Nonprofit Utopia Podcast

Brenda Palms Barber moved to Chicago 15 years ago and started the North Lawndale Employment Network to assist returning citizens transition back to society through employment and other resources. Under her leadership, NLEN has grown from 2 to 21 employees, and provides job training and financial literacy to over 2,000 men and women.

Tune in to Nonprofit “U” when Brenda discusses proven strategies for effective fundraising.  Topics will include stakeholder engagement, diversifying income streams, social enterprise and nonprofit compliance. Brenda will also share a case study written by Kathleen Fletcher so that participants can immediately apply lessons learned and discuss them. Download the case study at https://www.scribd.com/doc/296594725/Fundraising-Training-What-is-the-Color-of-Their-Money-2

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

The TIF Illumination Project  produces reports to track the performance of Chicago’s TIFs. Among their findings were:  Total expenditures from Chicago’s TIFs in 2014 were $638.3 million. This represented an increase from 2013 of $265.4 million or 71%) This is how much all of Chicago’s TIF districts spent in 2014. The biggest spender was the Near South TIF with $102.3 million. $28 million will go to subsidize the development of the Marriot’s Hotel on the McCormick Place campus. $53.2 million went to the Board of Education for the Jones College Prep High School. $11.6 million went to the CTA for construction of the new Cermak Road Green Line station.

 Join us as we talk with Tom Tresser,  the lead organizer for the TIF Illumination Project to discuss the pros and cons of TIFs and their impact to Chicago and local communities. Here is a link to the 2014 TIF Analysis. http://www.tifreports.com/2014-tif-analysis/

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

Some nonprofit leaders have a tendency to build organizations and programs around  issues  for which they have a passion.  They believe in their hearts that, “…if they build it, people will come…”  In other cases leaders continue to use program models that are no longer relevant to the communities they serve.   These practices can lead to duplication of services, while other needs go unmet. Tune in as Valerie F. Leonard talks about  community needs assessments.

Valerie is an expert in community and organizational development, with  a mission of strengthening the capacity of organizations to make a positive impact on the communities they serve through technical assistance, specialized workshops, resource and organizational development and project management. She also teaches online courses in nonprofit management with the UIC Certificate in Nonprofit Management Program. She has designed a number of intensive workshops to help nonprofits build capacity, including Capacity Building Blocks, the 30-Day Disclosure Challenge and the 30-Day Compliance Challenge.

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

Handouts: https://www.scribd.com/doc/294135609/Episode-27-Handouts

Filing for tax exemption is tedious, time-consuming, and not for the faint of heart.   The process often requires applicants to “go back and forth” with the IRS for a number of reasons, including errors, clarification of statements and omission of key information. Clearly,  following instructions is critical. Tune in as Valerie F. Leonard talks about some of the most common reasons the IRS rejects applications for tax exemption.

Valerie is an expert in community and organizational development, with  a mission of strengthening the capacity of organizations to make a positive impact on the communities they serve through technical assistance, specialized workshops, resource and organizational development and project management. She also teaches online courses in nonprofit management with the UIC Certificate in Nonprofit Management Program. She has designed a number of intensive workshops to help nonprofits build capacity, including Capacity Building Blocks, the 30-Day Disclosure Challenge and the 30-Day Compliance Challenge.

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat.

Visit Valeriefleonard.com.  Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month is in October, and the issue does not disappear just because the month has come and gone.  Domestic Violence continues to rear its ugly head on a number of fronts--child abuse; spousal abuse; domestic partner abuse and elder abuse.  Left unchecked, domestic violence can lead to a number of unintended consequences, including homelessness, loss of income, low self-esteem, and even death. 

Dr. Dennis Deer, President of Deer Rehabilitative Services, Inc., a full service behavioral health company, will be our guest today. We will talk about domestic violence, how to identify people who have been abused, ways we may help them, and available resources. 

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat.

Visit Valeriefleonard.com.  Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

Tune in as Valerie F. Leonard talks about how to start and manage a nonprofit business in the State of Illinois.  Topics of discussion include  conducting a community needs assessment; selecting your team; developing the bylaws; incorporating  your organization, filing for tax exemption and managing the organization.

Valerie is an expert in community and organizational development, with  a mission of strengthening the capacity of organizations to make a positive impact on the communities they serve through technical assistance, specialized workshops, resource and organizational development and project management. She also teaches online courses in nonprofit management with the UIC Certificate in Nonprofit Management Program. She has designed a number of intensive workshops to help nonprofits build capacity, including Capacity Building Blocks, the 30-Day Disclosure Challenge and the 30-Day Compliance Challenge.

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat.

Visit Valeriefleonard.com.  Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

Join us for a lively discussion on  how nonprofit organizations may increase their fundraising capacity through transparency and enhanced disclosure utilizing GuideStar Profiles.  Our special guest will be Jasmine Marrow, the Director of  Nonprofit Strategy for GuideStar. Jasmine develops strategy for and oversees the GuideStar Exchange program, GuideStar's primary initiative to engage nonprofits. She is also the Product Manager for  the TakeAction initiative, GuideStar's primary initiative to engage individual donors. Jasmine oversees GuideStar’s Philanthropedia program, which rates verified, financially responsible charities according to how much great work they're doing. Jasmine leads Philanthropedia's research efforts, including developing international expansion, rerunning old causes, and expediting strategy for continued growth into new causes.

GuideStar USA, Inc. is an information service specializing in reporting on U.S. nonprofit companies. In 2010, their database contained over 5 million IRS Forms 990 on 1.9 million organizations. 

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat.

Visit Valeriefleonard.com.  Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

Michael McAfee, EdD, is the Vice President for Programs with PolicyLink in Oakland, CA.  In this capacity, he  joins the Executive Team and Program Teams in strategic planning, policy development, policy campaign strategy, and programmatic design and implementation at the local, state, and national levels. Michael is determined to create conditions that will allow equity to flourish all across America-- just and fair inclusion into a society where all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential.

Join us for a virtual teach-in on PolicyLink’s evidence-based Promise Neighborhoods Institute (PNI). Based on the Harlem’s Children’s Zone, PNI provides resources to all communities, whether or not they have been awarded a federal grant, including technical support for planning, identifying quality approaches, building partnerships, assessing needs, and many more essentials for successfully building a cradle-to-career pipeline.

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat.

Visit Valeriefleonard.com.  Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

Download pre-reading and handouts at https://www.scribd.com/doc/289946539/Reading-Assignments-and-Handouts

Robert M. Douglas Sr. is the Founder & Co- Director of the S.O.N Foundation. As a youth, Mr. Douglas participated in youth programs at Palmer Park, and played for Palmer Park Eagles Football and A’s baseball teams. In 1991, Mr. Douglas suffered the painful loss of his brother Anthony Darwin Douglas, who fell victim to the crime that is currently plaguing Roseland, called gun violence. Determined to ensure that the loss was not in vain, Mr. Douglas organized the S.O.N Foundation with the vision of making the Roseland community safer and supportive. Join us as Robert talks about  ways  to stimulate community revitalization and  promote self-determination, in low income communities.

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat.

Visit Valeriefleonard.com.  Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

Ralph Martire, the Executive Director for the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability (CTBA) believes it essential to have the commitment and ability to stay focused on resolving major inequities for the long term, and to work collaboratively with other experts, organizations, and opinion leaders to move the agenda forward. “Gone are the days when community leaders could gather a crowd, make an emotional appeal, and then step back and watch elected officials respond in a meaningful way”, Martire said.  “Not only must nonprofit leaders make the moral case for systemic change, they have to be prepared to back it up with evidence.”

Join us as Ralph Martire talks about CBTA’s programs and services and ways community-based organizations can use data to drive policy, advocacy and programs to bring about social justice.

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat.

Visit Valeriefleonard.com.  Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.