The Network - News and Events

The Foundation Center based in New York will present “Fundraising in the Wake of Community-Wide Disasters” in Houston and Beaumont. Nonprofit organizations will learn how to continue fundraising efforts in times of community-wide emergencies. The Houston workshop will be sponsored by the Management Assistance Program of the United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast on March 7, 2007, and the Beaumont workshop will be sponsored by the Southeast Texas Nonprofit Development Center on March 9, 2007. For questions about the Beaumont session, contact Jean Moncla at (409) 880-1447 and for the Houston session, go to http://www.unitedwayhouston.org.

2007 TACDC Annual Conference: The Texas Association of Community Development Corporations will host its 2007 Annual Conference on March 26-28, 2007 in Austin TX. For additional information, go to www.tacdc.org.

Social Enterprise Alliance Conference: The annual conference of the Social Enterprise Alliance is a gathering of nonprofit organizations, foundation and corporate representatives, and management assistance providers committed to pursuing financial sustainability through “social enterprise” – earned income ventures that advance charitable missions. The purpose of the event is to provide access to information and tools that help mission-based organizations improve their business practices. The agenda will include sessions on business planning, legal issues, marketing, capitalization strategies, and more. The conference will be held April 17-19 in Long Beach, CA. Visit the website listed above for more information.

The Joy of Fundraising, Author Terry Axelrod’s fourth book, The Joy of Fundraising, will teach you to shift your fundraising thinking, focus, and actions to an abundance-based approach that attracts long-term donors who are passionate about your mission.

News & Events – February 15, 2007

Fact Sheet on Board Minutes

The following article is reprinted with permission from the Nonprofit Management Risk Institute. It was written by Melanie L. Herman, Executive Director of the Institute. It is a good tool to share with board or staff members taking minutes of board meetings. www.nonprofitrisk.org

Accurate board minutes are an important resource to governing and advisory boards of public and private organizations. Minutes also support sound risk management by providing a written record of board deliberations and decisions. Board minutes provide evidence that a board has exercised care in decision making. Board minutes also substantiate that a board is operating in accordance with legal requirements, including the organization’s own rules (found in its Bylaws and other documents) and rules established by regulatory agencies (including the secretary of state in which the organization operates) or other oversight bodies.

Despite the importance of board minutes, many organizations continue to make inadequate records of board meetings. The most common mistake made is the tendency to record too much—from casual but inconsequential statements made during the meeting to the ultimate mistake of recording every spoken word.

Appropriate board minutes should contain the following:

ü      The names of those members who are present and who are absent.
ü       The time the board meeting begins and ends.
ü       The existence or absence of a quorum.
ü       A concise summary of the action taken by the board.
ü       The names of the persons making and seconding motions.
ü       A summary of votes, indicating when motions were adopted by unanimous votes or the breakdown in yeas and nays and
      abstentions.
ü       A summary of documents introduced during the meeting.
ü       A summary of discussion points—concise statements of the issues raised and concerns reflected during the discussion.
ü       A summary of key action items, future steps, and who will take them.
ü       The name and title of the person responsible for taking minutes.

¨ Minutes should never be a verbatim documentation of every statement made during a board meeting. A document that
purports to record every uttered word is a transcript, not “minutes.”

¨ Minutes should be concise and informative, but never voluminous. Minutes that require more than 15 minutes' reading are of
little (or no) value to the staff and volunteer leaders of an organization.

¨       Minutes should be taken by someone who understands the substance of the issues being discussed. This is necessary to
      reflect, in a concise manner, the key points made during the meeting. A sound grasp of the issues facing the organization is
      also necessary to discern “chatter” that need not be included versus actions taken that should constitute the bulk of the
      minutes.

The decision to hire a new Executive Director is a critical decision for nonprofit boards. Barbara J. Gilvar has just released The Art of Hiring Leaders: a Guide for Nonprofit Organizations. The book is written in easy-to-read and concise chapters including the Board’s Role in the Transition, Planning and Working with a Search Committee, Outreach for the Search, Reading Resumes, and Interviewing. The book is available from Gilvar Publications at www.theartofhiringleaders.net.

The Alliance for Nonprofit Management will sponsor its Cultural Competency Institute on March 7-9, 2007 at the Citigroup Center in Chicago, IL. This workshop will give capacity builders the knowledge, skill, and commitment to intentionally focus on culture in their work that strengthens nonprofit leadership and organizational effectiveness. For information or to register, go to www.allianceonline.org.

Career Services at UTSA in San Antonio will sponsor its Spring 2007 Public Policy Career Fair on March 1, 2007 from 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 pm at its downtown campus. Career Services is very excited to combine the Non-Profit Organizations and the Criminal Justice Organizations together for this event. This year lunch for two recruiters will be provided at Pico De Gallo, which is located across the street from the downtown campus. Registration Fee is $75 and $60 for nonprofit organizations.

Space is limited so employers are encouraged to reserve a spot as soon as possible. If you are a registered employer, please log on to the Jobbank (www.utsa.edu/careerservices) using your assigned username and password and click “Career Events” on the menu bar. For more information contact Amy Heckle, Events Manager at (210) 458-4769 or amy.heckle@utsa.edu.

Blackbaud has announced its purchase of two companies that provide software and research to nonprofit organizations for direct mail and telemarketing companies. Based in Charleston, SC, they purchased the privately owned Target Software and the Target Analysis Group, both in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Convio, a privately owned company in Austin, TX announced a planned purchase of GetActive Software. Both companies sell software to nonprofits to communicate with their donors online, solicit funds, and engagement in advocacy campaigns.

Dorinda Rolle and David Patrick, partners with Transition Management Solutions, LLC, have announced a new website for their firm. It is www.tms-texas.com. Transition Management Solutions is building its roster of experienced Executive Directors who will serve as Interim Executive Directors for Texas nonprofits. If your organization needs an interim director or if you are interested in serving in this capacity, check out their website for details.

The first Nonprofit Congress in October, 2006 resulted in three priorities for the Nonprofit Sector: Organizational Effectiveness with an Emphasis on Leadership and Accountability, Public Support and Awareness of the Sector, and Advocacy. The Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations and TANO will sponsor “Worry Free Advocacy” on February 8, 2007 in Austin. The Alliance for Nonprofit Justice will present the seminar and Richard W. Meyer, TANO VP for Public Policy, will give an update on the Texas Legislature. For additional information or to register, click on http://www.tano.org/worryfree-program.html.

T. Boone Pickens, oil investor, has given $135 million to establish his own philanthropic foundation. According to a recent Chronicle of Philanthropy article, Mr. Pickens intends to give away the bulk of his fortune in his lifetime. The foundation will be established and organized in 2007. Main areas of giving include health and medical research, treatment, and services; aiding troubled children; entrepreneurship; education and athletics; corporate health and fitness; and conservation and wildlife management. Spokesperson Jay Rosser indicated the majority will be charities and causes in Oklahoma, his birthplace, and Texas his long-time home.

Beginning with the 2006 tax year, charities with $10 million or more in assets must file their Form 990 federal tax returns via the Internet. If a nonprofit lacks the technology to file the tax return online, the nonprofit can seek a waiver from this requirement. For additional information, go to http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=108211,00.html.

New Survey: “Corporate Citizenship Gets Down To Business: Doing Well by Doing Good 2006”

GolenHarris, a public relations firm in Chicago, has released its survey about the public perception of corporate involvement in communities. Major corporations have made strides in community involvement through their philanthropy, employment, and practices. However, participants believe corporations can still do more. For the free report, go to http://golinharris.com.

On January 3, 2007, The W.K. Kellogg Foundation announced a $5 million initiative over five years to support competitive internship stipends to American Humanics NextGen Leaders. American Humanics is facilitating the Nonprofit Sector Workforce Coalition; it is a collaboration of 54 nonprofits, foundations, corporations and academic institutions working to recruit, prepare, and retain a diverse next generation of nonprofit sector leaders. Texas nonprofits can access American Humanics at the following universities:

Mutual of America has announced its guidelines for its Community Partnership Award. This award recognized outstanding nonprofits in the United States that have demonstrated exemplary leadership by facilitating partnerships with public, private, or social sector leaders as equal partners to resolve community issues. The company awards a number of grants, and $25,000 is awarded to the winning organization each year. The application is available at www.mutualofamerica.com and it must be submitted by April 2, 2007.

The Helping Hands, a program of Roy Maas’ Youth Alternatives, Inc. in San Antonio, TX was a 2006 Award Recipient. Texas nonprofits are delivering quality programs and services in partnership projects across the state. By submitting your partnerships to Mutual of America, you will gain recognition for your programs.

The Foundation Center will offer the workshop, “Fundraising in the Wake of Community-Wide Disasters” at two Network members’ locations:

The IRS issued the 2007 optional standard mileage rates to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving expenses. Effective January 1, 2007, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car including vans, pickups or panel trucks will be:

Austin: In 2007, the Center for Community Based Organizations and TANO will offer a Nonprofit Leadership & Management Institute Certificate. The Certificate program will provide participants opportunities to acquire the knowledge, skills, and relationships necessary to lead and manage small and mid-size nonprofit corporations. It is for those already engaged in or aspiring to be volunteer and/ or professional leaders and managers within the Nonprofit Sector of Texas. The certificate will include a variety of topics and learning formats. 25-30 individuals will be recruited for the first class. For additional information, contact Barry Silverberg at (512) 223-7076 or bsilverb@austincc.edu.

Midland: The Nonprofit Management Center at the Permian Basin Area Foundation will add a new leadership program for young professionals to learn about the nonprofit sector. The Generations Project will provide training in the areas of nonprofit leadership, board governance, human resource management, nonprofit financial management, fundraising, mission, and program issues. Approximately 25 individuals will be trained in 10, four-hour sessions over a period of four months beginning January 18, 2007. Upon graduation in May, trainees will transition into service on a local nonprofit board that fits their personal preference and passion. Future training sessions will be conducted in the fall and spring of each year. The Generations project will help fill the shortfall of qualified volunteers needed to staff the boards of the nonprofit organizations in the Permian Basin. For more information, contact Cecilia Nelson, Generations Project Manager, at ccn@nmc-pb.org or call (432) 570-7971.

Transition Management Solutions based in San Antonio is seeking individuals interested in serving as Interim Executive Directors in nonprofit organizations. Candidates must have served as an executive director or have at least 10 years experience in nonprofit management. The mission of Transition Management Solutions is to provide Interim Executive leadership and consulting services for Texas nonprofit organizations that are in a period of transition following the departure of their chief executive. Transition Management Solutions is especially interested in potential Associates in the Austin and Dallas areas. If you are interested please email your resume or for more information, contact David Patrick at dpatrick1@satx.rr.com or call (210) 259-9867. www.transitionmanagementsolutions.com

News & Events – December 15, 2006

The Directory of Texas Foundations, 26^th Edition

The Nonprofit Resource Center of Texas in San Antonio is holding a pre-publication sale for the 26^th edition of The Directory of Texas Foundations. The sale price is $130 until January 15, 2007. Contact (210) 227-4333 or purchase online at www.nprc.org.

The Alliance for Nonprofit Management and the Center for Social Leadership announced a new partnership for their Executive Nonprofit Leadership Certification Program. The program will be offered as ten one-half day sessions in Washington DC starting in January, 2007. The deadline for registration is December 15, 2006. The 10 half-day classes offer both strategic (leadership) and tactical (skill-building) sessions, including facilitated panels, break-out sessions, case studies, and small group work and leadership circles. It will culminate with a final strategy paper written by each participant on a critical challenge their organization is currently facing and suggested recommendations on organizational development.

They will also offer a five-day immersion ECPNL session will be offered June 25-30, 2007 for nonprofit leaders and capacity builders nationwide. The immersion program features a session on cultural competency, which is critical to transformational leadership in the 21st century and an important asset of the Alliance's field-building efforts. For more information or to register for either session, please visit www.allianceonline.org or www.socialleaders.org.

The National Center for Charitable Statistics at the Urban Institute has updated its Nonprofit Almanac. The 2005 data indicates that nonprofit organizations now account for 5.2% of the nation’s economic input and paid 8.3% of all wages and salaries in 2005. There were 1.4 million nonprofit groups registered with the Internal Revenue Service in 2004. Americans continue to be generous in donating $260 billion in 2005 and 29% of Americans volunteered in their communities. A free copy of the highlights of the Nonprofit Almanac is available at http://www.urban.org.

The Nonprofit Risk Management has released its schedule of 2007 Webinars. These one-hour sessions offer a convenient way to learn about risk factors for nonprofit organizations. The sessions start January 17 through December 5, 2007 EST. Topics range from Risk Communication: Engaging the Board in Forecasting and Managing Risk, Financial Risk Management, and Evaluating the Adequacy of Your Insurance Coverage. Participants can register for one webinar or the entire series; costs range from $59 for one session to $399 for the 12-part series. Go to www.nonprofitrisk.org for additional information.

As a professional involved in the nonprofit industry in Texas, Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio is interested in your attitudes towards and expectations regarding continuing education opportunities in the field of Nonprofit Management. Please click on the link below to complete the survey. Your name will be entered in a drawing for $100.

If you have any questions regarding this survey, please contact Barb Johanningmeier at Prost Marketing, Inc. (210) 824-7799.

The School of Law at the University of Texas at Austin will sponsor its Nonprofit Organizations Institute on January 11-12, 2007 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, TX. Optional sessions will be held during the evening of January 10, 2007. Participants can earn up to 16.25 hours of credit including 2.5 hours of ethics credit. For the conference program and registration, go to www.utcle.org.

The Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations (TANO) and the Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College have just published the first Central Texas Nonprofit Compensation Study. This collaborative project included the contributions of many and the participation of 67 Austin area nonprofits. Plans call for this report to be conducted on an annual basis and to hopefully conduct similar studies in other parts of Texas. Survey participants received a free copy of this report; it is available for $30 for TANO members and $50 for other organizations. To purchase, go to www.tano.org/compsurvey-purchase.html or email barry@tano.org.

Betty Stallings recently wrote a lengthy article on the subject of funding your volunteer program. It is in the current edition of www.e-Volunteerism.com. If you are not a subscriber, you can get copies of the article from http://www.energizeinc.com/ From Ms. Stallings’ perspective, it generally makes better sense to request for funds to support the volunteer program/initiative which is expanding the mission of the organization. Funders are interested in the impact of their funds on a mission. It is that principle of asking for something to enhance the mission, not the organization. E.g. If you want computers for your staff/volunteers, phrase the request in terms of the impact that having computers will have on the mission. Otherwise it is a request to enhance the organization and everyone could easily write the same request.

After their inaugural year, nominations have been reopened for the 2007 Purpose Prize. In its first year, innovative achievements of outstanding older social innovators were recognized. In 2007, they have created a new award to honor nonprofits and public sector agencies developing innovative ways to employ people over 50 or help them find meaningful jobs solving social problems.

Now nominations are being accepted for the 2007 Purpose Prize. To nominate someone or apply yourself, visit www.purposeprize.org. The application deadline is February 1, 2007. The awards will be announced in September 2007.

New Report: The Bank of America Study of High Net-Worth Philanthropy

The Bank of America has released a report, the Study of High Net-Worth Philanthropy Initial Report. The report was researched and written by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. High Net-Worth households, those with incomes of greater than $200,000 or assets in excess of $1 million, represent 3.1% of total US households. However, this very small number of households accounts for approximately two-thirds of all household charity in this country. Thanks to the Bank of America for underwriting the research for this study. Click for the PDF report.

Earlier this summer the Network coordinated Town Hall meeting in Houston, Midland, San Antonio, or Wichita Falls. These meetings were hosted by our local members in those communities and funded by an AT&T Foundation grant. Rose Mary Fry, Executive Director of the Network, attended as a Texas delegate at the Nonprofit Congress on October 16-17, 2006. There were approximately 400 delegates and participants to the Congress and 47 states were represented. Texas had 20 delegates and participants represent our state. It was exciting and challenging to discuss effectiveness of the nonprofit sector and how we can work better together.

After discussion and a voting process by delegates, the Top Three Priorities were identified as follows:

Accountability and Best Practices - The nonprofit sector is accountable, responsive,

Leadership - The nonprofit sector has effective and strong leadership with a focus on mission.

In the coming months, participants and delegates from all states will determine how to strengthen work in these areas in their states. The Network will host 3-4 conference calls with the Texas participants/delegates to further our discussions. We are also raising funds to bring a State-Branded Standards of Excellence program to Texas. You are working in a much needed sector of our communities. As work progresses, information will be posted on the Network website at www.txnetwork.org. Information will also be posted at www.nonprofitcongress.org. If you have any questions, please call or email Rose Mary Fry.

The Nonprofit Policy Sampler, Second Edition, is now available from BoardSource. The book and CD provides practical tips in 50 areas plus 200 sample policies, job descriptions, board member agreements, etc. This is a great time-saving tool as boards and staffs update their policies. Cost is $60 for members and $80 for nonmembers. Organizations will be able to individual download policies at $6.00 per policy for members and $8.00 for nonmembers. www.boardsource.org.

New Report: Creating a Community of Learners: Successful Evaluative Learning for Nonprofits and Funders

The TCC Group has released a paper about successful evaluation learning and how to conduct nonprofit evaluations in an effort to find one that is both meaningful to the staff and useful for their funders. This paper explores the Community of Learners approach as an evaluation method that actively involves the staff and leaders of a foundation or nonprofit in the evaluation process. This paper provides examples of organizations that utilized the Community of Learners approach to strengthen their staffs’ skills and understanding of evaluation. Download this briefing paper as a PDF file: Creating a Community of Learners

The annual conference will be held October 11-12, 2006 at the Westin Galleria Hotel in Houston, TX. Network members Kathleen McCleskey and Jonathan Schick will make the following presentations:

        Kathleen McCleskey
¨       Keeping PACE in Your Nonprofit, Part I
¨       Setting Volunteers Up for Success – Engaging Successful Volunteer Engagement

        Jonathan Schick
¨       Six Principles of Board/Executive Partnerships
¨       Ethical Leadership in Today’s Challenging Climate
¨       Developing Vision Mission & Goals

AT&T AccessAll is a landmark, $100 million philanthropic initiative that connects families and communities with technology tools that can improve lives. AT&T AccessAll , the AT&T Foundation's new signature giving program, is the largest single philanthropic commitment in AT&T’s history and the nation’s largest-ever program to provide in-home technology access.

On June 14, 2006, AT&T Chairman Ed Whitacre announced one of the inaugural and most significant AT&T AccessAll initiatives. It is a collaboration with One Economy, Habitat for Humanity and other low-income housing providers to deliver technology packages, including Internet access, to 50,000 low-income families.

Low-income Americans remain significantly less likely to be online than middle- or high-income households, according to a study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. AT&T will put technology tools into low-income households identified by the nonprofit One Economy Corporation. For information, go to http://att.sbc.com/gen/landing-pages?pid=3309

Life is becoming a bit easier for nonprofits to register as they perform charitable solicitations within various states. The Unified Registration Statement is organized by the National Association of State Charities Officials and the National Association of Attorney General; it is one Standardized Reporting Project whose aim is to standardize, simplify, and economize the material filed by nonprofit organizations. The most recent version of the URS is v.3.02 which was released in July, 2006. http://www.multistatefiling.org/index.html

Texas will be well-represented for the first Nonprofit Congress on October 16-17, 2006 in Washington DC. Delegates Silona Bonewald, Tanya Debose, Marianne Ehrlich, Layla Fry, Rose Mary Fry, Rita Fryer, Hedy Helsell, Pamela Lemoine, Frank Rene Lopez, Ray McLeod, Richard Meyer, Cynthia Nunn, Sandie Palomo-Gonzalez, Jason Sabo, Jonathan Schick, Elena Serna, Barry Silverberg, and Tamara Thomas, Teresa Wright, and Daniel Zorn will participate and then share the results with their nonprofit colleagues throughout the state.

Texas delegates will meet at 8:00 a.m. on October 16, 2006 prior to the start of the Nonprofit Congress. Nonprofit Texas and The Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations will provide a Special Briefing on the Nonprofit Congress on Monday, October 23, 2006 from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. To register for the briefing, go to http://www.tano.org/npcongress.html.

If your organization applied for a technology grant from the AT&T Excelerator program, grant decisions will be announced in November, 2006.

The Network conducted a Town Hall meeting in Midland on September 11, 2006. Listed below are the participants’ perspectives.

1.   What do all nonprofits have in common?
Top Three Responses
¨        Volunteer boards with challenges and involvement
¨       Do more with less
¨       Time for administrative and fundraising needs

2.     What is your ideal vision for the nonprofit sector in your state?
Top Three Responses
¨           Better understanding of state needs, and collaboration efforts to address those needs
¨           Resource directory, certification, and registration procedures
¨           Balanced community participation and ownership in nonprofits more reflective of demographics

3.   What are the obstacles common to all nonprofits – regardless of mission – that prevent us from reaching this vision? Prioritize the order in which these obstacles and challenges should be addressed?
Top Three Responses
¨       Lack of needed resources: time, money, and leadership and public perception that nonprofits should do great work with few resources
¨       Lack of accountability
¨       Skilled board and staff leadership

4.   What key short-term steps can nonprofit organization collectively take to eliminate these obstacles?
Top Three Responses
¨       Increased dialogues between the profit, nonprofit, and governmental sectors
¨       Statewide campaign to dispelling negative images about nonprofits and educating the realities of nonprofit sector
¨       Form alliances

5.       What are key long-term steps can nonprofit organizations collectively take to eliminate these obstacles?
Top Three Responses
¨       State registration and a directory of nonprofits
¨       Incentives for developing collaborative efforts
¨       Statewide benefits for nonprofits to provide retirement and benefits

Greenlights for Nonprofit Success in Austin will sponsor the 2006 Greenlights Nonny Awards on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. at the Design Center of Austin at Penn Fields. Join the festivities to honor, celebrate, and meet the most innovative and creative nonprofit leaders in Central Texas. Go to www.greenlights.org for additional information.

As a nonprofit, you may consider federal grants as a funding source for your nonprofit organization. More federal grants are now available through www.grants.gov. Before nonprofits apply for a grant via grants.gov, they must take the following steps:

The Pension Protection Act of 2006 was signed into law on August 17, 2006; the Act contains several provisions affecting charitable foundation.

One provision concerns grants made by private foundations to supporting organizations as classified by the Internal Revenue Service. In general terms, a supporting organization is a 501(c)(3) that qualifies as a public charity because it has a close relationship with another 501(c)(3) public charity. Supporting organizations fall into one of three categories: Types I, II, and III. If you are designated as a supporting organization, your nonprofit will probably be receiving paperwork or questions from private foundations if you have pending or committed grants. The new law has guidelines and restrictions about how private foundations can fund supporting organizations. If you receive questions, talk to your CPA firm about the type of nonprofit your supporting organization is.

Greenlights for Nonprofit Success in Austin is seeking an Executive Director; Greenlights is an Austin-based management support organization that strengthens Central Texas nonprofits through consulting, education, networking, and information. The organization is recruiting an experienced nonprofit leader with proven skills in administration and fundraising, knowledge of nonprofit management and governance, and a demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with community partners and a diverse board. A competitive salary and benefits package is available. Send letter of interest, resume, names of three references and salary history to search@greenlights.org by October 20, 2006. EOE. www.greenlights.org.

OneStar National Service Commission (OneStar) has announced funding opportunities for AmeriCorps*Texas grants. Under this request for proposals, OneStar has identified the following funding opportunities:

¨ 2007 Competitive Funds
- AmeriCorps*Texas State Competitive Funds
- Education Award AmeriCorps Funds

Applicants that have never received funding from the Corporation or AmeriCorps are encouraged to apply for funding under this Notice. Programs that have completed three years of funding are required to re-compete for a new three-year grant period.

Step 1: Go to www.OneStarFoundation.org to download the Request for Proposals, the Program Planning Toolkit, and the appropriate Concept Paper Application Instructions.

Step 2: Submit your completed Concept Paper Application by mail or drop off at their office by October 4, 2006 at 4:30 pm CST. No e-mail submissions will be accepted.

Technical Assistance: A series of Technical Assistance conference calls will be available to answer specific questions regarding the application requirements, process, and receive general feedback from OneStar staff. To view the schedule of Technical Assistance conference calls visit the OneStar Foundation Pathfinder.

The Independent Sector’s Annual Conference will be held October 22-24, 2006 in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Approximately 800 participants are expected. A new session has been added to the conference agenda; Gates Foundation CEO Patty Stonesifer and Independent Sector President and CEO Diana Aviv will address the opportunities and challenges that could flow from the generous gift of Warren Buffet to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. www.independentsector.org

The Nonprofit Development Center of the United Way of Tyler/Smith Country will sponsor a Town Hall meeting on September 28, 2006 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon at the United Heritage Credit Union Building. The address is 1620 S. Broadway. The Town Hall meeting participants will discuss five questions in preparation for the first Nonprofit Congress on October 16-17, 2006 in Washington, DC. Nonprofit staff, board, funders, and media are encouraged to share their perspectives about the nonprofit sector. RSVP to Vicki Harvey at (903) 581-6376, ext. 211.

Organizations are encouraged to send a representative to the Congress of Volunteer Administrator Associations in Denver, Colorado on December 4-6, 2006. Participants will consider what the field needs on a national level, as these associations are already the representatives of a large percentage of our field and have never been formally convened before. Additional information is available at a new Web site, http://www.covaa.org.

The University of North Texas, a Network member in Denton, TX, is offering its first online continuing education course, “Are You Ready for Volunteers?” starting in January, 2007. It was developed by Kathy McCleskey, another Network member. The course will be 2 hours, and it will cost $20. Participants complete the course on their pace and schedules. There will be networking opportunities with colleagues through interactive media. The online courses will be developed by recognized subject matter experts, and they can lead to a certificate. They are good learning opportunities for new professionals and great as refresher courses for experienced pros. For additional information, go to the link below:

Many Texas communities dealt with disasters during and after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Dallas Association of Directors of Volunteers will sponsor the workshop “Disaster Volunteer Manager 101” to better prepare staff and volunteers to handle these situations. It will be held on Tuesday, September 19^th from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the Dallas Heritage Village, 1515 S. Harwood, Dallas, TX 75215. Seminar cost includes lunch: $15 for DADV members; $20 for non-members. Registration forms can be requested from Melissa Prycer (214) 413-3671 or mprycer@dallasheritagevillage.org or downloaded at www.dadv.org. Registration forms and checks payable to DADV must be received by Tuesday, September 12th at the following address- DADV, PO Box 224934 Dallas, TX 75222-4934.

Network members elected two members to the Network board, Katy E. David, Tax Attorney at Oppenheimer, Blend, Harrison, & Tate in San Antonio and Pamela J. Sybert, Director, Educational Consortium for Volunteerism , College of Public Affairs & Community Service at the University of North Texas in Denton. Their work experience and nonprofit expertise will benefit the statewide board of the Network. Their first term runs from July, 2006 to June, 2009.

¨ Independent Sector Conference: This Annual Conference will be held October 22-24, 2006 in Minneapolis/St. Paul. www.independentsector.org/annualconference/2006/index.html

¨ 2006 Power Tools for Nonprofits Conference: Wednesday, November 15, 2006 in Houston at the Reliant Parkway. Keynote Speaker: Jeannette Clift George, A.D. Players.

¨ 2006 BoardSource Leadership Forum: Chicago, December 3-4, 2006, www.boardsource.org. Featured speakers include Roxanne Spillett: Boys and Girls Clubs of America; Richard P. Chait,: Harvard Graduate School of Education; James E. Canales: The James Irvine Foundation; Thomas J. Tierney: Bridgespan Group; Deborah S. Hechinger: BoardSource; David Nygren: Mercer Delta Consulting; and Michael Chu: Pegasus Capital.

If you volunteer at a nonprofit, your school, or church, you’re in good company. A recent report was conducted by the Corporation for National and Community Service. A total of 65.4 million adult Americans or about 29% of the population volunteered for charitable causes last year. This 2005 number represents a 6% increase from three years ago. The 146 page report, “Volunteering in America: State Trends and Rankings” is available at http://nationalservice.gov/about/volunteering /index.asp. The report also provides information on a regional basis.

Greenlights for Nonprofit Success will sponsor Crossroads 2006 on September 13, 2006 from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Austin Convention Center. Registration is now open at www.greenlights.org.

Thanks to a grant from the AT&T Foundation, the Network will host four Town Hall meetings to gather information for the first Nonprofit Congress on October 16-17, 2006. The San Antonio meeting was held on June 27, 2006 in partnership with the Center for Policy Studies and Nonprofit Management Program in the College of Public Policy at UTSA. Approximately 70 Executive Directors, board members, funders, and corporate managers discussed common visions, challenges, and opportunities for the nonprofit sector. Listed below are the top responses from the five discussion questions from the San Antonio Town Hall meeting:

4. What key short-term steps can nonprofit organizations collectively take to eliminate these obstacles?

5. What key long-term steps can nonprofit organizations collectively take to eliminate these obstacles?

o If you would like to attend a future Town Hall Meeting, upcoming meetings are listed below:

¨ Houston: The Management Assistance Program of the United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast will host a meeting on July 11, 2006 from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. http://www.unitedwayhouston.org/help/map_work.html

¨ Midland: The Nonprofit Service Center of the Permian Basin will host a meeting on September 11, 2006 from 9:00 a.m. -12:00 noon. http://www.nmc-pb.org/calendar.html

AAFRC has changed its name to the Giving Institute: Leading Consultants to Non-profits. They have release the 2005 Giving Charts; the report shows that Americans gave $260.3 billion to nonprofits in 2005, an increase of 2.7% after inflation. Listed below are the key funding sources:

The Nonprofit Management and Volunteer Center in Laredo will be presenting “Fiscal Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards” on July 18, 2006, at the Laredo Public Library at 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The presenter will be Rose Mary Fry, Executive Director, of Texas Nonprofit Management Assistance Network. During this presentation you will learn about community needs and the role of nonprofit organizations; financial duties of boards; 20 questions for financial health; and recent developments. Board members, financial officers, nonprofit accountants and key nonprofit staff are encouraged to attend this workshop. For additional information, contact Diana Fullerton at 956-795-2400 ext. 2255 or by e-mail at Diana@laredolibrary.org.

The Panel on the Nonprofit Sector has released a Supplemental Report, offering recommendations for action by Congress, the IRS, and charitable organizations in nine areas, including international grantmaking and charitable solicitation. This Supplemental Report is a companion to the Panel's Final Report, delivered to Congress in June, 2006. It is part of its continuing effort to strengthen the accountability of the nation's 1.3 million charitable organizations.

The Center for Community-Based and Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College has updated its website at www.nonprofitaustin.org. The new website reflects the ACC CCBNO’s refined focus areas: Connecting the Nonprofit Sector, Professional and Volunteer Development, Resources, Information & Referral, and Coaching, Consultation, Collaboration & Presentations.

If your organization is using the Internet in a creative way for fundraising, membership, or activism, the ePhilanthropy Foundation is accepting nominations for the 2006 International ePhilanthropy award. Deadline is July 15^th; for additional information, go to ePhilanthropy Foundation.

¨ The Forum of Regional Association of Grantmakers, in Washington, announced a new website that features articles and other information on emerging trends in giving. This project is a part of the New Ventures in Philanthropy Initiative. The new Donors of the Future Online Knowledge Center present a collection of free papers and studies about how to identify and recruit new donors. It is available at http://www.givingforum.org/dof.

¨ Research Resource: American Humanics has released a new bibliography and literature review: “Workforce Issues in the Nonprofit Sector: Generational Leadership Change and Diversity.” Go to http://www.humanics.org/insc. It is available in the Initiative for Nonprofit Sector Careers section of their website.

The Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College and the Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations (TANO) are requesting input to the design of the Annual Compensation Survey of Nonprofit Compensation in Central Texas. Interested individuals can provide feedback at a meeting on July 13, 2006 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Austin Community College’s Highland Business Center. To register or provide input, email bsilverb@austincc.edu with your name, organization, position, and any suggestions. The survey will be distributed in September, 2006 and the survey results will be available online on or about October 1, 2006. All who participate and provide their compensation data to the survey will have free access to the survey results. A minimal fee will be charged to others.

Betty Stallings and Cybervpm invite individuals to download her free study of Executives who greatly support volunteer programs. It is entitled, 12 Key Actions

Heart of Texas Nonprofit Institute

The fourth Heart of Texas Nonprofit Institute will be held on June 27, 2006, at the Texas Scottish Rite Library and Museum in Waco, Texas. The Institute offers both enrichment and education to Central Texans who work with nonprofit organizations. The purpose of this workshop is to provide valuable information and networking opportunities for individuals who work or serve in the nonprofit sector. Speakers will include Mr. Jason Sabo, Coach Grant Teaff and Dr. Pete DeLisle, and others.

For more information on this workshop, visit www.baylor.edu/strategic_planning or call (254) 754-0315. Registration deadline is June 5, 2006.

ToP Group Facilitation Methods Course

Learn three proven processes for activating group participation. Gain hands-on experience practicing methods and explore ways to apply them to your specific situation. This is what you can expect at the ToP Group Facilitation Methods course.

The Top Group Facilitation Methods course will be held on June 21-22, 2006, at the Springview Convent in San Antonio, Texas. The sessions begin at 8:30 a.m. and finishes at 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.msgforsolutions.com or contact Mary Flanagan, Management Solutions Group, at mary@msgforsolutions.com.

Raising More Money: Substantial Funding for your Mission

Raising More Money is holding a complimentary session on June 22, 2006, 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., at the American Red Cross, 3642 East Houston Street, San Antonio, Texas. Raising More Money trains and coaches nonprofit organizations to implement a mission-based system for raising sustainable funding from individual donors. They will present the Raising More Money Model^Ò, a system for building sustainable funding for the mission of your organization from lifelong individual donors.

For more information, go to http://sforce.raisingmoremoney.com/intros/southern.htm or contact Nicole Amato at (206) 709-9400, ext. 138 or nicole.amato@raisingmoremoney.com.

Hill Country Nonprofit Summit VI

The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country and Bank of the Hills will hold the Hill Country Nonprofit Summit VI on May 23 & 24, 2006, at the Rockin River Inn, 106 Skyline Drive, Center Point, Texas. The summit is designed to provide quality professional training for administrators and board members of nonprofit agencies and organizations in the Hill Country and surrounding areas. Training will be provided by Bacon, Lee & Association of San Antonio.

For more information, contact Rick McManigle at (830) 896-8811 or rick@communityfoundation.net.

Impact San Antonio, a women’s giving circle, will award a $50,000 project grant to nonprofit organizations in Bexar and surrounding counties. The grant application and guidelines are available at www.impactsanantonio.org. Grant applications must be submitted by June 30, 2006; the grant will be announced at the Impact Annual Meeting in October, 2006.

The AT&T Foundation, based in San Antonio, TX, will sponsor the AT&T Excelerator Initiative. The program will provide $6 million in technology-based grants to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and will be awarded through a competitive grants process. Nonprofits in Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin are eligible to apply. The grants are due by July 5, 2006. The grant application is available at http://att.sbc.com/gen/corporate-citizenship?pid=7745.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and local grantmakers have announced the Local Initiative Funding Partners (LIFP) to fund promising and original projects to improve significantly the health of vulnerable people in their communities. The project will award up to 14 three and four-year grants between $200,000 – 500,000. The grants must be matched dollar-for-dollar by local grantmakers. The Stage 1 Brief Proposal Deadline is July 6, 2006. The RRP is available at rwif.org/cfp/lifp/

According to a new report released by the Points of Light Foundation in Washington, D.C., volunteerism increased by 12% from 2002 to 2005. The foundation partnered with the Volunteer Center National Network, Indiana University-Purdue University, and the University of Georgia in Athens on a new way to measure volunteerism. Factors included the average of the increase in number of volunteers by age and employment statues, hours spent volunteering, number asked to volunteer and other factors. The report is available at pointsoflight.org.

The Nonprofit Sector Research Fund of the Aspen Institute has released a report of how the proposed budget for the 2007 fiscal year will affect the nonprofit sector. The report indicated that direct grants from the federal government as well as federal spending on programs indirectly affecting nonprofit groups such as aid programs for the poor could significantly decline by the end of the decade. As nonprofit organizations are challenged with fundraising efforts on a regular basis, nonprofit boards and staff may want to read this report. The report, The Nonprofit Sector and the Federal Budget can be downloaded at nonprofitresearch.org.

¨ Alliance for Nonprofit Management: August 2-5, 2006 in Los Angeles. allianceonline.org

The Amarillo Area Foundation will host the sixth annual Funder’s Forum on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 at the Amarillo Country Club. The Forum is open to the public. Registration is $75 for the morning session, $50 for the luncheon and the afternoon session is free of charge.

The morning session begins at 8:30 a.m. featuring Monna Loftis speaking on “Excellence in Performance: The Courage to Lead”/Drucker Course. Ms. Loftis is the Director of the Fort Worth Initiative through the lead agency, Cornerstone Assistance Network. The luncheon begins at 11:45 a.m. featuring Frances Hesselbein as the keynote speaker. Frances Hesselbein is the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Leader to Leader Institute, was the Founding President of the Peter F. Drucker Foundation and was CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA, 1976-1990.

The Drucker Foundation Self-Assessment tool is in use by nonprofit leaders, government, management and support professionals, universities, and foundations around the world. The power of the assessment is its inclusive process and focus on results: building community and changing lives.

The target audience includes community leaders, administrators, and nonprofit organization staff and board members. Seating is limited and registration is due by Thursday, July 6th. To register, go to http://www.nsc-aaf.org/workshops.asp. For additional information, call or email Karie Lynn McSpadden at 806-376-4521 or karielynn@aaf-hf.org.

Concordia University in Austin will host the Grantsmanship Training Program on May 15-19, 2006. The fee is $825 for the five-day training; participants also receive one year TGCI membership at no charge. Graduates of the training are eligible for professional proposal review, access to their grants databases, and other technical support. Go to www.tgci.com for additional information or to register.

The first Nonprofit Congress will be held on October 16-17, 2006 in Washington, DC. The Network is a supporter member of NCNA; Rose Mary Fry, Executive Director will attend the NCNA Annual Meeting and the Nonprofit Congress as a delegate. The Texas Nonprofit Management Assistance Network will serve as a delegate and participate in the October meeting. The Network will coordinate Town Halls meetings in Dallas, Houston, Midland, San Antonio, and Wichita Falls at member locations. In the coming months, meeting details will be posted on the Network website about meeting agendas and location.

It’s now easier for individuals to take nonprofit classes at the University of Texas at San Antonio. They can take two classes, Introduction to Nonprofit Agencies and Fundraising in Nonprofit Agencies by enrolling through the Office of Extended Education. These two courses are offered through the Department of Public Administration. They can sign up for these nonprofit classes without going through the full student enrollment process. This change will make it more convenient for individuals to learn about the nonprofit sector. If interested, contact extended.ed@utsa.edu or call (210) 458-2411.

Charity University and The Charity University Network offer nonprofit organizations a chance to learn from the convenience of their home or office. They offer teleclasses as 90-minute teleclasses; participants register, download the class materials, and dial into a toll-free number. Other sessions are recorded classes played on-demand over the Internet. Go to http://charitychannel.com/cu for additional information. Participants can take affordable classes and save the cost of travel or hotel expense. And they can earn continuing education points toward CFRE certification of recertification. In addition to the class fee, participants pay a nominal fee of $2-3 per month.

Impact San Antonio, a women’s giving organization, will hold grant meetings on May 9, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. and at 1:00 p.m. to discuss its grant guidelines for 2006. The meeting will be held at Cavender Buick at IH-10 West and UTSA Blvd. RSVP to info@impactsanantonio.org. Nonprofits organizations must be located in Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Wilson, Atascosa, Kendall, or Medina counties to apply for grant consideration. To learn more about Impact San Antonio, go to www.impactsanantonio.org. The Impact website will be updated within a few weeks with the 2006 grant information.

Capability Company provides executive search services to nonprofits, institutions of higher learning and government agencies. www.capabilitycompany.com or call (979) 791-3700.

TECH TEMPO: eNonprofit Benchmarks Study

Tech Tempo: eNonprofit Benchmarks Study

Published by the M+R Strategic Services and the Advocacy Institute, the eNonprofit Benchmarks Study examines the increasing importance of the Internet to nonprofits and the overall effectiveness and benefits of building an Internet constituency. The study provides a snapshot of key metrics and benchmarks for nonprofit e-mail communications, online fundraising and online advocacy, which nonprofits can use as a tool to measure their own online performance. To download a PDF copy of the report, visit www.e-benchmarksstudy.com/pubs/eNonprofit_Benchmarks_Study.pdf.

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, with support from the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund and the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, has published Investing in Leadership, Volume 2: Inspiration and Ideas from Philanthropy's Latest Frontier. This report explores leadership development and challenges facing the nonprofit sector. While the first volume reviewed current thinking on leadership development and its connection to nonprofit results, the second volume focuses on the current state of practice among grantmakers. The report aims to make a connection between the conceptual framework and theory described in the first volume and what is actually being done. To download a PDF copy of the report, visit www.geofunders.org.

Faith-based nonprofit organizations are increasingly active in providing services to communities, and they played critical roles in responding to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. A growing group of nonprofit capacity builders specialize in assisting faith-based nonprofit organizations in areas such as financial management, fundraising, service delivery, strategic planning and more. To find consultants, associations, intermediaries and management support organizations that specialize in serving faith-based organizations, visit the Alliance for Nonprofit Management's Faith-Based Capacity Builders Affinity Group page at www.allianceonline.org/faith_based.page. Organizations with an interest in faith-based management and governance can join the Faith-Based Capacity Builders Affinity Group of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management. www.allianceonline.org.

The first Nonprofit Congress will be held on October 16-17, 2006 in Washington, DC. It will be an opportunity for nonprofit leaders to unite the nonprofit sector and craft a collective vision and voice for all nonprofits. Town Hall meetings are being held across the United States to gather perspectives and information from nonprofit leaders.

The Texas Nonprofit Management Assistance Network will serve as a delegate and participate in the October meeting. We will coordinate several Town Halls meetings in Texas; details will be announced on the website in the coming months. If your organization would like to host a Town Hall meeting or learn more about the Nonprofit Congress National Meeting, click on the link below:

Cartis Group is offering a $50,000 creative services grant to an Austin-area 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This grant will be used to help a nonprofit organization achieve its advertising and marketing goals. Cartis Group is a branding-driven advertising and design agency, delivering integrated communications through visual media and interactive design with areas of expertise including: branding, identity development, advertising, direct marketing, graphic design, and Web site design. Cartis Group will apply the $50,000 grant toward Cartis Group creative services. No cash payments will be made to the grant recipient.

To be eligible for the grant, your organization be must a 501(c)(3) organization in Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, Caldwell, Blanco, or Burnet county. Organizations that have completed and filed Form 1023 but not yet received an IRS determination letter are not eligible to apply. Cartis Group will not make grants to individuals.

Cartis Group will award the grant to an organization whose marketing challenge best fits our expertise. A winner will be selected based on who presents the most fitting and interesting marketing challenge with the most potential for positive change. The winning organization should be devoted, open-minded and desire change.

Please go to www.cartisgroup.com for more information on how to apply for this grant.

Pfizer Inc is sponsoring two free web cast seminars on Employment Law and Governance Issues for nonprofit organizations on April 25 and May 24, 2006. Network members, the United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast in Houston and Texas C-Bar in Austin are partnering with Pfizer to present these educational opportunities. The seminars will be broadcast from New York to various regional locations including Houston, Texas. Powers & Frost, L.L.P., will host the seminars in Houston. Each web cast will be followed by a local discussion that is specific to Texas law. Information and registration materials can be found at www.powersfrost.com. Complimentary continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. Contact Powers and Frost directly at (713) 767-1555 for registration or other questions.

To meet the demand for stronger accounting skills and clearer financial reports for nonprofit boards, the Nonprofit Development Center. a Network member in Tyler has launched a new accounting service called Back Office. According to NDC staff, a recurring challenge for many nonprofits today is finances. There is often a lack of understanding or an inability to create an accurate picture of the organization’s finances. Back Office was designed to help nonprofits with these issues.

After devoting significant hours to these issues in 2005, NDC developed an accounting service that would teach nonprofits the accounting skills needed to competently run a 501(c)(3). This accounting service will also provide a revenue source for The Nonprofit Development Center.

Back Office is structured to provide nonprofits with two options, including teaching components for staff and board members. It will provide services such as compiling monthly/quarterly financial statements, Board training for understanding the financial reports, and monthly assessments and mentoring support. Additional services include payroll, year end reports and training classes. For more information about this new service, contact Vicki Harvey at (903) 581-6376 (ext. 211) or vharvey@uwtyler.org. www.uwtyler.com.

Greenlights for Nonprofit Success, a Network member in Austin, also offers Back Office services to area nonprofits. For additional information, go to www.greenlights.org.

The First Lady's Rising Star Award recognizes the innovative efforts of an individual 18 years or younger serving and inspiring his/her community. Nominees should demonstrate leadership, perseverance and creativity. Rising Stars use their unique talents to serve other and often engage those around them to join their cause.

Please contact Courtney Suhr at gva@onestarfoundation.org or (5120 473-2140. ext 214 for information on sponsorships or general questions.

The San Antonio AFP chapter will host two events led by presenter and writer Tom Ahern at the Bright Shawl.

¨ How to Build Your Perfect Donor Newsletter Workshop: Thursday, April 20, 2006 from 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Free to San Antonio AFP members, $25 for guests.

¨ The ABC’s of Marketing Bequest: Thursday, April 20, 2006 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. $15 for San Antonio AFP members and $25 for guests.

For nonprofits, the ability to attract, recruit, and retain qualified leaders is a key variable in their ability to fulfill their missions, and the challenges associated with those tasks are likely to become more pronounced over the next decade, a new study by the Bridgespan Group (http://www.bridgespangroup.org/ ) in Boston finds. "The amount of social impact a nonprofit organization delivers is primarily dependent upon the capability and performance of the people in that organization," said Thomas J. Tierney, the report's author and the chair and co-founder of Bridgespan. "Results are a 'who thing.'"

Listed below are some key facts from the “The Nonprofit’s Sector Leadership Deficit”:

¨ The Bridgespan study addresses the needs of nonprofits with revenues greater than $250,000 and does not include major higher education or healthcare institutions, which have well-established infrastructures for developing and recruiting new leaders, including access to national executive-search firms.

¨ Nonprofits will need to attract and develop 640,000 new leaders over the next decade -- the equivalent of 2.4 times the number currently employed.

¨ To make up for leaders who retire or leave senior leadership positions, the sector will also need to develop nearly 80,000 senior leaders annually over the next decade.

¨ The leadership deficit is aggravated by the nonprofit sector's overall lack of intermediaries to help recruit and develop managers and by its lack of robust management-education, and executive-search capabilities.

¨ The growth of the sector, the swelling numbers of baby boomer retirees expected over the next decade, and the lack of internal resources to develop leaders are contributing factors, as is the lack of career mobility for current leaders.

¨ A significant need exists for functional expertise, particularly in finance, operations, and marketing.

According to Tierney, the solution to the problem will require cooperation and collaboration among organizations, boards, funders, donors, and government. The paper, which is accompanied by perspectives from fourteen nonprofit and business leaders, recommends that nonprofits explore opportunities to invest in leadership capacity, refine management rewards to retain and attract top talent, expand their recruiting horizons, and foster individual career mobility.

Donated Versions of Quicken 2005 Deluxe and Quicken 2005 Premier Home and Business

TechSoup Stock has partnered with Intuit to offer donated versions of Quicken 2005 Deluxe and Quicken 2005 Premier Home & Business to the nonprofit community. Quicken offers the essentials for organizing a small nonprofit's finances, with tools to balance checkbooks, reconcile statements, track investments, pay bill, and create budgets, reports, and graphs.

Qualified organizations may receive one copy of Quicken for use in-house, and redistribute up to 24 copies to the individuals they serve. These Quicken products are available at TechSoup Stock for administrative fees ranging from $13 to $15, thanks to a generous donation from Intuit.

New Ashoka/Changemakers Innovation Award Competition: How to Improve Health for All

Ashoka's Changemakers initiative is launching a global search for innovative strategies that provide high-quality, cost-effective, and scalable health solutions reaching low-income and marginalized populations around the world. These health solutions may focus on healthcare delivery, health financing, health education and disease prevention, pharmaceuticals, or other key issues.

The Changemakers Innovation Awards series is based on a unique "open source" format by which participants compete for the best solutions to pressing social issues while collaborating to advance current initiatives. Please join today at Changemakers.net and spread the word through your network to:

¨ Take a look at our conceptual framework and learn about what leading social entrepreneurs have already done to address global health challenges;

¨ From May 25 - June 7, 2006, vote for the award winners from a slate of finalists chosen by a panel of judges.

¨ Submit your entry online and in English before noon on May 10, 2006 U.S. Eastern Time.

Three winners will receive a Changemakers Innovation Award, one of which will be recognizing an innovative business-social partnership. The competition is open to all types of organizations including philanthropic organizations, private companies, and public entities from all countries.

Congratulations to Vicki Harvey and the Nonprofit Development Center at the United Way of Tyler/ Smith County! They've just received the good news they'll be the newest Cooperating Collection Library in Texas. The Center has offered a nonprofit library for several years; this designation to their library will increase services for nonprofits throughout the Tyler region. Cooperating Collection libraries are affiliated with the Foundation Center in New York; they must meet certain library services and guidelines on an annual basis. www.uwtyler.org

A few weeks ago, it was announced that AVA closed its doors beginning March 1. There were some very unfortunate circumstances with funding for the organization. Currently CYBERVPM will remain operational. The Journal, Mary Merrill was the editor, is currently housed at Ohio State. Finally, the CVA program will also continue with the help of Katie Campbell.

If your nonprofit organization needs more computers but your budget is tight, TechSoup Stock has a solution. Their pioneering Recycles Computer Initiative (RCI) gives nonprofits nationwide a chance to purchase high-quality refurbished computers at the lowest possible cost, and offers companies an environmentally friendly alternative to used-equipment disposal. For details on this exciting new program, see the TechSoup Stock section below or visit: http://ga0.org/ct/J7qgyPY1gXpR/.

Recently the Housing and Urban Development Secretary, Alphonso Jackson, unveiled HUD's Fiscal Year 2006 "SuperNOFA," a notice that officially makes available approximately $2.2 billion in grants through 39 individual programs. In January, HUD published the first part of this year's funding notice to give applicants a jump-start in preparing this year's applications and to promote early electronic registration. For further information, please go to http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr06-27.cfm.

Capacity - Building RFP - Compassion Capital Fund Texas Demonstration Project

OneStar Foundation, through the Compassion Capital Fund Texas Demonstration Project is requesting proposals for capacity-building grants. The Request for Proposal (RFP) and all needed materials are located on the OneStar Foundation web site www.onestarfoundation.org. All deadlines and technical assistance conference calls are listed on the website. The RFP's are due by April 19, 2006 and the subgrant project period will be from June, 2006 – February, 2007. No phone inquiries regarding the RFP will be accepted. All questions regarding the RFP must be submitted electronically by email at ccfRFP@onestarfoundation.org. Responses to questions will be posted on www.onestarfoundation.org in Texas Demonstration Project Frequently Asked Questions.

In the fall of 2005, the Nonprofit Resource Center of Texas in San Antonio donated its library collection of over 100 items to the UTSA Library. With this generous donation, the Downtown Library increased its already extensive collection of nonprofit resources. The library’s resources include foundation and nonprofit periodicals, fundraising guides, government documents and resources, funding research, proposal writing, volunteerism, budgets, career planning, board development and giving trends.

On March 22, 2006, UTSA will hold a reception from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. to recognize the establishment of the Nonprofit Resource Library Collection. Invited guests will include AFP members, nonprofit organization leaders, NPRC founders and current board members and friends of the university. SueAnn Strom, Ph.D., will be a special guest at the career fair and library reception. Dr. Strom recently joined American Humanics as the Vice President for Academic Partnerships.

UTSA’s Nonprofit Resource Collection is available for use by the general public. Nonprofit professionals are invited to visit the UTSA Library Downtown to utilize these resources. In addition to print and media materials, patrons can access most of the university’s electronic materials through our guest computer workstations in the libraries at the Downtown and 1604 campuses. Plans are underway to increase the library collection with the purchase of additional nonprofit monographs and serials if funding is obtained. To check out books and other materials, members of the community may become a member of the Friends of the UTSA Library for $25 per year. UTSA’s Center for Policy Studies and Downtown Library staff will hold free training sessions to help local nonprofit professionals learn how to access the nonprofit resources at the library. Call (210) 458-2691 for more information.

Organizations must now use a new IRS form, 1098-C to report to the IRS the donation of cars, boats, and planes valued at more than $500. For additional information, go to www.irs.gov.

Based in Washington, DC, the National Council of Nonprofit Associations (NCNA) has just released United States Nonprofit Sector, a report featuring the most current information and statistics (2003) on America’s charitable organizations. In a recent press release, the following highlights were included:

¨ There were 837,027 charitable nonprofits in the United States, excluding foundations and religious congregations in 2003. This is an increase of 68 percent from 1993.

¨ 288,150 charitable nonprofits had gross receipts of over $25,000 in 2003 and filed IRS Form 990 in 2003. These organizations, often referred to as “reporting” nonprofits, provide much of the data available on the sector.

¨ Human services organizations made up the largest group of nonprofits at 34 percent.

¨ California and New York were home to the largest number of charitable organizations.

¨ The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was the biggest foundation giver in 2003, distributing over $1.1 billion to nonprofits.

The goal of the report is to better inform the public to about the size and scope of the charitable sector in our society.

Network members have elected two individuals to the Network board. Bonnie S.Y. Escobar from El Paso is Managing Partner of MJD & Associates; the firm provides consulting services for area nonprofits. Michael J. Tandy serves as Vice President & Trust Officer for Wells Fargo Bank in Midland. Both individuals have extensive volunteer and board experience with nonprofit organizations.

2006 Officers are Board President: Ronnie Hagerty, Vice President: Cindy Boyd, Treasurer: Steve Levey, and Secretary: Sandie Palomo-Gonzalez.

On February 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. only, GrantStation and TechSoup Stock are sharing the love -- by offering eligible nonprofits specially discounted GrantStation PRO memberships for only $90. Each GrantStation PRO membership includes instant access to a searchable database of thousands of pre-screened foundation and corporate grantmakers that are actively accepting proposals from nonprofits. For details on this sweetheart of a deal, see below, or visit:http://ga0.org/ct/r7qgyPY1XzQK/

Gateway to American Opportunities is the regional initiative of A Circle of Ten, Inc. They will co-sponsor a free workshop “Bridges to Practice” workshop on March 3-4, 2006 from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Tyler Junior College, West Campus. Other sponsors include the Texas Association of Adult Literacy Councils and Texas LEARNS. Although free, participants are required to register prior to February 24, 2006.

The Bridges to Practice materials are designed to help teachers, social workers, employment counselors, job coaches and others to recognize learning disabilities, learn how to implement a screening process in a program, and learn what to do when an adult has been diagnosed with a disability (www.nifl.gov). To obtain the four free guidebooks, participants must attend both days of workshop. For registration information or partnering information contact Peggy Lustig at A Circle of Ten, Inc. (903) 541-0013 or email literacyatwork2004@yahoo.com.

The Nonprofit Congress is a project of the National Council of Nonprofit Associations based in Washington, DC. The Nonprofit Congress is an unprecedented initiative to unite America’s diverse nonprofit organizations. The Nonprofit Congress is helping nonprofit leaders and allies in communities across the country come together to:

As part of the Nonprofit Congress, a DECLARATION FOR AMERICA'S NONPROFITS has been created to mobilize Americans who support nonprofits

For 2006, the Texas Nonprofit Network awarded two $500 scholarships to Network members to attend a professional development conference. Congratulations to Deborah Edward at Greenlights for Nonprofit Success in Austin and Sharon Bass at the Volunteer Center of Lubbock who won the scholarships.

Grant Opportunity – Youth Mentoring

OneStar Foundation, through the Governor’s Mentoring Initiative, is requesting proposals for a campaign designed to promote youth mentoring in local areas. One or more awards in the aggregate amount of $90,000 will be given. Intended to encourage collaborative community efforts, the request for proposal (RFP) invites submissions from mentoring organizations, schools, businesses, the faith-based community and youth-focused programs working together. Successful proposals will support advocacy, education and the promotion of youth mentoring.

A letter of intent to apply is requested by February 20, 2006 and proposals are due by March 13, 2006. Informational conference calls will be held on February 13 at 2:00 p.m. and February 21 noon. To sign up to participate in the conference call or to request further information, please send an email to advocacycampaign@onestarfoundation.org. All questions and answers will be posted to the frequently asked question page located on the website. Visit www.onestarfoundation.org for more information and to download the proposal application.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) has partnered with TechSoup Stock to launch a new program to provide technology tools to nonprofit organizations. The 2006 HP Technology for Community Grant Initiative will award an HP wireless technology package to 100 nonprofit organizations in the United States and Puerto Rico. Houston is the only Texan city eligible for participation in this grant. The HP grant award, valued at approximately $17,000, includes the following:

Please be sure that your organization is registered and qualified at TechSoup Stock before submitting your grant application:

Online Certificate in Nonprofit Management

The University of Illinois at Chicago offers a convenient way to gain the management skills you need to face today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities. Whether you are new to the nonprofit sector or seeking to improve your expertise, these courses will enhance your nonprofit management skills. The program is entirely online, offering you the convenience of learning anytime, anywhere! Choose from courses focusing on Financial Management, Nonprofit Governance, Fundraising Management, Marketing Management, Strategic Management, and Operations Management or complete them all to earn your Certificate in Nonprofit Management. The next set of classes begins March 16, 2006. Visit their website http://cnm.cuppa.uic.edu or call (312) 355-0423 for additional information.

The Center for Nonprofit Risk Management is hosting 11 new topics in its online Webinar series for 2006. Each month, starting February 26, 2006 and ending December 6, 2006, nonprofit staff can brush up on a new topic. Seminars #1-#8 target employment practices issues and concerns; seminars #9-#11 focus on insurance. The Web seminars are one-hour long, live sessions that permit questions from the participants and responses from the experts. Participants can download related materials from the Web site and study beforehand.

The cost per seminar is based on the number of individual computers being used. Pay $59 and one person may sit at one of your computers and benefit from one session. Or several people can gather around one computer for $59 dollars. If participants purchase the entire series or multiple seminars the cost per session reduces substantially. Click here for a schedule of topics, equipment needs, and seminar costs. [http://nonprofitrisk.org/training/2006/webinars.htm]

New Service for Dallas Nonprofits

The Center for Nonprofit Management, a Network member, is introducing a new service, Good News Dallas. GoodNewsDallas is being produced by DallasBlog.com; it is co-sponsored by the Center and American Airlines. This website will feature the achievements of Dallas nonprofit organization and volunteers. It will also help people to learn about local nonprofits, volunteer, and build strong and vibrant communities. Go to www.goodnewsdallas.com for additional information.

Recent Report – Collaborative Governance and Community Development Guides

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation recently released two reports: Collaborative Governance: A Guide for Grantmakers, and Community Development: A Guide for Grantmakers on Fostering Better Outcomes Through Good Process. The Collaborative Governance guide focuses on the changing relationship between citizens and government. The guide provides tools and examples on approaches grantmakers can use to strengthen collaboration amongst the sectors. The Community Development guide explores the importance of collaboration and community organizing in helping build an effective community development process. Based on Hewlett Foundation's experience, the guide provides strategies, tools and resources to help strengthen grantee capacity and foster better community development. To download:

Based in Washington, D.C., the Urban Institute is announcing a new publication series, “After Katrina.” The series will examine the many policy dimensions of the devastation and propose practical solutions for restoring greater New Orleans. The series addresses education, housing, health care, employment, arts and culture, the social safety net, and the well-being of children. Other briefs will tackle the needs of nonprofit organizations serving the city, the care provided by New Orleans's hospitals after the storm, flood insurance, the city's information requirements as it rebuilds, and the most effective ways for government at all levels to respond to disaster.

¨ "Rebuilding Affordable Housing in New Orleans: The Challenge of Creating Inclusive Communities," now available at http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=900914, looks at ways to avoid old patterns of concentrating poor families in a few isolated communities.

¨ "The Future of Public Education in New Orleans," now available at http://www.urban.org/url.cfm ID=900913, turns to recent experiences in other cities to present pioneering ways of organizing public education in New Orleans and cities nationwide.

The new Texas Business Organizations Code was enacted in 2003 to be effective on January 1, 2006. According to the Secretary of State’s website, it applies to all new Texas corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies form on and after that date. Existing entities will become subject to the new code on January 1, 2010 unless those entities elect early adoption of the code by filing an early adoption statement with the secretary of state.

I contacted the Secretary of State’s office to learn about how this code may affect nonprofits. Listed below is the listing I received from Mike Powell, Attorney, Corporations.

¨ The BOC requires a foreign entity to state the beginning date of business in its application for registration

¨ It is now a jail felony for filing a false instrument with intent to defraud or harm another.

¨ Eliminates need for a foreign nonprofit to file a certificate of existence (from its home state) with its certificate of authority or registration.

¨ Permits notice of meetings not to be given to a member when prior notices have been returned undeliverable

¨ Directors, managers, or managing members have right to inspect books & records

¨ Updates provisions governing mergers to parallel modernized for-profit corporate provisions

¨ Updates definition of sale all or substantially all of assets to parallel for profit provisions

¨ Authorizes Texas Secretary of State to involuntarily terminate nonprofits existence for failure to maintain a registered agent & registered office

¨ Extends reinstatement by the Texas Secretary of State of an involuntarily terminated nonprofit to any time with retroactive treatment only if reinstated before the 3^rd anniversary of the involuntary termination

The Nonprofit Sector Research Fund ( http://www.nonprofitresearch.org/ ) of the Aspen Institute has announced $275,000 in grants for research that examines the extent to which U.S. foundations award unrestricted support to nonprofits and cover nonprofits' management and fundraising costs. Part of an NSRF initiative that addresses gaps in knowledge about organized philanthropy, the research will explore how different forms of foundation support affect the financial health, adaptability, and overall effectiveness of nonprofit organizations. In addition to supporting new research, the initiative will communicate its findings to practitioners and policy makers.

The grants will fund studies at three institutions. They are the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, which was awarded $136,419 for "Differential Impact of Foundations' Overhead Payment Policies on Social Service Agencies and Educational Institutions," by Patrick Rooney; the Institute for Nonprofit Organization Management at the University of San Francisco, which received $96,805 for "The Practices and Policies of California Foundations Regarding Grants to Nonprofit Organizations for General Operating Support," by Kathleen Fletcher; and the Center for Effective Philanthropy in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which will receive $40,000 for "Unrestricted and Program- Restricted Foundation Support: The Grantee Viewpoint," by Phil Buchanan and Ellie Buteau. http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/10000567/story

cMarket will offer a free seminar with complimentary breakfast or lunch, entitled, Online Auctions: Fundamental Fundraising Tools. in Houston on Thursday, February 9, 2006. The event will be held at the Hyatt Regency Houston from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. The cost is free and lunch will be served.

Flipping the Script: White Privilege and Community Building is a new resource written by Maggie Potapchuk, MP Associates, Sally Leiderman, Center for Assessment and Policy Development, Donna Bivens - Women’s Theological Center, and Barbara Major - St. Thomas Health Clinic. They offer this resource as people deeply invested in community building work. An analysis of community building through the lens of white privilege suggests many places in which we might do our work differently. It also questions the most basic premises of this work.

The first section defines key terms, reviews the monograph’s premises, and analyzes early responses to Hurricane Katrina to illustrate white privilege and racism in action at multiple levels. The second section goes into depth about four key concepts: community building, racism, internalized racism, and white privilege. The third section applies these concepts to community/foundations partnerships specifically. It addresses interventions, evaluation, and multiracial coalitions and partnerships. The fourth section includes a chapter about doing one’s own work on white privilege, written primarily for white people, and a summary chapter with recommendations for the field. The PDF file is available at www.capd.org.

The SMU-In-Legacy and the Center for Nonprofit Management in Dallas co-sponsor the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program. It is targeted for CEO’s/Executive Directors of 501(c)(3) organizations with at least two years of paid or unpaid experience. Free information sessions will be held on January 31, 2006 or February 2, 2006 to learn more about the six-series program. Go to www.smu.edu/nonprofit or www.cnmdallas.org to register.

OneStar Foundation Announces the 2006-09 Texas AmeriCorps Education Award Program (AEAP). These are great "starter" grants for organizations looking to use the award as additional incentive for committed volunteers. The AEAP can also augment existing Federal Work Study positions for students already doing community-based or service-learning work on behalf of the school.

College, university, community college, and post secondary educators are invited to apply for the 2006 "Opening New Territory with Technology" cash grant from Technology Grant News. The $500 cash grant is to be used for computer software or equipment for a project or goal that opens "new territory" for the applicant's field of study, school, profession or community. In addition, 25 subscriptions to Technology Grant News will be awarded to applicants. A 1-2 page description of the project or goal is required, explaining how or what the computer software or equipment will be used for. Projects and goals will be considered in all subject matters. The cash grant will be awarded based on usefulness of the project or goal to the field of study, the school, profession, or to the public.

The 1-2 page description should be sent to newterritory@technologygrantnews.com by May 30, 2006. The winner will be given the opportunity to write about the proposed project or goal for an article to be featured in Technology Grant News. The award will be announced in June, 2006. http://www.technologygrantnews.com

The CCF Texas Demonstration Project has announced its confirmed schedule and registration information for the kick-off symposia to explain the project. The Texas Demonstration Project is designed to increase the capacity of faith and community based organizations to better serve their communities. The project will begin with kick-off symposia held in each of the target communities: Bexar, Harris, Tarrant, and Travis counties. Each symposium will provide: Introduction to the CCF Texas Demonstration Project, Capacity-building needs assessment, and a Capacity-building seminar. The symposia are offered at no charge to attendees. To register for a symposium click here. For more information on the CCF Texas Demonstration Project please visit www.onestarfoundation.org or e-mail ccf@onestarfoundation.org

Tarrant County
Tuesday, January 24, 2006 from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Center for Leadership Development
1701 West Boyce, Fort Worth, Texas 76115

Travis County
Wednesday, January 25, 2006 from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Austin Community College
Highland Business Center
5930 Middle Fiskville Road, Austin, Texas 78752

Harris County
Monday, January 30, 2006 from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Houston ISD Educational Facility
6300 Irvington Blvd., Houston, Texas 77022

Tuesday, January 31, 2006 from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
University of Texas at San Antonio - Downtown Campus
501 West Durango Blvd., San Antonio, Texas 78207

The Texas Demonstration Project Partners are the OneStar Foundation, Cornerstone Assistance Network, The Urban Alternative • Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Baylor University's Center for Religious Inquiry Across the Disciplines, and Venture CD

The San Antonio AFP Chapter will host their annual conference on January 30-31, 2006 at the Hilton Palacio del Rio. Making the Connection is the conference theme; keynote speakers include Lynn Hickey, Mal Warwick, Randy Snow, and Judge Nelson Wolff. Participants will also have access to breakout sessions and exhibitors. Early bird registrations must be postmarked by January 6, 2006. For more information, to download registration forms, or to register online, go to www.afpsa.org.

The course Group Facilitation Methods will be taught in San Antonio on February 23-24, 2006 at the Springview Convent at 210 South Grimes Street. Participants will gain experience in the Focused Conversation Method, the Consensus Workshop Method, and the Action Planning Method. The $545 fee for the Technology of Participation course includes the two-day workshop and a comprehensive workbook. For additional information, contact Mary Flanagan, (210) 822-2876 or mary@msgforsolutions.com or Romelia Escamilla, (210) 349-4402 or esromelia@satx.rr.com.

In Austin, two organizations are partnering on a project to examine and promote volunteerism. KUT 90.5 FM, in collaboration with Greenlights for NonProfit Success, is planning six weeks of programming devoted to the subject of volunteerism in Central Texas. This project will explore questions, concerns, and issues surrounding volunteerism and the need for volunteers in their community. It will raise awareness about Central Texas organizations that rely on volunteers and prompt interest from potential volunteers in the community.

Nonprofits are eligible to apply to be one of 12-15 KUT "featured" nonprofits in its "Profiles in Volunteerism in Central Texas" program, which begins airing on January 23. If your organization will need on-going volunteer support in 2006 you are eligible to apply. KUT will include on-air “profiles” of organizations that they select, as well as website features that provide info on your group’s volunteer needs and information on how listeners can get involved.

Programming will run on air for six weeks from January 23 – March 10, 2006 and will include a web component. Profiled organizations may receive a heavy influx of calls from potential volunteers and should be prepared to handle such calls in an organized manner. Nonprofits will be organized according several categories: Arts & Culture, Human Services, Religious, Environment & Animal Welfare, Education & Research, Public & Societal Benefit, and Health.

To apply for this program, please visit the Profiles in Volunteerism page at greenlights.org. Download the application, fill it out, and return to KUT 90.5 FM. The deadline for applications is January 20, 2006. Selected organizations will be notified in the next 2-4 weeks. KUT 90.5 FM will be the selection committee and Greenlights will have no say in which organizations are profiled.

TechSoup Stock is offering four products from BEA Systems, Inc. These products normally retail for thousands of dollars apiece, but are available at TechSoup Stock for administrative fees ranging from $110 to $345, thanks to a generous donation from BEA. Their web address is www.techsoup.org.

¨ WebLogic Server provides the back-end necessary for organizations to build Java-based Internet applications.

¨ WebLogic Portal allows organizations to simplify the process of setting up and maintaining a portal site.

Texas is fortunate to have three American Humanics programs at Texas universities. These programs provide undergraduate and graduate students an opportunity to take courses about the nonprofit sector, serve an internship, and learn fundraising skills. Listed below are links to the three Texas American Humanics programs:

The annual American Humanics Management Institute will be held in San Diego, California, Jan. 4-7, 2006. 1,000 students, staff, and faculty will attend the intense three-day learning experience administered by the national office of American Humanics.

As part of the career preparation process, the Institute provides the capstone educational experience for junior and senior-level students in undergraduate nonprofit studies. While at the Institute, students participate in case studies, workshops, and forums to learn about current topics in the nonprofit sector. Students also attend exhibits and network with hundreds of fellow Humanics students as well as local, regional, and national nonprofit executives. Learn more about the upcoming Institute through the link below:

Spring Spin is a new way to raise money for your nonprofit organizations. Celebrate the opening of Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio by giving all nonprofit organizations an opportunity to raise money.

Your nonprofit organization sells tickets for $21, the best value of the year; your nonprofit organization keeps $5 for every ticket sold. No prepayment or deposit required. Guests who attend Spring Spin on March 5, 2006 receive a ticket for that day, unlimited rides, shows, and a free ticket to return to Six Flags Fiesta Texas any operating day September 2-24, 2006. Go to www.springspin.com to sign up or for more information, or call toll-free (866) 388-7746.

As the first of 77 million baby boomers turn 60 in 2006, Civic Ventures, a nonprofit organization working to help America achieve the greatest return on experience, announces The Purpose Prize. The prize will award five $100,000 investments in Americans over 60 whose creativity, talent and experience is transforming the way our nation addresses critical social problems. Sixty semi-finalists (“60 at 60+”) will also receive national recognition for their work. To nominate someone or apply yourself, visit www.leadwithexperience.org. Application deadline is February 28, 2006. The first awards will be made in June, 2006.

According to Kathy McCleskey’s Volunteer Newsletter, Texas currently has more Certified Volunteer Administrators (CVA’s) than any other state but Oregon is a close second. Consider becoming certified. The Long and Short of Nonprofit Management and The Basics and Beyond the Basics are being conducted January 9-10, 2006 and Feb 9-10, 2006 at Austin Community College in Austin. If participants register for both sessions, there is a special discount. Competencies for the CVA will be covered. For more information, go to http://www.austincc.edu/npo/ .

The Awards for Excellence are designed to honor a business' overall employee/retiree volunteer effort, including the actual community service projects and the program policies and corporate vision that support those volunteer activities. We invite your participation in nominating businesses that have exceptional workplace volunteer programs, self-nomination is permissible. The deadline for nominations is January 25, 2006. The awards will be presented at The National Conference on Volunteering and Service in Seattle, Washington, June 18-20, 2006.

The AmeriCorps Independence Project, the Literacy Council of Tyler, and the United Way of Tyler/Smith County will sponsor the Martin Luther King Day Volunteer Fair on Monday, January 16, 2006 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. The fair will be an opportunity for your nonprofit organization to recruit volunteers and showcase your organization at the Broadway Square Mall in Tyler. There is no fee to participate. If you want to participate, contact Carla Curtis, AmeriCorps Program Director at (903) 535-7305 or email ccurtis@andrewscenter.com.

Employers and workers can find the answers to many workplace questions on the Department of Labor website, http://www.dol.gov. You will find information about the law, required posters, and frequently asked questions about Minimum Wage, Overtime Pay, OSHA, Family Medical Leave, and the Uniformed Services Employment/Reemployment Rights Act, and others. The department also provides one of its regulatory books in Spanish; the link is below: http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance/whd/hrgsp.pdf

A number of excellent tools allow even small nonprofits to accept credit card donations on their Web sites. Idealware reviews 27 vendors offering lower-priced options. http://ga0.org/ct/i1qgyPY1nRlF/

Receive free anti-spam software and learn how to fight spam during the 3rd Annual "Stop Spam Today!" Campaign from November 9 - December 15, 2005. This educational campaign for nonprofits and public libraries is sponsored by TechSoup and Mailshell. TechSoup brings you information and resources about fighting spam each week. For 48 hours only, on December 14 and 15, nonprofits and public libraries can order Mailshell’s Anti-Spam Desktop software from TechSoup Stock for free! If you’re not already registered with TechSoup Stock, pre-register your organization today to ensure faster product delivery after December 15, 2005.

The Nonprofit Technology Conference will be held on March 22-24, 2006 in Seattle. If you’re planning to attend, early registration ends January 15, 2006. http://www.nten.org/ntc

Compass Point and Fieldstone Alliance has published a book for all nonprofit organizations, The Accidental Techie by Sue Bennett. It has great content and resources for the individual(s) who have responsibility for technology in nonprofit organizations. They have also implemented the website below; it contains useful technology tips as well as tools and tables for collecting information for your nonprofit. The book’s Appendices can be downloaded from the website: samples of titles are below:

OneStar Foundation was recently awarded a CCF Demonstration Program Grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services to provide capacity building to faith-based and community groups in Texas. OneStar Foundation will administer the Compassion Capital Fund Texas Demonstration Project in the targeted counties of Bexar, Harris, Tarrant and Travis. The program will begin in January, 2006 with a series of community symposia in the four counties and continue in the spring with custom-developed technical assistance trainings. For more information about the program, go to http://www.onestarfoundation.org. Cornerstone Assistance Network, a Network member in Fort Worth, is one of the six partners on this project.

The Nonprofit Financial Center is a Chicago organization helping nonprofit organizations with practical financial services, training, and resources. The firm offers several publications free to nonprofit organizations and others are only available to members. Several free publications cover the topics of Bank Reconciliation, Sample Cash Flow, and Mission-Related Work. The website is http://www.nfconline.org.

Idealist has just announced the publication of their first report. Many organizations are interested in accepting credit card donation from their website. Idealware reviewed twenty-seven different lower-priced online software tools that can be used to accept donations from an existing website. What they found was good news: many affordable tools are also powerful, friendly, and flexible. Their recommendations for high-quality tools, detailed reviews of 19 of them, and a method to choose the right tool are available at http://www.idealware.org/donations/

Nonprofit leaders can develop their skills at executive development programs at Stanford University. Listed below are several 2006 seminars:

Develops the professional capabilities of current and future leaders of nonprofit organizations by relating their experiences to integrated frameworks on leadership and management.

Teaches teams of senior staff members and board members how to effectively define and execute an organizational strategy and mission.

Nonprofit organizations communicate their mission and programs through brochures, invitations, and program and services flyers. The Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers is a national coalition of nonprofit organizations that use mail to raise funds, solicit members and distribute information. Bookmark this site for updates about changes to nonprofit mailing rates, bulk mailing information, and other related topics. http://www.nonprofitmailers.org/about.html

NPower has just published Communications, Protection, Readiness (CPR), Nonprofit Guide to Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery. The resource outlines how to identify a working team, ways to protect your organization and its data, and practical policies. It can be downloaded in a PDF format at http://www.npower.org/resources/index.htm. Thanks to the SBC Foundation in San Antonio, TX for underwriting this resource for nonprofit organizations.

¨ Technology Learning: N-Ten will offer the Webinar, Branding through Web Sites on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific and 1:00 pm Eastern. The webinar is 90 minutes; to register, go to http://nten.org/webinars. Cost is $50 for N-Ten members and $75 for non-members.

¨ Legal & Accounting Institute: The Nonprofit Resource Center of Texas in San Antonio will offer its Legal & Accounting Institute on December 9, 2005 at the Bright Shawl. www.nprc.org

¨ Volunteer Center of Lubbock, a Network member, offers background checks for nonprofit organizations through DPS. Click on the above link or contact the Center at (806) 747-0551.

¨ The Volunteer Center of North Texas: This organization offers a program called VeriFYI which provides the most comprehensive national background check currently possible (similar information to an FBI check). Because it is a web-based program (totally secure) agencies anywhere in the United States can utilize this program to check on their volunteers as well as staff. The cost is minimal per name checked and may include drivers license reports as well. If you are interested in more information on this, please check their website at www.verifyi.org. Mary Beth Harrington - Director of Agency Relations - Volunteer Center of North Texas.

The Nonprofit Panel has issued a second report with responses to the proposed IRS changes to monitor the nonprofit sector. The report is available at http://www.independentsector.org.

OneStar Foundation through the Governor’s Mentoring Initiative is offering a technical assistance opportunity to mentoring organizations that strive to implement practices that produce results. Programs selected as a result of this Request for Proposal (RFP) will receive up to 40 hours of customized technical assistance, based on program and organizational needs from an experienced coach/ consultant. The technical assistance plan may also include site visits by coaches and the ability to visit another mentoring program that has experienced a similar challenge. For more information and to download the RFP visit www.onestarfoundation.org. If you have any questions, contact Elizabeth Hummer, Program Manager, at Elizabeth@onestarfoundation.org or call 866-615-6555 x 213.

¨ 28^th Annual Governor’s Volunteer Leadership Conference: November 9-10, 2005 in Dallas, TX. Come early to attend the Governor’s Mentoring Initiative Pre-Conference Seminar on Nov. 8-9. Registration is available at www.onestarfoundation.org.

¨ Power Tools for Nonprofits: The annual conference will be held on Wednesday, November 16, 2005 at the Reliant Center in Houston, TX from 7:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. Keynote speaker will be Jan Hargrave, a professional speaker and author. Participants will have an opportunity to attend concurrent sessions on financial issues, technology, corporate funding, and board governance issues. Robert Chitty and Ronnie Hagerty, MAP employees, and Network members will speak on technology and board issues. Individual cost is $49 by November 2, 2005; CEU’s are available for social workers. To register, go to www.uh.edu/continuingeducation or call (713) 743-1060.

¨ AFP Conference in San Antonio: The annual conference will be held on January 30-31, 2006 at the Hilton Palacio del Rio in downtown San Antonio. For information, people can go to www.afpsa.org or call Mary Anne Oehler at (210) 431-4999.

To help organizations in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas deal with the effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, all job postings on Idealist.org from now until the end of the year will be free for any organization in these four states. Job postings on Idealist are usually $50, so they hope that by waiving this fee they can make it easier for organizations in these states to reach the thousands of people who visit Idealist and subscribe to our daily nonprofit job alerts. Nonprofits can also use Idealist to post internships, events, and volunteer opportunities, which are *always* free.

The Internal Revenue Service (http://www.irs.gov/) is allowing large and small businesses to claim a tax deduction and an exemption from employment taxes if they donate the value of employees' unused leave and vacation time to Katrina-related charities, the Associated Press reports. Under the IRS's leave donation program, employees can forgo vacation time, sick leave, or personal days, and their employers can then donate the value of that time to a charity that is working specifically for the relief of Katrina victims. The program will run through 2006.

The IRS isn't requiring that employers file any forms with the agency. But employers must document within their own accounting systems the fact that employees did not use their leave or time off and that the money was donated to a qualified charity. While any vacation time or sick leave donated by employees won't be taxed, the value of the donation can't be deducted in the same way it would if it were a cash donation.

Congratulations to Texas C-Bar, a Network member in Austin! For five years, they have linked lawyers and communities providing over $2.5 million of free legal services donated to community development nonprofits. Go to www.texascbar.org for a full description of their legal publications for nonprofits and their workshops throughout Texas.

Free Tuition Scholarships for Nonprofit and Governance Agencies Providing Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts

Based in Los Angeles, the Grantsmanship Center is making available 100 full-tuition scholarships to nonprofit and government agencies that provide relief, reconstruction, and emergency services in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. Representatives of these agencies may apply to attend any TGCI Grantsmanship Training Program free of charge. Agencies that work in public health, law enforcement, housing support, family services, pollution abatement and related fields are encouraged to take advantage of this scholarship opportunity. To apply, please complete the brief online application form indicating location and dates of the program you wish to attend, along with a brief explanation of the services your agency is providing to hurricane victims.

In a recent brochure, TechSoup featured a new fundraising management software for nonprofit. Thanks to a generous donation from their new partner, Mission Research, they are now offering GiftWorks 2006 to eligible nonprofits. This fundraising software is designed to meet the needs of small and medium-sized nonprofit. It features include Donor Relationship Management, Donation Tracking, Mass Emailing, List Generations, Reporting, QuickBooks Accounting Integration, and other features. For more information about this software, go to www.techsoup.org.

If your nonprofit organization accepts donations of cars, boats, and planes valued at more than $500, there is a new form you’ll need to research and use. The IRS released Form 1098-C for donations of cars, boats, and planes valued at more than $500. The donee organization must use this form to report donations of qualified vehicles to IRS under the stringent new rules added by the 2004 Jobs Act. In addition, they can use the form to provide a contemporaneous written acknowledgment to donors contributing a motor vehicle, boat, or airplane in 2005 and claiming a value of more than $500.

A recent CPA bulletin noted that the Form 1098-C provided on IRS's web site indicates that Copy A of the form is for informational purposes only and not to be downloaded, printed, or filed with the IRS. However, Copies B and C can be downloaded and printed to provide a written acknowledgment to donors. Go to www.irs.gov for current tax forms.

Applications are being accepted for the 2006-2009 funding cycle for AmeriCorps State grants. Organizations interested in exploring whether AmeriCorps*State funding may be appropriate to meet the needs of their community can download the Organizational Readiness Assessment Tool. In addition, the AmeriCorps Program Toolkit is designed to walk organizations through the planning process of developing an AmeriCorps program. Letters of Intent must be submitted by October 21, 2005. Visit www.onestarfoundation.org for the Applications Instructions and Toolkits.

Texans will have an opportunity to attend the one-day Professional Writing Seminar sponsored by the Foundation Center of New York. It will be offered in the Dallas/Forth Worth area on Tuesday, November 8, 2005 at the Arlington Convention Center. The fee is $195 per person and includes The Foundation Center’s Guide to Proposal Writing, 4^th Edition and a course workbook. Topics include techniques for writing proposal, components of a grant package, building relationships with funders, trends in grantmaking, and grant reports. To register, go to www.fdncenter.org.

The Foundation Center based in New York City has added an Earned Income course now in five cities. The Foundation Center's full-day Earned Income course helps organizations assess their nonprofit's revenue options. This course outlines the real potential and possible pitfalls of this revenue stream. Topics include: understanding earned income, linking it to mission, evaluating earned income options, how an organizational audit can help you identify earned income potential, and developing a business plan. Space is limited, so individuals should register early. For full course descriptions and to register, visit their online Marketplace: http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/5000663/courses/earned

A Circle of Ten, Inc.’s, Network for Collaboration’s Fourth Annual Funders’ Forum will be held on October 20, 2005 in Tyler, TX - Federal and state agencies, national and state foundations and corporations as well as regional and private representatives will be present for panels, one-on-one consultation, and exhibits. The Forum will be held from 8:30a.m. - 4:00 p.m., at the Tyler Rose Garden Center. Visit the www.etvv.org for information. Click on “A Circle of Ten” then “Funders’ Forum 2005.

Options for Limited-English-Proficient Individuals, Immigrants, and Their Families

IRS/Guidelines for Giving in Times of Crisis

Individuals, corporations, and foundations have been extremely generous during Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. The IRS has issued tips for giving to nonprofits during these stressful times. http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=147085,00.html

State Travel Reimbursement

Effective October 1, 2005, the current state travel reimbursement is $.485 per mile. This website allows individuals to easily calculate mileage between Texas communities. http://www.window.state.tx.us/comptrol/texastra.html

Upcoming Free Workshops

Online Auctions: Fundamental Fundraising Tools
cMarkets will present two live seminars focusing on how to make the most effective use of online auctions as fundamental fundraising tools. Attendees will learn how to promote their cause, protect and grow their constituent base, add value to their sponsors, and improve their fundraising results through online auctions. There will be a hands-on demonstration of cMarket's online auction services and virtual consignment store, as well as a live tour of several current running online auctions. The seminar is free; a complimentary lunch will be served.

Dallas Seminar:
Presented By: cMarket, in conjunction with United Way of Metro Dallas
Date: Thursday, November 3, 2005
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Location: United Way of Metro Dallas, 1800 N. Lamar, Dallas
Cost: Free; lunch will be served

Houston Seminar:
Presented By: cMarket, in conjunction with United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast
Date: Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Location: United Way of Texas Gulf Coast, 50 Waugh Drive, Houston
Cost: Free; lunch will be served

For more information and to register: http://www.cmarket.com/company/seminars.htm or call (617) 252-6477.

Postponement of Nonprofit Day in San Antonio
Due to uncertainty surrounding Hurricane Rita and ongoing relief efforts in Texas, the Nonprofit Resource Center of Texas in San Antonio postponed its 5th Annual Nonprofit Day, "Nonprofit Advocacy & Lobbying in Texas" scheduled for September 28, 2005. It will be rescheduled in spring, 2006.

Professional Development Conferences
¨ Social Enterprise Alliance Gathering: March 7-10, 2006 in Atlanta. This year’s conference theme is Advancing the Field, an appropriate reference to the rapidly-growing community of social enterprise practitioners, grantmakers and consultants who share. http://se-alliance.org.
¨ AFP/San Antonio Chapter’s Regional Fundraising Conference: January 30-31, 2006, San Antonio, TX.

Merger: Network for Good and Groundspring
Network for Good and Groundspring, the two largest nonprofit providers of Internet-based fundraising and donor management tools, have agreed to merge. They will provide small and medium-sized nonprofits with a single source of affordable, easy-to-use, web-based tools and training.

https://www.groundspring.org/about/090105.cfm

NEWS & EVENTS - SEPTEMBER 20, 2005

Nonprofits – Learn Advocacy Strategies
Nonprofit organizations provide critical services to their communities and they have multiple audiences to educate about their work. To meet this need, the Nonprofit Resource Center of Texas, a Network member in San Antonio, will sponsor its 5^th Annual Nonprofit Day on September 28, 2005 for board and staff members. The event will be held at the Radisson Hotel, Downtown Market Square in San Antonio from 7:45 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Topics include: Effective Advocacy Planning, Current Issues on the Hill, Best Practices in Lobbying & Advocacy, Effective Use of the Media, and Using Technology in Lobbying and Advocacy. Speakers include Dr. Joe J. Bernal, Texas State Board of Education, Jason Sabo, United Way of Texas, Anne Dunkelberg, Center for Public Policy Priorities, Representative Jose Menendez, Texas House of Representatives, District 124, and local nonprofit executives. Attend this conference and learn strategies for educating your local and state legislators. To register, go to www.nprc.org or call (210) 227-4333.

Raising More Money Conference Call
In this challenging time post-hurricane Katrina, Raising More Money has received many questions from their E-New$ subscribers asking for advice about how to proceed in these next critical weeks and months for year-end fundraising. Many groups are directly affected, including the relief work so many of your organizations provide. Those organizations whose work may not be as directly affected may fear that your donors will give instead to hurricane relief efforts.

In light of this situation, Raising More Money will be offering special conference calls to discuss using the Raising More Money Model in your post-hurricane fundraising. The calls will address current fundraising challenges--in particular, how to keep your fundraising relevant, whether or not your work is directly related to hurricane relief efforts. The agenda for each call will be the same, so there is no need to attend multiple calls. There is no charge to participate on the calls other than the long-distance calling charges to dial into the conference number.

Call 1: Friday, September 16 at 1:00 p.m. Pacific
Call 2: Monday, September 19 at 1:00 p.m. Pacific
Call 3: Thursday, September 29 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific
Call 4: Tuesday, October 4 at 9 a.m. Pacific

Hurricane Katrina Efforts in Texas
Many nonprofit organizations, governmental entities, and individuals have been donating countless hours, expertise, and funds to help the individuals affected by Hurricane Katrina. Listed below are several sites sharing information about current needs and efforts.

www.texasnonprofits.org: Texas Nonprofits is listing current needs and efforts throughout the state.

United Ways of Texas: Below is information from a recent newsletter:
¨       Information and Referral: Dial 2-1-1 or 1-888-312-4567 for around-the-clock information about evacuations, shelters and other resources.
¨       Evacuees with Medicaid: Evacuees can get medications and medical care while in Texas. For information on where to get medications and find a Medicaid doctor, call 1-800-252-8263. Evacuees do not need a Medicaid card.
¨       Healthcare providers: You can verify Medicaid and CHIP enrollment information and procedures to process claims at 1-800-473-2783.
¨       HHSC Develops New System to Speed Katrina Response: The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) developed and deployed a new rapid application system to speed the processing of Katrina survivors just one week after the evacuees began pouring into Texas seeking help. As the tragedy unfolded in Louisiana, HHSC knew it had to act quickly to provide displaced families with assistance. The state needed to establish mobile offices in shelters and adjust policies that would prevent people without identification or other typical requirements from getting needed services. [New rapid application]

Other Texas agencies are responding to help families displaced by Hurricane Katrina, please visit the following websites:

The Volunteer Center of North Texas will offer several course for professional development:

¨ Essential Elements of Volunteer Management Series: The Volunteer Center of North Texas in Collin County will offer this course; the series will start in September, 2005. This course is beneficial to new individuals working with volunteers and a good refresher for experienced managers, and it covers all aspects of volunteer management that any organization needs to effectively utilize their volunteers. Participation certificates and CEU’s are awarded to those that complete five of the six courses. Classes begin in September. The cost per participant is $10 for VCNT VSP members and $25 for all others. Registrations, while not required, are encouraged to ensure sufficient materials are available for all participants and to contact participants in the event of a change. Orientations may be cancelled in the event of low registrations.

¨ LeadershipPlenty® Program: The Volunteer Center will offer the full LeadershipPlenty Series to nonprofits in 2005! Developed by the Pew Foundation to build leaders in our communities, the LeadershipPlenty® training program consists of nine modules that identify skills vital for people to develop in order solve community problems. The series has been specifically adapted to the nonprofit industry and anyone involved in nonprofit management is encouraged to attend either the series or a specific class. Among the skills addressed in the modules are: group development and dynamics, techniques for managing meetings, dealing with conflict, developing partnerships and project implementation skills. All classes are three hours in length and will be offered at the Volunteer Center of North Texas’ Dallas office located at 2800 Live Oak Street. Cost for each class is $10 per student for members of the Volunteer Center’s VSP program and $25 per student for all others. Students may take classes individually or as part of the series.

HR Workshop
In many nonprofit organizations, the Executive Director often handles the role of Human Resources Manager. Attend the one-day “How to Set Up An HR Department in Texas: The Nuts and Bolts Approach.” Sponsored by Lorman Education Services, it will be held in San Antonio, TX on November 22, 2005 at the DoubleTree Hotel. To register, go to www.lorman.com or call (866) 352-9539.

E-Learning Survey
Isoph and N-TEN have launched the second annual survey of e-learning in the nonprofit and association sectors. Last year more than 700 individuals submitted survey responses and the resulting report provided knowledge about e-learning use by nonprofits that was previously not available. They will be building on that knowledge this year and the survey report will again be freely available. The survey can be accessed at http://www.isophinstitute.com/survey2005.aspx. It takes approximately 10 minutes to fill out. This link will remain open until September 16, 2005 and they expect to issue a report on the results by mid-October. To encourage participation, we are also offering the chance to win your choice of an iPod Shuffle or iBoom docking station.

Corporation for National and Community Service/Notice of Funding Availability
OneStar Foundation will be issuing a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and Application Instructions for the 2006-2009 Request for Proposals Process (RFP) in Fall 2005. The Corporation for National and Community Service has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in anticipation of the State and National RFP processes. To read the full NOFO, go to:
http://www.americorps.gov/for_organizations/funding/nofa_detail.asp?tbl_nofa_id=14

Postponement of Low Income Summit

Due to Hurricane Katrina, Entergy Texas has postponed the Low Income Summit scheduled for September 20, 2005 in Beaumont. The Summit will be rescheduled later this fall. Entergy's corporate headquarters are based in New Orleans; many staff members have been deployed to Louisiana to provide logistic support to their power restoration crews.

Information Resource for Hurricane Victims

With huge numbers of people coming to Texas, TexasNonprofits (www.txnp.org) is trying to help broadcast announcements, needs, and general news relevant to all those involved in the efforts to assist our fellow Americans. People will need help in many ways while they try to pick up their lives - food, medical care, schools, supplies, counseling, volunteer assistance, etc.

They have received many items which we have already posted on the TXNP site, and they have received calls for psychologists who are ready and willing to help assist the refugees. Their goal is to try to efficiently create a Central Location (TXNP) for news and notification of efforts so that we can encourage collaborations across the state to help people.

Please encourage groups across Texas to send us their needs/news on www.txnp.org, or by email to jrb@txnp.org .

The planning and formation of the Nonprofit Benefits Association of Texas has been a complex and challenging project. This special initiative was provided support by the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation in San Antonio. There was not sufficient growth in the number of nonprofits taking coverage through the program. And the program could not operate without sufficient operational funding. Without growth in covered lives, the insurance broker and insurance partners were not able to continue participation in the program.

Although nonprofit organizations expressed interest in health benefits, they were extremely slow to join the organization and offer the benefit plans. For these reasons, the board decided to place the organization on hold. We will not be actively marketing the insurance products to nonprofits. If you are a nonprofit with an interest in offering benefits, you can contact the insurance partners directly for information:

Isoph and N-TEN have launched the second annual survey of e-learning in the nonprofit and association sectors. Last year more than 700 individuals submitted survey responses and the resulting report provided knowledge about e-learning use by nonprofits that was previously not available. They will build on that knowledge this year and the survey report will again be freely available. The survey can be accessed at http://www.isophinstitute.com/survey2005.aspx.

It takes approximately 10 minutes to fill out. This link will remain open until September 9 and Isoph and N-TEN expect to issue a report on the results by mid-October. To encourage participation, they are offering the chance to win your choice of an iPod Shuffle or iBoom docking station. www.isoph.com.

The Center for Nonprofit Management in Dallas will present two webinars focusing on nonprofit board governance issues in September and November, 2005. The webinars are part of the Center's successful Board Leader program, an initiative to help nonprofit board leaders achieve "top of mind" awareness of best practices in nonprofit governance. "These two webinars are an exciting opportunity for the Center to expand the accessibility of our Board Leader trainings," said Ray McLeod, Vice President of Client Services and Marketing.

The first session, Essentials in Nonprofit Governance - Current Legal Issues from the Experts, sponsored and co-presented by Jones Day, will take place on Wednesday, September 7, 2005. Participants will hear from a panel of board governance experts led by Jones Day Partner, Pat Villarreal. Audio and Power Point presentations from the session will be available on the Center's website on September 8. 2005. The second webinar Essentials in Nonprofit Governance: Financial Issues from the Experts, will occur on November 8, 2005. For more information or to register, go to www.cnmdallas.org or call (214) 826-3470.

Based in Williamsburg, VA, GuideStar is known for its service of posting nonprofits’ tax returns on the Internet. It has started a new service eDocs that allows nonprofit groups to post additional documents to the site. These items could include audited financial statements, annual reports, and letters from the IRS granting them tax exempt status. Nonprofits can upload their Form 900 as soon as it has been submitted to the IRS. The fees are $10 or $15 depending on the type of document loaded to the site. For additional information, go to www.guidestar.org.

The Points of Light Foundation in Washington, DC has published a revision of its VolunteerResource.org website. Volunteer coordinators will find articles, reports, publications, and other useful tools for their programs working with volunteers. The site also contains a searchable database for books and articles. The UPS Foundation donated $200,000 for the improvements. Go to http://www.volunteerresource.org.

The Sarkeys Foundation in Oklahoma and BoardSource in Washington, DC. will host the 2005 Southwest Regional Leadership Forum on November 8 & 9, 2005. The conference will be held at the National Center for Employee Development in Norman, Oklahoma. Keynote and workshop speakers include Erin Gruwell, Jim Hightower, Dr. John Izzo, Dr. Sandra Hughes, Dr. Berit Lakey, and Sandra Le Van. Until October 10, 2005, the registration fee is $299 and $499 until November 8, 2005. For more information or to register, visit www.sarkeys.org or call Ann Way at (405) 364-3703.

Independent Sector (http://independentsector.org/ ), a Washington, D.C. coalition of nonprofits, foundations, and corporate philanthropy programs, has released a list of steps charitable organizations can take to demonstrate and improve their accountability.

The steps in the Checklist for Accountability, which includes a list of resources available as models, are intended to help charitable organizations reassure their stakeholders of their commitment to uphold the public trust. The checklist calls on charitable organizations to develop a culture of accountability and transparency; adopt a statement of values, code of ethics, and conflict of interest policy; ensure that the board of directors understands and can fulfill its financial responsibilities; conduct independent financial reviews, particularly audits; ensure the accuracy of and make public their Forms 990; establish and support a whistleblower protection policy; and remain current with all laws and regulations governing the sector. To view the complete checklist and other accountability resources, see:

Change in Workshop Fee: The Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College has reduced the price to $35 per person for “To Give or Not to Give.” The workshop will be held on Thursday, August 25, 2005 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at ACC Highland Business Center. Charles Bernard Maclean, Ph.D., founder and donor advocate for www.philanthropynow.com will lead the session.

The Nonprofit Resource Center of Texas, a Network member, will sponsor its 5^th Annual Nonprofit Day on September 28, 2005. The event will be held at the Radisson Hotel, Downtown Market Square in San Antonio from 7:45 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Topics include: Effective Advocacy Planning, Current Issues on the Hill, Best Practices in Lobbying & Advocacy, Effective Use of the Media, and Using Technology in Lobbying and Advocacy. To register, go to www.nprc.org or call (210) 227-4333. The single registration fee is $150.00.

Ober Kaler and BoardSource will sponsor Nonprofit Corporate Governance: The New Frontier on September 14, 2005 in Washington, DC. The course will discuss recent changes in the nonprofit environment and techniques for nonprofit boards to improve their governance role. www.boardsource.org.

Greenlights for Nonprofit Success, a Network member, recently issued a report about corporate contributions in Central Texas. Read the report to discover actual practices and perspectives of corporate funders. Download the full report here. Thanks to the Greenlights organization for compiling this information.

Since 1979, Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA) have provided legal and accounting services for artists and nonprofit organizations. It is the largest provider of pro bono legal and accounting services to the arts in the United States. Over 600 TALA volunteer attorneys and accountants throughout Texas handle more than 800 matters per year. This amounts to more than one million dollars annually in donated services to the arts and cultural community. TALA also publishes books about tax, accounting, and estate planning for their clients. For information about membership and services, go to www.talarts.org or call (713) 526-4876.

The UPS Foundation and two other corporations established a charitable fund to help national and local charities better manage volunteers. The UPS Foundation will contribute $1 million over three years, the Capital One Fund will contribute $50,000, and Home Depot will contribute $100,000. The National Human Services Assembly in Washington, DC will make grants to national and local nonprofits to support volunteer efforts. http://www.nassembly.org/nassembly/

N-Ten has developed a series of online Webinars as a convenient form of training. A webinar is an online seminar hosted by N-TEN, on topics relating to nonprofit technology. Participants log-in to watch the presentation on their personal computers and listen by dialing in by phone. As many people can watch at one computer as can hear the speaker phone! The cost is just $50 for N-TEN members and $75 for non-members. Listed below are upcoming webinars – go to www.nten.org/webinars for additional information.

¨ Best Practices for Streaming Media Production: September 15, 2005 at 10:00 a.m.

¨ Online Publishing and Content Management with Open Source Software: October 12, 2005

Website Design: If you’re creating a website for your nonprofit organization, you can read Website 101: Nine Tips for Getting Started.

During August, the Foundation Center in New York will offer free shipping on online orders for its nonprofit management guides. They offer solutions to the challenges nonprofits face in day-to-day operations. To see all 24 titles and place your order, visit: http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/3544/mg/main

In September, the OneStar Foundation’s Office of National Service will be sending out a Notice of Funding Availability for an open competition for AmeriCorps State Grants. If you are interested in receiving information at that time about the grant application process, please respond to karie@onestarfoundation.org with your name, title, organization name, address and phone number. For more information about AmeriCorps, please visit www.onestarfoundation.org.

Capaciteria is a new searchable resource directory that helps nonprofits leverage their own capacity. One of the key benefits of Capaciteria is its peer review system, which allows members to rate and comment on resources, and submit their own links. Search results are ranked based on these ratings, listing highest-rated resources first. You also have the option of “bookmarking” your favorite resources for easy retrieval. Check out Capaciteria at http://www.capaciteria.org.

This conference will be held on September 26-28, 2005 at the Argonaut Hotel in San Francisco. The first 100 registrants will receive a complimentary copy of Risk in Perspective: Insight and Humor in the Age of Risk Management by keynote speaker Dr. Kimberly Thompson. Register early and save $100; www.nonprofitrisk.org.

Individuals can now register for the 28^th Annual Governor’s Volunteer Leadership Conference. It will be held November 9-10, 2005 at the InterContinental Dallas Hotel. Early Bird Registration available at www.onestarfoundation.org.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in partnership with the Center for Faith-Based & Community Initiatives will offer a free Grant Writing Training in McAllen for area nonprofits. Taught by HUD staff, the workshop will include the following topics: Do’s and Don’ts for Faith-Based Organizations, Available HUD programs, Accessing of Government Funds, and Other topics. To register, please email Darlene Arredondo at Darlene_K._Arredondo@hud.gov the following information: Name, Title, Organization, Address, Phone, Fax, and Email. Registration deadline is September 7, 2005. If you have any questions, please call the HUD office at (210) 475-6806.

Entergy Texas will sponsor a Low-Income Summit on Tuesday, September 20, 2005 at the Holiday Inn Beaumont Plaza in Beaumont, TX. The summit allows conference participants to share low-income commitments and concerns. The agenda will include a panel discussion and breakout sessions on Advocacy, How to Identify & Connect with Funders, IRS Workshop for Exempt Organizations, and other topics. There is no registration fee, but participants must register by September 13, 2005 for planning purposes. Email the following information to txcustomerrelations@engergy.com: Name, Organization, Address, Telephone, Fax, and Email Address. Information can also be faxed to (409) 981-2317 or mailed to Entergy Texas Customer Relations, Cheryl Martin, EP-9, P.O. Box 2952, Beaumont, TX 77704-2951.

Jean Block Consulting Inc. introduces two online seminars to bring relevant fundraising content to nonprofit organizations. There will be 10 live one-hour seminars; 2 tracks of 5 seminars each beginning September 14, 2005 and ending December 7, 2005. All seminars begin at Noon Central Standard Time.

The fee is $125 per session per computer connection; there are discounts for multiple sessions and early bird registration. Register before August 20, 2005 for all 5 sessions for a $495 price. For additional information, use the following contact information: Jean Block Consulting, Inc., (505) 899-1520, jean@jblockinc.com, http://www.nonevents.com

12 Key Actions of Volunteer Program Champions: CEOs Who Lead the Way: Betty Stallings has published a booklet about volunteer programs and their benefits to any organizations. It is a preview of her new book to be published by Energize in 2006. This new free booklet highlights the words of real-life executives and outlines what it takes for CEOs to successfully support volunteer programs! Go to http://energizeinc.com/xmlEi/solo.php?fzg_navGrpBtn=5-219-E-1 to download the PDF.

The NonProfit Times, a leading nonprofit business publication has released its annual Power and Influence Top 50 list. Those named to the 2005 list were chosen from a field of more than two hundred nominees by NPT staff and members of the nonprofit community. New additions include W. Todd Bassett, national commander of the Salvation Army; Mark Everson, commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service; Charles Gould, president of Volunteers of America; David R. Jones, president and CEO of the Community Service Society of New York; Valerie Lies, president and CEO of the Donors Forum of Chicago; Adam Meyerson, president of the Philanthropy Roundtable; Paul D. Nelson, president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability; Geoffrey W. Peters, pro bono counsel for American Charities for Reasonable Fundraising Regulation; and John Taylor, president and CEO of National Community Reinvestment Corporation.

For complete story, go to "The 2005 NPT Power and Influence Top 50." Nonprofit Times 8/01/05.

TexasBarCLE presents Charitable Giving on August 4, 2005 in Houston and Representing Nonprofit Organizations on August 5, 2005 in Houston. These courses are cosponsored by the Business Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. Individuals can register online at TexasBarCLE.com, by phone at 1-800-204-2222, fax or mail. If you cannot attend the course, you can purchase the course materials. For questions, please call 1-800-204-2222, ext. 1574.

Greenlights for Nonprofit Success, a Network member in Austin, has extended its early-bird registration rates for Crossroads 2005. Until Friday, August 5, 2005, individuals can sign up at the discounted prices of Members/$75 and Nonmembers/$100. If your organization registers two attendees at once, the second registration receives an additional 20% discount. For more information, and to register, check out the Crossroads Information Page at www.greenlights.org

This year's Crossroads Conference includes three keynote speeches by John Gomperts (ExperienceCorps), Willa Seldon (The Tides Center), and Rev. Dan Hayes (Atlanta Community Ministries). The conference will also include concurrent sessions, an Exhibit Hall, a Greenlights Bookstore, and other activities.

The Accessibility Internet Rally for Austin (AIR-Austin) is a unique, award-winning program that has received local and national media coverage. Its purpose is to match teams of web designers/developers with nonprofit organizations to build new websites or enhance existing ones to make them more accessible for people with disabilities. Last year, more than 150 professionals teamed up to create more than 25 accessible nonprofit web sites in one day of friendly competition. The result: countless people with disabilities can now access their information and better use the Internet as a tool for gaining knowledge, economic power and exploring job possibilities. Find detailed event information on the web at http://www.knowbility.org/AIR-Austin/.

The Meadows Foundation in Dallas just awarded the Texas Nonprofit Network a 3-year operational grant of $450,000. This generous support from the Meadows Foundation will allow the Network to continue providing services to its members throughout Texas. The board, staff, and Network members appreciate their continued investment in our work on behalf of Texas nonprofits.

Nonprofit organizations will soon have a research tool to identify grantmakers funding projects in other countries. The International Funders section of the GrantStation website will be operational on August 1, 2005. Click on www.grantstation.com for a limited time offer to receive a one-year membership at special prices. The membership offer is only good through July 31, 2005. If there are questions, please call toll-free (877) 784-7268.

Managing a database so that it’s helpful to your nonprofit organization is always a challenging task. Read the NPower article for tips on researching, evaluating, and choosing a system right for your organization.

As of June 1, 2005, Wilder Publishing Center and Wilder National Consulting Services are now called Fieldstone. These entities have published and worked in the nonprofit sector for 23 years. Their new website is www.fieldstonealliance.org, and their phone number is (800) 274-6024.

Cygnus Applied Research Inc. will offer its Donor-Centered Fundraising seminar in Dallas, TX on September 23, 2005 at the American Airlines Training and Conference at DFW Airport. Penelope Burk, the book’s author, will lead the full-day session. The model will discuss their key fundraising trends, strategies for implementation, and interactions with nonprofits using the model. Go to www.donorcentered.com for additional information or to register.

The Center for Social Innovation and Amazon.com today announced the ten nonprofit organizations that are finalists for the Amazon.com Nonprofit Innovation Award. By working with Amazon, the award offers the ten finalists the ability to gain visibility in front of millions of online consumers. Profiles of the finalists are available at www.amazon.com/nonprofitinnovation; through their donations, individuals can help determine the winner of the award. Donations will be accepted through September 30, 2005.

Employers become eligible for paying unemployment compensation based on number of employees, weeks worked, and other conditions. According to the Texas Workforce Commission website, “An Employing Unit that is a nonprofit organization as described under section 501(C)(3) of the IRS code and has four or more employees during twenty different weeks in a calendar year.”

Plans have been organized for a Nonprofit Congress on October 15-18, 2006 in Washington D.C. Bookmark the website http://www.nonprofitcongress.org/ to keep informed about plans for this first-time event. According to their website, the National Council of Nonprofit Associations (NCNA) and the DC Central Kitchen are partnering with other sector leaders to convene a pivotal, national gathering for the sector.

In the coming year, NCNA and the state organizations will coordinate regional/state meetings to involve local nonprofits in the creation of the Congress. The Network website will continue to post updates on plans for this event.

The University of North Texas in Denton is hosting “High Performance Green Building: The Future of Affordable Housing” on September 8-9, 2005 at the Gateway Center. Speakers include: Peter L. Pfeiffer, FAIA, Austin, Texas; Edward Pollack, Office of Building Technology, DOE;’ John Crittenden, PhD, Arizona State University; Gord Cooke, Trainer, Energy and Environmental Building Association (EEBA); Stephen Andrews, Energy Consultant/Writer, Colorado; and Region 6 Region 6 of North Texas. The conference will also include tours of local green building projects.

The Panel on the Nonprofit Sector (http://www.nonprofitpanel.org/ ), an independent group of twenty-four leaders representing a range of public charities and private foundations, announced 120 recommendations intended to strengthen the nonprofit sector's transparency, governance, and accountability. In its report to the Senate Finance Committee, the panel recommended actions to be taken by charitable organizations, Congress, and the Internal Revenue Service. If implemented, the proposals will constitute the most sweeping changes to the governance, operations, and regulation of charities and foundations in three decades.

According to Diana Aviv, executive director of the panel and president and CEO of the Independent Sector, "These recommendations carefully combine improvement within the sector, more effective oversight, and changes in the law. Successful reform must include all three of those approaches, and no single action can achieve the necessary results by itself." To read the report, go to http://www.nonprofitpanel.org/

Resources for Executive Transitions

Dealing with a change in the Executive Director position is a challenging time for any nonprofit organization. The Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund have released three new monographs as part of their Executive Transitions Monograph Series. For monograph copies, visit

¨ Interim Executives: The Power in the Middle, by Tim Wolfred explores the benefits and issues nonprofits should consider when weighing the use of an interim executive director in a leadership transition.

¨ Founder Transitions: Creating Good Endings and New Beginnings, by Tom Adams examines the unique challenges presented by transitions involving founders or long-term executives.

¨ Up Next: Generation Change and Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations, by Frances Kunreuther compares how Baby Boom and Gen X leaders view leadership, transitions and their work.

Understanding the Nonprofit Rating Systems

The National Human Services Assembly and the National Council of Nonprofit Associations (NCNA) have released Rating the Raters: An Assessment of Organizations and Publications That Rate/Rank Charitable Nonprofit Organizations. The study reviews the growing number of charity "watchdog" organizations establishing a variety of accountability standards and ratings designed to evaluate the activities of nonprofits. The report aims to provide nonprofits with an understanding of how standard-setting organizations establish their ratings and measures and to help nonprofits find programs that provide the most useful and relevant information to meet their needs. To download a PDF copy, visit www.ncna.org/_uploads/documents/live//Rating the Raters_5-9-05.pdf.

Texas nonprofits in the Beaumont area will have an opportunity to attend a complimentary session about the Raising More Money Model. Sharon Ervine will teach the session on August 11, 2005 from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Salvation Army, 2350 IH-10 East, Beaumont, TX 77703. There is no fee to attend this introductory session about a fundraising format, but individuals must register so they can notify participants if there are any changes to the session.

Thanks to Network members in San Antonio and Tyler, Texas nonprofit organizations have a chance to hear national speakers on board governance and capital campaigns.

San Antonio: The Nonprofit Resource Center of Texas has two remaining workshops in its SBC Signature Series. www.nprc.org

¨ July 22, 2005: Board Development for Nonprofits: Michael Kaiser, President of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Deborah Hechinger, CEO of Board Source.

¨ October 21, 2005: Business Planning for Nonprofits: Samantha Beinhacker, Deputy Director of the Yale School of Management – Goldman Sachs Foundation and John Byrne, Editor of Fast Company.

Tyler: The Nonprofit Development Center and the East Texas Planning Giving Council are sponsoring “Capital Campaigns – Ready or Not” on July 19, 2005. Kent E. Dove, Senior Vice President of the Indiana University Foundation will speak. www.uwtyler.org.

The Waco-McLennan County Library has announced the Grantsmanship Training Program on August 22-26, 2005. The host for the training is the Grants Resource Center, a division of the Waco-McLennan County Library. Tuition for this intensive training program is $875 and registration is limited to 30. To register for the workshop or to apply for a scholarship, contact The Grantsmanship Center at (800) 421-9512 or you can enroll online at www.tgci.com. For more information, contact Bill Buckner at (254) 750-5945.

Nonprofit organizations depend on the talents of board, staff, and volunteers to deliver their missions. Yet many nonprofit organizations are not ready to take advantage of the many older volunteers in their communities. The National Council on Aging has just released a report showing few nonprofits are ready to take advantage of volunteering by older volunteers. In some cases, lack of funding, staffing patterns, and attitude are several reasons nonprofit organizations do not target this group of prospective volunteers. To read the report and determine how you respond to older volunteers, go to http://www.respectability.org/research/survey.pdf

A recent newsletter from accounting firm, Carneiro, Chumney, and Company in San Antonio recently provided an overview of accounting software titles. When selecting a program, the nonprofit organization needs to consider its operating system, computer network, budget, staffing, and link between fundraising and accounting system. The table below provides names, websites, and whether a free trial is available.

GuideStar is used by individuals, nonprofit organizations, and funders to learn more about nonprofit organizations throughout this country. GuideStar has announced improvements to its product. Listed below are the key changes:

Grant Opportunity

Spurs Foundation Letter of Interest Deadline Approaching

The Spurs Foundation is accepting letters of interest from tax-exempt 501(c)(3) South Texas organizations seeking funding of $10,000 - $25,000 for specific projects that meet a specific need and will benefit and positively affect the lives of economically, emotionally and/or physically disadvantaged youth. There are only a few more weeks to get your letters of interest to the Spurs Foundation. Letters of interest must be received by June 30, 2005. Grant information is available to nonprofit organizations seeking funding through the Spurs Foundation. The strongest applicants will be requested to submit a full Spurs Foundation grant application. Organizations should mail their letters of interest to the following address: The Spurs Foundation, c/o Alison Fox, One SBC Center, San Antonio, TX 78219.

The Panel on the Nonprofit Sector has proposed a series of recommendations to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee to strengthen charitable organizations and their operations. The report calls upon the 1.3 million nonprofit organizations to implement measures to improve their governance and financial disclosure. Several recommendations are listed below:

The Panel will continues its work with recommendations to the Senate Finance Committee; standards for compensation and travel policies, revisions to IRS Form 990 returns, uniform and appropriate accounting standards, valuation of non-cash contributions, and regulations of charitable solicitations will be explored.

The Amarillo Area Foundation will host a Funders Forum on July 13, 2005 at the Amarillo Country Club. W. Elliott Stephenson, Ph.D. will speak on Organizational Capacity Building in the morning and lead an interactive discussion in the afternoon. Curtis W. Meadows, Jr. will serve as luncheon speaker with the topic of Philanthropic Trends. For additional information, call (806) 376-4521.

Blackbaud Inc. has made its white papers on issues facing nonprofit organizations available in one site; these will be helpful as you work with your board and staff members. http://www.blackbaud.com/resources/white-papers.aspx

If your nonprofit organization needs help with a board or staff retreat, a custom workshop, or assistance with policy development, contact a Network member for assistance. Go to http://www.txnetwork.org/pages/consulting.asp. If you do not work near an existing member, contact the Network at (210) 558-2845 and we will refer you to a nonprofit consultant.

BoardSource has just released a new tool to help nonprofit boards determine compensation for the executive director position. Dollars and Sense: The Nonprofit Board's Guide to Determining Chief Executive Compensation is written by Brian H. Vogel and Charles W. Quatt.

Now more than ever, nonprofit boards must be aware of the public perception of executive salaries and benefits packages. In this tricky balancing act, your board needs to craft a competitive compensation plan that not only reflects the values and the mission of the organization, but also helps to attract and retain the right chief executive for the job. This step-by-step guide provides practical information that any board can use to establish an effective compensation structure within the context of the organization's mission, history, goals and marketplace.

The member price is $33.75 and the nonmember price is $45.00. The book can be order at www.boardsource.org.

The Cartis Group, an Austin-based advertising and design agency, is offering a $25,000 creative services grant to an Austin-area nonprofit organization. The grant will develop creative advertising and other marketing communications for the nonprofit. Interested nonprofit organizations should go to www.cartisgroup.com/rfp for more information and to download the complete RFP. The proposal deadline is June 17, 2005.

Nonprofit Law: Jason Sabo, Public Policy Director at the United Ways of Texas, gave the following update in a recent newsletter. “Several folks have asked me the status of SB 1215, the bill that created the mandatory financial review and audit requirements for nonprofit organizations with annual budgets in excess of $500,000 (non public contract dollars) per year. (We supported this version of the legislation.) An earlier version of the bill had some provisions that distressed some people in the nonprofit community, but Senator Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler) cleaned those up. The House had some more questions about the bill and its companion HB 3417 by Representative Bryan Hughes (R-Marshall) and those differences are still being hammered out. So, stay tuned. Regardless, I think it's important for folks to know that these two legislators and others are bending over backwards to do what's right by nonprofits. Time is fast running out though.”

The North Central Texas Council of Governments will host the Grant Writing USA Workshop on June 20-21, 2005 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. in Arlington, TX. The workshop will be held at the North Central Regional Training Center. For additional information and to register, go to http://grantwritingusa.com/events/nctcog0605.html

A recent Philanthropy News Digest highlighted a new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (http://rwjf.org). According to the report, Characteristics of the Uninsured: A View from the States, the following statistics are affecting the health of individuals and families:

¨ In thirty-nine other states, at least one working adult in every ten does not have coverage.

¨ Between ¼ and ½ of all uninsured adults in all fifty states and the District of Columbia were unable to see a doctor when needed in the past year because of cost.

The report was released to kick off Cover the Uninsured Week, a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in partnership with more than twenty other funders, including the California Endowment and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. With nearly uninsured 45 millions American, the boards of directors of nonprofit organizations must examine their role in offering healthcare benefits to their nonprofit employees. It is an issue facing employers of all sizes. To download the complete report (49 pages, PDF), http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/1800/rwjf/research.

The US Postal Service has issued new rules effective June 1 that require nonprofit direct mail pieces to be classified as First Class if they contain personal information unless the personal information is directly related to an explicit solicitation. Lack of definitions for "personal information," "directly related," and "explicit solicitation" have created considerable confusion. The USPS agreed to meet with representatives from the nonprofit community to clarify the rules by the end of April. In addition, the USPS wants to raise prices by 5.4 percent for almost all categories of mail, with new rates going into effect as early as January 1, 2006. For updates and information, visit http://www.nonprofitmailers.org/junerule.html.

The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health in Austin has announced it is awarding $4.6 million in grants to 50 agencies across Texas as part of a special initiative to help mental health service providers meet growing community needs amid increasingly limited resources. The Special Mental Health Services Initiative was in response to reports of growing pressures on mental health agencies across the state, said Dr. King E. Davis, executive director of the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health. The initiative was open to nonprofit organizations that provide direct mental health services in Texas. The $4.6 million was distributed among eight regions across the state, including the Houston area, where separate resources are dedicated for the benefit of children and families.

"We have heard from countless service providers about how they are struggling to keep pace with increasing needs for services in the face of dwindling resources," Davis said. "Clearly, many programs have reached a critical point and need help in bridging service gaps." For more information, or to see a listing of the grantees, visit the Hogg Foundation Web site at www.hogg.utexas.edu/pages/rfpawards.html.

The Center for Community-Based and Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College will no longer operate the Nonprofit Auction Bank. With limited resources, the program was more labor intensive than originally planned. Scott Johnson, who created the Nonprofit Auction Bank is exploring another home for this service. His email is scottj1@juno.com if you have questions or comments.

Cause Effective in New York has just published an updated and expanded version of The Special Events Toolbox: A Nuts-And-Bolts Guide to Planning and Implementing Special Events Campaigns for Nonprofit Organizations. If your nonprofit organization has special events, this resource would provide useful information for your staff and volunteers. The price is $49.95 and discounts are available for bulk purchases; go to www.causeeffective.org for additional information or to order.

The Friends of the Texas Historical Commission and the Texas Historical Commission will offer two grantwriting workshops at the Hogg Foundation Library in Austin, TX. The Hogg Foundation Library is one of fifteen cooperating collection libraries in Texas.