Meyer Grantees Featured in Post Article on Efforts to Secure Additional Funding for Rent Supplement Program
A Washington Post article features the efforts of the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development, Jubilee Housing, and Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless (Fair Budget Coalition). These groups have come together to advocate for an additional $15 million for the D.C. Housing Authority's Local Rent Supplement Program. Learn more
Washington Post Columnist Highlights the Efforts of Action in Montgomery
Washington Post Metro columnist Marc Fisher highlights the efforts of Action in Montgomery to renovate community centers in Montgomery County, Maryland. Learn more
Young Women's Project Event Highlight in The Examiner
The Examiner highlights the Young Women's Project forum for teen girls struggling with violence, poverty, and pregnancy. Learn more
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Ready to Lead, the report that the Meyer Foundation released with Compasspoint Nonprofit Services, Idealist.org, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, has appeared over 90 times in mainstream media and blogs. The full report has been downloaded over 6,500 times since the report was released on March 3. Learn more
Julie Rogers was quoted in a Washington Business Journal article about the Council on Foundations Summit. Learn more
The Meyer Foundation received two Wilmer Shields Rich Awards for Excellence in Communications from the Council on Foundations: a gold for its 2007 annual report and a silver for its website. Learn more
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Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Community Food Security Coalition
The Community Food Security Coalition is awarding three grants of up to $20,000, plus additional technical assistance, to increase access to healthy foods through small-scale stores in areas of high poverty and/or food insecurity. Eligible activities include working with existing small-scale stores to stock more healthy foods, developing a new small-scale store that promotes healthy eating habits, and implementing strategies that promote healthy eating. Learn more
Monday, June 9, 2008
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is committed to the goal of enabling all Americans to enrich their lives through the arts. The NEA's Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth category offers funding for projects that help children and youth acquire appreciation, knowledge, and understanding of and skills in the arts. Projects must provide participatory learning and engagement of students with skilled artists, teachers, and excellent art. Learn more
Friday, June 27, 2008
Bank of America's Neighborhood Builders Program will award $200,000 in general operating support to two nonprofit organizations serving Washington, DC and its metropolitan area. The award will also include a leadership training program consisting of workshops and sessions for both executive directors and emerging leaders. Learn more
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Executive Coaching Can Be Effective Tool for Leaders
by Richard L. Moyers
Director, Nonprofit Sector Fund
 Coaching can be a cost effective tool that can produce dramatic results for the executive director and the organization. A growing number of nonprofit executive directors are working with executive coaches to relieve the isolation of their jobs, develop their leadership and management skills, and maintain healthier work-life balance. Executive coaches are consultants who work one-on-one with executives to sort out priorities, identify areas for improvement, and develop concrete action plans. Unlike therapy—a healing process that often focuses on the past—executive coaching focuses on professional goals and looks to the future. Meyer grantees can request grant support for executive coaching through Meyer's Management Assistance Program.
Meyer's increased support for coaching dovetails with a national effort to help increase awareness of coaching among foundation and nonprofit leaders. With support from the Kellogg, Packard, and Irvine foundations, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services is conducting research on coaching in the nonprofit sector and developing tools to help nonprofits and foundations better understand and use coaching as a tool for increasing organizational effectiveness. Learn more about the Coaching and Philanthropy Project.
Preparing for the Redesigned
Form 990
There are a number of resources on the Meyer Foundation website to help you get an early start on preparations for the redesigned Form 990. The new form, according to Kristen Conte, Meyer Foundation Vice President for Finance and Administration, "will take more time to prepare, requires preparation of more information about your operations and governance structure for the IRS, and may raise costs of accountants and others who help you with the form." Resources included on the website include a podcast and links to workshops and websites. Learn more
Learning Opportunities
Tuesday, May 15, 2008
Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington
Last year, two research tools, tailored to the greater DC region's arts and culture community were updated and reintroduced: Arts & Economic Prosperity III and Creative Industries. This course provides an overview of these studies, which illuminate the facts arts marketing and development professionals need when making the case for arts to donors, sponsors, and partners. This lively session focuses on these studies as they relate to our region and our individual jurisdictions. Learn more.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Maryland Nonprofits
The most important factor relating to project management success is gaining sufficient buy-in from key stakeholders. This course will go over the 'hard' skills of project management, such as defining outputs and outcomes, establishing a timeline, and formulating a project plan. It will also go over 'softer' skills, such as how to sell your plans to others; how to deal with diverse expectations of stakeholders; and how to manage project teams made up of members from different departments or teams (matrix management). Learn more.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Center for Nonproft Advancement
The Washington metropolitan area has one of the longest commute times in the nation and traffic congestion affects many of the region's employees on a daily basis. This can have a negative effect on an organization's ability to attract and retain employees. Teleworking may be the flexible workplace alternative that enables enhanced employee recruitment and retention; increased employee satisfaction; and reduced office space costs. This workshop provides overview of how to plan, start, implement, and expand a successful telework program. Learn more.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Center for Nonprofit Advancement
This Center for Nonprofit Advancement workshop provides tools for assessing and strengthening volunteer leadership to perform effective fundraising. It will provide strategies that address initial contact with a prospective board member to the last major gift solicitation that he or she makes. Learn more.
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