The Winter 2013 (2) Edition Of Exempt Magazine

The new issue of our sister publication, Exempt Magazine, is now online for our readers to enjoy. Here's a look at some of the stories you can find within the pages of the Winter 2013 edition.

Articles

• Joint Costs And Social Media: Dennis Morrone and Priti Singh write about how social media has become an effective tool for nonprofits to raise awareness, change public attitudes and behaviors toward a social issue, attract donors, educate chosen constituents and publicize programmatic successes.
• Nonprofit Trademark: Protect Your Fundraising Brand: With the daily barrage of information competing for your donors’ attention, how does your fundraising campaign stand out and get noticed? Many nonprofits don’t realize that their “brand” is one of the most valuable assets.

Column:

• Minimize Your Risk When Allowing User-Generated Content On Social Media: Allowance of user-generated content on social media pages controlled or operated by a nonprofit can raise a number of potential legal risks and liability issues, which are due in large part to the fact that the nonprofit might not have complete control over what a third party posts or displays.

Exempt Magazine: Fall 2013 Edition

The new issue of our sister publication, Exempt Magazine, is now online for our readers to enjoy. Here's a look at some of the stories you can find within the pages of the Fall 2013 edition:

Articles

• Transparency, Terrain And Terrorism: Transferring hard currency is always an issue, whether it is due to terrorism rules or the remoteness of the target. There are also vital issues of accountability for the currency transfer and to the donor.
• Confusing Extension: Registrations have increased but major misconceptions about .ORG extensions remain, according to the new domain name report released by Public Interest Registry (PIR), the nonprofit that manages the .ORG top-level domain (TLD).

Column

• Salary Hikes For Online Giving: A study of the past three Nonprofit Organizations Survey and Benefits Surveys sponsored by The NonProfit Times indicates that a relatively new position, online giving manager, is becoming more established while the position of major events manager/specialist has stalled or declined in compensation.

Want to subscribe to Exempt Magazine? Head to our online store for more information on pricing.

Exempt Magazine: Spring 2013 Edition

The new issue of our sister publication, Exempt Magazine, is now online for our readers to enjoy. Here's a look at some of the stories you can find within the pages of the Spring 2013 edition:

Articles

• Buy Sell, Or Stay Put: The NonProfit Times asked 100 nonprofit executives what they thought of real estate related debt. Just 25.3 percent said yes without any restriction if it will advance mission.
• Employees Are Not Grabbing Access To Retirement Plans: In a study of three-year trending data from the 2012 Nonprofit Salary and Benefits Reports, The NonProfit Times found that many employees are not taking advantage of their organizations' retirement plans.

Column

• Volunteers May Sue For Harassment Under Title VII: A federal District Court in Illinois has allowed a female volunteer for two nonprofit emergency ambulance services to sue for sexual harassment and discrimination under the employee protection provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Head to the Exempt Magazine website to read these articles in their entirety. In addition, you should head to our online store to purchase a print or digital subscription of Exempt to get full access to all of the articles in the magazine.

Exempt Magazine: Winter 2013 Edition

The new issue of The NonProfit Times was released last Friday and today we have another new release, this time for our sister publication, Exempt Magazine.

The Winter 2013 edition of Exempt covers a variety of topics in the world of nonprofit finance, including the very important issue of Charitable Gift Annuities (CGAs). Here is a sneak peek at some of the stories you can expect to find in this issue:

Articles

• Annuities On The Comeback Trail: Historically low interest rates are driving up interest in Charitable Gift Annuities (CGA) around the nonprofit sector. This article takes a look at some of the organizations that are seeing the biggest increases.
• Beyond Strategic Planning: Nonprofit board expert Dennis Miller explains the different ways a nonprofit can "recharge," especially through the traditional means of strategic planning.

Column

• Your Next Hire: There are a number of persistent myths about background checks that get in the way of sound screening practices. Screening prospective staff and volunteers effectively begins with understanding these myths.

Want to view the full issue of Exempt? Head to our online store and purchase a digital or print edition of the magazine.

Exempt Magazine -- Fall 2012

The sister publication of The NonProfit Times, Exempt Magazine, is the perfect publication for those in the sector whose forte is finance. The magazine is released quarterly, and the time has now arrived for the release of the latest edition.

The Fall 2012 issue of Exempt tackles a number of topics, from inflation to social media. Let's take a look at some of the content you can expect to find within the pages:

Articles

• Hedging Against Inflation by Diversifying Investment Income: Some of the nation’s largest nonprofits are complex businesses, generating income from donations but also via fundraising events, program service revenue or membership fees, as well as investment income.
• Managing Risk In The New Normal: As you prepare to flip the page on your old-fashioned paper wall calendar and toast the New Year, are you thinking about risk? What adventures await your nonprofit in 2013? What risks will pay dividends, and which will you be regretting at this time next year?

Column

• Finance And Fundraising: Are you are asking this question about social media: “How do we know this investment of staff time in social media will pay off?” If you are getting answers from staff like this: “We have 10,000 fans on Facebook,” hit the pause button and work on defining what success means. (Also check out this chart on social media metrics).

This is not all the content in this quarter's edition of Exempt. To see the whole issue, sign up for a digital or print subscription via our website.

The Summer 2012 Issue Of Exempt Magazine

If you are someone who is more interested in nonprofit finance issues rather than management or fundraising, The NonProfit Times' sister publication, Exempt Magazine, should be of interest to you. The magazine's Summer 2012 issue has just been released, providing new content related to the financial side of nonprofits.

Articles

• Social Impact Bonds Set Up Unique Venture Capital Market: Todd Cohen, frequent NPT contributor and publisher of Philanthropy North Carolina, writes about how social impact bonds could potentially help take effective social programs to scale by tapping into private capital.
• Associations Can Run Afoul Of Anti-Trust Rules: A little background about anti-trust laws by Robert Davis, legal counsel at Venable LLP. This is a must read for those who still aren't quite sure how these laws work.

Column

• Create A High-Performing Board: The vast majority of nonprofits have great, dedicated and committed executives and wonderful individual board members. Yet, one of the most common questions asked is “how do we create a high performing board as a whole?” Dennis Miller has the answers in this column.

These are not all the articles in the Summer 2012 issue. If you want to see all the stories either online or in print, head to our subscription page and get your copy of Exempt Magazine.

The Spring 2012 Edition Of Exempt Magazine

Every quarter, we release a new issue of the sister publication of The NonProfit Times. It's called Exempt Magazine and it focuses on nonprofit finance issues. Now that we are about to enter into summer, we have released the Spring 2012 edition of Exempt.

Here are the articles you will find in this new issue:

Articles:

• Bankrupt But Endowed: Nonprofits rarely file for bankruptcy, but there are some exceptions. Read about some of these in this piece by our staff writer, Patrick Sullivan.
• 10 Things To Ask Your Banker Right Now: There are lots of banks with cash. You shouldn’t just walk into any old savings and loan. Find out the tops things you should ask your banks from contributing editor Michele Donohue.
• Telecommuting Employees: Jeff Tenenbaum, chair of the Nonprofit Organizations Practice Group at Venable LLP, writes about the pros and cons of telecommuting to your place of employment.

Column:

• Inspiration Zone: Melanie Lockwood Herman of the Nonprofit Risk Management Center writes about the keys to promoting a risk-aware culture at your nonprofit.

Head on over to our website to view all of the articles in the Spring 2012 edition of Exempt.

Exempt Magazine: Winter 2012 Issue

One of the perks of the new Exempt web site is the ability to check out past and current editions of the magazine. This includes the Winter 2012 issue, which came out last month.

If you are new to Exempt, you should note that the magazine focuses exclusively on issues related to the financial side of the nonprofit sector. This is different from The NonProfit Times, which writes mostly about management and fundraising issues.

This attention to finance is shown very well in the Winter 2012 issue. Let's take a look at what's inside:

Articles

• Of Pay And Perks: A look at some of the salary and benefits practices at some nonprofits, including the United Way of Rock River Valley. This article is based on NPT's 2011 Salary and Benefits Report.
• Return On Investment: Looking to invest in public companies that service nonprofits? This article takes a look at some of the organizations that did well in 2011.
• Prospect Wealth: When the $200 million Reed College Centen­nial Campaign began five years ago, the school turned to donor prospect research to help identify alumni and college friends who might be able to make a major gift.
• In The Crosshairs: The New York Attorney General (NYAG) recently crossed into what some consider the hallowed ground of charities, by launching an investigation into cause-related marketing of “pink ribbon” charities.

Column:

• Accounting Software: Why is accounting software so important? Find out in this column by Tim Mills-Groninger, a consultant to the federal department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate.

New Exempt Magazine Web Site Online

Seven years ago, the first issue of The NonProfit Times' sister issue, Exempt Magazine, was launched. The magazine covered the financial aspects of the nonprofit sector, in comparison to the management and fundraising focus of NPT.

We're happy to announce the launch of the re-designed Exempt Magazine web site. Just as we overhauled NPT's web site last year, Exempt has now received the same treatment. Users will now be able to easily find past issues of Exempt, as well as exclusive online content from the Exempt eNewsletter.

Please check out the new site and let us know what you think. We hope that you enjoy it!

Exempt Magazine Preview Part 2

Thought I would give our readers an excerpt from another one of the articles from the newest issue of NPT's Exempt Magazine.  This article is about 403(b) plans:

In Revenue Ruling 2011-7 issued earlier this year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provided sponsors of 403(b) plans with some much-needed guidance regarding how to terminate plans. Many 403(b) plan sponsors have been reconsidering whether they want to continue to maintain such plans in light of the final regulations that were issued by the IRS in 2007 covering 403(b) plans.


Until this guidance was issued, the IRS’s position was, generally, that a 403(b) plan could not be terminated, so the guidance is a welcomed step. However, there are issues that have not been addressed by the IRS in the guidance and issues that plan sponsors may need to address to terminate their plans.


Steps to Plan Termination


The guidance outlines the steps a plan sponsor needs to take to effectively terminate a plan and to distribute plan assets. Below is a brief discussion of each of the steps and potential issues that a plan sponsor must consider.


Adopt a Binding Resolution to Terminate the Plan. On or before the date of termination, the plan sponsor must adopt a binding resolution establishing the termination date, freezing contributions to the plan, discontinuing the purchase of annuity contracts or mutual funds, fully vesting all plan participants, approving the distribution of plan benefits and approving the termination of the plan.


This would seem to be relatively simple, except that the IRS assumes that a plan’s document(s) allow the plan sponsor to terminate its plan. However, this is frequently not the case, so plan sponsors must review the plan document to be sure it allows for the termination. If the plan document does not contain termination provisions, then the plan sponsor should consult with a plan advisor to determine if the language authorizing the termination can be added to allow for it.

Be sure to read the full article over at The NonProfit Times.

Exempt Magazine Preview

Have you heard of Exempt Magazine?  It's the sister publication of The NonProfit Times, and it focuses on the financial aspects of the nonprofit sector.  This includes asset management, planned giving, donor advised funds, banking, risk management, investments, insurance, trusts, financial software and technology.  If you have not already subscribed, we just put up 3 articles from the latest issue on the NPT website.  Here is a sample of one of those articles, entitled "Bright Lights & Big Stars":

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a million times: Fundraising is all about developing and building relationships with your donors and supporters. For nonprofits looking to corral a few celebrities to help their cause, it’s much the same thing.


Portland, Ore.-based Mercy Corps has been looking to connect with some of its celebrity supporters, to raise its profile, particularly during non-disaster times and among people who go beyond their usual donor base. The disaster relief organization started last summer, dedicating “a good chunk” of time and energy to examining what other organizations are doing in engaging the entertainment world. Out of that came a consensus to hire someone, based in New York or Los Angeles, to focus on the task and not let it fall by the wayside.


“We’d been trying to do this for some time and saw it as something to put longer-term resources behind, ultimately bringing a benefit to us, and thus, to people we serve around world. That’s always the motivation behind any move we make,” said Joy Portella, Mercy Corps’ director of communications.


“It’s been a lengthy process. We certainly thought about how we want to work with not just individual talent, but the whole entertainment industry,” she said. “It’s rare that an organization has just one or two celebrity spokesmen. The whole process that gets them involved with your organization involves networking in Los Angeles and New York, the entertainment industry.”

You can read the full article by clicking here.  If you are interested in seeing the other articles, go to the "articles" section on The NonProfit Times homepage.  Two of the other stories are "Your 403(b): Terminating A Plan" and "Being Flexible."

Get a Sneek Peek of Exempt Magazine

If you read The NonProfit Times, you might have heard of Exempt Magazine, our publication devoted to nonprofit finance.  Well now, you can get a sneak peek of the recently released April/May 2011 issue!  The preview contains 12 pages of the magazine, and can be viewed immediately.  Check it out today, and see what Exempt can offer to your nonprofit!