NYCON's 2014 "Being a Successful Executive Director" Retreat is 12/10-12/12/14

Our annual conference for newer Executive Directors (5 years or less at current organization) will be in Latham, NY this year Dec 10-12.  And limited grant sponsorship dollars from the Dyson Foundation are available for Executive Directors of organizations in Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, or Ulster Counties!!!

Helping You Become A Better Leader
This intimate retreat setting is the perfect opportunity for Executive Directors to engage with other nonprofit leaders currently in this role, master the critical skills necessary for effective nonprofit management, and receive individual consultation with industry experts on the issues that your nonprofit is facing.
NYCON’s annual Executive Director Retreat is oriented and specifically designed for those nonprofit Executives who are in their first 5 years of service in this role.
The retreat is designed to introduce, through practical application, the many and varied functions and competencies necessary for a successful Nonprofit Leader. An intensive emphasis is placed on several of the most critical, multi-disciplinary “real world” elements of executive leadership, management, and problem-solving.
This retreat is an essential part of the toolkit for your professional and organizational development.
2013 Participant:
“One of the most important and useful training any new executive director of a not for profit could attend is the NYCON New Executive Director Training.”
Questions? Contact Us! Kate Pauly— Membership & Events Coordinator, NYCON 1 (800) 515-5012 ext. 126 or email kpauly@nycon.org
Learn More & Apply Today! Executive Director Retreat 2014 December 10th-12th, 2014 The Century House Latham NY 12110
 Are you a new Executive Director or CEO with less than five (5) years of experience?
Rates & Other Information:
NYCON Member Rate: $745.00
 (Including two overnights and all meals)
NYCON Member Rate: $555.00
 (Meals With No Overnight Room)
Non-Member Rate: $855.00
 (Including two overnights and all meals)
Non-Member Rate: $640.00
 (Meals With No Overnight Room)
Please see www.nycon.org for full details.
LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE!
“Being A Successful Executive Director”

For even more information and to register please follow this link: http://www.nycon.org/index.php/latest-news/events/leadership-retreat-being-successful-executive-director-latham-ny/#.VA3gw_mwIUs

Taconic Resources for Independence Holding Deaf and Hard of Hearing Panel: 9/24/14

 



Hope you can attend!  Please spread the word...

Diversity and Awareness Panel: Hearing Loss and Accessibility

Did you know that 800 million people are affected by some kind of hearing loss? One-third of those affected are of retirement age - 65 years or older and the other two thirds are pre-retirement age, this statistic includes infants and children!

Hearing loss does not discriminate and has the potential to affect everyone. To raise awareness, as well as to illustrate the diversity of hearing loss, we have asked individuals of all ages and levels of hearing loss to speak about their personal experiences. Professionals will also be presenting about the rights of individuals with disabilities covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Join us and learn how you can make Dutchess County more accessible for people with hearing loss.

Date:          Wednesday, September 24^th

Time:                    9:30am – 1:00pm

Location:   The Henry A. Wallace Center

at the FDR Presidential Library & Home

Route 9, Hyde Park, NY

No registration fee - Lunch provided

Presenters:

·         Cheylisia Edwards, US Dept. of Health & Human Services - Office of Civil Rights

·         Bruce Gitlin, Attorney, NY Center for Law & Justice

·         Kathleen S. Friedman, LCSW, CSC, Director Deaf/HH Program & Limited English Proficiency Services at New York Presbyterian Hospital - Westchester Division

·         Parents of Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing Children

·         Individuals in the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Community

RSVP by: Wednesday September 10, 2014

Jeanine Byrnes, Deaf/Hard of Hearing Services Community Liaison

Mid-Hudson Interpreter Service, Taconic Resources for Independence, Inc.

j.byrnes@taconicresources.org

845-452-3913 x103 Voice

845-345-8416 Video Phone for ASL Users

Panel is funded by: Taconic Resources for Independence, Inc.

In collaboration with:

Dutchess County Deaf Awareness Group

Hudson Valley Catholic Deaf Center

Sign Language Interpreters, Assisted Listening Devices and CART will be provided

Report Shows Increase in Late Payments for NYS Contracts

Comptroller DiNapoli: Increase in Late Contracts with Nonprofits Impacts Those in Need   In one of our recent newsletters we reported on Urban Institute's National Study on prompt contracting, which ranked New York State within the "Top Ten Worst" in Nonprofit contracting and payments. Just this week, NYS Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli released a report with additional data proving, unfortunately, what we already suspected. New York State is getting worse at paying nonprofits what they are owed for services. Key Findings:  ·         State agencies were late 87% of the time in approving contracts with nonprofit providers in 2013.This is an increase from 2012, when 78 percent of contracts were approved late. ·         Late approvals prompted interest payments, mandated under the Prompt Contracting Law, which cost the state $185,519. The bulk of the interest was paid by four agencies as seen in the below table:  Agency Amount  % of NYS Interest Paid Department of Health $79,573 43% Division of Criminal Justice Services $56,487 30% Office of Children and Family Services $24,969 13% State Education Department $24,155 13% "Every day, New Yorkers rely on not-for-profits to care for their children, improve their health, get housing and much more,"DiNapoli said. "Simply put, the state can't provide all of these basic services without the help of not-for-profit organizations. And when contracts and payments are late, it hurts people and providers, costing the state taxpayer dollars in interest payments "We applaud Comptroller DiNapoli for tracking and highlighting this problem year after year,"said Doug Sauer, chief executive officer of the New York Council of Nonprofits Inc. "Unfortunately, facts do not create policy, they only inform it. The state of New York, despite best intentions, has taken its eye off the ball."   Although there have been multiple attempts to fix the system, such as the NYS Grants Gateway, little has made any real substantial changes to improve the system. The Comptroller's report recommends that state agencies: ·         Make prompt contracting a priority to reduce costs to the state and nonprofits ·         Pay prompt contracting interest with the first payment due after the start of a late contract ·         Re-align contract start dates to reflect the time required for the procurement process.  To download the Full Report click here, for a breakdown by nonprofit, region, and length of days for approval click here. Want more information? Please contact our Policy & Program Associate, Amber Vanderwarker.

Download the Prompt Contracting Annual Report  Click here to download the Full Report, and click here for a breakdown by nonprofit, region, and length of days for approval.   Updated on Prompt Payment Legislation: It may be late in the legislative session, but you can still help us pass  A.9599/ S.7340. It's passed in the Assembly, but has not moved in the Senate. Send an email or call chairman Michael Ranzenhofer's office today to move the bill.   NYCON News & Resources State Commits to Additional Gateway Fixes NYCON's Efforts Makes a Difference and a Win for Nonprofits National Study of Nonprofit-Government Contracts and Grants 2013 NYS: State of the Sector Survey Results

National Council of Nonprofits: Nonprofit Knowledge Matters

Building a better budget (even if you are allergic to numbers) During an interview with staff members at the New York Council of Nonprofits, Jenny Chandler, Vice President at the National Council of Nonprofits, learned how to build a better budget:   In an effort to get over my allergy to numbers, I spoke with the terrific team of Kelly Mathews (Chief Operating Officer), Michelle Jarvais (Chief Fiscal Officer), and Elizabeth Mathews (Senior Accountant), who shared with me their “6 P’s” approach to nonprofit budgets. See if you can find the “P’s” in their advice!   Jenny: When you work with nonprofits to build a “better” budget, what are your goals?   Michelle: We’re going for a strategic process that helps you plan – not just taking last year’s numbers and updating them. We encourage nonprofits to look a few years ahead and take a multi-year approach because that will result in a better budget.   Kelly: In my work with nonprofits I often see folks not thinking through the long-term effects of short-term decisions. An example would be a simple cost-of-living adjustment. It’s great in the year it’s given – it bumps up salaries and boosts morale. But has the nonprofit projected out the impact of that adjustment for the next few years? It’s going to change the revenue requirements for many years to come. That could be huge.   Michelle: We encourage nonprofits to think of their budget as a living, breathing, guiding document. Your budget is not something that’s approved by the Board of Directors and then locked in stone for the rest of the year. It’s never going to be static. It’s going to change month-to-month. It’s normal for the actual numbers to turn out differently than you projected when you drafted the budget, so a “better budget” is one that changes with the nonprofit’s experience.     Jenny: It sounds as if you are suggesting that the board-approved budget should be formally amended throughout the year?   Michelle: Perhaps. Many organizations approve at least one budget revision annually. But sometimes adjustments are anticipated and reflected in the budget narrative so that a formal amendment isn’t necessary. If the narrative is thoughtfully drafted it will explain potential variances and alert the board to alternate scenarios.   Jenny: Wait a minute. You just said, “narrative” – You mean budgets aren’t just numbers on an Excel spreadsheet?    Read more from this interview...     Changing the Culture on Costs, One Community at a Time Most nonprofits know the problems caused when governments, funders, and the public incorrectly assume that only program costs are well spent and that overhead costs are undesirable. Some nonprofit leaders in Napa Valley, California are doing something about those attitudes, and providing inspiration for the rest of the nonprofit community.   Read more…   Subscribe here to receive your free copies of Nonprofit Advocacy Matters (every other Monday), where this article was originally published.        And now for something fun: A summer celebration of charitable nonprofits! Sit back in your chair, let yourself relax for two minutes to enjoy this short “Motion Graphic” about how nonprofits are essential to the quality of life in our communities. Brought to you by our member State Association, the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands.      Resources to help your nonprofit develop a budget   Budget Best Practice Tips (NYCON)   Financial management resources (National Council of Nonprofits)   NYCON’s Budget and Cash Flow Toolkits: Comprehensive, step-by-step guided & easy to use ● Take a tour ● Information & Online Order Form ● Contact your state association of nonprofits to inquire about a discount.     Advertisement   Worth Reading   Is Strategic Philanthropy Yesterday’s News? (Nonprofit Quarterly)   Build a board culture that advances fund development (Cause Planet)   Preventing fraud in the cash disbursement process (Tate & Tryon)   Author Interview: A Board Member’s Easier Than You Think Guide To Nonprofit Finances (Andy Robinson and Nancy Wasserman)      Your Voices Last month, we asked how often your board reviews financial reports. Here's what you said:     This month's poll: What do you think of crowdfunding as a fundraising strategy?   Tell us in this quick, one-question poll and look for the results in next month's Nonprofit Knowledge Matters.       Worth Noting   Beware of a current government grant scam   Free program: Everything you always wanted to know about Grants.gov (June 25, 1 pm Eastern)   © Copyright 2014 National Council of Nonprofits. All rights reserved  1200 New York Avenue, NW | Suite 700 | Washington, DC 20005 | www.councilofnonprofits.org

Circuit Rider program through the Connecting to New York's Collections

Over 50 organizations have requested a 

Circuit Rider site visit - 

Have you requested yours yet?

 

Sign Up for a Face-to-Face Assessment of Your Site!  The Circuit Rider program is currently being offered through the Connecting to New York's Collections administered by Greater Hudson Heritage Network (GHHN), which is funded through a generous 'Connecting to Collections' Implementation Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the Fall of 2014.

  

What is a Circuit Rider?  Historically, the term referred to the clergy in the earliest years of the United States who were assigned to travel around specific geographic territories to minister to settlers and organize congregations. Our "Circuit Riders" are a team of statewide independent trained professionals in the field of collection management and conservation who will come to you! 

 

How does the CR program benefit my Institution?

The Circuit Rider program is tailored to meet the needs of individual sites and offers an opportunity for site staff and board members to meet personally with the Circuit Rider in an informal, supportive, and consultative setting. Circuit Riders help small collecting institutions develop preliminary strategies for improving collections care by identifying and prioritizing actions you can practicably take to implement improvements. The program will also help provide templates and identify resources you can use to draft basic collections policies, forms, and procedures for adoption and implementation. Information obtained from the Circuit Rider visit may be used as support materials for the American Association of Museum's Collections Stewardship Assessment Program (CSMAP), GHHN's Conservation Treatment Grant,  the Heritage Preservation's Conservation Assessment Program (CAP), and the Museum Assessment Program (CAP). 

  

How does it work?  Contact GHHN to request a site visit. The Circuit Rider will come to your organization for a half-day site visit focusing on a topic that is determined in advance. The site visits are available to historic house museums, historic sites, historical societies, libraries, and archives - any site that has collections. Circuit Riders will discuss various areas of stewardship with you, help identify your specific collections issues, suggest and prioritize basic steps to improve care of your collections, review your existing documents and forms, provide you with templates, and suggest site-specific resources. You can request multiple site visits as long as each visit is on a different collection issue. Best of all, the program is completely FREE to participants until October 2014.

 

 

Sign up today -- It's FREE!

 

Interested? Apply here: http://www.c2cnys.org/circuit-rider-program.html 

or contact us at 914.592.6726 or at director@greaterhudson.org

Upcoming Events & Webinars

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Medicaid Compliance...(But Were Afraid to Ask)  A special four-part NYCON "Lunch & Learn" Webinar Series brought to you by the Experts; FREE for NYCON Members. Non-Member Nonprofits are $75 per session or $275 for series.  If you would like to attend all four,please choose "Series" Ticket type.You will be automatically registered for each session through June. All webinars are from 11am to 12:30pm. Register Medicaid Compliance... Medicaid Compliance Plans ... Medicaid Self Auditing...Medicaid Self-Disclosures... Medicaid Audits ... Medicaid fraud, waste and abuse...Office of the Medicaid Inspector General ... OMIG...If these words and phrases are part of a typical day at your nonprofit, we have designed the perfect series of webinars for you. Participants will hear directly from experts in the field (including David Ross, former Acting Medicaid Inspector General for the State of New York, and David Rottkamp, CPA and leader of Grassi & Co.'s not-for-profit practice area) and get the practical information they need to provide appropriate oversight and management of Medicaid-funded programs, understand the role of the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General, and much more.   Next Webinar: Know Thy Compliant Self: How to Conduct a Medicaid Self Audit May 15th, 2014 11:00am to 12:30PM Presented by David R. Ross, Esq, and David M. Rottkamp, CPA Register Part of any provider's compliance program is their compliance plan, and the key part of any compliance plan is the concept of risk assessment and self auditing. This means identifying where errors are most likely to be made, and then reviewing your Medicaid claims and documentation for compliance with applicable requirements. Hypotheticals for risk assessment and self audit will be discussed. As participants will hear, self auditing can be the best preventative medicine. A question and answer period will be provided. Complying with the Nonprofit Revitalization Act:  Practical Webinars for New York Nonprofits Presented by David Watson, Esq, Sr. VP of Legal Accountability Services, NYCON and Michael West, Esq., Legal Advisor, NYCON May 20th and June 26th, 2014 Webinars are held from 11:00 am to 12:30pm The Nonprofit Revitalization Act is a landmark change in the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law of the State of New York and will usher in a modern era for the operation and governance of nonprofit corporations starting July 1, 2014. As always, here at the New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc. (NYCON) your one-stop tool box and soap box we eagerly anticipated the updated statutes and have prepared a practical webinar series to address your immediate needs in the updating of your bylaws and governance materials. We encourage all of our Members to take advantage of these webinars. Part 1: New York Nonprofit Revitalization Act Part- Steps To Compliance - An Overview A comprehensive overview of the Act to take place with a plenary Q/A portion to be held in February, April & June. This offering will provide you with an overview and a practical set of actions to take to amend your bylaws to meet the new standards of the Act Part 2:  New York Nonprofit Revitalization Act: Implementing Your  Compliance Checklist - Whistleblower, Conflict of Interest, Committees & Executive Compensation These webinars will be held In March and May will be a more detailed and focused on the various topics included in the Act that are new and have implications on Board governance in general and your operations specifically. Click here to register. Dates: May 20th   Cost: FREE & Open Only to current NYCON Nonprofit Members. All webinars are from 11:00am to 12:30pm. .  Date: June 26th Membership Benefits: Get to Know Us! [Webinar] May 30, 2014 2:00 pm Register In our "Get to Know Us" Sessions, NYCON staff will tell you a lot more about our membership benefits - and answer all the questions you have regarding our process, costs and what you get for FREE. We will be talking about these benefits... Nonprofit Training, Education and Professional Assistance NYCON empowers our members with the best practices, policies, and procedures as well as information on ever-changing regulations, funding, accountability and more. Cost Savings Solutions for Nonprofits NYCON leverages the purchasing power of thousands of nonprofits to bring you economies of scale on everything from Office Supplies to Fundraising Software. The Nonprofit Voice in New York State NYCON represents our members on the local, state and national level, giving voice to small and medium sized nonprofits everywhere.

Upcoming Event Listing How to Conduct a Medicaid Self-Audit Nonprofit Revitalization Act Webinars Membership: Get to Know Us Fundraising Breakfast Roundtable Webinars & Events from Our Partners Southern Tier Workshops Fundraising Breakfast Roundtables For Mid-Hudson Valley Nonprofits  Part III: May 22nd, 2014   8:00am to 9:30am Creating A "Planned Giving Culture" at Your Nonprofit   FREE RSVP TODAY NYCON is pleased to bring a series of three exciting, interactive discussions on fundraising to Mid-Hudson Valley nonprofits this spring. NYCON staff expert Audrey Grifel, with 25+ years of practical experience working with nonprofits on fundraising and donor management, will be facilitating these exciting discussions with our special guest speaker, philanthropist Nick Preddice. Mr. Preddice will give you a rare glimpse into the world of a major donor - sharing his expertise and advice.  Other Upcoming Webinars & Events from NYCON Partners....  Telling Your Story with Blogs, Photos, and Videos  FREE: 10 Tips for Measuring Programs Through Data     Before You Install: Selecting Software That Suits Your Needs   Southern Tier Capacity Building Mini-Grant and Assessment Programs: Resource Development & Fundraising 101: Building Relationships and Moving People to Act [Binghamton] July 10, 2014 9:30am-1:00pm  Strategies for Not Just Good...But Great Governance![Binghamton] August 6, 2014 9:30 am-1:00pm