Orion Grassroots Network

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Joint Ventures to Try Before Merging

posted Mar 2, 2009

A followup to the post about mergers and the OGN conference call on it, from Massnonprofit: Joint Ventures to Try Before You Even Mention Merging. The first four of the author's recommendations:

Hold joint fundraisers

Join trade associations

Hold visioning roundtables funded by your community foundation

Consolidate “back offices”

Full text at the link above.

Beware the volunteer techies

posted Feb 27, 2009

I was reminded by a friend recently that the wave of laid off tech-savvy folks who may want to volunteer for our organizations could be more trouble than it's worth. He runs a non-profit that does tech development for other npos, and he warned that while a volunteer may promise a wonderful whiz-bang new web tool or interface for you, both to have something to do and to pad his/her resume in an unemployment interim, you have to ensure that such a thing is truly what your group needs. Volunteers can be gone overnight if for eg they become fully employed again, possibly leaving you with a half done, high maintenance, or even inappropriate tech burden.

It's best to treat volunteers like staff as much as is practical: write a job description, name their project a fellowship, or the like. Good policy in general, but particularly in the case of a tech volunteer. Having this kind of framework in place can ensure a higher quality end product.

Great deal on website development

posted Feb 10, 2009

Elevacion is a socially conscious web development firm, which offers Orion Grassroots Network members 32% off on its services (see the 'manage your benefits' section). They also offer a 1:1 grant match for qualifying nonprofits, and are extending it through the end of 2009 (for each dollar your non-profit spends on web design, programming, or other media related work, they will match that dollar with a dollar of their own...so it's 50% off). In 2008, they allocated approximately $200,000 to NGOs who needed assistance with web development and programming. You can learn more about them at www.elevationweb.org. The application for assistance is available at www.elevationweb.org/match08.html or by clicking the black box on the home page.

Fiscal Sponsorship

posted Feb 9, 2009

Fiscal sponsorship can be an efficient way to fund your work. It frees you from the chains of filing, reporting, fundraising, and everything else that makes nonprofits a challenge.

The best known of these is the Tides Center, but it's not the only game in town. There are 139 fiscal sponsors in 26 states and you can find them at the Fiscal Sponsor Directory's site. If you're having trouble with the whole 501(c)3 concept, maybe it's time to look into this avenue. Download the attached file from the Chronicle for Philanthropy for more info. Fiscal-Sponsorship-overview-ChronPhil-Apr07.pdf

Boards and HR

posted Feb 2, 2009

Here's a useful post from Blue Avocado about how boards can be involved in HR policy. It's a delicate matter, but an important topic to consider. Sometimes your Board can be your best friend when it comes to a sticky HR question.

Wild Apricot for member management

posted Jan 26, 2009

Wild Apricot is an online service with easy web page-creation and site-management tools; member database management; email module to contact members who've opted-in; donation-acceptance capability; and an event-registration system. It's geared specifically toward helping orgs handle some core aspects of their daily routine. It's on a sliding scale, more or less, price-wise, and some have had very good experiences with it. Here's a handy review.

Storytelling and memes audio

posted Jan 5, 2009

The Network's conference call on using memes and stories to make change, with Doyle Canning and Patrick Reinsborough of smartmeme, is now available here.

Techsoup: technology for nonprofits

posted Dec 8, 2008

Techsoup is the first place nonprofits should turn for technology solutions. You can get software and hardware donations via them, learn about new ways to use technology to achieve your mission, or find individuals and organizations that provide technology products and services to the nonprofits, here. Indispensable.

Nonprofit accounting alert: new 990 for FY ‘08

posted Dec 8, 2008

The new 990 form for tax exempt organizations reflects the biggest change in nonprofit tax reporting in 30 years, now requiring information on governance. As this SmartBusiness article states, "The new governance section, Part VI, requires information about the organization’s governing body, its governance and management policies, and its disclosure practices. Governance policies and practices are not required by law, but the IRS recognizes that a nonprofit is more likely to report its activities correctly if it has policies and practices in place." Definitely check with the person who does your group's books to ensure that they know these changes are taking effect. April will be too late! Also check www.stayexempt.org for more resources.

Collaborate, consolidate, or merge?

posted Nov 24, 2008

Is your organization struggling to survive? Strategic restructuring is something to consider when all avenues seem to lead to a dead end. It's a structural change that some nonprofits undertake which includes mergers, joint ventures, administrative consolidations, and joint programming — through which nonprofits attempt to anticipate or respond to threats and opportunities. Several member organizations of the Orion Grassroots Network have merged in the past year to good effect.

We had a conference call in late January '09 to discuss this, with Jo DeBolt, a Senior Associate with La Piana Associates, a consulting firm that has great expertise on the topic. Besides listening to the call audio at the link above, you might also look at the helpful strategic restructuring resources posted on their site to learn more.

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