Catalogue for Philanthropy Accepting Applications for 2008-2009
The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington is an annual publication (and accompanying website) that features high-performing nonprofit organizations in the District of Columbia and nearby Virginia and Maryland counties. A collaborative project of foundation, corporate, and individual funders, including the Meyer Foundation, the Catalogue introduces potential donors to new charitable opportunities. Spearheaded by the Harman Family Foundation, the Catalogue has helped raise more than $4 million in four years for featured nonprofits.
Interested charities complete an online application that is then reviewed by a selection committee of experienced grant makers and nonprofit community leaders. Sixty-five to seventy will be chosen for presentation in the Catalogue which is mailed in November to 30,000 potential major donors. 501(c)(3)s with operating budgets of $3 million or less and location in Greater Washington, may be eligible to apply. The application deadline is February 22, 2008, and there is no cost to apply.
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Associated Press Interviews Rebecca Wagner and Meyer VP for Feature on Need
Rebecca Wagner, executive director of the Community Ministry of Montgomery County, a Meyer grantee, and Albert Ruesga, Meyer Foundation vice president for programs and communications, spoke with the Associated Press on the increasing need for charitable giving during the holidays and throughout the year. The Examiner featured the story.
Meyer President Receives Golden Links Award
Meyer Foundation President Julie Rogers accepted the Greater Washington Board of Trade's (BOT) 2007 Golden Links Award Thursday, December 6. Pictured (front, from left) NBC White House correspondent Kelly O’Donnell; Rogers; Lynn Brantley of the Capital Area Food Bank, also a 2007 Golden Links recipient; 2007 BOT Chair Barbara Krumsiek; and (back, from left) 2008 BOT Chair Bill Couper; Chair-elect John Kane; and BOT President and CEO Jim Dinegar. This photo appeared in the Back Page section of the Washington Business Journal. Learn more
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WAMU Features Exponent Honoree
Ilir Zherka
WAMU 88.5 FM's Rosiland Jordan interviewed DC Vote Executive Director Ilir Zherka for a series on the Meyer Foundation's 2007 Exponent Awards recipients. The feature aired Friday, January 4, during WAMU's Metro Connection. Visit www.wamu.org for station and broadcast details.
Post Article on Regional Giving Mentions Meyer Grantees
The Washington Post's Steven Pearlstein examined giving in the Greater Washington region in an article that mentioned Meyer Foundation grantees The Catalogue for Philanthropy, Jubilee Housing, the Sitar Arts Center, the Capital Area Food Bank, and Turning the Page, among others.
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The deadline for submitting a letter of inquiry for the upcoming grants cycle is Friday, February 1, 2008. Visit the website for eligibility and application guidelines.
The nomination deadline for the 2008 Exponent Awards is Monday, April 7, 2008. Visit the website for nomination criteria. |
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Judith Sandalow
 This is the second in a series of brief interviews with the Meyer Foundation's 2007 Exponent Awards recipients.
Q: What is the mission of the Children's Law Center (CLC)?
A: The Children's Law Center (CLC) helps at-risk children in the District of Columbia find safe, permanent homes and the education, health, and social services they need to flourish by providing comprehensive legal services to children, their families, and caregivers and by using the expertise we gain from our individual representation to advocate for systemic change. Our focus is on abused and neglected children, children with special education and health care needs, and children who witness domestic violence.
Q: What led you to CLC?
A: My two sons, who came into my life first as foster children, brought me to CLC. As their mother, I have experienced the frustration of having my children denied the most basic special education services and have been in the scary situation of needing emergency assistance for my teenage son and not being able to get it. I have also seen firsthand the power and limitations of love to heal the scars caused by abuse and neglect. Being Executive Director of CLC allows me to help my children, myself, my friends, and my community all at the same time!
Q: What are some of your "lessons learned" or best practices as executive director that might help other new leaders? What are your biggest challenges?
A:
- Embrace the many paradoxes of being an executive director
- Trust your judgment, yet seek out and listen hard to people who challenge your assumptions
- Have self-confidence but also maintain your humility
- Focus on the big picture and, at the same time, don't forget the importance of details
- Genuinely appreciate the generosity of donors even as you find ways for them to give more
- Be a tenacious advocate for your own organization and, at the same time, help strengthen your non-profit and government partners
- Always be yourself but also adjust your style to accommodate the colleagues you manage, the needs of your board members, and the quirkiness of your donors
Q: Has it become harder to advocate for children in the DC area? If so, in what ways?
A: There are many reasons why this is a difficult time to advocate for children. Luckily, CLC brings great depth and breadth of experience as an advocacy organization. Our expertise comes from representing 1,000 children and caregivers each year and from investing heavily in the training and development of our staff.
There are growing challenges. The presidential primaries and the uncertainty in the economy have made fundraising more challenging; the Iraq war has drained government support from critical social programs; the divide between rich and poor is growing in the District; federal funding laws have focused our courts and our government agencies on meeting timelines and benchmarks that are often at odds with the needs of individual children.
Despite the challenges—or perhaps because of them—I believe this is a critical moment for CLC and our advocacy partners to join forces and seize the opportunity offered by the new administration and the new DC City Council.
Learn more about Judith Sandalow and CLC here.
Learning and Funding Opportunities
Generational Change, Baby Boomers, and Emerging Nonprofit Leaders: Debunking the Myths
Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington and YNPNdc
January 31, 2008
Generational Change, Baby Boomers, and Emerging Nonprofit Leaders: Debunking the Myths is a free, interactive session for current and emerging nonprofit leaders. Presented by the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington and the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Washington DC, this program will explore the future of nonprofit leadership. Registration is required and space is limited. Learn more
2008 Arts Advocacy Day
Americans for the Arts
Monday, March 31, 2008
The 21st annual Arts Advocacy Day will convene a broad cross section of America's cultural and civic organizations, and hundreds of grassroots advocates from across the country, March 31-April 1, 2008, in Washington, D.C. The event will underscore the importance of developing strong public policies and appropriating increased public funding for the arts. Learn more
Online Fundraising and Nonprofit Marketing Learning Center
Network for Good
Network for Good announces a free resource center designed to be “A Fundraising Guide for the Overwhelmed, Overworked Nonprofit.” Some of the topics include articles such as: 8 Things Your Home Page Must Have; 13 Secrets of Holiday Fundraising Online; the Five Minute Guide to Social Networking; and the New Home of Nonprofit 911. Learn more
Links for Nonprofits
Internal Revenue Service Announces New Provision and Plans for Revised Tax Form in 2009
Internal Revenue Service
Beginning in 2008, small organizations have a new filing requirement. Tax-exempt organizations that normally have annual gross receipts of $25,000 or less and do not have to file Form 990 or 990-EZ now must file a new electronic form—Form 990-N, more commonly known as the e-Postcard. The e-Postcard is due by the 15th day of the fifth month after the close of the organization's tax year. The IRS will revoke the tax-exempt status of any organization that fails to file the e-Postcard for three consecutive years. More information is available online.
Additionally, the IRS plans to release a revised tax form for 2009. An in-depth review of proposed changes is available in the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
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2007-2008 Gift of Design
Pixels & Ink, Incorporated
Pixels & Ink, Incorporated is announcing the second annual Gift of Design. This initiative involves granting $2,000 worth of its core services in order to help at least one nonprofit organization communicate more clearly and effectively through graphic and multimedia design. Learn more
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