of 3 meetings/interview sessions in addition to supervising the student’s work on a leadership project of your choosing (delegating the project supervision to a senior member of your staff would also be possible).
Do you have a project that you have been meaning to do, but haven’t gotten around to? This could be your chance to get it going. My hope is that projects will be higher level as opposed to administrative. EXAMPLE: A local nonprofit mentoring agency needs help understanding why some mentors choose to end a match prematurely. The project would entail analyzing current and past match closure data; designing an evaluation plan which could include surveys, phone interviews or focus groups of past mentors; and implementing the plan as time permits.
Students will commit approx. 20-25 hours over the 10 week quarter. At the end of the quarter, you or your designee will be asked to complete a project performance feedback form.
This mentor program is designed to be a win-win for the mentor and student. The student gets the benefit of working with a nonprofit leader and engaging in a real world nonprofit project. You receive not only the good feeling of helping an up and coming nonprofit leader, but you get some extra help at no cost to your agency.
If you are interested and able to be a mentor, please contact Noreen Elbert at elbertn@seattleu.edu to receive the application. Applications due by Aug. 23rd. If you have any questions, please contact call 206-296-6288.
Washington Nonprofit Handbook Available
The Washington Nonprofit Handbook: How to Form and Maintain a Nonprofit Organization in Washington State is now available for purchase. This handbook, authored by Washington business and nonprofit attorneys, contains information about the various laws impacting nonprofit organizations in Washington.
Chapter topics include How To Form a Nonprofit; Governance and Operations; Obtaining Recognition as a 501(c)(3) Organization; Maintaining Federal Tax-Exempt Status for Your 501(c)(3) Organization; International Activities and Grantmaking; Fundraising: The Obvious and Not-So-Obvious Pitfalls; Washington State Taxes and Nonprofit Corporations; Fiscal Sponsorships, Joint Ventures, and Other Collaborations; Employment Issues; Intellectual Property Considerations; Personal Information Security and Online Privacy Issues for Nonprofit Organizations; and Ceasing Operations.
The 200-page-plus handbook is available by completing the attached order form and sending a $35.00 check (apologies, but we cannot collect credit card payment information) to Washington Attorneys Assisting Community Organizations, PO Box 2134, Seattle, WA 98111. All orders must be received by September 30, 2010.
The Handbook is also available for free in pdf format on our website at www.waaco.org
GuideStar’s New Report
On May 17, 2010, the IRS began revoking tax-exempt status from nonprofits that failed to file three consecutive annual returns (Form 990-N, 990-EZ, 990, or 990-PF). As a result, as many as 300,000 nonprofits may lose their tax-exempt status, effectively shrinking the nonprofit sector by 25%.
What do YOU need to know?
- Which nonprofits are at risk?
- What happens to a nonprofit that loses its exemption?
- What happens if a donor gives to a charity that has lost its exemption?
GuideStar's new report, "Automatic Revocation of Nonprofits' Tax-Exempt Status: What Nonprofits, Grantmakers, and Donors Need to Know," answers all of these questions, and more. Written by Linda M. Lampkin of ERI Economic Research Institute, it is a no-nonsense overview of the impact of this earthshaking development in the nonprofit world.
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Job Bank
Every nonprofit is as strong as its individual parts. Staff is a vital resource for every organization. EA alliance of nonprofits is committed to helping our members pair up with the right professionals.
Check out current postings here.
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