Senate President and House Majority Leader Speak at Nonprofit Exchange   
February 2, 2010 - Senate President Sylvia Larsen and House Majority Leader Mary Jane Wallner pointed to the importance of preserving needed social services for the people for NH, job creation and economic growth as top priorities for the legislature going forward at this week’s Nonprofit-Capitol Exchange. More than 50 nonprofit and business leaders were on hand for the policy-focused series which is co-hosted by The Center and the Sulloway & Hollis law firm in Concord.
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White House Telephone Conference Invitation
February 1, 2010 - Thanks to our membership in the National Council of Nonprofits, The Center is relaying an invitation to attend any of a series of White House telephone conference briefings this week – starting MONDAY – with Obama Administration officials to discuss the President’s just-released proposed FY2011 Budget.

As you will see from the schedule, the briefings will cover specific topics of potential interest to different segments of the nonprofit sector. The times listed are Eastern Standard Time. In the past, these briefing calls typically have lasted about an hour, with the first half devoted to presentations by Administration officials and the second half reserved for questions. Please feel free to call in to learn more about the President’s budget proposal that the Administration is sending to Congress.

The White House encourages people “to dial in a few minutes early to ensure participation in the entire call.” Also, the White House has indicated: “This call is for background information only and not intended for press purposes.”
View the Schedule of Calls...

What's at Stake:
Community Conversations to Weigh the Benefits and Risks of
Expanded Legal Gambling in NH   
February 1, 2010 - Expanded legal gambling is an issue that many nonprofits are following closely. Many are opposed for a variety of reasons including the potential economic impact to those organizations that utilize charitable gaming to raise funds for their programs and operations.

On Saturday, February 13th hundreds of citizens in 11 locations across New Hampshire will have an opportunity to participate in small-group, facilitated day-long community-based conversations to address the question: What’s At Stake? Community Conversations to Weigh the Benefits and Risks of Expanded Legal Gambling in NH. Results will be reported out to the Governor’s Study Commission on Expanded Gambling, so it is a good opportunity to get your nonprofit's voice heard.

Regardless of your opinion – whether you are pro-gambling, anti-gambling, neutral or undecided – you are encouraged to participate in this conversation.

Register (or find more information) at: http://whatsatstake.unh.edu Or call toll free: 877-338-5322. Or email whats.at.stake@unh.edu or maparker@unh.edu.

White House Proposes Tax Credit for Nonprofit Employers   
January 29, 2010 - In a conference call with the White House today, The Center got a heads up on an exciting new jobs proposal that would provide a tax credit to nonprofits. The proposal seeks a wage and tax credit of $5,000 per new employee hired. To qualify for this tax credit the total wages paid by the organization will have to increase. There is a $500,000 cap on any entity (including for-profit businesses) who will be eligible for the tax credit. The White House estimates that one million employers will benefit from this proposal, and many will be in the nonprofit sector. There was a strong appreciation of the work nonprofits do, their importance to the economy, their importance to the quality of life of the people that nonprofits serve. We will follow this legislation as it is introduced and moves through Congress. It is never too early to contact your representatives to let them know how you feel about this proposed legislation that will be making its way through the Congress soon.
Contact information for your representative is located at: http://www.nh.gov/government/nhcong.html.

Nonprofits, Elections, and the Supreme Court's Decision  
January 28, 2010 - The U.S. Supreme Court recently issued a decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (decided January 21, 2010), that has confused some writers who are not as familiar with the important legal distinctions between different types of “nonprofits” that exist or with the differences between federal election laws that the Court changed and tax laws that the Court did not change.
 
Therefore, to make sure nonprofits here in New Hampshire are aware of their full legal rights – and limitations – when it comes to participating in elections, the NH Center for Nonprofits is making available for your review a brief analysis that the National Council of Nonprofits prepared to help 501(c)(3) nonprofits avoid taking actions that could jeopardize their tax-exempt status.
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Public Policy Cabinet Discusses Legislation Impacting Nonprofit Sector
January 20, 2010 - The Center’s Public Policy Cabinet met January 20 to discuss and strategize on legislation proposed for the 2010 legislative session that would impact the nonprofit sector.  Future meetings of The Public Policy Cabinet will be publicized on The Center’s website. 
Learn more about the Public Policy Cabinet

National Council for Nonprofits urges inclusion of nonprofits in health reform legislation  
January 19, 2010 - Strongly urging Congress to provide America’s nonprofits with health reform benefits like those provided to small for-profit businesses, a letter from the National Council of Nonprofits was sent to Congressional leaders on Friday January 15, 2010.
Read the letter...

Health reform: Hodes and Shea-Porter Urge Inclusion of Nonprofits
January 15, 2010 - On January 14 Representatives Hodes and Shea-Porter signed on to a letter, with 43 other Representatives, to Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer urging them to ensure that nonprofits be included in the final health care reform bill. The final health care reform legislation must address the health care needs of the 15 million Americans employed in the nonprofit sector.

For health care reform to be truly comprehensive it must provide comparable treatment for all small employers, including nonprofit employers and their employees. The nonprofit sector is the fourth largest sector in the American workforce. It generates approximately 12 percent of Gross National Product (GNP). Nonprofit employers face the same escalating health insurance costs as small for-profit employers. Yet, the version of the bill the House passed did extend all the reform benefits to nonprofits. The Senate did include nonprofits in its bill.

Advocacy at Work for Nonprofits: HB 1356 (Re. The Right-to-Know-Law) 
January 14, 2010 - Five nonprofit leaders joined Claudia Damon, The Center’s Advocacy Director, to speak in opposition to HB 1356 at the house Judiciary Committee hearing on January 12, 2010. Representatives of several more nonprofits signed up in opposition to HB 1356 (without speaking). The Attorney General’s Charitable Trusts Division offered information on the effect of the bill on that office. Speaking in favor of the bill were the Sponsor and one individual, and the co-sponsor signed up in favor of the bill.

The committee asked searching questions of the Sponsor and of some of the speakers to clarify the intent of the bill and its effect on nonprofits. HB 1356 proposes that the NH right-to-know law, which allows the public open access to records and meetings, should apply to "Any nonprofit corporation determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be a tax exempt organization pursuant to section 501(c)(3) which receives 2/3 of its funding or $50,000 per year, whichever is higher, from the state or a political subdivision or subdivisions of the state."

The Center will continue to follow HB 1356 and we will update you on its progress.

Legislative Tracking  
January 12, 2010 - To help in tracking legislation that is potentially of interest to the nonprofit sector, we have created two legislative update tables--one for the NH House and one for the NH Senate. These two user-friendly tables provide bill number, committee, sponsors, a brief description of the bill, The Center’s position on the bill, The Center’s leadership level on the bill, and the bill’s status as those items become known. At the top of each document is a statement of when it was last updated. We make very effort to update the tables by Friday of each week, but that may not always be possible. Please note that the bills listed are not all being followed closely by The Center, nor is The Center taking a lead role in advocating on all the bills at the Legislature. If you know of bills that you think are of concern to the nonprofit sector and that do not appear on these tables, we would appreciate your letting us know. If you have any insights into any of these bills, please email cdamon@nhnonprofits.org.

Advocacy newsletter--January 2010 edition 
January 6, 2010 - The January 2010 edition of the Advocacy Division's newsletter is out! Read the latest on NH and national issues, news from The Center, and the advocacy kudos. Did you know that there is a bill pending in the NH House that would apply the right-to-know law to nonprofits? Did you know that there is a bill pending to amend the factors that are taken into account in determining property tax exemption for charities?
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Collaboration, Advocacy Discussed at Nonprofit Forum on Cultural Resource
December 21, 2009 - Emphasizing the importance of collaboration and the strength of the cultural resources in our state, Commissioner Van McLeod of the Department of Cultural Resources engaged nonprofit and business leaders in a discussion of the scope of his department and key issues facing the arts at this month’s Nonprofit-Capitol Exchange. Sponsored by The Center in partnership with the Sulloway and Hollis law firm, the monthly session is designed to foster connections between all sectors.

Nonprofit leaders in attendance discussed how to spread the word about where the value to society of cultural organizations lies and the existence of possible strategic partnerships to accomplish that. They also articulated what nonprofits all have in common—they work to build community, to make change and they can do that better together. And they agreed that cultural organizations also have to advocate for “art for art’s sake,” and that advocacy needs to come from non-artists.

The Department’s divisions are essential to promoting the value of art and culture: Curatorial Services, Film and Television, Arts, Historical Resources, and the State Library. Commissioner McLeod described collaborative projects that each Division has been involved in. Cultural and arts organizations help to build community and the quality of life that draws people to New Hampshire. Communities that invest in the arts also reap economic benefits from that investment: in Concord approximately 1/3 of new jobs in 2005-2007 were in the arts.

$1M Capacity Building Fund Advances to President’s Desk
December 20, 2009 - The 2010 spending bill approved by the Senate and House allocates $1 million for the Nonprofit Capacity Building Program. $5 millions was originally proposed by the bill’s sponsors. The bill is on its way to President Obama’s office for signature. The bill increased the budget for national service programs and provides $50 million for the new Social Innovation Fund.

Nonprofit Capacity Building Funds Cut in Half
December 11, 2009 - The Nonprofit Capacity Building Program is likely going to end up being funded at $1 million (half the $2 million approved in the Senate Appropriations Committee last summer).  The Senate was unable to consider the legislation in September, due scheduling of other matters.  Now, because of the press of health care reform, the Senate must act on FY 2010 appropriations bills before a deadline of December 18.  In order to avoid interrupting the health care reform debate, a procedure allowing for an abbreviated process has lumped together a half dozen appropriations bills into an omnibus bill that the House has approved.  The Senate will vote before December 18.  The omnibus bill is the result of a compromise between House and Senate Appropriations Committees and provides for $1 million in Nonprofit Capacity Building funds.

Two Truths About Health Reform and Nonprofits
December 10, 2009 - Two of the truths in the current healthcare reform debate are that:

• health reform matters to nonprofits and
  
• nonprofits matter in planning health reform.
  

Nearly 8,000 NH nonprofits employ nearly 14% of the NH workforce. Nationally there are 13.5 million nonprofit employees. They all have a stake in health care reform as their employers face one of the biggest challenges faced by all small businesses--paying for employee health care coverage in a world of skyrocketing costs. Nonprofits are a force to be reckoned with in planning health reform. To learn more about how federal legislation addresses nonprofits, data regarding why health reform matters to nonprofits and why nonprofits matter in planning health care reform, read a post written by Claudia Damon on the December 1, 2009 NH Healthcare Town Hall Blog.

Healthcare Advocacy Groups Being Questioned
Do health-care advocacy groups receive financial incentives to take positions on legislation?
December 10, 2009 - “Philanthropy Today” reports that 33 healthcare advocacy groups have been asked to produce data on financial ties to drug, medical-device and insurance companies.  Senator Grassley, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee wants to know whether financial incentives play a role in supporting industry positions when lobbying the Congress on health issues. 
Read the Wall Street Journal Report...
Read the Chronicl of Philanthropy article...

Innovative Pilot Corrections Program Highlighted at Nonprofit Forum
December 1, 2009 - Nonprofit leaders and business partners got a closer look at the NH Corrections Department’s efforts to reduce recidivism through an innovative initiative of the Community Corrections Division, a new arm of the Department, at this month’s Nonprofit-Capitol Exchange sponsored by the Center in partnership with the Sulloway and Hollis law firm.

At the forum, Department of Corrections Commissioner William Wrenn and Community Corrections Division Director, Joseph Diament, described the project as a unique opportunity for the State.  New Hampshire is one of a handful of states to be funded by the Justice Reinvestment Program and the Second Chance Act to improve outcomes for people returning to the community from prisons and jails through community-based services and to stem the tide of recidivism by working with those at highest risk for re-incarceration.
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DHHS Commissioner Toumpas Speaks to Nonprofits
November 10, 2009 - Commissioner Toumpas spoke to nonprofit and business leaders at the Nonprofit Capitol Exchange on November 10. He described the difficult and vital conversations that will take place in the coming months, involving nonprofit leaders and government officials. These conversations will strive to develop constructive and creative solutions to deal with greater demand for services in an environment of shrinking resources.

Indications of the challenges the human services sector and DHHS face are that by September 30, 2009:

• 142,000 individuals were served, an increase of 13%.
• Medicaid served 115,000 individuals, an increase of 11%.
  
• TANF served 14,000 families, an increase of 26%.
• 91,000 indivduals received Food Stamps, an increase of 39%
  

Commissioner Toumpas explained that the number of indivduals receiving food stamps serves as a lead indicator of what is yet to come. Legislative leaders have expressed concern that there will be no money for FY 2010. Commissioner Toumpas is looking to frame the problems differently and to find new approaches. He is looking at the service delivery system, at infrastructure in order to get better data, and at how to lower the cost structure by considering centralizing and stream-lining the processes particularly in contracting and in long term care.

Working It Out - NHPR
October 26, 2009 - The NH Center for Nonprofits is encouraging nonprofit board and staff leaders from around the state to take advantage of a new online tool being offered by NH Public Radio. By using the Working It Out website, leaders in the nonprofit sector are able to let people across the state know how the economy is impacting the services nonprofits provide to the community.
Read more...

Public Policy Cabinet Articulates Issues for Center’s Public Policy Agenda
October 22, 2009 - The Center’s Public Policy Cabinet^* met October 22 to discuss and prioritize the most important public policy issues facing the sector as a whole, focusing on where change is needed and where harm to the sector needs to be prevented. Future meetings of The Public Policy Cabinet will be open to members of The Center, which looks forward to building on today’s foundation as nonprofits help shape the future of New Hampshire. Those meetings will be publicized on The Center’s website. 
Learn more about the Public Policy Cabinet

^*The Public Policy Cabinet is a non-partisan statewide group from a broad cross section of nonprofit fields that meets periodically to advise on and inform The Center’s public policy agenda built around issues affecting the nonprofit sector as a whole.

Nonprofits Must Play a Vital Role in the 2010 Census
It's not too early to prepare!
October 21, 2009 -In March of 2010 the U.S. Census will mail forms to 110 million households in order to obtain an accurate count of the nation’s 300 million residents. The challenge of such an undertaking is formidable, no more so than for “hard-to-count” populations such as children in poverty, racial and language minorities, recent immigrants, renters, low-income communities and those foreclosed on or living in a growing number of multi-family households. For states, the ability to accurately count these hard-to-count populations will impact a decade of federal funding, political representation, the allocation of human services and locations of new hospitals, roads, transit, schools and more. 

Nonprofits Count! is a program of the Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network. They have released A Census Toolkit for Nonprofits. This kit, available on CD-ROM and online, features everything a nonprofit needs to get involved with the 2010 Census. Contents of the CD-ROM include their popular factsheet series, sample Census forms, a Census Bureau partnership form and many more resources. Order your CD-ROM today!

Message Delivered to Washington, D.C.:
Nonprofits want parity in benefits of health reform!
October 20, 2009 - On October 19, in a conference call with several NH nonprofit leaders and Senator Shaheen’s staff to discuss the Senate health reform bills in general, The Center described again the discrimination against nonprofits in the Senate Finance Committee Health Reform bill, in which nonprofits benefit less from health care reform than small businesses do. The Senate HELP Committee bill, on the other hand, does not discriminate against nonprofits. (Senator Gregg is on the HELP committee.) We followed up the conference call by forwarding to Senator Shaheen’s staff some simple facts and figures about the importance of the nonprofit sector and with further details about how nonprofits are treated differently in these two bills. We included a link to the fact-filled "Essential: A Report on the Nonprofit Sector in New Hampshire."

Special Reports on Economic Stimulus & Recovery
Through our partnership with the National Council of Nonprofits, the Center is able to share an evolving series of Special Reports about our nation’s economic recovery, including analysis of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 that President Obama signed into law on February 17, 2009.
Special Report I - Nonprofit Grant Opportunities
Special Report II - Stimulus Grant Tips and Thoughts
Special Report III - Whether and How States Are Accepting & Distributing Federal Stimulus
Special Report IV - Sources of Information About Federal Stimulus Funds
Special Report V - Information about the Proposed Changes in Charitable Deductions
Special Report VI - Forward Together: An Action Agenda for America's Economic Recovery
Special Report VII - American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009: White House Briefing for Nonprofits
Special Report VIII - A Respectful Warning Call to Our Partners in Government
Special Report IX - Strategies Being Used by Nonprofit Leaders To Cope with the Nation’s Economic Crisis