[NYAPRS Enews] NCSTAC Webinars, Facebook, Annual Reports, SAMHSA Leadership Swap

[Harvey Rosenthal]

NYAPRS Note: The following comes from the new newsletter from the
National Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Center, one of five
technical assistance centers for consumers/survivors funded by
SAMSHA-the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
NCSTAC provides help and advice to peer-run organizations so they can
survive and thrive. For more details, go to http://www.ncstac.org/. 

 

NCSTAC Announces New Webinars

NCSTAC will present two new topics in a series of management webinars
for consumer-run organizations. 

On August 17, non-profit consultant Amy Forsyth-Stephens will explain
how small organizations can get started in fundraising. On September 14,
tax consultant Michael J. Wood will focus on how to safeguard your
organization from costly financial errors.

Each webinar will be held from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. EDT. Attendance is open
to members of peer support groups, consumer-run programs and other
interested individuals. Pre-registration is advised. To receive
instructions for attending these webinars, e-mail consumerta at nmha.org
and indicate which dates you plan to attend. Or, register on Facebook;
click on the Events tab and RSVP to each webinar you want to attend.

To survive and grow, peer-run programs are finding they must learn the
art of fundraising-seeking donations from individuals, foundations and
businesses. On August 17, Amy Forsyth-Stephens will explain how peer-run
programs can get started in fundraising. She will cover the basics of
fundraising, from developing a realistic fundraising plan to
successfully winning grants and contributions.  Grassroots and young
organizations will learn the steps to take to prepare to fundraise, how
to conduct prospect research and the art of preparing letters of
inquiry, concept papers, and full proposals. 

As small organizations with citizen board members, peer-run programs
must learn how to safeguard and account for money. Staff, officers and
board members must understand the legal and accounting requirements they
are expected to follow. In a LiveMeeting webinar on September 14, mental
health consumer activist and enrolled tax agent Michael J. Wood will
teach financial self-defense for peer-run organizations. 

 

Let's Connect on Facebook!

Raymond Bridge, NCSTAC staff

...How could Facebook help your drop-in center, warmline or other
peer-run program? Here is what I am learning:

What's Good About Facebook? Once you create a Facebook page for your
organization, you encourage your members to become Facebook members,
too, and "like" your page. Then you can post information on your
organization page that the people who use your program can read and
respond to. For example, you can report the latest news and happenings
for your program, upload pictures and videos, and invite people to
events. You can even ask for donations for your cause. When you post new
information, it shows up on your friends' page as well as your own, so
they learn about it quickly and easily. Plus, your friends can introduce
their Facebook friends to your program.

Creating a Facebook page for your organization takes just a few steps.
It's easier than setting up a website. Like having a website, you can
use your Facebook page to tell people essential information about your
program, such as hours of operation, and post the latest news. Unlike a
having a website, you don't have to pay a web hosting company a monthly
maintenance fee or sign up for your own domain name. Facebook is free;
so there is no charge for creating a page for your organization.

What's Not Good About Facebook?  Facebook is designed for people who
have either a computer or a cell phone that is connected to the
Internet.  It won't help you reach your members who lack these
connections. Another drawback is that a Facebook page is harder to
navigate than a good web site. For example, a new visitor would have to
click on the "info" tab to learn where your program is and when it's
open. Then they must click on the "events" tab to see what activities or
support groups your center offers. You will still need to send out
announcements by e-mail to those who don't use Facebook.

. 

 Already on Facebook? We Would Like to Talk with You.

Right now, NCSTAC is trying to learn how peer support groups and
consumer-run programs are using Facebook, Twitter and other social
media. If you are, please get in touch with me at 866-439-9465, send an
e-mail to rbridge at mentalhealthamerica.net or send a message to our
Facebook page. In addition to chatting with you, we would be happy to
highlight your Facebook page on ours.

Have a Technical Assistance Question? Please Ask it Here!

Raymond Bridge, NCSTAC staff

 

Use Your Annual Report Like A Calling Card 

How do you tell other people about your support group or consumer-run
program? Do you have a website? A business card? A printed flyer? How
about creating and using an annual report?

Your annual report can help your organization in a number of ways. You
can mail copies to your membership or distribute them at the annual
meeting. You can provide copies to your donors and funders. You can use
the annual report as a fundraising tool to attract future donations.
Often, the annual report can be included in grant and funding proposals.
And finally, copies of your annual report make a great calling card to
introduce new people you meet to your program and its accomplishments.

An annual report does not have to be long or elaborate to be effective.
It contains information that helps the public understand your mission,
services, and overall value to the community. It usually contains
financial information, that is, your budget and sources of funding for
the past year. In addition, consider the following components of an
annual report that will help your reader understand your whole story in
an organized, appealing way. These are taken from our NCSTAC
publication, "A Guide to Fundraising and Financial Management." (Contact
us if you would like to receive a complimentary copy):

*       Letter from your Board President and Executive Director 

*       Your mission, value and goals 

*       Short history 

*       Board of Directors list 

*       Staff (especially volunteers you want to recognize) 

*       Summary of major accomplishments 

*       Funders 

*       Contributors (individual donors) 

*       Community partners 

*       Membership statistics 

*       Events you've hosted

 Many of these components are easily illustrated with photographs of
your program, activities, events and people. Keep a camera handy for
shooting pictures throughout the year.

Does your annual report have to include all of these components?
Definitely not. If you have a small program or organization, choose
those components that are most essential, but be sure to include an
introductory letter, mission, value and goals, short summary of  past
year's activities, a budget, and your funding sources.

Once you have created your first annual report, it should not be too
difficult to update it each year.  A logical time to do that is after
the end of your fiscal year or, if you are a 501(c)3 nonprofit
organization, after you have filed your form 990 with the Internal
Revenue Service.

 

Even Very Small Nonprofits Must File a Form 990 

As a nonprofit organization (that is, one with 501(c)3 status with the
Internal Revenue Service or IRS), you must file a Form 990 each year.
The deadline is May 15 if your fiscal year is the same as the calendar
year and November 15 if your fiscal year ends on June 30. Missing the
deadline can result in fines. Tax planner William Perez explains on
About.com. 

In the past, nonprofits with less than $25,000 in income did not have to
file. No longer-the law has changed this year.

Because the law has just changed, the IRS is giving those very small
nonprofits more time to file. If you missed the deadline, it's not too
late. In a recent statement, IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman urged small
tax-exempt organizations to still file their information even though the
deadline has passed. He said, "The IRS will be providing additional
guidance in the near future on how it will help these organizations
maintain their important tax-exempt status-even if they missed the May
17 deadline. The guidance will offer relief to these small organizations
and provide them with the opportunity to keep their critical tax-exempt
status intact."

Although most of the focus of tax-exempt status is on non-profit
organizations whose fiscal year ends December 31st, 2010, this
information also serves as a warning for those non-profit organizations
whose fiscal year ends June 30, 2010. The June 30th fiscal year deadline
indicates that these organizations need to file by early November 2010
in order to meet the filling deadline. To file, fill out the electronic
notice Form 990-N (e-Postcard) located at
http://www.irs.gov/app/ePostcard/.

Trading Places: SAMHSA Announces a Six-Month Swap of Bosses

Effective July 19, 2010, A. Kathryn Power, who directs the Center for
Mental Health Services at SAMHSA (the federal Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration) swapped places for six months with
Frances M. Harding. Frances is the Director of the Center for Substance
Abuse Prevention.

The swap will provide the executives an opportunity to gain hands-on
understanding of different program and policies and to share their
knowledge across the Centers. After all, as mental health consumers are
aware there are plenty of us who have both a mental health condition and
a substance abuse problem.

This action will also be an opportunity for CMHS and CSAP staff to
experience new leadership styles. The goal is to make the collaboration
between the Centers more robust. No Center reorganization will occur
because of this Executive Exchange Program. For more information, visit
http://samhsa.gov/announcements/hyde062810.aspx 

 

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