Nonprofit Knowledge Matters | Protecting the Charitable Giving Incentive

Protect the Charitable Giving Incentive

Using Our Outside Voices in the House … and in the Senate

Nonprofits are not used to raising our voices. We teach others to use their “indoor voices,” and we mediate disputes so others won’t yell in anger. We heal the wounded, silently. We feed the hungry, quietly. At times we play loud music and paint loud colors on canvases. But you get the picture: we are not used to yelling.

Recently Tim Delaney, President and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, was in Georgia, Montana, and New York, encouraging nonprofits to raise their voices -- literally. In rooms filled with nonprofit leaders attending major conferences, he designated half the room the loud "Yes” crowd, and the other half the “Nos.” Tim then pointed to one side – “YES” came the refrain; then to the other side and louder “NOs” reverberated. After a few volleys, the friendly competition could be measured in deafening decibels. Tim then instructed the “Yes” side to remain silent – they weren’t allowed to use their voices. After a couple more volleys of loud “NOs” that were met with silence, Tim noted what policymakers hear: silence from the majority who are too busy and too unsure, versus resounding and unmatched “NOs” from the vocal opposition. Each time the “No!” voices boomed against the silence, members of the audience grasped the danger of remaining silent.

Silence is the nonprofit sector’s worst enemy. If nonprofits don’t raise our voices, we are powerless. Right now, it’s urgent that all nonprofits speak up.

The charitable giving incentive is at risk.
Congress is considering, on a tight timeline, how to reduce the deficit by at least $1.2 trillion. Slashing the deficit by that much guarantees that every option to save money will be on the table, without much thought as to the consequences – unless the downside is abundantly clear. The National Council – and so far, more than 20 other national organizations and 2,800 community-based nonprofits across America – think it is abundantly clear that if the Supercommittee recommends elimination of the charitable giving incentive, then individuals and communities served by nonprofits will suffer.

Raise your voice now!
Sign on to the Nonprofit Community Letter to protect the charitable giving incentive.
See which nonprofits in your state have already signed on.
Learn more about the charitable giving incentive.
Spread the word! Tweet: 
The #charitable giving incentive that supports #nonprofits is at risk! Take action now to protect it. bit.ly/olnPHp (via @NatlCouncilNPs)
or
#Nonprofits, tell the #supercommittee not to change the #charitable #giving incentive http://bit.ly/rZcH5q #takeaction (via @NatlCouncilNPs)
Advocacy by nonprofits is legal – and needed.
Join your State Association to keep informed about capacity building and policy issues that impact all nonprofits.

Speaking of Health in CNY: Discussions on Topics that Matter

You are invited to attend the second event in our four-part speaker series:

Speaking of Health in CNY: Discussions on Topics that Matter
Resilience to the Rescue! Conquering Kids’ Trauma

Tuesday, November 8, 2011
3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Reception to follow

Location: Attend the event at its main location in Syracuse, or attend a live webcast in either Ithaca or Utica.

Syracuse - Sheraton University Hotel & Conference Center
Ithaca – Hilton Garden Inn Ithaca
Utica - Radisson Hotel Utica Centre

The first five years of life is when a child is most vulnerable to trauma.

Gone are the days of thinking that children under age 5 are too little to understand, remember, or suffer the impact of traumatic events. We now know very young children are affected by trauma. While some are able to adapt to and overcome these difficult experiences; many cannot, and suffer lasting effects that impact not only their lives, but also their families and communities long after the trauma has ended.

Join us on November 8 to discuss trauma in children ages birth to 5 and, more importantly, how we can help these young children build up resilience and overcome these negative experiences by providing the proper supports and interventions. Who plays a role in helping them conquer these challenges and triumph over trauma?

Resilience to the Rescue! Conquering Kids’ Trauma will feature presentations by nationally-recognized experts Frederick Strieder, Ph.D. MSSA, LCSW-C, Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Maryland School of Social Work and Director of the Family Connections/Grandparent Family Connections Center for Families in Baltimore, MD, and Jody Todd Manly, Ph.D., Clinical Director and Research Associate at the Mt. Hope Family Center in Rochester, NY and Assistant Professor in the Clinical and Social Sciences at the University of Rochester.

Following the presentations will be a facilitated discussion of questions received from audience members in all three locations.

PLEASE NOTE: This event is free and open to the public; however, pre-registration is required.

Click Here for Complete Details

Reply By:
Monday, October 31, 2011

Steering Committee Meeting Minutes October 12

Present:
Cornelia E. Brown, MAMI Interpreters
Frank DuRoss, Mohawk Valley Community College
Jeff Owen, USC The Business College
Kevin Marken, Stanley Center for the Arts
Tim Trent, Future Development

Discussed upcoming Nov 9th Program, featuring discussion on partnerships and mergers. Will create a survey to go out to the Group asking for questions for the panelist discussion. Questions will be solicited in the following areas:

• Budget/Finance


• Staffing


• Board


• Programs


• Facilities


• Fund Development (fundraising)


• Identity


• Big picture

The agenda for the program was also discussed and outlined:

Agenda (9am to 12pm)

• Introduction of Group, Program and Moderator (5 mins)


• John Zogby Introduction and Context of Partnership/Consolidation Trends (15 mins)


• Introduction of Panelists (each panelist introduces themself and their example of partnership) (30 mins)


• Discussion Questions (10 to 13 questions) (90 mins)


• Closing Remarks and questions from audience (20 mins)

Next Steering Committee Meeting is December 14th from 8:30am to 10:30am. Location to be confirmed (Music Room at Library).

LATINO UPSTATE SUMMIT Friday October 21st

PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tim Trent 315-525-5591 timtrent@usa.net

Tony Colon 315-733-1399 tcolon699@aol.com

Sonia Martinez 315-738-1083 X121 sonia@mvlautica.org

315-542-2561 mvla@mvlautica.org

www.latinoupstatesummit.org



LATINO UPSTATE SUMMIT
COMING TO UTICA ON FRIDAY



Utica, NY… Leaders from across New York State will visit Utica on Friday, October 21 for the fifth annual Latino Upstate Summit.

The local Mohawk Valley Latino Association (MVLA) will host the event, 8am to 4:30pm, in the Information Technology Building at Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC).

“We’re very proud to welcome this assembly of distinguished leadership to Utica for the first time,” said MVLA President Sonia Martinez. Earlier summit conferences have been held in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany.

“Nearly 250,000 Latinos live north of the Hudson Valley in urban, suburban, and rural settings,” Martinez added, “This vibrant population has been a major contributor in the development of New York State and will continue to be a key resource in shaping the future of the Mohawk Valley Region.”

The summit will address the role Americans of Latino descent in the fabric of regional community life and civic affairs. Key topics will include economic development, education, health, and services for youth and families.

Experts on these subjects will participate in panel discussions to develop policy recommendations for New York State leaders. Panel experts will include:

· Workforce / Economic Development. Edwin Lopez-Soto, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University; David Mathis, Oneida County Workforce Development; Ryan Leogrande, NYS Department of Labor.

· Education. Dr. Andy Lopez-Williams, Mohawk Valley Charter School for Excellence; Mickey Smith, Adult Learning Center; Melanie Pores, NYSABE, Karen Castenada and Sharon Egghigian, ESL Teacher for the Utica School District, Jan DeAmicis, Professor, Utica College, and Ralph Hernandez, President of the Buffalo Board of Education.

· Youth. Gary Harvey, Youth Construction Initiative Program, Proctor High School; Kitzia Burgos, House of Good Shepherd; Mary Hayes-Gordon, Young Scholars, Utica College; and Rita Paniagua, Spanish Action League of Onondaga County.

· Health. Dr. Patricia Bomba, Excellus Health Plan; Dr. Aymme Belen, DMD PC; Dr. Martin Morell, MD, Arthritis Specialists; Dr. Cynthia Jones, Utica Community Health Center, and Dr. Jaime Torres, US Dept. of Human & Health Services.

· Immigration. Peter Vogelaar, Executive Director, Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees; Peter Mares, La Casa & Catholic Charities of Wayne County; Andrea Callan, NY Civil Liberties Union.

· Community. Juan Thomas, Utica College; Patrick Johnson, New Life Institute, Cathie Bullwinkle, Oneida County Health Department.

· Best Practices. Anthony Colon, President of Techno-Logic Solutions, Inc.; Rialda Alibegic, MVCC & Pratt Institute Instructor & Certified Bosnian Interpreter; Mark DeSalvo, Principal, Dr. Martin Luther King Elementary School; William Garrett, Exec. Dir. Boy Scouts of America–Revolutionary Trails Council; Jeanette Lenoir, News Reporter, Anchor, and Producer, Townsquare Media; Robert Maciol, Oneida County Sheriff; Dr. Randall Van Wagoner, President Mohawk Valley Community College; Edward P. Welsh – General Manager, AAA of Central New York & Board Chair, Central Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired; Tim Trent – Regional Community Advocate; Donna Latour-Elefante – Executive Director, The Family Nurturing Center; Bruce Martin, Community Leader; Emily Wallis, Executive Director, The Interpreting Connection, Rome, NY; Ms. Pegine Echevarria, MSW, CSP will be the keynote speaker during lunch. Ms. Echevarria is CEO/President of Team Pegine Inc., a global think tank, training, and organizational development company focusing on leadership, diversity and motivation. Her clients include the US Navy, US Army, National Guard Bureau, Colgate Palmolive, Intel, and Northrup Grumman.

In addition to MVLA, other agencies and organizations participating in the summit include Hispanics United of Buffalo, Ibero-American Action League, the Spanish Action League of Onondaga County, Centro Civico of Amsterdam, Noticias y/e Notas, Capital District 100 Hispanic Women, and New York State United Teachers (NYSUT).

Sponsors for the 2011 Upstate Latino Summit include Excellus Blue Cross/Blue Shield, AmeriCU Credit Union, AT&T, Central NY Association for the Blind, CNY Latino, IBOPE Zogby International, Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce, Resource Center for Independent Living, 484 Design and No Sheep Designs.

Mohawk Valley residents are invited to attend and encouraged to participate in the summit.

Reserved tickets for the summit are available at $75 each through website www.latinoupstatesummit.org. A limited number of last minute $50 tickets will be available at the door, first-come, first-served, on the day of the event.

The MVLA 2011 Annual Gala will celebrate and mark the grand finale of the summit. The gala will be held 6 to 11pm at Daniele’s Valley View, 620 Parkway East Utica, NY. Reserved tickets for the gala are at $35 per person, $60 per couple (special rates for students) are available through website www.latinoupstatesummit.org. A limited quantity of last minute tickets will be available at the door, first-come first-served.

For more information about the summit, please visit web site— www.latinoupstatesummit.org or phone Sonia Martinez at 315-738-1083 x 121.

--
Thanks! Gracias!

Mohawk Valley Latino, Inc.
309 Genesee Street, 3rd Floor
Utica, NY 13501
315/738-1083, X121 or 147
www.mvlautica.org
MVLA in facebook
Motivation * Vision * Latin Pride * Attitude
Motivacion * Vision * Orgullo Latino * Actitud
www.latinoupstatesummit.org

New NLRB Poster Requirement - new effective date of the rule is Jan. 31, 2012.

New NLRB Poster Requirement : new effective date of the rule is Jan. 31, 2012.

Below is information about the new National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) required poster describing employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act.
The National Labor Relations Board has postponed the implementation date for its new notice-posting rule by more than two months. The new effective date of the rule is Jan. 31, 2012.
The Board’s jurisdiction extends to most small business owners. However, some very small employers whose annual volume of business is not large enough to have more than a slight effect on interstate commerce are exempted. In the case of retail businesses, including home construction, the Board’s jurisdiction covers any employer with a gross annual volume of business of $500,000 or more. The Board’s non-retail jurisdictional standard applies to most other employers. It is based on the amount of goods sold or services provided by the employer out of state (called “outflow”) or goods or services purchased by the employer from out of state (called “inflow”), even indirectly. Under this standard, the Board will take jurisdiction over an employer with an annual inflow or outflow of at least $50,000. See “Frequently Asked Question” Link below for more details about the Board’s jurisdiction standards.
A workplace poster that describes employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act is now available for free download from the NLRB website at www.nlrb.gov/poster
Private-sector employers within the NLRB’s jurisdiction will be required to display the poster where other workplace notices are posted. The National Labor Relations Board has postponed the implementation date for its new notice-posting rule by more than two months in order to allow for enhanced education and outreach to employers, particularly those who operate small and medium sized businesses. The new effective date of the rule is Jan. 31, 2012. The decision to extend the rollout period followed queries from businesses and trade organizations indicating uncertainty about which businesses fall under the Board’s jurisdiction, and was made in the interest of ensuring broad voluntary compliance. No other changes in the rule, or in the form or content of the notice, will be made. Employers who customarily post personnel rules or policies on an internet or intranet site must also provide a link to the rights poster from those sites. In addition, copies of the Notice will soon be available without charge from any NLRB regional office.
For further information about the posting, including a detailed discussion of which employers are covered by the NLRA, and what to do if a substantial share of the workplace speaks a language other than English, please see our Frequently Asked Questions. . For questions that do not appear on the list, or to arrange for an NLRB presentation on the rule, please contact the agency at questions@nlrb.gov or 866-667-NLRB.

Partnering for Financial Success Event

Partnering for Financial Success set for Wednesday, November 9th!

Continuing this year's theme of Planning and Partnership for Financial Success, the Group will be holding their next meeting, titled Partnering for Financial Success, on Wednesday, November 9th and focusing on partnerships and mergers. This program will build on previous programs and examine different types of partnerships. The program will feature a panel made up of organizations that have successfully partnered in four ways: merger, coalition, outsourcing and shared services and facility, and regionalization. Our confirmed panelists at this time are:
Moderator: John Zogby, Chairman of the Board and Chief Insights Officer of IBOPE Zogby International
Merger: Center for Family Life and Recovery (Cassandra Sheets, Executive Director) and Child Care Council of Cooperative Extension (Lorraine Kinney-Kitchen, Executive Director)
New Addition: Doug Saur, CEO of New York Council of Nonprofits
Coalition: Literacy Coalition Collaberation (Kathleen Rinaldo, Director Adult and Continuing Education)
Outsourcing/Shared Facility or Services: Parkway Senior Center (Kathy Walters, Executive Director)
Regionalization: Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson (Margaret Roberts, CEO)

Date: Wednesday, November 9th
Time: 9:00am-12:00pm
Hosted By: Jewish Community Federation of the Mohawk Valley
Location: 2310 Oneida Street, Utica, NY 13501
Cost: FREE

Click Here to Register!

Mohawk Valley Latino Association Membership Meeting October 15

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

Who: The Mohawk Valley Latino Association, Inc. (MVLA)

What: Junta General de Miembros/ General Membership Meeting ~ 2011

Where: Urban HeadQuarters, 807 Broad St., Utica, NY

When: Sabado, 15 de October / Saturday, October 15, 2011

Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

We encourage your attendance and participation. Please feel free to bring a friend or family member along. Our meetings are informational, full of energy, ideas, and most importantly very beneficial to the Latino community. We want to invite the community to join this association, as it is our annual membership drive. There will be Latino cuisine served along with refreshments.

Contact Information:
Mohawk Valley Latino Association, Inc.
309 Genesee Street (Park Ave. Entrance) 3rd Floor, Utica, NY
(315)738-1083 ext. 121 or 147
mvla@mvlautica.org
RSVP by: Friday, October 14, 2011

MVLA, Inc. Mission Statement:
To improve the standard of living for all residents of the Mohawk Valley through various services that will educate, empower, achieve awareness among

Different cultures, help shape young minds, and demonstrate the great opportunities available within the Mohawk Valley.
--
Thanks! Gracias!

Mohawk Valley Latino, Inc.
309 Genesee Street, 3rd Floor
Utica, NY 13501
315/738-1083, X121 or 147
www.mvlautica.org
MVLA in facebook
Motivation * Vision * Latin Pride * Attitude
Motivacion * Vision * Orgullo Latino * Actitud

www.latinoupstatesummit.org

Voluntary Compliance Program announced by IRS to address worker misclassification

Information for your members: You may have seen that in late September the IRS announced a voluntary compliance program for employers (including nonprofit employers) to enable those who have mistakenly classified workers as independent contractors to make a correction, along with a modest payment, and avoid the usual penalties of noncompliance. This program’s announcement offers an opportunity to remind nonprofits about the risk of misclassification and share information with them about the voluntary compliance program. See the National Council’s website materials on this topic.

Here is the text of the IRS announcement about the voluntary compliance program (from the IRS’s EO Update circulated on October 4):

“The IRS has launched a new program that will enable many employers, including tax-exempt employers, to resolve past worker classification issues and come back into compliance by making a minimal payment covering past payroll tax obligations rather than waiting for an IRS audit. To be eligible for the new Voluntary Classification Settlement Program an applicant must:

Consistently have treated the workers as nonemployees in the past

Filed all required Forms 1099 for the workers for the previous three years

Not currently be under audit by the IRS, Department of Labor or a state agency concerning the classification of these workers.

Full details, including FAQs, will be available on the Employment Tax Pages of IRS.gov and in Announcement 2011-64.”