• Advocacy
  
• Sector News
• Management Tip
• Technology
• Vendor Spotlight
• New Members

[video] Movie Mondays Free weekly fundraising and awareness videos for nonprofits.

The National Center for Charitable Statistics The national clearinghouse of data on the US nonprofit sector.

Nonprofit World magazine Free nonprofit management articles from WNA Preferred Vendor Society for Nonprofit Organizations

NTEN The membership organization of nonprofit professionals who put technology to use for their causes. 

[podcast] Social Good Monthly podcasts about online Tools for Fundraising and Advocacy

The Pro Bono Resource Bank Professional resources, including legal assistance, for nonprofits struggling in the economic downturn.

Membership Year Begins
Jan 1

Not yet a member? Become part of the collective voice promoting the impact of our vital sector. Visit us at

www.WisconsinNonprofits.org

or contact Elaine Glowacki, Member Services Coordinator, elaine@wisconsinnonprofits.org or 608-238-7103. 

Not sure you're a member?
Click HERE.

Members: Refer a NEW member to WNA, choose one:

• Ashland:
  Jennifer Fanucci
  
• Madison:
  Elaine Glowacki
  
• Portage County:
  Sarah Halstead
• St. Croix:
  Mary Handrahan

Our purpose is to increase the effectiveness, visibility, and credibility of Wisconsin's nonprofits through advocacy, resource sharing, and technical support.

We find common ground for common good to offer a collective voice for nonprofits.

Now Open
at www.WisconsinNonprofits.org:

• Job seeker tools and services, including career coaching, resume help, education/training, articles, advice, and blogs
• Job alerts and anonymous resume posting options for job seekers
• Easy-to-use job posting and resume searching capabilities for employers, including access to active and passive candidates
• Pay-by-prospect (pay only for resumes of interested candidates) and other flexible options for employer
• Networked to Job Boards across the country
  

Mark your calendar!

Keynote by Tim Delaney, National Council of Nonprofits
Pre-Summit Workshops  •  Summit Workshop Tracks
Conversation Cafe  •  Networking & Exhibition Reception

POLICY MEMORANDUM: A Scan of Nonprofit Policy Recommendations for the Obama Administration
The Obama Administration is less than a month old, its most significant nonprofit-specific appointments not yet formally announced, and the policy recommendations floated by nonprofit leadership organizations still have currency.  At this point, the question is not what has the Obama Administration done, much less set in stone, regarding nonprofit policy in its first month in office, but what messages and priorities are being conveyed by the nonprofit sector for the Obama appointees' consumption and action.

The Wisconsin Office of Recovery and Reinvestment Launches Website
The Office of Recovery and Reinvestment was recently created to help the people of Wisconsin take full advantage of the funding opportunities the stimulus bill provides.  During the coming weeks they will be analyzing the bill and providing much more additional information through this site.  Check back regularly for updates and new information.

President Urges Congress to Pass National-Service Legislation
In a speech tonight to a joint session of Congress, President Obama called on lawmakers to pass a bill that would greatly increase participation in national-service programs.

"A New Era of Responsibility":  An Open Letter to President Obama
As US President Barack Obama advocates volunteering as part of what he terms "a new era of responsibility,"  it's a unique moment in which the profession of volunteer management can make itself visible.  A national leader in volunteerism offers this "Open Letter" to present concrete requests and urges you to add your perspective as well.

Four Futures
During these troubled times, what lies in store for the nonprofit sector, and what do we need to do about it? Along with every family in America, the nonprofit sector is wondering about its future. Will we miraculously survive as we largely do today? Will we starve our organizations to the core or emerge from the current economic calamity mostly intact? Will we fight the prevailing downturn on behalf of our individual institutions and leave others to defend themselves, or instead will we join forces to shore up the sector as a whole? In the aftermath of this financial crisis, will we have real options and choices?

Sarbanes-Oxley and Nonprofits: Bogeyman in the Boardroom?
Somehow, all the pubicity about Sarbanes-Oxley made it seem as if this legislation applied to nonprofits, too. But contrary to what is frequently thought (and said in nonprofit boardrooms!), Sarbanes-Oxley is not applicable to nonprofits, albeit with just a couple of exceptions. In other words, there are a couple of small points to note (templates later in this article), a lot to relax about, and a lesson to be learned in nonprofit leadership.

10 Approaches Charities Are Taking to Fill Their Coffers
Fund raisers across the country are trying new approaches to attract and keep donors. The Chronicle of Philanthropy offers a 10-step battle plan for making the best of a tough fundraising climate based on interviews with charity leaders and fundraising experts. 

What Nonprofits are Saying About the Bailout: A Fast Roundup
Hundreds of nonprofits across the U.S. - from advocacy groups to local community co-ops - work directly or indirectly to bring about financial systems reform. They have offered a variety of responses to the dramatic events involving our largest banks and the federal government. Just as politicians, economists and bloggers on the left and right have different responses, so do nonprofits.

Taking a chance creatively is something a nonprofit can offer a photographer in exchange for a lower fee. The photographer can try something new with minimal risk and your partnership can lead to exceptional communications that not only fulfill the immediate need for the agency but also garner wider attention from the community at large.

But why hire a professional when you can take your own photos and save money?  A pro can help you technically by delivering higher quality, creative, and engaging images guided by an understanding of how you plan to use them. Pros have the experience and equipment to work in a variety of lighting conditions; use their time efficiently; and are able to shoot from many angles to capture more situations in a day, building your image library for future uses.

Submitted by Tom Lindfors, Lindfors Photography, Inc.

Getting Your Videos Onto The Web
Online videos can be a great way to showcase your organization's mission and work - but you'll need to make sure they reach your intended audience. Michael Hoffman looks at some of the ways you can distribute videos online.

Using RSS Tools to Feed Your Information Needs
With RSS, or Really Simple Syndication, you can subcribe to your favorite Web sites, and when they're updated, the content is delivered to you. There are now almost as many ways to view RSS data as there are types of information to manage. What kind of consumer are you? What type of tool will help you manage your information most efficiently, day in and day out.

Long-distance Relationships? How do you meet with your colleagues, volunteers, or donors you who are located remotely?

Low-cost, High-quality, Easy-to-Use Teleconferencing. Why not meet on the phone?  Wisconsin Nonprofits Association offers its members ReadyTalk, a conference calling solution to help you cut the costs associated with driving or flying to collaborate with folks who are located miles away.  Through your membership, you have access to conference calling at just 4 cents per participant per minute. That's all! No hidden fees!

Meet on Your Schedule. Host conference calls easily whenever you need – without reservations, a contract, minimums, or set up fees. Already use another teleconferencing service? Visit www.readytalk.com/wna to calculate how much you can save by changing providers.

Web Conferencing Lets You Do Even More. WNA members use ReadyTalk's web conferencing feature to share visual information through webinars, trainings, and meetings with Board members and project team members. The discounted price for web conferencing is just 8 cents per participant per minute. 

SPECIAL OFFER. Even better, the Wisconsin Nonprofits Association has negotiated a FREE web conferencing trial for Members who have not yet used ReadyTalk’s web conferencing service.  Try web conferencing free for the next 90 days with Coupon Code WNA90.*

*Trial is available only for current members and Partners of WNA, and applies only to organizations that have not used ReadyTalk web conferencing previously.  Audio conferencing will bill at $.04 per participant per minute during the free web trial.  WNA’s discounted web conferencing rate of $.08 per participant per minute will apply after 90 days.

For more info: Visit www.readytalk.com/wna today or contact April Martinez at 303.209.1716 or april.martinez@readytalk.com.

Society's Assets, Racine
Solaris Management, Madison

And welcome back, renewing Members!

Got this from a friend or colleague? Subscribe to Common Ground.