Issue 16
July 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 250 other NEWSNOTES subscribers!

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

IN THIS ISSUE

LEAD STORY

Youth Participation on Nonprofit Boards

Like many individuals involved in board service with nonprofit organizations, Chloe Peak enjoys participating and making a difference for a local nonprofit. What distinguishes Peak from most of her board peers, however, is her status as a junior in high school.

Peak attended the Basic and Advanced Leadership Training series conducted by the Youth on Board Program of the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) in Ann Arbor, a hands-on and comprehensive learning process that prepared her to be an active, voting member on the board of C.O.P.E. She also serves on the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation’s (AAACF) Youth Council, an advisory grantmaking body. Peak and the more than 60 other graduates of the Youth on Board program are part of the recent trend towards diversifying nonprofit boards through the inclusion of young people. The State of Michigan enacted a law in 1998 enabling people as young as 16 to be legal voting members of nonprofit boards.

There are many important reasons for encouraging youth participation on boards. One of the most compelling, offered by the AAACF, is to allow young people the opportunity “to help solve the problems and challenges they all share.” Youth are citizens and deserve both the rights and responsibilities that go along with this privilege.

A second motivation for youth participation on boards is that it fosters later-life civic participation. A recent study in Philanthropy Matters suggests that engaging in extracurricular activities with a leadership focus helps young people develop into civically engaged adults. Including youth on nonprofit boards is thus a method of extending a life-long invitation for community involvement.

Young people on boards can provide solutions to youth-centered issues facing nonprofits and their communities. BoardSource (2000) notes that, “Young people are uniquely qualified to say what works for young people.” A youth perspective on nonprofit programs or operations affecting young people can be an invaluable time and money-saving resource.

Can youth become involved on your nonprofit organization’s board? The answer is a resounding “YES!” Youth on Board (YOB) is dedicated to providing meaningful youth-board experiences for both area teens and nonprofit organizations. Over the past four years 17 local nonprofit organizations have benefited from the service of young board members trained by the YOB program. The training sessions required of the teens prepare them to be active members of an organization, as well as giving them skills they will use throughout their lives. Adult board members are also given an orientation session on working with youth and are requested to provide a board mentor for each teen.

HelpSource was the first YOB partner. Bob Miller, recently retired President & CEO, says, “The Youth Empowerment Project is one of the most innovative and constructive programs that our community has implemented for youth in many years. . . . I cannot think of a better way to train our citizens of tomorrow.”

Look for more information about Youth on Board and other programs of the Youth Empowerment Project on their pilot Web site. Request an information packet for Youth on Board online or contact Executive Director Ebba Hierta, 734-761-3003.

Board Builders, a board matching and training series at Nonprofit Enterprise at Work (NEW), can help make the board – young person connection as well. NEW and Board Builders are dedicated to increasing diversity on nonprofit boards and so welcome the participation of college-age individuals in the program. To learn more about Board Builders, or board membership in general, please see NEW's Web site or contact Liz S. Peintner, Manager of Board Programs, 734-998-0160.

Special thanks to Chloe Peak for sharing her board experiences. Thanks also to Katie Richards-Schuester.

Resources:

Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation Youth Council

Youth Empowerment Project, Ann Arbor

Youth on Board. Washington, DC: BoardSource, 2000. Available to borrow from NEW’s Nonprofit Reference Library.

“Growing Up Engaged.” Philanthropy Matters, Vol. 12, Issue 1, 2002. Current and back issues are available online.

FEATURED ITEMS

Managing for Nonprofit Excellence Workshops

The Fall 2003 Managing for Nonprofit Excellence workshop catalog is on the press and should be in your mailbox by early August. More than 50 topics in nonprofit management will be offered at the NEW Center, as well as ten free workshops in our brown bag and MCACA mini-grant series. See the complete listing of workshops online.

Washtenaw county nonprofits are invited to apply for scholarships to attend workshops. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Monday, August 18. Apply online or contact Dallas Moore, 734-998-0160. NEW is pleased to offer scholarship awards through the generous support of the City of Ann Arbor, Junior League of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County.

Technology: Web Site Maintenance Services

Do you have a nonprofit web site that needs to be updated? NEW can help! For only $25/hour, NEW staff can update your HTML-based web site with new text, new graphics, and new pages. For more information, please contact Neel Hajra, 734-998-0160.

Ann Arbor Local Market Launched

Ann Arbor Local Market (AALM) is an Internet-based, community-based commerce site with a major focus of helping the local nonprofit community. The Web site, just recently introduced, offers classifieds, consignment, retail and auctions online. The site enables residents and local merchants to buy and sell new and used goods and services while also providing fundraising opportunities and financial support for local nonprofit organizations.

AALM’s NPO Program offers additional benefits to nonprofit organizations including charity profiles, online donations, virtual consignment service, category sponsorship, and marketing support. See the site now for more details; bookmark it and check back regularly for new opportunities. To be listed as a nonprofit on the site, contact info@aalm.com. John Roach, General Manager, 734-904-3442 is happy to answer questions.

Policy Governance Introductory Seminar

Is your board confused about what its job really is? Is your board stuck in operations and micromanagement?

The Policy Governance system, developed by John Carver, could be a valuable model for your organization. The model offers a precise philosophy, structure and process for effective governance of organizations. Boards learn to focus on the future, observe clear boundaries and create accountability for both the board and staff. Take the opportunity to learn more at an introductory seminar offered August 22 at MSU Kellogg Center, East Lansing from 8:15 – noon. Cost is $75 per person. Learn more about the policy governance model at the Policy Governance Web site. Presenter Eric Craymer’s Web site allows online registration and more information.

NPowering Thoughts Session: Doing More with Less - Maximize the Dollars You Spend on Technology

Facing a tight budget with very little money available to upgrade your computers or software? Not sure if you’re getting the most for your technology dollar? Come to this session to have those questions answered. You’ll learn how to maximize the dollars you spend on technology by learning:

• How to check technology prices
• Where to find discounted products
• How to inexpensively improve the performance of older machines
• How switching from dial-up to a broadband Internet connection could save you money and time

This workshop is free to NPower members; non-members may attend for $15.

• July 23, 2003 8:30 am to 11am — NPower Michigan Office 645 Griswold Ave Detroit, MI 48226
• July 24, 2003 8:30 am to 11 am — United Way Building 118 Commerce SW Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Call 866-4167 or go to their Web site to register

Michigan Humanities Council Grant Writing Workshop

This free workshop will walk you through the guidelines and application process for the Michigan Humanities Council’s grants program (“Creating Vision for the New Century: The Humanities and the Strengthening of Michigan’s Communities”) as well as Michigan’s Arts & Humanities Touring Program.

The date is Friday, August 1 from 1 – 4 p.m. at the Plymouth Community Arts Council (774 N Sheldon, Plymouth). Registration is required. Call 517-372-7770 or email contact@michiganhumanities.org.

Reminders

• Leadership²Go for Executive Directors:
  • Don't forget to sign up for an account with the Leadership2Go Online Discussion Forum. Easy-to-use and free!
  • Mark your calendars for the October 3 "Get the Word Out" panel on successful marketing and fundraising.
    
• MNA local Learning Series is offering the workshop “Working Effectively with the Media” on Wednesday, August 6. Register and see other Fall workshops at the MNA Workshops page.
  
• You still have time to register to participate in the Michigan Nonprofit Compensation and Benefit Survey. The 2002 edition has recently been reduced from $35 to $20. Order online.
  

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