Welcome to the July/August edition of e-strategies! ESC is delighted to share with you these quick introductions to news and information that can be of use to you and your organization.

2010 is proving to be a busy and exciting year for us, and we hope that’s true for you too. Our region’s nonprofit and public service sectors have had to focus their energies and resources on sustaining their organizational health and program stability – and, by and large, this has been a success. However, keeping the lights on means we’ll all have to not only pay attention to today’s challenges and opportunities, but also to plan and build for tomorrow’s.

We hope you benefit from this edition, and – as always – please let us know how we can help.

Sincerely,

Marcia J. Lipetz, President & CEO

Getting Things Going in Illinois

We all know how difficult challenges created by the recession and the host of problems associated with it have been for every Illinois community. While many organizations are still grappling with delayed grants or contracted services and other issues, it’s encouraging to report that there have been some things happening to try and make things different. Among these has been the work of the Illinois Economic Recovery Commission. Authorized by an executive order from the governor, this Commission has been empowered to address measures the State of Illinois could take to respond to the current economic downturn and promote long-term economic stability and expansion across the state.

Among its areas of activity have been conducting a wide-ranging study of best practices in other states and around the world that have fueled economic growth. The Commission also has analyzed Illinois’ tax and regulatory structure, with the aim of identifying new opportunities to foster job creation and improve the business climate.

With a team of our consultants serving as project staff, ESC was honored to be a part of the Commission’s work, which has produced this recent Report to the governor and the people of Illinois: Report of the Economic Recovery Commission.

On the National Front

The Nonprofit Quarterly recently featured a status update on a bill just introduced into the House of Representatives that could mean a whole new level of coordination between governmental entities and the nonprofit sector that is worth tracking: Proposed Federal Bill to Focus on the Needs of Nonprofits.

For a wide-ranging but in-depth analysis of the recession’s impact on employment in the nonprofit sector and what this impact could mean for the future, both long- and short-term, we recommend this excellent report from the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Civil Society Studies: Recession Pressures on Nonprofit Jobs.

Board Development – Doing It Right

Now perhaps more than ever, having an engaged, capable and supportive Board of Directors is essential for any nonprofit. One crucial factor in a successful Board is getting the right people on-board, and keeping everyone engaged and motivated. For some very clear advice, we recommend this great article from the newsletter of the Executive Service Corps of Southern California, our counterparts in the Los Angeles area.

Human Service & Public Agency Partnering

For any human service agency leader or manager who might not be aware of it, the Donors Forum has created an excellent, unparalleled resource for ensuring agencies in this sector can sustain and strengthen the best relationships with the governmental bodies – both City of Chicago and State of Illinois – that are their indispensable partners. If you haven’t gotten to know this resource, it’s a trust must-do for any human service agency leader. You can access it directly from the Donors forum website.

Your IRS Form 990 – It’s Not Too Late!

Even very small organizations must now file the new/revised Form 990, which is considerably more detailed and demanding than in the past. Although the deadline for filing has past, the IRS is promoting its willingness to work with organizations to get their 990s completed and filed. This page at the IRS website contains more information about how to work with the IRS – and remember it’s always best-practice to get this Form filed on-time. The risks of not doing so can be huge, including losing your tax-free certification!

When It’s Time to Go

As many organizations are already experiencing, the nonprofit sector is beginning to undergo its greatest ever seismic shift in leadership at the top. Over the past couple of years, the Boomer generation has just been coming into the retirement zone, meaning many executive directors are soon to be stepping down, or at least back, from their long-time roles and responsibilities. There are two fundamental questions that come into play when you begin planning to make the transition out:

How Do I Know When?
This article, by Tim Wolfred from CompassPoint Consulting, offers a highly-recommended, clear and compelling diagnostic for any leader considering this key question.

How Can I Ensure the Transition Works Best for Me and for My Organization?
Tailored specifically for founders and long-time executive directors who are anticipating a possible or planned departure within the next one to six years, ESC launched last year the Passing The Torch workshop. The next session of the two-day workshop set for August 10-11, 2010 follows the first two earlier sessions in which sell-out crowds of participants were walked through how to best prepare themselves and their organizations for their departure, and making the best possible transition to the new leader and the future.

Feedback from participants in this first-ever Chicago region program of this type has been phenomenal – there are still a few spaces available for the next (August 10-11) workshop – please follow this link for more information and how to sign up.

More Thinking About New Media & Making Best Use of It

While we’re all intently trying to utilize newer media (and particularly ‘social media’), it’s always wise to keep certain principles and guidelines in mind. This article from the Pew Research Center ("New Media, Old Media") contains great information, as well as some findings from studies of real experiences.

Another consideration is making sure you’re sufficiently planning and monitoring your new media presence. Dealing with privacy concerns, keeping your presence updated, responding to inquiries and many other factors have to be considered (and accounted for staff- and time-wise in order) to do things right. This quick article from the Nonprofit Quarterly has some helpful information.

Reframing Stories of the Great Recession: Moving From Individual to Public Narratives

Community Media Workshop

Tuesday, August 24, 8:30 a.m.- 11:30 a.m.

Despite challenged budgets and the shifting media landscape, nonprofits should be at the center of the Great Recession news frame. You need to reach your community, your clients, and key officials using a strategic social media effort. This presentation, to be held at Columbia College, 218 W. Wabash, Chicago, will include a media panel and a policy panel of experts who will share their advice and experiences. This is a FREE presentation but advanced registration is required.

Copyrights—What Your Nonprofit Needs to Know (Webinar)

Community Economic Development Law Project, DC Bar Pro Bono & Wilmer Hale LLP

Tuesday, August 31, 11:00 a.m.-12 noon

Every day, your organization prepares written material, often at considerable cost to you. You have manuals, training resources, website content, as well as flyers, brochures and other material—some created by your employees, others from independent contractors you’ve hired to assist you. Topics will include who owns this material, how your organization can protect its interests and when and how your organization can use other peoples’ material without getting into legal trouble.

Business Planning for New Nonprofits

Community Economic Development Law Project

Tuesday, September 14, 9:15 a.m.-11:00 a.m.

A solid business plan is critical to the success of your organization and will make filing for recognition of income tax exemption less difficult. Attend this workshop to learn about the key components and the writing process. The fee to attend is $35 ($30 before Sept. 7); advance registration required. The workshop will be held at 100 N. LaSalle, Suite 600, Chicago.

The First Summit on Aging and Education

Generations Serving Generations

Monday, September 20, 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

This event seeks to mobilize the resources of all generations to address two critical economic issues: dropouts and health. The morning will feature two concurrent sessions, one on engaging older adults, and the other, engaging youth; dynamic examples of best practices and great ideas from programs across Illinois will be presented. In the afternoon a joint session of conference participants and policy makers will highlight the ways that generations can work together to increase graduation rates and promote healthy lifestyles. The summit will be held at the New Alumni Center, Illinois State University, 1101 N. Main St., Normal, Illinois; the cost is $15, which includes lunch. The Summit is part of 2010: The Year of the Engaged Older Adult, which was proclaimed by Governor Pat Quinn and is sponsored by the National Governors Association Illinois Policy Academy on the Civic Engagement of Older Adults and 200 education, aging, business, and service organizations in Illinois.

Illinois Library Association Conference

Wednesday, September 29, 12:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

Thursday, September 30, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Navy Pier, Chicago

Join library leaders and staff, trustees and educators at this annual gathering – the third largest state library exposition in the country. There will be guest speakers, author events, educational opportunities and exhibits. Be sure to stop by ESC’s booth to say hello and enter our raffle to win a LightWedge!

Enter for a chance to win $3,000 in research and information services! - Would you like better data to support your strategic plans? Do you work for a nonprofit organization that needs more information about your clients, your neighborhood or your resources? Metro Chicago Information Center is giving away $3,000 in services to one lucky 501(c)(3) organization.

Volunteering in America and in Illinois - Did you know that the top four activities for service across the country are fundraising (26.6% of volunteers serving in this way between 2007 and 2009), followed by collecting or distributing food (23.5%), providing general labor or transportation (20.5%), and tutoring or teaching (19.0%)? Visit this site to access volunteering trends, statistics, tools, resources, and information for the nation, regions, states, and major cities. See how Illinois ranks on different factors related to volunteering.

Get Your Sanity Back - This blog for volunteers, webmasters and administrators of associations and nonprofits discusses issues and trends in web technologies and includes posts on Social Media, Free webinars and infographic online tools, quizzes for volunteers and lots more.

The Working Capital Loan Fund Partnership with the MacArthur Foundation & ShoreBank

ESC is very pleased to relate the great news of the extension of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Working Capital Loan Fund program for its arts grantees. Arts groups with annual budgets of between $250,000 and $3 million from either the MacArthur Funds at the Prince Charitable Trusts or the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, with funding directly from the Foundation can apply through ESC to ShoreBank for a cash-flow loan or line-of-credit financing to help them fulfill their artistic and organizational priorities. Interested organizations should contact John Donaker, ESC’s project manager, for information about the application process. To read the MacArthur Foundation’s announcement about the program, click here.

ESC’s Interim Executive Directors Reach a Milestone

In just 2½ years, our Interim Executive Director Service has proven to be very successful resource for local nonprofits. To date, ESC-trained, deeply experienced Interim EDs have worked with 20 area organizations undergoing transitions in their leadership – and the result have been outstanding. Feedback from clients has been excellent, with many reporting the huge difference their ESC Interim has made. To learn more about ESC’s award-winning Interim ED service, click here.

Save the Date: Our Annual Celebration of Service: Wednesday, November 3

Join us in celebrating the dedication and achievements of our consultants and celebrate the work they do to strengthen more than 150 nonprofits all across the Chicago area every year. We’ll gather at The Standard Club for lunch, an engaging speaker and live and silent auctions. Click here to add your name to our invitation mailing list.

About ESC

Executive Service Corps of Chicago (ESC) is the greater Chicago area’s leading nonprofit provider of capacity-building consulting services for nonprofits and public agencies. Working with 150+ organizations every year, ESC serves clients of all kinds and sizes, equipping them with knowledge, strategies and guidance critical for their sustainability and growth. ESC services are provided by our 270+ consultants, all of whom bring decades of expertise, insights and experience gained from their long-time executive-level careers in business, education and the civic/philanthropic sectors.

ESC's Programs & Services are tailored to each client’s specific needs, organizational culture and unique identity, grounded in the following core competencies:

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