Don't be left out!

Excerpted from Nonprofits Count!:

Data collected by the Census next year will be used to determine a host of issues critical to the nonprofit community. Lower income and more mobile populations, precisely those served by many nonprofits, are frequently undercounted by the census, leading to underfunding of critical services and infrastructure and under-representation in government.

Nonprofits can play an important role in making sure their communities are fully and accurately counted by educating them on the importance of the census and how to participate.

Nonprofits Count, a project of the Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network (NVEN), has released a new Census Toolkit for Nonprofit Organizations. This toolkit is available free at http://www.nonprofitscount.org and includes information to help nonprofits get involved with the 2010 Census.

An Interview with Manny Hidalgo

Meet Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman 2009 EXCEL Award Winner Manny Hidalgo.

Manny has transformed the Latino Economic Development Corporation into a strong player in Latino and other cultural communities. The organization’s budget has grown by 30% every year under Manny’s leadership.

Manny is passionate about picking the right staff…and gives them the room to learn, shine and laugh. Manny knows what’s important in life, stressing that dedication to work and to home are equally important.

What does this award mean for you and your organization?
Manny: The EXCEL award is an immense honor for both me and my staff at the Latino Economic Development Corporation. Over the past five years, we at LEDC have really worked hard to change what we do through a comprehensive team building strategy involving every stakeholder in the organization. Our collective leadership has helped us double in size to help meet the critical need for quality small business, affordable housing preservation and homeownership services in the DC metro area. I’m honored to share this award with my staff and Board, and we hope to continue our innovative work within the Latino community and other underserved populations in the years to come.

What advice would you offer for other nonprofit executive directors?
Manny: One of the best pieces of advice that I can offer is find a coach and mentor who helps you believe in your ability to bring change to an organization. When times are tough, you need to know you have the guidance from someone who’s been there before. Secondly, the quality of an executive director’s ongoing relationship with the board of directors is central when realizing your goals as an executive director. If you gain the trust of your board, you can do a lot of good for your organization. Lastly, recruit a passionate and innovative staff that embraces the journey of change with you.

An Interview with Pam Michell

Meet Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman 2009 EXCEL Award Winner Pam Michell.

Serving as New Hope Housing executive director for the past 20 years, Pam has built an organization that not only faces the immediate needs of the homeless in Northern Virginia, but also takes responsibility for seeking long-term solutions to break the cycle of homelessness.

Pam looks for greatness in individuals, even when their greatness has yet to be seen. She challenges and empowers staff. Seeing residents, staff and board soar to new heights is part of her style.

What does this award mean for you and your organization?
Pam: We executive directors don’t spend much time thinking about our leadership and what we do well. So to read the nomination, listen to four people sing my praises to the panel [from the selection committee], and then to win is both humbling and affirming. Most importantly, the Excel award is an opportunity to tell the story of homeless people and what the dedicated staff of New Hope Housing is doing to prevent and end homelessness.

What advice would you offer for other nonprofit executive directors?
Pam: Believe passionately in your mission. Know your values and stick to them, come what may. Think beyond your agency to achieve the greater good. Tell it like you see it.

An Interview with Eleni Rossides

Meet Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman 2009 EXCEL Award Winner Eleni Rossides.

Eleni Rossides thought her seven-year career on the pro-tennis circuit was tough, until she took on the challenge of a lifetime, as executive director of the Washington Tennis and Education Foundation (WTEF). In addition to juggling a 50-plus member board of directors, a small staff and a large annual event, under Eleni’s leadership the group seeks to build a second tennis center with land and approval from the District Government.

As a board member told us, Eleni did not predict this recession, but she did prepare the organization just in case to position WTEF to succeed in every economy.

What does this award mean for you and your organization?
Eleni: This award means a great deal to me and WTEF. We are in the middle of a very exciting time for WTEF as we plan to build a new, tennis education and community center in Ward 7 of Washington, D.C. Validation of the strength of the organization and its leader will be very helpful as we continue to execute plans to build the center to help the neediest children of the District and raise the funds to do so.

What advice would you offer for other nonprofit executive directors?
Eleni: The EXCEL Award process has been an extremely helpful one to go through. Thinking through how one leads an organization and what leadership means to one’s organization is a very important process. It is important to take a step back and think through one’s strengths and weaknesses and where one would like to improve. I am thankful for this process and the award which enabled me to take the time to go through it.

An Interview with Dallice Joyner

Meet Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman 2009 EXCEL Award Honorable Mention Recipient Dallice Joyner.

As Executive Director of the Northern Virginia Area Health Education Center, Dallice is leading an organization that works in the growing world of medical language interpretations – serving immigrant and other vulnerable communities in need of health information or facing a health crisis.

Dallice often says that if an employee leaves her organization as the same person, without growth or a broader comfort zone, then she has failed as a leader.

What advice would you offer for other nonprofit leaders?
Dallice: Share. Keep your focus on what’s important for your organization. Work outside of your comfort zone.

What does this award mean for you and your organization?
Dallice: This award comes at a perfect time in our organization’s life. It serves as a spring board for our next level of growth. It markets and promotes our organization and expertise past our current realm of exposure. Since I plan to use the award money attend a special political school, it will propel us into a broader and more influential political arena.

An Interview with Aleta Margolis

Meet Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman 2009 EXCEL Award Honorable Mention Recipient Aleta Margolis.

Aleta is the chief inspirer at the Center for Inspired Teaching which exists to ensure schools make the most of children's innate desire to learn. They do this by investing in teachers.

Board members tell us that she pushes them to be a high impact board. Staff members are challenged professionally – think big/dream big. Teachers are transformed through Aleta’s charismatic and persuasive ideas…all while keeping the benefits of the kids in mind.

What does this award mean for you and your organization?
Aleta: It reflects positively on the critical work we do to support high quality education and teacher training in the District, and provides meaningful exposure for our expanding programs. It is an honor to be recognized within the greater community of outstanding DC nonprofits.

What advice would you offer for other nonprofit executive directors?
Aleta: Be clear about your goals, and support the people working with you. Make sure you learn as well as give feedback and keep lines of communication open with your staff. Most importantly, make sure the work you do is both meaningful and challenging, and always make time for reflection.

Center Recognizes Excellence in Washington Region Nonprofit Leadership

Winners and Honorable Mentions Named in
Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman 2009 EXCEL Award

The Center for Nonprofit Advancement announced today recipients of the Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman 2009 EXCEL Award for excellence in chief executive leadership. This competitive award spotlights up to three outstanding nonprofit leaders in the Washington metropolitan area for outstanding nonprofit chief executive leadership.

2009 Award recipients include the following executive directors:

• Manny Hidalgo of the Latino Economic Development Corporation in Washington, D.C
• Pamela L. Michell of New Hope Housing, Inc. in Alexandria, Va.
• Eleni A. Rossides of the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation in Washington, D.C.

The 2009 Award winners were recognzied at the Center for Nonprofit Advancement’s 30th Anniversary Annual Meeting on Thursday, October 29 in Washington, D.C.

Also announced, the following executive directors were Honorable Mention recipients for the Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman 2009 EXCEL Award:

• Dallice Joyner of the Northern Virginia Area Health Education Center in Alexandria, Va.
• Aleta Margolis of the Center for Inspired Teaching in Washington, D.C.

“The Center is excited to celebrate and recognize excellence in chief executive leadership throughout Greater Washington,” said Center CEO Glen O’Gilvie. “Our 2009 awardees are leading organizations that ensure the success of communities throughout the region.”

This is the fifth year for this competition, and the fourth year that the Bethesda-based accounting firm Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman has sponsored the award.

Each award winner receives a $5,000 professional development account to use in their role as an organization’s chief executive. In addition, the winning organization receives a $2,000 grant to provide professional development opportunities for their staff. Each honorable mention recipient’s organization receives a $1,000 award to support professional development programs for the candidate and/or its staff.

Awardees are selected by a committee of nonprofit leaders, business professionals, consultants and community members. Award recipients must show excellence in the areas of innovation, motivation, community building, ethical integrity and strategic leadership. The selection process includes four stages including nomination, interview, site visit and selection.

The competition is open to any chief executive of a Greater Washington-area nonprofit organization with an annual budget of $10 million and under. Board members, staff members, volunteers, clients or community members may nominate chief executives.

The award is administered by the Center for Nonprofit Advancement.