Issue 13
April 17, 2003

NEWSNOTES is a monthly email newsletter published by Nonprofit Enterprise at Work. It includes items of interest to the nonprofit community in Washtenaw County and the surrounding areas, as well as resources available at NEW. Encourage your friends and colleagues to join over 220 other NEWSNOTES subscribers!

NEW would like to recognize the generous support of its partners:

IN THIS ISSUE

LEAD STORY

NEW Center and Nonprofit Enterprise at Work Celebrate Tenth Anniversary

Ten years ago, on April 1, 1993, Nonprofit Enterprise at Work (NEW) moved into the NEW Center at 1100 North Main Street, as steward of an exciting new project on the north end of Ann Arbor. The idea of the NEW Center was conceived by Ronald and Eileen Weiser, who, through the McKinley Foundation, gave an initial gift of $1 million dollars as seed money for the project. They then gathered a broad range of support from the community to transform an industrial scrapyard into a community resource to house and nurture nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit Enterprise at Work, Inc., an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, was formed to manage the building and provide support services for the whole nonprofit community.

Albert Berriz, now CEO of McKinley Associates, Inc., served as site manager for the initial project. "The architecture of the building was meant to recreate the look of an old train station as well as open the view up to the river," Berriz said. Apparently Hobbs and Black, a local design firm, did such a good job that NEW's receptionist, Sandra Jackson, regularly redirects travelers with suitcases to the Amtrak station on Depot Street.

Nonprofits Find a Home

NEW Center planners had an "anchor" tenant in mind from the project's inception. Proximity to the railroad provided an excellent opportunity for Artrain USA to have a home where the staff could be with the train. Prior to 1993, the nation's only traveling art museum on a train resided at Selfridge National Guard Base on the other side of Detroit when not on tour. With the train 50 miles away from the office in Ann Arbor, staff had to remove the exhibit for security's sake, sometimes to be replaced, other times to be reinstalled a short time later. Artrain USA CEO Deb Polich said, "The advantage of having the train and staff together is huge." The new location allowed an immediate savings in time, money and wear and tear on personnel. The train is at home next to the NEW Center this year for installation of its 15th exhibit. "Native Views: Influences of Modern Culture" will travel across the country from 2004 to 2007, bringing a new experience to many who have never before visited an art museum.

The NEW Center's founders also envisioned an incubator space where small to medium-sized nonprofits could operate in a friendly atmosphere with reduced overhead costs. Though no longer considered an incubator, the building is currently home to twenty-one nonprofit tenants who share common work space. Rentals range from a time-share of a small office, to multi-room suites with nine employees. The Center's three conference rooms, available to all local nonprofits, are in constant use and are booked as far as a year in advance. Even more valuable than lower costs, however, is the ability of tenants to share common challenges and accomplishments, working together in an atmosphere of collaboration and cooperation.

From their window on the second floor of the NEW Center, Joan Martin and Theresa Dakin of the Huron River Watershed Council watch herons and kingfishers catch their dinner on the river, while crew teams perfect their teamwork on the calm waters. On a recent Saturday in April, hundreds of willing volunteers converged on the NEW Center to form teams and receive instructions on how to collect macro invertebrates as part of the annual "River Round-Up." Adequate parking was a critical factor in allowing this project to function properly, as were the three conference rooms and full kitchen. Clearly, such an activity would have been impossible to conduct from the Watershed Council's previous location, where staff members were squished into tiny quarters. With views of the river as inspiration and space to expand their program, the Watershed Council has become a model for river protection programs across the country.

NEW Expands Programming for the Nonprofit Community

Since original President & CEO Anne Glendon (1992-1995), the reins have been held in turn by Jay Connor (1996-1999) and Joe Fitzsimmons (1999-2001), and for the past two years by Susan Katz Froning. Under their leadership, not only has the NEW Center welcomed new tenants, but it has strengthened programming for nonprofits throughout the community and region. The Managing for Nonprofit Excellence workshop series, now in its ninth year, offers training in all aspects of nonprofit management. The public Nonprofit Reference Library lends titles and answers questions on nonprofit topics, from the common to the obscure. WebConnect develops Web sites and trains nonprofit staff in their maintenance. Board Builders connects community volunteers with organizations seeking board members. An online Consultant Directory provides up-to-date information, while the Leadership2Go Executive Director Series fosters communication among nonprofit leaders.

NEW's Nonprofit Excellence Awards celebrate the eighth year of recognizing the success of nonprofits. On May 7, five organizations and one collaboration will be awarded for their work in management, collaboration, technology and educational outreach. This is a fitting tribute to NEW's effectiveness, says Susan Katz Froning, because "the measure of whether NEW is making a difference is not our own success, but the success of others."

NEW thanks its many supporters, board members, and volunteers who have helped us serve the nonprofit community. Looking toward the future, Katz Froning says, "We will keep an eye on the changing social and economic environment that affects the nonprofit sector, so we can continually refine our programs to address new challenges. We look forward to the next ten years and beyond."

For more information about other multi-tenant nonprofit centers around the country visit www.nonprofitcenters.org. Other Management Support Organizations such as NEW can be found at the Alliance for Nonprofit Organizations.

FEATURED ITEMS

Education and Training: Workshops in May

Take advantage of the many workshops offered at NEW to fill gaps in your management expertise or improve your skills. Next month's workshops offer professional expertise on board governance, fund development, personnel management and more, including four free workshops. See a listing of education opportunities offered in May.

Leadership²Go Executive Director Series: The Executive and the Board

Executive Directors! Sign up today for the next Leadership²Go session of the 2003 series: TheTrustee Connection. Learn strategies to enhance leadership skills of both the executive director and the board, that together form the foundation for a healthy, sustainable organization. For the first time, we'll also employ roundtable discussions on popular board topics for more effective sharing among your peers.

Join four local panelists for discussion and networking.
Friday, May 2, 2003, 8:30 am -10:30am at Nonprofit Enterprise at Work

Panelists include:
Gary Bell of SOS Community Services
Joan Chesler of the Corner Health Center
Mary Steffek Blaske of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra
Dave McDowell of Ronald McDonald House of Ann Arbor

Cost: $10, advance registration requested. For details and to register online, visit our Web site, or call 734-998-0160.

Nonprofit Excellence Awards May 7

Please join us for the 8th Annual Nonprofit Excellence Awards reception and awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 7, 2003, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m., in the Morris Lawrence Building of Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor. RSVP by April 23, 2003 to NEW 734-998-0160.

This year, as part of NEW's ten-year anniversary celebration, a special display will honor Nonprofit Excellence Awards recipient organizations and collaborations since 1996, sharing their outstanding achievements and exciting next steps.

For more information, please visit our Web site.

Directory of Nonprofit Organizations in Washtenaw County

Visit this online searchable database to find over 275 local nonprofits. Just need a phone number? Browse through the list of organizations by name. Need to know agencies in the 48197 zip code providing service to seniors? Enter those terms on the focused search page and you'll have a list of organizations with phone numbers, address and email. Click on each agency name, and you will have a detailed record.

Is your Washtenaw County nonprofit listed? If not, people are not finding you! Please visit the site and click on "submit a new organization." Keep an eye out for an automatic update reminder sent once a year. Feel free to "update an entry" at any time, however.

Arts Minigrant Program

Funding Available for Arts Programs: MCACA Minigrant Deadline July 1, 2003

The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) offers minigrants of up to $4,000 to Michigan nonprofit organizations for locally developed, high-quality arts and cultural projects that increase public access to art and culture. NEW administers the MCACA Minigrant program for Washtenaw, Livingston and Monroe counties. Minigrant applications and guidelines are available on the NEW Web site.

NEW will host free grant assistance workshops in preparation for the next application deadline of JULY 1, 2003 (for projects taking place between October 1, 2003 and September 30, 2004). Register for a workshop online or call 734- 998-0160. Workshop dates and times are as follows:

Note: Organizations in counties other than Livingston, Washtenaw and Monroe may visit MCACA's Mini-Grant Regional Regranters County List to find the name of the regranting agency in their region.

Technology: Low Cost Web Development

Grantmakers-Grantseekers 2003 Conference

Indiana University Fund Raising School: Class Offered

Preparing for Successful Grant Proposals will be held June 4-5, 2003 at the Laurel Manor Banquet and Conference Center in Livonia. The registration deadline is May 20.

This two-day class is sponsored by the Michigan Nonprofit Association in partnership with the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. For more information contact MNA at 888-242-7075 (Michigan only) or 517-492-2400 or mcorbin@mnaonline.org. More information on Indiana University Fund Raising School courses and programs can be found at www. philanthropy.iupui.edu.

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