Announcing The 2014 Field Guide to Software for Nonprofits

	2014 Field Guide to Software for Nonprofits How do you know what technology will help increase the reach of your nonprofit? How do you wade through the different options available on the marketplace to find the right one for your needs? We'd like to tell you about the Field Guide to Software for Nonprofits, our flagship product, which we've newly updated for 2014. This handy reference book to the different types of software available to help your organization will become your go-to guide, whether you're a technologist or tech-averse.  The Idealware mission is to help nonprofits like yours make smart technology decisions, and the Field Guide is the perfect summary of that mission. Each year we update it to reflect the thousands of hours of research, interviews, and analysis we conduct around nonprofit technology, as well as trends and needs in the nonprofit sector. Inside the 220-page book, you'll find information on every type of software to benefit your nonprofit. In each section you'll get an overview of the different tools available to you, what you can use them for, the options widely used by other nonprofits, and guidance on where to seek out more information. For the 2014 edition, we've added completely new research and recommendations, up-to-the minute listings of software rates and features, and insight into software and technology on the cutting edge. We're extremely proud of the Field Guide. Since our inaugural edition five years ago, we've made it a priority each year to provide a comprehensive overview of nonprofit technology at a cost that fits the budgets of even the smallest organizations. You can purchase the 2014 Field Guide to Software for Nonprofits for $19.95 by registering below. Or, if you want to purchase multiple copies or are ordering from outside the U.S., click here to buy through Amazon. If you would like your coworkers, network, or grantees to benefit from our research too, remember that we also offer attractive rates for bulk purchases. Contact Laura Quinn atlaura@idealware.org for more information. Purchase The Field Guide Now >>> ________________ You received this email because you signed up for Idealware updates. If you are no longer interested in hearing from us,click here to unsubscribe. Idealware | 1 Pleasant St., Suite 4E | Portland ME | 04101

Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's Weekly News

For the Week Ending April 27, 2014  DiNapoli: New York on Stronger Financial Footing New York state ended the 2013–14 fiscal year in the strongest fiscal position in years and was able to deposit $175 million in the Rainy Day Reserve Fund for the first time since 2008, according to a report on the recently enacted state budget released Monday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Still, the $143 billion budget continues to rely, in part, on temporary funding streams to attain balance. Comptroller DiNapoli and A.G. Schneiderman Announce Guilty Pleas by Former Met Council Directors for Stealing $9M in Kickback Scheme New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and New York State Attorney General Eric T. SchneidermanWednesday announced the guilty pleas of William Rapfogel, former executive director and chief executive officer of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty (Met Council), and David Cohen, also a former executive director of the council. Rapfogel and Cohen both face prison time after pleading guilty to multiple felony charges for stealing, together with other co–conspirators, approximately $9 million from the taxpayer–funded nonprofit organization in a 20–year grand larceny and kickback scheme. DiNapoli: Major Retailers Agree to Stronger Supplier Oversight New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli Thursday announced that Fortune 500 retailers Dollar Tree and Dillard’s have agreed to new reporting standards that will help ensure greater transparency and safety in their suppliers’ factories. The agreements will help safeguard the companies and their investors against the financial and reputational damage that can result when suppliers fail to uphold recognized standards of labor and workplace safety. As a result of the substantive agreements, DiNapoli has withdrawn his shareholder proposals asking the companies to strengthen their supply chain accountability. DiNapoli Offers Proposal to Encourage Better Local Government Budgeting State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli Tuesday announced the introduction of a legislative proposal aimed at helping local governments across New York improve their long–term budget planning. The bill would provide reimbursement from the state to municipalities for costs incurred for hiring financial advisors to assist in the development of multi–year budget plans. DiNapoli Announces State Contract & Payment Actions for March 2014 State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced Monday his office reviewed 2,379 contracts valued at $2.9 billion and approved more than 2.7 million payments worth more than $18.9 billion in March 2014. His office also rejected 202 contracts and related transactions valued at $531 million and 5,036 payments valued at more than $7.9 million due to fraud, waste or improprieties. Comptroller DiNapoli Releases Municipal Audits New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli Wednesday announced his office completed audits ofCenter Moriches Free Public Library; Town of Harmony; Village of Hillburn; Village of Liberty; Mount Vernon Industrial Development Agency; Town of Villenova; and the Westmere Fire District. Comptroller DiNapoli Releases School Audits New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli Wednesday announced his office completed audits of theDryden Central School District; New Rochelle City School District; Port Jefferson Union Free School District; and the Portville Central School District.

EDITORIAL: State’s financial health is fragile Ex-CEO admits to ‘knowingly’ stealing more than $9 million from prominent NYC charity State Comptroller’s report says New York is in a favorable financial position

Take the Step to Delay the Nonprofit Revitalization

Taking the Necessary Steps to Delay the Nonprofit Revitalization Act  What are you doing to the delay the date?  NYCON continues its efforts to delay the Nonprofit Revitalization Act's effective date. Since our last E-newsletter regarding the Nonprofit Revitalization Act, we've made tremendous progress due to our members communicating to local elected officials, signing our petition, and providing us their testimonies.To advance our position, NYCON will be meeting with the offices ofAssmeblymember James Brennanand Michael Ranzenhofer tomorrow Tuesday, April 29th.  We will be outlining key reasons to both offices as to why the Act's effective date should be delayed from July 1st, 2014 to January 1st, 2015. We will also be bringing the petition and testimonies provided by our members regarding the Act. To support our efforts tomorrow, we ask members to send a letter to  Assmeblymember James Brennan and Michael Ranzenhofer  We encourage you to either send your own letter or use our   NYCON letter as a template  to email/fax to their office.   We have over 100 signatures on our petition, but we know there are still many more out there who have not yet, so please join our efforts by signing your name. Please remember that anyone can sign this petition, so please feel free to disperse this to staff, volunteers, consumers, or anyone who cares about the sustainability of your organization within the community. Please Sign Our Petition! You can also join our cause by Sending Us Your Testimony.Help us express why the Act´s effective date should be delayed! If you have any questions about this or any other public policy issue, please feel free to our Program and Policy Associate, Amber Vanderwarker.

64 Days   Left until the Nonprofit Revitalization Act Deadline  NYCON's Memo of Revision: Please read NYCON's Memo of Revision, to learn more about why NYCON is requesting to delay  the Act's effective Date.

Leadership is Hard - RISK eNews

A SOURCE for Tools, Advice, and Training to control risks… so you can focus on your nonprofit’s mission.

April 23, 2014 With Thanks The Nonprofit Risk Management Center is deeply grateful to the companies that have signed on as Corporate Sponsors of our 2014 risk-themed conferences. In addition to our Corporate Sustainers, we are pleased to report that USLI and The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. have enrolled as 2014 sponsors. Thank you! Visit our2014 Conferences webpage for location details, conference schedules, and online registration. Contact Kay Nakamura at (202) 785-3891 to discuss partnership opportunities. Leadership is Hard By Melanie Lockwood Herman This week I’ve been reading “The Hard Thing About Hard Things,” by Ben Horowitz, the former CEO of Opsware, whose company was acquired by HP for $1.6 Billion in 2007. What practical advice might a Silicon Valley tech executive turned venture capitalist have to offer nonprofit CEOs and risk champions? Brutal but helpful lessons from the world of startups, dot coms, and life on the fine dividing line between financial success and disaster. Like the corporate CEOs referenced in “The Hard Thing About Hard Things,” most of us leading mission-driven organizations awake each morning believing that we run great organizations. We yearn for opportunities to boast about our compelling missions and how we transform lives and communities. But I think Horowitz is right when he says that the true test of that belief is when the organization—and the CEO—have to do something truly difficult. Here are just a few of the “hard things” I learned from this provocative new book. No Excuses, No Self-Pity – In one of the shortest but most memorable chapters, Horowitz explains that when disaster strikes, “nobody cares.” His advice? Conserve the mental energy needed to rationalize the mess, make excuses for the mess, or engage in self-pity. Use the energy you have to “find the one seemingly impossible way out… Spend zero time on what you could have done, and devote all of your time to what you might do.” Recognize Good from Bad – The opportunity to make a difference is often touted by nonprofit CEOs attempting to lure talented professionals to their organizations. Yet are we being honest about whether our nonprofits—regardless of the warm feelings our mission statements convey—are really good organizations? Horowitz explains that in a good organization, “staff wake up knowing that the work they do will be efficient, effective and make a difference for the organization and themselves. These things will make their organizations both motivating and fulfilling.” In contrast, in a poor organization, “people spend much of their time fighting organizational boundaries, infighting, and on broken processes. They are not even clear on what their jobs are, so there is no way to know if they are getting the job done or not.” Which characterization fits the nonprofit you lead? If you’re not 100% confident that the “good organization” label applies, what steps are you taking to dispense with mission-wasting processes and eliminate the confusion and chaos you need to evolve to good? Take a Hard Look at the Numbers and the White Space – Today’s nonprofit CEOs are becoming increasingly obsessed with numbers. I recall a board meeting more than 10 years ago when one of my business-savvy board members urged our team to conduct an annual “ROI” process. Her suggestion, which seemed novel in 2004, is not an uncommon theme at today’s board table. But Horowitz cautions against focusing on the wrong numbers or looking at them in the wrong way. He describes “management by numbers” as “sort of like paint by numbers—it’s strictly for amateurs.” The frequent mistake that leaders make is to focus on short-term results while sacrificing future opportunities, or “downstream competitiveness.” He urges CEOs to look beyond the black box with the numbers to the intriguing “white space” that explains how the organization achieved those numbers. He reminds his readers that in many cases, qualitative goals may be an organization’s most important ones. Invite Candid Feedback Through One-on-Ones – According to Ben Horowitz, a common mistake made by tech CEOs is to engage in one-way conversations with staff. Whether it’s a performance review, pep talk, or opportunity to make a big announcement, apparently many CEOs prefer to hear the sound of their own voices to hearing feedback from direct reports and the rank and file! Horowitz challenges CEOs to make time for one-on-one conversations with staff. During these one-on-ones, the most important rule is the 90:10 rule: CEOs should do no more than 10% of the talking. Questions to help spark the conversation include: If we could improve in any way, how would we do it? What’s the number one problem with our organization? Why? What’s not fun about working here? What are we not doing that we should be doing? Share Every Burden You Can – Horowitz writes that “It’s easy to think that the things that bother you will upset your people more. That’s not true. The opposite is true. Nobody takes the losses harder than the person most responsible.” The author’s antidote to lonely despair when things go terribly wrong? “Share every burden you can. Get the maximum number of brains on the problems even if the problems represent existential threats.” Leaders of nonprofit organizations are fortunate that our missions attract smart and passionate staff and volunteers. It’s been years since I’ve heard any CEO complain about having a hard time recruiting top notch staff and brilliant board leaders. With the opportunity to work with and tap the enthusiasm, creativity and dedication of bright people, our missions know no bounds. But despite the talent at our doorsteps, leading a nonprofit requires making hard choices, choosing between sometimes painful alternatives, and never giving up or giving in when the going gets tough. You can reach out for help, look for opportunity in the face of disaster, but you can’t hide. Why? Because your mission deserves your commitment and fortitude to handle the “hard things” that are inevitable in the extraordinary world of nonprofit service. Melanie Lockwood Herman is Executive Director at the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. Melanie’s calendar of upcoming speaking engagements is available online. Also available are “hot topics” for workshops in 2014. Questions? Call Kay Nakamura at (202) 785-3891 to discuss Melanie’s availability as a keynote or workshop speaker. Suit Yourself Risk Management Training Each month the Center records a brand-new Risk Webinar featuring up-to-date content on issues that are top-of-mind for nonprofit leaders. The one-time cost for each program is $59, or apply to become an Affiliate Member to enjoy unlimited access to our “vault” of more than 100 hours of risk management training. Frustrated with the limitations of your annual performance review process? Learn what’s new in the field of performance management by purchasing this month’s program on Managing Risk in Performance Management. Next month’s program, on The Insurance Marketplace will be released on May 5. To purchase any recorded program or peruse the “webinar vault,” visit our 2014 Webinars page today.

New Report on Foundation Funding to Address Domestic Violence

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:Cheryl Loe
Communications Project Manager
The Foundation Center
(888) 356-0354 ext. 701
communications@foundationcenter.org

New Report on Foundation Funding to Address Domestic Violence

New York, NY — April 21, 2014. Today, the Foundation Center announced the release of a landmark report on foundation support for organizations and programs working to prevent — and address the consequences of — domestic violence in California. Enabled through a grant from Blue Shield of California Foundation, and using data from the Foundation Center's research database, Foundation Funding to Address Domestic Violence in California is the first-ever examination of philanthropy's contribution to the field of domestic violence. The report provides a landscape analysis to inform community organizations, funders, government agencies, and other stakeholders working to improve prevailing statistics that show one in three women will experience rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in her lifetime.

"It is evident from this study that there is still ample space for additional funders to help end domestic violence," said Peter Long, Ph.D., president and CEO of Blue Shield of California Foundation. "Given the complex causes of and solutions for domestic violence, philanthropic organizations working on a variety of issues — from healthcare to childhood development — have clear opportunities to get involved and make a difference."

In the period 2009-2011, a total of 96 funders awarded more than $42 million in grants to domestic violence organizations in California. Funds primarily supported family services (80 percent), along with grants for legal services (28.8 percent), prevention (35.6 percent), and public health (27.2 percent).

Other key findings from the report:

• The populations most targeted by foundations were women and girls (96 percent) and children and youth (73.5 percent), followed by the economically disadvantaged (35 percent) and racial/ethnic minorities (16.1 percent).
• Grant recipient organizations located in major metropolitan areas led the state in their share of domestic violence funding dollars: San Francisco (27.4 percent) and Los Angeles (20.7 percent).
• Blue Shield of California Foundation is the leading domestic violence funder in California, making up more than 30 percent of total grant dollars awarded toward domestic violence prevention and services.
• Among the 1,000 largest foundations, the most that invested in any given year during the study period was 74.

"It is essential for funders, practitioners, and policymakers to have concrete data about funding to address domestic violence," said Brenda Henry-Sanchez, director of research for special projects at the Foundation Center and co-author of the report. "This kind of knowledge helps pinpoint where the gaps are so funders can direct their investments where it will do the most good."

Data on foundation funding for critical social issues like domestic violence align with the Foundation Center's stated priorities to communicate philanthropy's contribution to making a better world and to empower donors with the knowledge tools they need to be strategic. This report provides benchmarks against which to measure future progress in California and can serve as a model for other states that want to better understand the nature of foundation funding to address domestic violence.

The data highlighted in Foundation Funding to Address Domestic Violence in California are from the Foundation Center's research grants set, which includes all grants of $10,000 or more awarded by 1,000 of the largest U.S. foundations.

The report, which can be downloaded for free from the Foundation Center's web site, is part of a project funded by Blue Shield of California Foundation that offers tools and training to improve the fundraising capacity of California's domestic violence service providers. In collaboration with several funder associations and Blue Shield of California Foundation, the Foundation Center will present a webinar on May 6 at 11:00 am (PT) to highlight the findings of the report and engage funders and advocates to discuss its implications for the field. Registration for the webinar is online.

About the Foundation Center
Established in 1956, the Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. Through data, analysis, and training, it connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to succeed. The Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. and, increasingly, global grantmakers and their grants — a robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level. Thousands of people visit the Center's web site each day and are served in its five regional library/learning centers and its network of more than 470 funding information centers located in public libraries, community foundations, and educational institutions nationwide and around the world. For more information, please visit foundationcenter.org or call (212) 620-4230.

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The Foundation Center • 79 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003 • (212) 620-4230

Arts Mid-Hudson exec turns to city council to promote district

City of Poughkeepsie-based glass artist Jeep Johnson stands March 28 in his North Hamilton Street workspace. / Photos by Darryl Bautista/Poughkeepsie Journal

Written by

John W. Barry

Poughkeepsie Journal

• FILED UNDER

• News
• Local News
• Bardavon 1869 Opera House

ZOOM

One of six pieces Johnson will exhibit in France this month. Johnson says an arts district could change his approach to art.

Economic impact of the arts

More than $11 million: Bardavon 1869 Opera House in Poughkeepsie
More than $12 million: Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie
More than $2 million: Mill Street Loft in Poughkeepsie
Source: Americans for the Arts

More

In the absence of any response from Poughkeepsie Mayor John Tkazyik, Arts Mid-Hudson Executive Director Linda Marston-Reid is working with Common Council members to tap the economic impact of the arts in the city.

Marston-Reid said she has yet to hear back from Tkazyik on her proposal for an arts district, the heart of a plan to generate tourism, after he canceled a meeting in July because of a water emergency in the city. Tkazyik in January told the Journal that his staff reviewed the information Marston-Reid passed along last year and the city was waiting for the completion of a waterfront study, part of a zoning code overhaul, before proceeding with plans for the arts district.

Tkazyik did not respond to a request for comment for this article.

“We really need the municipal leadership to take hold of an opportunity that the arts and arts organizations are offering to the city,” Marston-Reid said, “as a way to build our economy here, make it a more livable city, make it a more exciting place to live.”

The proposed district and Tkazyik’s commitment to the local cultural community are critical to the City of Poughkeepsie because the arts are a proven catalyst for revitalization, growth, economic development and tourism, Marston-Reid said.

According to Americans for the Arts, a nonprofit arts advocacy organization, the arts in Dutchess County have a multimillion-dollar economic impact. And an arts district could help Arts Mid-Hudson drive tourism by giving the group a tool to market the local arts community throughout the region, according to officials.

Tourism in 2012 generated $475 million, according to Dutchess County Tourism. And Mary Kay Vrba, executive director of Dutchess County Tourism, has said the arts in the City of Poughkeepsie could serve as a catalyst for tourism and growth as they did in Beacon. Dia:Beacon, the contemporary art museum that opened in 2003, has played a pivotal role in the revitalization of Beacon, with Dia creating an art scene based on tourism.

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State of the Nonprofit Sector Survey: The Nonprofit Finance Fund

Nonprofit Finance Fund Releases "State of the Nonprofit Sector" Survey Results Nonprofits Striving for Long Term Financial Survival The Nonprofit Finance Fund's sixth annual State of the Nonprofit Sector Report depicts a National Nonprofit sector struggling to meet a heightening demand for services, while at the same time deal with increasing revenue cuts. The results reflect ongoing issues, such as continuing gaps and inconsistencies of funding streams to New York State Nonprofits, which drastically decrease the likelihood of long term financial survival for the State's sector. The survey had a total of 5,019 respondents, with a representative number 462 nonprofit organizations from New York State. For specific data on New York State please click here. Some of the highlights from the Survey comparing New York State and the National Survey results can be found below: NYS matched the National number of 80% of respondents reporting a slight or significant increase in the demand for services.  50% of NYS Nonprofits, compared to the 56% Nationally, were unable to meet demand in 2013- the highest reported in the survey's history. 31% of NYS Nonprofits, compared to 28% Nationally, ended FY2013 with an operating deficit See below for specific New York State data results:   When government contracting payments are late 38% of Nonprofits stated they use reserves while 26% rely on a loan, line of credit, or some other type of debt.   Between 40-45% of Nonprofits stated that their Federal, State, or Local funding had declined.      23% of Nonprofits reported that the Average Indirect Rate paid by the state is 0-3%  50% of Nonprofits reported that NYS contracts are 30 to over 90 days late on payment.   Top barrier reported in measuring impact was not enough staff and time  NYCON will continue to update our members on the latest trends and research on our State's Nonprofit Sector.  Let us know how these trends resonate with your organization, email Amber Vanderwarker, Policy & Program Associate at NYON.