Helping to Create A Better World

In times of tragedy like those in Orlando, it's natural to feel overwhelmed by the trauma and the sadness and to be tempted to give in to despair. 

 

As Mister Rogers told us, though, let's look for the helpers.  They were there in Orlando too, by the thousands -- the first responders off duty and moving toward the crisis and the nonprofits organizing thousands of blood donors, hundreds of volunteers and the outpouring of funds and blankets and more for the survivors and families.

 

Our capacity to connect, heal and restore is unlimited when we work together to create a better world ...

 

Thank you for your own support and encouragement of our efforts and let us know how we can help you ...

Paulette Lynch, Arts Council of Monterey County

NAMC Awards Event Co-Chair and past NAMC Core Leader

NAMC’s 2016 Public Policy Update

There appears to be growing public perception that nonprofits acquire excessive overhead – administrative operating and other costs not directly spent on client services – even though for-profit overhead cost is typically about 35% vs. 12% compared to 14% for nonprofits, according to Nancy Berlin of California Association of Nonprofits

Berlin was a panelist earlier this month for NAMC's annual Public Policy Update which was attended by 28 nonprofit leaders at the Monterey County Bar Association offices.

Nonprofits provide about one million jobs in California, Berlin added, and generate about 15% of the gross product for the state.

She urged everyone to know how to justify their overhead costs. Nonprofits have to do a better job of promoting their message and explaining the cost of the work they do. This can help with getting contracts, as well as setting norms and best practices. She noted that the Charity Navigator Icon, which may be on your website, reinforces ranking nonprofits by overhead as a percentage of cost. It is much better to focus on accomplishments, which directs attention to the value of your work.

She noted that, according to federal regulations, you can claim a 10% indirect cost rate or share documentation if actual costs are higher, and negotiate for a higher rate. There are OME guidelines for indirect costs. Many people think 10% is the ceiling for overhead when, in reality, it is the floor. There is a need for training in how to best allocate and recoup overhead costs. CalNonprofits offers such trainings, including webinars. Its “Overhead Project” helps nonprofits effectively explain and account for their overhead.

Nancy discussed CalNonprofits’ opposition to Assembly Bill 2855, currently in Appropriations, which would require a link to a nonprofit’s 990, in 14 point type, on every page of a nonprofit’s website, and a link to the Attorney General’s report card on all fundraising communications, including flyers, websites, letters, etc. Over 800 organizations have opposed this bill, including NAMC. This bill would not increase transparency; however, it would create extra work for nonprofits. She said, “The fact that people feel these types of bills are necessary indicates we have more work to do in promoting our messages and how we pay to provide the good work we do.  Cal Nonprofits is looking at this issue and will talk more about details of how to do a better job in the fall.” To learn more, and to keep updated on this bill’s status, see this Fact Sheet on CalNonprofits’ website.

One important way we can work together is to ‘Vote Your Mission’: encourage staff, leaders, volunteers, donors, and constituents to vote. Nancy provided 2 buttons for us to share; one says “I work at a nonprofit and I vote” and the other says “I volunteer at a nonprofit and I vote.” She encouraged us to visit the CalNonprofits website to find other tools and suggestions.

Bill Kamp, Mayor of Pacific Grove, spoke about fees and taxes levied by cities, and Barbara Meister, Public Affairs Director at Monterey Bay Aquarium discussed the admissions tax proposed by the Pacific Grove City Council. Mayor Kamp said that the City of Pacific Grove is a kind of non-profit.

· It is required to have a balanced budget

· It has a mission.

· It provides public safety, a library, City infrastructure, etc.

· It is governed by a charter, articles of incorporation, etc.

· It has enterprise activities

· It seeks grant funding and also delivers services for a fee

· It can receive bequests

He said that Pacific Grove needs to increase revenues for the long-term success of the city. Those can come from real estate and business license fees, increasing transient occupancy taxes, or an entertainment admissions tax. He noted that there is a cap on sales and property taxes and most taxes have to be approved by voters; but very few people want to tax themselves. This leaves few options to increase revenues.

Ideally, tax revenue would be in proportion to the benefit received. For example, the Aquarium, movie theaters, concerts, etc. have a large impact on traffic, parking, etc. but it is hard to quantify the relationship between that impact and the additional income that is generated for the community through visitors paying for lodging, restaurants, etc. The PG City Council recently introduced a ballot measure to add an admissions tax at entertainment venues or events and places of amusement, such as races, movies and concerts. It would apply to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Barbara Meister said that she appreciates the difficult decisions city leaders must make to keep their cities healthy and understands the need to seek new revenue sources. She believes that an admissions tax is justified for a sporting event or if the city has made investments for which it needs to recoup costs. However, it does not make sense for the Monterey Bay Aquarium to be subject to an admissions tax, for several reasons:

· The Aquarium was started with private funding with the mission of conservation and education; advocating for the health of the world’s oceans. It is not primarily for recreation or entertainment.

· No city funds went into the Aquarium.

· The gift and book stores and restaurants already pay sales tax.

· The Aquarium brings in tourists who pay into the community by patronizing restaurants, hotels, etc.

40% of Aquarium revenue is from admission tickets, which barely covers front line staff and keeping the buildings open. The balance of its funding comes from membership, fundraising, endowments, donations, grants, etc. The Aquarium is willing to collaborate with the cities of Monterey and Pacific Grove to leverage income opportunities, such as at the Tin Cannery, which has been rezoned and will create new opportunities to generate revenue.

Thanks to Shannon Graham, Aurelio Salazar and Susan Breen for contributing to this article.

Volunteer Programs Discussed at NAMC Workshop

By Natalia Molina, Monterey Bay Aquarium and Sue Parris, NAMC

Nearly 1000 non-profits are registered in Monterey County, ranging in size, scope, and area of service, according to Guidestar, one of the premiere websites that gathers and disseminates information about IRS-registered nonprofit organizations. 

Many, if not all, Monterey County non-profits are fueled and ignited by the spirit and passion of volunteers who help to support their missions.  Knowing how to recruit, reward, retain, and redirect volunteers is critical to sustaining a thriving volunteer program.

Non-Profit Alliance of Monterey County (NAMC) is committed to increase the capacity and collective power of the nonprofit industry for the benefit of all people in Monterey County.

So, to explore best practices in working with volunteers,  NAMC hosted a sold-out workshop on Feb. 29, "How to Have a Thriving Volunteer Program," at Harden Foundation in Salinas.

The program featured three panelists who work regularly with volunteers from the Monterey County Health Department, Restorative Justice Program, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Here are some key take-aways from the panel presentation:

Recruitment Ideas:

Post what you're doing with volunteers on social media.
Host a meet and greet for volunteers with "invite a friend."

Recognition on a shoestring:
Invite volunteers to other events, e.g., fundraisers, public meetings and presentations;
When giving speeches, always acknowledge how much volunteers contribute to your organization.

How to engage Latino volunteers:

Latinos are more likely to engage as a family.  Accommodations should be made to engage or care for children and/or elderly family members.

Translate and interpret materials accurately and well.

Overall:  Get together with staff to develop an agency-wide plan on how to better develop volunteers.

The selection of panel discussion topics was driven by the results of a survey that was sent weeks earlier to NAMC members.  Survey results indicated that the recruitment and retention of volunteers, recognition ideas for volunteers, and how to attract Hispanic/Latino volunteers were top choices.

During the workshop, the panelists offered lessons learned and best practices from their personal experiences, and a robust question and answer followed.    

“It was so exciting to have all of these volunteer professionals together in one room, said Sue Parris, NAMC Project Coordinator.  "Nonprofits know so well that we couldn’t do what we do without volunteers. I’m looking forward to more discussion like this so we can continue to build top-notch volunteer programs in our community.”

At the conclusion, nearly 20 participants expressed further interest in creating a Volunteer Manager Network, and NAMC plans to explore this idea.
If you have ideas on other topics you would like to see if future workshops, please contact sue@alliancemonterey.org.

Packed House Gathers for Community Engagement Training

 Non-profit representatives from all over Monterey County eagerly gathered last month to learn about organizing and engagement for each of their respective communities.

Individuals representing the Arts, Social Services, Environment, Education, Literacy, Housing, and others assembled to hear Tim McManus, the Lead Organizer for Communities Organized for Relational Power in Action (COPA) speak to “aligning interests for maximum benefit.” COPA does broad-based organizing.

Tim touched on the mission of COPA to develop the leadership skills of ordinary people to engage effectively in public life.

The engagement training, sponsored by the Nonprofit Alliance of Monterey County Advocacy Committee, provided some of the tools individuals would need to negotiate with public and private sector leaders.

These conversations can lead to changes in the economic, social, political and cultural pressures on their organizations and families served.

Tim differentiated between public and private relationships and how we can look at both ourselves and those with whom we want to engage.

It is important in any conversation that we remember the folks with whom we want to work also have influences in their lives – when we know those influences, we can find common ground and make a positive impact on our community.

Tim outlined the five key questions that each meeting must address to be successful. And while these conversations can take time and involve face-to-face interaction, the return on our investment can be invaluable to you as an individual and to your organization and those whom you serve!

Due to the success of this workshop and the long waitlist, NAMC will be schedule another session of this training in the future.

 --Tom Conway, Easter Seals of Central California NAMC Advocacy Committee

Advocacy for Nonprofits

By Traci Townsend-Gieg

Have you and your organization ever been in the position of identifying a policy or legislative issue that affects you – and wondered what, legally, you can do to advocate on behalf of your constituents and agency?

Wonder no more!

The Nonprofit Alliance for Monterey County website has a number of resources for you to determine what kind of advocacy is best for your organization and staff.

You'll find a great .pdf booklet entitled SHAPING THE FUTURE: A Compliance Guide for Nonprofits Influencing Public Policy in California from Bolder Advocacy, an initiative of the Alliance for Justice. The booklet includes in an easy-to-use reference format guidelines for shaping your agency’s advocacy policies and procedures.

You will also find on NAMC’s website a link to Bolder Advocacy’s toolkits, including one on California advocacy resources.

Your NAMC Advocacy Committee is determining the best way to inform NAMC members on topics for action or advocacy. Stay tuned for more information in 2016 on the power of nonprofit advocacy!

Nonprofit Tech Trends in Monterey County

By Tom Conway

In 2005 there was no Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube.  This was the year that the Nonprofit Alliance of Monterey County (NAMC) commissioned an economic impact study of nonprofits in Monterey County.  Now, 10 short years later, new technologies are used by 80% of county nonprofits to contact and serve constituents, to publicize activities, and to remain in regular contact. This, from the study released in 2014: For the Common Good – Report of the Impact of Our Nonprofits on Monterey County. 

The report also highlights that nearly two-thirds of the respondents report that they use social media for fundraising activities. Top media platforms include websites (92%), email (89%), Facebook (80%), print newsletters (45%), Telephone (27%) and Twitter (25%)

In the third Lunch-and-Learn in the series (following sessions on social and environmental impacts), NAMC invited a distinguished panel of local experts from Alvarez Technology Group (ATG) and Digital Nest to addressing the technological impacts.  Luis Alvarez, of ATG and Jacob Martinez of Digital Nest shared with the nearly 30 attendees their insights and expertise related to the impacts identified in the 2014 report.

Luis stressed the importance for nonprofits (any agency, really) to “have a technology strategy in place so that you can address your mission appropriately given the tools at your disposal.”  Some things that should be addressed in any technology strategy include the use of social media; security and mobility among others.  Jacob stressed the “need to develop a highly skilled workforce in our local communities.”  Jacob’s organization, Digital Nest offers youth and young adults professional training so that they are both ready for higher education and available to work at businesses in our community at affordable rates. 

The issue of social media was one of the biggest question-generators for the audience.  For nonprofits (and again, for anyone, really), the key is to make information accessible and timely.  In The Millenial Impact Report released by the Case Foundation, 60% of respondents liked it most when nonprofits shared stories of successful projects or the people they help.  Additionally, digital multimedia needs to be integrated into any marketing/fundraising strategy.

In closing, when asked to predict what technology trend we will be looking at 10 years from now, Luis responded with a statistic that predicts that “70% of jobs in 2025 don’t even exist today!”  Nonprofits can certainly expect that the way we do things in 2015 will change over the next 10 years.  The good news is that millennials, who are already emerging as leaders in technology and other industries and will comprise 75 percent of the global workforce by 2025, and they want to work for organizations that foster innovative thinking, develop their skills, and make a positive contribution to society.  We need to grow and build on that!

25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

By Tom Conway, CEO of Easter Seals of Central California and NAMC Core Leader

Did you know that, as recently as 25 years ago, it was legal to discriminate on the basis of disability? It’s true. But on July 26, 1990 the Americans with Disabilities Act became a law, guaranteeing the civil rights of individuals with disabilities and other special needs in our country.

Easter Seals supporters, staff, volunteers, clients and their families along with other non-profits led advocacy efforts across the country to ensure passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These advocacy efforts ultimately made it easier for people with disabilities to navigate workplaces, neighborhoods, college campuses and community gatherings with the inclusion of sidewalk curb cuts, wheelchair lifts, designated parking, automatic doors etc. It made discrimination in employment illegal.

While there’s certainly much to celebrate on the ADA’s 25th anniversary this July, there’s still more to be accomplished in advocating for policies that empower people with disabilities. At Easter Seals Central California, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to reach for and realize their potential. That’s why we work tirelessly as champions for ability. Every day, in communities across the country, non-profits like us provide pathways to opportunity for each person we serve, regardless of the challenges they may face.

For nearly 100 years, Easter Seals affiliates everywhere have been pioneers in helping children, adults and veterans with disabilities and special needs, and their families, live better lives. Today, we’re an innovator in early childhood development, adult independence, veteran transitions and caring for caregivers. We support more than 1.8 million people worldwide, helping them realize their goals, dreams and aspirations.  Visit www.easterseals.com/centralcal for more information about how you too can be an advocate for individuals with disabilities!