NonprofitResourceDirectory

Nonprofit Consulting Essentials: What Nonprofits and Consultants Need to Know [Hardcover]

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 15:55:22 PDT

The Alternative to RFPs

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:05:21 PDT

You are about to embark on a major project - a board development initiative, a fund development plan, a strategic planning session, a capital campaign.

You are not an expert in these areas, so you decide to find a consultant to help. Your board suggests creating a Request for Proposals - an RFP - to have consultants bid on the work. In that way, you will be able to compare all their ideas and approaches, and get the best price.

Before you head down this path, think again. There are many reasons why RFPs are not only ineffective, but downright self-defeating for the work you are trying to do.

RFPs Are Self-Defeating for Your Organization
There are several reasons RFPs will not get your organization what you need..

Doctor, Give Me The Following
Picture a phone call to your doctor: "I have chest pain. I need you to run the following tests and prescribe the following treatments. I need you to tell me what that will cost and how long it will take, because I want to shop around."

Silly? Of course. We consult a doctor for the experience, wisdom and expertise we do not have.

Seeking a consultant via RFP means your staff / board will be telling the "doctor" - the consultant - precisely what treatments you want. An RFP will therefore not get you what your organization really needs; it will only get you what you think you need.

(Note: Many consultants choose not to respond to RFPs for precisely this reason. They know how often groups need something different than they are requesting!)

Leveling the Playing Field
RFPs are most commonly used in government work. It is therefore important to understand why that is so. It is not only to get the best price, but more importantly, to take the politics out of the decision-making process, to create a level playing field.

In a government setting, where it is important to prevent political cronyism, such fairness matters. However, for your organization, where you might be seeking a mentor for the leaders of your organization, or a guide to bring your fundraising to the next level - that level playing field is irrelevant. If what you are seeking is someone to help you excel, an RFP is not suited for that.

The Consultant / Client Relationship
Because most consulting engagements have to do with human interaction (teaching and learning, facilitating, helping, guiding, planning), one of the most critical factor in determining the success of your consulting engagement will be the relationship itself - the fit.

Unfortunately for building strong relationships, the RFP process is by its nature an adversarial one. The client is assumed to hold all the control, asking a pool of suitors to compete for the right to work for the organization. To fully understand the depth of this adversarial relationship, picture writing a grant proposal for a funder you feel is asking you to jump through hoop after hoop.

That is what consultants feel like when responding to an RFP. The difference between a consulting relationship and a grant, however, is that the work you will want that consultant to do is highly interpersonal. Starting that relationship on an adversarial and defensive note is not a great way to ensure success!

Getting All Those Good Ideas!
We have heard more than one organization state that they like RFPs because they get all those good ideas, and don't have to hire all those organizations. They choose one consultant, but gain all that additional wisdom for free!

I know once you see that in writing you can see what's wrong with that picture. Even just typing it makes my fingers hurt! Sadly, though, this is a very common practice. And it is not only harmful to the consultant, but to everyone involved, because the degree of impact we can have in our community is directly related to the degree to which we walk the talk of our values.

Lastly, Low Bid Is No Way to Find a Great Teacher
Or a great doctor. Or a great counselor. Or a great confidant. Or a great consultant.

RFPs Are Self-Defeating for Your Community
In addition to RFPs being self-defeating for your organization, RFPs are also self-defeating for the very reason your organization exists - to make your community a better place to live.

Lack of Focus on Outcomes
RFPs rarely emphasize outcomes. Instead, RFPs tend to provide a list of tasks to be done or deliverables such as a plan, a workbook, a training. What RFPs fail to mention is the difference the organization wants all those tasks and deliverables to make, and for whom.

The best definition of a successful outcome we have seen an RFP aim for is "develop a sustainable program that will allow X number of people to receive service each year. Show how you will measure results." And of course the RFP had already shown how to measure results - how many people go through the program, and perhaps whether those individuals thought the program helped them.

If organizations are to focus their work on the difference they want that work to make in the community, it would be very difficult to craft an RFP to accomplish that.

Competition
People in the Community Benefit Sector complain almost incessantly about competition. And yet RFPs, like grants, are all about competing for a scarce resource - in this case, a consulting gig. If we want to foster a spirit of cooperation in our sector, RFPs go directly counter to that.

The Alternative to RFPs
If RFPs are self-defeating, what can an organization do instead? The following is just one scenario. We are sure once you start thinking in this way, you will develop others.

Host a "Craft the Project" Session: Invite all the consultants on your list to meet together to help you craft the Scope of Work for your project. Have all those smart people work alongside your organization's board and staff to aim the Scope of Work towards accomplishing the outcomes you are hoping to achieve. Offer to pay a stipend for their participation, to encourage them to see this as a job where they will be expected to share their wisdom and experience (rather than simply attending an informational meeting).From there, work with that group of consultants to determine the best way to choose the consultant (or team of consultants) to work with. Depending on the type of work to be done, the group may determine that it is best to have you interview individual consultants who were part of that initial team. (Clearly those are consultants who have already shown an interest, and you will have had the opportunity to get a sense of their skills and the potential fit with your organization.)

On the other hand, there may be projects for which it makes sense to have the entire group stay together as the consulting team. The group can then decide how that can work in practice.

The more you can remove competition from the work you have ahead, the more you will remove the adversarial nature of hiring a consultant. From there you will be sure to have all the best minds at the table, all working with you and with each other to aim your work at the best possible outcome - making a significant difference in your community.

by Hildy Gottlieb
(c) ReSolve, Inc. 2009
ATTRIBUTED TO: http://www.help4nonprofits.com/UseItToday/UseItToday-AlternativesToRFPs.htm

How New 1099 Requirements Could Impact Your Association

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:06:33 PDT

Did you know the new health care legislation would require your association to issue possibly hundreds or thousands of Form 1099s every year?

In the recently passed health care legislation, all employers would be required to file a 1099 with the IRS for every transaction with a for-profit vendor over $600 a year. This includes both one-time payments and cumulative payments over the year. Imagine filing reports for office supplies, meeting registrations, office cleanings, outside consultants, hotel stays, or any payment you make to a business. The paperwork, cost, and time would be a nightmare, especially for smaller staffs.

ASAE is working with Congressional offices on 1099 repeal legislation, and we can keep the momentum for repeal going with your help:
Sign the ASAE letter opposing the 1099 requirements Submit comments to the IRS through their websiteLearn more about the issue at our program "The New 1099 Requirement: Why It Will Impact Your Association"
For more information on this subject, please contact ASAE's Public Policy Department at (202) 626-2703 or publicpolicy@asaenet.org.

TechSoup Donated Software

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 05:05:12 PDT

New Digital Catalog for Nonprofits and Libraries

Now, nonprofits and libraries have an all new, easier way to get donated software and other technology from major technology brands like Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco, Intuit, and more. Our new interactive digital catalog features a selection of top requested products and popular resources. With easy to use search tools, intuitive sections to browse, choosing products for you and your organization just got easier.

Choose the Products That are Right for Your Organization

The new catalog allows you to browse, search, navigate, and share TechSoup's offerings in an interactive fashion. These functionalities will help you find products. And they will connect you with educational resources, such as articles, archived webinars, forums, and blogs, to help you make the best tech decisions for your organization.

Browse

We have created six intuitive categories to help your nonprofit or library determine which products best meet your needs.

    Browse by Organization Type    Browse by Technology Solution    Browse by Top Requested Product    Browse by Popular Resource: Content and Community    Browse by Special Program    Browse by Donor Partner
Search

We've made it easier than ever to help you find what you're looking for.

    Search by keyword Search by table of contents    Search by page
Navigate

The catalog offers multiple tools, including bookmarks, zoom, and print features to help you navigate the sections that are of interest to you.

Share

Need to discuss some of the donations you found with a colleague? Want to share a great blog post? With a quick click, you can share the information in the catalog via email and social media channels, such as Facebook and Twitter, to name a few. Here's how:

    Email to a colleague or friend: Click on the envelope icon located on the top right of the catalog page. You'll be prompted to type your email address and your friend's email address and to add a personal comment.    Share via Facebook: Click on the person icon located on the top right of the catalog page and choose "Add to Facebook".    Share via Twitter: Click on the person icon located on the top right of the catalog page and choose "Tweet this".
Multiple Catalog Versions

How would you like your catalog? Choose from multiple versions and pick the one that works best for you:

   Interactive version

This version was developed using Adobe Flash Player. You will be prompted to install the free program if you don't have it. Simply click on the image at the top of this page or click on the first bullet above.

Downloadable, printable version

This offline version is a desktop application developed using Adobe's AIR� technology. You will be prompted to install the free program.

Accessible text version Accessible audio version
We Value Your Feedback

It is our hope that this digital catalog will help you fulfill your mission and meet the needs of the communities you serve. We are currently collecting user feedback on every aspect of the digital catalog in order to make it a better tool. We encourage you to post your feedback, questions, comments, and suggestions in the TechSoup Town Hall Forum.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ourselves, we understand that nonprofits and libraries are forever asked to do more with less. Browse our digital catalog today and learn how we can help.

This catalog was last updated in July 2010. Watch out for the new edition in October. Please be sure to verify product availability and admin fees through our Get Products page before completing your donation request.

This article attributed to TechSoup

Looking for a Great Fundraising Consultant

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:26:11 PDT

We are looking for a great fundraising consultant - consider applying or spread the word!

TransForm, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, is excited to do some thinking and planning to set us on a path for individual fundraising success over the next five years. But we can't do this alone: we need an experienced fundraising expert to work with us from early September through early-November 2010 to:

conduct an audit of our current fundraising activities;
lead the creation of a 2011 annual fundraising plan;
lead the creation of a five-year fund development plan.
Please check out the RFQ at http://transformca.org/files/RFQ_Fundraising_Consultant_August_2010.pdf and consider applying. Thanks!

Sara Marcellino, Development and Grants Manager
TransForm (formerly TALC, the Transportation and Land Use Coalition)

Imergia

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 11:48:04 PDT

Search Engine Submission - AddMe

IRS Offers One-Time Special Filing Relief Program for Small Charities

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:50:13 PDT

Video: Small Tax Exempt Org Revised Filing Deadline

IR-2010-87, July 26, 2010

WASHINGTON - Small nonprofit organizations at risk of losing their tax-exempt status because they failed to file required returns for 2007, 2008 and 2009 can preserve their status by filing returns by Oct. 15, 2010, under a one-time relief program, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.

The IRS today posted on a special page of IRS.gov the names and last-known addresses of these at-risk organizations, along with guidance about how to come back into compliance. The organizations on the list have return due dates between May 17 and Oct. 15, 2010, but the IRS has no record that they filed the required returns for any of the past three years.

"We are doing everything we can to help organizations comply with the law and keep their valuable tax exemption," IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said. "So if you do not have your filings up to date, now's the time to take action and get back on track."

Two types of relief are available for small exempt organizations - a filing extension for the smallest organizations required to file Form 990-N, Electronic Notice (e-Postcard) , and a voluntary compliance program (VCP) for small organizations eligible to file Form 990-EZ, Short Form Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax.

Small organizations required to file Form 990-N simply need to go to theIRS website, supply the eight information items called for on the form, and electronically file it by Oct. 15. That will bring them back into compliance.

Under the VCP, tax-exempt organizations eligible to file Form 990-EZ must file their delinquent annual information returns by Oct. 15 and pay a compliance fee. Details about the VCP are on the IRS website, along with frequently asked questions.

The relief announced today is not available to larger organizations required to file the Form 990 or to private foundations that file the Form 990-PF.

The IRS will keep today's list of at-risk organizations on IRS.gov until Oct. 15, 2010. Organizations that have not filed the required information returns by that date will have their tax-exempt status revoked, and the IRS will publish a list of these revoked organizations in early 2011. Donors who contribute to at-risk organizations are protected until the final revocation list is published.

The Pension Protection Act of 2006 made two important changes affecting tax-exempt organizations, effective the beginning of 2007. First, it mandated that all tax-exempt organizations, other than churches and church-related organizations, must file an annual return with the IRS. The Form 990-N was created for small tax-exempt organizations that had not previously had a filing requirement. Second, the law also required that any tax-exempt organization that fails to file for three consecutive years automatically loses its federal tax-exempt status. The IRS conducted an extensive outreach effort about this new legal requirement but, even so, many organizations have not filed returns on time.

If an organization loses its exemption, it will have to reapply with the IRS to regain its tax-exempt status. Any income received between the revocation date and renewed exemption may be taxable.

Subscribe to IRS Newswire

This article attributed to the IRS

Nonprofit Resource Directory

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 11:25:34 PDT

Nonprofit Business Resource Directory

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:37:26 PDT

Brought to you by our Premier Sponsor

Rhapsody Comprehensive Fundraising Suite by Imergia - your software solution for telephone outreach.

United Way of Greater Cincinnati

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:25:13 PDT

Comprehensive solution is built on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 platform, delivered in Microsoft Outlook or a Web browser and includes campaign management, pledge and gift processing, major gift prospecting, designation processing, instant acknowledgement and constituent self-service.

Chesapeake, VA (PRWEB) June 2, 2010 -- StratusLIVE has announced that United Way of Greater Cincinnati (UWGC) has selected its comprehensive constituent relationship and campaign management system as its technology platform for the future. "We're thrilled to have United Way of Greater Cincinnati as a StratusLIVE client," says Jim Funari, chief executive officer of StratusLIVE. "They have been a leader within United Way nationally, as well as in their community, for years. We look forward to playing an important role in their continued success."

"For several years we have been executing an exciting new approach to achieving significantly greater impact on the major human services issues facing our region, our Agenda for Community Impact," said Robert C. Reifsnyder, UWGC president and CEO.
"In order to generate the resources necessary to successfully pursue our Agenda, it is critical to build deeper relationships with our constituents. This will help us in identifying the issues most important to them and then defining their potential roles in meeting the engagement and financial goals required to address those issues. We anticipate that the StratusLIVE product will be an important tool in this effort," Reifsnyder said.

About StratusLIVE, LLC

StratusLIVE, LLC is a leader in bothon-demand and on-premise donor management and fundraising software solutions for the nonprofit industry. StratusLIVE for Fundraisers is built on the latest Microsoft Dynamics 4.0 CRM platform and delivered in the familiar Microsoft Outlook and Web browser, interfaces. The product provides ease of use, familiarity and flexibility - all backed by the over 35 years of collective nonprofit experience, of the company's leadership. Fundraising-based nonprofits can now leverage their existing IT investments with the latest in technical innovation from Microsoft. The result is a cost-effective, familiar and easy to use constituent management solution, which ensures a low-risk investment for any nonprofit. For more information please visit: www.stratuslive.com

Article attributed to www.prweb.com/releases/United_Way/StratusLIVE/prweb4072804.htm

Vendor Development

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:55:36 PDT

Businesses know pretty well about the importance of being customer-friendly. But being supplier-friendly? It may even be surprising to many whether such a concept is ever needed! You may think that as an organization buying goods and services, you are the customer to your suppliers and it should really be their worry to be friendly with you!

To read more please see original article at this link C.V.Rajan.

Call for Article Submissions

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:05:59 PDT

Call for Article Submissions

Would you like to submit an article to Contributions Magazine?

You'll reach tens of thousands of nonprofit professionals.

We're looking for short articles - 500 to 700 words - on a range of topics:

Major gifts fundraisingBoard developmentNonprofit managementCapital campaignsProspect researchAnnual fundsNonprofit communicationsOrganizational developmentNonprofit marketingWorking with volunteersGrantseekingInternet & email fundraisingDirect mail

Your article would be featured on our website, www.contributionsmagazine.com, which attracts upwards of a million visitors per year.

To see our current issue, click here.

If you'd like to participate and share your ideas and expertise, please email your article to me at kbrennan@contributionsmagazine.com.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kathleen Brennan, Publisher
Contributions Magazine - Entering our 25th year of publishing
28A Park Street
Medfield, MA 02052
(508) 359-0019

Reprinted by permission.

BiddingForGood

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:20:12 PDT

Non Profit Organizations Raise Thousands Of Dollars!

The Colorado Youth Tennis Association, Nevada Public Radio, and the International Women's Democracy Center (IWDC) have all just run successful auctions with BiddingForGood and raised thousands of dollars for their causes.

BiddingForGood has helped thousands of Non Profit Organizations like yours INCREASE their fundraising success with the help of our quick and easy online auction services. Our success is based on a simple, effective formula:

MORE ITEMS + MORE BIDDERS = MORE MONEY

Providing you with a dedicated Auction Expert Consultant, available by phone and email, to guide you through every step of the auction process, as well as give you online auction best practices - to ensure your success!Giving you access to our BiddingForGood Bidder Community of over 200,000 cause minded, affluent bidders. The BiddingForGood Bidder Community boosts auction revenue by 25% or more.

Offering you items for your catalog through our Donated Items Program. This program provides items such as Luxury Travel (like Four Seasons - Boston), Jewelry, Spa & Beauty, Gifts (like Dancing Deer) and more to include in your online auction. NOTE: This is not consignment!

Incorporating online sponsorships to earn an additional $2000 - $5000+ per auction event.

Click Here to Learn More about how BiddingForGood can help your Non Profit Organization Raise Thousands of Dollars.

BiddingForGood, Inc.
100 Cambridgepark Drive
Cambridge, MA, 02140, USA
www.biddingforgood.com
t: 866.621.0330
Copyright (C) 2010 BiddingForGood, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reprinted with permission.

Print vs. Online?

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:57:30 PDT

Print vs. Online?

Admittedly, we're a little biased in this debate, but that doesn't mean we don't love flipping through the paper pages of US Weekly The Economist. But the question that resonated throughout Association Media & Publishing's conference yesterday: How do organizations best integrate print and web?

It's not enough for the online version of a magazine to be an exact replica of the print, say ASAE's Lisa Junker and Amy Hissrich. Readers expect a different experience and additional, continually-updated content on the web. At the end of last year, the ASAE team launched a new online presence for its print magazine, Associations Now, with more graphics, interactivity, and easy sharing. The latest comments are displayed along the side of the screen, and page views are listed next to popular articles. Readers can also search content by "Top Rated" and "Editor's Picks." Lisa and Amy say the editors now write web versions of all headlines with more direct language to make the articles more search engine friendly. The site also includes online extras like videos or other resources, but Lisa warns against thinking of these features simply as add-ons. "They're not really extras," she says. "They're part of what you're creating."

American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators recently reinvented its magazine, Move, with print and digital versions. AAMVA's Jason King says one of the key findings from a survey of its state DMV members was that they love to share stories. The magazine began soliciting more content from readers and dedicated a section to news submitted from across the country. Move also introduced a feature called "Data Lady," showcasing member data that the association had already collected. It's now one of the most popular features. This content allowed the staff to spend less time writing and more time thinking strategically. It's also freed up more time to work on audio and video story components which are promoted in the magazine with distinct icons.

Network Media Partners' Ben Ledyard, who works with AAMVA, says the digital version of Move, which readers can flip through like a book, offered new advertising opportunities, but that doesn't mean print should be ignored. Instead, he says it's critical to show advertisers that association members drove the decision to go digital and that the digital version may give them the chance to showcase their products in ways they can't on a page. Overall, he says the most important thing to ensure success is to have the advertising group part of the redesign discussion from the getgo.

Society for Human Resource Management senior manager of internet operations Mike Frost says SHRM produces more than 40 free live-streamed webcasts and 10 paid webcasts per year. The programs, which feature subject experts, are expected to bring in $800K in revenue this year through sponsorships and paid content. He says it's quicker and cheaper than in-person. SHRM has found that the sweet spot for webcasts is 60 minutes: 45 for lecture and 15 for Q&A. The ideal time? Tuesday-Thursday 2 pm EST.

Washington Post Magazine editor Debra Leithauser (aka the mastermind behind the Post's Peeps Diorama Contest) gave the keynote speech about the Sunday publication's recent redesign. She says one of the key efforts was integrating the print and online editions. "Even though we're weekly, we have to connect daily," she says. The Post now hosts online chats with writers throughout the week and posts extended photo galleries and videos on magazine topics. The magazine also beefed up online interactive offerings for reader favorites like the Peeps Diorama Contest, which gets millions of hits and is one of the most popular things the Post does all year. The Post also has a $0.99 iPhone app featuring photos of the best "Peep Show" entries over the years. "This is not necessarily high journalism, but it's high fun," she says.

The future of publishing? Debra points to this video showcasing how Sports Illustrated hopes to make its magazine hyper-interactive through the iPad. She says tablet devices may help return long-form reading to the web.

Story attributed to BISNOW http://www.bisnow.com/washington_dc_trade_association_news_story.php?p=8896

Associations Are For Givers

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:28:19 PDT

Associations
Are For Givers

Members of professional associations give and volunteer more than the population at large. Yet, fewer than 15% make contributions to their organizations beyond dues, according to a new study. ASAE (which ran the study) research manager Clare Inzeo Bonsignore and VP of development Carylann Assante tell us why.

The most common reasons that members don't give to their associations are (1) they're afraid of being asked repeatedly, and (2) they don't understand how the money would be used. More than 80% say they've simply never been asked. Carylann and Clare tell us there's often a disconnect between what the organization is doing and what members think they're doing. Associations may think they're pestering members for donations, when in fact, the message isn't getting through. Also, many members feel they give enough through dues, and don't understand how donations would be used differently. "People want to know tangibly how their money is spent," says Carylann. Those who do donate most commonly give to scholarships, followed by a cause related to the association, and research.

The study looked at 5,000 members across six associations, including ASAE, IEEE, and the American College of Healthcare Executives. Its results have been published in a book called The Decision to Give by Indiana University-Bloomington non-profit and public management professor Beth Gazley and ASAE VP of research Monica Dignam. (Carylann and Clare were also involved in helping put together the book.) The study found that the ideal donor has been a member for at least ten years and has volunteered at some point. Members who pay their own dues are also more likely to give. Less than 15% of those whose employers pay their dues have ever given to their associations, whereas 26% of those who pay their own dues give. It's because they feel a personal investment, Carylann and Clare explain.

Carylann says a lot of association fundraising tends to be event-driven. ASAE, for example, holds a ticketed food and wine event in conjunction with its annual conference to raise money. Auctions and golf tournaments also remain popular. Whether the association has a full-time development staff or not, all the standard fundraising tactics still apply. For example, people are more likely to give when asked by someone they know personally than through any other medium. Carylann's advice is to start small and be patient. She says a lot of organizations get held up by the upfront overhead costs instead of looking at the the long term benefits. A capital campaign for a tangible project can be a good place to get members involved in giving. And once they've given to the annual fund, they're more likely to give even more the next time around.

This article courtesy of Association and Non-Profit BISNOW