Common Ground Fall 09

Common Ground

Linking North Carolina’s Nonprofit Sector

A Publication of the N.C. Center for Nonprofits

Volume XVIII, Number 4Fall 2009 Your executive director/CEO has

just announced to the board that she intends to retire in a few years. Besides planning her retirement party, what happens next? One nonprofit in Rowan County provides a good case study of an effective, well-planned executive transition.

Established in 1986, Rowan Helping Ministries (RHM) meets the basic human needs of those in crisis through cooperative community action. Dianne Scott has been executive director for almost 20 years.

A year and a half ago, Dianne told her board of her plan to retire in June 2010. She said, “I needed to be able to think about this transition with my head, especially since there is a lot of emotion wrapped up in my leaving.”

At first the board didn’t grasp the full impact of this. But one board member, David Lee, saw the need to start planning. He helped his board peers create a detailed plan to guide them through the stages of transition. The board created three committees:

1 The succession planning commit-

tee identified the key skills, talents, and experience needed in their next executive director. Former board members, the current chair, and Dianne made up the committee. They thought about where the organization was heading in the future – size, external environment, and needs of the community. Dianne agreed that the next person might need a different set of skills to lead the organization for the next 20 years.

2 The succession management committee created a plan for

the executive director (ED) search, updated the job description, prepared a budget, advertised the position, and selected and provided direction to a third committee described below. The committee used a project management framework that outlined specific tasks, who would be responsible for what, and a timeline. Board members felt they needed this kind of structure, and they’re happy with how smoothly it’s worked.

One of the board’s innovative strategies was to engage key donors in the process. David Lee, a member of the succession management and search committees, explained, “The whole community needs to see this as a positive transition.” Each committee member met one-on-one with a handful of donors to let them know about the transition and answer any questions they had. Donors reacted very positively. executive transitions continueD on P. 13

What’s Inside Page 403(b) or 401(k) for you? 2

Announcing an affordable 3retirement plan!

Save on background checks 3

A juicy lobbying tale 4

What makes volunteers tick? 5

Hosted or installed software? 6

Nonprofit jobs pay off by 7forgiving student loans

Help low-wage workers 8

Nonprofit Awareness Month 9is here!

Retreat to a nonprofit haven 10

Invest in the common good 11

Legislative & Legal 12

Why the Census matters 13

Use your Member benefits 14

Good Stuff Free 16

FINALLY! Salaries and 16 benefits in N.C. nonprofits

Of Special Interest to Board MembersRetirement plans for 2, 3 your staffDo well by doing good 11Boards must use salary 16 data now

executive transitions: an example That’s Working

Dianne scott, executive director of rowan Helping Ministries, and Dave Lee, board member.

Fall 2009, Vol XVIII, No. 4

common Ground is published quarterly by the N.C. Center for Nonprofits. Our

mission is to enrich North Carolina’s communities and economy through a strong nonprofit sector and nonprofit voice. We serve as a statewide network for nonprofit board and staff members, an information center on effective practices, and an advocate for the nonprofit sector as a whole.

Please send comments or items to: n.c. center for nonprofits, 1110 Navaho Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27609-7322, 919-790-1555, Fax 919-790-5307, [email protected], www.ncnonprofits.org.

Copyright 2009, North Carolina Center for Nonprofit Organizations, Inc. All rights reserved. Approval is required for reprints.

The Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a member of the National Council of Nonprofits and Independent Sector. Contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

editor and Graphic Designer: Sarah Weissberg. assistant Graphic Designer: Caroline McDowell. contributors: Beth Bordeaux, Charletta Briscoe, Tracy Careyette, David Heinen, David Hemmerly, Jane Kendall, Trisha Lester, Sarah Mann, Jan Masaoka, Sally Migliore, Joseph Scarano, Kimberlee Sipe, Renee Vaca Razo.

Board of Directors Chair: Tog Newman, N.C. Arts Council and Southern Arts FederationVice Chair: Jane Preyer, Environmental Defense Fund, N.C. OfficeTreasurer: Walker Sanders, Community Foundation of Greater GreensboroSecretary: Jane Kendall, N.C. Center for NonprofitsJuan Austin, Wachovia CorporationAllan Burrows, Capital Development ServicesMelissa Le Roy, Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, Inc.Doris Stith, Community Enrichment OrganizationStick Williams, Duke Energy FoundationKelly Williamson, APCO Worldwide

staffCharletta Briscoe, Office AssistantTracy Careyette, Financial Management AssociateBeverly Guyton, Executive AssistantDavid Heinen, Director of Public Policy and AdvocacyOrdelia High, Receptionist and Office AssistantJoye Hodges, Conference and Events Coordinator Paula Jones, Technology and Administrative DirectorJane Kendall, PresidentTrisha Lester, Vice PresidentSarah Mann, Development AssociateCaroline McDowell, Administrative AssistantSally Migliore, Senior AssociateRenee Vaca Razo, Chief Financial OfficerSarah Weissberg, Membership DirectorGeia Williams, Member Services AssociateAngela Wilson, Database Clerk

N.C. Center for Nonprofits

403(b) vs. 401(k): What’s the Difference?

contributions will be refunded to them if the ratio is not in sync. A Safe Harbor 401(k) can negate top-heavy testing concerns, but be sure you consult with your service provider about all possible impacts on your plan if you consider converting to this type of plan.

Employees used to maximizing their 403(b) plan contributions may not like 401(k) restrictions.

401(k) administration fees may be higher because of ACP/ADP testing.

If your 403(b) sponsor encourages you to convert to a 401(k), it may be be-cause they no longer offer a 403(b). You may want to switch providers, not plans. See page 3 of this Common Ground to learn about a new 403(b) plan offered by the Center.

If you need to make changes to your plan, do so immediately. It could

take months to come into compliance, and currently, no extension has been announced for the December 31, 2009 deadline.

Failure to comply with the new regulations means the entire plan becomes “disqualified.” All assets could lose their tax-favored status if the employer does not maintain a writ-ten plan or fails to comply with the universal availability requirements.

Although the new regulations can seem overwhelming, they are intended to improve the plan for everyone.

– Kimberlee SipeKimberlee Sipe (ksipe@capitalbank-nc.

com) is financial consultant for Capital Investment Group located at Capital Bank and specializes in group retirement plans. She serves on the external relations committee for Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina.

Remember, by December 31, 2009, you must have a written

plan document for your 403(b) retire-ment plan that outlines eligibility, contribution limits, fees, benefits, dis-tributions, administration, providers, and other features. Make sure your plans are in compliance with the new IRS regulations. See “403(b) Retirement Plans: Changes for 2009” in your spring Common Ground (www.ncnonprofits.org/faq/cgxviii2pg7.pdf).

The “old” 403(b) plans used by many nonprofits were employer-sponsored plans where each participant had an individual, self-directed retirement account. There were multiple problems. Providers did not administer the plans in a consistent way, the level of service varied, there was no due-diligence process for investments, and employees sometimes had no investment guidance.

The new regulations change how 403(b) plans operate and are administered, and employers need to be more involved in the day-to-day aspects of the plan. Essentially, the new 403(b) now resembles the 401(k).

So what is the difference between a 403(b) and a 401(k)? The most important difference is that 401(k)s are subject to “top-heavy testing,” or ACP/ADP testing. This means:401(k)s have a monetary ratio that

stipulates proportionate contributions between higher-paid and lower-paid employees. Nonprofit employees whose salaries greatly exceed those of other staff run into problems maximizing their plan contributions. Their extra

“If you convert to a 401(k), you may not be able to maximize your own plan contributions. See page 3 for a new, affordable alternative.”



You asked…we listened. The Center is pleased to announce

that we have negotiated excellent retirement plan options that are now available to all our Members.

Whether your nonprofit is small or large, it would be hard to beat the affordable group pricing that we have negotiated for you.

The program works for organiza-tions that already have a plan and for those wanting to create one for the first time.

Now you can provide a great benefit to your hard-working staff without the hard work of researching options and interviewing providers. Your nonprofit will have its own plan and set its own benefit levels.

By pooling the buying power of the nonprofit sector, we can help you save through better rates than individual organizations can usually negotiate. Offering competitive benefits is one way you can attract and keep top-notch employees.

The N.C. Center created this program because we want to help

ensure that nonprofit careers are sus-tainable for all the dedicated workers who also need savings for retirement. In our Member Survey earlier this year, many of you asked for a retire-ment program – so here it is!

Among the benefits of this 403(b) plan are:Your nonprofit

sets its own contribution level and match requirement.

No hard-dollar administrative fees charged to your nonprofit. This is very unusual.

Easy compliance with new regulations on retirement plans, including a complete plan document. You’ll save up to $6,000 plus valuable time by not creating this new required document yourself!

Easy online contributions from payroll. Low fees for participants – depending

center volunteer sandy cyr enjoys lunch with eleanor Qadirah, president of rowan Blues and Jazz society, at our statewide conference for n.c.’s nonprofit sector. How can you keep talented volunteers engaged in your nonprofit? read about it on p. 5.

on their current plan, participants could save anywhere from 30-40%. As more Member nonprofits participate, fees will continue to drop until they are reduced to zero!

Investments protected by Fiduciary Assure. Education about retirement planning for staff.

The highly-rated plan is sponsored by Hartford Retirement Plan Services through a new partnership with Capital Investment Group, Inc. at Capital Bank.

To learn more, contact Kimberlee Sipe ([email protected], 919-645-3289) or see www.ncnonprofits.org/benefits/retirement.asp.

By working together, we can all stretch our dollars and give our employees the benefits they deserve!

an affordable retirement Plan and Great employee Benefit!

Running background checks on new staff and volunteers

is an important risk management step for nonprofits. We’ve part-nered with American Background to give you Member discounts on these screening tools. You also get this introductory offer: one Basic Volunteer Screen at no charge!

For more information, contact Kay York (kyork@americanback ground.com, 888-533-6880). Say you are a Center Member and mention the free introductory offer!

Another Way to Save

Backgroundchecks

“The Center created this program because we want to help ensure that nonprofit careers are sustainable for all the dedicated workers who also need savings for retirement.”



A Novice’s True Tale of Her Adventure on the Hill

Look at Me, i’m Lobbying for nonprofits! Let me say first that I am not a

lobbyist. I’m a fundraiser here at the N.C. Center for Nonprofits. Until recently, my political involvement amounted to little more than listening to NPR and voting. So, when the opportunity came to lobby in Wash-ington, DC, I was a little intimidated.

Our meetings were fantastic! I’m sharing the experience to let everyone know that you can and should lobby. If I can do it, you can do it.

We pre-arranged meetings with all of North Carolina’s elected officials who could see us that day – three representatives and one senator. Our five major issues ranged from including nonprofits and their employees in health care reform to increasing charitable mileage reimbursement rates for volunteers. David Heinen, our director of public policy, briefed Sally Migliore, Sarah Weissberg, and me on the issues and armed us with strong talking points.

My compatriots and I prepared our spiel. We would emphasize the economic importance of nonprofits, share stories about the wonderful work nonprofits do in our state, and then ask for their help on issues that affect all nonprofits.

We started our noble quest in the Cannon Building, where we met with Congressman Heath Shuler’s legislative assistant, Erin Doty. The Congressman’s office was filled with Native American artifacts (he represents western N.C.) and pictures of his children. Erin was receptive to all of our ideas and took copious notes. She promised to pass our information on to “Heath.” Meeting one: slam dunk.

Our meeting with Congressman Mel Watt’s legislative assistant was very similar. After leaving his office, I was feeling a little better. We had our routine down pat. I didn’t have to look at my notes quite as much. My voice wasn’t sounding quite as shaky. I was actually starting to get the hang of this whole lobbying thing.

We met next with Representative Bob Etheridge. He had squeezed us in between commit-tee meetings, and asked right away, “What is it you need me to do for nonprofits?” Quickly, we told him. He promised to do what he could, and thanked us for bringing these issues to his attention.

We were on a roll when we arrived at our last meeting with Senator Kay Hagan. Right away, the Senator said she was well acquainted with the Center (she spoke at our Public Policy Forum a few years ago) and added, “Nonprofits in North Carolina are doing such great work.” We beamed. She cut right to the chase and asked what she could do for us. She promised to look into

the health care bill. She thanked us for our work at the Center.

Elated, we headed back outside into the heat and celebrated our accomplishments over popsicles.

So what did I learn from all of this? First, lobbying is not scary and is not that different from fundraising! You’re just seeking a slightly different end.

Second, policy makers and their staff are genuinely interested in hearing what nonprofits have to say. Third, it’s our job to educate them about certain policies and how these affect our organizations and those we serve.

Last year, my colleagues met with Senators Richard Burr and Elizabeth Dole and Representatives G.K. Butter- field, Howard Coble, Bob Etheridge, Walter Jones, Brad Miller, and David Price. They told me their story when they got home. Center Members Tharesa Lee of Neuse River Community Development Corporation and Walter Weeks of Wake Enterprises were part of North Carolina’s nonprofit delegation.

Now I hope my story will encourage others in nonprofits to lobby. It was one of the most rewarding and empowering experiences of my young career.

– Sarah Mann

Sarah Mann is development associate at the N.C. Center for Nonprofits.

For advocacy news, see www.ncnon profits.org/advocacy.asp. For lobbying and advocacy tips, visit our online resources for Members only at www.ncnonprofits.org/mbronly/faqMO.asp#advocacy. Also read about our historic White House visit: www.ncnonprofits.org/media/090722.pdf.

www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/3777954520, Creative Commons

sarah Mann



What volunteers value, What They needVolunteers take on significant,

time-consuming tasks to help out nonprofits. We coordinate events that take months to plan, participate on governing boards, and lead teams of other volunteers. We do everything from fundraising, marketing, and quality improvement to delivering lunches, visiting folks in the hospital, and fostering homeless pets. My son and I spent one summer scooping poop at the animal shelter! Of course, we played with puppies, too.

Volunteers give so much for no pay. Yet only about a third continue after the first year of service (Corporation for National & Community Service, Volunteering in America, 2008). How can nonprofits hold on to volunteers?

Cary Cherniss has studied helping professions (teachers, nurses, therapists and lawyers). He finds that professional satisfaction comes from meaning, recognition, autonomy, and remuneration. Let’s consider the first three in regards to volunteers.

Meaning. This is the desire to help others and to make a difference in the world. Show volunteers their impact! Continuously remind them of the difference they make, not just in your opinion, but through real results. Don’t be afraid to evaluate volunteer efforts in light of your organization’s mission and values. When people give of their precious time, they want to know if they are making a difference.

Recognition. A pat on the back goes a long way. Humility makes us say, “It’s no big deal,” but it really is a big deal to feel appreciated. When recognizing volunteers, be specific. Instead of, “Great job on the fundraiser dinner!” try, “I was blown away by how many folks turned out for dinner. You really did a fantastic job organizing volunteers and reaching out to new people who have never attended before.” Public recognition is nice but I find that what people really appreciate is a handwritten note of thanks (no one does that anymore!) or mentioning the details of a volunteer’s work when introducing that person to others.

Autonomy. Even volunteers (may-be especially volunteers) want to be treated professionally and given space to show creativity in their work. Tips:Set the stage and get the right people for

the job. Clearly identify the work to be done, identify how it impacts your nonprofit’s mission, make a job descrip-tion, and identify the skills needed to do it well. Screen volunteers carefully. This won’t discourage volunteerism. In fact, setting criteria and limiting your positions will create integrity within your volunteer program.

Provide ongoing training and open communication about expectations.

Continue to provide support and access to resources and information that can help volunteers do their jobs better.

Keep up the communication. Have regular check-ins to let volunteers know what you are observing, to give appreciative feedback, and to encourage their feedback as well.

Help your volunteers find professional satisfaction in their work. When word gets out, you may find yourself with a waiting list of volunteers!

– Beth BordeauxBeth Bordeaux, MSW (beth.bordeaux@

gmail.com, 919-303-2522) is president of GTM Evaluation & Planning, Inc. (www.gtmeval.com) and has 20 years experience working with nonprofits and human service agencies in N.C.

In a study by Target Analysis Group and Donordigital, the

median gift for online donors was $57, compared to $33 for non-online donors. See www.donordigital.com/projects/target-donordigital_internet_giving_summary.pdf.

They also found that online donors are younger and have higher incomes than direct mail donors. These folks tend to join at higher

More Reasons to Add that “Donate Now” Button!giving levels and have higher lifetime giving.

Online donors make up a relatively small proportion of most nonprofits’ donors. But, their numbers are grow-ing fast. For the nonprofits in the study, the median cumulative growth in online donors has been 101% the past three years, compared to 6% growth for non-online (primarily direct-mail) donors.

If you don’t collect donations online, get started! Integrate this with your direct-marketing program because online donors migrate to offline giving. Be sure to ask for the same level or higher, as they tend to downgrade when they move offline.

Two free button options are Net-work for Good (www.networkforgood.org) and JustGive (www.justgive.org).

volunteers, like these at Manna FoodBank in asheville, are the backbone of many nonprofits. Photo courtesy

of John Bell



software: Hosted or installed?Once upon a

time, we had only a monitor and keyboard, or a ‘dumb terminal’, on our desks and no computer. Giant computers resided in large climate-controlled rooms. That all changed with the introduction of the Personal Computer in the 1980s. Now your desktop computer can hold more data and has more power than those giant ones.

Well, the internet is making our desktop computers resemble dumb terminals once again. Think about all you can do online – pay your bills, shop, make travel plans, send a card, find a mate, and connect with long lost friends. You don’t need a powerful computer or fancy software to do any of this, just an internet connection.

We use many terms for this type of computing – “hosted solutions,” “software as a service,” and the latest buzz, “cloud computing.” Many companies are adopting this model to deliver business applications. You pay them to provide online access to their software and your data, which is all stored on remote servers. You automatically get all software updates, your data is securely backed up, and you can access the system from anywhere via the internet. Some of the management functions available include payroll, billing, client data management, fundraising, and accounting.

These hosted solu-tions aren’t for every-one, but can be a practi-cal option for many nonprofits. Consider:Price. Hosted solution packages require a monthly or yearly fee based on factors like the number of users and amount of data you store. Installed software has an up- front licensing fee with

yearly maintenance and upgrade fees. You’ll pay more for an installed solution up front, but may pay more for a hosted solution over time.

Access to software and data. Hosted applications can be accessed from any-where via internet. This is convenient for volunteers, work-at-home employ-ees, and organizations with multiple locations. Installed solutions are limited to your own internal network.

System maintenance and backup. With an installed system, you do your own back-ups, maintain your network and hardware, and install all updates. The software in a hosted solution is updated au-tomatically and the vendor has secure back-ups of your data.

Reliability and uptime. A hosted solution may be more reliable than an installed one. Hosted solution vendors keep their servers up and running and you just need a reliable high-speed internet connection. Otherwise, if you have several people using in-stalled software, you’ll need an experienced IT person or team

on hand to keep your internal network functioning smoothly.

Data security. Vendors can usually afford a higher level of security against unauthorized access to your data than you can pay in your installed system.

How to decide if a hosted solution will work for you? Consider your requirements and budget. Compare soft-ware features, ease of use, support, and cost of ownership over time. Based on where technology is heading, hosted solutions may someday be the norm.

– Joseph Scarano, CPA Joseph Scarano ([email protected], 919-

460-3990) is CEO of Araize, Inc., which provides accounting, fundraising, and payroll software solutions to nonprofits. He is a member of the N.C. Association of Certified Public Accountants’ Not-for-Profit Committee.

For best practices in technology, see the N.C. Center for Nonprofits’ Principles & Practices for Nonprofit Excellence at www.ncnonprofits.org/principles.asp.

Joseph scarano, cPa

A RetirementPlan You CanAfford!Facing higher fees? New

limits on the maximum you can contribute as an employee? See page 3 for affordable retirement plan solutions!



software: Hosted or installed? nonprofit employees can Get student Loans Forgiven

Tell your nonprofit staff, interns, and anyone considering a

career in nonprofits about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLFP). Thanks to successful lobbying by the National Council of Nonprof- its, N.C. Center for Nonprofits, and others, full-time employees of all 501(c)(3) nonprofits are eligible to get federal student loans forgiven!

What is the loan forgiveness pro-gram? PSLFP encourages people to seek and keep public service jobs by forgiving the remaining balance of their federal loans after they work in public service jobs for 10 years. Under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, it covers employees of public service organizations – including all 501(c)(3) nonprofits.

Important update: Those with federal student loans can now also apply for the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) plan, which caps monthly payments based on income. Through IBR, nonprofit employees can keep their loan payments affordable for the 10 years before their loans are forgiven. For details, see www.ibrinfo.org/what.vp.html.

Who qualifies and what are the conditions? You qualify if you work full-time in a public service capacity for 10 years. PSLFP applies only to loan payments made after Oct. 1, 2007. “Public service” includes jobs with 501(c)(3) nonprofits. For a full list of other eligible public service, see Title IV of the Act at http://tinyurl.com/ 6ccjxn. For loan forgiveness, you must:Have Federal Direct Stafford Loans,

Federal Direct PLUS Loans, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, or Federal Direct Consolidation Loans. See your loan documentation for your type of loan. You can have an income-based repayment plan, an income contingent plan, or a standard repayment plan.

Make 120 loan payments while work-ing in public service positions. Every month you work at a public service organization and make your loan

payment on time counts toward the 120 payments. Your service doesn’t have to be consecutive. For example, if you worked for a nonprofit for a year, then a business for a year, and then again at a nonprofit, you just start counting payments where you left off.

Have been employed full-time through-out the 10 years of repayment.

Be employed in a public service job at the time of forgiveness.

If you go back to school after work-ing in a public service job and take out more loans, the new loans won’t be included in the same timeframe as your first set of loans. You will have to make 120 payments on the new loans before they are forgiven.

Full-time service in AmeriCorps or Peace Corps counts as a public service job. AmeriCorps Segal Education Awards and Peace Corps transition payments used for loan repayment may count toward the 120-payment requirement.

Teachers who work for only nine months in a year are still required to make loan payments year-round, including summer vacation. The same

goes for other public service employ-ees with contractual or employment periods of less than 12 months.

How do I apply? There’s not yet a way to register or apply for loan forgiveness, so keep your employ-ment records (especially W-2 forms). If you leave your nonprofit job but still plan to work in public service for 10 years or more, get a signed document from your employer stating that you were a full-time employee and the dates your work started and ended. Do this for every public service position you have.

For more on the PSLFP, call the U.S. Department of Education at 1-800-4FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).

– Sarah Weissberg

Sarah Weissberg is membership director at the N.C. Center for Nonprofits and editor of Common Ground. Sources: “Nonprofit Employees Can Benefit from College Loan Forgiveness,” National Council of Nonprofits, www.councilof nonprofits.org/?q=policy/ccraa; and The College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, http://tinyurl.com/6ccjxn.

tell the college students involved with your nonprofit about federal student loan forgiveness! Pictured here are the student interns, volunteers, and staff of student action with Farmworkers, a 2009 nonprofit sector stewardship award winner. You’ll learn about all three winners in your next Common Ground.



Low-Wage Workers and nonprofitsLet’s look at three uncomfortable

facts:

1 Many jobs in nonprofits are low-wage: child care workers,

intake workers, database clerks, custodians, door-to-door canvassers, elder care workers, support staff, home health care aides, and others.

2 While raising salaries would be by far the best way to support

these important staff, this isn’t possible for most nonprofits – certainly not in the short term, and often not in the long term given business models and funding constraints.

3 Discussion about salaries and job retention have focused on

the people at the top: executive staff and program leaders. Think about how many articles you’ve seen on executive director retention and compensation (and we don’t dispute for a minute the crucial importance of the executive director). In fact, many executives will attest that one of their biggest challenges is recruiting and retaining high-quality staff in direct services and other low-wage, crucial-to-the-mission jobs.

In an economic downturn, low- wage workers are often more vulnerable than their supervisors. Their spouses may have lost their jobs, their parents are less likely to have health insurance, and they have less in savings.

The challenge of providing more compensation may seem overwhelm-ing, especially during a financial crisis, but there are several options that won’t torpedo the budget. Absenteeism and turnover are expensive. Reduce both with these ideas from The National Human Services Assembly’s Caring Workplaces Initiative (www.nassembly.org/ fspc/CaringWork placesInitiative/index.html) and others.

Steps to Take Fairly Quickly at Little or No CostTemporary or episodic flex time.

Exempt staff can leave the office for a couple of hours for personal appoint-ments. Figure out ways to allow non-exempt staff the same flexibility.

Paycheck options. Consider weekly payroll provided in cash envelopes and/or via direct deposit into their checking accounts. Many nonprofit low-wage workers are forced to use payroll check-cashing services and payday loans that exploit their need for fast cash on paydays.

Help staff make fuller use of your bene-fits. Many may be unaware of Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefits such as mental health counseling and refer-

rals to sub- stance abuse treatment programs. Help employees access

government and community resources, such as food stamps, respite care (for their elderly family members

and children with disabili- ties), free after- school programs, community health

clinics, and immigration legal help. Be sure they know about Earned Income Tax Credit. See “Helping Eligible Em-ployees and Clients Access EITC Toolkit for Nonprofit Agencies” (www.nydic.org/nassembly/documents/EITCToolkitPrintVer-sion.pdf).

Funders, ask prospec-tive grantees about salary levels in non-exempt positions, and talk about increasing your funding by an amount that would go directly to increasing salaries at those levels.

Intermediate StepsOffer a cafeteria plan

instead of specific benefits. Some staff

may get free health care through the Veterans Administra-tion, their spouses, or Medicare. They could use health insurance funds for child care, life insurance, or other costs.

Look at all your non-exempt positions. Are they in line across departments and across both direct services and admin-istrative jobs? Often people who work for managers in administration make more than people in direct services.

Conduct an anonymous employee financial assessment survey. Consider bringing in debt counselors and people to assist in opening bank accounts, applying for food stamps, and other free resources.

If you can’t provide raises for all staff, make sure you provide them for the crucial-to-the-mission low-wage staff who are difficult to replace. It may be possible in this downturn, for instance, to announce wage freezes for exempt staff but small wage increases for direct-service, non-exempt staff. This sends an important message, makes business sense, and raises morale.

Board members, ask for a presentation on the number and types of non-exempt and/or direct service positions and what the wages are. Work with staff to com-pare these to other nonprofits so to see whether you are paying less, the same, or more. Think about small steps. For example, you might aim to raise non-exempt salaries by x% over four years.

continueD on P. 9

“While nonprofits are used to thinking about strengthening their clients’ families, they may not be aware that some of their own employees are in vulnerable situations.”

© iStockphoto.com/lilliday



More Far-Reaching Steps:If your nonprofit is a contractor with the

county, work with other contractors and your elected officials to get increases in contracts for low-wage workers.

If you have several people in a certain low-wage job – say custodians in an affordable housing organization – take an informal poll of similar organizations on pay and benefits. Promise to share the results, but keep the groups’ names confidential. Commit to meeting or exceeding the median pay or benefits.

Raise the issue within your associations and networks. Look for opportunities to make joint calls to action.

As Caring Workplaces member Jim Gibbons of Goodwill Industries International says, “Individuals are more likely to be able to go to work, continue working, and advance their careers and earnings if their home lives are stable and their children are safe and thriving.”

Natalie Thompson of the National Human Services Assembly comments that while nonprofits are used to thinking about strengthening their clients’ families, they may not be aware that some of their own employees are in vulnerable situations.

Low wages take a toll not only on the nonprofit and the worker, but also on the clients receiving services.

– Jan Masaoka Adapted with permission from Blue

Avocado, a free bite-sized magazine by and for nonprofit people. Subscribe and see archives at www.blueavocado.org. Published by CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, 731 Market St., Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94103 (415-541-9000, [email protected], www.compass point.org).

Low-Wage Workers and nonprofits November is Nonprofit Awareness Month

Help educate the Public about nonprofits’ impact!

the value of nonprofits to the public, policy makers, donors, clients, and

volunteers. We have the “inside scoop” so let’s tell our story about nonprofits’ impact in our communities and why we matter. Here’s what you can do:Meet with elected officials. Get them to pass a procla- mation that

November is Nonprofit Awareness Month in your county. The toolkit has samples.Invite local reporters to your nonprofit

to take a tour.Identify and recognize volunteers

within your organization.Write an op-ed piece for your local

paper. Ask us for samples.Encourage other staff, board members,

volunteers, clients, and friends to con-sider how nonprofits have influenced their lives and ask them to send letters to the editor about their experiences.

The history of Nonprofit Awareness Month is this:

In 2006, 13 nonprofit professionals from our state, along with more than 400 nonprofit leaders from across the U.S., attended the Nonprofit Congress in Washington, D.C. Delegates selected three top priorities for the nonprofit sector: (1) Advocacy and Grassroots Com-munity Activities; (2) Nonprofit Organizational Effectiveness; and (3) Public Awareness and Support of the Sector.

North Carolina delegates decided to focus on the 3rd – to increase public understanding and support so that nonprofits can continue to do their best work.

Thus N.C.’s Nonprofit Awareness Month was born. It’s celebrated during November, so now is the time to rally the troops! We need to spread the word about

Put these stories on your website with a picture and a message about Nonprofit Awareness Month.

Ask them to tell this story to their friends, co-workers, neighbors, in their place of worship, etc.

Share these stories with us at the Center.

Make presentations about your nonprofit and the nonprofit sector at work and in your community.

Put something on your Facebook page about Nonprofit Awareness Month and why nonprofits matter.

Put something on your Twitter page. Use the hash tag “#npaware”.

See the Center’s Toolkit (www.ncnonprofits.org/NAM.asp) for more ideas, samples, and hard data to help make your case about nonprof-its’ impact on employment and the economy in your county.

For more information, contact Sally Migliore (smigliore@ncnonprof its.org) and visit www.ncnonprofits.org/ NAM.asp. We're all in this together!

– Charletta Briscoe Charletta Briscoe is office assistant at

the N.C. Center for Nonprofits.

charletta Briscoe



retreat to a nonprofit Haven“In a perfect world, we’d have

the time, money, and resourc-es for a staff retreat.” Sound familiar? A staff retreat may seem appealing, but time, money, and reluctance to close your doors can often eclipse the perfect world.

But imagine getting away from email, phone, and visitors and letting staff have open conversations without interruption for just one day. What could you accomplish? How about:Strategic and operational planning.

Revisit your mission, vision, and goals. Staff are the people who best understand the day-to-day operations of your organization. Get their input on how to increase results, quality, and efficiency.

Team building. Orient new staff members and improve communication among all staff. Focus on your organization’s culture. If it’s already positive, build on that strength. If it’s troubled, examine the problem, get to its root, and start changing it.

“Outside the box” brainstorming. Staff are often too busy addressing urgent needs to break from routine and think creatively about your impact; technolo-gy, marketing, and streamlining options; or new roles for volunteers and interns. Successful nonprofits are innovative nonprofits. Retreats give everyone the opportunity to stop, think, and build on each other’s ideas.

Reminding yourselves why you do the important work you do. Nonprofits work very, very hard. Sometimes we get so caught up in the “how” that we lose sight of the “why.” This can lead to burn-out. A retreat can recharge staff by reminding them about the difference they make in the world and in people’s lives. Share these stories. Consider having someone touched by your organization come and speak.

Of course, your retreat has to fit your budget, so your instinct may be to retreat within your own office. But this can feel like just another long staff meeting. Provocative discussions often

take a change of scenery and several hours to flourish. Options range from an afternoon potluck at some-one’s home to day-long sessions at a local confer-ence center.

Consider holding your get-away at a nonprofit retreat center. Founded on values that nonprofits often share, they understand nonprofits’ needs and our retreat objectives and goals. And, giv-ing them your business is one way for nonprof-its to support each other!

These are Members of the N.C. Center for Nonprofits. Find one near you: Arapahoe (near New Bern), Efland

(near Chapel Hill), Parkton (near Fayetteville): N.C. United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries’ Don Lee, Chestnut Ridge, and Rockfish Camps and Retreat Centers, respectively, www.ncumcamps.org

Asheboro: Caraway Conference Center and Camp, www.caraway.org

Black Mountain: YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly, www.blueridgeassembly.org

Chapel Hill: Mount Carmel Ministries Aqueduct Conference Center, http://aqueductcc.com

Highlands: The Mountain Retreat and Learning Centers, www.mountaincenters.org

Hickory: Catholic Conference Center, www.catholicconference.org

Little Switzerland: Wildacres Retreat, www.wildacres.org

Montreat: Montreat Conference Center, www.montreat.org

Pittsboro: Dan Pollitt Center at RAFI-USA, www.rafiusa.org

Tryon: Foothills Equestrian Nature Center (FENCE), www.fence.org

Valle Crucis (near Boone, Banner Elk): The Valle Crucis Conference Center, www.highsouth.com/vallecrucis

Do you offer conference and retreat facilities or other services for nonprofits? Members can advertise your goods and services free on our Nonprofit Yellow Pages. Contact Sarah Mann ([email protected]).

Montreat Conference Center. nonprofit retreat centers offer a little piece of heaven.



Tough economic times can actually be an opportunity to

revisit your nonprofit’s investment strategies and goals. One optimistic trend in the financial world is Socially Responsible Investing (SRI). With SRI, your organization puts its money to work building a more sustainable world while earning competitive returns. SRI is growing in popularity with nonprofits and foundations because it can align your investment philosophy to your organization’s values. It can also help deepen your relationship with donors by “putting your money where your mouth is.”

Strategies. The three core strategies for professionally-managed SRI portfolios are:Screening means including or exclud-

ing securities from a portfolio based on certain criteria. “Positive screening“ attempts to identify profitable companies with a history of excellent employee relations, community involvement, and environmentally- conscious policies and practices. Respect for human rights and safe, useful products are also often considered. Investors use positive screening to invest in industry leaders in the hopes that the general standard of business practices will improve.

“Negative screening” identifies companies with poor records in these areas. These companies are then excluded from an investor’s portfolio.

Because screening requires extensive research into company policies and practices, many investors rely on mutual funds to manage their screened investments. Such funds can match many sets of values, but it’s important to remember that no company is perfect. A company that makes chairs from recycled materials might also produce toxic waste in the process. Screened mutual funds may include companies with various strengths and weaknesses based on the fund’s qualitative criteria.

Shareholder advocacy goes beyond screening. Shareholder advocates purposefully invest in companies with poor social or environmental records

and actively work with the company’s management to improve its practices. This can include filing, co-filing, and voting on shareholder resolutions that focus on social and corporate governance issues.

Community investing provides investment capital to communities underserved by traditional financial institutions, and gives them direct access to credit, equity, capital, and basic banking products they otherwise lack. It allows local organizations to provide financial services to low-income residents and supplies capital for small businesses and community services, such as affordable housing, child care, and healthcare.

Considerations. Interested? Here are a few factors to consider about SRI:Performance. What surprises many

investors is that SRI can let them do well while doing good. When properly managed, risk-adjusted, and controlled for investment style, socially screened portfolios perform comparably to their unscreened peers.

Availability of information. Today, investors can easily access a wealth of information. Recent reforms provide more transparency, stricter corporate governance and accountability, and more disclosure of company information, so SRI organizations are better able to provide knowledge and choices to stakeholders.

Sustainability. As public concern about global warming, alternative energy, human rights, corporate scandals, and other issues grow, new opportunities will continue to be offered to investors. According to Social Investment Forum’s 2007 Report on Socially Responsible

Investing Trends in the United States, one of every nine dollars under professional management in the U.S. today is in SRI.

Getting started with SRI requires some thoughtful planning. Consider:

What are your goals? Do you want to invest in new sustainable tech- nologies, or would you rather make an impact locally through community investing? How much of your portfolio will you commit to SRI? Will it be a portion of your assets, or will SRI be the

foundation for your investments? Consult an advisor who under-

stands SRI. The nonprofit Social Investment Forum offers a list of financial professionals working in SRI (www.socialinvest.org/directory). Interview several and ask them about SRI stock and bond funds, the screens they use, fees, their overall investment philosophy, how they integrate SRI in their portfolios, and how they work with their clients.

Remember, SRI requires knowledge of investment choices, the market, and available resources. Also consider factors such as risk tolerance, investment time horizon, and diversification.

– David Hemmerly

David Hemmerly (919-201-5147, [email protected]) is founder of Fidelis Wealth Management, a comprehensive financial planning firm serving families and nonprofits.

Investing for a Cause

socially responsible investing

© iStockphoto.com/vaeenma



Legislative & LegalHealth Care Bill Amended to Include Nonprofit Employers

Regardless of the other issues in the health care debate, it’s essential that our elected officials develop legislation that helps nonprofits provide affordable, high-quality health coverage for their employees. Congress and the President have made it a priority to help small for-profit businesses provide health insurance for their staffs. The Center and our national partners are advocating for nonprofits to be treated equally with businesses in health care reform.

Here’s how each of the bills would help nonprofit employers:The Senate Health, Education, Labor

and Pensions (HELP) Committee bill currently has the best option for nonprofits. It would offer subsidies to help many nonprofits with 50 or fewer employees to provide health coverage.

The Senate Finance Committee bill would enable some nonprofits with 25 or fewer employees to use some of their health insurance expenses to offset to the payroll taxes they withhold.

The House bill doesn’t currently provide relief for nonprofit employers, but instead offers tax credits for small for-profit businesses. Several House members, including Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC) and Rep. David Price (D-NC), are advocating for the final House bill to help nonprofit employees.

These will be amended further in the coming weeks, and any final health care legislation will likely combine elements from all three bills. For the latest and to take action, see www.nc nonprofits.org/advocacy/healthcare.asp.

Other Proposals Could Affect Nonprofits

At press time, Congress had rejected these possible amendments to health care bills that could impact nonprofits: One amendment would expressly

authorize the IRS to ask the governance questions that are part of the redesigned Form 990. This wouldn’t change nonprofit reporting requirements, but it could stifle potential challenges to the IRS’s authority to ask these questions.

There is a proposal to eliminate the “safe harbor” for determining nonprofit executive compensation. This could re-quire nonprofits to provide the IRS with more information about comparability data used to set executives’ salaries.

To raise revenue to offset the costs of health care reform, Congress could cap itemized charitable deductions at the current limit of 35% or lower, even when the tax rates for high-income taxpayers rise.

These amendments could still be considered for the final health care reform bill.

State Budget Cuts Affect Nonprofits

In August, Gov. Bev Perdue signed the state budget into law. The General Assembly raised nearly $1 billion in new revenue to help protect many services at the core of nonprofits’ missions. However, the Legislature cut overall spending by $2.7 billion for 2009-2010, so there are substantial cuts in almost every area of the budget. For details, see www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2009/Bills/Senate/PDF/S202v8.pdf.

The Senate and House Finance Committees will meet beginning in November to look at broader revenue reforms. These proposals could help create a fairer and more stable tax system for N.C. However, some of the proposals could affect charitable deductions and sales tax exemptions for very large nonprofits. We’ll keep you posted.

New State Grant System OpenThe N.C. Office of State Budget and

Management (OSBM) has opened its new N.C. Grants system (www.ncgrants .gov). This replaces the Grants Informa-tion Center operated by the N.C. Office of State Auditor. As part of the transi-tion, nonprofits with grant reporting deadlines between Aug. 31 and Sept. 30 have until Nov. 13 to file reports online in the new system. The noncom-pliance list and Suspension of Funding List won’t be released until Nov. 16. OSBM plans for the new system to

include changes recommended by the Center and other nonprofits to ease nonprofits’ reporting burden.

Congress May Extend Estate Tax at Current Levels

Congress is considering extending the estate tax for a year at its current level – with a $3.5 million exemption and maximum tax rate of 45%. With- out Congressional action, the estate tax is set to expire in 2010. The extension of current estate tax levels would be good news for nonprofits, since the repeal or major reduction of the estate tax could cost nonprofits up to $10 billion in gifts every year.

IRS Releases Lobbying Guidance for Nonprofits and Community Foundations

The IRS recently released new guidance on nonprofit grants and lobbying. This allows community foundations and grantmaking non-profits to rely on rules for private foundations when supporting nonprofits that lobby. The Alliance for Justice, a national partner of the N.C. Center, requested this revenue ruling (www.afj.org). Some of the key rulings:Community foundations and other

grantmaking nonprofits don’t need to count grants to advocacy organizations as lobbying expenditures unless they’re earmarked for lobbying.

Grants for specific projects aren’t necessarily lobbying expenses.

Grants for specific projects that include lobbying activities aren’t considered earmarked for lobbying if they’re for an amount less than the project’s lobbying budget.

This column is not intended to give legal advice and should not be relied upon without your attorney’s counsel. For more on public policy issues affecting all 501(c)(3) nonprofits in North Carolina, contact David Heinen, director of public policy and advocacy at the N.C. Center for Nonprofits ([email protected], 919-790-1555, ext. 111). All Center Members receive periodic Public Policy Updates and Alerts.



Attend a free webinar on the nuts and bolts of nonprofit engagement in the Census (www.NonprofitsCount.org).

Include Census information in your communications.

Partner with the U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov/rocha/www/partner.html).

Host an event to raise awareness. Promote Census jobs. Join or form a Complete Count

Committee.

Visit www.NonprofitsCount.org for more guidance on all of these or contact me ([email protected], 919-790-1555, ext. 111).

The Center is proud to be a partner with the U.S. Census Bureau and the Nonprofits Count! campaign to help our state’s nonprofits get involved in building awareness of the Census. – David Heinen

David Heinen is director of public policy and advocacy at the N.C. Center for Nonprofits.

With the 2010 Census less than seven months away,

now is the time for your nonprofit to let the people you serve know the importance of being counted. You and your constituents need to know:The Census is a count of every person

living in the U.S., regardless of age, citizenship, or living arrangement.

Next year’s Census form is one page and takes less than 10 minutes to complete.

The best way to avoid having a Census worker knock on your door is to complete and return the form.

All information given on the Census form is 100% confidential.

What’s at Stake?The federal government uses Census

data to allocate funds for Medicaid, nutritional services, maternal and child health, community development block grants, education, and other programs. North Carolina receives about $11.3 billion each year – the equivalent of more than half of the state budget. This means more funding goes to agencies and nonprofits when more people

receiving services are counted – an additional $1,243 per person! Make sure the people you serve are counted!

The 2010 Census results also will determine the locations for new schools, hospitals, community centers, bridges, and public transportation.

North Carolina might get an additional seat in the U.S. House of Representa-tives, giving our state a stronger voice in national policy decisions affecting your nonprofit and constituents.

Why Get Involved?Nonprofits serve many communities

that are most at risk of being under-counted, including low-income people, communities of color, highly mobile populations, immigrants, homeless people, and children.

We maintain trusting relationships with our constituents, so we’re uniquely positioned to educate them about what’s at stake in the 2010 Census.

More accurate Census results may mean more funding for programs vital to nonprofits’ missions.

What Can Your Nonprofit Do?Promote the 2010 Census as easy, safe, and important.

Better census Data = More support for Your constituents

executive transitions cont. FroM P. 1

3 The search committee was charged with reviewing

candidates’ resumes, vetting and interviewing potential candidates, and recommending a few finalists to the full board.

The N.C. Center for Nonprofits is always interested in sharing good practices, especially lessons learned from our Members. Dianne and the board of RHM offer this advice:Communicate with staff early and

often. It’s important for the ED to give her staff the news and to update them as appropriate.

Carve out work into manageable chunks. Having three committees with specific tasks was efficient and let several people share the work.

Identify the skills of board members and other volunteers, and match them with the right tasks. Think carefully about your networks in the community, and tap the expertise of individuals to do what is needed. It can be healthy to include other community leaders who aren’t on your board.

Ensure open and ongoing communica-tion between the committees and the full board. Board Chair Judy Banish said, “There were no power struggles because the authority was vested with the full board, and everyone was able to share their ideas and give input.”

The operative word on succession planning is planning. The process will take longer than you think, so begin early. Expect the unexpected. This challenge can actually strengthen your

board and make it more cohesive. Carl Repsher, a former nonprofit

director and chair of RHM’s succession management committee, shared these words of wisdom with other Members of the N.C. Center: “Educating boards about all that succession planning entails is extremely important. They need information, training, and the benefit of firsthand experience of other nonprofits to help them create their own successful transitions.”

– Trisha Lester and Sally Migliore

Trisha Lester is vice president and Sally Migliore is senior associate at the N.C. Center for Nonprofits. Rowan Help-ing Ministries won our Nonprofit Sector Stewardship Award in 2000.



What Do You Get as a center Member?Get help for you and your nonprofit Unlimited access to our confidential Board and Staff Helpline. Free consultations with legal, accounting, human resources, and marketing experts.This Common Ground newsletter. “Memo to Members” emails. Referrals to experienced peers. Access to over 1,200 online resources for fundraising, human resources, financial management, boards, and more. Go to www.ncnonprofits.org/mbronly/faqMO.asp.

Cut costs - stretch your funds403(b) employee retirement plans – no administrative fees for nonprofits! Conference calls and teleconferences – sharply reduced rates and simple to use. Office supplies – save on brand items plus fast, free delivery. Online Jobs Board – affordable, effective hiring tool for all your openings. Human resources services – manage your insurance, benefits, and more. $20 off Self-Help Credit Union membership. Turn-key packages for all communications technology – with no up-front costs.

Background checks – great discounts. Unemployment insurance – big savings for small and large nonprofits. Members have already saved $2.4 million! Information technology services – 10-15% off on installation, maintenance, and all your technology needs. Auto insurance for nonprofits and staff.Email marketing and surveys – save 50%. A Guide to the N.C. Legislature, N.C. Center for Public Policy Research – 15% off. Videotapes of "Grassroots Fundraising with Kim Klein" – 30% off. Savings on books and resources from: BoardSource – 15% off Fieldstone Alliance – 20% off John Wiley & Sons/Jossey-Bass – 20% off Nonprofit Risk Management Ctr. – 20%. Savings on subscriptions: Contributions magazine – $10-$31 off Grassroots Fundraising Journal – 10% off The Nonprofit Quarterly – 26% off Stanford Social Innovation Review – 29%.

Online gift acceptance – get more from each dollar you collect online. GiftWorks fundraising software – 20% off.

Credit card processing – discounts on processing for all card types. Printing – Members save 15% on all types of printing jobs.

Tap a network of peers A forum to exchange ideas and solutions with other nonprofits. ShopTalk discussion groups for CEOs, VPs, boards, and staff in admin./finance, advocacy, communications, development, and technology. Discounts on annual conferences and other Center-sponsored events. A link from our website to yours.

Join in a voice for nonprofits A coalition of nonprofits working together for a better North Carolina. Public Policy Updates on legal and policy issues that affect you. A vote in Center board elections.

For more on your Member benefits, see the “Resources” tab at www.ncnonprofits.org or call Sarah Weissberg, 919-790-1555, ext. 115.

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Become a Member now Name _______________________________ Title _____________________________________ Organization ____________________________________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________ _____________________City______________________ Zip__ __ __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ County _________________Phone ____________________ FAX _________________ Fed ID # __ __ - __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Email _____________________________________ Web________________________________*Total Annual Expenses $ _________ Total # employees ____ Total # Board members ____ Is your nonprofit tax-exempt under 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code? Yes ___ No ___ Pending ___Membership is for 501(c)(3) nonprofits operating in N.C., groups applying for this status, and other grass-roots groups working for the community good.

What’s your organization’s purpose? To _____________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ Your annual dues: $ ________________

If your annual expenses* are: Dues are: Less than $25,000 $70 2 $25,001 to 49,999 80 2 $50,000 to 99,999 130 2 $100,000 to 199,999 185 3 $200,000 to 299,999 260 3 $300,000 to 499,999 315 3 $500,000 to 749,999 370 4 $750,000 to 999,999 450 4 $1 million to 1,999,999 550 5 $2 million to 4,999,999 650 5 $5 million to 9,999,999 900 5 $10 million or more 1200 5

The N.C. Center for Nonprofits is pleased to welcome these new

Members. We serve 1,550 Members in all 100 counties across the state. Regular membership is limited to 501(c)(3) nonprofits and foundations, groups applying for this status, and other grassroots groups working for the community good.

Individuals, ineligible nonprofits, government agencies, libraries, businesses, and those outside N.C. may purchase services. Foundations, corporations, and individuals may become Sustainers (please call Sarah Mann, 919-790-1555, ext. 117).

Adult & Children Enterprises, Inc., RaleighAfrica Rising, RaleighAfrican American Dance Ensemble, DurhamBAOK Foundation, Inc., DurhamBelievers United For Progress, DurhamBoss Lady Enterprise, A Nonprofit Resource Center, DurhamBrunswick Autism Foundation, Oak IslandBrunswick Housing Opportunities, BoliviaChilanta Family Foundation, CharlotteChrist for All Peoples, Inc., CharlotteCommunity Clinic of Rutherford County, Forest CityConnecting Futures, Inc., MonroeDuke University Center for Strategic Philanthropy & Civil Society, DurhamDurham At Risk Youth Collaborative, DurhamFriends of State Parks, Inc., RaleighThe Furniture Society, AshevilleThe Global Arts Collaborative, RaleighThe Goathouse Refuge, PittsboroGuilford Nonprofit Consortium, GreensboroHeads Up! Therapeutic Riding Program, Inc., PittsboroHope For Haiti Ministries, Inc., Chapel HillKatheryn Elizabeth Chavers Adult Day- Health Center, Inc., PowellsvilleThe Kidney Coaching Foundation, RaleighThe Lee Institute, CharlotteLittle Theater of Gastonia, GastoniaMallarme Chamber Players, DurhamThe Mariposa School, CaryMeredith College, Institute for Women’s Leadership, RaleighMeridian Behavioral Health Services, Inc., SylvaMustard Seeds For Needs Foundation, TimberlakeN.C. Bluebird Society, Winston-SalemN.C. Center for the Care of Huntington’s Disease, Raleigh

Welcome to new Members

Please attach a list of others to add to our mailing list as part of your membership. Include each person’s name, title, phone, fax, email, and address (if different). Or email them to [email protected]. Or just wait and enter them later on your organization’s profile at www.ncnonprofits.org.

Total # of staff and/or board members you can have on our mailing list, including the name listed above (you can add more names for $35 per person):

N.C. Consumer Advocacy, Networking, and Support, Winston-SalemN.C. Social Justice Project, Inc., RaleighNARAL Pro-Choice NC Foundation, RaleighNational Farm Worker Ministry, DurhamNC Aerospace Education, KernersvilleObnoxiously Nice, CorneliusThe Old School Community Enrichment Center, DurhamOrange County Disability Awareness Council, Chapel HillPreservation Durham, DurhamProject One Scholarship Fund, CharlotteProjects for the Public Realm, RaleighCharlotte SCORE Chaper 47, CharlotteSERA, Inc., RaleighThe Sergei Foundation, Rural HallSoroptimist International of Raleigh, NC, RaleighSoutheastern Carolina Crossroads, Inc.,

ElizabethtownSouthside United Health Center Committee,Winston-SalemSt. Peter’s Center for Comprehensive Services, Winston-SalemStep by Step Ministries, Inc., ClydeStrengthening the Black Family, Inc., RaleighSuccessful Single Parenting Networking Community, RaleighTable Ministries, Inc., CarrboroWake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Winston-SalemWilmington Ballet Company, Wilmington

Financial information about this organiza-tion and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at 888-830-4989. The license is not an endorsement by the state.

* Please use “Total Expenses” from page 1 of your IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ or your expense budget for this fiscal year. Private foundations: Please use Total Operating and Administrative Expenses on your 990-PF and call (919) 790-1555, ext. 103 about becoming a Foundation Sustainer.

q Check or Money Order enclosed for $_______________ __ q Visa q MasterCardAccount #_______________________________ Expiration date ________ Amount ________Cardholder Name ___________________________ Signature __________________________


Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit #2041Raleigh, NC

1110 Navaho Drive, Suite 200Raleigh, NC 27609-7322

[email protected]

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Members of the N.C. Center for Nonprofits.

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To join, call 919-790-1555 ext. 100

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everything you asked for!

√ Information by your field, budget size, staff size, and region of the state

√ Online and searchable√ Many job titles with descriptions√ Discount if you complete your survey.

□ Be sure you can answer “yes” on your Form 990 when the IRS asks you: “Did the process for determining compensation of the top management official include a review and approval by independent persons, comparability data, and contemporaneous substantiation of the deliberation and decision?”

Fill out your emailed survey to help yourself and everyone. The more nonprofits that participate, the better the salary data will be for all of us!

Complete the survey at www.ncnonprofits.org/salariesandbenefits.asp.

To enrich North Carolina’s communities and economy through a strong nonprofit sector

and nonprofit voice.

Mission of the n.c. center for nonprofits

Good stuff Free (or almost)Free grantwriting training from the expertsThe Foundation Center offers free online training to help you master the world of foundation fundrais-ing, proposal writing, and all that goes into getting grants. See www.foundationcenter.org/getstarted/training/webinars for 19 webinars, including some in Spanish.

Free “greatest hits” from Common Ground! These oldies but goodies are handy tools for board meetings, staff and volunteer training, and nonprofit courses. We’ll mail copies to our Members at no charge. Just tell us how many at cbriscoe@ncnon profits.org! Here are selected articles in each issue:Fall 2006 – “Four Key Questions

to Guide Your Board,” “Creating a Case for Your Fundraising,” “Tips for a Successful Board Orientation,” “Debunking Job Search Myths,” and others.

May/June 2006 – “Trends to Watch in Family Philanthropy,” “Strong Recruitment Helps Boards Thrive,” “Cost Allocation Eases Your Financ-es,” “Be Inventive When Funding Strategies Wane,” and more.

Nov./Dec. 2005 – “Help Your Founder and Your Organization Succeed,” “Stay Ahead of What the Public Expects of You,” “Why Good People Leave,” and others.

Sept./Oct. 2005 – Articles include: “Sleuth Successfully for Foundation Funding,” “Why Fundraiser Com-missions Are Unethical,” “Move Your Board from Micromanaging to Governing,” “Find the Right Tech-nology Volunteers,” and more.

“Accounting Boot Camp” is marching your wayThese 4-hour nonprofit financial management workshops are just $10 for N.C. Center Members ($50 for others)! They’re held in locations across the state, so find the one near you: www.ncnon profits.org/bootcamp.asp.

show us the Money!

salaries and Benefits in n.c. nonprofits

Common Ground Fall 09

Business

Transcript of Common Ground Fall 09