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Upcoming Events and Opportunities Expert Resources and Assistance
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In response to the changing economy, Lawyers Alliance has instituted an Economic Downturn initiative to foster stability and support the resilience of nonprofits. Coping with Economic Downturn: Weathering the Storm without Legal Trouble It is imperative that nonprofit managers and board members be proactive to maintain financial equilibrium and help preserve programs. The goal is to maximize hard and soft assets to build a team and a plan that enables the organization to identify core programs and funding sources that support these programs. The resolve of those boards and managers to remain legally compliant may also be tested. Virtually every step that a nonprofit can take to protect itself has legal implications, and many strategies that may be considered to shore up finances or control costs could place the organization in legal jeopardy. Kiwi Partners provides the non profit community with measurable and sound bookkeeping and accounting services. We will make sure that your accounting package is set up correctly to produce understandable and informative monthly, quarterly and annual reports. They can perform weekly bookkeeping tasks for you, or train your staff to correctly record financial data into your accounting package. Either way, they are there to improve your organization's financial reporting capabilities. Managing in Tough Times: A Collection of resources for Nonprofits and Funders Navigating Turbulence Explore their Resource Center, which includes other helpful websites, articles, surveys, and books that nonprofit organizations will find highly useful. Calvert Foundation lends to more than 200 community organizations, including loan funds, microfinance institutions, affordable housing developers and social enterprises. Through their work, we are building strong, healthy communities. If you are an established community organization that serves as a financial intermediary and are in need of flexible, affordable capital, review the following information for eligibility and application requirements. A View of Nonprofit Financial Management: 2007 Survey of Nonprofit Operations and Guide to Best Practice Financial Management Associates and their affiliated public accounting firm, ERE LLP, present the first annual survey of nonprofit fiscal operations and guide to best practices. The report, based on a survey of nearly 250 nonprofit organizations throughout the New York metropolitan area, provides not-for-profit organizations with the opportunity to see the fiscal practices employed by their peers and to better evaluate where they stand. In addition to the survey statistics, the report also includes analysis and tips by FMA and ERE on best practices in nonprofit financial management. Cost of Quality: Out-of-School Time Cost Calculator and additional resources on funding sources and advice on effective financial management. The online calculator lets you determine the costs of a variety of options for high-quality out-of-school time (OST) programs. With other resources on this site, it can help you make informed decisions so you can plan for programming in which children flourish. Fund-Raising Strategies for Troubled Times An economic downturn often brings a basic fund-raising principle into sharp relief: Charities need to develop multiple sources of contributions or risk financial collapse. Read ahead for tips on how to do this. Wall Street Losses. What Should Nonprofits Do? Read about some of the actions that nonprofits are taking in response to the crisis as well as an update on the status of some foundations that fund youth related efforts. In Bad Economic Times, Focus on Impact Improving internal operations can increase productivity and reduce costs – all without sacrificing quality. Nonprofit groups can get more bang for the buck. And that’s what nonprofit managers and grant makers need to remember, even though the economic is in turmoil. Case studies of Year Up and Jumpstart demonstrate what four management basics its leaders observed. Tips for NPOs Threatened by the Financial Crisis Based on an analysis of more than 6,500 mid-size nonprofits conducted by the New York City-based Nonprofit Finance Fund, shared five things nonprofits could do to weather the next one. Costs are Cool: The Strategic Value of Economic Clarity To make resource-related decisions intelligently, in a way that maximizes an organization’s impact and promotes its mission, nonprofit leaders need to have a clear picture of the full costs operating their programs and services. And when resources are scarce, it is critically important that they be devoted to the programs and activities that advance the mission most. The economic clarity that full cots data creates can provide invaluable input to decisions about how to allocate resources among programs and across them, whether to expand them into a new location, and where to set the level of funding required to sustain the organization’s operations. Fund for the City of New York: Core Programs In order to strengthen the infrastructure of nonprofits, the Fund has created a cluster of management and technology programs directed to improving their administrative and service capacity by lending money against delayed payments, providing back office support to new initiatives, and equipping nonprofits with the systems they need to be able to compete with the private sector. FJC: A Foundation of Philanthropic Funds The unique FJC Agency Loan Fund (ALF) provides secured loans to credit qualified charitable organizations. Often these organizations have limited access to other credit sources. The loans are frequently made to provide bridge financing for agencies awaiting government and other funding and to address short-term needs. The Nonprofit Finance Fund has produced a Guide to Navigating the Financial Crisis. This resource aims to provide nonprofits the tools and knowledge they need to survive this current fiscal crisis and emerge as stronger organizations. The Bronx Nonprofit Corner will provide information on upcoming events and trainings, help nonprofits connect with each other and compile a guide of all nonprofits in The Bronx. Check back regularly to check for updates. Find the answers to these Frequently Asked Questions: Are there resources available if my credit line has been reduced or cut and I need access to credit? Who should I contact if my contract registration/payment is delayed and my organization is having cash flow problems? Are there resources to assist a nonprofit without a City contract? How do I find out about upcoming trainings or conferences on building capacity or weathering the economic downturn? The National Council of Nonprofits developed this ever-evolving resource to help nonprofits and our allies better understand the situation and have ready access to strategies to help you navigate the economy so nonprofits can serve their communities more efficiently. National Council of Nonprofits The Fieldstone Alliance is a nonprofit with both publishing and consulting services, and strives to provide resources that are both proven and easy to use. Look into these practical resources on topics such as collaborations, working with your board, cost cutting and emergency funding sources for nonprofits, volunteer management in tough times, and much more. The 2009 Nonprofit Economic Climate: Managing through the Downturn Workshop and concrete tools (all available for free download) for nonprofit leaders to lead their organizations during this challenging time. Topics include: How the current market environment will affect nonprofits; practical scenario planning and modeling: how to develop smart, strategic responses; recognizing the hidden opportunities to strengthen your standing ; revenue and expense considerations; cash flow management and managing credit; role of the Executive Director and Board in leading the organization through a downturn. Managing in Tough Times: 7 Steps Learning from what others have done in the face of less severe financial crises can be extremely useful. The Bridgespan Group has begun collecting insights and advice from their clients, from other nonprofit leaders and experts, and from their own leadership. Managing in Extraordinary Times: New Choices for New Challenges The greatest changes in companies’ relative positions within their industries occur in times of economic turbulence, not calm. To benefit from such seismic change, a company must quickly make the right decisions and act on them with conviction – a core characteristic of high–performance business. Taking Stock in a Time of Crisis During these economic times, NFF recommends nonprofit leaders examine the financial strengths and weaknesses of their organizations, assess potential financial risks, and create a plan to avoid risks. Consider, How might the economic downturn affect business?; evaluate opportunities and plan a response to economic challenges; keep the lines of communication open; and avoid common pitfalls. Board Fundraising: Setting the Stage for Success Improve the effectiveness of your board in fundraising, though a board fundraising plan - a coordinated sequence of activities that board members engage in over time (preferably coinciding with your fiscal year) which encompasses donor identification, cultivation, multiple solicitation methods matched to varied gift sizes, and donor recognition. Be Proactive in times of Crisis Basic tenets about communicating with stakeholders in a time of crisis. Increasing demand for a smaller pool of resources requires today’s nonprofits to rethink how they do business, to compete where appropriate, to avoid duplicating existing comparable services, and to increase collaboration, when possible. Sustaining Nonprofits During Economic Downturns Economic downturns bring both threats and opportunities to which a resourceful nonprofit can and should respond constructively – both for its own protection and for the greater well-being of its clients and of the general community of which that nonprofit is a contributing part.
The City of New York, Mayor’s Office of Contract Services, Capacity Building and Oversight, Procurement Training Institute (PTI) Courses, Spring 2009 Semester Training sessions are offered at no cost to nonprofit organizations that receive grants or contracts for a New York City agency. Find registration information at this link.Hiring the Right Fundraiser in a New Economic Reality In an uncertain economy, nonprofits can't afford to hire the wrong development director. By taking some expert advice from experienced recruiters, nonprofits will be better able to hire the right fundraiser with the precision of the pros. Shared Work: The Layoff Alternative Shared Work is a voluntary program that provides employers facing a temporary decline in business with an alternative to layoffs. Rather than laying off a percentage of the work force to cut costs, an employer can reduce the hours and wages of all or a particular group of employees. The employees whose hours and wages are reduced can receive partial unemployment insurance benefits to supplement their lost wages. More Companies Are Cutting Labor Costs Without Layoffs Even as layoffs are reaching historic levels, some employers have found an alternative to slashing their work force. They’re nipping and tucking it instead. Economic Stimulus & Recovery, Special Report, Number 1 To promote better understanding about the intersection between the nonprofit sector and out nation’s economic recovery, including the recently-enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the National Council of Nonprofits is preparing a series of Special Reports. This first report includes: Provisions of Potential Interest to Nonprofits with details on specific grants in program areas and the amount appropriated. Extended Learning and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) offers tremendous opportunities for the education sector, including afterschool and extended learning programs. Much of the ARRA funding for afterschool programs will come through existing funding streams, such as the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and AmeriCorps. Some ARRA funding offers new, one-time only cash infusions that may also benefit afterschool programs. Bloomberg Outlines Initiatives to Assist Nonprofits Mayor Bloomberg announces new initiatives to help New York City nonprofits cope with cash crunch as a result of the economic downturn. New York's Bloomberg Announces Measures to Help Nonprofit Groups Economic Recovery Bill and Nonprofits Independent Sector has been working with congressional leaders and members of the presidential transition team to advance proposals that would help nonprofit organizations to sustain services to Americans in need during this troubled economic period. An economic recovery package that is currently being considered in Congress includes many provisions supported by Independent Sector and its members that would help improve the capacity of nonprofit organizations to provide critical services to the most vulnerable communities and populations across the country. Crunch Time A growing number of charities are scrambling to make ends meet as line of credit dry up and disappear. Charities are turning to alternatives such as relying on line of credit to help them manage their cash flow as they wait for grants; government-contract money, or donor pledged money. Crash! Nonprofits Face Uncertain Future Find out how “One New York: Fighting for Fairness,” a coalition of advocates, providers and labor organizers are fighting for nonprofits. Further information on how foundations in fiscal distress are affecting nonprofit funding within the next three years and their giving trends. Panel Discussions and Strategy Sessions Brooklyn - Friday, January 30, 2009 Manhattan - Thursday, November 20, 2009 |
 
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