Picks of the Week: March 30 - April 5, 2014

Website of the Week -- National Center for Family Philanthropy

Through research, educational materials and programs, the National Center for Family Philanthropy helps families and individuals better understand their roles and needs based upon their personal motivations and family values, relationships and enterprises; make their philanthropy as effective and meaningful as possible for them and their communities; and realize their desire to make a positive difference in the world around them. Go to: http://www.ncfp.org

Publication of the Week --  Every Nonprofit's Tax Guide: How to Keep Your Tax-Exempt Status and Avoid IRS Problems by Stephen Fishman

From the publisher: Your nonprofit enjoys special privileges not available to other organizations -- but they come at a price. Nonprofits must comply with rules and regulations that don't apply to for-profit ventures. Every Nonprofit's Tax Guide explains these rules and what your nonprofit must do to maintain tax-exempt status and avoid problems with the IRS. This practical, thorough, and easy-to-read book explains both ongoing and annual compliance requirements for nonprofits, including:

• rules for charitable giving and cash donations
• Form 990
• unrelated taxable business income
• annual IRS filings and disclosures
• property donations
• bookkeeping basics
• working with independent contractors and volunteers
• restrictions on lobbying and political activities

The book also includes a chapter on the types of transactions that can get your nonprofit in hot water with the IRS.

Click to previewthis book on Amazon.com

Trend of the Week --  2014 Trends to Watch

The National Council of Nonprofits has prepared a trends summary with implications for nonprofit staff, board members, donors and community leaders. Here is a sampling:

• The Resource Squeeze: One prominent trend that began with the Great Recession will continue its drain in 2014: scarce financial resources. The vast majority of charitable nonprofits will continue to be squeezed for financial resources in 2014. In the current environment of increased competition for scarcer financial resources, no nonprofit’s board of directors should be caught ignoring its fiduciary duty to help the nonprofit fundraise.
• The Upward Spiral Of Need: The dramatic decline in government funding often increases demand for services, as communities and individuals continue to struggle and look to nonprofits to provide basic services. In 2013, more than half of nonprofits surveyed by the Nonprofit Finance Fund reported they didn't expect to have enough resources to meet increased community needs. The upward spiral of need for basic services is likely only to increase in 2014, while the resources that nonprofits have available to them will continue to be squeezed. 

To download the full summary, go to:

http://www.nprcenter.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/2014-trends-to-watch.pdf

Resource of the Week –  Interactive Collaboration Tool Finder

An interactive tool finder developed by GrantCraft, a joint service of the Foundation Center and the European Foundation Centre, presents seven distinct collaborative needs (including finding partners, designing strategies, assessing progress) and 17 types of tool functionalities (ranging from data gathering to project management to scheduling meetings) in an online matrix that facilitates intuitive exploration of available resources. This free resource helps users generate custom results that provide details on recommended solutions, including their cost; whether they are best for small-, medium-, or large-sized collaborations; how easy they are to use; and if there is a mobile-friendly version. Go to: http://collaboration.grantcraft.org