About ESC
Welcome Back to
E-Strategies
Executive Service Corps of Chicago’s quarterly publication for nonprofit and public agency leaders, E-Strategies provides insights into best practices, new and useful knowledge, and other learning opportunities, grounded in ESC’s mission to sustain and build the capacity of the public service sector.
In This Issue:
Growing Your Visibility & Resources
- A Great New Opportunity: good2gether
- So You Want to Get the Word Out
- The New IRS Form 990
- Who’s Giving? Who’s Getting?
Transforming Your Organization
- Brain Drain: Are You Ready?
- Strategic Planning: Top 10 Reasons Why You Should
Leading the Way
- Food for Thought: Tomorrow's Leaders Today
- Election-Year Dos and Don’ts
What’s Up @ ESC?
- Lonely at the Top? Nonprofit Leadership Roundtables Can Help!
- Emergency Succession Plan Workshop
- New Opportunity for Retired or Soon-to-Retire Executive Directors
- Bridging the Leadership Gap: An Interim ED Can Make the Difference
- Illinois Library Association Conference
- National ESC Conference to be Held in Chicago
- It's Our Birthday and You're Invited!
Growing Your
Visibility & Resources
Building greater awareness of your success and serving the resources to support it
A Great New Opportunity: good2gether
Executive Service Corps is a launch partner of good2gether, a free web service. This fall, good2gether launches on the website of a major media partner in Chicago—don’t miss this chance to be visible to more than 3 million people! In addition, Do Good™ Channels will go live in media markets across the U.S. It's an exciting time, and we want you to be part of it!
RSVP for an exclusive "sneak peek" at http://good2gether.com/events/.
So You Want to Get the Word Out
Do you have a story to tell that could enhance your marketing and advocacy efforts? Consider a newspaper op-ed article or letter to the editor. These are widely read, particularly by public policy leaders, elected officials, philanthropists and others active in the marketplace of ideas.
The trick is to compete successfully for the time and attention of an editor and for space in that editor’s publication. The competition is stiff, but letters and articles that are clear, concise, direct and make one point well have the best chance of seeing print. Don’t muddy your effort by trying to say too much and beware of using boilerplate (formulaic or hackneyed) language, which will make your offering seem “canned” or mass-produced, and thereby easy to reject.
For more specific guidance, go to the website of the Connecticut Health Policy Project, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational organization. Another source of information is the Communications Network, which has a How to Write An Op-Ed posting.
The New IRS Form 990
Small tax-exempt organizations (those whose gross receipts are normally $25,000 or less) may want to take note of IRS rules regarding electronic reporting on Form 990-N (the e-Postcard) in 2008 for tax years that ended on or after Dec. 31, 2007. The e-Postcard is due each year by the 15th day of the fifth month after the end of the organization’s tax year.
The IRS also has redesigned Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax, for use in 2009 for tax year 2008. More information on the new 990 is available from the Internal Revenue Service.
Who’s Giving? Who’s Getting?
The Nonprofit Times special report Giving USA reveals that while 2007 showed only a modest increase in total charitable giving (1 percent when adjusted for inflation), significant increases were apparent in the areas of foundation grantmaking (7.3 percent) and bequests (4 percent). Individuals continue to represent the largest category of giving--nearly 75% of total charitable contributions.
Types of recipient organizations that experienced the largest increases in contributions include international affairs (12.9 percent when adjusted for inflation), environment/animals (7.7 percent) and human services (5.4 percent). Click here to read the entire report and learn how your organization can benefit from this valuable research.
Transforming
Your Organization
Making the best use of change as an opportunity for growth
Brain Drain: Are You Ready?
The Baby Boom population taxed maternity wards and schools as those born in 1946 through 1964 made the passage from infancy to adulthood and the workforce. Now as some of the Boomers begin to retire, they are still making their presence felt. And not only their presence, but their impending absence as well.
Not all are ready to retire; some didn’t come of age until the 1970s and early ’80s, after all. But those who are about to say goodbye to their employers will take a lot of know-how, experience and judgment out the door with them. The organizations and companies they have served will have to make wise, timely adjustments to avoid a gap in skills and leadership.
The impact of a brain drain, experts believe, will be greatest in the nonprofit and public service sectors and among leaders of those organizations. A hint of what is to come is evident in a Donors Forum of Chicago study which found that 75 percent of executive directors of Chicago-area nonprofits plan to be gone from their positions in five years or less.
The challenge of replacing lost talent rises along with the level of leadership. This is why nonprofits cannot ignore succession planning if they want to remain stable and effective and ensure a smooth transition to new leadership. Whatever the specific steps, nonprofits that ready themselves for a spate of retirements will manage the Boomers’ absence effectively, while maintaining their organization’s stability and fulfilling its mission.
For an in-depth article on one organization’s transition, read Time to Let Go, featuring the story of the Lower East Side Tenement Museum in New York City.
Strategic Planning:
Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Do It
10. Allows you to determine where you are now
9. Facilitates team building--group meetings and retreats with donuts!
8. Defines your direction and implementation plan for the next three to five years
7. Targets specific goals and objectives to make the progress you need
6. Gives you the opportunity to say “SWOT Analysis” (while you examine your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
5. Outlines doable methods and steps to achieve these goals and objectives
4. Allocates resources to ensure success along the way
3. Helps resolve longstanding disputes and points of contention to build a shared vision
2. Takes a proactive approach to the future of your organization
1. Strongly improves your ability to help those you serve
Leading the WayEnhancing the effectiveness of your current and future leaders
along with your organization
Food for Thought: Tomorrow's Leaders Today
People interested in social change look upon the nonprofit sector favorably, and those who work in nonprofits regard their work as meaningful and satisfying, according to a national survey by the Meyer Foundation, in partnership with CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Idealist.org. But the study, released in early March, also found that concern about earning potential over a lifetime was a barrier to would-be nonprofit executive directors. The study is available at www.meyerfoundation.org.
Election-Year Dos and Don’ts
As important as it is to participate in election-year efforts to select new leaders, nonprofit groups need to be mindful of restrictions on what they can and cannot do during a political campaign. For example, 501(c)(3) organizations are prohibited from working for the election of a candidate and cannot contribute to a candidate’s campaign. Endorsing a candidate is also prohibited. Visit the Donors Forum to find out more.
What's Up @ ESC?
Lonely at the Top? Nonprofit Leadership Roundtables Can help!
You’re the boss. But when you have ideas, problems or questions, who can you talk to?
Consider participating in an ESC Nonprofit Leadership Roundtable, where you can learn and share with a group of nonprofit leaders like yourself in a facilitated series of sessions whose agenda you help set. Each Leadership Roundtable meets once a month for eight months for two hours each session. As a member of the group, you will get professional advice and insights from experts, ideas and opportunities from your peers, new networking contacts, and insight from other members' experiences and suggestions. The next series begins in October. Click here for more information.
Emergency Succession Plan Workshop
What insurance do we have to keep our organizations functioning in the event that the executive director is unexpectedly unable to function for a matter of months? If there is no clear plan in place for the unexpected, how is your organization going to function?
Executive directors and senior executives should plan on attending this workshop, presented by ShoreBank and ESC. Attendees will learn how to plan to fully cover an unexpected absence and will begin to create a succession plan.
Tuesday, September 30, 9:00 am–12:00 pm
University Center, 525 S. State Street, Loop Room
$35 per participant, $25 for ShoreBank nonprofit customers
Call 773.420.5143 to register.
New Opportunity for Retired or Soon-to-Retire Executive Directors
ESC’s Interim Executive Director Service is recruiting a new class of highly experienced EDs to begin training in October. An Interim ED is an experienced outsider and highly skilled manager who provides strong, effective, short-term leadership to a nonprofit during the critically important transition after its leader departs. An Interim ED position is strictly temporary, usually lasting four to eight months. Interim EDs will be compensated by the client organization at rates determined on a project-by-project basis. Interim EDs are NOT candidates for permanent ED positions.
Through ESC, qualified candidates receive specialized training in skills provided by nationally renowned experts. If you are interested in becoming an Interim ED, please call 312.580.1840 x324, e-mail etm@esc-chicago.org or complete an application.
Bridging the Leadership Gap: An Interim ED Can Make the Difference
ESC has a pool of experienced nonprofit leaders ready to act as Interim Executive Directors to Chicago area nonprofit organizations. These Interim EDs have received specialized training, led by nationally renowned leaders in the field of nonprofit executive transition to help them cope with some of the varied and unique challenges they could face in leading a nonprofit through a period of change. If your organization is facing a leadership gap, visit the ESC website.
Illinois Library Association 2008 Conference & Exhibition
September 24-25 at Navy Pier
Stop by our booth (#226) to learn more about how your library can benefit from ESC's consulting and executive coaching services.
National ESC Conference to be held in Chicago
Representatives of ESCs from around the country will gather to learn, network and share best practices. Impact 2008, the annual conference of the Executive Service Corps Affiliated Network will be held October 2-4 at the Sutton Place Hotel in Chicago. Attendees from over 35 ESCs will discuss building diversity, measuring effectiveness, and generational changes, as well as other issues.
It's Our Birthday and You're Invited!
Please join us as we recognize the successes and dedication of our volunteers and celebrate 30 years of service to the Chicago nonprofit community. Chicago Tribune and nationally syndicated columnist Clarence Page will be the featured speaker at ESC's annual Celebration of Service luncheon and Leslie Hindman, president of Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, will take to the podium for the live auction. The event will be held on Thursday, November 13, 2008 from 11:00 am-2:00 pm at the University Club in Chicago. Tickets are available for $50. Contact ESC for more information.
