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March 2, 2009
Issue #107   Nonprofit Resources
UWSEPA February-March Resources Alert North Penn seeks provider for homeless hotline New program funds youth volunteers Fund for Children funds youth projects in city Wal-Mart supports various programs Issue Alerts Obama deficit plan limits charitable deduction Obama calls for expansion of national service probrams Casey issues guide to PA stimulus opportunities Bridgespan survey says interest in nonprofit mergers grows Nonprofit
Resources North Penn seeks provider for homeless hotline As coalition of housing providers and service agencies in the North Penn area have been meeting for the past several months to formulate a pilot project for a centralized information and referral system for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Now the North Penn Housing and Homeless Providers Network, a collaborative partnership that also includes the North Penn Community Health Foundation, the North Penn United Way and the Montgomery County Department of Housing & Community Development, has issued a Request for Information: Centralized Intake and Referral for Housing and Homeless Services Pilot Project Operations. The partnership was developed in response to observations reported in An Independent Assessment of the Health, Human Services, Cultural and Educational Needs of Montgomery County, a copy of which can be viewed here. In this report, the authors noted the extreme fragmentation of human services and the toll the fragmentation takes on both consumers and service providers. From early discussions, this group agreed that it should explore collaborative solutions. To download the RFI, click here. back to top New program funds youth volunteers Do Something and Mountain Dew Voltage partner on the Power in Numbers, a new grants effort for groups of young volunteers working to improve their communities. The program will provide 10 groups of friends with grants of $10,000 each to expand or implement their project or idea. Program teams must consist of a minimum of three and a maximum of 10 young people. Each team member must be between the ages of 13 and 25 and must be a legal U.S. resident. Grants will be provided through a qualified 501(c)(3) organization. Deadlines to apply are March 9th and April 6th. For more information, click here. back to top Fund for Children funds youth projects in city YOUTHadelphia is the Youth Advisory Committee of the Philadelphia Foundation’s Fund For Children. The mission of YOUTHadelphia is to give Philadelphia teens opportunities to build youth leadership through philanthropy and civic engagement. YOUTHadelphia provides grants of up to $15,000 for youth led and youth engaged projects. Applications for the new round of funding must be made by April 10th. For more information, click here. The Fund for Children is also planning a Youth Engagement Summit on April 2nd from 4:14-6:15pm at the Philadelphia Foundation, 1234 Market Street, 18th Floor. The free event will convene representatives of youth engagement organizations to share best practices, current challenges in youth engagement, assessing and sharing resources, and ways to increase awareness on youth engagement as a positive youth development strategy. For more information, email Libby Walsh or call 215-563-6417 ext. 151. back to top Wal-Mart supports various programs Wal-Mart is offering grants of at least $25,000 to nonprofit organizations sponsoring projects in education, health and wellness, job training and the environment. For more information, click here. back to top Obama deficit plan limits charitable deduction Wealthy donors and the nonprofit groups they support are expressing concern over the Obama administration's proposal to limit the value of deductions for charitable gifts, which was included in the budget the president presented to Congress. Among donors, the concern was one of being forced to limit donations when charities need the support the most. Nonprofit trade associations have been urging the administration and Congress to increase incentives for charitable giving by raising the limits on deductions and eliminating taxes on the investment income of foundations. Under the administration's proposal, taxpayers earning more than $250,000 will have their ability to deduct contributions to charities reduced to a rate of 28 percent from a rate of 35 percent. Among the organizations opposing the new provision are the Council on Foundations and Independent Sector. "Research has shown again and again that for major donors, taxes are at the bottom of their list of reasons why they make these gifts," said Margaret Holman, a fund-raising adviser in New York, in the Chronicle of Philanthropy. "They make these gifts because they love, are intrigued by, want to invest in their favorite charities." Roughly half of the high net-worth donors responding to a 2006 survey by the Bank of America reported that they would keep giving the same amount to charity if deductions for that giving fell to zero, while about 38 percent said their giving would decrease somewhat. Only 7 percent said their gifts would fall steeply. In a statement, Independent Sector called Obama’s proposal “a disincentive to some donors who might further cap their gifts on account of the new limit. This could be a problem for many struggling nonprofits vital to our communities that are already facing a very difficult fundraising environment.. Meanwhile, White House officials say they doubt the proposal would dampen giving. “What drives charitable contributions is overall economic growth, is other motivations,” Peter Orszag, director of the Office of Management and Budget, told reporters, according to the White House website. “It’s not done for a tax incentive, but rather out of benevolence or some other related desire.” Orszag said that the president’s plans to revive the sagging economy will “provide a strong boost” to both charities and their donors. He noted that the recent economic-stimulus package had provided money to strengthen charities. back to top Obama calls for expansion of national service probrams In his budget speech to Congress last week, President Obama called on lawmakers to pass a bill that would greatly increase participation in national-service programs. Obama urged members of the House and Senate to pass the Serve America Act, which has been introduced by Sens. Orrin Hatch, Republican of Utah, and Edward Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts. The legislation would more than triple participation in year-long national-service programs like AmeriCorps to 250,000 by 2013. The legislation would also create several new service programs and provide money to help nonprofit groups recruit volunteers and spread innovative projects. “I know that the price of tuition is higher than ever, which is why, if you are willing to volunteer in your neighborhood or give back to your community or serve your country, we will make sure that you can afford a higher education,” Obama said. Obama had pledged to expand the country’s national-service programs while campaigning for president. He had signed on as a co-sponsor of the Serve America Act while he was still in the Senate. back to top Casey issues guide to PA stimulus opportunities To ensure that Pennsylvania is able to garner its fair share of resources from the recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey has released a guide for Pennsylvanians detailing how the money from the Act will flow. The guide contains background and contact information for programs that are included in the economic stimulus package. It is intended to provide local government officials and other community leaders with up-to-date information on how to tap into available funding. To download the guide, click here. back to top Bridgespan survey says interest in nonprofit mergers grows Mergers and acquisitions are much more common in the nonprofit world than most would think, a study by the Bridgespan Group of 3,300 deals across four states over 11 years shows. The study indicated that nonprofits merge at about the same rate as for-profits do. But the study also shows that nonprofit mergers often come about through default - due to financial distress or leadership vacuums. At the same time, relatively few nonprofits are using mergers and acquisitions strategically, as a way to strengthen organizations' effectiveness, spread best practices, expand reach, and to do all of this more cost-effectively. Bridgespan says that the potential for mergers and acquisitions to create real value in the nonprofit sector exists, particularly if more philanthropists take on the mantle of matchmaker and help nonprofits explore and evaluate opportunities. Bridgespan also reports that 20% of nonprofit executives polled in late November said that they are thinking about merger as part of their response to the recession. The Bridgespan Group, a Boston nonprofit organization that provides management consulting to charities and foundations. The new report, “Nonprofit Mergers and Acquisitions: More Than a Tool for Tough Times,” is available here. back to top Employment
Opportunities Resources for Children's Health - Nurse. Resources for Children's Health has an immediate opening for a nurse to work as part of a nursing/social work team in its HIP program. HIP provides home-based case management for families who have a child with special health care needs. The nurse will counsel families on health care issues and options, perform non-invasive screenings and assessments, review past records and other medical documentation for families, and provide referrals and linkages to services and resources. Email a resume and cover letter to Jeanne Ciocca or mail to her attention at RCH, 260 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, or fax to 267-765-2325. back to top Trinity Cooperative Day Nursery - Director of Programs. Trinity Cooperative Day Nursery in Swarthmore, Delaware County, is seeking a Director of Programs. TCDN provides quality care in a community based preschool and before/after school care in the Wallingford Swarthmore school district. Candidate must be familiar with the state and national quality initiatives and accreditations and how to implement the criteria. Must have completed the Early Childhood Director Certificate of Competency and a degree in Education (preferably in Early Childhood). PQAS trainer a plus. Please send your cover letter and resume here. back to top |
 a
PECO
and the Utility
Emergency Services Fund will sponsor an Energy
Fair on Saturday, March 7th, from 10am to 3pm at the PECO
building at 2301 Market Street in Philadelphia.PECO, UESF sponsor Energy Fair The event will feature programs to help customers learn new ways to save energy and reduce their utility bills, including energy efficiency tools, rebates, understanding how you use energy in your home, and connecting to energy assistance programs. The event will also feature  instructions on how to use
PECO’s website to learn more about energy usage and take
advantage of assistance programs.The first 50 participants in each of the various educational areas will receive an energy saver package containing more than $60 in energy saving products. There is no charge for this event, and a children’s play area and limited free parking are available. For more information, click here or call 215-841-5555. back to top SmokeFree Philly sponsors youth poster contest SmokeFree Philly is sponsoring its annual Youth Tobacco Prevention & Awareness Poster Contest for Philadelphia youth in grades 3 through 12. First-place winners will each receive a $250 Borders Gift Card and their posters will be reproduced and displayed on SEPTA buses. Second-place winners will receive  a $125 Borders
Gift Card and third-place winners will receive
a $75 Borders Gift Card. All winning posters will be included
in a 2010 SmokeFree Philly calendar. Selected posters will be
reproduced and distributed to Tobacco Control Program service providers
to promote tobacco prevention, education and cessation programs.Entries should be submitted by Monday, March 30th to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Tobacco Control Program, 1101 Market Street, 9th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107. For more information or to register, go here or call 215-685-5681. back to top Montco workshop supports nonprofit partnerships The North Penn Nonprofit Academy will hold Working Smarter by Working Together: Partnering and Pooling Resources in Difficult Times, a free capacity-building workshop for North Penn Nonprofit Academy participants, on March 17th. The worsening economy has led to an increase in demand for services, while at the same time, funding for programs and operations is being cut at alarming rates. At recent meetings of Delaware Valley Grantmakers’ membership, funders have expressed interest in stretching  their grant dollars through
supporting collaborations that would help nonprofits streamline their
efforts and reduce costs, including program-related partnerships and
feasibility studies for mergers. This workshop will feature
an interactive discussion led by Fernando Chang-Muy, Esq., who has
successfully led collaborations among both funders and nonprofits,
about win-win partnerships that both further mission and decrease
costs. The workshop will be offered 8:30-11:30am and again from noon-3pm at Community Partners: Center for Nonprofit Management, Walton Meeting Room, 2506 N. Broad St, Colmar. Directions are available here. For more information, email here or call 215-696-9336. back to top Tax campaign extends efforts to small businesses The Campaign for Working Families is expanding its free tax preparation for small business owners located in the Greater Philadelphia region. In addition to its community-based services, the Campaign serves self-employed business owners a  nd sole proprietors
with business revenue of $100,000 or less. Clients receiving
free business tax preparation need to attend an orientation on March
2nd at 6pm, hosted by the Philadelphia
Development Partnership. For more
information and location, contact PDP at 215-545-3100, ext. 3 or email here .The locations of the Campaign's 14 free community tax preparation sites and information on eligibility for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit are available here or by calling 215-686-2599. back to top Presentation examines pathological gambling The College of Physicians of Philadelphia will host Joker’s Wild: The Problem of Pathological Gambling on Wednesday, March 4th. While pathological gambling affects 1-2% of Americans and appears to be increasingly common during periods of stress and economic recession, there has been ver  y little
research on this illness. People who struggle with PG often do not ask
for help. Many, including some doctors and others in the medical
community question PG as a real addiction. This presentation will explain the science behind PG and current treatments. Come early and learn how local organizations such as Gambling Anonymous, GAM-ANON, the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board are addressing this issue. The community information session starts at 5:30pm and the presentation begins at 6:15pm. The event is free but pre-registration is required. To register, go here. back to top MCC seeks board members Maternity Care Coalition, which serves mothers and their babies in neighborhoods affected by poverty, infant mortality and changing patterns of immigration, is seeking several new Board members. The organization is looking for individuals who are interested in the mission of MCC and have skills or connections in public relations or marketing; corporate leadership; financial expertise; personal wealth or access to resources to help with fund development; public health,  social services or related academic fields;
public policy; non-profit leadership; entrepreneurship; and early
childhood education. Men and people of color are of
particular interest.Board terms are for three years and responsibilities include commitment to participate on at least one committee; attendance at Board meetings held every other month; making MCC a primary benefactor organization in terms of the Board member’s contributing funds and volunteering time. For more information or to express your interest, email Haley Singer or call 215-989-3549. back to top State program provides new support to autistic adults Last year, Governor Rendell announced that Pennsylvania has been approved for a first-of-its-kind federal waiver program to provide home and community based services specifically for adults with autism. Prior to the approval of the $20 million-a-year waiver program, which is expected to serve up to 200 individuals 21 years of age and older with autism, no dedicated services existed for adults with autism in Pennsylvania. To learn more about the waiver and how to apply, call 866-539-7689 or click here. back to top Nonprofit emergency preparedness conference set The Health Departments of Bucks and Montgomery Counties are sponsoring an Emergency Preparedness Conference for Community-Based Organizations and Service Providers on Friday, April 17th from 8am to noon at the Temple University Fort Washington Campus, Room 22, 425 Commerce Drive. Topics will include the types of emergencies that we face in the region, perspectives on emergency planning from local agencies, promoting personal preparedness for emergencies, ensuring organizational preparedness, and information on the Special Needs Registry and ReadyNotifyPA. For more information or to register, email Marialisa Ramirez or call 215-685-6462. back to top City health dept. issues special shigella bulletin The Philadelphia Dept. of Public Health has issued a Special Shigella Health Bulletin in English and Spanish. Click here for English and here for Spanish. For more information, email Deborah Knorr or call 215-685-6459. back to top Senior center celebrates Women’s History Month Center in the Park will celebrate Women’s History Month and National Nutrition Month with a series of special events. Activities include a visit by the Dollar Store to the Center at 10am on March 3rd; a Pamper Day, featuring make-up applications, massages and manicures for $5, on March 4th at 1pm; a Jewelry Workshop on March 17th at 1pm ($25 fee for materials); and a Grandmothers and Granddaughters  Talk on March 27th.The Center will also sponsor a Portion Size and Portion Control Nutrition Workshop on March 18th at 1pm, at which participants will learn about serving sizes, calories per serving and how to read nutrition fact labels. Take control and learn healthy eating habits. Seating for all events may be limited, so registration is recommended by calling 215-848-7722. The Center is located at 5818 Germantown Avenue, near Germantown and Chelten Avenues in Philadelphia. back to top Audioconference provides info on using stimulus to re-engage youth The economic downturn has limited workforce opportunities for many people, but the most vulnerable remain high school dropouts, youth transitioning out of the foster care system and former juvenile offenders, to name a few. With the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the expected infl  ux in dollars
for federally funded youth employment programs, including summer jobs,
there is an historic opportunity to strengthen local coalitions and
leverage these resources to employ these youth in transition and set
them on the course for success. In partnership with the National Youth Employment Coalition, the National League of Cities is sponsoring an audioconference on Wednesday, March 4th from 2:30-3:30pm to review the impact of the stimulus legislation on youth employment strategies. Topics to be discussed include summer jobs and year-round employment for youth, grant opportunities related to high growth and emergency industry sectors, such as “green jobs,” youth activities related to employment and training, and strengthening local coalitions for long-term success at employing youth. To register for this free call, email here. back to top Senior center hosts Soloist discussion One Book-One Philadelphia will sponsor There’s No Place Like Home, a panel discussion senior homelessness and Steve Lopez’s book, The Soloist on Monday, March 9th from 1-3pm. The discussion on senior homelessness, which takes place from 1-1:45pm, will feature panelists James Plumb, MD, MPH, Director, Center for Urban Health, Thomas  Jefferson University and Hospital; Ed
Speedling, Outreach Worker, Project H.O.M.E.; and Robert Sterling, PhD,
Professor of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University. The
book discussion takes place from 1:45-2:30pm and will be led by Janet
Puchino of the Free Library of Philadelphia. From
2:30-3pm there will be a reception and live music by cellist Andrea
Weber.The free event will be held at the Philadelphia Senior Center, 509 South Broad Street (Broad & Lombard). For more information, email Estavia Jefferson or call 215-546-5879. back to top Red Cross sponsors volunteer appreciation breakfast The American Red Cross 14th Annual Help Can’t Wait Awards is scheduled for March 27th. The event recognizes the organizations and individuals who have provided extraordinary support in keeping others safe. Pat Ciarrocchi, CBS3 News Anchor will serve as the special guest emcee and Tom Foley SEPA Chapter CEO will be the keynote speaker. The event takes place from 8-10am at the Fairmount Park Horticultural Center. RSVP by March 6th by calling 215-299-0136. back to top PathwaysPA sponsors art auction Pathways PA’s second annual PathWays to the Stars Charity Art Show and Auction will take place on March 29th, 4-7pm at the Waterford Ballroom of the Radisson King of Prussia, 1160 First Avenue. 100% of proceeds from the silent auction and 30% of proceeds from art sales will benefit the vulnerable women, children and families served by PathWays PA. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. To purchase tickets, please call 610-543-5022 x234, or click here. back to top Bow WOW Bingo benefits Pals for Life Pals for Life will hold the 5th Annual Bow WOW Bingo on Saturday, March 28th. Participants will play bingo with dogs - Steven the Poodle will even pull balls for the special fur ball bingo game and you can bring your dog to participate in the half-time show featuring stupid pet tricks. All proceeds benefit Pals for Life, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing companion animal programs to  people who need love, friendship and
something warm and furry to hug including the elderly, handicapped,
mentally impaired. Admission, which is $30 advance and $35 at the door, includes the Scooby Buffet (good people food) as well as the opportunity to win fabulous prizes and hang out with fun people and furry dogs. The event will be held at Chester Valley Golf Club in Malvern. Doors open at 6pm and bingo begins at 7pm. For more information, go here or call 610-687-1101. back to top Craft show benefits senior program Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Montgomery County (RSVP) will hold a Spring Craft Show to support its volunteer programs on Saturday and Sunday, April 4th and 5th. Produced by Renaissance Craftables, the show  will include
more than 50 crafters and will feature baskets, wearable art for adults
and children, clay, sculpture, glass, wood, leather, painting,
photography, clothing and jewelry. The show, which is open to the general public, will take place from 11am-5pm on April 4th and 11am-6pm on April 5th. It will be held at Montgomery County Community College, Rte. 202 at Morris Road, Blue Bell. Tickets are $6 or $5 with an on-line coupon. For more information go here or call 610-834-1040, ext. 10. back to top ACHIEVEability schedules spring gala ACHIEVEability will hold its 6th annual Spring Gala, Urban Arboretum on Saturday May 16th. The eve  nt will honor
Joseph Torsella, President and CEO of the National
Constitution Center and Chairman of the Pennsylvania State Board of
Education.Tickets for the gala are $150 and include cocktails, dinner and dancing as well as a live and silent auction. Urban Arboretum, an eco-friendly event utilizing recycled and local products, will take place at 7pm in the Urban Outfitters at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. For more information, go here or call 215-748-8830. back to top Award dinner honors mental health leaders The Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania will hold the Bell of Hope Award Dinner on Thursday May 21st. The dinner provides an opportunity to recognize regional leaders and to raise funds to support the education, advocacy and service programs of the organization. This year, the Bell of Hope Award will be presented to Philadelphia Police commissioner Charles H Ramsey for his extensive work with the behavioral health community. Additionally, Dr. Trevor Hadley, director of the  Center for
Mental Health Policy and Services Research
of the University of Pennsylvania Department of Psychiatry, will
receive the organization’s Leadership Award for his
contributions to a broad range of mental health policy and research
initiatives. The event will take place at the Sheraton Society Hill Hotel, 2nd and Walnut Streets, Philadelphia. For more information, email Nancy Salazar or call 215-751-1800. back to top    
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