Common Ground
for
Common Good

News, Resources & Advocacy
for Nonprofit Management

• Association News
  
• Sector News
  
• Management Ideas
  
• Workshops & Seminars
• Member Benefit Highlight
• New Members
  
• Nonprofit Jobs Statewide

For more info: WNA Career Center

External Relations & Operations Coordinator, Admission Possible - Greater Milwaukee, Milwaukee

Director of Development, Wisconsin Historical Foundation, Madison

Grassroots and Policy Specialist, SmokeFree Wisconsin, Madison

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.

• Text of Legislation
• Congresswoman Betty McCollum Press Release
  
• National Council of Nonprofits Press Release
  
• National Council of Nonprofits Policy Brief (PDF)

2010 Census Watch: As the Nonresponse Followup Proceeds ...
As of June 13, the US Census Bureau has completed and checked-in about 44 million enumerator forms of the approximately 47 million targeted for this operation, making the operation about 93% complete. The Bureau is somewhat ahead of schedule and certainly under-budget. Director Robert Groves states that this is a testament to the fine skills of the 2010 Census field staff.

Number of volunteers has grown despite recession, study says
The volunteer rate has been rising nationally for years, driven by factors including decades of presidential calls to action and greater emphasis on youth involvement through schools -- but the increase in the midst of a punishing recession surprised some experts.

5 Ways to Allow Your [Organization] to be Robbed Mid-Day
I never thought a stranger would actually come into our association office building and rob it mid-day, with staff in the building (including me), until it happened.

Are the Right People on Your Marketing Team? Download the Free eBook!
In this free ebook, Inbound Marketing authors Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah discuss tips for hiring inbound marketing savvy employees. They outline a suggested framework, called DARC, for selecting employees that will help make your company successful: D = Hire Digital Citizens; A = Hire for Analytical Chops; R = Hire for Web Reach; C = Hire Content Creators.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Your Online Communications
Are your online communications working?  How can you tell?  In this article, we talk through four types of measures-- Views, Followers, Engagement, and Conversion-- that help you track your efforts to see if they're worthwhile.

2011 Collaboration Prize Applications Due by July 16
The Collaboration Prize, created by the Lodestar Foundation, is a national award program designed to identify and showcase models of collaboration among nonprofit organizations. Each of eight finalists will receive $12,500 and the winner will receive an additional $150,000. To learn more and/or apply, click here.

Participate in a Statewide Survey on the Sector
Forward Community Investments, a nonprofit lender and technical assistance provider for Wisconsin nonprofits, and a Wisconsin Nonprofits member, is asking for your help in completing this survey.  Specifically, we are looking for your insight into how nonprofits like yours weathered 2009 and the first half of 2010.

Participate in University of Minnesota Survey on Corporate Sponsorships
The Carlson School of Management would like your reflections on the use of  corporate sponsorships and, more generally, factors that improve or hinder effectiveness of your fundraising activities. To complete the survey, click HERE.

Webinar - How to Build or Edit a Website without Technical Skills, 6/30, 12p - 2:30p. It's important for you to be able to edit your own site! We'll explore affordable options for content management systems - tools that allow you to easily update website text and images. From Idealware. Wisconsin Nonprofits members: use your discount code.

Networking - The Director Connector, Milwaukee. 7/13, 5p - 7:30p, Greater Milwaukee Foundation. BoardStar presents a whirlwind opportunity for nonprofit Boards and candidates to interview one another to find a mutually beneficial relationship. Learn about recruitment, placement, and nonprofit Board service. Then on to "speed matching" - a chance to start connecting.

See Full Calendar for More

• Does your 501(c)(3) organization currently participate in your state’s tax-rated unemployment system?
• Do you have 10 or more employees?
• Do you want to save 25% to 50% on your state unemployment taxes?

If yes to all, then check this out:

A Federal law enacted in 1970 entitles 501(c)(3) organizations to opt out of their state’s tax-rated unemployment system and become a direct reimburser. For most nonprofit employers, this represents a substantial savings. As a reimbursing employer, your organization only pays dollar for dollar for those benefits paid out to former employees.

However, becoming a direct reimbursing employer on your own presents your organization with a couple challenges:

•     managing cash flow to meet claim volatility
  
•     monitoring claims activity

If your 501(c)(3) organization has 10 or more employees, UST help can help you handle both, while saving you 25% to 50% on your taxes.
Request a Savings Quote today.

Is your organization already a direct reimburser?
If you have 10 or more employees and have had a reasonable claims history, UST can help your organization too! UST can monitor your claims activity, help with cash flow management, and provide investment income—which can all lead to significant savings to your organization.
Request a Savings Quote today.

UST stands for Unemployment Services Trust. It is a grantor trust created by and for nonprofit organizations. It is the largest of any national nonprofit unemployment trust and was solely created to help 501(c)(3) organizations take advantage of Federal Legislation that allows them to opt out of their state tax-rated unemployment system.

ELCA Urban Outreach Center, Kenosha
Southeast Wisconsin Citizens & Organizations Active in Disaster, Waukesha