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JANUARY 2017
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Help us start 2017 right by letting us know how we can better meet the needs of the sector and our constituents!
All workshops are held at NPCC unless otherwise noted.
Thursday, January 12
9:30am - 11:30am

The design and structure of nonprofit space does not always align to maximize the organization mission and empower people in the space. Transwestern workplace strategy and real estate experts will discuss some of the best practices that nonprofits are now embracing. There will be a group exercise during the workshop as well as planning worksheets provided to take back to your organization with you to start implementing what you have learned.
Thursday, January 26
3:00pm - 5:00pm
Human Services Council of New York
130 East 59th St., Rm 710
New York, NY 10022

This training will cover the nuts and bolts of the City, State, and Federal lobbying laws, including recent updates, what constitutes lobbying, and when and how lobbying should be reported. Find out whether your organization has engaged in "lobbying activity" and, if so, what you need to do comply with the law.

Time will be allocated for questions and answers, but if you already have specific questions that you would like addressed, please submit them in advance by clicking here.

Co-sponsored by Human Services Council of New York and NPCC.
Friday, February 24
8:30am - 11:00am
Oppenheimer Funds, 225 Liberty Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10281

Are you a plan administrator of your organization's retirement plans? Please join keynote speakers, David Donaldson, President and CEO of ERISA Smart, and Dick Friedman, Managing Director of Iron Financial, for a presentation on retirement plan management.
To see our full workshop calendar,  click here .
POSTINGS & ADS
Space Ads  are solely for 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with office space available, those seeking space, or those with meeting or conference space for rent in the New York City area.

Do you have an available listing or looking for a meeting/event space?
Click here and submit your listing!


TRENDING
A New Year - Message from NPCC President, Sharon Stapel
As the new year begins, I wanted to take a moment to wish you a happy new year and to tell you about NPCC's plans for 2017 and beyond. In the coming year, we know there will be change within and to our sector, although not what kind. But we can rely on two strong points of certainty: first, your mission last year is your mission this year; you know your work, and how to do it best. Second, NPCC will be there for you, promoting and protecting the entire nonprofit sector for this year and every year. We will work with you, and for you, to ensure that you have the resources you need to do the hard and critical work of supporting our communities.   Click here to continue reading the President's message .
INSIDE NPCC
SAVE THE DATE!  NPCC Annual Meeting of Members - April 12, 2017

  Catch up on NPCC's activities during the past year and find out what's happening in the nonprofit world. This year's event will also include a panel discussion with top nonprofit experts and conclude with a networking reception. Click here to RSVP!
NPCC Gives a Sneak Peek of 2017 Strategic Plan Goals at Open House
NPCC held an Open House event on December 20, 2016 and gave over 50 guests a first glimpse of the 2017 Strategic Plan Goals:

1. MEMBER-BUILDING: NPCC member nonprofits are strong and better positioned to achieve their missions. NPCC members will be better equipped to manage effectively because they understand the Eight Key Areas of Nonprofit Excellence, why they are important, and implement them in their organizations.

2. MOVEMENT-BUILDING: NY nonprofits are engaged in building a movement for nonprofit equity. Nonprofits understand the value of collective action to protect and advocate for the sector, and are working together to advance their shared interests.

3. STRONGER NPCC: NPCC is an agile, innovative, and sustainable organization. Engage with members, the sector, and partners outside of the sector using up-to-date technology, data and communications tools.


Guests provided feedback in our comment boxes and whiteboards arranged in the event space. What are your thoughts on our 2017 goals? Email your thoughts and feedback.
INSIDE NONPROFITS
Nonprofit Resiliency Committee - Updates
NPCC is a member of the New York City Nonprofit Resiliency Committee (NRC), a collaboration of NYC government staff and nonprofit leaders. The NRC's goal is to identify and launch policies and practices that support nonprofits in NYC. This is done through three work groups: Administrative Processes, Service & Program Design, and Organizational Infrastructure.

To date, the NRC has identified the following issues for review:

1. Administrative Processes: Lags in Contract Registration; Audits (streamlining); Cash Flow (focusing on a uniform policy for contract advances)
2. Service & Program Design: Pre-RFP and RFP best practices (to be incorporated in a Design Playbook)
3. Organizational Infrastructure: Indirect costs (compliance with federal rules and consistent policy across agencies); and OTPS (recommendations on cost escalators, focusing on occupancy and insurance costs).

In the coming months, the  NRC will launch a website that will communicate with the wider sector on a quarterly basis.
Overtime Regulations in New York State In Effect as of December 31, 2016

As we reported in  New York Nonprofits '  October Issue , federal overtime regulations are currently on hold while the U.S. District Court in Texas moves forward with the case. However, with three days' notice, on  December 28, 2016, New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) finalized its own overtime rules , increasing salaries for administrative and executive work and the number of workers who will qualify for overtime pay.
 
The new salaries differ  based on size and geographic location of the employer, and the salary thresholds will increase incrementally over the next six years.  Effective December 31, 2016, the new salary thresholds are:  
  • New York City: $825 per week ($42,900 annually) for employers with 11 or more employees ("large employers"); this amount will increase annually until it reaches $1,125 per week ($58,500) on December 31, 2018 for large employers and December 31, 2019 for employers with 10 or fewer employees.
  • Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties: $750 per week ($39,000 annually); this amount will increase annually until it reaches $1,125 per week ($58,500) on December 31, 2021.
  • Other parts of New York: $727.50 per week ($37,830 annually); this amount will increase annually until it reaches $937.50 per week ($48,750 annually) on December 31, 2020.
This raises pay from the former NYSDOL rates of $675 per week ($35,100 per year).  A complete chart of the new rates can be found  here . A new set of FAQs from NYSDOL can be found  here .

Executive and administrative employees who are currently paid less than the new salary threshold (based on number of employees and location) can either:

a. increase those salaries to the new minimum beginning with the paycheck or direct deposit covering December 31, 2016; or
b. convert exempt employees earning less than the new salary threshold to non-exempt (and therefore eligible for overtime) beginning with the first day of the workweek in which December 31 falls.

NPCC will have more information about this change in the new year. As well, NPCC - in partnership with  Lawyers Alliance of New York - created an  Overtime Regulations Flowchart to provide guidance on the  federal regulations. We will keep you posted on new developments as they come.  Click here to view and download.

If you have any questions, please email Policy Strategist, Tiloma Jayasinghe at  [email protected] or call 212-502-4191 ext. 221.
Report Reveals New York's Nonprofit Sector First in the Nation
According to a report released December 7, 2016 by the Office of the New York State Comptroller, New York's nonprofit sector is the largest in the nation. As of 2012, New York's nonprofits provided 1.3 million jobs, or more than 18% of all private employment in the state. New York also leads the U.S. in the number of nonprofit establishments with 31,040.

Between 2007 and 2012, the number of nonprofits increased both in the state and nationwide. Nationally the number grew by nearly 3% each year, compared to an annual average growth of only 0.3% for all private sector establishments. Click here to read full report.
NYCLU & ACLU Sue New York Over Ethics Law
Earlier this year, the NYS Governor signed into law Bill No. A10742/S8160 (the "ethics bill") which, in relevant part, requires that 501(c)(3)s disclose some of their donor identities if that 501(c)(3) makes in kind or monetary donations to any 501(c)(4) that engages in significant lobbying in NY.  This requirement went into effect on November 22, 2016.

Under this new funding disclosure regime, any 501(c)(3) that (1) provides monetary or in kind donations over $2,500; (2) during the six-month period January 1 - June 30; or July 1 to December 31 of any particular year; (3) to a 501(c)(4) that needs to file a source of funding report,  must now file a funding disclosure report to the Charities Bureau .

The foundations of the American Civil Liberties Union and the New York Civil Liberties Union jointly filed a lawsuit on Wednesday, December 21, 2016 saying the ethics law violated the First and Fourth Amendments and should be declared unconstitutional.  Click here to read more .
NYC Council Signs Bill Into Law To Prevent Conflicts of Interest with Elected Officials and 501(c)(3)s
On December 22, 2016, Mayor DeBlasio signed into law a bill (Int 1345-2016)  that will prohibit donations above $400 per year from people who are a) lobbyists, b) have city contracts, or c) who otherwise do business with the city to non-governmental entities that are controlled by a local elected official or their agents and spend 10% or more of their annual budget on public-facing communications that feature the name or picture of the elected official who controls them.

This bill also requires donor disclosure for all non-governmental entities controlled or recently created by a local elected official or their agents, whether or not they engage in public-facing communications that feature the name or picture of the elected official who controls them. This information will be available on the website of the Conflicts of Interest Board, which will be responsible for administering the law.  Click here to read more .
S2243A Bill Will Save Nonprofits $$$
On September 29, 2016, Governor Cuomo signed S2243A into effect, to "authorize not-for-profit corporations that provide a service to a county to make purchases or to contract for certain services through the county which the not-for-profit has a contract with." This bill is designed to save costs by allowing nonprofits that provide services for their respective counties to make purchases through county contracts.  Click here to read more .
Governor Cuomo Presents First Proposal of 2017 State Of The State: Making College Tuition-Free For New York's Middle-Class Families
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, unveiled on Tuesday, January 3, 2017 the first signature proposal of his 2017 agenda: making college tuition-free for New York's middle-class families at all SUNY and CUNY two- and four-year colleges. New York's tuition-free college degree program, the Excelsior Scholarship, is the first of its kind in the nation.

Under this groundbreaking proposal, more than 940,000 middle-class families and individuals making up to $125,000 per year would qualify to attend college tuition-free at all public universities in New York State. The Excelsior Scholarship program will ensure that students statewide, regardless of their socio-economic status, have the opportunity to receive an education.  Click here to read more .
New JCOPE Regulations: The Pros and Cons
The New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) issued sweeping regulations governing lobbying that will have a significant impact on the nonprofit sector. On December 7, 2016, Laura Abel, of the Lawyers Alliance of New York, testified before JCOPE on behalf of the Lawyers Alliance and NPCC regarding both the positive and negative aspects of these regulations. Her comments focused on the fact that the positive aspects to these regulations are outweighed by the negative impact and burden that it places on nonprofits.

The positive impact of these regulations are that they:
1.  streamline reporting requirements that allows an organization that acts as its own lobbyist to file only one set of reports rather than two separate ones (once as lobbyist and once as lobbying client).
2.  eliminate the need for a second semi-annual report when a client has filed a Semi-Annual Report for the first six months of the year but does not meet the $5,000 reporting threshold for the rest of the year.

The negative implications of the JCOPE regulations are:
1. they p ose a significant administrative burden on small nonprofits (particularly those without compliance staff or in-house attorneys) in the way JCOPE has defined "beneficial client" and "coalitions." JCOPE has defined a "beneficial" client as any individual or organization on whose behalf lobbying activity is conducted, even if there is no money changing hands. As well, this definition is overly broad in that organizations that might benefit from the subject of the lobbying, even when they may not even know such lobbying exists, may be responsible for reporting; and organizations that retain a lobbyist towards a goal that may include and impact entire communities would then be swept into this regulation.
2.  JCOPE's definitions of "coalitions" and "third parties" is too broad. Many nonprofits engage in conversations and work collaboratively with other organizations, allies and individuals (considered by JCOPE to be "third parties") regarding their advocacy and their program goals. JCOPE, in these regulations, has required that an organization disclose those third parties even where there is no formal agreement to lobby on that coalition's behalf. This is not just overly burdensome, but an over-reach of JCOPE's regulatory power.
3.  JCOPE has required disclosure of employees' and members' personal social media posts. Under the regulations, it would attribute an employee's personal social media posts to an organization when such posts are encouraged by the organization as part of a social media campaign. There is no basis under the Lobbying Act to require an organization to disclose these posts if they are not paying the employee to post. Furthermore, tracking social media accounts is not just an administrative burden, but a troubling intrusion into personal privacy, and a likely violation of employee's rights.

What was clear from the hearing was that JCOPE was unaware that its regulations would have these types of impacts on the nonprofit sector. By highlighting the burdens and compliance costs such regulations would pose on nearly all nonprofits in New York City, the Lawyers Alliance of New York sought to reduce these consequences.
RESOURCES

This companion report to " Risk Management for Nonprofits" aims to help trustees have a better understanding of overhead and governance issues, thus becoming more effective in their duties.
CEP

At a time of growing concern over issues, foundation leaders are considering their role in addressing society's challenges. Based on the perspectives of more than 200 founda tion CEOs collected through in-depth interviews and responses to a survey from May to June of 2016, this report, commissioned by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, captures foundation leaders' views on challenges and concerns about the changing landscape.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released a resource document on December 12, 2016, explaining workplace rights  for individuals with mental health conditions under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The resource document -  Depression, PTSD, & Other Mental Health Conditions in the Workplace: Your Legal Rights  - is presented in a question and answer format intended for applicants and employees. The informal guidance is a useful primer for understanding the EEOC's expanding stance on employer obligations to provide reasonable workplace accommodations. Click here for more information.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
* B-Change Insights
* Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa-USA
* German School Brooklyn
* Global Left Forum, Inc.
* Musicians Foundation, Inc.
* New York Wins, Inc.
* Radikal4Kidz
* Society of St. Vincent de Paul: Manhattan District Council
* Software in the Public Interest
* Success Foundation
* Tech Kids Unlimited
* Tempo Group
* The B Team Headquarters
* The GGI Foundation
* The Safest Seat
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

Registration is now open for the 2017 Regional State of the State Addresses being delivered the week of January 9. The addresses will take place in six different locations over the course of three days:

- Monday, January 9 in New York City and Buffalo

- Tuesday, January 10 in Westchester and Long Island

-Wednesday, January 11 in Albany and Syracuse

 

Click here to register.
January 11, 2017
8:30am - 11:00am
Chelsea Piers, Pier 59
New York, NY

The Annual Membership Meeting and State of the Industry Event meeting will explore what funding trends are coming next and who our allies will be in this new year.  Review AFP accomplishments of the past year, and recognize the Board of Directors and volunteers. Click here to register.
January 12, 2017
5:00pm - 8:00pm
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
601 Lexington Ave (Entrance on 53rd St)
New York, NY

Learn first-hand from their insights on a newly released study: " The Art and Science of Creating Effective Youth Programs" created in collaboration with News Corp, Youth INC, and Algorhythm.

The convening will also feature a guest panel of NYC youth, leaders from the Office of the Mayor, NPCC ,  and the CUNY School of Professional Studies.  Click here to register .
Deadline: January 13, 2017

The Liberty Fund in the New York Community Trust is starting a first round of review and grantmaking and requests descriptions of time-sensitive projects designed to preserve hard-fought protections for New Yorkers in the weeks and months ahead. Deadline for Letters of Inquiry is January 13, 2017.  Click here for more information .
January 18, 2017
8:00am - 5:30pm
Pace University - Schimmel Center
$25 - $150

NYN  Media's first Nonprofit BoardCon will bring together board members and senior executives at an all-day conference to discuss best practices and strategies for nonprofit boards. Learn from senior executives of New York's nonprofit sector, check out what their exhibitors have to offer, and enter to win raffle prizes. 
Early bird tickets are extended until December 15.
January 18, 2017
12:00pm - 1:00pm
$20

Arts organizations may engage in regulated lobbying when they seek government funding, work on social justice-related projects, or advocate for expanded arts education in the schools. Public charities can lobby, but they must be aware of and stay within tax code limits on the amount of lobbying they may do. This webinar will identify those limits and the laws requiring the disclosure of lobbying activity. It will also explain the tax code's requirement that public charities must avoid supporting or opposing
candidates.  Participants will be able to evaluate how much lobbying their organization can do, whether their organization must register as a lobbyist, and how to avoid engaging in partisan political activity. Recommended fo r board members, managers, and others involved in the day-to-day operation of arts organizations that are public charities.  Click here for more information and registration.
January 24, 2017
9:00am - 11:30am
Scandinavia House Volvo Room
58 Park Avenue at 38th St., NY, NY
$25

Released in August 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update 2016-14 implements numerous changes to the financial statement reporting model of not-for-profit entities. Candice Meth, CPA, and Peter Bihuniak, CPA - partner and manager at EisnerAmper LLP, respectively - will explain what you need to know about these new aspects of FASB guidance. This program is recommended for  anyone who uses nonprofit financial reports in their work, including executive directors, CEOs, CFOs, COOs, board members, development officers, program officers, philanthropy leaders, nonprofit advisors, and other interested executives. Seating is limited.  Click here for more information and registration.
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

Looking for a fundraising opportunity for your organization? Yankee Stadium is currently looking for nonprofits to work their concessions stands. The stand makes for a great opportunity for fundraising for any number of organizations, as the nonprofit earns 10% of the sales of the stand. If you are interested in applying for this opportunity or have any questions, please contact Jaclyn Darigo (HR Manager, Yankee Stadium) at 646-977-8498 or [email protected].

New York Nonprofits is a monthly publication of the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc. (NPCC).
Editor: Heysha Nameri, Communications Coordinator.  For information or questions about the enewsletter email  [email protected] .
NPCC was established in 1984 to help nonprofits meet common challenges and problems, to serve as a meeting ground, and to strengthen the nonprofit sector as a whole. NPCC has more than 1,400 members in the New York metropolitan area, ranging from all volunteer groups to major institutions.

Membership in NPCC provides a place where your voice is heard and adds to the collective voice of the nonprofit community.
Dues for 501(c)(3) nonprofits (that are not grantmakers) are based upon the organization's annual operating budget.
For more information email Membership manager, Kristen Jones at [email protected].

Board Officers: 
Ian J. Benjamin, Chair
Vice Chair: Robert Acton
Treasurer: Charlene Laniewski
Secretary: Merble Reagon

Board Members: Victoria Bailey, Diana Davenport, Leslie Goldman, Ronda Kotelchuck, Patricia Kozu, Antoinette La Belle, Larry Lee, Sheila Lewandowski, Roland Lewis, Carolyn McLaughlin,  Tuhina De O'Connor,  Karen Pearl, Michael Seltzer, Emily Smith, JoAnn D. Smith, Richard Souto, Sarah (BJ) Sung, Stephanie Thomas, Eileen Torres, G. Robert Watts, Jo-Ann Yoo; Sharon Stapel, President ex oficio
Michael Clark, President Emeritus |  Jonathan A. Small, Esq., President Emeritus |  Peter Swords, Esq., President Emeritus |  John E. Craig, Jr., Cha irman Emeritus

Copyright © 2016 Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc. New York Nonprofits is published twelve times a year. Select articles may be reprinted in print form (they may not be printed in any medium other than print form) with the express permission of the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York, Inc.