IN THIS ISSUE:
 Nonprofit Awareness Day Celebration
Nonprofit Awareness Day is just a few weeks away! On Monday, June 5, join House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Senate President Stan Rosenb
erg, and
Jay
A
sh,
Secretary of Housin
g and Economic Developmen
t along with hundreds of nonprofit leaders
at the State House to celebrate the essential work of the nonprofit sector. This annual celebration is
pr
esented by
Citizens Bank
.
Show Everyone Why #nonprofitsmakesense
 Throughout the month of May, join MNN's online celebration leading up to
Nonprofit Awareness Day
with the hashtag
#nonprofitsmakesense
on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Together, we will show residents, funders, nonprofit and business leaders, and elected officials across the state just how important and impactful the Commonwealth's nonprofits are.
The best way to engage in the online conversation is by sharing stories, stats, images, and videos with the
#nonprofitsmakesense hashtag to showcase the work you do in your local community. Post pictures of your volunteers and staff hard at work, highlight stats on how your organization helps the community, take short videos of your volunteers and staff and have them explain why your work is critical, or encourage your social media friends and followers to join the movement.
Meet the Nonprofit Excellence Awards Finalists
Each year, MNN honors the dedication, passion, and impact of leaders in the state's nonprofit sector with the Nonprofit Excellence Awards.
This year, our panel of judges reviewed over 120 nominations that highlighted the incredible work of nonprofits across the state. Read below to get
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WATCH CDC
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Federal Public Policy Update
The Johnson Amendment & Federal Charitable Tax Deduction
Last week, President Trump signed
Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty, an executive order that, among other things, directs the IRS to not take any "adverse action" against individuals or religious organizations that speak about moral or political issues from a religious perspective. This issue relates to a provision in the tax code, known as the Johnson amendment, which prohibits churches and other 501(c)(3) organizations from directly or indirectly participating in any political activities and is enforced by the IRS. While related to the Johnson Amendment, this executive order does not repeal the Johnson amendment as only an act of Congress can effectuate a full repeal.
This executive order, while focused on churches and religious leaders, is aimed at weakening the Johnson amendment. MNN will continue to oppose all efforts to politicize nonprofits. Remaining nonpartisan - by not endorsing or contributing to candidates - enables Massachusetts nonprofits to put politics aside and collaborate on pressing social issues, all while enhancing the public's trust in the greater charitable community.
Protecting the Johnson amendment and the federal charitable tax deduction are two important federal issues that will impact Massachusetts nonprofits. Over the past several months, MNN has focused on and talked about these two issues at our Regional Meetings, in our newsletters, and with state and federal elected officials. In engaging our congressional delegation and participating in national coalitions on these two issues, MNN has continued to urge individual nonprofits to also engage on these issues when talking to their federal representatives, senators, and their staff. To help facilitate these conversations, we have put together one-pagers on the Johnson amendment and the charitable tax deduction and urge nonprofits to use them as resources. If you are unsure of who your U.S. Representative or Senator is but want to engage on these issues, you can click here
to look up your Representative, and here
to look up your Senators.
Questions about the executive order or other federal issues? Contact Tonja Mettlach, Director of Government Affairs, at
[email protected].
House Final Budget Modifies Employer Assessment but Concerns Remain
Under the House final FY18 budget, the administration would need to conduct at least one public hearing, produce a small business impact statement, and use specific factors in determining the scope and amount of the employer assessment. The factors that the administration would need to consider include: (1) what an appropriate health insurance utilization rate might be; (2) whether employees receive health insurance from a spouse, parent, or veterans plan; and (3) what the total amount of the employer health care assessment should be. The final House budget lowered the revenue target of the assessment ($180 million as opposed to the $300 million proposed by the administration) and delayed implementation to January 2018 instead of July 2017. Finally, the House included language sunsetting this proposal two years after its effective date. The House's version of the assessment will allow the Baker Administration and Legislature additional time to understand the impact of any future federal health care changes and will give stakeholders additional time to meet with decision makers on this issue.
MNN has been engaged with the administration and
Legislature since this proposal was introduced and will continue to work on this important issue and update our members as new details emerge.
The next step in the budget process is the Senate. We expect the Senate Committee on Ways and Means to release their proposed budget in the third week of May.
MNN Training with Insource: How to Successfully
 Structure & Manage Your IT
Join us for an
in-person training
with Russell Greenwald, Vice President at
Insource Services, Inc.
, on Thursday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the NonProfit Center in Boston. Attendees will learn the steps and key considerations in the creation and implementation of a one to two year IT plan, as well as the ongoing support critical to an effective plan. The training will also address how to effectively assess and manage IT support for either your internal staff or your IT consulting vendor. The event is free, but space is limited so register
here
.
Accepting 2017 C
onference Workshop Proposals
We are seeking proposals for approximately 30 workshops that will make our 2017 conference the best yet.
If you have information or best practices to share, this conference will be the perfect opportunity to highlight your expertise.
Before submitting a proposal, please read the
2017 Conference Workshop Request for Proposal
.
You can learn more about the conference and submit your proposal
here
.
We also urge you to forward this RFP to any colleagues or connections whom you think might be interested in proposing a workshop for the conference. The deadline for proposals is Friday, June 2
.
Refer to the
Conference Workshop FAQ
page for more information about the MNN annual conference and the workshop selection process.
For questions, please contact Marta Hodgkins-Sumner at
[email protected]
or 617-330-1188 x281.
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Nonprofit 411: Tips for Lobbying your Legislators
Most nonprofit leaders I train to lobby feel overwhelmed at the prospect of asking their lawmakers to secure a budget earmark or to advocate for legislation that would benefit their organization. There's a lot of relationship-building and other work to do ahead of meeting with them, but if you're already well-known to your state representative and state senator, this is the
Anatomy of the Ask.
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May's Free Wednesday Webinar
Join us on May 17 for a webinar presented by Paul Konigstein, Senior Consultant, and Jason Solomon, Nonprofit Client Practice Manager, with
CliftonLarsonAllen. This webinar will cover a variety of financial topics, including a review of the types of financial statements, strategic decision making based on financial statements, and use of financial metrics and performance indicators. Register
here.
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*Discounts for MNN members
The Nonprofit Management and Leadership Certificate Program at Boston University (BU) is now accepting applications for the 2017-2018 academic year. Through a rigorous curriculum and hands-on opportunities, participants will develop their abilities, their perspective and their confidence as nonprofit managers and leaders. Participants will join a welcoming community of diverse and inspired peers, award-winning faculty, and experienced senior fellows to strengthen their skills in financial management, measuring impact, marketing, managing change, and much more. The second round deadline for program
applications is
May 12
.
The Institute for Nonprofit Practice (INP) is now accepting applications for its programs in Greater Boston, Merrimack Valley, Rhode Island, and Cape Cod & the Islands. In partnership with the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University, INP provides year-long certificate programs in nonprofit management and leadership for executive, mid-career and emerging leaders. Its programs provide effective solutions for organizations of all sizes to develop and diversify their leadership pipelines, strengthen talent and engagement, and ultimately, to advance their missions.
The Core Program focuses on a board range of management and leadership skills with a dedicated focus on applied learning; it meets one afternoon/evening each week and is designed to be accessible to working professionals. The application deadline for round 1 is
May 15 and the second round deadline is
June 15. For questions, referrals, or nominations, contact Presceia Cooper, INP's Director of Community Engagement at
[email protected].
The Plan Sponsor University (TPSU) is offering an exclusive half-day Fiduciary Training Program at Bentley College on
May 16 and the University of Massachusetts Club on
June 22. This half-day program covers essential topics pertaining to retirement plan leadership and welcomes HR professionals, benefit specialists, business owners and retirement plan committee members. Topics covered during the on-site training program include effective retirement plan management, design, and oversight of a plan benefit committee, and comprehending key regulation - including DOL requirements.
No cost to attend, space is limited. To register for the training at Bentley College click
here and the training at the University of Massachusetts Club click
here.
Partnerships for a Skilled Workforce, the Workforce Board in Metro Southwest Massachusetts, is announcing the release of a
Request for Proposals to procure a career center operator. The proposals are due at noon eastern standard time on
May 30.
If you have trouble accessing the RFP, please contact Cindy McComiskey,
[email protected]
, 508-281-6910x1. If you have questions regarding the RFP, see the RFP for instructions on how to submit your questions.
The Greater Worcester Community Foundation is now accepting applications for the
Youth for Community Improvement (YCI) Class of 2017
.
YCI is a youth led program focused on creating change through Worcester County through grant making in their communities. The committee is comprised of high school sophomores and juniors from Worcester County. Committee members are in charge of facilitating conversations, researching community assets and challenges, developing a request for proposals and evaluating applications, and together reaching decisions on how to best utilize their $20,000 grant dollars. They encourage students of all skill and experience level to apply. They have limited spots available for this upcoming year and an
application
and interview are required. Applications must be received by
June 2
.
Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation and
Dudley Neighbors Inc.
are excited to share a fantastic opportunity for mission-oriented tenants to join them in a new building on the
Dudley
Corridor.
Dudley
Miller
Park
will be a new 17,100 square foot building with both office space and ground-floor retail. The building is located between
Dudley
Square and Uphams Corner, and will be a hub for community investment and economic development for tenants, businesses, and residents alike.
For more information visit Dorchester Bay's website.
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New & Returning Affiliate Members
*Special discount for MNN members
Fundraising and governance assistance for nonprofit organization. Board and leadership training, major gifts, development assessments, feasibility studies, capital campaign planning and counsel, board retreats and more. Deep expertise in women's philanthropy. *Two free hours of consulting
Every organization has distinctive tales to tell - unique, singular expressions of origins, purpose and vision. Whatever your cause, your creed, and whether you know it or not - Hindsight Media will help you tell your story.
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