Upcoming Events

Evaluation Tools That Can Strengthen Your Development Program

AFP Audio-Conference Tuesday, January 26, 2010
11:30am-12pm (Networking)
12pm-1:30pm (Conference Call)

Speaker: Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE is President/CEO of Capital Venture, a full service consulting firm with offices throughout the United States, celebrating its 15th year in business in 2008. Linda is one of only 81 professionals worldwide to hold the Advanced Certified Fundraising Executive designation.

Learning Objectives:

Perform an Internal Assessment of Your Development Program Strengths and Weaknesses
Analyze Your Infrastructure Needs
Analyze Your Human Resource Needs

Fee: Please note the change in pricing for AFP Audio-Conferences.
Free to AFP Members; $10 for FIC Members; $15 for Non-members
(no-shows will be billed)

Held at the FIC Office, 329 S. Henderson, Fort Worth, TX 76104
817-334-0228
Click Here to Register

News You Can Use

IRS Announces 2010 Standard Mileage Rates

IR-2009-111, Dec. 3, 2009

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2010 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2010, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

50 cents per mile for business miles driven
16.5 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes
14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations

The new rates for business, medical and moving purposes are slightly lower than last year’s. The mileage rates for 2010 reflect generally lower transportation costs compared to a year ago.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

NPTimes 11/12/09

Online ...Translating the Tweets on Twitter

Tweet! Tweet! Tweedeedly-deet! It’s not a return of “Rockin’ Robin” for those who can remember the early rock ‘n roll song. No, it’s a whole new world of techno-jargon that changes just about as fast as the technology.

For those of you who are Twitter-challenged, herewith a glossary of terms that might, who knows, last the year, as well as a few tips about Twittering and all the rest of it.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Association of Fundraising Professionals

Six Types of Wealthy Donors

(Jan. 12, 2010) A new study identifies six types of high net worth donors and explains what motivates them to give.

The findings of the study, conducted by Barclays Wealth in London, explain how factors such as age, source of wealth, religious or political beliefs are influencing the ways in which high net worth individuals give to charity.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

NPTimes 11/30/09

Grants ...8 ideas for making your program fundable

No grantmaking organization will bestow money on a project that is worthless. There are so many that are worthwhile, however, that funders can have difficulty selecting those that have real merit.

One way of getting attention is to prove to supporters the value of your project. In her book, “How to Say It: Grantwriting,” Deborah S. Koch suggests striving for not just a fundable project, but also a highly fundable one. She suggests the following elements to elevate a project’s appeal to grantmakers:

Funding your project will benefit many people who are in need. Funders want to change the world for the better.
Your work will be done collaboratively with other parts of your organization or with community partners such a schools, local government, nonprofit and community groups or businesses.
Your project is inclusive of those you seek to help, in planning, direction or execution.
Your organization has made its own investment in the project.
Your project will leverage other investments in your project.
What you propose is novel, is a new way of looking at things and shows exciting promise.
The outcomes of your work are replicable, so other organizations can adopt the approach and methodology.

You can demonstrate that the work will be continued after the grant has ended. FIC has this book available for check out!

Guidestar Newsletter December 2009

The IRS View of Nonprofit Governance

With recent substantial changes to Form 990, the Internal Revenue Service has taken the position that good governance is of paramount importance to nonprofit organizations. Its Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division (TE/GE) has identified what constitutes good governance—an engaged, informed, and independent board; defined policies and practices; and transparency—and is focusing agency resources on enforcement of compliance with these standards.

Be forewarned that future IRS examinations will begin to emphasize good governance, with field auditors trained to collect information and complete a checklist regarding an organization's governance practices and internal controls. Auditors will seek to identify instances of noncompliance as well as any internal controls shortfalls. A recent article, "The Door Has Opened: New Form 990 Creates Strategic Opportunities and Risks for Nonprofit Organizations," notes that organizations prepared for this increased transparency can benefit, but unprepared organizations may potentially be subjected to damaging external risks. Thus, implementing best practices to meet good governance standards has never been so important.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

NPTimes 11/16/09

Research ...7 things you need to ask supporters

Did you ever wonder what people interacting with your organization think of it? You want to find out what they love or hate about the organization -- why they stay for years or go after a few experiences.

Why not ask them, asks Bridget L. Brandt, senior marketing manager at Sage Software in Austin, Texas. Brandt explained that you need more information to really see how people interact with your organization at the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Conference and Exhibition in San Diego, Calif. One way to accomplish that is to survey your participants to really get a sense of their feelings.

Here are some tips:

Don’t over survey your audience. Asking their thoughts about every change might get annoying.
Make a plan. Plan how many people should receive the survey.
Write a short questionnaire. Ask for some identifying features that may help with other endeavors.
Use simple words. Ditch your organizational jargon and make the survey conversational so people will enjoy doing it.
Keep it short and sweet. Too many questions will make the survey seem daunting and time consuming. Keep the questions to the minimum that would help you.
Don’t make the choices too long. Making a list of 32 answer options and telling your participants to pick one could get irritating.
Give an introduction. Tell your participants why you are conducting a survey and how it will help the organization.

Leave some things open. Throw in a few open-ended questions so participants could go more in-depth with their answers. They could give more details about the good, bad and the ugly of the organization.

Educational Opportunities
*Cash/Check payments for all workshops may be made at the door. If you would like to pay by credit card online, please see our "Donate Now" feature (fill in the workshop admission price as the donation amount).

Warming the Cold Call
AFP Audio-Conference
Thursday February 4, 2010 at FIC
Lunch/Networking (11:30am-noon)
Conference Call (noon-1:30pm)

The Basics of Nonprofit Budgeting
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at the Funding Information Center
(9am-11am)

Description:
Whether you are responsible for one line item, one program, one department, or an entire organization, you will find this workshop helpful. You will learn:

The importance of sound budgeting
Basic principles of budgeting
How the budget is used as a planning and management tool
Steps in the budgeting process
How to develop various types of budgets, including programs and special events

Speaker: Christi Stinson, Executive Director, Funding Information Center

Fee: $20 for FIC members; $40 for nonmembers

Held at the FIC Office, 329 S. Henderson, Fort Worth, TX 76104
817-334-0228

If you have any suggestions for upcoming workshops, please e-mail Linda at lmcmillan@fic-ftw.org.

Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations (TANO)....learn more about TANO and their many member benefits http://www.tano.org/

Texas Connector Asset Map and Resource Location Tool is a pilot Web site that displays information on nonprofits in a geo-mapping format. Check it out at http://www.onestarfoundation.org/page/connector

Nonprofits sharing with nonprofits...Welcome to IdeaEncore Network, an online marketplace for the sharing of ready-to-use tools, presentations, course outlines, templates, and project plans within and between nonprofit organizations. The system is designed to provide incentives for sharing and a range of intellectual property protections for shared materials. https://www.ideaencore.com/

Tony Hawk Foundation Offers Grants for Skatepark Construction
Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded to nonprofits, state and local government agencies, and public school systems working to create or develop high-quality public skateparks in low-income areas across the country....
Deadline: March 1, 2010

VSA arts Announces 2010 Playwright Discovery Call for Scripts
Young playwrights whose work has explored how disability affects their lives and the lives of others will be awarded $2,000 and the opportunity to see their plays performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts....
Deadline: April 15, 2010

Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes Accepting Nominations
Ten national winners between the ages of 8 and 18 who have helped their communities and other individuals will receive $2,500 to support their service work or pursuit of higher education....
Deadline: April 30, 2010

Rolling/Various Deadlines
Cleveland Foundation Invites Applications for Project Access Leadership Program
Faith- and community-based nonprofits working to provide services to youth, the elderly and disabled, families in transition, and other adults in need will receive leadership training and may also be eligible for a small grant of up to $4,000....
Deadline: January 29, 2010; February 3, 2010

Copyright (c) 2000-2008, the Foundation Center. All rights reserved. Permission to use, copy, and/or distribute this document in whole or in part for non-commercial purposes without fee is hereby granted provided that this notice and appropriate credit to the Foundation Center is included in all copies.

Music Education Programs Supported
Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation: Music Matters Grant Program
The Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation’s mission is to redefine and support music education. Through the Foundation's Music Matters Grant Program, grants are provided to K-12 school music programs and independent music programs throughout the United States. Music education – vocal or instrumental – must be the key component of any music program requesting funds. Public school programs (qualifying for Title I federal funding and serving a minimum of 70% low-income students) as well as nonprofit organizations directly funding music education and serving students regardless of their ability to pay are eligible to apply. The application deadline is February 5, 2010. Visit the Foundation’s website to download the grant guidelines and application form.

Awards for Grassroots Leaders
The Petra Foundation
The Petra Foundation seeks out and champions unsung leaders who are making distinctive contributions to the rights, autonomy, and dignity of millions who are marginalized in America. Each year grassroots leaders selected as Petra Fellows receive a no-strings personal financial award. In addition, the Foundation publicizes their innovative models for change, fosters their collaborations, and welcomes them to a national network of leaders who are working across the divides of age, ethnicity, class, and issue to build a more just society. Nominees should display a combination of activism and thought, force of character, independence of judgment, and clarity of expression. Nominations should be submitted by those who know the nominees and their work (without the knowledge of the nominees). The deadline for submitting nominations is February 15, 2010. Visit the Foundation’s website to learn more about the program and the nomination process

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News You Can Use

NPTimes 11/12/09

Online ...Translating the Tweets on Twitter

Educational Opportunities
*Cash/Check payments for all workshops may be made at the door. If you would like to pay by credit card online, please see our "Donate Now" feature (fill in the workshop admission price as the donation amount).

If you have any suggestions for upcoming workshops, please e-mail Linda at lmcmillan@fic-ftw.org.

Our Vision: Better communities through successful nonprofits.

Our Mission: To provide funding information, education, and other resources nonprofit organizations need to succeed.

News You Can Use

NPTimes 11/12/09

Online ...Translating the Tweets on Twitter

Educational Opportunities *Cash/Check payments for all workshops may be made at the door. If you would like to pay by credit card online, please see our "Donate Now" feature (fill in the workshop admission price as the donation amount).

If you have any suggestions for upcoming workshops, please e-mail Linda at lmcmillan@fic-ftw.org.

Our Vision: Better communities through successful nonprofits.

Our Mission: To provide funding information, education, and other resources nonprofit organizations need to succeed.

Educational Opportunities
*Cash/Check payments for all workshops may be made at the door. If you would like to pay by credit card online, please see our "Donate Now" feature (fill in the workshop admission price as the donation amount).