Vote for 2009 Nonprofit Tagline Awards

The Getting Attention blog is inviting you to cast your vote for the 2009 Getting Attention Nonprofit Tagline Awards. The 60 tagline finalists have been culled from over 1,700 entries in 13 categories.

Click here to enter your vote today. Polls close midnight, Wednesday, September 30.

Join Us Next Week

We hope to see you next week at one of these upcoming workshops at the Center for Nonprofit Advancement. Click each listing below for event and registration details.

• Tuesday, September 15, Using the Logic Model to Guide Program Planning and Performance Measurement
• Wednesday, September 16, Choosing Fundraising Software and Other Data Management Options
• Thursday, September 17, Can You Hear Me Now: Improving Your Active Listening Skills with Board and Staff

New Nonprofit Agenda Now Online

The September/October 2009 issue of the Center for Nonprofit Advancement's print newsletter, Nonprofit Agenda, is now available on our Web site.

Inside this issue:

• An Invitation to the 30th Anniversary Celebration
• Ten Quick Ways to Invigorate Board Meetings
• Meet Our Newest Nonprofit Members and Partners in Advancement
  
• Learn About The Washington Post 2010 Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management
• Explore the Newest Center Member Benefit
• See How the Center is Addressing Nonprofit Training and Capacity Building Needs
• Explore Corporate Philanthropy
• Learn More About Pivotal Transitions for Changing Times
• Get Ready for our 2009 CEO Leadership Series
• Meet a Center Member
• Get the Latest Member News

Click here to download the PDF. And don't forget to explore the offerings in our latest catalog of courses from the Center's Learning and Leadership Institute. View upcoming classes by date or subject.

New Report Shows Nonprofits Could Benefit from Outsourcing

From the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation:

"The current economic situation has only intensified the ever-present need for executives of small and mid-sized nonprofits to find effective ways to reduce overhead costs. According to a new report released today by the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation and the Management Assistance Group, outsourcing is a promising strategy for these nonprofits to meet their back-office needs, but there are many barriers that prevent outsourcing success.

"The study, “Outsourcing Back-Office Services in Small Nonprofits: Pitfalls and Possibilities,” is based on a survey of Meyer Foundation grantees; interviews with grantmakers, consultants and a range of back-office service providers; and a review of current literature on the subject. The goal for the collaboration was to identify alternative back-office services that could strengthen operations, relieve pressures on executive directors and lead to greater efficiencies, particularly in this difficult economy.

"Key findings include:

• Outsourcing may not offer short-term cost savings but can offer significant long-term benefits and cost savings.
• Current business models for outsourcing often are not well suited for serving small to mid-sized organizations, many of which are complex and have significant unmet needs.
• There is great opportunity for business entrepreneurs with a deep knowledge of and sensitivity to the nonprofit sector and innovative new business models.
• Areas most in need of better solutions include: human resources, marketing and communications and financial planning.
• Barriers that prevent nonprofits from outsourcing back-office services include: the inability to find specialized skills at a reasonable cost, lack of time to find and contract with providers and negative past experience.
  

'Our previous research revealed the importance of management infrastructure and administrative support in preventing leadership burnout and turnover in nonprofits,' says Meyer Director of Programs Rick Moyers, referring to the Foundation’s 'Daring to Lead 2006' report. 'There is an urgent need for innovation in how small and mid-sized nonprofits handle their back office functions, and increased use of outsourcing can help address that need.'

"The 48-page study offers ideas for grantmakers, back-office service providers, nonprofit executives and business entrepreneurs as they consider how to better meet the back-office needs of nonprofits. It also proposes a framework for evaluating outsourced back-office services."

Click here to download the report and three-page executive summary.

Join the Celebration!

Join the Center for Nonprofit Advancement as we celebrate the accomplishments of the Greater Washington region’s nonprofit sector in 2009 and 30 years of service to the community at this year’s Annual Celebration and Meeting on Thursday, October 29 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

With a theme of “Building on Success,” the event will include addresses from the Center’s chief executive and board president as well as recognize outstanding leaders from the region’s nonprofit and policy maker arenas.

The celebration will include the presentation of the Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman 2009 EXCEL Award and the Phyllis Campbell Newsome Public Policy Leadership Awards.

Presenting sponsors include M&T Bank and the Center for Nonprofit Advancement Benefits Trust.

Special Cost: $45 per ticket; Tables of 10 for nonprofits are $500; Tables of 10 for corporations are $1,000.

Special Location: Pavilion Room, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.

Reserve your seat today!

Click here to learn more about the Center's 30 years of service to nonprofits.

Accepting Applications: Award for Nonprofit Diversity Leadership

The National MultiCultural Institute is accepting applications for the 2009 Leading Lights Awards for Nonprofit Diversity Leadership. The Leading Lights Diversity Awards celebrate exemplary leaders in the nonprofit sector whose demonstrated courage, innovation and commitment to diversity light a path to a more inclusive society.

Annually, three (3) awards are presented to organizations that serve as role models for enhancing diversity and encouraging respect and inclusion within their organizations and with the diverse communities they serve. Individuals through their work in and on behalf of non-profit organizations are also eligible for recognition. Award recipients are selected from the following nonprofit sectors:

• Education
• Social/Human Services
• Health Care
• Arts & Culture

A fourth award, recognizing an individual or organization that has been at the forefront of addressing an emerging critical issue related to multiculturalism, will be periodically awarded.

Click here to learn more and to download the application.

The application deadline is September 30.

Register Early and Save: Leadership for a Better World

Focus on strategies for creating, leading and sustaining organizations for social impact: join the University of Maryland's Center for Social Value Creation and the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) on Friday, September 25 for a one-day forum, “Leadership for a Better World: Creating Social Value through Innovation,” at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C.

Speakers from across all sectors will lead interactive discussions, panels and breakout sessions. Attendees will have opportunities throughout the day to join in the conversation, network with colleagues and speakers, and collaborate with one another in exploring solutions to today’s most pressing social and environmental issues in business.

Register before Friday, September 4 for a discounted rate.

Event Details:
Date: Friday, September 25, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Location: Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20004
Cost: $125 through September 4; $175 after September 4. (student and group rates available)

Click here for additional information or here to register.

The Center for Nonprofit Advancement is a proud to serve as a Media Partner for the Better World Forum.