Catch Me if You Can

Catch Me if You Can at the Westside Ministers Coalition Small Business Bootcamp I will be facilitating a small business bootcamp at the Westside Ministers Coalition headquarters on December 3, 2011, from 10:00 am-noon. The Westside Ministers Coalition is located at 5308 West Chicago Avenue. The FREE workshop will focus on the similarities and differences between strategic planning and business planning for small businesses and nonprofits, with overall objectives of helping small businesses position themselves for bank financing, and helping nonprofit organizations position themselves to raise funds. More	Take the Online Capacity Building Survey I am conducting a survey of agencies that have been, or will be, engaged in capacity building activities. This includes government agencies, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. Click here to take survey I thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
Automatic Revocation of Exemption Congress passed the Pension Protection Act in 2006, requiring most tax-exempt organizations to file an annual information return or notice with the IRS. Each month, the Internal Revenue Service updates the listing of organizations that under the law have automatically lost their tax-exempt status because they have not filed as legally required for the past three years. More	Just Checking: Nonprofit Compliance A number of nonprofit organizations have, or will soon come to the end of their fiscal year. Be sure to File Annual Reports to the Secretary of State. ALL Not-for-Profit Corporations must file an annual report of officers and directors with the Secretary of State. The due date depends upon when the corporation was formed. The annual report is due before the first day of the corporation’s anniversary month each year. More
Valerie F. Leonard Named to Racial and Ethnic Impact Research Task Force Valerie F. Leonard has been selected to serve on the Racial and Ethnic Impact Research Task Force. The Racial and Ethnic Impact (REI) Research Task Force Act was co-sponsored by Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) and Representative La Shawn K. Ford (D-Chicago) and signed into law on August 16, 2011, by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn after unanimous passage in the State General Assembly (SB 2271 / PA 97-0433). More	Valerie F. Leonard Selected to Serve on CMAP Citizens Advisory Council Valerie F. Leonard has been recently selected by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning Board of Directors to serve on its 16-member Citizens Advisory Council She will represent the City of Chicago, including its West Side. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is authorized to establish a Citizens' Advisory Committee (CAC) to: More
Weathering the Storm Slower economic growth often leads to lower stock prices and interest rates. Reduction in the amount of investment income for foundations to make grants. Sixty-five percent of grantmakers experienced a decline in asset value in 2009 (Donors Forum 2010). What can your organization do to adapt to the new realities? Click here.	19 Tips for Effective Fundraising with Letters A study conducted by the Direct Marketing Association in 2003 indicated that the average response rate for direct mail campaigns across all major industries was 2.61%. The response rate for nonprofit fundraisers was significantly higher, with an average of 5.35%. More