Shell Oil Co. at the Robert Training and Conference Center in Robert, Louisiana has the following items to donate to any nonprofit willing to pick them up. Offer is good through May 31, 2013.

Interested members may contact Qi Wiggins, at: Qiana.Wiggins@shell.com

· 1 Couch missing cushions

· 1 large outdoor table

· 1 Round Table with 14 Chairs, Some of the Chairs are broken but can be used.

The Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation announces a new donor match program in support of Hope Ministries of Baton Rouge.

Do you want to GIVE HOPE but never have before?  Now is the time. 

Take the Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation Challenge!!  

For every dollar you donate, the Wilson Foundation will match it dollar for dollar up to $15,000. 

If you have never donated before to HOPE Ministries every dollar you donate today will double. 

But don't wait!  We have to make it to $15,000 by June 30, 2013.

"The sector has fallen into a trap we created. By focusing on what we DON'T spend, and not on what has been accomplished, we have completely missed the mark in our messaging."

"We are part of this problem and it's up to us to educate our way out of it,” asserted Paulette Maehara, former president of Fundraising Professionals in Dan Pallotta's groundbreaking book Charity Case (Jossey-Bass 2012).

I recently re-watched...

Read more in the Finance Fundamentals blog about

what questions donors need to ask

by Erica McGeachy Crenshaw, President/CEO of Execute Now!

LANO member, Louisiana Health Cooperative, Inc., (LAHC) received its license on May 9 from the Louisiana Department of Insurance to provide health insurance coverage statewide beginning in January 2014 and to begin enrollment October 1, 2013.

Based in Louisiana, LAHC was selected by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on September 28, 2012 to create and operate a Consumer Oriented and Operated Plan, or "CO-OP” statewide.

LAHC is Louisiana’s first nonprofit health insurance CO-OP and plans to provide a variety of health insurance options for individuals and employers throughout the state. 

"Louisiana Health Cooperative looks forward to providing Louisiana residents with a new choice of affordable insurance benefit options,” said Terry Shilling, LAHC Interim CEO. 

"We plan to promote community health and well-being by involving the members and providers that we serve in the delivery of high quality, integrated health care services.”

Enrollment in LAHC will begin October 1, 2013.

Full release attached.

Learn to create events that raise money for your non-profit!

This fun, hands-on workshop covers:

• Choosing what kind of event is best for you
• Working with volunteers
• Identifying event sponsors
• And much more!

Attendees will receive a certificate of participation for completing the workshop. Registration $35. Discounts available for students, for AmeriCorps and for organizations registering two or more people.

Visit www.thefundingseed.com for more information. For discount codes or to reserve your space and pay at the door, email info@thefundingseed.com.

"To be market driven, you have to determine who your customer is."

"And interestingly enough, it may not be the people your organization is dedicated to serve--your clients. Your customer is the one group from among all your stakeholders who, more than anyone else, determines your survival and your success.”

Steve Rothschild's seven principles of success in his book The NON Nonprofit are rooted in his revelation of consistent methods he has implemented as an accomplished business leader in a Fortune 100 company and as a CEO of a thriving nonprofit ...

Read more, register for the interview or dowload a free summary of Rothschild's book

by Denise McMahan

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for providing every LANO member with access to CausePlanet services in 2012-2013.

Click here to view their latest Corporate Social Responsibility Report and use #BlueLuvsLou to continue the conversation on Twitter.

This is achieved by rewarding and retaining those who best contribute to attaining the organization’s mission while minimizing unnecessary fixed-cost and administrative overhead. 

This new series (to be held in both Baton Rouge and New Orleans) includes three modules, each approximately 90 minutes in length, designed to cover the gamut of compensation issues challenging nonprofits today.

MODULE THREE: This final module in the series will focus on Alternative Pay-for-Performance Strategies (90 minutes)

As a reward system, base pay/salary programs almost always contribute to "fixed cost” that tends to increase year-over-year.  As such, it is imperative that we manage compensation programs in a way that provides ample rewards for key contributors while minimizing overhead and fixed cost going forward.  This module is designed for senior executives and HR leaders and will explore the advantages and disadvantages of various reward strategies including traditional "pay-for-performance” programs.  In addition, we will provide tips for making those pay-for-performance programs most effective as well as explore alternative, perhaps less costly, reward strategies that can be effectively employed by nonprofit organizations.

Baton Rouge, May 7, 10:30 AM [REGISTER]

New Orleans, May 9, 10:30 AM [REGISTER]

 

 

This series of three workshops will be led by James T Stodd, SPHR who is the Principal and Managing Director of JT Stodd & Associates. Jim has over 30 years of experience in designing and managing compensation programs for nonprofit organizations. His experience includes serving with leading consulting firms such as Ernst & Young, LLP and the Hay Group as well as serving as the chief human resource officer of three large nonprofit organizations where he was responsible to the CEO and the Board for all compensation and employee benefit practices.

The Fundraising Intensive Program is a 10-month course that gives you tools to raise funds for your nonprofit. Through a combination of group learning and one-on-one coaching, participants will learn best practices and practical skills related to a range of fundraising activities.

Over the course of the program, the nonprofit staff, board members and volunteers involved will learn about:

• Fundraising Planning
• Individual Donor Development
• Major Donors Fundraising Campaigns
• Year-End Fundraising Fundraising by Mail and Email
• Grant Research and Writing
• Board and Volunteer Engagement

Participation is limited and applications are required.

If you are interested in joining The Funding Seed's Fundraising Intensive Program for the inaugural 2013-2014 class, please and complete the program application by Friday, May 24 at 5:00 p.m.

For questions, please call (504) 307-7220 or email info@thefundingseed.com, or visit www.thefundingseed.com.

Each season, members of nonprofit organizations from the local area and as far as Alabama take ownership of concession stands at both venues to raise money. One organization raised over $100,000 last season!

Centerplate will provide the following:

• Exciting events that entice volunteers to work
• Coordinated scheduling
• Captured customer base
• Food products and supplies to sell
• Training in operations, safety, and sanitation
• Provide supervision to help ensure success
• A commission check 4-6 weeks after each event worked

This program provides opportunities for your organization to earn money at a variety of sports and entertainment events, such as Saints and Pelicans games, Essence Festival, Sugar Bowl, and NBA All-Star Game. We are proud to say that some of our groups have been with us for over 10 years.

For more information, please contact Tanja Rogers at tanja.rogers@centerplate.com or 504-558-6275.

Sometimes what we learn from history isn't enough. 100-year old Girls Scouts is undergoing financial strain and "shrinking pains” after merging many of their councils in an effort to increase efficiencies in running their programs. Despite its longevity, the Girls Scouts are facing uncharted territory and huge challenges ahead.

At the front end of these mergers that shrank 312 councils to 112, Girl Scouts' leadership anticipated...

by Erica McGeachy Crenshaw, President/CEO of Execute Now!

Read more in the Finance Fundamentals blog

This is achieved by rewarding and retaining those who best contribute to attaining the organization’s mission while minimizing unnecessary fixed-cost and administrative overhead. 

This new series (to be held in both Baton Rouge and New Orleans) includes three modules, each approximately 90 minutes in length, designed to cover the gamut of compensation issues challenging nonprofits today.

MODULE TWO: This second module in the series will focus on the foundations of Compensation Compliance (90 minutes)

In today’s world of employment, the leading cause of costly litigation is failure to ensure that pay programs are properly administered in compliance with a large set of regulatory guidelines. As such, this module will be valuable not only to senior executives and HR professionals, but to line managers and supervisors as well. In the course of this module we will cover the important distinction between employees and independent contractors, basic wage and hour compliance (including how to properly differentiate "salaried” vs. "hourly” status), and the private benefit and inurement issues unique to nonprofit organizations.

Baton Rouge, April 30, 10:30 AM [REGISTER]

New Orleans, May 2, 10:30 AM [REGISTER]

 

 

This series of three workshops will be led by James T Stodd, SPHR who is the Principal and Managing Director of JT Stodd & Associates. Jim has over 30 years of experience in designing and managing compensation programs for nonprofit organizations. His experience includes serving with leading consulting firms such as Ernst & Young, LLP and the Hay Group as well as serving as the chief human resource officer of three large nonprofit organizations where he was responsible to the CEO and the Board for all compensation and employee benefit practices.

The event, hosted by BPNonprofitclaims.com, was sponsored by the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC, a LANO member based in Madisonville.

Attorney and KSF Managing Partner, Lewis Kahn, led the presentation, during which important matters pertinent to the nonprofit community were discussed. Specifically, and of great importance to nonprofits, discussion was focused in part on the fiduciary duties of executives and board members relative to filing a BP claim. Mr. Kahn -- an attorney with approximately 20 years of experience in prosecuting corporate breach of fiduciary dutyB actions -- explained the important duties that are necessarily fulfilled by nonprofits who seek to perfect their BP Claim. Following this presentation, the floor was again opened to questions by attendees.

The next event in the series will be hosted by BPNonprofitClaims.com and again sponsored by KSF, on Friday, May 3^rd at 12:30 p.m. at Juban's Restaurant, 3739 Perkins Blvd. in Baton Rouge.

Continue to full story...

No one wants to read a horrible grant proposal. Why should anyone have to?

More importantly, why would you want someone to? An amazing lack of energy and misdirected effort goes into unfunded grant proposals every year despite how worthy the cause may be.

It's quite simple: If you make the task of reading a grant proposal an enjoyable activity by incorporating storytelling, you'll secure more grants.

Register for the LIVE AUTHOR INTERVIEW with grants expert on April 25

Is your nonprofit in need of a strategic plan, but unsure where to begin? Do you struggle to stand out among the competition to secure grants and donations?

EMH Strategy is pleased to offer a workshop that helps solve these two problems that many nonprofits face.

EMH President and Co-Founder Jeremy Hunnewell will share how your nonprofit can develop a comprehensive strategic plan to improve internal processes and attract external funds. During the course of the presentation, you will learn the importance of a developing a strategic plan for both internal and external purposes, receive step-by-step instructions for immediate implementation, and ultimately understand how strategic planning can lead to better fundraising for your nonprofit.

Date: Tuesday, May 21st

Time: 8:30-10:00am

Place: 1441 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70112

Jody Deffes, senior staff accountant  

"I have a small problem—I can't do anything halfway,” confesses Jody Deffes.

Deffes is a senior staff accountant with Execute Now! and has been assisting nonprofits with their financials for the past year. The nonprofits who've worked with Deffes during the past year have no doubt experienced his tenacious approach to financial management and his passion for educating his clients.

His first job as a teenager was in a bank performing the now extinct position of Coin Room Teller. "Twenty years ago, they would find a kid like me who wanted to work in a bank, wasn't afraid of ...

Read more about Deffes and the Execute Now! team in the Finance Fundamentals blog

LANO's Community Calendar, a public information resource available as a promotional tool for General and Associate Members, now features color-coded entries that provide a quick view of upcoming dates in five categories: Community Events, Networking Opportunity, Public Notice, Training Opportunity and Funding Opportunity.

NEW COLOR CATEGORIES:

LANO members wishing to add events to the Community Calendar can submit the relevant information via webform and may include the ir posting in one or more of the above categories.  Users may filter viewing of calendar events by any category or by all at once, the default setting.

All calendared events will be included in social media posts and the LANO Weekly Planner email, sent each Monday morning to the entire statewide network.  Additionally, headlines from the previous week's Member News & Events blog and updates from the Career and Volunteer Center will be included in the weekly communication. All LANO members, including the Friends of LANO free membership category, are eligible to receive the Weekly Planner.

For more information, contact Matt Mullenix, LANO Vice President for Public Relations.

This is achieved by rewarding and retaining those who best contribute to attaining the organization’s mission while minimizing unnecessary fixed-cost and administrative overhead. 

This new series (to be held in both Baton Rouge and New Orleans) includes three modules, each approximately 90 minutes in length, designed to cover the gamut of compensation issues challenging nonprofits today.

MODULE ONE: This first module in the series will focus on the foundations of base pay/salary management programs and be of tremendous value to senior executives, HR leaders and those responsible for salary administration. The objective of this session will be to equip you with the necessary knowledge to establish, maintain and strategically alter your base pay/salary program to best achieve your nonprofit’s unique objectives regarding cost management, market competitiveness and equitable compensation amongst your workforce.

Baton Rouge, April 23, 10:30AM [REGISTER]

New Orleans, April 25, 10:30 AM [REGISTER]

 

 

This series of three workshops will be led by James T Stodd, SPHR who is the Principal and Managing Director of JT Stodd & Associates. Jim has over 30 years of experience in designing and managing compensation programs for nonprofit organizations. His experience includes serving with leading consulting firms such as Ernst & Young, LLP and the Hay Group as well as serving as the chief human resource officer of three large nonprofit organizations where he was responsible to the CEO and the Board for all compensation and employee benefit practices.

The Urban Institute sent out in February the latest government-nonprofit contracting survey to a scientifically selected group of nonprofits in Louisiana.

Results of the survey will follow up on the Urban Institute's 2010 report on contracting problems and guides the work of the Government-Nonprofit Contracting Reform Project of the Council of Nonprofits, a national advocacy group representing state Associations of nonprofits and other nonprofit sector supporters.

If your organization received the survey, we encourage you to please contribute your responses soon so that analysis may begin and Louisiana be represented in results and future reports.  The data collected will be used to help identify ongoing nonprofit-government contracting issues and improve where possible these important public/private partnerships.

Any question related to this survey may be sent to Beth Bowsky of the Council of Nonprofits at: bbowsky@councilofnonprofits.org

 

 

]]>

Clarke recently released the second edition of her popular book Storytelling for Grantseekers: A Guide to Creative Nonprofit Fundraising . It's chock full of useful techniques for nonprofit communications of any kind—from newsletters and appeals to annual reports and, of course, grants.

No one wants to read a horrible grant proposal. Why should...

Read more, download the free book summary or register for our next live author interview about winning grants with proven storytelling techniques.

by Denise McMahan

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for providing every LANO member with free access to CausePlanet's summary library and author interviews.

Now available on our website www.ladeltacorps.org and attched to this post. 

Application workshops are scheduled for next week.

Applications will be due to us by May 17th. 

The biggest change to our application this year will be our specific focus on health education. We are looking for applicants who can provide our members with direct service educating youth in positive health behaviors in the areas of nutrition, fitness, mental health and HIV/AIDS prevention.

Examples would be teaching nutrition classes to school aged children, starting an after school sports program, teaching a cooking class or working in a garden with children. We are also looking for rural projects, specifically in the river parishes (Pointe Couppee, Concordia,Tensas, Ascension, St. Charles etc.)

Projects must be full-time starting September 1st and last through July 31st. Organizations must pay a cash match of $9,000 per member and provide a supervisor/mentor, site specific training and the tools to adequately fulfill the project’s goals. Please sign up for one of our workshops to ask questions and review the application. Email lmoore@ladeltacorps.org or call 225-930-9949.

As an executive officer or board member of a nonprofit organization, you have a fiduciary duty to act in good faith, with diligence and in furtherance of your organization’s objectives.  

Following the settlement of the BP oil spill civil litigation in April 2012, this duty also includes determining if your organization is due money under the almost $8 billion compensation program set up to pay nonprofits and businesses in the Gulf South for lost revenue during 2010.   

Important deadlines for filing claims under the settlement program exist, so fiduciaries must act expediently to determine if your organization qualifies for a claim award.

Read more...

On Friday April 5, 2013, the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC, will be hosting another in its series of free BP Nonprofit Claims Luncheon Seminars at Andrea's Restaurant (12:30-2pm) in Metairie, La.

[REGISTER]

"Nonprofits are changing the way they do business because they have to: government funding is not returning to pre-recession levels, philanthropic dollars are limited, and demand for critical services has climbed dramatically,” asserts Antony Bugg-Levine, CEO of Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF).

The NFF has released the results of its 2013 State of the Nonprofit Sector Survey, which has gathered financial information from more than 5900 nonprofits throughout the country. One of the noteworthy outcomes is ...

Read more at the Finance Fundamentals Blog

by Erica McGeachy Crenshaw, President/CEO of Execute Now!

This agreement referred to as the Deepwater Horizon Court-Supervised Settlement Program is a class action settlement and includes broad requirements to participate and deserves the attention of any business or nonprofit.

Read more about how your nonprofit may benefit.

HTB can provide assistance in gathering the required documentation, applying the various causation tests, calculating your claim under the appropriate framework and helping you to understand the tax implications of any settlement payments.

Please contact Celeste Viator at 225.928.4770 or cviator@htbcpa.com if you would like more information or assistance in determining if you meet the parameters of the settlement.

[Further details on Qualifying Claims]

Unengaged employees cost time and money. So why do we have molasses-like reflexes when it comes to cultivating a positive culture in the organizations we  lead? Billions of dollars are lost every year by corporations through turnover as well as legitimate and non-legitimate sick days. Tens of thousands are lost in productivity and and outcomes within a single position if it turns over or if the employee is unengaged in your nonprofit...

LANO MEMBERS: Play this author podcast about culture or register for our next FREE live author interview with Bill Mott about the board/CEO relationships.  

by Denise McMahan, Founder/Publisher, CausePlanet

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for providing every LANO member with free access to CausePlanet services.

Take this opportunity to learn about these important financial topics and more:

• Saving for your Child's College Education
• Ways to Eliminate Debt
• Strategies for Saving for Retirement
• How My Life Insurance REALLY Works
• The High Cost of Waiting to Save
  

Space is limited.  Please RSVP.  More info in attached file. 

[RSVP]

The Foundation for Louisiana is selling four sets of desks and credenzas for $400 per set, with a rolling secretarial chair for each set priced at $50.

See photos attached.  Inquiries, please send to Matt Nunez.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation’s latest Corporate Social Responsibility Report is now live at http://www.ourhomelouisiana.org/csrreport/! 

Please take a moment to visit the report, share your thoughts and pass along the link to others.

We hope you enjoy this exciting report, which includes photos, videos, interactive features and more — all about our partnerships with organizations across Louisiana.

If you promote the report on Twitter, please use #BlueLuvsLou so others can follow the conversation and we can retweet your comments. You can also share the report on Facebook, and please be sure to like the Foundation Facebook page.

In addition, you may want to email your constituents and include a link to the section of the report that features your organization.

Thanks so much for your help in spreading the word about this great new website. We look forward to our continued partnership to build a healthier Louisiana!

__________________________________________________
Christy Oliver Reeves
Director, Community Relations and
Executive Director of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation

On March 15, 2013, Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC's hosted its' first BP Nonprofit Claims Luncheon Seminar at Gino's restaurant, in Baton Rouge.  

Over fifteen LANO members from the Baton Rouge area and as far away as Shreveport, joined us at the first of what will be a continuing series of luncheon seminars, informing Louisiana nonprofits of their ability to take part in the $8 billion BP Settlement.

The event was well attended and in addition to having a lovely lunch served by the gracious staff at Gino's Restaurant, attendees received a wealth of important information about the BP settlement claims process.   Attorney and KSF Managing Partner, Lewis Kahn, led the presentation, after which the floor was opened to questions by attendees.

Universally, the reception by attendees was positive and everyone left with a much greater understanding of their rights under the claims process and their ability to potentially file a claim on behalf of their own organization.

The next event in the series will be hosted by KSF on April 5, 2013 at 12:30 at Andrea's Restaurant, 3100 19th Street, Metairie, LA.

[http://www.lano.org/event/KSF_BPClaims]

Seating is limited to the first 25 registrants, so please watch for the listing of our event on the LANO Community Calendar in the next few days, and please register on the RSVP link.

We look forward to seeing you at our next event in the metropolitan New Orleans area, or at any one of the events that we plan to host, locally in your area.  

Until then, if you have any questions or comments concerning the BP Nonprofit Settlement Claims process, please do not hesitate to call Lewis Kahn at 504/455-1400 or via email to Lewis.Kahn@ksfcounsel.com.

Albert Rugesa, president of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, says the constant kindness in our sector is going to be what kills our causes in the end. Caroline Preston's Chronicle of Philanthropy article," Some Nonprofit Leaders Ask: Is Philanthropy Killing Itself with Kindness?” does an excellent job of tackling this surprisingly persistent issue from a variety of angles.

This article caught my attention because kindness is having a direct effect on the financial management of running a...

by Erica McGeachy Crenshaw, President/CEO of Execute Now!

Read more at the Finance Fundamentals blog

Please join Louisiana Housing Alliance (LHA) at its two-day State Housing Conference themed:

"Unintended Consequences: the Impact of Tax & Fiscal Policies on Affordable Housing.”

This year’s Conference will be two days – April 23 and April 24 in Baton Rouge.

 Featured Speakers Include:

• Barry Irwin, Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL)
• Jan Moller, Louisiana Budget Project
• Monika Gerhart, Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center
• Steve Bradberry, The Alliance Institute
• Brad Sweazy, Louisiana Housing Corporation
• Nancy Montoya, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
• Brian Lawlor, City of New Orleans
• Chris Estes, President and CEO of the National Housing Conference

The Conference will provide critical policy discussions, powerful trainings, community building resources, and networking, with statewide peers.

Plan to choose from the following workshops:

• Development Finance
• Rural Development
• Innovations in Affordable Housing
• Community Engagement & Organizing
• Homeless Continuum
• Affordable Housing Development
• Fair Housing and Consumer Protection.

Register online here.

Please share this invitation with your network. For additional information on the Conference, sponsorship, or exhibition information contact Ashley C. Lewis at alewis@lahousingalliance.org or 225-381-0041.

Conference attendees receive a special discounted room rate at Chase Suite Hotel for $99 nightly (mention LHA for the discount). Chase Suite Hotel is only 3.37 miles for the Conference.

If you're like me, you love a good story. And if you're not a business book reader, you may have found your match in our new feature: William Mott's

Register for our live author interview with Bill Mott and download the book summary at CausePlanet's Page to Practice blog.

by Denise McMahan, CausePlanet Founder/Publisher

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for providing every LANO member access to CausePlanet's book summaries and interviews.

The Active for Autism Run/Walk & Fun Fest is an awareness event and development initiative that provides community education and generates partnerships with families and organizations across the Greater Baton Rouge eight parish area. The Active for Autism Run/Walk & Fun Fest is on Saturday, April 13th, 2013, in conjunction with National Autism Awareness Month. Proceeds from this event support the Resource Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (RCASD). The RCASD provides individualized services, information, and support needed to positively enhance the independence, productivity, and inclusion of people with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

[MORE INFO]

Amber King, Louisiana Department of the Treasury, 225-219-9384

The Louisiana Treasury holds $517 million in Unclaimed Property waiting to be claimed by nonprofit organizations, residents, schools and businesses.

If you work for a nonprofit organization, volunteer for a charity, or just want to support your community, there is one quick task you can do to help: Search the Louisiana Unclaimed Property database to see if there is money out there waiting for your favorite cause.

Nonprofit groups have many ties to the community which gives them a higher potential for funds to get misplaced. A simple error in a mailing address can send funds owed to a nonprofit back to the sender as undeliverable. If the funds are not claimed within the State of Louisiana’s required holding period, the money is turned over to the Louisiana Treasury.

Lost checks could come from any source, like a fundraiser banquet facility deposit, a vendor refund, rebates, insurance proceeds, or a donation willed to a charity.

The Louisiana Treasury is currently holding $517 million in Unclaimed Property that is waiting to be claimed by Louisiana nonprofit organizations, residents, schools and businesses. Throughout the year, the Unclaimed Property Program collects lost funds from businesses and agencies nationwide and holds them indefinitely in the Treasury.

State Treasurer John Kennedy urges you to search the Unclaimed Property database periodically for local nonprofit organizations, your friends, family and yourself.

You can search variations of names and addresses in the Unclaimed Property online database 24 hours a day at www.LATreasury.com.

If you find holdings for yourself, simply fill out and submit the online claim form, or call toll-free 1-888-925-4127 weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. for personalized assistance with your claim.

A claim for a nonprofit organization can be made following the same procedures by someone in the organization with authority to act on their behalf. There is never a charge for this service!

The topic of our talk was the potential benefit to nonprofits in filing a claim with BP under this year's limited opportunity program to reimburse charities for expenses incurred while responding to the oil spill disaster of 2010.  

The event was attended by 10-12 local nonprofit representatives. One nonprofit in particular didn't necessarily think they had a claim but agreed to let our firm review their historical finances, just to be sure.

Because the claims process is so complex, we're still analyzing the full potential of their claim, but it looks like they could well claim over one million dollars, and possibly several times that amount.

Millions of dollars to one nonprofit... Not only is the size of the potential award staggering, but it’s shocking that but for our efforts to educate nonprofits to what is available, they might never have known.

I don’t think there is anything more important to any nonprofit in the Gulf South right now than having these potential claims reviewed. No other program is going to have such a high probability of substantial award and such a low opportunity cost: effectively the cost of e-mailing a few years' of tax returns and P/L statements.

The amount of money available to LANO members could have an historic effect on nonprofits in this region.

Please join us coming Friday in Baton Rouge for a free 'lunch & learn' to find out more about this program.  Space is limited so please register early.  

[Lunch & Learn on BP Claims] 

-Michael Swick

LANO Member, the Law Firm of Kahn, Swick & Foti

Rae Logan, 337-205-6008, 985-705-1205 (cell) or rae@232-help.org

A new board of directors and executive committee have been announced to lead 232-Help, an education and referral center based in Acadiana to identify, catalogue and better connect those who need social service support to providers of those services. The newly-selected board brings a collection of unique qualifications to further the organization’s mission of helping those in crisis return to healthy and productive lives, and once again become contributing members of the community. Board members include Kathy Ashworth, Dr. Paul "Buddy” Azar, Janice Beyt, Dr. Shirley Covington, Richard D’Aquin, Angela Granberry Davis, Tyler Davis, Randy Haynie, Dr. John Hendry, William "Dud” Lastrapes, Robert Lowe, James McLemore, Dr. Jim Nichols, Dr. Ronald Padgett, Ronald Prejean, Jerry Boustany Ramsay, James Roy and Rev. Gary Schexnayder.

The board elected officers to serve as its executive committee. James Roy was elected president, Robert Lowe is immediate past president, Dr. Paul Azar is vice president - medical liaison, Dr. John Hendry is vice president - dental liaison, Kathy Ashworth is vice president for community affairs and secretary, and William Lastrapes is vice president for development and treasurer. Randy Haynie was appointed by the President as deputy vice president – legislative affairs. The new board also announced that Rae Logan will serve as executive director of the organization.

In July 2000, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reserved the 211 dialing code to provide for rapid information and referrals to health and human service organizations. 232-HELP became the first agency in Louisiana and the fourth in the country to become a designated 211. The 232-HELP/211 coverage area was expanded from a seven-parish area to 10 parishes. Today, 232-HELP/211 serves 737,782 people in Acadia, Avoyelles, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Terrebonne and Vermilion Parishes.

232-HELP has given birth to more than 30 different nonprofit organizations including the Rape Crisis Center, the Child Protection Agency, the Community Health Clinic, the Epilepsy Support Group, the Down Syndrome Foundation and others.

Last week, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), in a collaborative effort with the US Department of Education (ED), released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $5 million in CNCS/ED funds to conduct a School Turnaround AmeriCorps initiative. 

This initiative seeks to use AmeriCorps members to increase educational achievement, high school graduation rates, and college readiness for students in out nations lowest performing elementary, middle and high schools, and is targeted specifically to schools that receive School Improvement Grant (SIG) funds from the federal government. 

Grants will be awarded to organizations that implement programs that utilize AmeriCorps members to engage in evidence-based interventions to increase educational achievement, high school graduation rates, and college readiness for students in our nation’s lowest-performing elementary, middle, and high schools.

Grants will fund projects that address multiple student needs and are aligned with comprehensive school turnaround plans.   

The NOFO and Application Instructions may be found at this site.

The Volunteer Louisiana Commission in the Office of the Lt. Governor encourages all eligible organizations to strongly consider this opportunity to bring much-needed funding to our state. 

This is a very short application window and there are two important deadlines to note:

• A Notice of Intent to Apply is due Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at 5 pm EST. Failure to submit a Notice of Intent to Apply will render an applicant ineligible to apply.
• Applications are due Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at 5 pm EST.

Successful applicants will be notified no later than mid-July.  Applicants will apply directly to the CNCS through its eGrants web-based application system. 

eGrants may be accessed at http://www.nationalservice.gov/egrants/index.asp, and applicants will choose the AmeriCorps State Competitive Direct NOFO option. While Volunteer Louisiana will not have a direct role in the application process, we are committed to giving Louisiana applicants the best possible chance for success.  We will be hosting two informational webinars about the NOFO, key details and a brief overview of how to access eGrants. 

These dates are:Tuesday, March 19 at 1 pmMonday, March 25 at 9 am 

The links to participate will be posted on our website within the next 24 hours at http://volunteerlouisiana.gov/americorps/329/. 

Staff is also available to answer any questions you may have as you complete your application.  Questions should be submitted by email to strahan@crt.la.gov. 

All questions will be posted to VolunteerLouisiana.gov at http://volunteerlouisiana.gov/americorps/329/.

Moviegoers might say this nonprofit story has a plot twist. If I were to share the two main characters are organizations entering into a discussion about a merger, you probably could guess how it turns out, right? Get ready for a surprise ending.

The story of two relatable characters with financial pains

More Than Wheels, a group Terri Steingrebe runs, helps people in New England find low-interest car loans. Jeffrey Faulkner is the president of Ways to Work, a much larger car-loan group with headquarters in Milwaukee.

More Than Wheels was experiencing growing pains and desperately needed to expand to meet the needs of its growing clientele. Ways to Work has 53 affiliate offices in 23 states ...

by Erica McGeachy Crenshaw, President/CEO of Execute Now!

Read about this merger story in the Finance Fundamentals blog

BP has set aside billions of dollars to pay nonprofit organizations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, as well as in certain areas of Florida and Texas, for any decline in revenues suffered during 2010. LANO members do not have to prove that any declines in revenue was actually caused by BP. For example, nonprofits do not have to prove that the oil spill prevented their members from attending events, or any other "causal" connection. All that nonprofits must demonstrate is that their revenues declined in 2010, compared to prior periods during 2007 - 2009, and as compared to later periods in 2011.

FIND OUT IF YOUR ORGANIZATION QUALIFIES

Starting in mid-March 2013, the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC, will begin hosting a series of free luncheons, designed to provide information to LANO members regarding the BP Oil Spill Claims process. We will be posting the day and location of these events on the LANO Community Calendar, and alerting members in the local meeting areas via email.  The first event is scheduled for March 15, 2013 in Baton Rouge, at Gino’s Restaurant at 12:30. [Registration link]

ABOUT US

KSF is a nationally recognized law firm, with a proven record of success. KSF has dedicated substantial resources to analyzing, filing and fighting appeals related to BP Oil Spill Claims by nonprofits and businesses in the gulf south. KSF provides its services on a contingent fee basis and it covers all costs and expenses related to the claims filing process. If KSF is not successful in obtaining an award for its client(s), it receives no payment, including no reimbursement of expenses. 

Please watch for our notices of these luncheon events and please register if you would like to attend. Seating is limited so please register early. However, don't worry if an event is full, as KSF will be adding more dates as is required to meet the needs of the LANO community. If you can not attend our events, please feel free to call us at any time to discuss your possible claim. You can reach Lewis Kahn, the managing partner of the firm, toll free at 1-877- 427-2524 or at 504-455-1400. 

And thank you LANO and all its members for allowing KSF to contribute to the LANO community!

Adult Literacy Advocates of Greater Baton Rouge is seeking new space in downtown Baton Rouge. We are a non-profit United Way volunteer organization that has been serving community residents for 45 years.

We currently occupy about 1,400 square feet of space, which is mostly used for conducting our adult education classes. We would be interested in sharing space with another non-profit or company, or occupying our own unit. We have a budget for a lease, but we would also be happy to take any free space off your hands.

Interested members may contact our Executive Director, Gary Robertson (gary@adultliteracyadvocates.org).

Don't forget to register for our free live author interview on Wednesday, Mar 6 at 11 a.m. CST with culture expert, Michael Stallard, and author of Fired Up or Burned Out: How to Reignite Your Team's Passion, Creativity and Productivity. Stallard has generously offered a free digital copy of his book for everyone who registers for the interview. Bring questions about how to improve your nonprofit's culture to this CausePlanet interview.

Here is a sampling of some question topics we'll discuss:

Register for the interview and book copy here.

(at the end of the Page to Practice post in the link above).

by Denise McMahan

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for generously providing every LANO member with access to CausePlanet book summaries and author interviews in 2012 and 2013.

Special thanks to Michael Stallard at E Pluribus Partners for providing every author interview registrant with a free digtial copy of his book. You can find more about Stallard at www.epluribuspartners.com.

We're quick to identify the things that really annoy us about our jobs or the workplace but slow to identify why and how it impacts the teams with whom we work.

I had the opportunity to connect with one of Louisiana's own authors, Brad Dude, about this topic and the book he coauthored with Jim Harden, What Makes You Tick & What Ticks You Off. Join me in my interview with Brad about the importance of understanding temperament in the workplace...

Read more, download free business book summaries and register for our next live author interview at CausePlanet's Page to Practice blog.

by Denise McMahan

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for providing every LANO member with free access to CausePlanet's business book summaries and author interviews in 2013.

Over the past two months I couldn't help but notice the convergence of several articles reporting positively about the nonprofit sector in both Indiana and Maryland. Each state has acknowledged the significant impact the sector has on their employment rate, the local economy and their respective abilities to meet growing social needs of their residents. Despite the good news they share in common, Indiana and Maryland face different outcomes...

Read more about their outcomes in Finance Fundamentals

by Erica McGeachy Crenshaw, CEO of Execute Now!

Please send cover letter, resume and list of references in PDF to careercenter@lano.org with subject: Capital Area United Way CEO Search.

[Full Position Description at LANO Career Center]

Position Summary: The Chief Executive Officer provides vision and strategic leadership to the Capital Area United Way (CAUW) to ensure that the vision and mission are well understood; community needs are effectively identified; and that the organizational mission is communicated consistently to staff, board members and volunteers so that they can effectively support the advancement of the CAUW mission. The CEO serves as the symbol of the organization and is committed to providing the highest quality services and sound financial operations; working in collaboration with others in the communities served; and assuring that CAUW is a recognized leader as a premier model for social change through its funding allocations and programs.

IMPROVING STRATEGY AND PERFORMANCE IN THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

1515 Poydras St., Suite 1010 (New Orleans Chamber of Commerce) New Orleans, Louisiana
Friday, February 22, 2013

Attendees will learn the fundamentals of developing a high performing nonprofit organization and will receive hands-on training, including tools that they can use to improve the performance of their organization. This workshop will focus on board governance, operational best practices and the strategic planning process.

This full day workshop is a great value and LANO members will receive 50% discount.

Learn more about this opportunity and register at http://www.b-pconsulting.com/event-registration.html.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta is looking to assess the needs and opportunities faced by nonprofit organizations working with lower income communities in the Southeast.

They are now administering a poll to collect information from nonprofit organization leaders about the current and anticipated opportunities and challenges their organizations face. 

A statement about the project from Fed staff reads:

Add your voice by taking a poll asking questions about the needs and opportunities faced by nonprofit organizations working with lower income communities in the Southeast. As a participant, you will receive project results so you can learn more about approaches others are taking to serve their communities and improve their organization's sustainability.

[Click here to take the poll]

The poll closes on February 26, 2013.

Though you can't see it, and it's even harder to describe, experts prove again and again how a healthy, toxic, or even ignored culture can make or break every aspect of your efforts—yes, that includes productivity and your bottom line.

Now that I have your attention, turn your focus to our upcoming live author interview with Michael Stallard...

Read more, register for our live author interview & download a free book summary here

by Denise McMahan

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for generously providing every LANO member with free access to CausePlanet author interviews and Page to Practice book summaries in 2013.

If you are nearing retirement age or looking to make a change in your career, you might wonder how you can prepare for a transition of your organization's leadership and the preservation of your important mission.

Thinking about your organization’s future does not need to be nerve-wracking.

In fact, preparing for succession, even if years away, can improve your operations today. 

Learn three basic but vital things you need to know to preserve a bright future for your organization.

Read more at The Nonprofit Strategist, EMH Strategy's LANO Member blog...

Marc Chardon, CEO of nonprofit software provider Blackbaud, came close to this wish in his article last month, "Peering into the Nonprofit Crystal Ball.” He identified four key trends that will have the strongest impact on the nonprofit sector this year based on his observations and conversations with leaders in the nonprofit sector.

These trends were also formed by conducting research at Blackbaud. At Execute Now!, my staff is often in the position of helping nonprofits forecast their...

Read about four nonprofit trends for 2013 in Finance Fundamentals

by Erica McGeachy Crenshaw, CEO of Execute Now!

We help nonprofits make their fundraising events more successful and more fun. More importantly, with our help, those events effectively enhance sustainability, donor loyalty and strengthen your team--vital qualities in any organization event.

I'd like to share a little more with you through the new P & N Promos Blog, a source for useful tips and insight on event promotion and nonprofit marketing from our experienced industry professionals. 

Come visit and subscribe through the LANO network! 

-Phyllis Meyer

Post One: The Power of the Pen

Several years ago when I first got into this business, my banker (who is also a part-time pastor of a small church) shared the following story with me. I've used it ever since simply to demonstrate the power of what we do.

..."A small church was in need of a sound system. Week after week they passed the collection plate, but week after week they fell seriously short of the mark.

One Sunday a stranger arrived...a young man they had never seen before. His presence aroused some curiosity in the small congregation. Despite the novelty, the service proceeded as was customary...."

 

Post Two: Marketing Communication-Do You Know the Rules of Engagment?

"...Nonprofits offer great value to their community. While most may not provide a product, all provide a beneficial service. It's not something about which to be shy or insecure. Just like a commercial enterprise, nonprofits have something to offer. I hesitate to say this, and many of you will be hesitate to believe it, but --like it or not--you are a saleman for your organization...."

The story behind the foundation:

The Better Than Ezra Foundation story starts with the band itself. The talented and accomplished trio of Kevin Griffin, Tom Drummond and Travis McNabb are the driving force behind this nationally renowned recording group, Better Than Ezra.

Their passion for the music they provide is equally exemplified in the drive they have for giving back to the community they love and call home, New Orleans, Louisiana.

The combination of their talents and passion has led to the creation of the Better Than Ezra Foundation, whereby the group annually brings together the power of music along with the power of community.

The Foundation needs an exceptional leader...

The BTE Foundation is currently accepting qualified applicants for Executive Director, a unique and exciting full-time position in the city of New Orleans.  Sign in to LANO's Career Center to view and print the full job description, here: http://bit.ly/X71L9F

Completed application packets must be sent via email before March 1, 2013, to: careercenter@lano.org with subject line: BTE Foundation.

Position Summary: The Executive Director is the primary advocate for the mission and values of The Foundation and has lead responsibility for its efficient and compliant management and operations. The Executive Director works in concert with the Executive Committee of the Better Than Ezra Foundation and Foundation Board Members to represent the Foundation and its programs to donors, foundations, and the public and to raise the necessary funds to carry out the functions of the BTE Foundation...

(more)

Charity Case author Dan Pallotta explains the number of nonprofit organizations that have crossed the $50 million annual revenue barrier since 1970 is 144. He adds, the number of for-profits that have crossed it is 46,136, and as many as 80 percent of nonprofit organizations in the U.S. have budgets under $500,000. Finally, only one percent have ...

Read more, register for the next live author interview and download a free summary of Charity Case at the Page to Practice blog

by Denise McMahan

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for providing all LANO members with free access to CausePlanet's book summary library and live author interviews.

Find out how to take competition out of your business model equation

  by Erica McGeachy Crenshaw, President/CEO of Execute Now!

The selected candidate will demonstrate a passion for the CAUW mission and have a minimum of 7 years of management experience as a high level executive. She/he will be a proven leader with the willingness to take calculated risks in forming innovative, collaborative efforts both within the CAUW and the communities served.

The CEO serves as the symbol of the organization and is committed to providing the highest quality services and sound financial operations; working in collaboration with others in the communities served; and assuring that CAUW is a recognized leader as a premier model for social change through its funding allocations and programs.

Applicants must demonstrate a minimum of 7 years of management experience in nonprofit management preferred, including a broad knowledge of all aspects of financial management, fundraising, personnel management, and grant compliance. Bachelor's degree required, graduate degree preferred.

[TO VIEW POSITION DESCRIPTION AND APPLY]

[For more info, email: careercenter@lano.org]

Connect for a Cause helps people get ahead by giving back. We’re a social fundraising platform that lets anyone auction off or bid on meetings to benefit charity. The higher the winning bid for each meeting, the more money goes to the selected nonprofit.

It's no coincidence our sector is looking at redefining its business models when 88% of nonprofits in 2012 were faced with increases in the demand for their services despite 57% barely having enough cash on hand to last them three months. ¹

In "Pride & Prejudice: (What) Can Nonprofits Learn From the For-Profit World?” by Richard Dare last May in The Huffington Post, I was intrigued by his challenge to fellow nonprofits...

Read more of this post in Finance Fundamentals

by Erica McGeachy Crenshaw, President/CEO of Execute Now!

March of Dimes Louisiana Chapter is seeking eligible and qualified nonprofit organizations to implement a model smoking cessation program for pregnant women entitled, "Baby & Me - Tobacco Free.” The "Baby & Me – Tobacco Free” model is an incentive-based program utilizing the 5As counseling approach to assist pregnant women in quitting smoking and to help them stay tobacco-free after the birth of their baby.

The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies.

If interested, please visit the March of Dimes Louisiana Chapter Website:

http://www.marchofdimes.com/louisiana/grants.html. All questions regarding the March of Dimes Smoking Cessation Request for Proposals should be directed to Makesha Judson, State Director of Program Services at (225) 249-5080 or via email at MJudson@marchofdimes.com.

All Applications must be received on or before 4:00pm on Friday, February 1, 2013. Late Applications will not be accepted. Proposals should be sent to:

Makesha Judson, Director of Program Services

March of Dimes Louisiana Chapter

12015 Justice Avenue

Baton Rouge, LA 70816

This funding opportunity is made possible through LaCare, a Medicaid managed care plan serving Louisiana citizens and a member of AmeriHealth of Louisiana, Inc. and part of the AmeriHealth Family of Companies.

Hurst's goal in publishing Powered by Pro Bono is to revitalize a time-honored tradition as well as give the pro bono partnership a field-tested structure so you can expect reliable outcomes...

Find out how great nonprofits save 20% of their budget using Hurst's winning framework for pro bono at the Page to Practice blog.

by Denise McMahan, CausePlanet

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for providing every LANO member with access to CausePlanet's summary library and author interviews.

Improving Strategy and Performance in the Non-Profit Organization

This workshop covers the fundamentals of developing and leading nonprofit organizations such as those classified as 501c3 (charitable, educational, public safety, etc.) and 501c6 (business leagues, chambers of commerce, etc.) with a focus board membership and governance structures and industry best practices for strategic planning, financial management, and operations.

This workshop will provide a high level understanding of the financial and accounting principles for non-profit organizations and allow participants to apply whatthey'velearned using their own financial and organizational information.

LANO Members will receive a 50% discount on seminar fee.

[Learn More]

Shell Oil Co. at the Robert Training and Conference Center in Robert, Louisiana has the following items to donate to any nonprofit willing to pick them up.  Offer is good through January 18th, 2013. 

Interested members may contact Qi Wiggings, at: Qiana.Wiggins@shell.com

• 3 round wood tables (estimated value: ~$75/each)
• 14 wood w/upholstered seat chairs (estimated value: ~$50/each)
• Foosball table – slightly damaged (estimated value: ~$30)
• 4 upholstered chairs (estimated value: ~$50/each)
• Upholstered sofa (estimated value: ~$125)
• Large Upholstered chair (estimated value: ~$75)
• 4 end tables (estimated value: ~$40/each)
• Coffee table (estimated value: ~$50)
• Small Lamp (estimated value: ~$20)

When: Friday the 14th;  From noon till 1PM

Where: Webinar: available at your computer

Topic: Have you filed a BP Oil Spill Claim through the new Deepwater Horizon Court-Supervised Settlement Program?

This $7.8 Billion "Uncapped” fund is designed to provide economic relief to for-profit and nonprofit entities that operated in the Gulf Coast Area (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and select counties in Florida and Texas) as of the date of the BP Oil Spill on April 20th, 2010.

Determine if you qualify at absolutely NO COST. NO out-of-pocket expense to file a claim.

Learn more about this one-time funding opportunity through this webinar or e-mail LANO member, Mark Maher at mmaher9@cox.net to learn more.

[REGISTER] 

AARP, the Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations (LANO), and The Red Shoes are launching the third series of dinner conversations for women professionals who have relocated to Baton Rouge within the last three years.

This is not your typical leadership program. Rather, it is a series of four dinners to introduce newcomers to the best, brightest, and most savvy individuals in our community who can share their experience and knowledge about the culture and politics of our state and region. Women will also learn about Louisiana politics, education, poverty and race.

The series is designed to create community with women who are also new to positions of service or leadership and encourage conversations about the current status of, and potential for, women to make a difference in Louisiana.

Each event runs from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at The Red Shoes at 2303 Government Street in Baton Rouge.

The first dinner starts in January and the last is scheduled in April.

Space is limited. Registration is $50.

Register on-line at www.theredshoes.org/wlc or call 225.338.1170

"The most noticeable example of this was post-Katrina. Many nonprofits weren't adjusting their projections and expenses in spite of a staggering economy,” Larry reports. Dyer has been a central part of Execute Now!'s staff for the last two years and began his career in financial management more than 30 years ago. Since he works with numerous nonprofits' and businesses' financials, we took time out this week to gather his perspective on frequent challenges in this arena...

Read about common challenges Dyer observes in Finance Fundamentals blog

Christy Ross, MHA (http://bit.ly/VpMcJe), a Louisiana native with ten years of administrative expertise in the healthcare service sector joins AAAneurysm Outreach as their new Executive Director.

• Christy most recently served as the Deputy Director of the Mary Amelia Women’s Center at Tulane University, where she managed a diverse staff and budget; built relationships with clinical stakeholders, policymakers and advocates; and secured funding from local and national foundations in support of Center programming and initiatives.
• Prior to that, her five year tenure with the Louisiana Public Health Institute involved collaborating with state leaders to mobilize resources to reduce chronic disease rates, developing strong relationships with key medical leaders along the way.

The organization is thrilled to have Christy onboard, as her experience, knowledge, and personal passion are a great match for the staff and supporters of AAAneurysm Outreach.

*About AAAneurysm Outreach:

AAAneurysm Outreach is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA, pronounced "Triple A”) and driving at-risk individuals to get screened. Inspired by AAA advocate Sheila Arrington (a Prairieville, LA native), who lost her father to a ruptured AAA and has a strong family history herself, the goals of the organization are to raise public awareness about AAA, provide free preventive screening services to at-risk populations, and create a support network for individuals and families impacted by or at-risk for AAA. As always, we are beyond grateful for the tax-deductible support of our donors, without which we would not be able to accomplish our mission and goals. For more information or to make a donation, visit www.AOutreach.org.

These observations prompted Hurst to launch a movement through his TaprootFoundation. The goal? Reinvent how nonprofits go about engaging pro bono support. His book prescribes organizations follow his four stage process that's been successfully tested with hundreds of pro bono partnerships.

For the complete interview and book synopsis, download the FREE Page to Practice summary at www.causeplanet.org/lano using your email address for a user name and "Password1" for the password. Special thanks to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for providing CausePlanet library and author interview access for every LANO member.

Read what Hurst says is the most common mistake with engaging pro bono services.

Forty jobs are now listed at LANO's Career and Volunteer Center, with three new listings made by members just this week! To date, LANO's network has helped fill more than 160 Louisiana nonprofit positions; let's keep up the good work! 

Here's a quick roundup of recent postings (Nov-Dec) by LANO member nonprofits.  Check the listings for more information and applications:

Director of Development, Providence House
Shreveport

President and CEO, Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge

Accountant, Academic Distinction Fund
Baton Rouge

Clerical Support/Data management, CASA Jefferson
Gretna

CASA Advocate Supervisor II, CASE Jefferson
Gretna

Office Manager, CASA Jefferson
Gretna

Marketing Coordinator, Easter Seals Louisiana
New Orleans

Director of Programming, Advance Innovative Education
Baton Rouge

Program Officer for Organizational Effectiveness, Greater New Orleans Foundation
 
Session Facilitator Consultant, Leading Educators
New Orleans

National Program Manager, Leading Educators
New Orleans

Managing Director, Downtown Business Association of Baton Rouge
     

LANO's General and Associate Members receive unlimited job postings; Members and Friends of LANO are all welcome to view postings, subscribe to job categories and post resumes at LANO.org

Take a look, and consider how Greater Giving products can make your job easier and enable you to raise more funds.  Also see our LANO member benefit offer! 

Greater Giving is a LANO member.  For more information contact:

Gretchen Carter, Area Marketing Manager: gcarter@greatergiving.com

Or visit Gretchen's LANO Member Profile

While nonprofits realize social media is a cost-effective tool for growing their base of friends and supporters, they must set goals and strategically network online just like they would with in-person donor cultivation. In my interview with Kanter and Paine about Measuring the Nonprofit Network , I asked them about their favorite chapters in the book as well as what was left on the editing floor. You'll appreciate their insights and surprising answers ...

Answer your social media questions in our live author interview on Dec 17

by Denise McMahan, CausePlanet

Special thanks to the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for providing every LANO member with access to CausePlanet's Page to Practice book summary library and live author interviews during 2012.

As we kicked off the holiday season with Thanksgiving last week, many Americans were not only thankful for their personal well-being, but they were also volunteering to help others in many human service organizations throughout the country. For those of us who work in or with the nonprofit sector, we're viewing the likely recipients of these volunteer hours with a sympathetic lens. Why? Our society is asking these human service organizations to ... 

Read about funding solutions in the Finance Fundamentals Blog

By Erica McGeachy Crenshaw, President/CEO of Execute Now!, Inc.

This week, we continue with compiling advice from two expert authors, Julia Walker (A Fundraising Guide for Nonprofit Board Members) and Kay Sprinkel Grace (The Ultimate Board Member's Book)...

Download these free CausePlanet book summaries and compare for yourself or read the rest of this article at the Page to Practice blog.

(LANO Members can visit www.causeplanet.org/lano for download instructions.)

by Denise McMahan, Founder/Publisher, CausePlanet

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for providing free access to CausePlanet's Page to Practice library and author interviews for LANO members in 2012.

Nationally-recognized, local author and speaker, and nonprofit founder, Jill Rigby Garner will be presenting Raising Respectful Children in a Disrespectful World and Raising Unselfish Children in a Self-Absorbed World, through the FLOW platform; a bold new approach to life empowerment featuring online conferences that bring global experts and practical solutions right to your computer screen.

The first of many, the upcoming Global Parenting & New Media Summit 2012, will address the challenges of parenting in the new media age in a series of conferences themed "Parenting: Media, Technology and the Brave New World". Along with Jill, several prominent international speakers will provide parents with practical knowledge and tools needed to navigate the drastically changed landscape created by social media, online games and web 2.0 in general. Protect your children from the new ABC's: Cyber Addiction, Bullying & Crime. Get a parenting upgrade and stay ahead of the curve.

The summit starts on November 30, 2012, on your computer. Log in live or catch up later at your convenience.

Registration provides anytime access to all sessions for one year.

For a $50 discount register at www.flowsummits.com/registration and use discount code: mannersoftheheart.

The summit features 12 experts delivering more than 20 sessions. Other notable presenters include: Dr. Larry Rosen, international expert on the psychology of technology, Bob Waliszewski, expert on parenting & media discernment, and Dr. Marilyn Campbell, expert on cyber-bullying.

Log on to http://www.flowsummits.com/ for additional information about all the experts who will be speaking and the specific topics they will cover like:

• Practicing respectful online behavior. Ignoring disrespectful messaging.
• Internet addiction. Gaming addiction.
• The face of cyber bullying and cyber-crime. Motives and consequences. What parents can do about it.
• Understanding and managing our obsession with technology.
• Raising media-savvy kids with love not war. Tech-savvy parenting.
• How the media is prematurely sexualizing our kids.

A new article in the monthly "Raise More Funds" resource library at the Greater Giving website is now available.

The article, Create a Viral Video to Drive Donations tells you how to get more parents and community members to attend your gala event, and encourage them to bid higher on your charity auction.

Want to drive online donations from those who cannot attend and engage supporters beyond the event? Create a fun music video that goes "viral!"

Find out how one school did so and reaped great rewards.

To read the full article, click here to quickly sign-in to our free resource library.

To date, Leading Educators has trained 41 teacher-leaders in its New Orleans pilot region. Building upon the New Orleans region and Teaching Leaders (UK), Leading Educators is now an independent 501c3 organization assembling an ambitious team to expand the program nationally. In New Orleans and the first national expansion site, Kansas City, we are currently working with 106 teacher-leaders across over 60 schools. Our expansion model aims to serve 12 regions by 2016.

Multiple new positions are now being advertised (click position titles to enter LANO Career Center for more information): 

National Program Manager: As Leading Educators continues to grow our impact nationally, we are seeking a National Program Manager (NPM) to support the National Program Team with the development and quality of the national training program design, as well as the integration of learning across various regions.

Session Facilitator Consultant: Leading Educators is recruiting outstanding facilitators to grow our facilitator pool and deliver leadership development training across our Leading Educators Fellowship and customized programs. Outstanding facilitation that challenges participants to openly reflect on their practice, learn new skills and concepts, and develop themselves and their teams is essential to achieving our mission by empowering participants and developing exceptional teacher-leaders.

Since we've been talking about effective boards so much recently, I thought it would be helpful to compile some advice from two of our Page to Practice™ expert authors on boards. They complement each other well, reinforcing the main points and going deeper in different areas. With two lifetimes of experience, Julia Ingraham Walker in "

Read more, download a free Page to Practice book summary and register for our next live author interivew with Julia Walker 

by Denise McMahan

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for underwriting access to CausePlanet's book summary library and author interviews for all LANO members in 2012.

Even longstanding pillars of our nonprofit community need a hand now and then. The YWCA of Baton Rouge was fortunate to have the combined strength of a veteran CEO and the expertise of a financial firm during the last year. "Execute Now! has been a perfect solution for us. Having Erica's team manage our finances and oversee reporting and projections has been a difference maker,” says YWCA Interim CEO, Judi Bishop...

Read about the YWCA's partnership with Execute Now! at the Finance Fundamentals Blog

More than 73 percent of the United States' charitable giving in 2010 came from individuals, according to Giving USA 2011. When coupled with BoardSource's report that asserts fundraising is the area most in need of improvement, nonprofit leaders can't afford to ignore this challenge any longer.

Download a FREE Page to Practice book summary of A Fundraising Guide for Nonprofit Board Members and register for our next live author interview on this topic.

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for providing all LANO members with FREE access to CausePlanet's Page to Practice book summary library and live author interviews.

by Denise McMahan, Founder/Publisher, CausePlanet

Spaces are very limited.  To reserve yours, request a reservation form from smcrfp@loyno.edu.

Completed forms and checks for $25 will reserve your organization a space.

You will receive an email confirmation upon receipt of your reservation with confirmation of your space. Spaces are allocated on a first come-first served basis.

*Proceeds benefit student development projects.

Watch for details at http://css.loyno.edu/masscomm

Questions about Networking Night at Loyola?

Email smcrfp@loyno.edu or call 504-865-3427.

Valerie J. Andrews, M.J., Assistant Professor
Coordinator, Networking Night at Loyola

More than 4,000 nonprofits responded to the Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) survey this spring about their financial affairs and the results were incredibly disheartening. NFF President and CEO Antony Bugg-Levine called the nonprofit sector "a system increasingly under pressure and one that will crack.” Only 43 percent of nonprofits have ...

Read more at the Finance Fundamentals blog

by Erica McGeachy Crenshaw, Execute Now!

Get your message out to the masses via TV, radio, print and social media
Many nonprofits today communicate their message by only using their in-house website, social media sites, emails and newsletters- thinking that other media outlets are out-of-reach or too expensive. However, the most successful and well-known nonprofits understand what the media is like today, and create relationships with them to effectively get their message out to the masses at little or no cost.

At this webinar, you will learn how to:Broadcast yourself and get free advertising.Create relationships with the media.Understand what the media is like today.Develop an attention-grabbing press release.Be pro-active with video coverage of your event.

Speaker
Bill Menish, Benefit Auctioneer Specialist, of Bill Menish Auctioneers brings a very unique skill set to his auctions. As a former broadcast journalist of almost 20 years, Bill was awarded 15 Emmy’s, the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award and 2 Golden Mike Awards. Bill honed his craft, becoming just the 67th person to receive the Benefit Auctioneer Specialist Designation through the National Auctioneers Association (NAA). In addition, Bill has earned the most distinguished accreditation an Auctioneer can earn; the Certified Auctioneer Institute designation (CAI). Bill has also earned the Accredited Auctioneer of Real Estate designation (AARE).
Disneyland turned to Bill Menish to conduct their D23 Auction, selling 50 items from the Disney Vault. Bill has also been the featured auctioneer on nationally televised auctions such as CBS-TV’s Celebrity Skifest, The Kathy Hilton Wishing Tree Auction, Battlestar Galactica Props Auction for Universal Studios and Propworx, and The Art by Animals Auction, benefiting the nation’s zoos and aquariums.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012
11-12 p.m. Central

Cost: Complimentary To register, visit http://www.greatergiving.com/about-us/events-calendar/webinar-maximum-media-exposure-for-nonprofits.aspx.

When you register, you will receive an Outlook invitation containing an audio PIN that is unique to you. If you forward that invitation to a colleague, they will not be able to access the video portion of the webinar. To invite colleagues to attend the webinar, forward this email, so a unique audio PIN can be assigned to each registrant.

Raising more money in an extremely competitive environment means tapping every resource you have, beginning with your board members.

A Fundraising Guide for Nonprofit Board Members is the most comprehensive guide for best practices in fundraising and the involvement of board members we've recommended to date. Author Julia Walker covers all levels of fundraising, real world examples, tips and techniques for the browser and the engagement of board members throughout ...

Download the latest free book summary about board fundraising at CausePlanet's Page to Practice blog

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for providing every LANO member with access to CausePlanet's Page to Practice summary library, author interviews and archives during 2012.

Boosting Girls’ Interest in STEM: Louisiana STEM Girls Collaborative Project Kick-Off Conference with PBS’ Design Squad Nation

October 27, 2012

9:00 AM-4:00 PM

Baton Rouge, LA

The newly formed Louisiana Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Girls Collaborative Project (LaSTEM GCP) offers the chance for all those committed to informing, motivating and inspiring girls in the state of Louisiana to pursue careers in STEM to come together to share exemplary practices, develop new collaborations, and share resources. The economic future of Louisiana is tied to increased participation of all students in careers that rely on STEM skills and competencies.

All informal educators, after-school providers,school administrators, engineers, technical professionals, business partners, members of professional organizations, K-12 educators, and university staff are encouraged to join us!

In addition, the LaSTEM GCP and the Emmy award-winning PBS’ Design Squad Nation will host a hands-on breakout session to discuss how together we can boost girls’ interest in engineering using multimedia resources and activities from PBS’ Design Squad Nation. When participants leave the training, they will have a clear sense of purpose and several collaborative opportunities penciled into their calendar – and the resources to inspire girls’ interest! 

Travel scholarships are available to a limited number of participants. Contact Lou Papai at lpapai@sciport.org for more information.

[To register and for more information]

(Posted by NM2C, LLC on behalf of the Louisiana STEM Girls Collaborative Project)

Please contact Donna for appointment at office number (985) 641-1425 or cell (985) 445-3142.

A sample of items available for sale:

• 2009 Kia Sedona Van
• Office furniture including conference tables
• Office equipment
• Office supplies
• Lockers
• Art supplies
• Hygiene supplies
• School supplies
• Library of books
• Bedroom furniture (beds, bunk beds, dressers, desks, nightstands)
• Kitchen ware (utensils, dishes, glasses, cups)
• Small kitchen appliances, (toasters, coffee pots, microwaves, etc)
• Cafeteria equipment
• Electronics (TVs, DVD players, VCR players)
• Living room furnishing (couches, coffee tables)
• Home and Holiday Decorations
• Misc. items (trash cans, clocks, water coolers)
• Linen (sheets, towels, pillows, pillow cases, comforters, etc.)

A recent article by governance guru and author of Leveraging Good Will Alice Korngold had me nodding my head vigorously. "The Role of the Nonprofit Board: Four Essential Factors for Effective Governance” is an essential reminder for nonprofit leaders and board members of the important relationship between executive director and board as well as their linked responsibility in moving the organization forward rather than maintaining the status quo. Korngold discusses the following four factors for superior governance...

Read about the four factors at Finance Fundamentals

by Erica McGeachy Crenshaw, Execute Now!

Until then, We’ll be posting a few lessons learned and funny stories from our early days as fledgling venture for good. Stay tuned!

You can register for an invite at http://launch.connectforacause.com and we’ll let you know when we’re ready. Sign up before the launch and get early access.

Thanks again for your continued support and generosity. By using our platform, you are truly making the world a better place.

Sincerely,

Jason, Matt, and Brian

Be sure to keep up with us on Twitter: @connect4cause

There's a lot of discussion about business models today because nonprofits realize they operate in a fierce economy just like corporations. Nonprofits shoulder the incredible task of doing more with less despite increasingly competitive resources. They tackle more business-like practices while not losing sight of their imperative...

Test your business model's durability at the Finance Fundamentals Blog

by Erica McGeachy Crenshaw, President/CEO of Execute Now!, Inc.

According to

Read more, register for our live & in-person author interview, and download this free Page to Practice summary

by Denise McMahan

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Lousiana Foundation for underwriting access to CausePlanet's Page to Practice book summary library for all LANO members in 2012.

Many of us recall David La Piana's

The methodology described in The Nonprofit Business Plan roots strategic decision making in a strong financial analysis. Known as "DARE2 Succeed,” the principles in the methodology have been repeatedly tested in La Piana's consulting practice to ensure the book represents practical and workable approaches to improving your organization's outcomes. I asked coauthor, Lester Olmstead-Rose, about the most common reasons for pursuing a new business model. I loved his answer so I'm sharing it with you...

Don't miss our live interview with Nonprofit Business Plan coauthor, Heather Gowdy, at LANO's annual conference. Send us your questions now about nonprofit business models for Heather at mail@causeplanet.org and we'll answer them on Oct 3 in our session!

Read more, download this Page to Practice book summary for free at CausePlanet's blog

by Denise McMahan

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for underwriting LANO members' all access pass to CausePlanet's library of Page to Practice book summaries in 2012. Visit us at www.causeplanet.org/lano.

• Choosing what kind of event is best for you
• Working with volunteers
• Identifying event sponsors,
• and much more!

According to the

While rural nonprofits are particularly affected by these sobering funding statistics, my team at Execute Now! has actually observed this problem across the board with virtually all organizations that tap state government resources. If you plan to make federal or state funding part of your funding mix, we'd like to offer the following strategies...

Read recommended strategies at the Finance Fundamentals blog

By Erica McGeachy Crenshaw, President/CEO of Execute Now!, Inc.

It's a good reminder there are many organizations still in their founding years or perhaps securing a mix of earned income and other funds that makes cultivating foundations less critical. For the rest of you aspiring to be among the 70 percent who call foundations their friends, author Marty Teitel is anxious to share...

Click here to read more at the Page to Practice blog, download this Page to Practice book summary for free or register for next live author interview.

Special thanks to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation for underwriting a Page to Practice subscription for all LANO members in 2012.

by Denise McMahan

The Baton Rouge Area Chamber is encouraging businesses to register with the Louisiana Business Emergency Operations Center as the state assesses damage following Hurricane Isaac.

The center is a partnership of the Louisiana economic development department, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the National Incident Management Systems and Advanced Technologies Institute at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and Stephenson Disaster Management Institute at LSU.

The center helps coordinate the activities and resources of businesses and volunteer organizations in Louisiana with the state’s Emergency Operations Center. By registering and completing a company profile, businesses can describe their products and services that can assist the state during a disaster.

To register, go to http://www.labeoc.org.

The chamber also listed resources businesses can tap for information or assistance. They include:

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Ready Business; http://www.ready.gov/business.
• Entergy Operation: Storm Ready; http://stormcenter.entergy.com.
• Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster assistance loans; http://www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance, or call (800) 659.2955.
• Capital Area Ready; http://www.capitalareaready.com.
• BRAC can be reached at (225) 381-7125 and info@brac.org.

Dear LANO Network:

Trust IT will be donating free consulting services to Baton Rouge area nonprofits who were affected by Hurricane Isaac, starting today and extending through the month of September.

If area nonprofits are having any issues getting their IT systems back up or have sustained damage to their IT equipment, we would like to provide them free assistance.  We also have access to used IT equipment that can be donated.

Please contact me if we may be of any assistance to you!

Jeff Hanson
President | Trust IT (a LANO Corporate Member)
235 Marilyn Dr. #15741, Baton Rouge, LA 70815
Direct Line (225) 573-0391| Fax (225) 410-3630