Friday, May 31, 2013

Upcoming Events & Training


From Audit to Redesign:
The Complete Nonprofit Website Toolkit  

Five, Live, 90-Minute Sessions. June 4th - July 2nd, 2013 
NYCON Members: $140; Non-Members: $200
Members can use code "NYCON2013" to get the discount. Membership will be verified. Non-members will be charged $200 for this webinar series.] 
  
Can you remember when your organization's website was designed? Can  your supporters and constituents navigate and find the information they need? Can your staff members easily create or update content on your website? If you answered no to any of those questions, it might be time to bring that website into the 21st Century.Idealware 
Over five Tuesdays in June and July,
join Idealware as they walk you through Website 101, review best practices for accessibility, mobile-optimized sites, and reinforcing your organization's online brand. They'll also take a look at the content management systems (CMS) that can give even your least tech-savvy staff members the tools to update website content themselves. Finally, they'll talk about how your website content works alongside your email, direct mail, and social media efforts to create your organization's communications mix.
Takeaways from the course:
  • Define goals for how your website will serve your audience
  • Learn best practices for designing an accessible, usable, and polished website
  • Compare your content management system (CMS) options
  • How to make sure your website shows up well on search engines 
  • Create your organization's website action plan with next steps and action items for an improvement process
Brought to you through a partnership between the New York Council of Nonprofits and Idealware.

Five, Live, 90-Minute Sessions. June 4th - July 2nd, 2013 
NYCON Members: $140; Non-Members: $200
Members can use code "NYCON2013" to get the discount. Membership will be verified. Non-members will be charged $200 for this webinar series.]


Social Media Myth Busting: If You Build It, 
Will They Come?  [Lunch & Learn Webinar]
June 14th, 2013 11:00am to 12:30pm
Presented by Andrew Marietta, Regional Manager, Central NY Office, NYCON and Valerie Venezia, Vice President, Membership & Marketing, NYCON
Free for NYCON Members Only Register

Sometimes it seems like there's a new hot social media tool launched every day of the week. Figuring out what these tools do, how our nonprofit should use them, and frankly, if you need to use these tools can boggle anyone's mind. As busy nonprofit staff and board members we need to know what specific tool do we use for our specific goals? How do we measure success? This webinar will help cut through the clutter of social media mayhem and help you simplify, refocus, and target social media tools based on organizational needs and a focused message (and maybe even some actual metrics!)
 Register 


Workers Comp Issues for Nonprofit Arts Organizations [Webinar for NYSCA Grantees] 
Friday, June 21, 2013 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM (EDT)
Presented by Frederic J. Buse, Managing Director, Schwartz Heslin Group, Former Director of Unemployment Insurance, NYS; Department of Labor and Michael West, Esq. Legal Advisor, New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc.
Register Now
Virtually all employers in New York State - including nonprofit employers - must provide workers' compensation coverage for their employees. For many nonprofit arts organizations specifically the world of workers comp gets, well, more complicated. Many organizations have seasonal, time delimited or specialized artistic talent working on projects, shows, performances or exhibits. Determining who should and shouldn't be covered is a priority for arts organizations and can save time, money and legal wrangling down the line. This webinar will cover the details of workers comp as it applies to the special needs of nonprofit arts groups, how to determine "employee" status and risks of not properly defining employment status. We will also be discussing recent trends in New York State in regard to workers comp.


Camp Finance 2013: Rethink, Retool & Reboot! Preparing for Better Days Ahead
October 10th & 11th, 2013    New Paltz, NY
Register Now with Memorial Day Discount Codes
We're kicking off the summer with savings!
From now until May 
31st take $40 off your CAMP FINANCE single occupancy registration with codeMEMDAY1. Or take $20  off your double occupancy registration with code MEMDAY2.

Click here for more information on what CAMP FINANCE will be offering this year, including details on our newly announced
Keynote Speaker Dan Pollatta, author of  
Register for our webinar!


Network for Good Logo





Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Daily Freeman: Ulster County Executive Michael Hein Trumpets Arts in Announcing Awards

Ulster County Executive Michael Hein trumpets arts in announcing awards (video)

ROSENDALE, N.Y. — Having artists in your community makes it a better place to be, Ulster County Executive Michael Hein said Tuesday before announcing the recipients of the first Ulster County Executive’s Arts Awards.

The award recipients are the Shadowland Theatre in Ellenville, Arts Organization; Shelly Hamilton of Boiceville, Arts in Education; and R&F Handmade Paints in Kingston, Business/Corporation. Special citations are going to Maverick Concerts of Woodstock and The Falcon in Marlboro.

“It’s a better place with artists in your community,” Hein said. “The more, the better.”

Hein said he wants Ulster County to be a mecca for the arts, and he thanked the honorees for all they do to bring art to the community.

Paul Tesoro, chairman of the Dutchess County Arts Council Board of Directors, said Hein recognizes that arts mean business for any community.

The Dutchess County Arts Council has been working with Ulster County for more than 20 years as administrator of the county’s New York State Council of the Arts funds. That money is used for project grants, art education and to fund arts programs and organizations in Ulster County, according to a press release

 The council also has presented the Dutchess County Executive’s Arts Awards since 1986.

Brendan Burke, artistic director of Shadowland Theatre, said his organization appreciates the executive’s recognition.



“We’re all firm believers of the arts and Ulster County,” Burke said.
Richard Frumess, president of R&F Handmade Paints, said the company feels part of its responsibility is to promote the arts and publicize the area.

“We see the arts as something that can help revitalize that area,” Frumess said, referring to Kingston.

Hamilton was not able to attend Tuesday’s event. She has been an art instructor at Onteora High School since 2002.

The recipients of the Ulster County Executive’s Arts Awards will receive their honors during a June 11 lunch at Wiltwyck Golf Club in the town of Ulster.
(source: Daily Freeman)

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

This Morning, NYCON CEO Doug Sauer Testifies in Front of Senate Committee



Dear Members & Friends,

This morning I, along with many esteemed colleagues, will be testifying in front of the Senate Committee on Corporation, Authorities and Commissions regarding the recent proposed amendments to NYS' Not-for-Profit Corporate Law.

Our testimony will be 
streamed live today from 10am to 12pm.
I encourage you to watch it if you can.

Following the oral testimony, NYCON's written remarks will be posted online both on the Senate website and our own. We encourage you to read them and let us know what you think.
 
In general, NYCON supports these changes. It's been over 40 years since the law was amended and certainly, we know times have changed.

It's our view that the amendments should, first and foremost, enhance and simplify not complicate and protract the nonprofit community's ability to partner with NYS to deliver on mission - for basic human needs, for healthcare, for quality of life issues, for arts & culture, the list goes on and on.
 
As you will see many times we are in agreement - case in point, allowing board members to vote via email - however there are some areas in which we would suggest changes or additions to what has been proposed.

NYCON's main concerns are regarding:
  • Ensuring mergers, dissolutions, and other forms of corporate affiliations easier, cheaper and quicker
  • Ensuring voting officers and board members are volunteers and not paid
  • Addressing the misconceptions and proposed additional reporting requirements around nonprofit "excessive" executive compensation.
Again, our full remarks will be posted online at the conclusion of today's hearing. We welcome your feedback on these amendments and your thoughts in general on nonprofit policy & the current state of affairs in New York. Please click here to send us your comments.

Thank you for taking the time to read this today and for all the work that you continue to do in your communities. We truly do appreciate it.

           Sincerely,
Doug's Signature
           Doug Sauer, CEO
           New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc. (NYCON)


Links & Resources






Proud Member of
 the National Council of Nonprofits
national council of nonprofits

Improve Your Nonprofit's Website This Summer



From Audit to Redesign:
The Complete Nonprofit Website Toolkit!
Brought to you through our partnership with Idealware, this webinar series takes place each Tuesday from June 4 through July 2 and are held from 1:00pm  - 2:30pm (EST).
Pricing for Five 90-minute sessions: Only $140 for the entire series for NYCON Members with code NYCON2013;  $200 for Non-Members [Membership will be verified]

Can you remember when your organization's website was designed? Can your supporters and constituents navigate and find the information they need? Can your staff members easily create or update content on your website? If you answered "no" to any of those questions, it might be time to bring that website into the 21st Century.

Join Idealware for From Audit to Redesign: The Complete Nonprofit Website Toolkit, an amazing five-session webinar series presented in partnership with Idealware, and they'll walk you through Website 101, review best practices for accessibility, mobile-optimized sites, and reinforcing your organization's online brand, and review content management systems.

From Audit to Redesign: The Complete Nonprofit Website Toolkit
will look at all aspects of your website, including:  
·         Defining goals for how your website will serve your audience.   
·         Learning best practices for designing an accessible, usable, and polished website.   
·         Comparing your content management system (CMS) options.   
·         How to make sure your website shows up well on search engines
·         Creating your organization's website action plan with next steps and action
items for an improvement process.   
In addition to the five webinars, participants in the Toolkit will have access to Office Hours. These are one hour time blocks during which you have access to an Idealware expert one-on-one.   

Webinars take place each Tuesday from June 4 through July 2 and are held from 1:00pm  - 2:30pm (EST) 

Pricing for Five 90-minute sessions: Only $140 for the entire series for NYCON Members with code NYCON2013;  $200 for Non-Members [Membership will be verified]


What Nonprofits are Saying About Idealware Webinars
"This entire seminar was just fantastic. I learned so much. I especially liked all the practical applications and examples given. I will definitely recommend this course to other people. Great job!!"

"Really liked the format-especially having the slides in advance. Allowed me to listen more and parallel process the information that applied to my organization."

"Excellent seminar. Very informative. Great examples to illustrate points. Friendly, personable presenters."

"We loved the seminar and found it very useful for our nonprofit organization. The ability to ask questions during the presentation, and the work book, are very valuable tools."