3. Christine Gaus (ACCBO President) says: "Since everything is a bit of a mystery to me, I've taken to strolling through Venice with Commissario Guido Brunetti , a delightful Venetian detective. Author Donna Leon writes evocatively of families, love, crime, and justice in that fantastical city of grandeur and gondolas, canals and a bit of corruption. I plan to read the entire series."

2. Shelley Harnett (CTAC) is reading about the sex lives of lightening bugs and small frogs in Hollows,Peepers, and Highlanders: An Appalachian Mountain Ecology

1. Following Shelley's frog lead, and in a desperate attempt to do her own job and that of her future boss, Alida Baker(CTAC) is reading Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time

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To subscribe to the CTAC Community E-Report, send your name, organization, contact information to info@ctaconline.org.

CTAC Community E-Report
March 2006

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Events
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess
Top Ten Questions Job Applicants Shouldn't Ask

Community News

Upcoming CTAC Events
To register, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• The Art of Deal Structuring, part of the National Development Council's Economic Development Finance series, is tentatively planned for September 2006.

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• Pittsburgh Department of City Planning's Census Report for the Year 2000 is now available online. A print copy of the report including a CD with Excel spreadsheets is $10.
• Scholarships to the National Trust for Historic Preservation's National Preservation Conference are available from the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. The Conference will be held here in Pittsburgh, October 31 to November 5. Scholarships will be presented to those applicants whose attendance will most clearly benefit their community and whose commitment to historic preservation will be strengthened through their participation. Scholarship applications are due May 15, 2006.
• State Representative Don Walko's handbook Crime Prevention: What You Can Do contains hundreds of suggestions on crime prevention gathered from police departments and crime watch programs. Request it at dwalko@pahouse.net

For more events in Pittsburgh communities, visit the CTAC calendar at www.ctaconline.org/bulletinboard_events.asp

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess

In the flurry of things, the Nonprofit Goddess didn't make her deadline. But send your questions to info@ctaconline.org for next issue.

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Top Ten Questions Nonprofit Job Applicants Shouldn't Ask

10. And what is it your organization does?

9. Who does the typing?

8. Could you reupholster thechairs in my office?

7. Is this neighborhood safe?

6. How long before I can have your job?

5. How can you pay me if you're nonprofit?

4. Could you move the office closer to my house?

3. What do you mean when you say "fundraise"?

2. Can I bring my cat to work?

1. Do we get St. Patrick's Day off?

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To subscribe to the CTAC Community E-Report, send your name, organization, contact information to newsletter@ctaconline.org.

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess

This month's goddess is Alida Baker

Dear Nonprofit Goddess,

Last month I got the job of buying donuts for our monthly board meeting. I had the foresight to bring our 501c3 letter so that we wouldn't be charged sales tax. The cashier that rang me up, however, wouldn't remove the sales tax charge. Will you explain the concept to him?

Sincerely,

Overtaxed

Dear Overtaxed,

So, you want to withhold $.07 on the $1 from the public coffers, eh? Make everyone else pay for your share of public services? While certain government officials might frown upon that notion, if you, as a nonprofit are spending that $.07 on significant public benefits, you could be excused from paying not only sales tax, but real estate tax, too. Trouble is, you have to qualify as a Purely Public Charity, which is about as easy as qualifying as a Rhodes Scholar. Check out the application.

Purely Public Charities must meet ALL of the following criteria. Yes, ALL, not just the one or two that you like.

Do you…

1. Advance a charitable purpose? You say you're a 501c3 charitable organization? That's terrific, but there are no automatic exemptions for a 501(c)(3) organization or anyone else. In this case, "charitable purposes" include the usual suspects, like providing poverty relief, education and religion, but also purposes important and beneficial to the public and which advance social, moral or physical objectives. Hmmmm.
2. Donate or render gratuitously a substantial portion of your services? If you like devilish Soduko puzzles,then you may also like the percentage test, a test that determines just how much of your services must be available free, or at a reduced cost. Here is a preview:

   …the institution receives 75% or more of its gross operating revenue from grants or fee-for-service payments by government agencies and if the aggregate amount of fee-for-service payments from government agencies does not exceed 95%...

   The percentage test in all its glory can be found in the full text of the Act.

3. Benefit a substantial and indefinite class of persons who are legitimate subjects of charity? These are the folks who are unable to provide for themselves what you provide for them, like the hungry, and the poor, and… theater-goers and library patrons. If you are not qualified to be a 501(c)(3), you do not serve legitimate subjects of charity.
4. Relieve the government of some burden? If you do something that government is supposed to do, or contracts with you to do, or in the case of Pittsburgh, ought to do but is too broke to do, then you may qualify.
5. Operate entirely free from private profit motive? This does not mean that your nonprofit cannot be profitable. However, if your pockets are getting lined in any way, shape or form, then not only are you ineligible for sales tax exemption, but start looking over your shoulder for the IRS, your funders, your constituents and the Nonprofit Goddess.

If you still have no idea if you qualify as an Institution of Purely Public Charity, finer minds, ahem, have also been baffled. The Act is astonishingly vague. Fortunately, there are long lists of nonprofits that have been denied exemption, and who have gone to Court for a better answer. You may find the resulting case law helpful.

My advice is to calculate the savings you would expect from having sales tax exemption, and weigh that against the expense of hiring a lawyer that knows something about this topic. Try the LawLinks Service at the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management.

Good luck, Overtaxed, and please... write back with a question concerning the nutritional benefits of donuts.

Have a perplexing non-profit problem? Send your questions to info@ctaconline.org with “non-profit goddess” in the subject line.

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Top Ten Technologies To Bring Back

10. Ouija Board: Cheaper and more fun than strategic planning consultants.

9. Mimeograph: Your proposals will smell soooo good.

8. Gavel: For the meeting chair to use when the guy across from you makes the same point for the 10th time.

7. Wax Seal: So your message won't end up in Junk Mail.

6. Pneumatic Tubes: More fun than just pushing the "send" key.

5. Hypnotism: So they'll do what you want them to do.

4. Typewriters: For communicating with government agencies in a medium they use.

3. First Aid Kits: In the absence of affordable health insurance.

2. Megaphone: Easier to learn than office intercom.

1. Doorbell: When you really want to hear from your community.

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To subscribe to the CTAC Community E-Report, send your name, organization, contact information to newsletter@ctaconline.org.

CTAC Community E-Report
October 2005

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Events
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess: Conflicts
Top Ten Comments Heard at the Block Party

Community News

Relevant Resources

• The National Trust for Historic Preservation is seeking nominations for the 2006 List of America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations, places that offer authentic experiences--in stark contrast to Anyplace U.S.A. The hallmarks include a sense of place and character, dynamic downtowns, a strong commitment to historic preservation and revitalization, interesting architecture, cultural diversity, an economic base of locally owned small businesses, and walking access for residents and visitors. Sound like someplace you might know?
• Need to address a crowd? Get some tips at the Downtown/Business branch of the Carnegie Library's Seven Speaking Habits You Should Shed Now, October 6 at 12:15 pm.

• Small businesses in Pennsylvania may be eligible for low interest loans for land, buildings, machinery and equipment, and working capital, courtesy of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. For eligibility guidelines and all the fine print, contact Dick Wallace at Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, 412-391-5590.

  For more events in Pittsburgh communities, visit the CTAC calendar at www.ctaconline.org/bulletinboard_events.asp

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess

This month's goddess is Gale McGloin, Executive Direction of the Pittsburgh Mediation Center.

Dear Nonprofit Goddess,

Our community group is working its butt off to make our neighborhood the best in the city but we have jerks for neighbors who don't think twice about anyone but themselves. Mr. Slob puts his garbage cans out whenever he feels like it (no lids). By the time, the trash collector comes, there isn't any garbage left because it's all over my yard. I know because as I write this, I'm holding envelopes addressed to him that I found in my flower bed!

Then there's The Party Guy, up until all hours every weekend night, stereo blaring, people coming and going. I call the police, they do nothing and then I get the evil eye the next day from Mr. Hangover. The best though is the guy who's running a chop shop from the curb in front of his house. He says they're his cars and he's just fixing them which he has a right to do. How many people own a different car each week?

We need these people to change what they're doing or our neighborhood is toast. What can we do? I'm beginning to think that our only option might involve gasoline and matches.

Signed,

Exasperated and Increasingly More Desperate

Dear 'Xasp,

You certainly do sound frustrated and upset by the behavior of some of the people in your neighborhood. You want to improve things and you believe that these people are selfish and don't care about all your hard work. You want them to change and are concerned that your options are getting increasingly more limited.

At the Pittsburgh Mediation Center, we say communication is the name of the game. You've already shown you can communicate your needs for a tidy neighborhood with less noise clearly to me. Now you have to figure out how to get the point across to your recalcitrant neighbors. As you read and cogitate over the suggestions below, remember that if your attempts haven't worked in the past, the only person you can change is yourself. Here's how:

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR EMOTIONS

• Remain calm: the only person you can be sure to have control of is yourself.
• Try not to let other people push your buttons. Choose how you react.
• Don't assume someone is messing with you. There may be something else going on.

• Decide if this is the time and place to talk.
• When possible give the other person a choice.

MODEL THE BEHAVIOR YOU EXPECT OF THE OTHER PERSON

• Let the other person go first.
• Be respectful: don't interrupt, look attentive.
• Listen hard to what they are trying to tell you.
• Play back what you heard them say to make sure you got it right.

FOCUS ON THE BEHAVIOR NOT THE PERSON

• Avoid the blame game. Focus your comments on how you see the situation not what is wrong with the other person.
• Describe the problem from your point of view. Explain the impact of the problem behavior.

ENLIST THE OTHER PERSON IN FINDING A SOLUTION

The Pittsburgh Mediation Center offers conflict resolution and mediation training twice a year to members of the community and year round to organizations and groups on a contractual basis. For more information, call Gale McGloin at 412-365-0400 or email gmcgloin@pittsburgh-mediation.org.

Have a perplexing non-profit problem? Send your questions to info@ctaconline.org with “non-profit goddess” in the subject line.

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Top Ten Comments Overheard at CTAC's All Neighborhood Block Party

10. Interesting who's NOT here.

9. Norse Hyde? I thought this was the North Shore.

8. What's with the hat?

7. Shaler? Is your favorite neighborhood?

6. Beats what they're serving at the shelter.

5. She's still in community development?

4. Look, I scored a burger from Gutkowski without opening a bank account.

3. Make sure you're not seen under that tent.

2. Where's Diane?

1. Great Party!!!

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CTAC Community E-Report
September 2005

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Events
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess: Dependent Care
Top Ten Ways Not to Start A Proposal

Community News

Upcoming CTAC Events
To register, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• CTAC's All Neighborhood Block Party will be Friday night, September 9. Celebrate neighborhoods with some food, fun, and music, at our place.
• DATE CHANGE!! Save January 23-27, 2006 for Real Estate Finance, a week-long training here in Pittsburgh by the National Development Council. Ask CTAC about scholarships.

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• Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) has a new tool available to help search for affordable apartments in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Affordable Apartment Locator, a free Web-based tool, makes otherwise hard to find information about affordable apartments, vacancies and accessibility features available on the Internet.
• If you're a woman considering running for office, Run, Baby Run is a workshop that'll give you the information you need. In this one day session on September 17, elected officials and campagin mangers will share their knowledge and experience with you. Get more information from gloria@run-baby-run.com or 412-583-8757.

For more events in Pittsburgh communities, visit the CTAC calendar at www.ctaconline.org/bulletinboard_events.asp

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess

This month's goddess is Alida Baker

Dear Nonprofit Goddess,

Our CDC finally, finally got the right mix of staff, skills and attitude. We're starting to produce and it's starting to show. At the same time, some of our staff members of childbearing age are starting to re-produce, and it's starting to show. I know that the daycare issue is difficult to solve, and I worry that they will abandon us and stay home with their new little darlings. Can you think of incentives to keep our staff?

Signed,

Mrs.-Doubtfire-I'm-Not

Dear Doubt,

Have you considered a Board development session "Knitting for Baby?" The new parents on your staff will undoubtedly be grateful for an endless supply of booties. But the real motivator is gonna be our old friend, Cold Hard Cash.

One way to save you and your employee some money is to set up a Dependent Care Assistance Plan. With a DCAP, any money your employee spends on child care, up to $5,000, can be excluded from federal (but not Pennsylvania) income tax. Yeah, yeah, $5,000 doesn't approach what decent daycare costs. But still, for an employee in the 20% tax bracket, that represents a $1,000 savings for your employee, not to mention saved payroll taxes for you.

To get rolling, you will need a written plan (find samples at www.uslaw.com) that addresses, at minimum, the following:

Have a perplexing non-profit problem? Send your questions to info@ctaconline.org with “non-profit goddess” in the subject line.

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Top Ten Ways Not To Start A Proposal

10. I am turning to you in utter desperation.

9. You have turned us down so many times before that we are sure that this proposal will be the one you like.

8. I saw you listed in "Free Money to Change Your Life."

7. The enclosed proposal is a mere formality, since you always fund us.

6. I hope we can let bygones be bygones.

5. We've sent this proposal to every foundation in town. Now we're down to you.

4. Have we got a deal for you!

3. Despite the recent news articles about us...

2. It was good seeing you at the gynecologist's office last week.

1. Now that the litigation is over...

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To subscribe to the CTAC Community E-Report, send your name, organization, contact information to newsletter@ctaconline.org.

CTAC Community E-Report
July 2005

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Events
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess
Top Ten Beach Reads for Local Community Developers

Community News

Upcoming CTAC Events
To register, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• CTAC's All Neighborhood Block Party will be Friday night, September 9. Celebrate neighborhoods with some food, fun, and music, at our place.
• Save October 24-28, 2005 for Real Estate Finance, a week-long training here in Pittsburgh by the National Development Council. Ask CTAC about scholarships.

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• Need free paint? The National Council on Paint Disposition will hook nonprofits up with local retailers needing to dispose of unsold paint. Send your organization's name, address, phone number and email address to Marv Goodman at NCPD, PO Box 74, East Brunswick, NJ 08816.
• The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission has scheduled four outreach workshops on the next round of Transportation Enhancements and Hometown Streets / Safe Routes grants. Workshop participants can ask program-related questions and receive guidance on submitting applications. For more information on the following workshops contact Doug Smith, (412) 391-5590 x327.
  • August 3, Saltsburg Borough Building
  • August 11, California U., Natali Student Ctr
  • August 15, Zelienople Municipal Building
  • August 17, Pittsburgh Regional Enterprise Tower



• Find affordable housing in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) database, created by HUD. Information on nearly 22,000 projects and more than 1,141,000 housing units placed in service between 1987 and 2002 is available.

For more events in Pittsburgh communities, visit the CTAC calendar at www.ctaconline.org/bulletinboard_events.asp

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess

This month's goddess is April Clisura, Manager of the Eastside Neighborhood Employement Center, and former CTAC employee.

Dear Nonprofit Goddess,

One of our principal funders has asked me to send along a copy of our strategic plan. Well, I can't seem to get to today's plan, never mind 5-years out. Is it reasonable for a small, stressed nonprofit to have one? Can I pick one up at Walmart?

Signed,

Fire-Fighter

Dear Fighter,

Strategic planning is an important way to keep your organization healthy and on-track. (You need to steer the boat amid all the emergencies and crises, right?) It will also enable you to demonstrate your organization's progress and impact. Strategic planning can seem intimidating, but at the most basic level what it really means is taking stock of where you are now, and setting goals for where you want to be, plus brainstorming external and internal factors that could help or hinder your progress.

When to Plan? Once you get a clearly defined mission, begin work immediately on a strategic plan. This is not to say that it is too late to start years into an organization's life or that an organization should do strategic planning only once. There is no set number of years a plan should cover, but don't be afraid to go 5 or more years into the future - strategic plans can and should be revised as circumstances change or goals are accomplished.

Who Plans? The Board, the staff and other stakeholders should be involved in one way or another. A focus group composed of community residents and/or other stakeholders may help to increase your sense of the immediate and long-term needs you should aim to address before you get started. You could hire a professional strategic planning consultant to facilitate the process, or use your street sense, and a couple of good how-to books on the topic. (See Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations, for example.)

How to Plan? The building blocks of a strategic plan are goals and objectives - these should stem from your organizational mission (if you get stuck at this stage it is a sign that you need to circle back and make sure your mission is clear and has support from Board, staff and constituency.) Try not to get bogged down in semantics. Whether you call them goals, objectives or buttons-on-your-underwear really doesn't matter. The important thing is to identify what your organization wants to achieve and the steps needed to get there.

So, while I'm sure a Strategic Plan can be found in the Walmart aisles (near the sheep food perhaps?), you're better off with a one-of-a-kind plan, not sold in stores.

Have a perplexing non-profit problem? Send your questions to info@ctaconline.org with “non-profit goddess” in the subject line.

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Top Ten Beach Reads for Community Developers

10. Bing Crosby's Last Song, by Lester Goran: It's 1968 in Oakland. Robert Kennedy has been shot, the University is expanding willy-nilly, and the protagonist is dying. He spends his last remaining days (!) listening to his downtrodden Pittsburgh neighbors, in true reluctant-leader style.

9. Taken, by Kathleen George: Our city rallies behind the Pirates, for a change, when the pitcher's son is kidnapped and taken to one of Pittsburgh's "bleaker" neighborhoods. Unravel the mystery of this adoption ring..

8. Checking on the Moon, by Jenny Davis: A couple of kids are sent to live with their grandmother in a seedy Pittsburgh neighborhood, learn the benefits of grass roots political action, and help out with the family diner. It could happen.

7. Death in the Steel City, by Thomas Lipinski: "Pittsburgh is a stew of ethnic divisions and, for some, a heritage of crime, punishment, and revenge," says the publisher of this mystery. Features a Jewish gangster, a triple homicide and more broken neighborhoods.

6. Eyesores, by Eric Shade: Eleven stories that bind together, or fence off, the people of a fictional western Pennsylvania community.

5. Valley of Decision, by Marcia Davenport: The story of four generations of the Scott family, rich steel-producers on Pittsburgh's North Side, and their encounters with the riffraff.

4. Out of this Furnace, by Thomas Bell. The story of three generations of a Slovak family in a Braddock-esque setting who made the Scotts and others of their ilk (above), rich.

3. Sheep Man, by Jay Simon: Six teenaged boys accept a dare to camp out in the woods of Southwestern PA for a night to prove that the town's local legend, the Sheep Man, doesn't exist. They discover, as all community developers know, that some things are better left unknown.

2. Ghostly Encounters and Mysteries of the Monongahela River Valley, by Sherri Higgins: For your next camp out.

1. Pickles to Pittsburgh, by Judi Barrrett: Last, something positive, as the residents of Chewandswallow organize, form a social venture, and distribute food throughout the world. Equador gets the eggplants, Chile, the chile, and we get the pickles.

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To subscribe to the CTAC Community E-Report, send your name, organization, contact information to newsletter@ctaconline.org.

CTAC Community E-Report
May 2005

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Events
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess: Overtime
Top Ten Pittsburgh Foods and Where to Get 'Em

Community News

Upcoming CTAC Events
To register for workshops, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• See what the candidates have to say at the Mayoral Candidates Debate on Neighborhoods, Monday, May 2, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, Penn Ave in East Liberty. For free tickets call 412-231-2822 or email dianesmith@ctaconline.org. This will be covered by the Pgh Post-Gazette and Tribune Review, and carried on PCTV.
• CTAC's Core Series winds up with a workshop on Fundraising, May 12. Learn to develop an effective fundraising strategy to advance organizational goals. Individual, corporate and foundation donations will be introduced. Seats are limited, register soon. Questions? Ask CTAC.
• Save October 24-28, 2005 for Real Estate Finance, a week-long training here in Pittsburgh by the National Development Council. Ask CTAC about scholarships.

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• Need stuff for your community garden? Trade perennials, annuals, seeds, bulbs, tools and decorations at the Pittsburgh Garden Swap on May 14 at the Frick Environmental Center. For information contact pittsburghgardenswap@yahoo.com
• The URA Streetface program is back. Business and commercial property owners in Main Street districts may apply for matching funds for façade restoration and construction projects.
• If you have a telephone and access to the internet, you can participate in the webcast of Financial Management Internal Controls: Don't Leave Home Without Them, on the LISC website on May 18 from 2 to 3:30.
• Meeting with sprawl-ists? Give them a free copy of Creating Great Neighborhoods: Density in Your Community. It colorfully lays out the advantages of good, and dense, design. Download a copy, or ask the EPA to send you one.
  

For more events in Pittsburgh communities, visit the CTAC calendar at www.ctaconline.org/bulletinboard_events.asp

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess

This month's goddess is CTAC's Alida Baker.

Dear Nonprofit Goddess,

If my nonprofit's budget wasn't getting crushed enough by foundation cuts here and government contract slashes there, now an employee is telling me that he is entitled to time-and-a-half pay for anything over 40 hours. Whatever happened to the good old days when nonprofit employees worked 60 hours or more, got paid for 40, and poorly at that?

Signed,

Strapped

Dear Strapped,

Ah, the good old days, when a slavish devotion to mission was a requirement of the job. Well say hello to the Fair Labor Standards Act as amended last August, and a little thing called regulatory compliance. (Or risk penalties, interest and humiliation if that appeals to you more.)

Gather up pay stubs, job descriptions, employment contracts, and a labor lawyer if you've got one hanging around, and ask yourself the following questions:

Is your employee sporting a "white collar?" That is, is he a salaried worker -- not paid by the hour -- who does executive, administrative, or professional work? Are you sure? If he is, then NO, you don't have to pay him overtime…. EXCEPT

Does he make less than $455 a week or $23,660 a year? If he does, then YES, you must pay him 1½ times his regular pay rate for anything over 40 hours in a work week. (And NO, you can't give him comp time instead.)

Does he make more than $100,000 a year? If YES, the Goddess is interested in applying for the position, and may STILL be entitled to overtime pay, to cover some new spring robes and a trip to Athens.

Are there exceptions to these rules? YES, nothing regulatory is ever simple. For advice, check with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Labor Law Compliance at 800-932-0665, and visit their website at www.dli.state.pa.us.

Have a perplexing non-profit problem? Send your questions to info@ctaconline.org with “non-profit goddess” in the subject line.

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Top Ten Pittsburgh Foods and Where to Get 'Em

10. Dippy Eggs... at Pamela's.

9. Progies... at Pierogies Plus in McKees Rocks.

8. Gobs... At the Jenny Lee Bakery in McKees Rocks, after you get the pierogies.

7. Fries, on everything.. everywhere, including Primanti's.

6. Fried Jumbo Sammitch...at Redbeard's Mountain Resort and Yacht Club, Mt. Warsh.

5. Squarsh... over to Whole Foods, S'Liberty.

4. Jimmies... Is there an Isaly's left? Then Klavons, or Dave and Andy's.

3. Chip Chop Ham... If you can't find an Isaly's, at the Iggle.

2. An Arn...In the icebox of any self-respecting, locally-owned bar.

1. Or make it an Imp 'n Arn.. after work in a Mon Valley bar.

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CTAC Community E-Report
January 2005

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Workshops
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess
Top Ten Myths About Nonprofit Jobs

Community News

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Upcoming CTAC Workshops
To register for workshops, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• CTAC's Core Series kicks off with Rex Gatto's workshop on Leadership Skills, January 20. You will assess your leadership style, and gain insight into the meaning and expectations of leadership. Rex is a popular speaker, so register soon. Request information. Ask CTAC
• Request a CTAC Core Series brochure. It describes all the Core Series workshops. Ask CTAC
• Save April 25-29, 2005 for Business Credit Analysis, a week-long training here in Pittsburgh by the National Development Council. Ask CTAC about scholarships.

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• If you have a telephone and access to the internet, you can participate in the webcast of A True Tale of Board and Staff Fundraising, on the LISC website on January 19 from 2 to 3:30.



• The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is seeking community partners. Proceeds from a June concert, featuring an as-yet unnamed "popular artist" will be distributed among participating non-profit partners. Inquire about the January planning meeting to: esheppard@pittsburghsymphony.org

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess

This month's goddess is CTAC Executive Director Mark Fatla.

Dear Nonprofit Goddess,

My organization has reached the end of our fiscal year, and our financial statements indicate we have money to burn. Is that legal? I thought nonprofits weren't supposed to make a profit?

Signed,

Prudent

Dear Prudent,

Not only may non-profits make a profit, it is good business to do so. It is, uh, prudent.

What a non-profit CANNOT do is distribute the funds to financially benefit its board members, or pay exorbitant salaries to staff. The non-profit can make a profit, but the excess money must be kept for use by the non-profit in pursuit of its mission. That pretty much rules out an all-expense paid trip to the Bahamas for the Executive Director.

"Extra" money does not have to be spent at the end of the fiscal year. You can invest it (prudently). You can put it toward a future building project or use it to explore new program ideas. You can sock it away for a rainy day.

The well managed non-profit should finish each year with more revenue than expense. Some say 5% is a good target. These savings make funders more comfortable because the organization is not living entirely on the edge. They make Board members comfortable because there is a cushion for the unexpected.

On the other hand, if your organization is rolling in dough it may be time to consider expanding your services. Perhaps you can reach more people, or provide more services to the people you help now. Perhaps it is time to spend some money to develop a new initiative. Perhaps the funds should be invested and the proceeds earmarked for a special project. It is certainly time for the Board to have a serious discussion about how it can best use its funds to advance the mission.

If you must have a nonprofit problem, this is a good one to have. Be happy with those healthy financial statements; they are better than the alternative. Now start talking about the most prudent way to use those excess funds.

Have a perplexing non-profit problem? Send your questions to info@ctaconline.org with “non-profit goddess” in the subject line.

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Top Ten Myths About Nonprofit Jobs

10. Nonprofit employees can't get good jobs.

9. Highest technology available is abacus and quill pens.

8. Everyone is nice and gets along.

7. There aren't any nonprofit jobs.

6. You gotta wear a hairshirt to work and scourge yourself every Saturday.

5. Nonprofit people are virtuous, more so than other people.

4. If you take one, you are exempt from death and taxes.

3. Retirement plans are tied to the Powerball.

2. Fringe benefits are limited to leftover donuts from board meeting.

1. The pay isn't necessarily bad.

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To subscribe to the CTAC Community E-Report, send your name, organization, contact information to newsletter@ctaconline.org.

CTAC Community E-Report
December 2004

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Workshops
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess
Top Ten Holiday Gifts for Community Developers

Community News

 

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Upcoming CTAC Workshops
To register for workshops, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• NDC-National Development Council
  April 25-29,2005
  
  

  Plan now to take ED-201, Business Credit Analysis, the second course in the Economic Development Finance Professional Certification Program the week of April 25, 2005. ED-202, Real Estate Finance will be held in November 2005. Course descriptions can be found at www.ndc-online.org. For registration information info@ctaconline.org.

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• Learn more about the Three Rivers Community Fund at an information session on January 6. Reserve a space by calling 412-243-9250. Funding proposals are due January 28.

• Looking for a job in Community Development? Got a job to fill? Job seekers and nonprofits seeking employees may log on to www.idealist.org. In other job news, The Bloomfield Garfield Corporation is seeking an individual to fill a position with YouthLinks, and the East End Neighborhood Employment Center is seeking an Executive Director. Information.
• Youth, Crime and Community Development: A Guide for Community Development is a free download from the Enterprise Foundation. It features 20 strategies for promoting youth development and healthy adulthood; case studies from the nation’s most successful youth crime-prevention programs; and seven steps for developing a community campaign against youth crime.
• Selecting and Managing Your Development Team: Is There a Harder – or More Rewarding – Job Anywhere? Anyone with access to the internet and a telephone can participate in this live webcast on December 15 at 2pm. More information on the LISC website.

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess

This month's guest goddess is Eric Milliron.

Dear Nonprofit Goddess,

Our neighborhood business district really needs a shot in the arm. Our community organization has begun to do some simple things, like coordinate the hours stores are open, purchase joint advertising, organize clean-up days, and hold a few events. We have several stores, though, that sit on the sidelines and watch everyone else do all the work. Come on guys, this ain't a spectator sport. What does it take to get them to join in?

Yours truly,

Frustrated with Benchwarmers

Dear Frustrated,

Ah, you have posed one of the most common and dare I say most frustrating questions of community development practitioners. First, allow me to assure you that every community on this crazy blue marble has a faction of people who do not get that they hold the key to neighborhood improvement. Here are some strategies to inspire these folks to get off their rear-ends, roll up their sleeves, and get to work!

1. The Personal Touch - Okay gang, sending a flyer, letter, or posting something in the local rag is not going to get the troops out. Business owners are very busy people. Frankly, many of our shop owners are the only people behind the register during business hours. They get a lot of mail…they throw out a lot of mail…yours included. Email? How many emails did you delete this morning? Without even a peek at the content? Be honest!

The most effective way to get their attention is to establish a face-to-face relationship with as many business people in your community as you can. It is time consuming, but the most important thing you can do. Plus, these guys/gals KNOW what is happening on the streets and can be your eyes and ears when it comes to issues and concerns that are bubbling up. Get personal - make regular visits to the shop, be a face not a signature, and make yourself a customer not just a messenger about how to change the world.

2. What's in it for me? - Repeat after me - "Business owners are busy people." This is not a platitude. These are tough no-nonsense people who need to know why it is important for them to be involved, how they can help make positive change, and what will they get out of their investment. Community Development professionals should clearly define the benefits. Try telling them that their success is inextricably connected to the success of the entire district, and that an investment of their time and resources will come back to them in many ways, profit being one. That should get their attention.

This is also an opportunity for you to brag! Let them know what your organization has done for the neighborhood. Tell them about the neighborhood cleanups, the fundraisers to improve public spaces, the advocacy work that you are engaged in. Many times your organization is a lifeline to untapped resources that a business may not be aware of. Let them know that you can hook them up with resources to assist with retirement planning or tweaking their business plan. Perhaps you can work with them to offer incentives for that long overdue façade renovation. The ways you can have a mutually beneficial relationship are endless, but they need to be in it to get it.

3. Persistence, Persistence, and oh…Persistence -- It's possible that they have heard it all before. They might be disillusioned by a bad experience with your group in the past. Working to improve neighborhoods can be tough work! The point is, you will not know what the deal is with this person if you give up on the first "I'm not interested" line. By being a consistent presence you will develop the most community development skill -- relationship building. This is the glue that can and will allow you to successfully bring people to the table for events, fundraising, community meetings, or whatever.

Of course, I'm not suggesting that you should be a pest. A visit once a month or so should do. Ask how things are, see if there is anything that you can do to help them, and let them know that you are there for them. Who knows, at some point they might be there for you, too.

Finally, keep in mind that not EVERYONE will join the team. But most people do want to be in the game…you might just have to coach them a wee bit!

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Top Ten Holiday Gifts for Community Developers

10. A thank you note from a neighbor you helped this year.

9. Pictures of the local kids at the neighborhood party

8. Architect's drawings for your next (Pick one: housing project / commercial building / playground renovation).

7. Donated office supplies.

6. A phone message from a Foundation, asking for a time to get together to learn more about your program.

5. Any check in any amount.

4. A bright, hardworking intern.

3. 33% for Strong Neighborhoods!

2. Someone to do the !#$%^&*#^% filing.

1. And a partridge in a pear tree!

CTAC Community E-Report
November 2004

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Workshops
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess
Top Ten Things We're Thankful For

Community News

 

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Upcoming CTAC Workshops
To register for workshops, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• NDC-National Development Council
  March 2005
  
  

  Plan now to take ED-201, Business Credit Analysis, the second course in the Economic Development Finance Professional Certification Program in March 2005. ED-202, Real Estate Finance will be held in November 2005. Course descriptions can be found at www.ndc-online.org. For registration information info@ctaconline.org.

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Any organization interested in equipment, please contact Diane Smith at 412-231-2822 or dianesmith@ctaconline.org.

CTAC Community E-Report
October 2004

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Workshops
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess
Top Ten Alternative Plans for the Fifth & Forbes Corridor

Community News

 

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Upcoming CTAC Workshops
To register for workshops, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• Sylvia Allen on Sponsorship
  October 22, 2004 in Pittsburgh
  October 20, 2004 in Erie

  This workshop will provide you with the tools you need to be successful at sponsorship sales. A few lucky community development organizations will be eligible to receive a free consultation with Sylvia on October 23. The registration fee is $200 per person. A limited number of $100 scholarships are available for non-profit development organizations.

  The Sponsorship Sales workshop is presented by Sylvia Allen and CTAC, with special thanks to the following sponsors for their commitment to developing the communities of Western Pennsylvania: Mellon Financial Corporation, Sky Bank, Carlow College and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh's Mainstreet Program.
  

  For more information, visit the school section of the CTAC website

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Relevant Resources

• The Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project (PUMP) is discussing the creation of a new outlet for young non-profit professionals who want to increase their professional development, networking skills and social opportunities. This new "network" will support the development of nonprofit professionals and community leaders. For more information please contact Jennifer@pump.org.

• The Executive Service Corps (ESC) of SWPA has recently joined the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management. Under the Bayer Center, the ESC will continue to match professionals interested in volunteering with nonprofits in need of their advanced skills. Assistance in many areas includes: legal issues, facilities management, human resources, client/information management, and finance among many other fields. For more information, please contact sandel@rmu.edu.

• Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development, an organization helping to create vibrant, diverse, mixed-use neighborhoods within Pittsburgh, is offering two free electronic newsletters regarding local community development issues and national civic news and trends. Please visit www.ppnd.org

• CTAC recently received a donation of computer equipment as follows:
  • Three (3) 17" Monitor
  • Five (5) Sets of Speakers
  • Five (5) Keyboard Drawers
    
  • Eight (8) Monitor Glare Screens

Any organization interested in requesting equipment, please contact Diane Smith at 412-231-2822 or dianesmith@ctaconline.org. We will distribute equipment on a first-come, first-served basis.

CTAC Community E-Report

September 2004

What can the elm street program do for your neighborhood?

• Revitalize your neighborhood by improving the exterior appearance of the buildings and streetscapes.
• Formalize a connection between established residential neighborhood areas and downtown revitalization activities.
• Prevent neighborhood decline by developing a plan that includes the establishment of a sustainable community organization that will implement the five year strategy.
• Assist in preparing and implementing a revitalization strategy for established residential neighborhoods either in the vicinity of a Main Street Program project or in proximity to an existing commercial district.

Call us at 412-231-2822 to find out how you can get involved in your community!

Participating ELM STREET Study Areas: Allegheny East, Allegheny West, Brightwood, Central NS, East Liberty, Friendship, Garfield, Hazelwood, Homewood, Lawrenceville, Mt. Washington, Oakland, Observatory Hill, Southside, Troy Hill, Uptown, West End, The Hill.

Did You Know?

•In Hazelwood, you can eat at Pittsburgh’s only Hungarian restaurant, Jozsa Corner, located at 4800-4804 2nd Avenue. Call 412.422.1886 for hours.

•Hazelwood is home to the Woods House, one of only three pre-1800 structures within the city limits. It is believed to be the oldest residence in Allegheny County.

•The Annual Hazelwood Oktoberfest Walk/Run is coming up on October 2. For more information check the Hazelwood Homepage

•More than 14 churches are located in Hazelwood.

You've Got Another Friend in Pittsburgh

10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania has expanded to the Pittsburgh region. The organization fulfills its mission of enhancing the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians by promoting policies and actions that will revitalize and sustain the social and economic well-being of PA communities through a focus on smart growth policy.

“10,000 Friends of PA is excited to open an office in Western Pennsylvania,” explains Policy Director Grant Ervin of the Pittsburgh office. “Together, with our community partners, we look forward to encouraging and implementing policies that initiate sustainable growth opportunities for the Pittsburgh Region. A major component of our initial efforts will be to build local support for the advancement of policies such as those provided in the Brookings Institute’s recent report.” This report is available online at www.brookings.edu/pennsylvania. For more information about 10,000 Friends, visit www.10000friends.org.

• The Carnegie Arts and Heritage Festival, September 9-12 in Carnegie Borough, will include one of the biggest rhythm and blues festivals in the area. For more information, call 412. 276.1414 or email executivedirector@carnegiepa.info
• The Friendship House tour will be held on September 19. Tour the grand homes of Friendship and experience a great neighborhood. Tickets are $15 day of the tour or $12 in advance. For more information, contact Dana at 412-441-6147 or danas@friendship-pgh.org
• The Bloomfield Italian Festival offers a weekend of events September 24 through 26. Call the Bloomfield Business Association office at 412-681-2054 or visit the BBA website at www.shoppingbloomfield.com
• For more events in Pittsburgh communities, visit the CTAC calendar.
  

Upcoming CTAC Workshops
To register for workshops, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• National Development Council Training Economic Development Finance, Sept 20-24, 2004
  Learn the financial skills required for the successful practice of economic development within the context of an overall economic system. More information may be found in the school.

  Economic Development Finance is presented by National Development Council (NDC) and CTAC, with special thanks to the following sponsors for their commitment to developing the communities of Western Pennsylvania: National City, LISC, Federal Home Loan Bank, PNC, Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh.

• Sylvia Allen on Sponsorship
October 22, 2004 in Pittsburgh
October 20, 2004 in Erie

This workshop will provide you with the tools you need to be successful at sponsorship sales. A few lucky community development organizations will be eligible to receive a free consultation with Sylvia on October 23. The registration fee is $200 per person. A limited number of $100 scholarships are available for non-profit development organizations. More information may be found in the school section of the CTAC website.

To register, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org.


The Sponsorship Sales workshop is presented by Sylvia Allen and CTAC, with special thanks to the following sponsors for their commitment to developing the communities of Western Pennsylvania: Sky Bank, Carlow College and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh's Mainstreet Program.

• The Foundation Center will offer a full day course for those new to proposal writing. September 8, 9:15 to 4:00 at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library. $10. Register with the Foundation Center at 412-281-7143.
• The Young Preservationists will host a series of regional workshops to develop historic preservation priorities for the Pittsburgh region. September workshops will take place in Pittsburgh, Beaver County, and Butler County. For more information, see www.youngpreservationists.org
  
• Need help with a writing project? Master’s students in Carnegie Mellon’s Professional Writing program will work with non-profits this fall. You’ll have the benefit of their work; they’ll have the opportunity to gain experience. For more information, contact Karen Schnackenberg at krs@andrew.cmu.edu
• A new web-based tool—the Affordable Housing Design Advisor—can help affordable housing developers gain a greater appreciation for the value of good design processes. Based on real-world experience and case studies of successful developments from all over the country, www.designadvisor.org contains a wealth of information. It defines good design, explains why it’s essential to quality affordable homes, and shows how to achieve it in any affordable housing development.

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess

Dear Nonprofit Goddess,

Our civic organization’s last meeting felt like an after-party for the Democratic National Convention: board members were sporting John Kerry buttons and stacks of Kerry-Edwards literature were practically blocking the exit. As a Bush fan, must I stand for this? I wouldn’t mind handing out a few bumper stickers myself, but I thought we were supposed to stay out of election politics.

Signed,
Ready for November

Dear Ready,

You’re right: it’s important to keep “bumper-sticker distribution” off the agenda of your next meeting. Campaign stickers, buttons, and literature endorsing or condemning one specific candidate can be dangerous things, and not just because people could get paper cuts or jab themselves with the sharp part of the button. The IRS prohibits non-profits from engaging in “political activity,” which they define as “participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.” Yep, that includes the little stuff like buttons and bumper stickers.

If your organization is caught coming down on the side of one candidate or the other in any election, the IRS can slap you with heavy penalties or could even revoke your status as a non-profit. So be careful! Board members and regular members will of course hold personal opinions about elections, but need to be careful to keep those personal opinions separate from their affiliation with your organization. That means no buttons at board meetings, no bumper stickers on the office bulletin board, and no organizational letterhead for the campaign letters.

So, what are you to do? Civic organizations, after all, are supposed to support civic involvement, and even that ostrich at the zoo (the one with her head buried in the sand) probably has an opinion on the upcoming elections. You certainly don’t have to pretend they aren’t happening: you just have to valiantly strive to be fair and neutral. You can hold a non-partisan candidates forum, and can state positions on specific issues (particularly those related to the mission of your organization) without mentioning candidates. For more information on these options, check out CTAC’s Do It Right! Kit How to Hold A Candidates Forum. You can also encourage folks with all your might to get out there and vote, as long as you let them decide for themselves which lever to pull.

Have another non-profit problem? Send your questions to newsletter@ctaconline.org with “non-profit goddess” in the subject line.

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Top Ten Excuses for Not Voting (and our response)

10. Who’s running? Here’s $0.50. Buy a paper.

9. Because to vote is to care. Well, yeah.

8. The warden won’t let me. You’re excused.

7. I don’t know where to vote. Please ask!

6. Martin Sheen isn’t running. You’re excused.

5. I don’t have time. Like millions of other voters have nothing to do?

4. Politicians are slimy. Vote ‘em out!

3. All those levers and words are confusing. Just ask, already!

2. My vote doesn’t matter. Remember Florida in 2000?

1. I’ve never voted before. But this year’s different.

CTAC Community E-Report
August 2004

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Workshops
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess
Top Ten Reasons Chiodos is Better than Walgreens
Visit these Neighborhood Pubs for a Taste of Pittsburgh

Community News

• The Allegheny County Department of Economic Development is seeking public opinion to steer future development activities and policies in its 130 municipalities. The County has compiled a simple online survey that residents can complete to offer their opinion on issues such as housing, transportation, facilities, development, and natural and historic resources. Take the survey online at http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/economic/survey04

• Uptown Community Action Group will hold its 9th Annual Community Day Festival and Health Fair on Saturday, August 21, 2004 from 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm. The location is the 1800 block of Fifth Avenue. For more information, call 412.201.1232 or email uptownaction@aol.com
• For more events in Pittsburgh communities, visit the CTAC calendar at http://www.ctaconline.org/bulletinboard_events.asp
  

 

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Upcoming CTAC Workshops
To register for workshops, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• National Development Council Training

Economic Development Finance, Sept 20-24, 2004


*Note: Dates for this training have been moved to September!

Learn the financial skills required for the successful practice of economic development within the context of an overall economic system. More information may be found in the school.

Economic Development Finance is presented by National Development Council (NDC) and CTAC, with special thanks to the following sponsors for their commitment to developing the communities of Western Pennsylvania: National City, LISC, Federal Home Loan Bank, PNC, Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh.

• Sylvia Allen on Sponsorship

October 22, 2004 in Pittsburgh
October 21, 2004 in Erie

This workshop will provide you with the tools you need to be successful at sponsorship sales. A few lucky community development organizations will be eligible to receive a free consultation with Sylvia on October 23. The registration fee is $200 per person. A limited number of $100 scholarships are available for non-profit development organizations. More information may be found in the school section of the CTAC website.

To register, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org.

The Sponsorship Sales workshop is presented by Sylvia Allen and CTAC, with special thanks to the following sponsors for their commitment to developing the communities of Western Pennsylvania: Sky Bank, Carlow College and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh's Mainstreet Program.

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Relevant Resources

• Girl Scouts - Trillium Council is offering exciting summer programs for girls, and fall programs are just around the corner. Not a Girl Scout? The Council is looking for you, too! Not interested in selling cookies? How about winning a $5,000 scholarship? Volunteers are needed too, for as short as one day, or as long as you like. For more information, visit their website or contact dpalmer@gstrillium.org.

• More and more nonprofits are accepting donations, taking registrations or selling products through the Internet. However, the sheer number and variety of available online payment tools can be overwhelming. An overview of online payment concepts and descriptions of the many options and tools available will help you start collecting credit card payments online. Read the article at http://www.alderconsulting.com/creditcard.html

 

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess

This month's non-profit goddess is CTAC's Mark Fatla.

Dear Nonprofit Goddess,

I really wanted to stay home and watch the game last week, but I got up and went to our organization's board meeting instead. I'm on the board, after all, and I knew we were going to be voting. I was feeling pretty good about this decision until I got there and found the room filled - again! - with barely-familiar faces. Instead of discussing the issue with all the other board members, I found myself casting a ballot with "proxy voters" who were authorized to vote on behalf of the board members who couldn't make it to the meeting. I wanted to know what they had to say about it, but one was out of town for a family event, another has been ill, and a third was simply missing in action. This doesn't seem quite right to me, but I've seen other boards do it too. So, what's the deal with proxy voting for board members? Is it okay, or even legal? What other options do we have?

Signed,
Missing My Board

Dear Missing,

No sirree, proxy voting for board members is not legal and is certainly not wise. While members of an organization are authorized by Pennsylvania statutes to designate proxy voters, board members (or directors) are not.

Why the double standard? Members can be vast in number and just don't vote that often, so having a few of them cast proxy votes is unlikely to significantly impact the organization. Board members, on the other hand, are fewer in number, which means it should be possible (if not always easy) to find a time when they can all meet. And, board members have been chosen to vote relatively frequently on the important issues facing the organization: contributing to discussions and casting thoughtful votes are pretty big parts of the gig.

Board members are there to engage in debate, to share their wisdom, to contribute more than time or a check. Proxy voting would deprive the board of that personal involvement and rob the absent board member of the chance to be persuaded. The board's decision could be weaker for it.

The fact that proxy voting is out of the question for board members doesn't mean it's impossible for them to vote from afar once in a blue moon. It's entirely legal (and not too shabby in terms of practicality) to debate and vote through conference calls or video conferencing, as long as everyone on both ends of the line can hear each other.

And, before you gently mention this new knowledge of the proxy voting rules to your fellow board members, take a second to think about whether their absence could be a symptom of issues going deeper than vacation schedules. Are some board members content to have their name on the letterhead but don't want the trouble of true Board service? Create an Advisory or Honorary Board and give it a flattering title like "Leadership Council" or "Committee on the Arts." Are many of your Directors tired or burnt out with the give and take of Board service? Honor the old dogs and recruit new blood. Need more information on the details of it all? Check out CTAC's Do It Right! Kit on Voting by Proxy, Mail Ballot, and Telephone at http://www.ctaconline.org/proxy.asp

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Top Ten Reasons Chiodos is
Better than Walgreens

(Background: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04204/349938.stm)

10. This is Pennsylvania -- you can't buy liquor at Walgreens.

9. Laugh too hard at Walgreens and people look at you funny.

8. Bras hang from Chiodo's ceiling.

7. Just try starting a conversation with a stranger at Walgreens.

6. The jukebox is way better than Muzak.

5. Import beer is better than imported notebook paper and dental floss.

4. You can order a Mystery Sandwhich at Chiodo's.

3. You can buy stuff while sitting down.

2. You'll never have to meet Joe Walgreen!

1. That corner booth is great for Board meetings.

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Visit these neighborhood pubs for a taste of Pittsburgh. . .

• Chiodo's in Homestead: 107 W. 8th Avenue
• Kelly's in East Liberty: 6012 S. Penn Circle
• Billy's in Troy Hill: 1720 Lowric Street
• Neid's in Lawrenceville: 5438 Butler Street
• Rendezvous Phase II in Homewood: 6606 Frankstown Ave
• Park House in East Allegheny: 403 E. Ohio Street
• Dee's on the Southside: 1314 Carson Street
• Big Jim's in Nine Mile Run: 201 Saline
• Pleasure Bar in Bloomfield: 4729 Liberty Ave
• D's Six Packs and Dogs in Regent Sq: 1118 S. Braddock Ave

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To subscribe to the CTAC Community E-Report, send your name, organization, contact information to newsletter@ctaconline.org.

CTAC Community E-Report
July 2004

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Workshops
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess
Top Ten Reasons to Make the Pittsburgh Region Your Summer Vacation Destination

Community News

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Upcoming CTAC Workshops
To register for workshops, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• National Development Council Training

Economic Development Finance, Sept 20-24, 2004


*Note: Dates for this training have been moved to September!

Learn the financial skills required for the successful practice of economic development within the context of an overall economic system. More information may be found in the school.

Economic Development Finance is presented by National Development Council (NDC) and CTAC, with special thanks to the following sponsors for their commitment to developing the communities of Western Pennsylvania: National City, LISC, Federal Home Loan Bank, PNC, Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh.

Relevant Resources

• The Pennsylvania Downtown Center (http://www.padowntown.org) will host a two-hour workshop in Harrisburg on July 9 detailing the Hometown Streets and Safe Routes to School program. The application for the program is August 1. This free and informative workshop will explain more about the program and how to apply. Reserve your space today by calling Amy at (717)233-4675 or emailing amylucas@padowntown.org.

• The Young Preservationists Association is hosting a series of ten interactive workshops to develop a proactive approach to historic preservation in the Pittsburgh region. The organization encourages the participation of young people, minorities, and others who are not normally represented in regional planning processes. To register, email YPAinformation@aol.com. For more information, visit http://www.youngpreservationists.org.

• TechSoup Stock connects nonprofits with donated and discounted technology products in the supportive environment of the TechSoup Web site. Choose from over 240 products from 25 providers including Cisco and Microsoft. For more information, visit http://www.techsoup.org/stock.

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess     

This month's non-profit goddess is CTAC's Margie Howard.

Dear Nonprofit Goddess,

I feel like I've crashed a party but can't leave! I was recently elected to the board of my community organization, and just got home from my first board meeting. Whew - I haven't felt this uncomfortable in a group setting since that time in grade school when I had to sit at a new lunch table. Nobody talked much to me and, to make things worse, I had no idea what the group conversations were about! It was all ABBCO this, 501c3 that. What have I gotten myself into?

Signed,
New Kid on the Board

Cheer up, New Kid - you won't have to feel left out for long! You and the current board members can take a few simple steps to make things more comfortable. Just remember your "please" and "thank you" and remember that inclusion is a two-way street: you need to accept people for who they are in order to be accepted for who you are. Next thing you know, you'll fit right in.

New board members
1. It's simple but crucial: Introduce yourself to each individual (before the meeting or during breaks) and to the board as a whole.

2. Thank the group for the opportunity to serve.

3. Tell them why you want to serve. Be open and honest. Share what you care about.

4. If you are familiar with anyone on the board, acknowledge this connection to the group. Making personal connections can create a warm atmosphere.

5. Don't just sit there: Participate from day one! Volunteer to serve on a committee or help with a project.

6. Take a look at CTAC's Do It Right! Kit on community development acronyms, the ABCs of CDCs, so that you can follow all the jargon that gets tossed around at meetings. The kit is available online at http://www.ctaconline.org/abcs.asp

Current board members
1. Provide new members with board manuals (before their first meeting, if possible) so that they can bone up on the organization and its mission and know who is involved. If you don't have a board manual yet, this is the time to create one! See CTAC's Do It Right! Kit on putting together a board manual. The kit is available online at http://www.ctaconline.org/boardmanual.asp

2. Give new members a copy of CTAC's Do It Right! Kit on acronyms so they can follow the lingo during meetings. The kit is available online at http://www.ctaconline.org/abcs.asp

3. If possible, bring them to their first meeting and arrive early so that you can show them around a little. Show them where the rest rooms are. Offer a glass of water or a cup of coffee.

4. As people arrive at the meeting, introduce them to the new member. This way, the new member has a little one-on-one time with each person.

5. Make sure the board chair offers a welcome to new members when the meeting starts! Then, ask the new members to say a few words about themselves and their interests; sharing their background and expertise will help them fit into the right committee where they can really shine.

6. Give them something to do! If they are shy or hesitant to volunteer, invite new members to join a committee or get involved in a project.

7. After the meeting, the Chair (and other members, if they like) should stay to make one more connection: shake hands with new members and tell how glad you are to have them on the board.

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Top Ten Reasons to Make the Pittsburgh Region Your Summer Vacation Destination

10. You can choose from 16 City swimming pools!

9. Sandcastle: the self-proclaimed waterslide capital of the world.

8. You can eat your weight in kettle korn every weekend at an outdoor festival.

7. We are the BIGGEST Act 47 community in the state!

6. The view from Mt. Washington: deemed the second most beautiful view in the nation by USA Weekend magazine in 2003. (Number one? Hawaii. Number three? Red Rocks.)

5. We're only 5 minutes from Millvale!

4. Plenty of mayflies, not a single pesky cicada.

3. You can check out the world's most active cloud harp downtown! (http://www.cloudharp.org/Harp-Pittsburgh.html)

2. No need to fight through long lines of other tourists.

1. It's a lot easier than making Pittsburgh your winter vacation destination.

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To subscribe to the CTAC Community E-Report, send your name, organization, contact information to newsletter@ctaconline.org.

CTAC Community E-Report
May 2004

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Workshops
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess
Top Ten Ways to Fill a Funding Gap
Neighborhood Spotlight: Regent Square
Board Spotlight: Sue Scheuring

Community News

Pedal Pittsburgh: A Neighborhood Bike Ride will be held May 16, 2004. To ride, or to help the Community Design Center by volunteering, call 412-232-3545.

 

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Upcoming CTAC Workshops
To register for workshops, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• National Development Council Training

Economic Development Finance, June 21-25, 2004


Learn the financial skills required for the successful practice of economic development within the context of an overall economic system. More information may be found in the school.

Economic Development Finance is presented by National Development Council (NDC) and CTAC, with special thanks to the following sponsors for their commitment to developing the communities of Western Pennsylvania: National City, LISC, Federal Home Loan Bank, PNC, Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh.

• CTAC Core Series

Fundraising, May 6, 2004


Learn how to develop an effective fundraising strategy to advance organizational goals with fundraising consultant Iris Nahemow, principal in the firm Nahemow Associates. She has extensive and diverse experience and skills in fundraising, training, planning and organizational development. The workshop is held at 2:00 pm and again at 7:00 p.m. This is the last session in CTAC's Core Series until next year. Register.


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Relevant Resources

• ProArts announces that applications for the PA Partners in the Arts program will be available on May 1 on their website. Last year, grants ranging from $737 to $3,000 were awarded to arts organizations, community groups, and local artists in communities throughout Allegheny County.
• Port Authority has printed special schedules highlighting the history and culture of Pittsburgh neighborhoods bordering North Side, Oakland, South Side, the Strip, the inclines, and the UV Loop. View them online at www.ridegold.com/ride/pgSpecial.asp. Groups may request multiple print copies from fmergner@portauthority.org
• An Analysis of Alternative Financial Service Providers prepared by the Urban Institute concludes that consumers do not choose alternative providers (such as check-cashing outlets and pawn shops) due to isolation from banks. Nor do regulations restricting fees reduce the demand for these services.
• The Steps of Pittsburgh: Portrait of a City by Bob Regan highlights the city’s 712 sets of steps and provides six walking tours. Join the CTAC staff on our mission to conquer all of them. Check out Eric Milliron and Shelley Harnett’s book review on our website.

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess                   

This month's non-profit goddess is CTAC's Alida Baker.

Dear Nonprofit Goddess,

I somehow got myself elected to the position of board secretary, and writing the minutes of every meeting is killing me! They take me months to produce, which annoys everyone, including me. And no wonder: Tolstoy’s War and Peace is shorter. How can I write minutes that are concise and useful without the agony of producing a full-length screenplay?

Signed,
Fighting the Writer Within

Dear Fighting,

Perhaps we all have great works of literature within our hearts, just waiting to be expressed. Please, by all means, find a place to express them – just not in the meeting minutes! What is it that makes your minutes different from, say, Anna Karenina? For one thing, the minutes should include absolutely no dialog or lengthy description. They’re a simple record of what was done at the meeting, not what was said or how the sunlight streamed across the faux wood grain of the conference table. Need more to cramp your literary leanings? Whatever you do, don’t include:

Adjectives: Don’t tell us about the heated discussion, well-done report, wonderful person, or baffling presentation.

Characters: Don’t identify voters unless they ask that their vote or abstention be recorded.

Drama: Evaluation of members, good or bad, should not be included unless it takes the form of an official motion. Thanks or expressions of appreciation should only be included if meeting participants express a clear consensus (by applause, for example).

Length: Don’t bother with extended rehashing of reports: just hit the highlights or key facts, particularly if a written report is attached.

Fortunately, you still have plenty to write about. Start with the name of the meeting, the date, place and time, the names and titles of voting members attending, and whether a quorum was present. Include the names of guests and their subject matter (no need to summarize their remarks!) and whether minutes from the previous meeting were approved or corrected. Include any motions made (including the exact wording of the motion, who made the motion, and the result of the vote -- but not the number of votes for and against) and the names of any reports. If the report was in writing, attach it, or tell where it may be found. (An oral report may be summarized briefly.) Other actions, assignments and deadlines, resolutions and recommendations can be briefly recorded.

Still can’t control your lengthy literary urges? Finish the meeting minutes early and get started on that novel! For more information about writing minutes, check out CTAC’s Do It Right kit available on ctaconline.org.

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Top Ten Ways to Fill a Funding Gap

10. Replace your DSL service with carrier pigeons.

9. Hold your next board meeting at the St. Pete’s Bingo Tournament. That prize money could come in handy.

8. Add “Marry A Philanthropist” to the job requirements of the Executive Director.

7. Replace your candy jar with a tip jar.

6. Reduce your supplies budget by stealing pens from the bank.

5. Get 5 friends together, call yourselves the Oversight Board and send invoices to Harrisburg. They’ll never know.

4. Move your offices into a U-Haul: only $19.95 a day, free maintenance.

3. Forget that office coffee pot: 7-11 is right down the street!

2. Mandatory staff volunteerism--35 hours per week.

1. Call CTAC for better ideas than these.

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Neighborhood Spotlight: Regent Square

How often do four municipalities come together to achieve a common goal? Almost every day in Regent Square, a neighborhood that includes parts of Edgewood, Swissvale, Wilkinsburg, and the City of Pittsburgh.

“It’s diversity that makes Regent Square unique,” explained Arch Pelley, President of the Regent Square Civic Association (RSCA). “The four communities have different styles.” These styles come together in the Square, where new cafes and over thirty businesses have joined the Regent Square Theatre in supporting a neighborhood that Pelley described not only as diverse, but as sustainable, artistic, and community-based as well. Green design elements, traditional houses, convenience to downtown, and Frick Park continue to attract buyers for houses “that are practically selling themselves these days.”

To bring together new and old community members and showcase the neighborhood, the RSCA has planned social events such as an annual Easter egg hunt and yard sale. In response to two tragic car accidents on Braddock Avenue, the Civic Association stepped into a new role, working with the four local governments to make substantive changes in the way traffic moves through Regent Square. The RCSA has since turned to CTAC for help in strengthening and expanding this new role. “I wanted to see it become more pro-active,” said Pelley. “We’ve used CTAC a lot, for things as simple as how to run a meeting or improve membership. They helped us think about what we wanted to accomplish, made us be realistic and let us know where there are resources.”

Instead of trying to change Regent Square, Pelley explains, the RCSA continues to “enhance and at the same time protect” the community.

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Board Spotlight                  

Perhaps the only thing stronger than Sue Scheuring’s understanding of CTAC’s history is her appreciation and hope for the organization’s future. Since becoming involved “years and years” ago when, as a city planner, she managed CTAC’s contract with the City of Pittsburgh, Scheuring has seen the organization evolve to meet the changing needs of the communities it serves.

“They do a good job at expanding services and seeing where there’s a need they can fulfill and become experts at,” she said. “I think they’re on the right path.” Scheuring is encouraged by CTAC’s recent move toward providing services to communities outside the city limits and encouraging communities to work together in achieving their goals. Pittsburgh’s strength rests in its many neighborhood communities, she said, and “the challenge is to balance the interests of all these groups and get them to work together. Communities are starting to see the value in working together, and CTAC has a role in that, in helping people see the value of collaboration.”

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To subscribe to the CTAC Community E-Report, send your name, organization, contact information to newsletter@ctaconline.org.

CTAC Community E-Report
April 2004

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Workshops
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess
Top Ten Signs of Spring

Community News

Read about the Strip's makeover contest at http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/search/s_186617.html

 

Check out PPND's new website at http://www.ppnd.org

 

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Upcoming CTAC Workshops
To register for workshops, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• CTAC Core Series

Strategic Planning, April 8, 2004
Financial Management, April 22, 2004


CTAC's Core Series of seminars sharpens the skills required to build and operate an effective community-based organization. These highly interactive programs are tailored to meet the needs of community-based organizations in southwestern Pennsylvania. Classes are open to both staff and board members. Programs are delivered by experienced persons in the region's community development field, and members of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), a group of highly skilled professional trainers from corporate and consulting circles.
Core Series Workshops are offered twice a day, once at 2:00 pm and again at 7:00 p.m.
For more information, visit the school section of the CTAC website

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Relevant Resources

• The Kodak American Greenways Awards Program, a partnership project of the Eastman Kodak Company, The Conservation Fund, and the National Geographic Society, provides small grants to stimulate the planning and design of greenways in communities throughout America. Visit conservationfund.org
• Want to make your own snazzy, glossy community postcards? You can order 500 postcards for $104 at http://www.postcardpress.com
• The University of Pittsburgh's Office of Child Development invites you to the Evaluation Symposium 2004 "Building Capacity: Using Information to Improve Programs" on Tuesday April 20th at the Wyndham Garden Hotel. This symposium is designed for participants from human services and community agencies who would like to learn about a wide variety of evaluation topics and methodologies in one day. For more information, download the brochure and registration form at http://www.education.pitt.edu/ocd or contact Charlene Nelson at 412.244.7553.

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess                   

This month's non-profit goddess is CTAC's Mark Fatla.

Dear Nonprofit Goddess,

I don't have enough people telling me what to do. Now I've been told to create an advisory board. What should I do?

Signed,
Needing Advice on Advice

Dear Needing,

Let me begin with the oldest piece of advice in my Nonprofit Goddess handbook: be careful what you ask for. Think carefully about how much advice you're getting now, how much more of it you need, and what type of advice would most benefit your organization. Frankly, getting advice in an informal fashion may work just fine for your organization. Simply fatten up your rolodex and pick up the phone.

But if you really want an Advisory Board, begin by defining its purpose. Do you want input on your programs and new opportunities? Or are you looking for advice on management, legal issues and administration? Do you expect the advisory board to help raise funds? If the primary purpose is feedback on programs, you will want very different advice-givers than if you seek assistance on business management. Once you are clear about the advisory board's purpose, you will be able to recruit folks with the expertise you need instead of just any friendly faces willing to tell you what to do. And while you're at it, make sure to recruit members who are comfortable simply offering advice rather than giving orders. (More on this later.)

Once you have an idea of who you'll be searching for, think about the shape of the board itself. Just how many members can you use? Who will select them, and how? How long will they serve? How often will they meet? Who may call a meeting? If you answer these basic questions now, you'll go a long way toward avoiding conflict down the road.

Now that you're inviting new voices to the table, consider how they will interact with the other decision-makers on your team. Just because you're ready for advice doesn't mean everyone else is. Make no mistake: the Board of Directors is usually the decision-making body that has the power to act for the non-profit corporation. (Check your by-laws if you're not sure). Usually, an Advisory Board merely offers advice: the Board of Directors is free to accept, amend or reject advice from an Advisory Committee no matter how many powerful folks are on the Advisory Board and no matter how sage their advice may be. Be clear about this from the beginning and regularly remind your Advisory Board members that they may offer advice but may not, under any circumstances, issue commands.

Once you have defined the purpose and other aspects of the Advisory Board, write it all down in a one or two page summary. Get the go-ahead from the Board of Directors and share it with all future Advisory Board members.
We can all use a little good advice from time to time: used wisely, an Advisory Board can be a useful tool for a non-profit. If it's not clearly defined from the beginning, inviting extra cooks to the kitchen can create quite a stir of hurt feelings and confusion; if you take the time now to define your needs and invite the right people, however, an advisory board could cook up just the remedy you need.

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Top Ten Signs of Spring

10. Squirrels come out in Squirrel Hill.

9. Daffodils bloom in Bloomfield.

8. Tulips pop up in Uptown.

7. Shade returns to Shadyside.

6. Geese come home to Homestead.

5. Brooks babble in Brookline.

4. The beach opens in Beechview.

3. Greenfield's fields are green.

2. Brightwood is a lot brighter.

1. Spring gardens appear in Spring Garden.

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To subscribe to the CTAC Community E-Report, send your name, organization, contact information to newsletter@ctaconline.org.

CTAC Community E-Report
March 2004

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Workshops
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess
Top Ten Ways to Send a Red Flag to the IRS

Community News

Spring 2004 Mainstreets Pittsburgh "Buy Local" Campaign, a co-op promotion campaign to encourage buying in neighborhood Main Street business districts, kicks off in March, with a press conference on April 2. To find out how you can participate, email randycom@compuserve.com

 

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Upcoming CTAC Workshops
To register for workshops, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• CTAC Core Series
Effective Meetings, March 11, 2004
Communication Skills, March 25, 2004



CTAC's Core Series of seminars sharpens the skills required to build and operate an effective community-based organization. These highly interactive programs are tailored to meet the needs of community-based organizations in southwestern Pennsylvania. Classes are open to both staff and board members. Programs are delivered by experienced persons in the region's community development field, and members of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), a group of highly skilled professional trainers from corporate and consulting circles.
Core Series Workshops are offered twice a day, once at 2:00 pm and again at 7:00 p.m.
For more information, visit the school section of the CTAC website.

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Relevant Resources

• The Elm Street Component of Pennsylvania's New Communities Program will allow communities to integrate a Main Street or downtown revitalization program with a neighborhood renewal strategy. Through the Elm Street Program, grants will be available for planning, technical assistance and physical improvements. For more information, visit http://newpa.com/programDetail.aspx?id=74
• The Junior League of Pittsburgh responds to community needs and requests for a volunteer workforce for specific one-day projects known as "Done in a Day" projects. Examples of projects include repairing homes for elderly citizens or staffing community events. For more information, call 412.422.8580, visit http://www.junior-league.org, or email jlpgh@aol.com.

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess                   

This month's non-profit goddess is CTAC's Alida Baker.

Dear Non-Profit Goddess,

I never thought I'd say this, but lately I'm starting to wonder if I'm needed around here anymore. I still have a passion for community development and a perspective on the past that these young kids can't understand, not to mention years of experience on this board - too many to count. But just last week I overheard two of these new upstarts on our board talking about how we should amend the bylaws to include term limits. Now who else could they be talking about except me? I've been on this board longer than the two of them combined! I always thought I knew a thing or two about running an organization, but now I have to say I'm hurt and am starting to wonder if I'm too old for this game. Why would they want to kick me out after all these years of dedicated service?

~Dreading the Boot

Dear Dreading,

Now, hold on a second! It doesn't sound like anybody said a word about the boot. I wouldn't be surprised if the other board members were interested in term limits as a way to limit their own years on the board (after all, next to your venerable example, they may feel embarrassed to sign off after a few years), or to help recruit new board members by making the position seem less like a lifetime commitment. In any case, term limits are hardly the dark messengers of doom that you're worried about. In fact, term limits can be a good thing.

That's right, I said term limits for board members can be a good thing! They allow an organization to
rejuvenate itself. They provide new ideas, new energy, and a new ability to broaden the constituency and reach new folks throughout your community. They keep organizations-and other community leaders-on their toes. In doing so, they provide the opportunity to find new leaders and to give the old ones a rest. You see, term limits make it easier to recruit new board members. Telling them they will be asked to serve a 3-year term is different than implying that board service is a lifetime commitment.

Perhaps most important in your case is the fact that organizations don't have to-and will usually do everything they can not to-lose the board member whose term is up. The member can head up the nominating committee to beat the bush for new community leaders to fill the new vacancy on the board. After that, a whole new world of special projects and roles within the organization awaits. If time away from the board only makes your heart grow fonder for it, take a look at the bylaws; many allow former board members to run again after taking a year or two off.

You can learn whether your organization has term limits or not by reading the bylaws. If you are interested in adding term limits to your bylaws, CTAC can help you get started.

If your organization does choose to add term limits, there's no need for you to be dreading the boot; instead, you can be looking forward to a trophy and many thanks for your years of service-and to the opportunity to take a much deserved rest before taking on new challenges within your organization.

Interested in learning more about term limits? Have another question for the Non-profit Goddess? Send your questions to newsletter@ctaconline.org with "non-profit goddess" in the subject line.

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Top Ten Ways to Use an Empty Lot

10. Be like Hazelwood and put up a gazebo and activities building.

9. Be like Millvale, and put a Sprout Fund mural on it. (Visit http://www.sproutfund.org for details.)

8. Be like the mayor, and put a picket fence around it.

7. Be like the Arch Street neighbors and put a community vegetable garden on it.

6. Be like Harry's Barber Shop and play pinochle on it.

5. Be like Uptown and park on it.

4. Be like Mt. Washington and build a condo on it.

3. Be like Brookline: clean it up and begin an anti-litter campaign.

2. Be like Central Northside and put a Kaboom! Playground on it. (Visit http://www.kaboom.org for details.)

1. Be like Homestead and put an Ore Car (or the historic artifact of your choice) and shopping mega-plex on it.

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To subscribe to the CTAC Community E-Report, send your name, organization, contact information to newsletter@ctaconline.org.

CTAC Community E-Report
February 2004

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Workshops
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess
Top Ten Ways to Send a Red Flag to the IRS

Community News

• The Northside Leadership Conference and East Allegheny Community Council were featured in the Jan 23-29 issue of the Pittsburgh Business Times. To read the article, visit www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2004/01/26/editorial1.html
  

• New City Council Rep Luke Ravenstahl is profiled in the January 22 issue of Pulp. To read more, visit www.pittsburghpulp.com
• Check out Rant #177, "Help, I'm Being Sucked Out of the City," in the January 21 issue of Pittsburgh CityPaper, available at www.pghcitypaper.com.

Spring 2004 Mainstreets Pittsburgh "Buy Local" Campaign, a co-op promotion campaign to encourage buying in neighborhood Main Street business districts, will kick off in March. To find out how you can participate, email randycom@compuserve.com

 

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Upcoming CTAC Workshops
To register for workshops, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• CTAC Core Series
  February 12 and 26
  CTAC's Core Series of seminars sharpens the skills required to build and operate an effective community-based organization. These highly interactive programs are tailored to meet the needs of community-based organizations in southwestern Pennsylvania. Classes are open to both staff and board members. Programs are delivered by experienced persons in the region's community development field, and members of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), a group of highly skilled professional trainers from corporate and consulting circles.
  Core Series Workshops are offered twice a day, once at 2:00 pm and again at 7:00 p.m.
  For more information, visit the school section of the CTAC website.
  

   

  Relevant Resources

• For years we've talked about the lack of young people in elected office. The time for talk is over--it's time to run, baby, run. If you're considering running for office, Run, Baby, Run is a workshop that'll give you the information you'll need. For more information or to register online, visit www.run-baby-run.com
• The Three Rivers Community Foundation (TRCF) promotes change, not charity, by funding and encouraging activism among community-based organizations in underserved areas of southwestern Pennsylvania. They support groups challenging attitudes, policies or institutions as they work to promote social, economic or radical justice. Grants usually range from $500 to $3,000. Applications due February 6. Call 412.243.9250.
• Managing Risk and Uncertainty: A Framework for Nonprofit Leaders,
  featuring Melanie Herman, CEO of the Nonprofit Risk Management Center.
  Wednesday, Feb 4 from 1:30 - 4:00 in the Fisher Conference Center on the campus of Duquesne University. The session will provide a framework for identifying your nonprofit's risks and determining what you can do to protect its assets. Call 412-394-3353 or register online at www.proartstickets.org/workshops.cfm
• The Pittsburgh Mediation Center's Conflict Resolution Training assists participants in developing fundamental skills for working with conflict and is a prerequisite for the PMC Mediation Training.

When: Saturdays, February 21 & 28, 2004 from 8:30 AM to 5 PM. For more information or to register, call the PMC at 412.365.0400. (Attendance at all classes required for certificate. CLE & Social Work credits and Act 48 hours available.)

 

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess

Dear Non-Profit Goddess,

I like giving presents, love receiving cards, and am crazy about the fresh start that comes with New Year's day! Now that I've recycled the wrapping paper and cleaned up the confetti, though, I'm suffering from some serious post-holiday letdown--and I suspect that my whole organization might be suffering too. We're all crabby from battling the icebergs in the parking lot, and I feel that we're just struggling to maintain the status quo without even touching that list of New Year's resolutions and projects. I don't know whether to spend my time missing December's spirit of giving or dreaming of spring's fresh energy. Any ideas about how I can get both?
~Mumbling the mid-winter blues

Cheer up, Mumbling, the cure for your mid-winter blues is a lot closer than the first tulips of spring and a lot easier to set up than a giant evergreen tree. What you need, my friend, is an intern. That's right: talented, energetic, very nice students throughout western PA are desperate to bring their fresh perspectives, endless enthusiasm, and spirit of giving to your organization. While you are dreaming of fresh energy and extra help, they are dreaming of the opportunity to give you both. All you need to do is give a little in return.

The giving
Interns aren't a particularly needy bunch. We don't ask for commitment, we don't ask for glory, we don't even ask for much of a paycheck: all we ask is that you give us a chance to learn from experience and show you what we can do. This means you should be prepared to give your interns substantial projects and work they can learn from; it means you should be prepared to give constructive feedback, answer questions you might not have to answer for a full-time employee, and perhaps write a letter of recommendation or two down the road. It means you should communicate openly with candidates about what they want from the internship and what you will be able to give.

Does it mean you have to give your interns money? Well, paychecks are much appreciated (and sometimes necessary) for students. If you can't afford to pay your interns an hourly rate, consider offering a stipend (a pre-determined amount, usually less than minimum wage) to offset expenses such as traveling to and from your work site. If your budget won't allow for a stipend, you can simply advertise your internship as unpaid and emphasize the opportunity to earn course credit--and try to take your interns out for hot chocolate or an ice cream cone once in awhile.

The receiving
What will you receive in return? Whatever you want, really: the answer depends on what your organization needs and who you hire to meet those needs. The work produced by graduate students with years of professional experience, for example, will be different from the work produced by college juniors who want to get their first taste of working in your field. Interns with any type of education and professional background can bring a new set of eyes and an extra set of hands to your organization, without the commitment of a full-time employee or the expense of a consultant. You should count on getting high-quality work, help with extra projects, a level of technical and computer experience students sometimes take for granted, and ideas influenced by the most recent trends and knowledge in your field.

You'll also get the opportunity to bring new faces into the community development field and invite them for hot chocolate or ice cream sometimes.

The fresh start
Ready for that fresh start? Learn more about recruiting and supervising interns on the Regional Internship Center's detailed website, www. ric-swpa.org. You can also ask CTAC for their Do It Right! Kit called How to Use and Not Abuse Interns. Then, get in touch with some of the college and university career centers listed below to find out how you can post an internship announcement for their students.

Carnegie Mellon University: www.cmu.edu/career, and www.heinz.cmu.edu/employers
Carlow College: careerservices.carlow.edu
Duquesne University: www.careerservices.duq.edu/employerservices/index.html
University of Pittsburgh: www.careers.pitt.edu and www.gspia.pitt.edu/main08c.html

When it's all over, remember that your intern will soon be making her own fresh start in the world after graduate school and community internships. Remember that she will need a way to let everyone know that she's searching for writing or editing projects and a full-time job, and that her resume and portfolio are available online at http://www.tara.vaxcave.com. After all, there's no better cure for the winter blues than extending that season of giving and helping your intern find another fresh start. (Thanks, CTAC!)

Need more advice on hiring interns? Want to give Tara a job? Send your questions to newsletter@ctaconline.org with "non-profit goddess" in the subject line.

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Top Ten Ways to Send a Red Flag to the IRS

10. Throw your Form 990 in the trash along with the Army Recruitment ads.

9. Distribute campaign literature for your favorite presidential candidate at the next membership meeting.

8. Payroll withholding taxes - treat them as optional!

7. Share the wealth, pay your Board members.

6. We have no staff! We're all full-time consultants!

5. Lobby! Lobby! Lobby!

4. Only hire family members, even ones under the age of three.

3. Make sure all your revenue comes from only one source-and don't tell anyone what it is.

2. Let the president handle everything. He's been doing it for years and nothing's gone wrong - at least, not THAT wrong.

1. Rules, rules, and more rules: whatever. Ignore the bylaws, go with the flow!
.

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To subscribe to the CTAC Community E-Report, send your name, organization, contact information to newsletter@ctaconline.org.

CTAC Community E-Report
November 2003

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Workshops
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess
Top Ten Ways to Drive Away Volunteers

Community News

• East Liberty Business Community Decorates for the Holidays!
  The 2003 Holiday Decorating Committee (sponsored by: ELQ Chamber of Commerce, East Liberty Development, Inc., East Liberty Presbyterian Church and Main Street Pittsburgh) will erect Holiday displays at entrances to the business district and the Towne Square in East Liberty. In addition, a Holiday Kick-off is planned for UNBLURRED First Friday on December 5, 2003. Awards will be given to East Liberty Businesses that adorn their store windows with the Most Traditional, Most Original and Most Extraordinary decorations! Donations to help decorate East Liberty for the Holidays are being accepted by East Liberty Development, Inc. c/o 2003 Holiday Decorating Committee; 115 ½ North Highland Avenue to support a dollar-for-dollar matching grant which was provided by an anonymous donor. For more information call (412) 361-8061 or (412) 362-3231.
  

• AWARD WINNERS HERE

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Upcoming CTAC Workshops
To register for workshops, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• Access Allegheny.
  November 6, 2003. 3:00 - 5:00 pm.
  Explore the community, economic and recreational development opportunities that river access can promote. Please join Friends of the Riverfront, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Riverlife Task Force and CTAC for an afternoon boat ride and discussion aboard the Pittsburgh Voyager followed by a reception at the Oakmont Marina on Please RSVP by calling John Stephen at 412.606.7149 or emailing jwsdi@yahoo.com.

• Media Relations
  Thursday, November 20th and Thursday, December 4th from 7 - 9 p.m.
  Learn the basics of Media Relations at this two-session course. You will create a Media Kit for your organization that will be critiqued by professionals and your peers. Instructors are Bill Eiler of National City Bank and Susan Schmidt, a private consultant.
• Evaluating Neighborhood Change
  November 5-7, 2003.
  Alida Baker of the CTAC staff will participate in a panel discussion at the Enterprise Foundation's Annual Netowrk Conference in Baltimore, November 5-7, 2003. http://www.enterprisefoundation.org/resources/Trainingconf/conferences/networkConference/content.asp
  

Relevant Resources

• Download a free list of 185 strategies for dealing with funding cutbacks from a Fieldstone Alliance publication called "Coping with Cutbacks" by Emil Angelica and Vincent Hyman.

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess

Dear Nonprofit Goddess,
I'm tired of being lonely. I'm ready for a relationship. No, wait - I'm ready for quite a few relationships, lots of relationships, as many relationships as I can possibly find in the Pittsburgh community. I want to meet people in the community development field, make connections, and generally "network," as they say. I really believe we can accomplish more by sharing ideas and helping each other out. But where on earth can I get started?
~Lonesome in Community Development

Dear Lonesome,

You can get started with the oldest social glue in the world, the thing that has been uniting community-builders personally and professionally since the beginning of time: food. You can also make connections through Pittsburgh-wide volunteer opportunities and through professional development opportunities such as CTAC workshops. You have the right idea: reach out and connect with your fellow-community builders.

Now, back to food. You'll find me and other Goddesses on the community development scene socializing and sharing wisdom at our all-female "Community Development Finishing School." (Contact shelley@ctaconline.org for details.) You'll also get a chance to fill your tummy while building your network at the annual CTAC block party (in August), breakfast every Tuesday morning at the Allegheny Sandwich Shoppe (822 Western Avenue, 412.322.4797), happy hour at 5pm on Thursdays at the Chart Room, and any event organized by Ground Zero (http://www.gzpgh.org), PUMP (http://www.pump.org), PYP (http://www.pyp.org), or the Community Development Social Network. And don't forget to visit Whole Foods if you want to run into funders.

If volunteering is more your speed, check out the opportunities available through Leadership Pittsburgh Inc (http://www.lpinc.org), a group dedicated to strengthening regional leadership, or take a look at opportunities offered by Pittsburgh's Next, a grassroots organization of concerned and eager young professionals devoted to helping Pittsburgh's next generation discover the city. You can find other local volunteer opportunities at http://www.Idealist.org or find an organization in your own neighborhood in the Phone Booth section of CTAC's website, http://www.ctaconline.org.

Remember how easy it was to make friends in elementary school, how quickly you could meet people in college? Classes seem to have that effect on people. Use this to your advantage and bond with like-minded community development "students" in workshops at CTAC and CDCP (http://www.cdcp.org), or at conferences such as those sponsored by LISC (http://www.liscnet.org), the Enterprise Foundation (http://www.enterprisefoundation.org) , NRTI (http://www.nw.org/network/home.asp), NDC (http://www.ndc-online.org), or the National Mainstreets Center (http://www.mainstreet.org). Watch the CTAC Community E-Report for times and dates of upcoming classes and conferences.

Now, cheer up--your lonely days in community development are over!

Need more advice on community development networking? Have another non-profit problem? Send your questions to newsletter@ctaconline.org with "non-profit goddess" in the subject line.

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Top Ten Ways to Drive Away Volunteers

10. Forget your manners: don't say please and never EVER say thank you.

9. Don't ask them what types of projects interest them: call the ALL the time for EVERY project (preferably late at night or on their cell phones.)

8. Be as vague as possible about what you want them to do. This way you can change their task, mid-task, as often as possible.

7. Talk about "using" volunteers, rather than working with them.

6. Don't offer them feedback, and never EVER offer them opportunities to improve their skills, deepen their knowledge, or have fun.

5. Throw a fit every time they can't make it to an event, then refer to "the time you let me down" for at least six months.

4. Ask a volunteer to do something, but do it yourself because you can do EVERYTHING better.

3. Misspell their name in the newsletter.

2. Thank all the "little people" who made it possible.

1. Make them lick envelopes.

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To subscribe to the CTAC Community E-Report, send your name, organization, contact information to newsletter@ctaconline.org.

CTAC Community E-Report
October 2003

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Workshops
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess
Top Ten Most-Dreaded Meetings

Community News

• Outdoor fitness events OCT 4-5!

The Greater Hazelwood 5K Run: Race begins (8:30am!)and ends at Kerotest Inc. 5500 Second Ave in Hazelwood.
Southside Slopes StepTrek: Visit www.steptrek.org for details!

• SALVO will be moving into a new 4,000-square-foot space and hosting a Festival of the Salvage Arts on October 18. This is a two-day community open house and art-making event at Construction Junction, 214 N. Lexington Street, Point Breeze PA. Visit www.salvoarts.org

• FLUX11: Allentown and Mt. Oliver will hold the 4th Annual FLUX Masquerade Ball on Friday, October 31, 2003 from 8pm-1am. For more details, visit www.fluxpgh.com/allentown.html
• The URA's Mainstreet Awards will be given on October 23 in City Council Chambers. For more information, call 412.255.6547.

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Upcoming CTAC Workshops
To register for workshops, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• Investing in Small Business
  Invest the Time, Ask the Questions and
  Collect Some Valuable Resources
  Meet at the EDGE Studio, 5411 Penn Ave.
  October 15, 2003: 12-1:30 pm
  

• Getting and Keeping Volunteers
  Two part Certification Workshop
  (Must attend both to receive certification)
  Wednesday, October 29, 2003: 7-9 pm
  Wednesday November 5, 2003: 7-9 pm

• Media Relations
  Two part workshop
  (Must register for both)
  Thursday, November 20, 2003: 7-9 pm
  Thursday, December 4, 2004: 7-9 pm
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Relevant Resources

• Sign up at the Foundation Center to receive an update every Friday on recent RFPs. For more information, visit www.fdncenter.org/pnd/rfp
• Get demographic information about your neighborhood at www.ucsur.pitt.edu/censusdatapage.htm
• Need volunteers? Idealist.org will post your volunteer opportunities! www.idealist.org

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess

Dear Nonprofit Goddess,

I think we're making progress in my community, but I want to know what my neighbors think. In the past, we've held town meetings--and ended up right back where we started, with the same suggestions from the same people. I know there must be more complaints and more bright ideas out there! How can I get my hands on them?

~Desperately Seeking Feedback

Dear Seeking,

You're right--your community is filled with more complaints and more ideas than you'll ever hear at a town meeting. What you will hear are people who love to speak in public. Town meetings can bring people together and provide some useful feedback, but they only show you the opinions of community members who like talking in front of strangers. How can you coax self-expression (and useful feedback) from all the members of your community, including those brilliant artists and beautiful writers who run in terror from the thought of sharing their ideas out loud in public? Have fun, think about the ways people already communicate, and try the strategies below!

Talking

Listening weekend: Train volunteers to spend a weekend canvassing the community and listening to neighbors share their thoughts on key issues.

Focus group: Invite a moderator and 6-12 community members to engage in a structured discussion about a specific issue.

Values auction: Get into groups with community members and give each group a certain amount of "play money" with which to purchase all the pieces of a healthy community life. Auction off elements such as "good schools," "safe streets," and "a lively business district." After the auction, talk about what the bids reveal about your community values.

Public meeting/supper/BBQ/party: There's a lot to be said for this old stand-by. Spice it up by sharing food or organizing a theme-based party where community members can get to know each other while discussing key issues.

Writing

Kiosk: Set up a table or kiosk in a place where people walk: at a concert, near the bus stop, or outside the grocery store. Display maps, drawings, ideas, and questions with clear and easy-to-read language. Talk individually with community members and invite them to write their comments or fill out questionnaires.

Survey: Put together a short, easy-to-understand survey about key issues and distribute it in your community or online. To increase your response rate (about 2% is normal), you can offer people the option of anonymity OR enter all the completed survey in a contest or raffle. (www.surveymonkey.com is a great-free!-place to create an online survey and analyze the results.)

Question of the month: Ask one key question each month-in your newsletter, on a bulletin board, or online. Publish the responses, encourage dialogue, and throw in a fun question from time to time.

Website: Invite community members to share their ideas through bulletin boards or chat features on your website. Need help getting started with a free or low-cost website? Visit www.techsoup.org.

Showing

Maps: In groups, draw maps of your community showing the location of needs, resources, and where you think the dollars and programs are going. Then, compare maps to see how people, needs, resources, and programs overlap.

Camera safari: Buy some disposable cameras and send community members out to snap pictures of the 'best and worst' of the neighborhood. Develop the photos and have a party to sort and categorize the pictures. Get ready for hours of discussion!

Timeline: Stretch a large sheet of butcher paper across the room, with a separate section for each decade. Give people markers and ask them to mark events in the community, their personal lives, the nation, and the world.

Need more advice on alternatives to community meetings? Have another non-profit problem? Send your questions to newsletter@ctaconline.org with "non-profit goddess" in the subject line.

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Top Ten Most-Dreaded Meetings

10. The 7:00 meeting that starts promptly at 7:20.

9. The "proud tradition" meeting: just because we always have.

8. The meeting after the meeting: where the same agenda is re-hashed in the parking lot with a different outcome.

7. The meeting during the meeting: you know who you are.

6. The "all about me" meeting: you know who you are too.

5. The retro meeting: spending the whole meeting talking about what you did in the last 30 days instead of what you will do in the next 60 days.

4. The storytime meeting: the reading of the minutes takes longer than the original meeting did.

3. The never-ending story meeting: you can't quite remember the beginning and don't want to know the end.

2. The "lost committee" meeting: we're told they're out there somewhere, but the board never hears from them.

1. The instant-replay meeting: when the late arriver wants you to re-hash everything he missed.

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To subscribe to the CTAC Community E-Report, send your name, organization, contact information to newsletter@ctaconline.org.

CTAC Community E-Report
August 2003

Community News
Upcoming CTAC Classes
Relevant Resources
Ask the Non-Profit Goddess
Top Ten Signs Your Non-Profit Needs a Tune-Up

Community News

• The Strip District is featured in the August issue of National Geographic. Check out http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0308/feature6/index.html to read an excerpt from the article.
• Grandview Avenue, McArdle Roadway, and a portion of Carson Street will receive PA State Scenic Byway designation this fall, and will be called Grand View Scenic Byway. For more information, visit http://www.byways.org
• Richard (Rick) Belloli, Jr. has joined the South Side Local Development Company as Executive Director.
• Persephone Project's Art Gardens and Magic Penny Gardens are growing in Wilkinsburg, Lawrenceville, and Bigelow Blvd's Frank Curto Park.
• The Sprout Fund's Public Art murals are being dedicated in communities throughout the city on August 31. Visit www.sproutfund.org for details.

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Upcoming CTAC Classes
To register for workshops, call 412.231.2822 or email info@ctaconline.org

• For Staff: Main Streets Basic Training. September 16-19: 9am-4:30pm. Learn the fundamentals of Main Street preservation and revitalization from the experts at the National Main Street Center.

• For Volunteers: Main Streets Saturday Session. September 20: 8:30 am-12:00pm. Learn the fundamentals of Main Street preservation and revitalization from the experts at the National Main Street Center.
  
• Investing in Small Business. Mid-October, 2003
  Learn about resources available to small business owners to help with site acquisition and facade and interior renovations.
  presented by CTAC and the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh; sponsored in part by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh
• Streetscape Design. December 12, 2003: 2-5pm.
  Collaborate with architects to learn about design solutions for
  vacant lots and public spaces in your business district.
  presented by CTAC and the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh; sponsored in part by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh
• Trail Development. Date to be determined.
  Learn techniques to create public access to rivers.
  

• Media Relations. Date to be determined.
  Learn how to communicate effectively with the media.

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Relevant Resources

• Looking for a board member? Duquesne University's Nonprofit Leadership Institute's BoardLink service connects non-profits with individuals who are interested in serving on boards. For more information, contact Terry Beggy at 412.396.6231 or visit http://www.leadership.duq.edu/boardlink
• Need help with a writing project? Master's students in Carnegie Mellon's Professional Writing program will work with non-profits this fall. You'll have the benefit of their work; they'll have the opportunity to gain experience. For more information, contact Karen Schnackenberg at krs@andrew.cmu.edu
• The Community Safety Initiative of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) has developed a handbook to promote understanding of local public safety programming. To download the community safety handbook, visit http://www.liscnet.org/resources/community-safety.shtml
• Want to improve your community's athletic facilities? For information about renovating a running track through the Bowerman Track Renovation Program, visit http://www.nikebiz.com. For information about improving a football field, visit http://www.liscnet.org/whatwedo/programs/nfl. For information about developing baseball resources, visit http://www.baseballtomorrowfund.com. For information about building a skateboard park, visit http://www.tonyhawkfoundation.org

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Ask the Non-Profit Goddess

Dear Non-profit Goddess,
Help! My head is pounding as I write this, and I'm struggling to keep my eyes open. I just left what felt like the world's longest meeting: three hours of barely organized chaos. I know we should've gotten through everything in an hour - and I'm the one in charge of these things. What can I do? I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings!
~Checking My Watch

Dear Checking,

It's time to get ready for thanks from everyone else who has plans for that extra two hours you're about to save. Effective and respectful meetings are just four time-saving steps away.

1. Plan for it. The key to reaching this utopian meeting zone begins far before you sit down in your conference room (or living room)-it begins with communicating in advance. If one attendee is using your meetings as a place to act out fantasies of world domination while another is using them as a social hour, you can ward off a painful three hours later by giving them a chance to get involved early. Decide the goal of your meeting, then develop an agenda based on input from others. While you're at it, develop a set of meeting ground rules based on input from the group and send the rules to everyone, along with a copy of the agenda, at least a week prior to the meeting. If you're stuck, CTAC has a sample set of ground rules you can use as a guide.

2.Get it started. You have a close relationship with your watch, Checking, and the chances are that others do too. So, start your meeting on time and end it on time. Even if only three people are there on time, start your meeting. And no matter what you do, don't start over when others walk in late-that's disrespectful to the individuals who made an effort to be prompt. Have a sign-in sheet available, have some extra copies of the agenda, and have your ground rules posted where everyone can see them.

3. Keep it going. Do introductions, review the ground rules, keep the meeting moving and on track (by referring to the agenda and rules if necessary), summarize what is said, and watch the time!

4. Follow up. Use an evaluation form at the end of the meeting to get feedback on how the group felt the meeting went. Make follow-up calls on tasks that were assigned at the meeting, and prepare the minutes to summarize the decisions that were made.

Now, get out there and enjoy your extra time!

Need more advice on effective meetings? Have another non-profit problem? Send your questions to newsletter@ctaconline.org with "non-profit goddess" in the subject line.

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Top Ten Signs Your Non-Profit Needs a Tune-Up

10. The only way off your board is by death.

9. Nobody remembers where the by-laws are.

8. Your idea of a personnel policy is "pay them little, work them hard."

7. You pass around a sign-in sheet at your planning retreat and see only your name---because you're the only one there!

6. Your community plan mentions Mayor Masloff.

5. The race is on: will your board give birth to a maternity leave policy before your staff member has her baby?

4. Your recent root canal took less time than a board meeting---and was more pleasant.

3. You've abolished your mission statement and replaced it with a secret handshake.

2. What financials? You don't even balance your own checkbook!

1. During meetings, you often fantasize about the relative calm and order of "Wrestle Mania."

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To subscribe to the CTAC Community E-Report, send your name, organization, contact information to newsletter@ctaconline.org.