Friday Five: January 27, 2017

It’s Friday, January 27th. The last Friday of January 2017! Time is moving quickly, and national events continue to churn in rather…dramatic…fashion. In times like these, it’s good to have consistency. Like the Friday Five.

Here are five items of interest from the nonprofit world this week:

1) NONPROFITS & THE WOMEN’S MARCH
This past Saturday, an estimated 2.5 million Americans marched in Washington D.C., L.A., New York, Seattle, Denver, and in cities across the nation (Los Angeles is estimated to have the largest number of marchers, with a whopping 750,000). Planned Parenthood, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sierra Club, and the NAACP, among other nonprofits, were closely involved in the planning phases of the march. What’s next for the organizations and marchers?
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2017/01/23/whither-resistance-worldwide-womens-march/

2) STUDENT DEBT: THE NEXT BIG CHALLENGE
Over 180,000 nonprofit employees in California carry some form of student debt, and the debt burden may be stopping many valuable potential employees from applying for nonprofit jobs (traditionally lower-paying) in the first place. There are some solutions, writes the Stanford Social Innovation Review, but many nonprofits aren’t even aware of them. In fact, the US Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is exclusively available to those who work in the nonprofit sector. Find out how to make your nonprofit a more appealing employer for those with student loan debt:
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/student_debt_an_opportunity_and_a_challenge_for_the_nonprofit_workforce

3) WHO LET THE DOGS OUT (TO SURF)?
Surf Dog Ricochet is the only service dog on the planet who provides adaptive therapy to the disabled and PTSD sufferers while surfing. She also recently broke the $500,000 milestone this past New Year’s Eve when her organization raised $7,000 for groups that help the disabled, special need children, animals with special needs, and veterans. Find out the four strategies your organization can learn from Ricochet’s success:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2017/01/06/fundraising-strategies-surfing-dog-raises-half-million-charitable-funds/

4) GREAT IDEAS IN ART & PHILANTHROPY
Henry Bloch, one of the co-founders of H&R Bloch, was happy to donate 29 rare paintings to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. He didn’t expect to get full-sized digital replicas of every painting back from the Museum, and he was so delighted with their craftsmanship that he hung them on his walls. Bloch’s happy. The museum’s happy. Everyone in this news story is happy:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2017/01/26/gifts-museum-donors-strange-effective/

5) BRIGHT SPOTS: ITALIAN NONPROFIT, AMERICAN ARTISTAmerican Artist Mark Bradford has plans—big ones. Bradford is teaming up with Rio Tera Dei Pensieri, a nonprofit based in Venice, Italy, to reintegrate former prisoners back into society by providing them with job opportunities. And he’s going to spend six years doing it. Rio Tera Dei Pernsieri and Bradford are calling the initiative “Process Collettivo.” Find out the specifics here:
https://www.artforum.com/news/id=66184                   

That’s it for the Friday Five. We’re off to find some consistency in an increasingly unsettled world. We hope you can find some, too!  

In the meantime, you can follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: January 20, 2017

It’s Friday, January 20. We’re more than halfway through January already. A new President is being sworn in today, and people are marching about that the following day. We’re fairly certain inauguration tickets are sold out (http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/17/politics/donald-trump-inauguration-how-to-watch/), but if you’re interested in the Saturday marches, there’s more information here: https://www.womensmarch.com/

In the meantime, we’ve got five items of interest from the nonprofit world this week:

1) FOR-PROFIT PAPER TO NONPROFIT NECESSITY  
Up in Millinocket, New Hampshire, a very small town (population 5,000) is trying to rebuild its economy. Step one: find something productive to do with the shuttered Great Northern Paper Mill. Enter nonprofit organization Our Katahdin, named for the highest peak in Maine, which is dedicated to supporting “small win” community projects. Our Katahdin thinks it can use the paper mill to revitalize the town. Find out how:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2017/01/18/mix-one-nonprofit-abandoned-paper-mill/?utm_content=44691948

2) HOW NOT TO FUNDRAISE, GREEN BAY EDITION
Rules for cities and organizations #47: If you ask donors for money for a pool, they’re going to want a pool. And if you veto a proposal for the pool, they’re going to want their money back. The whole story can be found here:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2017/01/12/bad-fundraising-strategies-mayor-works-phones-donors-want-money-back/   

3) ADVOCACY ALLOWED?
Organizations are wondering if advocating for or against Presidential cabinet nominees is acceptable. The answer, according to Don Kramer of Nonprofit Issues: it depends on the type of organization. While 501(c)(3)s are forbidden from endorsing or opposing candidates for office, there’s an IRS notice (88-76) stating that advocating for or against a Presidential nominee during Senate confirmation does not constitute participating in a political campaign. Read the whole Q&A to make sure your organization doesn’t run afoul of the IRS:
http://www.nonprofitissues.com/to-the-point/may-nonprofit-advocacy-group-supportoppose-trump%E2%80%99s-picks#.WHZEaAwAqdM.twitter

4) ADVOCATING FOR A FREE PRESS
When Meryl Streep won her Cecil B. DeMille Golden Globe last week, she urged Americans to donate to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). In this 2012 interview Joel Simon, the executive director for the CPJ, talks about the origins of the CPJ, its current focus, and the organization’s biggest challenges. Find out more:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2012/05/09/embedded-in-chaos-journalism-in-2012

5) WHAT ARE THE FIVE TRENDS OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISE?
Want to know what’s on the horizon for social enterprise this year? The Council on Foundations is hosting a discussion about trends for nonprofits in 2017. Carla Javits, President and CEO of the Roberts Enterprise Development Fund, has identified five flashpoints to keep your eye on. If you’re looking for a sense of the future, check this out:
|http://www.cof.org/blogs/re-philanthropy/2016-12-07/five-trends-social-enterprise

That’s it for the Friday Five. We’re off to go watch the inauguration and/or march.  

In the meantime, you can follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: January 13, 2017

January has begun its march through time! As everyone recovers from the holidays and thinks about how to keep their New Year’s resolutions, we’re gathered five articles about the nonprofit world that come with their own New Year’s resolutions and helpful tips as the year gets going:        

1) TEN NONPROFIT NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
It’s time for all nonprofits to roll up their sleeves and get to work on these resolutions. Chances are, you’ve probably done all or most of these, but it can’t hurt to review the list. Have you had your organization’s bylaws reviewed by counsel? Can your board members commit to attending a majority of the meetings this year? Can you check off all ten of these resolutions contained in the following link? (the link says five resolutions, but you get double that): http://www.nonprofitlawblog.com/5-new-year-resolutions-for-your-board/

2) NO MORE NONPROFIT STATUS FOR BIG SPORTS LEAGUES?
Many professional sports leagues are classified as 501(c)(6) nonprofit organizations, which means that the NFL, NHL, and PGA do not have to pay federal or most state taxes. Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) is attempting to close this loophole. While the NFL no longer attempts to claim tax-exempt status, the NHL does, and it collects hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue per year. See the details of Chaffetz’s fix:
https://sports.vice.com/en_us/highlight/new-congressional-bill-would-strip-sports-leagues-of-nonprofit-tax-status/

3) BURNOUT: WHAT ARE THE 5 MYTHS TO AVOID?
Burnout can be a morale killer for employees and officers of nonprofit organizations. Ann-Sophie Morrissette, who’s worked in the nonprofit world for fifteen years, identifies five myths that can increase burnout. One lesson: colleagues aren’t family, so it’s vital to draw clear lines between professional and personal life. Learn about the other four myths and how to battle them: https://ssir.org/articles/entry/five_myths_that_perpetuate_burnout_across_nonprofits

4) THE CHALLENGES AHEAD
What does this year hold for nonprofits? No one has a magic eight ball, but The Nonprofit Times predicts uncertainty, funding instability, and structural changes, but also more nonprofits banding together. Find out what to watch for and how to best navigate 2017:
http://www.thenonprofittimes.com/news-articles/nonprofit-workplace-challenges-predicted-2017/

5) IS YOUR MISSION STATEMENT A MESS?
While we don’t agree with all of the recommended fixes, we do agree that making an organization’s mission statement shorter and focused can make it more effective. These tips come via consultant Erica Mills, who created a free online tool for nonprofits called The Wordifier. Test out an organization’s mission statement against her recommendations:
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/great_mission._bad_statement

That’s it for the Friday Five. We’re off to go work on keeping our New Year’s resolutions.  

In the meantime, you can follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week!

Friday Five: January 6, 2017

It’s 2017! A fresh new year, a fresh new start. Everything feels new and invigorating. We hope your 2017 is off to a safe and happy beginning.

For the first Friday Five of 2017, we’ve taken a tour ‘round the cosmos (“cosmos” meaning internet, in this case) and pulled together a sampler of five great reads from and about the nonprofit world. Here they are:                                     

1) NONPROFITS AND THE TECH WORLD: A ROCKY NEW MATCH:Silicon Valley has created a new young class of charitable donors, but they may be demanding results faster than the nonprofits they donate to can provide them. As Jane Sullivan, spokeswoman for the nonprofit Build says, “They want results. They’re not necessarily thinking ‘We’re going to eliminate poverty over the next several decades.’ They’re like, ‘We want to change high school right now.’” How are nonprofits handling this culture clash? The San Francisco Chronicle has the details:      
http://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Nonprofits-struggle-to-adjust-as-tech-donors-take-10823591.php

2) COMPUTERS FOR A CAUSE:
In New Jersey, Ryan McFadden is making a difference, one computer at a time. His nonprofit organization, the Electronic Access Foundation, takes donated computers, wipes their hard drives, updates the software, and donates the computers to other nonprofits and charitable organizations. How does the Electronic Access Foundation find organizations and people in need?http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/outreach/caring-communities/2016/12/11/electronic-access-foundation--bridge-digital-divide/94760792/

3) HOW TO MOVE FORWARD:
What strategies can nonprofits use to defend their interests in the new political climate? They may have to be completely rethink everything and upend their past strategies, says The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Among the ideas floated is working to simplify federal contracts. Why is that so important?https://www.philanthropy.com/article/Opinion-Nonprofits-Need-to/238802

4) IN CASE OF EMERGENCY:
Does your nonprofit organization have a plan if something should happen to your CEO? Illness, resignation, alien abduction? A classic article from Nonprofit Quarterly reminds everyone that organizations should have a solid succession plan and not be dependent on a single person. Find out how to ensure your any organization’s stability here:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2014/02/11/planning-for-leadership-emergencies-in-community-nonprofits/

5) LET AMERICA BE AMERICA:
Darren Walker, the president of the Ford Foundation, has a reflection on the beginning of 2017 that takes as its jumping off point the famous Langston Hughes poem. As Walker points out, there’s a continual tension between the optimism of America and the other -isms that can generate pessimism. But Walker seems to have figured out how to navigate that tension:
https://www.fordfoundation.org/ideas/equals-change-blog/posts/let-america-be-america-again-a-new-year-s-reflection/

That’s it for the Friday Five. We’re off to enjoy the days left in the year (359. But who’s counting? We are. We’re counting).

In the meantime, you can follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back in next week!

Friday Five: December 30, 2016

It is December 30th. Only two days until 2016 comes to a close! It’s been a busy and news-filled year. So here, to close out 2016, are five fascinating articles from the nonprofit world.                                     

1) ROUNDUP: THE TEN MOST SIGNIFICANT EVENTS OF 2016 FOR NONPROFITS. This overview covers everything from the Presidential election to the Dakota access pipeline protest to Black Lives Matter, and more besides. Relive and analyze some of the major events of a very dramatic year:
http://www.nonprofitlawblog.com/10-significant-news-events-of-2016/

2) WHAT ARE THE FIVE BIGGEST TRENDS PHILANTHROPY TRENDS? There may be fewer resources for nonprofits, several of them have eased their restrictions to make grant-giving more flexible. In addition, foundations are emerging as substantial knowledge hubs, a shift in how they’ve viewed themselves in the past. Get the full story:
http://www.cof.org/blogs/re-philanthropy/2016-12-16/five-trends-philanthropy

3) MAJOR NEW CROWDFUNDING PLAYER:  GoFundMe just recently surpassed three billion dollars donated via its platform (through 25 million individual donors). CEO Rob Solomon wants to see GoFundMe generate forty billion in donations in the next decade, and thinks that GoFundMe can pull it off. Find out how:
https://www.fastcoexist.com/3066778/future-of-philanthropy/gofundmes-biggest-cause-yet-is-becoming-the-most-powerful-force-in-ph

4) WHAT’S COMING IN 2017: Here’s a conversation between KQED’s Marisa Lagos and Politico California Playbook Senior Writer Carla Marinucci covers new laws which go into effect in 2017 and impact nonprofit organizations:
http://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2016/12/29/54073/state-of-affairs-new-ca-laws-and-politics-stories/

5) TOP TEN NONPROFIT & PHILANTHROPY STORIES FROM 2016: OF THE YEAR: You’ll find everything here from philanthropy’s impact on the presidential campaign to the growing force of Big Philanthropy and questions about its clout. In addition, NPQ features several “where do we go from here?” questions about the shifting landscape. Make sure you’re up-to-date as the year ends:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/12/29/npqs-10-big-nonprofit-philanthropic-stories-2016/

That’s all for the Friday Five for 2016! We’ll be back in one week with our first 2017 Friday Five to ring in the new year. Here’s wishing you a safe and happy New Year’s Eve.

Want to know more about nonprofits? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. We’ll see you in 2017!

Friday Five: December 16, 2016

It is December 16th. Nine days left until Christmas (for those who celebrate it). Are you excited? We are. We have done most of our Christmas shopping. Now we just need to figure out our Christmas shipping to make sure our gifts reach friends and relatives in far-flung places. And we want to make sure these five stories from today’s Friday Five reach you!                                   

1) In the month since the election, donations have skyrocketed to nonprofit media outlets, Inside Philanthropy reports. ProPublica saw its donations jump by $750,000, substantially more than its total haul in 2015. The Center for Public Integrity and individual NPR affiliates are among the other beneficiaries. The article raises some questions about what’s next for nonprofit media organizations, including how they can construct sustainable models going forward:
http://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2016/12/13/a-surprise-beneficiary-of-the-trump-election-nonprofit-news-outlets

2) Nonprofit Quarterly makes the difficult and necessary case for overhead expenses, arguing that, far from being a necessary evil, they’re not evil at all and are consistently undervalued. NPQ suggests that before leaping to cut overhead costs, they should first be viewed through the lenses of economies of scale and cost comparisons to similar organizations. Get the full deep dive:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/12/12/nonprofit-overhead-baby-bathwater-need-know-boards/

3) Inside Philanthropy has a nice article about Rotary International, reminding nonprofits that Rotary Clubs can be a good source of help for nonprofits. Both Rotary International and local Rotary districts give out tens of millions of dollars in grants. The Rotary Club of Los Angeles gets a shout-out for its work to fight homelessness in L.A. And if you’re looking for possible sources for volunteers and funding, your local Rotary Club might make a great addition to your list:
http://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2016/12/6/rotary-clubs-worth-a-second-look-as-influential-local-funders

4) With 2017 right around the corner, it can’t hurt to evaluate your website and see if it’s ready for the new year. Lacey Kruger, an information architect who works with nonprofits, posted a good checklist at NPEngage.com. Things to consider: Is your website responsive? Do you have too much nested navigation? Test your website against her list here:
http://npengage.com/nonprofit-marketing/is-your-nonprofit-website-ready-for-2017/

5)  You may have idly asked yourself the question, “Hey, can I set up a 501(c)(3) to fund renovations of my house, if my house is a historic landmark? As an early Christmas present?” The IRS’ answer to this question is a decisive “No. No, you may not,” which should not surprise anyone who knows about private inurement. Peter O’Reilly, the tax columnist at Forbes, brings us the story:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterjreilly/2016/12/12/irs-says-fixing-up-your-own-house-is-not-charity/#7cc1838f30e9

That’s all for the Friday Five. We’ll be taking Dec. 23 off, but we shall return on Dec. 30, just in time for the end of 2016. And now we’re off to figure out if the post office will accept hastily wrapped, insecurely packaged items with barely legible scrawls for addresses. Wish us luck!

Want to know more about nonprofits? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. See you on the 30th!

Friday Five: December 9, 2016

Exactly two weeks and two days until Christmas. Not that we're counting or freaking out about all the things we still need to do. Just in case you, too, are also not freaking out about everything you still need to do, we have five articles from the nonprofit world to help calm you down and keep you informed.  

1) Gene Takagi wrote a rap about nonprofits and crowdfunding in the style of the musical Hamilton’s opening number. Think of this as an early holiday gift from the Friday Five to you:

             How does a program, project,
             dream of a board and a concept, 
             popped in the middle of a popular site on the Internet
             by management, unsupported, no hollers,
             Grow a big force of supporters and dollars…

Find the total Hamilton riff here: 
http://www.nonprofitlawblog.com/crowdfunding-rap/ 

2) Americans gave a record $373 billion in charitable donations last year.  Before you cheer at how much more generous individual Americans have become, however, you should know that the driving force behind that figure is the rise of mega-donors. Here's National Public Radio's interview with the Institute of Policy Studies’ Chuck Collins to find out more about philanthropic trends for 2016:
http://www.npr.org/2016/12/04/504322032/2016-philanthropy-trends-americans-donate-record-373-billion

3) Nonprofit Quarterly’s editor-in-chief Ruth McCambridge brings us the story of donors to a donor-advised fund who were not allowed to designate where disbursements from their named fund will go, a highly unusual situation. Lisa Greer found out that the Jewish Community of Foundation of L.A. would not be making a donation from the fund to the younger Jewish group IfNotNow. The story expands from there:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/12/09/donor-advised-funds-exert-political-judgment-grants/

4) Is your organization keeping its electronic protected health information (ePHI) safe? In this age of hackers and data corruption, you can’t be too careful—especially if you’re a nonprofit organization that provides health or health-related services to your clients. Nonprofit Quarterly runs through the necessary compliance steps, the dangers and costs of not complying (including the potential loss of federal funding), and potential problems nonprofits need to look out for. Given our constantly shifting technological landscape, this is a must-read for organizations that deal in ePHI:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/12/06/nonprofits-must-especially-careful-ephi-data-security/

5) As we approach the new year, many people will naturally find themselves thinking about changes they want to make in themselves and what kind of people they want to be in 2017. Nonprofit With Balls, the outfit of writer and speaker Vu Le, brings us a timely look at the nine qualities of leaders we need in this time and place, including having “strength in uncertainty” and believing that we’re all tied to each other. Do you have the traits it takes to be a leader?
http://nonprofitwithballs.com/2016/09/9-traits-of-the-kind-of-leaders-we-need-in-this-time-and-place/

That’s all for the Friday Five. We’re off to do some holiday shopping while drinking a candy cane latte and continuing not to freak out about how few days there are until Christmas. We’ll return in a week (when there will be only one week and two days until Christmas).                             

Want to know more about nonprofits? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. See you next week!

Friday Five: December 2, 2016

It is December 2nd. Here is the Friday Five to take your mind off the fact that there are only 29 days until 2016 is over: 

1) From ABC News: The 92nd Street Y is reporting that #GivingTuesday donations this year set a new record, with participating organizations raking in $168 million for the day, up from $117 million last years. The recipients include the Humane Society of the U.S., which raised $350,000 (almost double its $200,000 goal) and the University of Michigan, which raised $5.5 million in 24 hours. The full success stories are here:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/record-charitable-donations-reported-giving-tuesday-43884388

2) The blog NonprofitWithBalls has some recommendations on ten ways nonprofits should adjust to the post-election landscape. Its first recommendation: end the Nonprofit Hunger Games—that is, have nonprofits stop competing with each other. (If there were such a thing as a nonviolent Hunger Games with competing nonprofits, that might be amazing to watch.) The blog also strongly encourages promoting civil discourse. See the whole list:
http://nonprofitwithballs.com/2016/11/10-ways-the-nonprofit-sector-must-adapt-to-the-new-reality/ 

3) Nonprofit Quarterly notes that nonprofits in New York state are pushing to raise the minimum wage for social services contractors—specifically, employees who do work for city and state governments but are contracted to do that work by private nonprofits. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed a citywide wage increase for these city workers through 2020 (by which point New York’s $15/hour minimum wage will take effect), and New York-based nonprofits are attempting to mirror that success across the entire state:
 https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/12/01/ny-nonprofits-push-state-cover-costs-living-wage-workers/

4): In the wake of the election, The Stanford Social Innovation Review looks to history to help guide nonprofit organizations through the Trump era. One lesson: make sure to protect the tax-exempt status of nonprofit organizations. SSIR reminds us that in the 1960s, civil rights organizations received financial help from foundations (including the Ford foundation) to organize protests and register new voters. Find out what other lessons nonprofits can learn from the past:
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/advocating_and_giving_during_the_trump_administration_five_history_lessons

5) To commemorate the start of the holidays, the blog Make Use Of has recommendations for the top seven charities that offer Christmas help to low-income families. While the article was posted a few years ago, all seven charities are still going strong. Find out how to help everyone enjoy the holidays:
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-top-charities-that-offer-online-christmas-help-for-low-income-families/

That’s it for the Friday Five. We’re off to construct a holiday display and get an early start on our seasonal cards while trying to avoid listening to “Winter Wonderland” for the 54th time. We wish you success in attempting the same.

Want to know more about nonprofits? Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and send your questions about the nonprofit world to info@b-alaw.com. See you next week!

Friday Five: November 25, 2016

It is the day after Thanksgiving. We have had turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and stuffing. We are stuffed. But we’re not so stuffed that we can’t bring you five mentally nutritious and stimulating articles to lift you from your possible food coma. Here they are:                                                                

1) To follow Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Tuesday, November 29 is #GivingTuesday. Giving Tuesday was created five years ago by the Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact and the 92nd Street Y(a cultural center in New York City) to encourage volunteering and charitable donations as a kickoff to the holiday season. The Giving Tuesday site has a directory to help you find charities near to you so you can donate to them or volunteer with them. Get involved:
https://www.givingtuesday.org/about

2) The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette raises some excellent points in “Lax board members hurt nonprofits.” Flagging a study from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, the Post-Gazette notes that 27 percent of nonprofit directors do not have a clear understanding of their organization’s mission and, even more alarming, that 42 percent do not have an audit committee. Find out what else might be going wrong:
http://www.post-gazette.com/business/career-workplace/2016/11/22/Lax-board-members-hurt-nonprofits/stories/201611220005

3) What’s wrong with large anonymous donations? A lot, says Inside Philanthropy. Several factors—the increasing entwining of philanthropy with politics, the ease with which disclosure rules can be skirted, the rise of donor-advised funds—are intersecting to create the potential for a lack of accountability and transparency. Find out more: 
http://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2016/11/17/the-price-of-privacy-four-problems-with-anonymous-givingand-the-case-for-reform

4) Nonprofit Quarterly explores an event in which the cast of Hamilton delivered a short speech to Vice President-Elect Mike Pence after he attended the Broadway musical. Following a series of tweets from Donald Trump, one of which read: “The Theater must always be a safe and special place. The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!” NPQ asks: should theatre be a safe space? And, if so, for whom? The essay expands from there:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/11/21/role-art-social-movement-theater-safe-space/

5) Many people on both sides of the political aisle found this past election discouraging and dispiriting. NonprofitWithBalls has an important reminder: “Our eyes ‘reach but little ways.’ We cannot see into the future. So we forget, especially during times like these, the amazing things people are doing each day to make the world better. People like you. You are making the world better every day through your work. That arc of the moral universe does not bend itself; everything we do helps to bend it.” Also, apparently, we’re sexy Jedi unicorns, but you’ve got to read the entry to find out why:
http://nonprofitwithballs.com/2016/11/hey-you-amazing-unicorns-were-going-to-be-ok

And that seems like an excellent place to end this Friday Five. Here’s another reminder to visit http://GivingTuesday.org and donate or volunteer, if you’re able.                            

As always, if you want more nonprofit information, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook. Questions about the nonprofit world? You can reach us at info@b-alaw.com. See you next week!

Friday Five: November 18, 2016

We’re just six days away from Thanksgiving, so we’re pondering all the reasons we have to be thankful (one of which is turkey).   Have you picked out your turkey or tofurkey yet? We have! Here are five reads from the world of nonprofits that will have you counting your blessings:                                                                    

1) We can be thankful for allies and the work we do together. The New York Times brings us some thoughts on how charities can decide whether or not to merge. Among the questions asked: is a merger the best way for a smaller family foundation to preserve its future? How can an organization avoid acquiring the liabilities of the organization it’s merging with? What’s a good way to encourage board members to be flexible? Get the big picture:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/05/your-money/when-should-charities-throw-in-together.html

2) Something else to be grateful for? Robert Grimm, Jr. and Nathan Dietz report that volunteering among the oldest Americans (age 65 and up) and youngest Americans (ages 16-19) has increased dramatically. As researchers at the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), Grimm and Dietz have been tracking volunteering data for more than a decade.  Nonprofit Quarterly has the details:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/11/17/good-young-old-forty-years-american-volunteering/ 

3) While one can predict the future, the Chronicle of Philanthropy has a non-paywalled article about nonprofits’ financial world post-election. Turns out there are still things to be thankful for: while proposed budget cuts in health and education could lead to significantly greater pressure on nonprofits, some nonprofits have seen a spike in donations since the election. Find out more here:
https://www.philanthropy.com/article/Nonprofits-Worry-About/238355

4) We can also be thankful for throwdowns: Darren Walker, the president of the Ford Foundation, posed a challenge about privilege. Transformation, the blog of Open Democracy, reports on Walker’s inspiring untangling of privilege and its complexities in “The Privilege of Being Privileged.” Interested in what the Ford Foundation’s leader has to say?
https://www.opendemocracy.net/transformation/michael-edwards/privilege-of-being-privileged?platform=hootsuite

5) Although uncertainty can be challenging, dramatic changes can be a good opportunity for nonprofits to take stock and reassess their activities and outreach. Ruth McCambridge, editor-in-chief of NPQ, generated a list of ten important questions for boards to ponder. One that jumped out: “Do you have strategic connections with local and state networks so your organization is first in line to receive critical information and get an audience for advocacy?” Learn what all ten are:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/11/16/turbulence-ahead-10-questions-nonprofit-boards-urgently-ask-answer/

That’s it for the Friday Five. Aside from turkey, we’re grateful for the wonderful clients we have the opportunity to represent every day. Here’s hoping this Thanksgiving finds you with many reasons to be thankful!

As always, if you want more nonprofit information, follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page. Send us your nonprofit questions at info@b-alaw.com, and see you next week!

Friday Five: November 11, 2016

Today is November 11, Veterans Day, a time to remember and be grateful for our veterans’ service. In case you missed it, there was a presidential election on Tuesday. We have compiled five nonprofit-related articles that explore the how the nonprofit sector is important in these times.                                                         

1) Wondering how nonprofits fit into this democracy of ours? The Nonprofit Blogger has a thoughtful recollection about the election and the role the nonprofit sector can play in our democracy. As he writes, quoting Barbara Bucholtz, “the nonprofit sector teaches the skills of self-government…it inculcates the habits of tolerance and civility, [and] it mediates the space between the individual…the public/government sector, and the private sector.” Find out how the nonprofit sector helps act against excess power in either sphere:
http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/nonprofit/2016/11/the-day-after.html

2) In Slate, Eric Holthaus writes that for those concerned about climate change, there were some positive developments down-ballot: Florida rejected a measure that would have hurt the solar industry. Holthaus also points to actions individuals can take to help slow climate change: http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2016/11/all_is_not_lost_on_climate_change.html

3) Nonprofit Quarterly has compiled four general ideas for what nonprofits can do in the wake of the election results. On the list: Make sure your board understands the importance of advocacy even outside the particular emphasis of a nonprofit’s mission; look for ways to create active collaborations across identity groups and causes; and engage more with your constituents. Check out the full list:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/11/09/donald-trump-four-things-nonprofits-must-consider-on-the-day-after-election/

4) The American Civil Liberties Union has concerns about the constitutionality of several of President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign proposals, among them the mass deportation force and the proposed ban on Muslims entering the country. The ACLU has a detailed look at the specific Constitutional issues Trump’s proposals may pose and throws down the gauntlet: https://www.aclu.org/blog/speak-freely/if-donald-trump-implements-his-proposed-policies-well-see-him-court

The ACLU’s more detailed look: https://www.aclu.org/feature/donald-trump-one-man-constitutional-crisis

5) If the post-election period has you feeling energized or wondering what you can do to make a difference, Bustle magazine has a collection of 27 small steps you can take that will have a positive impact. #2: Go outside. #8: Set up a recurring donation to an organization that’s fighting to make a difference. See all 27 ideas:
https://www.bustle.com/articles/194304-27-little-things-you-can-do-to-make-a-positive-difference-after-the-2016-election-results

That’s it for the Friday Five. For the readers out there who are feeling discouraged or depressed, former Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater’s advice after he lost the 1964 election in a landslide, “Mourn, then organize,” springs to mind.

The Friday Five will still be here next week, so check back then. And, as always, if you want more nonprofit information, you can follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page. We’re available for any questions you may have about nonprofits at info@b-alaw.com. See you next week.

Friday Five: November 4, 2016

November is here. This seems almost as improbable as the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series for the first time in 108 years after being down 3 games to 1… which also happened. In addition, there’s a Presidential election in four days—make sure to vote!                                                      

1) Reframing has been talked about a lot lately, both on a personal and professional scale. The blog SelfishGiving (which also hosts the nonprofit-focused podcast CauseTalk Radio) brings us the story of SickKids and its attention-getting, inspiring branding and ad campaign. SickKids wants to reframe the concept of disease and empower both the children fighting their illnesses and donors. To that end, their campaign features kids suiting up as if they were warriors in Mortal Kombat and other video games…and it’s spectacular. Watch the jaw-dropping commercial and be inspired by SickKids’ efforts:
https://www.selfishgiving.com/blog/sickkids-vs-x

2) Last week we brought you news of Goodwill Omaha and reports of its CEO Frank McGree’s outsized salary and troubling sub-minimum-wage payments to Goodwill Omaha employees. In a dramatic move—and a victory for the investigative work of Henry J. Cordes and the Omaha Herald—McGree has now resigned. The board of Goodwill Omaha has announced that it will be taking further steps to assure transparency and reform the organization. Find out about the continued actions taken for accountability:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/11/02/resignation-ceo-marks-end-beginning-embattled-goodwill/

3) The New Yorker has a fascinating look at the rise of donor-advised funds on the Philanthropy 400 (the list of charities that have raised the most money from private sources), which opens up into an exploration of how dramatic changes in fundraising methods in the past few years are shaking up the fundraising landscape. We’re in the middle of a period of momentous change in philanthropy, and this piece is essential reading for getting the lay of the land:
http://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/the-wealth-gap-in-philanthropy

4) Are there good ways to give students hands-on experience in nonprofit law? Joseph Mead, who blogs at the Nonprofit Law Blog Network, says the answer is a definitive “yes.” Mead teaches a policy advocate course at Cleveland State University that plunges students into the real world of nonprofits, partnering with a different Ohio-based nonprofit every semester. Students learn about challenges faced outside the classroom that textbooks and case law may not prepare them for—and learn how to provide more effective help to organizations and clients. Learn more about the hands-on learning taking place at CSU:
http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/nonprofit/2016/10/experiential-learning-in-nonprofit-law.html

5) Trying to figure out the difference between a nonprofit with members and one without? Charity Lawyer Blog has a brief and elegant guide, and since nonprofits are required to specify whether or not they have members in their org docs, there’s a good chance you’ll encounter these two different types of nonprofits, as a donor, a board member, or just a curious citizen. Blogger Ellis Carter has all the necessary information:
http://charitylawyerblog.com/2011/04/26/nonprofit-law-jargon-buster-voting-members-vs-self-perpetuating-boards/

That’s it for the Friday Five. We’re stuffed with news and we’re only four weeks away from Thanksgiving. We’re going to have to hold some space in reserve or we may literally explode from information overload. (Well, not literally, but you get the idea.)  But if you want more nonprofit information, you can follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page.

As always, you may reach out to us with any questions about nonprofits at info@b-alaw.com. We’ll be back next week.

Friday Five: October 28, 2016

Three days ‘til Halloween! Are you excited? We are—we’ve cared our pumpkins, we’re finishing our costumes and are stocking up on candy. We have also stocked up on articles about nonprofit organizations. Here are five reads from the world of nonprofits that will keep you on the edge of your seats:

1) Nonprofit Quarterly highlights some crackerjack reporting from The Omaha World-Herald on Goodwill Omaha and its CEO Frank McGill’s annual salary. Hold on to your notebooks: it was $933,444—far above with what CEOs of similar nonprofits in the area make. Add to Mr. McGill’s inflated salary the fact that Goodwill Omaha reportedly pays its disabled workers a sub-minimum wage, and you’ll understand why Douglas County Board of County Commissioners are looking into whether to revoke the nonprofit’s property tax break. Get the hair-raising details here:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/10/26/goodwill-omahas-bad-business-model-may-affect-property-tax-exemptions-local-nonprofits/

2) Bridgespan, a consulting firm for nonprofits and philanthropists, has been conducting an investigation into how to increase the number of donors making “big bets” (defined as a gift of more than $10 million to change a social issue), and how to increase the effectiveness of big bets themselves. Fast Company has a rundown on Bridgespan’s findings; one of the issues holding philanthropists back is an “aspiration gap”; several philanthropists say they want to donate large sums, but rarely end up following through. Find out what else is scaring away donors from making big bets:

3) Both the Clinton Foundation and the Trump Foundation have been in the news recently, and there have been controversies surrounding both, but as National Public Radio reports, that is where the comparison ends—one of them is a legitimate charity which receives very high marks from CharityWatch and Charity Navigator, while the other charity… does not.  NPR lays down the chilling compare-and-contrast here:
http://www.npr.org/2016/10/17/498154413/theres-really-no-comparison-between-the-trump-and-clinton-foundations

4)Thinking of forming a 501(c)(4)? Be aware that new legislation has taken effect which requires 501(c)(4) organizations to notify the IRS of their intent to operate as a 501(c)(4). The IRS has created Form 8976 for these purposes. Also worth noting: 501(c)(4) organizations must file Form 8976 within sixty days of their formation. Here’s the link so those forming 501(c)(4)s can avoid any frightening encounters with the IRS:
https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/electronically-submit-your-form-8976-notice-of-intent-to-operate-under-section-501c4

5) Did you know that the dining hall workers at Harvard University were on strike? They were, but have just come to an agreement with Harvard, thus bringing the strike to an end. The strike has raised questions about university endowments. As The Atlantic notes, Harvard has the largest endowment of any university in the nation, but workers were making less than $35,000 a year and paying as much as $4,000 annually for out-of-pocket health care expenses. Public pressure and support from Harvard students helped bring about a resolution to the strike. Find out how:
http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/10/harvard-and-dining-workers-reach-tentative-agreement-to-end-strike/505349/

That’s it for the Friday Five. We have found and carved the perfect pumpkin, drunk our pumpkin spice latte and eaten way too many pumpkin-flavored foods. Now it’s time to The Great Pumpkin would be pleased. Happy Halloween!

Don’t be afraid to follow us on Twitter or like our Facebook page. Feel free to reach out to us with any fear-inducing questions about nonprofits at info@b-alaw.com. We’ll see you next week!

Friday Five: October 21, 2016

There are only ten days left until Halloween. Do you know what you’re going as? We’re thinking of going as the terrifyingly rapid passage of time because there are only ten days left until Halloween. But we have not let our concerns about time stop us from scouring the web. Here are five intriguing reads from the world of nonprofits:               

1) In a carefully written and thorough piece, the blog Selfish Giving challenges conventional wisdom about breast cancer awareness month (aka “Pinktober”) and makes a case that the campaign has run its course. Selfish Giving points out that there are several other diseases worthy of our attention and dollars, and that the Komen Foundation—the primary organizer behind Pinktober—has spent over a million dollars needlessly pursuing other organizations that use its tagline “for the cure.” For the full argument, click here:
http://www.selfishgiving.com/blog/5-reasons-pink-needs-to-fade-to-black

2) One of the important questions to ask before forming a nonprofit is if the would-be organization is able to generate enough funds to pay its employees. Nonprofit Quarterly has a story about Mad Cow Theatre in Orlando, Florida and several claims from actors, stage managers, and designers that it hasn’t been paying them regularly—or at all (and allegedly owes the city of Orlando over $300,000). Take this as an object lesson in what not to do:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/10/20/mad-cow-theatre-suffers-public-shaming-loses-grant-stiffing-artists/

3) Tax experts Ellen P. Aprill and Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer conducted a deep dive into the Trump Foundation’s ongoing tax issues and their connections to Donald Trump’s as-yet-unreleased tax returns. Aprill and Mayer illustrate many of the troubling underlying issues, including “assignment of income.” Ensure that an assignment of income doesn’t cause you issues with the IRS by reading their post here:
http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2016/10/aprill-mayerthe-relationship-between-the-trump-foundation-and-trumps-tax-returns.html

4) Mergers! When two nonprofit organizations merge with each other, it can get complicated—how do you handle management succession? What’s the best way to design a brand for the new organization? How can you ensure that the two different cultures align? Mission + Strategy Consulting and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management just released a study on 25 successful nonprofit mergers. Find out what made them so successful:

5) Finally, Marc Gunther, who blots at Nonprofitchronicles.com, brings us the inspiring story of Mauricio Lim Miller. Miller started the Oakland, California-based Family Independence Initiative in 2001 to enable poor people to share ideas and resources with each other, and the Initiative has expanded to Boston, New Orleans and Albuquerque. Miller deservedly won a MacArthur genius grant, but hasn’t let that slow him down; he’s determined to figure out how to scale the Initiative so it can serve more families. Hear about how he plans to do this:
https://nonprofitchronicles.com/2016/10/19/lunch-with-a-genius/

Friday Five: October 14, 2016

The middle of October cometh. It is October 14th, and as of this week it’s actually starting to feel like fall, or at least fall-esque. Wherever you are, we hope that you are enjoying a pumpkin latte as you peruse these five articles about the nonprofit world:                  

1) Nonprofit Quarterly flags an investigation conducted by the Washington Post about the impact of donations from “Big Soda” (aka the soda industry) on health and medical groups. The American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are among 96 nonprofits that accepted sponsorship money from PepsiCo and Coca-Cola and then lobbied against more than two dozen health bills aimed at reducing soda consumption. The appearance of conflict of interest is certainly eyebrow-raising. Read on to find out what the American Beverage Association, which represents both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, has to say: 
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/10/11/eat-big-sodas-impact-nonprofit-health-advocacy-groups/                              

2) The fundraising activities of nonprofits—specifically, foundations—have been in the news a lot recently, so the Council of Nonprofits’ overview of charitable fundraising practices for nonprofits is timely and useful. For example, every fundraising solicitation must contain language confirming you're registered to fundraise in that state. If you’re involved with a nonprofit, you can use this entry to make sure your organization is in full compliance. Check your best practices here:
https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/tools-resources/charitable-solicitation-registration

3) Network For Good is conducting a weekly countdown of fundraising tips and tricks until the end of 2016. In this entry, author Connie Paulos speaks to how an organization can effectively use storytelling in its year-end fundraising appeals. Want to know what the 5 “C”s of storytelling are? Satisfy your curiosity:
http://www.networkforgood.com/nonprofitblog/year-end-countdown-week-12-tell-story-craft-winning-appeal/

4) School funding. Patent wars. Recycling. The Supreme Court (still at eight members instead of ninedue to a lack of hearings for nominee Merrick Garland) just began its 2016-17 session, and on its docket are five cases that could impact the nonprofit community in various ways. If you want to know what arguments and decisions to keep an eye on, NPQ (via The Hill) has you covered:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/10/03/one-man-scotus-faces-docket-consequences-communities/

5) The Boston-based Bridgespan Group is designing a series of “billion-dollar bets”—studies on how one billion dollars could best be spent to address various causes. Bridgespan has now turned to incarceration, especially as it pertains to racial inequality and over-criminalization. Now that all of Bridgespan’s “deep dives” are completed, it plans to connect with philanthropists to see if they can be implemented. To learn about the specifics of Bridgespan’s incarceration deep dive, see what Nonprofit Times has to say:
http://www.thenonprofittimes.com/news-articles/authors-propose-1-billion-philanthropic-bet-incarceration/

That’s it for the Friday Five. We're off to enjoy a pumpkin spice latte. We’ll be back next week with more highlights from the nonprofit world… and more pumpkins. In the meantime, follow us on Twitter; you can also ask us anything about the nonprofit world at info@b-alaw.com. See you next week!

Friday Five: October 7, 2016

It’s October! It’s also the six-month anniversary of the Friday Five. Time flies when you’re preparing for Halloween… I mean, finding the best nonprofit news to share. We have five nonprofit-related articles to illuminate what’s happening in the world of nonprofits.

1) Nonprofit Quarterly asks whether the IRS’ Form 990, the financial form that nonprofit organizations have to regularly file, may be hurting those organizations. Specifically, NPQ points out that nonprofits may be under-reporting the funds they spend in administration and overhead, leading donors to think the organizations don’t need as much to function as they actually do, which leads to lower donations and a vicious cycle. How can the cycle be broken? NPQ has some ideas:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/09/30/part-ix-outer-space-dysfunctional-expense-frame-form-990-encourages/

2) Conventional wisdom says that nonprofits need to learn from for-profits. But in the tech magazine Fast Company, Michelle Kedem argues that for-profit companies can learn a lot from the nonprofit world—everything from how a commitment to social responsibility can help a company’s brand to how recognizing the importance of community can help a company thrive. What else do nonprofits have to teach for-profits? Find out: https://www.fastcoexist.com/3063652/its-time-that-for-profits-start-learning-from-nonprofits-heres-how

3) You may or may not be using comedy in your fundraising and outreach. Sheena Greer, a writer and nonprofit consultant, has a guest post on John Haydon’s blog about comedy and how to apply it to nonprofit communications. You may not have thought that memorizing those Monty Python skits would ever come in handy, but Ms. Greer begs to differ:
http://www.johnhaydon.com/better-fundraising-starts-comedy/

4) Many charities now have a digital trustee, a designated board member who is tasked with staying knowledgeable about online strategy, social media, cybersecurity and other tech areas. On the Just Giving blog, nonprofit consultant Zoe Amar shares what she’s learned by being a digital trustee:
http://blog.justgiving.com/5-things-ive-learned-from-being-a-digital-trustee/                 

5) The future of philanthropy lies with the next generation. Family foundations are taking steps to educate younger family members, but the transition can still be bumpy. The National Center on Family Philanthropy has a post on Guidestar about the best ways to manage a generational handoff and ensure that a family foundation continues to do good work. See their in-depth analysis here:
https://trust.guidestar.org/teaching-the-next-generation-about-philanthrop

That’s it for the Friday Five. We’re off to find the perfect pumpkin. We’ll be back next week with more highlights from the nonprofit world. In the meantime, check out our Facebook page and twitter feed; you can also get in touch with us at info@b-alaw.com. See you next week!

Friday Five: September 30, 2016

Welcome to Friday! This week, we said good-bye toAgnes Nixon, the socially conscious creator of the legendary soap operas All My Children, One Life to Live and Guiding Light who passed away at 93. By writing timely issues into her soaps, she raised social consciousness about many issues, from AIDS to racism. You can read the New York Times tribute here: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/29/arts/television/agnes-nixon-who-injected-social-ills-into-soap-operas-dies-at-93.html?_r=0

We also have five nonprofit-related articles to help you deal with any end-of-September blues.

1) TurboVote, a nonprofit organization devoted to encouraging voter turnout, is teaming up with YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, and some other major social media platforms to increase voter registration for the upcoming election. The platforms are using some engaging tactics to capture millennials’ attention—Tumblr has altered its main dashboard page to feature a message about voter registration and Twitter’s created a new “I registered” emoji. What are YouTube and Instragram doing to increase turnout? Click here to find out:  https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/09/29/young-voter-registration-instagram-twitter-tumblr-top/

If you live in California but have not yet registered to vote, you can register online here: http://registertovote.ca.gov/

2) Gene Takagi points us to a Nonprofit Quarterly article from Clara Miller, President of the F.B. Heron Foundation, that went viral; Ms. Miller’s piece, based on a talk she gave, starts with a deceptively simple True/False test about how money functions in the nonprofit world and just how complicated managing nonprofit finances can get. Think you can pass her quiz? Try your luck here:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2005/12/21/the-looking-glass-world-of-nonprofit-money-managing-in-for-profits-shadow-universe

3) Nell Edgington, President of Social Velocity (a nonprofit consulting firm), reminds nonprofit leaders and employees that their time is valuable and that it’s okay to charge for that time. This reminder applies to anyone who works in the nonprofit sector as well as to freelancers of all types--place a value on your time and calculate your rate accordingly. Find out how:
http://www.socialvelocity.net/2016/09/what-is-the-value-of-a-nonprofit-leaders-time/

4) The blog Nonprofit Tech for Good takes a hard look at whether nonprofits are getting a good bang for their buck from social media—and they might not be. Some issues raised by Nonprofit Tech for Good: Snapchat has no tangible return on investment (ROI); many social media platforms are trending towards video, but a nonprofit may not have a good videographer on staff; and social media can distract nonprofits from better online tools that produce a better return on investment. Want to know how to make the most of your nonprofit’s social media? Find out what not to do:
http://www.nptechforgood.com/2016/09/18/12-not-so-great-realities-about-nonprofits-and-social-media/

5) Stanford Social Innovation Review brings the story of the resurgence of Kepler Books in Menlo Park. Kepler Books started as an informal center for political and social activism in the late 1960s. And in 2011, when Kepler was struggling for business and about to go under, it shifted its community events to a new nonprofit entity, Peninsula Arts and Letters, which concentrates on community engagement and educational programs as part of its mission. The result has been a mini-renaissance: more author events, more local authors, more school activity. Kepler’s successful embrace of the hybrid model is a great case study in creative thinking and socially conscious ambition. Learn more here:
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/turning_the_page

That’s it for the Friday Five. Like sands through the hourglass, so are the blog posts of our lives.  Got questions about forming a nonprofit? Tips for things you’d like to see in the Friday Five? Drop us a line at info@b-alaw.com.

Friday Five: September 23, 2016

It’s here. Autumn is here. We can smell the Pumpkin Spice Lattes brewingnearby. Soon the leaves will be changing colors. (Well, leaves in other places. In Los Angeles, the trees either dry up or don’t change color at all.) To help ease the seasonal shift, here are five good reads about nonprofit-related news. 

1) Puerto Rico is going through economic turmoil, but that hasn’t stopped its citizens from being generous. In fact, Puerto Ricans clobbered mainland Americans this quarter in terms of the percentage of households who reported making charitable contributions, 74.9% to 55.8%. The study Giving in Puerto Rico conducted a deep dive on the data, and it’s inspiring to read about how supportive Puerto Ricans are even when their territory is suffering:
http://www.thenonprofittimes.com/news-articles/giving-puerto-rico-tops-mainland-rates/

2)  Bidding wars may be good for Silicon Valley’s high-tech workers, but not its nonprofit organizations. As average salaries increase to the six-figure zone, landlords are raising commercial rents accordingly, and nonprofits are finding themselves squeezed out of their buildings. The two greatest needs that nonprofits have, salaries and overhead, are needs that Silicon Valley donors don’t want to pay for. Fast Company has a detailed exploration of the problem:
https://www.fastcompany.com/3063699/the-future-of-work/how-silicon-valleys-talent-wars-are-killing-its-nonprofits

3) Nonprofits are owned by the public and disallowed from enriching private individuals and as such, self-dealing transactions are frowned upon by the IRS. A good example of a self-dealing transaction would be a person who used foundation funds for personal expenses—that’s use of charitable funds to personally benefit the person in question, and that’s a no-no. Reports show that the Trump Foundation has done just that. The Friday Five offers this link as a cautionary tale:
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/09/trump-paid-legal-settlements-with-his-charitys-money.html

Expanding on this, Paul Waldman at the Washington Post raises some additional concerns about the appearance of conflict of interest regarding the Trump Foundation and some questionable donations it made:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/09/05/trumps-history-of-corruption-is-mind-boggling-so-why-is-clinton-supposedly-the-corrupt-one/

4) Recent disputed police shootings of African-American men in Tulsa and Charlotte have put police procedures and racial questions back in the headlines. Philanthropic, the blog of Philanthropy News Digest, announced that the California-based James Irvine Foundation will be coordinating a $1.3 million program to increase trust between police and communities, building on a pilot program in Oakland. You can get all the details on the Irvine Foundation’s efforts here:
http://pndblog.typepad.com/pndblog/2016/09/building-police-community-trust-through-reform.html

5) Could improving student performance in American schools be as simple as bringing back recess? The American Academy of Pediatrics thinks so, and so does the LiiNK Project (Let’s Inspire Innovation ‘N Kids.) LiiNK is recommending that kids play outside at school four times a day, based on Finland’s recess policies and its top ranking in most educational categories. Want to find out how recess helps kids learn? Click here:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/09/21/recess-making-old-new/

That’s it for the Friday Five. We cannot resist the call of a pumpkin spice latte, so we’re off to go get one. Tips for things you’d like to see in the Friday Five? Drop us a line at info@b-alaw.com. 

Friday Five: September 16, 2016

Can you believe we’re halfway through September? We cannot. We are currently pretending we do not know what “half” means. But we have a full complement of Friday Five items from the web. 

1) Black Lives Matter (BLM) was already a nonprofit, but it's now expanded to the point where the organization is officially partnering with the International Development Exchange (IDEX), a more established nonprofit charity. IDEX is now a legal, contracted partner of BLM, accepting donations and applying for grants on their behalf. IDEX has worked with those in need on several continents and has more experience handling financial matters for nonprofits, and so far the partnership seems like an excellent fit for both.This is a good read for anyone who wants to know how to handle sudden growth and the right steps to take for partnering with a more experienced organization:
http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-black-lives-matter-charity-20160906-snap-story.html

2) Bergman and Allderdice likes to use the “headline test” as a guideline when advising its clients: how would you feel if your actions were in a headline on the front page of your local paper the next morning? How would your donors feel? Nonprofit tax-exempt organizations can only participate in highly limited political activity. An argument can be made that board members, as individuals, are free to do so, as long as it's clear that they are not acting as representative of the organization, but it may not pass the “headline test." Nonprofit Quarterly reports that Melissa Crews, a board member for Hope for New Hampshire, had to resign after she chose to appear in an attack ad against Maggie Hassan, the current governor of New Hampshire. NPQ has the full story:
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/09/06/prominent-nonprofit-board-member-resigns-in-wake-of-attack-ad-against-candidate/

3) Unicorns may not be real, but the St. Paul-based Family Tree Clinic’s unicorn campaign is very real and very successful. The Family Tree Clinic had participated in Horizon Foundation's Give Out Day, a national day of LGBTQ giving, for the past few years. But after Horizons unexpectedly postponed Give Out Day, the Minnesota nonprofit had to come up with another way to collect donations. Nonprofit marketing coach Nancy Schwartz has an in-depth look at how The Family Tree Clinic turned what could have been a disaster into an inspiring moment:
http://www.networkforgood.com/nonprofitblog/unicorn-leads-record-breaking-campaign/

4) The reliable and industrious Beth Kanter (whom we’ve linked to before) is an expert on how nonprofits can help their people avoid burnout; she’s now developing a scale on how to identify and detect burnout, as it can be hard to spot. Want to detect burnout in your people? Find out more here:
http://www.bethkanter.org/hhnp-activist/

5) We suspect Philanthropy Journal’s blogger Sarah Choe only dropped Justin Bieber’s name into her post as a bright shiny object to get our attention, but you know what? It worked. Truth in advertising compels us to report what Ms. Choe did not—that Bieber is not specifically mentioned anywhere except the headline. But this is still a useful post about how to get famous celebrities and “influencers” on board with a specific cause:
http://philanthropyjournal.blogspot.com/2013/12/how-to-get-justin-bieber-on-board-with.html

That’s it for the Friday Five. Bergman and Allderdice cannot slow the passage of time, but we can help you with any and all of your nonprofit questions and needs. Drop us a line at info@b-alaw.com with any questions. See you next week!

Friday Five: September 9, 2016

Today is September 9th, 2016, and it’s finally starting to feel like fall. On this day in 1776, Congress officially renamed this country the United States of America(from the United Colonies). We appreciate Congress’ attention to detail, but we can’t help wondering about the reason for the two-month delay. “Hey, guys? Remember back in July when we declared our independence? Since we’re not colonies anymore, should we maybe rename ourselves?”

In an enjoyable bit of historical irony, on this day last year Queen Elizabeth II became England’s longest-reigning monarch. As of today, she has ruled for a whopping 64 years. We cannot promise that today’s Friday Five will help you achieve that level of longevity, but we can assure you that it will inform and illuminate various nonprofit matters for you.

1) Jonathan Timm of The Atlantic notes that opposition to President Obama’s overtime rules came from some unexpected quarters, namely the progressive nonprofit PIRG (U.S. Public Interest Research Group). Timm explores the troubling discrepancy between some nonprofits’ values and the way they treat their own staff members and poses some questions that are well worth pondering: 
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/08/the-plight-of-the-overworked-nonprofit-employee/497081/

2) Good news for anyone who sends out a lot of postal mail: The NonProfit Times reports that the U.S. Postal Service is making multiple adjustments to its first class mailing rates. Stephen Kearney, the executive director of the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers, says that many of these changes will be favorable to nonprofits. Among other shifts, the allowable weight for first class mail before extra charges are incurred will rise from 3.3 ounces to 4 ounces. Check out The NonProfit Times for the details:
http://www.thenonprofittimes.com/news-articles/usps-giving-mailers-break/

3) Maybe you’re not someone who uses postal mail. But chances are you use email, which means you want people to both open your emails and then actually read them—and possibly donate to your cause. The Moflow blog lays out six helpful tips to make those emails sparkle:
http://moflow.ca/crafting-nonprofit-emails/                                                                      

4) Millennials: What do they know? Do they know things? Let’s find out![1] Specifically, what do millennials think are the ten largest problems the world is currently facing? The World Economic Forum took a massive survey (querying more than 26,000 members of Generation Y worldwide) and Business Insider has the writeup. Global warming makes the list. To find out the other nine items, click here:
http://www.businessinsider.com/world-economic-forum-world-biggest-problems-concerning-millennials-2016-8

5) Erin Braddick, senior counsel at NEO Law Group (AKA friend-of-the-blog Gene Takagi’s outfit) has drafted an elegant article on fiscal sponsorship in American Bar. “For lawyers who work with nonprofits and exempt organizations or individuals with philanthropic aspirations, ‘I want to start a nonprofit’ may be the single phrase they hear most frequently. However, the most valuable advice an attorney can give to a client seeking counsel on starting a nonprofit might be to not do so.” All is not lost, though; Braddick walks through the steps involved in using fiscal sponsorship to achieve your goals (as opposed to setting up your own nonprofit). Read the whole thing:
http://www.americanbar.org/publications/blt/2015/05/04_bradrick.html

Our Friday Five has once again come to a close. Do you have nonprofit-related questions? Ever wanted to start a nonprofit of your own? We’ve got answers. Contact Bergman and Allderdice at info@b-alaw.com with any questions. We’re here to help. See you next week!

[1] Reference explained  here: http://bojackhorseman.wikia.com/wiki/Hollywoo_Stars_and_Celebrities:_What_Do_They_Know%3F_Do_They_Know_Things%3F%3F_Let's_Find_Out!