WCN's Upcoming Events
WCN eNEWS UPDATE
WCN eNEWs will be produced once every two weeks through August 2nd. We will be taking a break in August and return on September 13th, so no eNews will be sent during August. (Posted 6/21/10)
WCN PEER LEARNING BROWNBAG DISCUSSION
"Lobbying 101 for Nonprofits"
Noon-1:30 p.m., Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center, 13 Prospect Street, Suite 201, Bellingham, WA 98225
(Please note this Brown Bag is on the THIRD Thursday of the month instead of the usual second Thursday.)
Gear up for the the next legislative session. Get a refresher on nonprofit advocacy, from legislative education to lobbying with a capital "L." What are the key elements of "making the ask"? How do you help your board members get prepared for your advocacy agenda? Hear from other nonprofits about what works -- and what doesn't. Elizabeth Jennings, who has researched and trained on nonprofit advocacy skills for the last ten years, will facilitate the discussion, and she will share new tips from rural groups engaging successful advocacy strategies. The session is free and open to the public, but is not fully accessible; there are stairs at the location. This brown bag is presented in coordination with Northwest Training Institute, which is offering a nonprofit advocacy workshop later in September. See www.NWTI.org for more information.
WCN PEER LEARNING BROWNBAG DISCUSSION
"Lobbying 101 for Nonprofits"
Noon-1:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 16
Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center, 13 Prospect Street, Suite 201, Bellingham, WA 98225
(Please note this Brown Bag is on the THIRD Thursday of the month instead of the usual second Thursday.)
Gear up for the the next legislative session. Get a refresher on nonprofit advocacy, from legislative education to lobbying with a capital "L." What are the key elements of "making the ask"? How do you help your board members get prepared for your advocacy agenda? Hear from other nonprofits about what works -- and what doesn't. Elizabeth Jennings, who has researched and trained on nonprofit advocacy skills for the last ten years, will facilitate the discussion, and she will share new tips from rural groups engaging successful advocacy strategies. The session is free and open to the public, but is not fully accessible; there are stairs at the location. This brown bag is presented in coordination with Northwest Training Institute, which is offering a nonprofit advocacy workshop later in September. See www.NWTI.org for more information.
News & Views
MORE about these News and Views...
Washington Nonprofit Handbook Available: Published by Washington Attorneys Assisting Community Organizations (Posted 8-2010)
The "Washington Nonprofit Handbook: How to Form and Maintain a Nonprofit Organization in Washington State" (2009) is now available for free and contains information about the various laws impacting nonprofit organizations in Washington.
From the National Council of Nonprofits: Make a Difference in August (Posted 7-2010)
Pundits typically point to Labor Day as the official beginning of the political season, but in reality the election season actually begins after the Independence Day recess. This means that direct contact with voters is at its highest premium for the next several months.
Volunteer Report (Posted 7-2010)
United Way of King County announces the release of a new report "Volunteer Management: Challenges and Opportunities Facing Nonprofits."
Washington Nonprofits Formed (Posted 2-2010) A new state association has been formed in 2010 that will provide Washington’s 50,000+ nonprofits with representation in state and federal policy decisions.
December 2009 Report on Nonprofit Capacity (Posted 3-2010) Philanthropy Northwest recently released a report on nonprofit capacity building and needs in Washington State, including Whatcom County data.
LOSS OF TAX EXEMPT STATUS (Posted 5/12/2010) May 15 Deadline.... are you on the endangered list? According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, there are 7,663 organizations in Washington State that are at risk of losing their tax-exempt status if they don't file a Form 990 (or request an extension) by May 15 of this year. This is the new consequence of not filing a Form 990 with the IRS for the last 3 years. LOCAL FUNDERS SPEARHEAD SURVEY OF
LOCAL NEEDS (Posted 5/12/2010) This month the Whatcom Community Foundation, United Way of Whatcom County, and the St. Luke's Foundation and other members of the Whatcom Funders Alliance will conduct a survey of local nonprofit organizations gathering information on the effects the economic downturn is having on the nonprofit community and the people they serve.