Preparing A Nonprofit Board Welcome Kit and Check-off List:

Some nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations have Board Welcome Kits, material that helps a new board member begin the learning process about the intricacies of the organization.  Such Kits briefly tell the story and the history of the agency (and if the agency is part of a national body that history as well).  The board in most organizations is the leadership for creating and establishing policy, keeping the vision, passion and mission at the forefront.  In most NPOs the board members are expected to give funds and help raise funds for the organization.  The Kit should address the role of the board and list the functions as follows: 

• Establishing and reviewing the budget
• Selecting and receiving the report of the auditor
• Hiring, evaluating, and firing the executive director
• Setting the mission and broad policy for the organization
• Approving all grants and contracts (with recognition some applications have to be filed without board approval but are subject to later review)
• Overseeing accountability to clients/customers, funding sources, and other source-standards
• Participating in strategic and long-range planning
• Establishing priorities
• Evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization
• Establishing the role of individual board members contributing to the organization and in fund raising
• Understanding the legal aspects of board membership, fiduciary responsibilities, ethics of a nonprofit organization, loyalty, conflict of interest, and confidentiality.

There may be limits to the board's authority and responsibilities that are required by law, by ethics or by contracts.  The Kit can describe briefly how staff handles its activities and outline that client/customer information will not be provided to board members except statistically.  There are instances that individual board members may attempt to pressure staff to break policy to assist a relative or friend; the Kit should address the process for ALL clients/customers to receive assistance.  There can be pressure from funding sources and politicians as well to help someone outside of the intake process.  The Kit should address that, but there should be some conscious agreement how that will be handled as well. 

The Kit should address what insurance the organization has and its sufficiency of coverage, how board members may be reimbursed for agency business travel, which they serve without a stipend (although some organizations pay members). Does the budget include a line item for board training and travel?  There should be an indication of the effect of a board member seeking employment with the organization - resign before applying for a job.  A short section in the Kit about the management of the organization clearly stating the executive director hires, evaluates and fires staff, that there are staff meetings, and that there is supervision and formal evaluation of staff.  The Kit can have the following checklist with some detail:

• Information board members should have (list of board and contact information and staff, organization chart, budgets, etc.)
• The awareness of when a board may legally have closed meetings within the state and what documents are open records to the community and the media
• The good faith responsibilities of the board (attend meetings, receive and read material before the meetings, assure minutes are accurate, issues serving on other community boards, etc.)
• Awareness of organizational operations (incorporation papers, bylaws, human resources, conflict of interest, possible litigation, etc.)
• Knowledge of the human resources of the agency (clear personnel policies, staff reflective of the community diversity, adherence to all written policies, grievance procedure for staff and for clients/customers, board orientation process, etc.)
• Information about the finances (internal controls, regular financial reports and projections, annual audit, property inventory, tax forms filed timely and paid timely, role of board as contributor and as a fund-raiser, etc.)
• Involvement in planning (is there a 3-5 year plan consistent with mission, annual evaluation of program effectiveness and efficiency, etc.) and
• Participation in community relations (dealing with the media – whose responsibilities, clear guidelines on client information, assessment of community needs and priorities, relationships with other nonprofits and government service offices, representative board, etc.).

One discussion that has to occur periodically is the expectation as part of the corporate culture that board members contribute financially annually according to means and passion, the board historically and the staff that the board have to help raise funds and the board’s expectation it is not the staff's responsibility to raise the necessary money.  There is significant literature that citizens are tired of receiving letters to support this or that.  There are also significant studies indicating that for many nonprofits, the board disagrees with staff about the role of fund-raiser.  Without meeting that issue and having it clear and agreed upon as corporate culture, there will be an unhealthy aspect where the rubber meets the road, where the board perceives its role.

The board needs to have a clear understanding who will maintain the records and that the records belong to the organization, not the person.  The board needs to develop an accounting procedure for reconciling accounts regularly and auditing the accounts by members who are not handling the funds.  What paperwork will be needed in order to generate a check?

The board needs to develop written policies, procedures, forms and recordkeeping capability for fiscal accountability.  Who will maintain the corporate files for fiscal accountability?  How will the board know what is going on?   

If you are involved with a nonprofit organization as a staff member, volunteer, board member, or funder, are you sure that the organization is following all legal and contractual obligations?  Do you have written policies and are you following them?  Where do you place your loyalty, values, passion, vision – this nonprofit group or another nonprofit on whose board you serve? What community do you serve and represent?

As a board member or staff member do you know about your rights and responsibilities about advocating for pubic policy affecting your organization, its clients, customers and the community it services?

Are you thinking about incorporating a not-for-profit organization?  Do you or the organization have a business plan, a mission, a vision, goals and measurable objectives, appropriate activities and are they being met?  What roles are expected of the board or staff and are those expectations being met?  When was the last time the organization was given a wellness checkup?  Just as we humans need medical and dental checkups and our motor vehicle needs a checkup, so do nonprofit organizations need a checkup.  Are you part of a sick organization that needs a tune up or are you humming on all cylinders? Do you want to know how well your group is? 

Here is the start of an online library.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Implications for Nonprofit Organizations – 

http://www.independentsector.org/issues/sarbanesoxley.html

Audit Committee Toolkit - http://www.aicpa.org/Audcommctr/toolkitsnpo/homepage.htm

Checklist for Accountability - http://www.independentsector.org/issues/accountability/Checklist/index.html   

Article by Jeffrey S. Gittler, CPA for Guidestar in August 2011, Roles and Responsibilities of Nonprofit Audit Committee Members

http://www2.guidestar.org/rxa/news/articles/2011/nonprofit-audit-committee-roles-and%20responsibilities.aspx?hq_e=el&hq_m=1234478&hq_l=11&hq_v=e088500728

Insurance Questions for Nonprofits – http://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/faq/144-221/50-5

Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice: A Guide for Charities and Foundations http://www.nonprofitpanel.org/

Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability Standards and Best Practices - http://www.ecfa.org/Content.aspx?PageName=ECFABestPractices

Maryland Nonprofits: Standards for Excellence - An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector - http://www.marylandnonprofits.org/html/standards/04_02.asp

Standards for Charity Accountability - http://us.bbb.org/WWWRoot/SitePage.aspx?site=113&id=4dd040fd-08af-4dd2-aaa0-dcd66c1a17fc  

2010 New Year’s Resolution – No New Nonprofits Unless…

http://dongriesmannsnonprofitblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/2010-new-years-resolution-no-new.html

Minutes: The Ongoing Record of Your Nonprofit Organization

http://dongriesmannsnonprofitblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Agenda

One Phase of Nonprofit Organizational Readiness for Grant Funding: Recordkeeping

http://dongriesmannsnonprofitblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/one-phase-of-nonprofit-organizational.html   

The Nonprofit Business Plan - Program Precedes Money. Planning Precedes Program

http://dongriesmannsnonprofitblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/nonprofit-business-plan-program.html

http://www.idealist.org/media/pdf/FAQ/080123NP_Biz_Plan.pdf  

Before you join that board... from the Wall Street Journal, November 28. 2011 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203716204577018071821606512.html#articleTabs%3Dcomments

The Death of a Nonprofit - Kids Care in Houston TX – But Why Did It Die?

This is the story of the death of a nonprofit, Kids Care in Houston TX. Kids Care received extensive national notice, significant support, a high-profile board and national and international awards and recognition. Carol and Hurt Porter, Jr. started Kids Care in their kitchen in 1984. It grew to feeding 20, 000 people a month in the first Meals on Wheels program for hungry children The Porters branched out to provide health care and provide cultural-enrichment programs for inner-city kids. Whole families were being fed. Carol Porter was called the “Mother Teresa of Houston”. Carol spoke before the United Nations about her work as a nongovernmental organization. In 2002, however, extreme news coverage from a Houston television reporter Wayne Dolcefino on the local ABC affiliate changed everything. Dolcafino wrote 40 articles in the series. He won an Edward R. Murrow and an Emmy for his Kid Care series. The allegations included personal use of corporate credit cards, the ownership of a new car, funds spent on hair care, Italian tile for their home, unpaid taxes, expensive restaurants, hotels and a strip club – and more. But what is this story truly about?

Is this a story about

• nonprofit theft, corruption and embezzlement;

• a story of gross mismanagement;

• the failure of an influential board’s oversight;

• really bad business practices;

• a case of high performance and poorly designed structure to maintain itself;

• an overreaching mission that grew beyond the ability of its creators, staff and board;

• poor public relations;

• straight out-and-out racism;

• the story of a muck-raking self-serving reporter;

• an over-aggressive Attorney General;

• a misinformed Internal Revenue Service?

Whatever your conclusion, the fact is Kids Care died. But why?

Killing Kid Care - Carol and Hurt Porter Jr. ran a well-connected, million-dollar "model charity" in Houston—until it all came crashing down By David Theis September 18, 2009 AllBusiness

On a recent Saturday afternoon, a group of parishioners from Berean Adventist Church on Houston's near East Side gathered to fill grocery bags with donated food. It was part of a weekly post-church ritual organized by the Porters- Carol and Hurt Jr. The Porters round up donations from grocery stores and bring the fruits and vegetables to be sorted, bagged and delivered to the neighborhood's numerous elderly and shut-in residents.

As the group counted out how many bananas, mangoes and yams should go into each bag, Carol and Hurt were lively and engaged. Carol, who's 64, is a talker anyway, a dynamo of a woman. Hurt Jr. (he and his father were named Hurt because of the pain their mothers suffered during childbirth), who's 67, was noticeably more voluble here than at home, where his quiet demeanor perhaps shows the effects of the Job-like trial the Porters have lived through for most of this decade.

Until 2002, the Porters headed a nationally prominent charity, Kid Care. Started in the kitchen of their modest northside house in 1984, Kid Care had grown spectacularly, feeding more than 20,000 a month in the nation's first Meals on Wheels program for hungry children. As donations came in, the program had branched out into delivering health care and providing cultural-enrichment programs for inner-city kids.

Kid Care became well-known in short order. It was named as one of Bush 41's "Thousand Points of Light"- No. 866. Carol, a lifelong Republican, stood behind Bush 43 in the Oval Office when he signed the Faith-Based Initiatives Act. Kid Care had gone international, recognized as an NGO by the United Nations, where Carol had spoken. Carol was an ABC News "Person of the Week." Her face, along with those of needy children, adorned billboards all around Houston. A New York Times article called her "the Mother Teresa of Houston."

(Snip)

Then disaster struck, in the form of muck-raking Houston television reporter Wayne Dolcefino. In September 2002, on the local ABC affiliate, Dolcefino produced the first in a series investigating how Kid Care spent its money. He found plenty that was suspicious: money apparently spent on the Porters themselves - on fancy meals and hair salons, on personal property taxes, on friends and relatives and, as the nail in the coffin, on strip-club outings.
As Dolcefino's series ended, the Porters were sued by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. The AG's office shut down Kid Care and ordered another charity for children opened (without the Porters' involvement) in its place. The IRS joined in, claiming the Porters owed $550,000 for unreported income.

(Snip)

How had a "model charity" fallen so far, so fast? Were the Porters victims of a sensationalistic, ratings-hungry reporter and an attorney general who too readily accepted his reports as fact? Had their impatience with "bean-counting" and sound business practices doomed them when Kid Care went from a self-funded mom-and-pop charity to one with a $1 million budget and 15 employees? Was Kid Care poorly served by a board of directors who didn't exercise enough oversight? Or were the Porters brought down by the size of their ambitions for Kid Care - to not just feed hungry kids, but draw them out of the cycle of poverty?

The answer, in all cases, is yes.

(Snip)

At a 2002 board meeting, held after Dolcefino's series had begun to air, the board and the Porters discussed Kid Care's problematic "crisis intervention" program. Money tended to be spent wherever Kid Care staff saw a pressing need - whether it was a one-time school uniform purchase for a needy kid, a birthday party for a Kid Care volunteer who'd never had one before, or private-school tuition for a former Enron employee's child. "Crisis intervention" was a loosely used term, and it allowed Dolcefino to portray it as a way for the Porters to hand out money according to their personal whims.

(For the full engrossing story about a great nonprofit vanishing from the face of the earth in a very short period of time read on. Could it happen to you?)

http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices/13144761-1.html

RESOURCES

Kid Care, Carol Porter, Wayne Dolcefino - The Kid Care story fizzles to a finish As told to Richard Connelly Published on December 11, 2007 The Houston News

http://www.houstonpress.com/2007-12-13/news/kid-care-carol-porter-wayne-dolcefino-weighing-marijuana-and-stopping-on-red/

Fed Up With Hunger from Life on Purpose, Undated

http://www.lifeonpurpose.com/index.php?task=more-info&page=66&websectionid=198

P.S. I’m sorry Published 20.DEC.07 Article from the Jewish Herald-Voice

http://kidcareinc.org/id18.html

'Mother Teresa of Houston' Fights Hunger and Government Aid by Sam Howe Verhovek, Published: Monday, February 6, 1995 New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/06/us/mother-teresa-of-houston-fights-hunger-and-government-aid.html?pagewanted=all

Better Business Bureau Suspends Membership of Kid-Care Charity. Article from: September 6, 2002 Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Article date:

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-91161024.html

The Stories of Nonprofits Dying

http://dongriesmannsnonprofitblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/stories-of-nonprofits-dying.html

Nonprofit Theft – “A Few Bad Apples” or the Invisible Reality?

http://dongriesmannsnonprofitblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/nonprofit-theft-few-bad-apples-or.html

Responses to Article “Nonprofit Theft – ‘A Few Bad Apples’ or the Invisible Reality?”

http://dongriesmannsnonprofitblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/responses-to-article-nonprofit-theft.html

Nonprofit Employers - Beware a Social Media Mine Field

I am a huge fan of LinkedIn. It is the social media I utilize the most. I also use many others for these blogs and other social meeting about nonprofits. Tax exempt nonprofit organizations are businesses. Many are using social media for funding, publicity, and for general information. It is natural for a nonprofit business to place glowing things about themselves when posting for a job notice or simply describing the organization at LinkedIn, for instance, their own web site or elsewhere. Here are some reasons why that may be a really bad idea:

Publicizing the great things about a nonprofit as an employer or for seeking funding, volunteers and support on LinkedIn could come back to haunt you. Attorneys in an article in the National Law Journal suggest the following:

• Avoid glowing remarks about employees - this may be used against the organization in a discrimination or harassment law suit
• Plaintiff's lawyers are searching the internet for evidence in any alleged unlawful firing or harassment case
• LinkedIn is the number one place for employment managers to look for information about candidates along with other social media. However, information found on the Internet about a candidate cannot be used by the nonprofit in a discriminatory manner.
• Potential candidates for employment also search LinkedIn, other social media and other Internet resources for information about the nonprofit and any known employees.
• Avoid show casing existing employees. If you say something that could be construed as negative or positive, either way there could be a law suit.
• Limit the listing of employees on a web site or social media site using only the employee's name, job title and dates of employment, most particularly if you are supporting that person in search for employment.
• If a supervisor indicates glowing remarks about a current employee, such as a recommendation in LinkedIn and elsewhere, and the employee is eventually fired by the CEO, the information could backfire in a discrimination suit.

I suggest you consider a written policy, procedure and recordkeeping about the use of the social media specifically about the organization or current or former employees. Middle and upper management and supervisors should understand the policy and adhere to it.

I also suggest you Google the name of the organization, your own name and other supervisors to see if anything is being written about any of you by a former employee, a former customer or anyone else. .

Anyone can sue anyone at any time about anything. You do not want to lose that law suit. Prepare by understanding the risks and risk management. Talk to your attorney about these issues.

See the article from the National Law Journal:

Lawyers warn employers against giving glowing reviews on LinkedIn by Tresa Baldas July 6, 2009

http://tinyurl.com/mvb7xq

RESOURCES

How to Find a Lawyer for Your Nonprofit Organization -

http://stepbystepfundraising.com/how-to-find-a-lawyer-nonprofit/

Insurance Questions for Nonprofits -

http://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/faq/144-221/40-8

http://idealist.org/media/pdf/FAQ/080324Insuring.pdf

Fraudulent Charities, Fundraisers, Solicitations, Telemarketers and Scams

Oregon-based KTVZ.COM news reported on May 20, 2009 that Oregon Attorney General John Kroger joined the Federal Trade Commission and other states Wednesday in Operation False Charity, a nationwide crackdown on fraudulent fundraisers, non-profits and individual solicitors who claim to help firefighters, police and veterans.

The article goes on to say in part:

Kroger announced a settlement with Secure the Call, a Maryland-based company that claimed to be associated with local law enforcement and asked people to donate cell phones for domestic violence victims. Secure the Call can no longer operate in Oregon under the settlement reached with the Department of Justice.

Secure the Call allegedly misrepresented its non-profit status while soliciting cell phone donations by fax and drop boxes in supermarkets. An investigation by the Department of Justice found no evidence that Secure the Call was associated with any local law enforcement agencies or that the cell phones ever reached domestic violence victims.

Oregon is also one of at least 34 states to enter into a settlement with Community Support Inc. (CSI), a Wisconsin-based telemarketer that allegedly received no less than 83 percent of the donations it solicited on behalf of more than 35 charities nationwide.

CSI telemarketers allegedly falsely claimed to be police or veterans, misrepresented how much money went to charities and harassed potential contributors.

Under the settlement, CSI is enjoined from such unlawful activities and faces a minimum $10,000 penalty for each and every violation of state charitable solicitation laws.

(Snip)

Federal Trade Commission Announces "Operation False Charity" Law Enforcement Sweep - Agency Joined by 48 States in Bringing 76 Actions Against Fraudulent Solicitors Nationwide.

In a nationwide, federal-state crackdown on fraudulent telemarketers claiming to help police, firefighters, and veterans, the Federal Trade Commission, together with 61 Attorneys General, Secretaries of State, and other law enforcers of 48 states and the District of Columbia, today announced "Operation False Charity." Federal and state enforcers announced 76 law enforcement actions against 32 fundraising companies, 22 non-profits or purported non-profits on whose behalf funds were solicited, and 31 individuals. These include two FTC actions against alleged sham non-profits and the telemarketers who made deceptive claims about these so-called charities. The FTC and state agencies also released new education materials, in both English and Spanish, to help consumers recognize and avoid charitable solicitation fraud.

(Snip)

FTC Enforcement Actions

The two FTC cases announced today involve federal court complaints and proposed settlement orders against defendants who allegedly tricked consumers into giving by claiming that donations would support police or firefighters disabled in the line of duty, often in the donors' communities, or that the donations would assist military families in need, and by misleading consumers about how much of the money would go to those causes. According to the FTC, the defendants used legitimate-sounding names and described sympathetic causes to give their sham organizations a veneer of credibility. Their real goal, however, was to dupe consumers into contributing money that the defendants used overwhelmingly just to support themselves and their fundraisers.

In the first case, the FTC alleged that three sham non-profit organizations,

1. American Veterans Relief Foundation, Inc. (AVRF),
2. Coalition of Police and Sheriffs, Inc. (COPS), and
3. Disabled Firefighters Fund (DFF),

all based at the same address in Santa Ana, California, were created almost entirely to provide profits for the individual defendants and the for-profit fundraisers they hired. One defendant, Jeffrey Dean Duncan, ran COPS and DFF, while another defendant, William Rose, ran AVRF. Another defendant, Kathy Clinkenbeard, managed the telemarketers with which the entities contracted. The FTC contends that solicitors calling on behalf of AVRF falsely claimed that the money they were raising would support the families of soldiers fighting overseas through a program it called "Operation Home Front." In fact, AVRF spent virtually no money assisting military families. AVRF's bogus "Operation Home Front" is not connected to the genuine non-profit Operation Homefront, Inc., a national organization with 30 chapters across the country that provides real support to the families of troops and gets high ratings from watchdog groups. According to the FTC's complaint, the defendants misrepresented that donations would go to a legitimate charity, that the organizations have programs that do not actually exist, and that those programs benefit the donors' local communities. The complaint also alleges that COPS misrepresents its affiliation with police officers and sheriffs, and charges the defendants with assisting others to commit deceptive acts and practices.

The proposed order settles the FTC's complaint by barring the defendants from making false claims, or assisting anyone else in making false claims, in connection with charitable solicitations, or in connection with telemarketing. It also prohibits the defendants from violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule, requires that they make certain disclosures when fundraising, and it requires that they monitor any fundraisers that solicit on their behalf. Finally, the order imposes on defendants COPS, DFF, Duncan, and Clinkenbeard a judgment of $13.1 million and against defendants AVRF, Rose, and Clinkenbeard a judgment of $6 million. These judgments are suspended based on defendants' documented inability to pay.

In the second case, the FTC alleged that defendant David Scott Marleau ran several for-profit fundraisers that solicited money on behalf of sham police, fire, and veterans non-profit charitable organizations. The FTC charged that Marleau and his companies,

1. Jedi Investments, LLC,
2. Impact Fundraising, LLC,
3. Millenium Fundraising, LLC, and
4. PC Marl, Inc.,

misrepresented the programs for which funds were solicited, misrepresented that donations would benefit the donor's local community, mailed notices to consumers stating they had made a pledge when they had not even been called, and misrepresented their affiliation with sheriffs and police. Six additional counts in the complaint charged the defendants with multiple violations of the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule, including ignoring company-specific do-not-call requests. The Commission also alleged that their operations often targeted seniors, sometimes debiting their accounts for donations without permission.

The proposed order settling the charges requires the defendants to stop misrepresenting facts, make certain disclosures when soliciting money from consumers, and stop violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule. The order also requires that the defendants substantiate any claims they make about a nonprofit or its programs prior to soliciting consumers, and requires that they train and monitor their telemarketers. Finally, the order imposes a monetary judgment of nearly $1.7 million against the corporate entities Jedi Investments, LLC, Impact Fundraising, LLC, Millenium Fundraising, LLC, and PC Marl, Inc. That judgment is suspended based on these defendants' documented inability to pay.

(Snip)

State Law Enforcement and Public Education

Law enforcement and public education efforts by the states are integral components of "Operation False Charity." The FTC would like to acknowledge the following state officials for their participation in Operation False Charity, either by taking enforcement action or initiating consumer education efforts: the Attorneys General of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin; and other state agencies including the Secretaries of State of Colorado, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Washington, and the Georgia Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs, the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, the Utah Division of Consumer Protection, and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Information about these agencies' participation is summarized on the FTC's Web site at

www.ftc.gov/os/2009/05/090520charitychart.pdf

Private sector partners included AARP, the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance, the American Institute of Philanthropy, Guidestar, the National Association of State Charities Officials, and Charity Navigator.

Consumer Education

The FTC today issued a new consumer alert providing tips about charities that solicit donations on behalf of veterans and military families. According to the alert, which can be found on the agency's Web site at www.ftc.gov/charityfraud, while many legitimate charities are soliciting donations to support the nation's military veterans, not all "charities" are legitimate - some are operators whose only purpose is to make money for themselves. Others are paid fundraisers whose fees can use up most of your donation.

The new alert, "Supporting the Troops: When Charities Solicit Donations on Behalf of Vets and Military Families," offers the following tips to help consumers ensure that their donations go to a legitimate charity. Many of these tips apply to charitable giving to other types of organizations, as well.

• Recognize that the words "veterans" or "military families" in an organization's name don't necessarily mean that veterans or the families of active-duty personnel will benefit from your donation.
• Check out an organization before donating. Some phony charities use names, seals, and logos that look or sound like those of respected, legitimate organizations.
• Donate to charities with a track record and a history. Charities that spring up overnight may disappear just as quickly.
• If you have any doubt about whether you've made a pledge or a contribution, check your records. If you don't remember making the donation or pledge, resist the pressure to give.
• Call the office in your state that regulates charitable organizations to see whether the charity or fundraising organization has to be registered.
• Do not send or give cash donations. For security and tax-record purposes, it's best to pay with a check made payable to the charity.
• Ask for a receipt showing the amount of your contribution.Be wary of promises of guaranteed sweepstakes winnings in exchange for a contribution. You never have to give a donation to be eligible to win a sweepstakes.Some sites where consumers can check out a charity include:

* www.nasconet.org - National Association of State Charity Officials, where you can look up and contact your state's charities regulator for more information.

* www.guidestar.org - Guidestar

* www.bbb.org/charity - Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance

* www.charitynavigator.org - CharityNavigator

* www.charitywatch.org - American Institute of Philanthropy

The Commission vote approving each complaint and proposed court order was 4-0. The complaint and proposed order against David Scott Marleau, et al. were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington on May 19, 2009. The complaint and proposed order against American Veterans Relief Foundation, Inc., et al. were filed in the U.S. District Court of the Central District of California on May 18, 2009.

The proposed orders announced today settle the FTC's charges against the following defendants:

1. American Veterans Relief Foundation, Inc.; Coalition of Police and Sheriffs, Inc.; Disabled Firefighters Fund; Jeffrey Dean Duncan, individually and as an officer or director of Coalition of Police and Sheriffs, Inc., and Disabled Firefighters Fund; Kathy Clinkenbeard, individually; and William Rose, individually and as an officer or director of American Veterans Relief Foundation, Inc.; and

2. David Scott Marleau, individually and as an officer or director of Jedi Investments, LLC, Impact Fundraising, LLC, Millenium Fundraising, LLC, and PC Marl, Inc.; Jedi Investments, LLC; Impact Fundraising, LLC; Millenium Fundraising, LLC; and PC Marl, Inc.

NOTE: The Commission authorizes the filing of complaints when it has "reason to believe" that the law has been or is being violated, and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. The complaints are not a finding or ruling that the defendants actually have violated the law.

NOTE: Stipulated court orders are for settlement purposes only and do not necessarily constitute an admission by the defendants of a law violation. Stipulated orders have the force of law when signed by the judge.

Copies of the complaints and proposed court orders are available from the FTC's Web site at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/05/charityfraud.shtm and also from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC's online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,500 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC's Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.

http://www.ktvz.com/Global/story.asp?S=10395492

Nonprofit Collaborative or Partnership Agreements:

It is no secret that for nonprofits (and the communities and constituents served) the major buzzwords are collaboration and partnership. For some nonprofits it may mean the difference between survival and dissolution. Is it clear what groups mean when these words are used? For instance, does the “collaboration” discussed in an application for funds mean a referral system, or does it mean a letter saying “we support” each other or is there something more in depth? How should a joint-project be addressed to commit resources together to resolve a community or a customer problem? What about a joint proposal for a grant; how will that be handled; how will the decision of who is lead applicant be made?

It is useful to consider developing good faith partnership agreements detailing who the partners are, what each will provide and to whom. The parties should perform due diligence in developing the relationship. There can be no secrets. The agreement should have a mutual hold-harmless clause, responsibilities for insurance, maintaining each other's independence and stating a beginning and ending date. A part of the agreement may include an authorization of release of information between the agencies for customers to sign. The issues of grievance and disputes between the parties and the process for handing them need to be spelled out, such as who has final say on paying bills, arbitration and so on.

In addition there should be solid discussion and written statements about most or all of the A-Z considerations below. These need to be put on the table, discussed and resolved.

A. Ethical issues – what are they for the partnership? Are there conflicting values or beliefs or corporate culture? Are there legally required ethical standards or professional standards? Is there a process for addressing these issues?

B. Conflict of Interest – What are they and how may they be perceived? Are the parties prepared to put them out front for discussion and resolution, how are they handled by each organization

C. Confidentiality- are there any issues of confidentiality; how will that be handled, will there be personnel and HIPAA issues?

D. How will referrals between the partners be made? Will they be different from current arrangements? Are there customer, legal or ethical barriers?

E. Are there new liability and insurance issues?

F. How will you plan and begin to balance the usual day-to-day activities and the new partnership work, will programmatic mission, vision, values, culture, spirituality, experience, competency and priorities affect the partnership?

G. How will leadership be determined? Will there be a plan for succession of leadership? How will leadership develop in the partnership? This can be an excellent opportunity to develop new leadership in both or all organizations.

H. Entrepreneurial spirit -- nothing is "free" – What budgetary needs are there for planning the partnership and for maintaining it? What will be the costs, what are the full (hidden) costs? How will administration and fiscal responsibilities be approached? Is there a business plan for this venture?

I. What are the goals, objectives and outcomes and how are they measured within the partnership? Is there a different view among the partners about measurement, goals and objectives? Look at monitoring results; customer and funder satisfaction; how will you publicize results?

J. Is there agreement about the use of written work plans, job descriptions and supervisory relationships for community work and developing/maintaining the partnership?

K. How do you organize and sell the partnership to other management personnel, staff, boards, current funders, other groups in the community? Have there been scans of the staffing for the day-to-day activities and the proposed new activities?

L. What if you propose the idea of a partnership with your management personnel and your office staff and they are not ready or willing to accept it? How will that be addressed? How will you handle the issues before they arise? How will rumors be handled? How will disagreements be handled?

M. How will the ambiguity in partnerships for staff who are management in the middle and not part of the negotiations creating the partnership be addressed? You will need top and middle management as leadership in the community, as follower in the community, handling failure and managing the partnership

N. What are the plans to handle the division of planning, tasks and fiscal aspects and other implications of the partnership - Communication, communication, communication

O. Is the technology between the partners sufficient to produce necessary reports and for communication?

P. How will the partners face diversity in the partnership, diversity of boards, staff and customers?

Q. How will you avoid stakeholders looking at the partnership as a threat to certain segments of the community; has there been a community scan of not only need but also the perceptions that exist now and can occur later? What are the potential economic, social and political repercussions for this partnership?

R. Has there been an assessment of the community’s readiness for the partnership, the value of local presence, co-location, job sharing and ubiquity -- how will the customers, their communities and nonprofit organizations roles evolve naturally and how will they change by the collaboration? How well do the leaders know the people and the demographics?

S. Is there agreement to viewing a continuum of services, involvement, tasks, roles, strategies, activities and feedback, feedback and feedback and evaluation

T. How will staffing issues in the partnership be developed – will there be an overriding concept about what is expected of staff; or expected of some staff; or a special unit; or no expectation at all for some staff – will there be joint staff meetings and planning sessions?

U. Will the partners seek grants and funding together and/or separately during the agreement, developing additional agreements and contracts between the parties on other issues?

V. How will training and orientation be developed for board and staff, management staff, fiscal personnel and support staff for partnering?

W. How and who will handle media and public relations during and the conclusion of the partnership; how will bad press be handled?

X. What steps will be taken to prepare the customers’ communities and partners as advocates supporting the partnership, shared customers and customer education

Y. What are the opportunities for partnering – employment, job training, housing, health issues,: Medicaid or food stamps outreach, homelessness, youth and children, technical assistance, domestic violence, self-sufficiency issues for customers, technology infrastructure and innovation for the customer communities, access to services, AIDS/HIV, lead-based paint, elderly, diversity, cultural and language-based activities, gay and lesbian initiatives, housing, poverty, disability-related issues, rural or urban activities, the arts, school/education/parent/community issues, drug and alcohol addiction, unsafe working conditions, migrant workers, the interface of employment and welfare, plant closing, community development, environment and many others

Z. What is the anticipated future? What will the partnership leave with the community for their own use in the future? What are the partners open to consider in the future? How will control and spin-off, future collaboration, partnering and cooperation, possibility for merger or alliance be viewed – how will you know when it is “over and done”? What are the benchmarks for the future?

The written agreement needs the assistance of an attorney to avoid pitfalls before they will happen -- and they will happen. Each partner should seek its own attorney for review or creation of documents. I hope the considerations above will assist in that preparation. It is an exciting movement and there should be every incentive for all to want to do it again.

RESOURCES

Community Partnership Toolkit - http://www.wkkf.org/Pubs/CustomPubs/CPtoolkit/CPToolkit/

Why Is It Important to Develop a Community Partnership? - http://www.findyouthinfo.gov/cf_pages/partnerships.htm

Three community partnerships celebrated –
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2009/april29/community-partnership-awards-042909.html

Community Partnership Initiative - http://www.communitypartnership.us/

Building Effective Community Partnerships - http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/resources/files/toolkit1final.pdf

Your Nonprofit Library Fourth Shelf – Handling Press Releases, Working With the Media and Social Media

Do you have a Media Plan? An Advertising and Marketing Plan? Are you looking at branding your organization? May staff use social media in work? Do you have a media guide as part of or an adjunct to your business plan and personnel policies to help the organization share the Good News of the agency. The media guide also sets standards for staff about press releases, talking to the press/media and use of other communication opportunities. As with all other activity, it takes planning by an organization to utilize assistance from the press/media appropriately.

See Top 10 Reasons for Creating a Communications Plan by W.K. Kellogg Foundation: Jan 8, 2009
http://www.fundraising123.org/article/top-10-reasons-creating-communications-plan

Is it clear to staff, volunteers and board who may speak to the press/media? How does your organization respond to a cold call from a reporter? How does the organization respond to a disastrous headline in “today’s” newspaper or on TV? How will you handle the appearance of your newest employee in a suggestive or naked photo on YouTube?

You need written policies, procedures, and recordkeeping about how the organization relates to the media.

A staff-training event about the press/media can be very helpful. Newspapers and other local media may welcome a chance to discuss how best to contact and utilize them for information publication? Develop alone or with other agencies media training or workshop by a local editor or television newscaster, news blogger, or communications professor.

But what if newspapers are doomed as hinted in this article by James Surowiecki a staff writer for the New Yorker recently. The causes of the decline in newspaper are:

• Fewer readers
• Decline in advertising
• The Weak economy
• Free access to news on the internet including the news in newspapers

But Surowiecki does not think newspapers are doomed. There are other types of futures including the possibility they may become nonprofit organizations. For the full article, see:
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2008/12/22/081222ta_talk_surowiecki

Print media will remain on paper or on the web. New forms of communication are developing and this paper will help you consider those as well. I am no expert here. I have however found many articles and blogs by experts for your use and study.

Communication:

Why Optimization of Press Releases for Search Engines Is Essential

Over 27 million people use Google News and Yahoo News every month to find pertinent information. When doing a news search, the results often display relevant press releases and articles from the many thousands of different news sources. Neilsen/NetRatings reports the unique audiences of Yahoo News and Google News currently rival the online audiences of other current events and global news destinations such as CNN and BBC News and others. If the marketing strategy of your business includes the Internet, each and every one of your press releases should be optimized and distributed to the major news search engines.

The Facts on Journalists:

• 98% of journalists go online daily
• 92% go online for article research
• 81% go online to do searching
• 76% go online to find new sources, experts
• 73% go online find press releases

The Facts on The Average American:

• 68 million American adults go online daily
• 30% use a search engine to find information
• 27% receive news online

Sources: Middleberg/Ross Survey and Pew Internet and American Life Project
http://www.press-release-writing.com/options-pressroom.htm

When preparing a press release, consider carefully what the headline will be - tell the story in that headline or the opening sentence.

Always remember that the reporter may not have the same view of events and activities that you have. No reporter will give you the privilege to review the article before printing. If you are thinking about talking to a reporter "off the record", you need to be sure both of you understand what you mean; there is no common definition of that phrase and it is not a sacred bond.
Whatever you say to a journalist, assume it is on the record. If you ask to be off the record be prepared to be told “no”.

It can be helpful either alone or with other nonprofit groups to set up a meeting with the editor of the local press to talk about coverage of nonprofit groups. I have found editors very willing to have such meetings and to offer opportunities for op-ed pieces to be written by nonprofit leaders.

With technology available to your NPO, resist using it for everything you want to say in a press release. Bombarding the press and media by fax and e-mail will not endear you to them and it will result in no coverage when you really want it.

There are new ways of communicating through social media, blogs, e-mail, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Grouply, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Podcasting, LiveJournal, Delicious (social bookmarking), Technorati, Flickr, RSS feeds and so many others. The nonprofit leader must sort through them, assess what will work best for the mission and staff of the organization and begin using them. But the task becomes so daunting at times because there is a new one developed almost every week it seems. How will you distinguish between them? This article offers you guidance from some of the brightest and best social media giants with their passion for nonprofits.

The savvy nonprofit leader will also subscribe to at least one free service to keep informed when she/he and the organization are mentioned on the web. You will find many free services in this article, How to track media mentions of your org with RSS - http://netsquared.org/reptrackrss1
Advertising, promotion, marketing, public relations, publicity, sales, fundraising, and e-commerce -- what are they? How are they done? - http://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/faq/346-281/45-58

Please add to this list through the comment section below.

Topics:

• Preparing a Press Release
• Writing and Op-Ed Piece
• Press Release Writing Style and Grammar
• Formatting and Proofreading a Press release
• Timing a Press Release
• Using Photos
• Writing Newsletters
• Using Quotations in a Press Release
• Lists of radio. TV and newspapers locally and nationally
• Social Media
• Web Sites That Offer Marketing and Branding Material
• Activism
• Annual Reports
• Subscribe to Media-Related Newsletters and Blogs
• Books - A Short List

Preparing a Press Release

Press Release Content Basics - http://www.press-release-writing.com/content-basics.htm

Avoiding the Most Common Traps of Writing a Press Release –
http://www.press-release-writing.com/newsletters/t125-traps.htm

10 Tips for Writing a Feature Press Release - http://www.guidestar.org/news/features/feature_press_release.jsp?source=nov08nwsltr

11 Strategies for Being a Great Business Writer - http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/22/24/72/223536.php (Free membership required)

12 Tips for Writing Great Press Releases – http://www.press-release-writing.com/downloads/PressReleaseWriting-12Tips.pdf

Knight Communication online guide, News Release Workshop - http://www.knightcommunications.org/workshop/index

Ten Immutable Laws of Storytelling - http://agoodmanonline.com/pdf/free_range_2007_06.pdf

What Makes a Press Release Newsworthy? -
http://www.press-release-writing.com/newsletters/t229-news.htm

Ten Commandments for Being the Company Spokesperson Quotations – http://www.press-release-writing.com/newsletters/t236-spokesman.htm

Use Press Releases Effectively During The Holiday Season - http://www.press-release-writing.com/newsletters/t221-holiday.htm

Pitching Nonprofit Stories to the Media: Make it Timely, Newsworthy and Relevant - http://nonprofit.about.com/od/nonprofitpromotion/a/pitching.htm

Sample press releases - http://www.press-release-writing.com/sample-press-release.htm

Press release template - http://www.press-release-writing.com/press-release-template.htm

Reaching the Right Audience – http://www.press-release-writing.com/newsletters/t225-audience.htm

Creating An Online Press Room and Extending The Life Of Your Press Release - http://www.press-release-writing.com/newsletters/t216-pressroom.htm

Robert Wood Johnson free material on press releases and communications from its Quarterly Capacity-Building Audio Seminars for Grantees Communications Strategies in Addiction Prevention and Treatment Grantmaking - http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=34006

Writing an Op-Ed Piece (An op-ed piece is an article that appears in a newspaper on the page opposite the editorial page.)

Nine Tips for Writing Op-Eds That Get Published – http://www.pnnonline.org/article.php?sid=7102

Tips for Getting a Charity's Views Into a Newspaper's Editorial Pages. Read the “Dos” and “Don'ts” here – http://philanthropy.com/jobs/2003/05/29/20030612-885735.htm

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Editorial Style Guide - http://ur.rutgers.edu/styleguide/

The League of Women Voters of New Jersey League Editorial Style - http://www.lwvnj.org/members/resources/editorialstyle.shtml

Press Release Writing Style and Grammar

The leader on media coverage and news reporting is the AP Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associated_Press_Stylebook and http://www.apstylebook.com/

See article about Media Strategy To Go with Your Business Plan – http://www.press-release-writing.com/newsletters/t146-timetable.htm

Journalists Tool Notebook (Great links to resources) - http://www.refdesk.com/jourtool.html

Getting a Grip on Grammar – http://www.press-release-writing.com/newsletters/t195-grammar.htm

Writing Style Guide (Given to all journalists at The Economist) -http://www.economist.com/research/StyleGuide/index.cfm

Formatting and Proofreading a Press Release

Press Release Formatting 101 - http://www.press-release-writing.com/newsletters/t224-formatting.htm

Suggestions for formatting a press release - http://www.press-release-writing.com/formatting-suggestions.htm

Ten Invaluable Tips For Proofreading Your Press Releases – http://www.press-release-writing.com/newsletters/t170-tentips.htm

Proofreader's Marks - http://www.press-release-writing.com/resources/proofreadersmarks.pdf

Timing a Press Release

How often should you have a press release? – http://www.press-release-writing.com/newsletters/t231-howoften.htm

As a general rule of thumb, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday early to midmorning are the best times and days of the week to distribute a press release - http://www.press-release-writing.com/prguru/prg3.htm

Public Relations Strategies and Media Relations: Tips for Nonprofits and Advocacy Campaigns - http://www.fenton.com/pages/5_resources/nowhearthis.htm

Using Photos

Should You Send Photos with Your Press Releases?
http://www.press-release-writing.com/newsletters/t232-photos.htm

General Releases for Photos, Videos - http://www.videouniversity.com/releases.htm

Writing Newsletters

Tips for Perfecting the Email Newsletter – http://www.nptimes.com/instantfund/07Sep/IF-070913-1.html

Writing e-Newsletters - Tricks of the Trade – http://www.cottongraphicdesign.com/ezine-marketing/24857.php

Writing SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Friendly E-newsletters Develop Digital Newsletters that Get Great Circulation - http://marketingpr.suite101.com/article.cfm/writing_seo_friendly_enewsletters

Writing Great ALT Tags (for images) for Your E-Newsletter, by Kivi Leroux Miller - http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2007/03/07/writing-great-alt-tags-for-your-e-newsletters/

Using Quotations in a Press Release

Use Famous Quotes to Spice up your Press Release - http://www.press-release-writing.com/newsletters/t223-famousquotes.htm

quoteWorld.com - http://www.quoteworld.org/

The Quotations Archive - http://www.aphids.com/quotes/index.shtml

Famous Quotes.com - http://www.famousquotes.com/

Quoteland.com - http://www.quoteland.com/

Thinkexist.com - http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/top/

Reference Desk for Facts and More - http://www.refdesk.com/

Four Types of Interviews for Getting Powerful Quotes in Press Releases - http://www.press-release-writing.com/newsletters/t196-powerfulquotes.htm

Lists of radio, TV and newspapers locally and nationally

NewsLink for Media and Press - http://newslink.org/news.html

U.S. Newspaper List - http://www.usnpl.com/

International Telephone Directories - http://www.infobel.com/en/world/index.aspx

Newseum, displays certain daily newspaper front pages in their original, unedited form - http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/

All the Top Nonprofit News - http://nonprofit.alltop.com/

Social Media

Civic Engagement on the Move: How Mobile Media Can Serve the Public Good - http://www.aspeninstitute.org/site/c.huLWJeMRKpH/b.4197611/k.6190/Civic_Engagement_on_the_Move_How_mobile_media_can_serve_the_public_good.htm

Beth’s Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media A place to capture and share ideas, experiment with and exchange links and resources about the adoption challenges, strategy, and ROI of nonprofits and social media - http://beth.typepad.com/

12 Tips for Nonprofits On Getting Started With Social Media: Social Networking Is Investment in the Future by Joanne Fritz, About.com - http://nonprofit.about.com/od/socialmedia/tp/Tipsstartsocialnetworking.htm

9 Steps to Prioritize Nonprofit Social Media Training and Experimentation by Britt Bravo - http://www.netsquared.org/blog/britt-bravo/net2thinktank

What Can Social Networking Do for Your Organization? Tips and tools to help your nonprofit get the most out of online networks - http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/internet/archives/page9215.cfm

Looking for training Net2ThinkTank: Key Questions about Social Media Training - http://www.netsquared.org/blog/amysampleward/net2thinktank-key-questions-about-social-media-training

Here is the story of one NPO using Second Life. GoodDogz.org is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to educating potential dog owners on dog selection and care and supporting the efforts of rescue groups. They believe that by assisting with good dog-owner matches, they’ll give each family the best opportunity for a life-long relationship with their new dog and help to keep dogs out of shelters. Second Life and Nonprofits - My Take
http://www.bethjbates.com/index.php/2008/10/02/second-life-and-nonprofits-my-take/

Video About Nonprofits and Second Life - http://secondlife.techsoup.org/content/second-coming-second-life-video

How to raise the profile of your nonprofit in 2009 - http://www.nj.com/helpinghands/nonprofitknowhow/index.ssf/2009/01/how_to_raise_the_profile_of_yo.html

50 Steps to Establishing a Consistent Social Media Practice, July 27, 2008
http://www.chrisbrogan.com/50-steps-to-establishing-a-consistent-social-media-practice

Beware: Your 'tweet' on Twitter could be trouble: Latest networking craze carries many legal risks. http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNLJ.jsp?id=1202426916023

Feedback From Users Of Twitter As A Training Tool - http://newlearningplaybook.com/blog/2008/12/31/feedback-from-users-of-twitter-as-a-training-tool/

Social Media Outreach: Non-Profits are the Key posted by Rezwan –http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/blog/2008/01/21/social-media-outreach-non-profits-are-the-key/

Nonprofit Organizations and Online Social Networking: Advice and Commentary - http://www.coyotecommunications.com/outreach/osn.html

Social Media Tool Box created by the WeAreMedia community - http://www.wearemedia.org/tools+template

Resource Kit for Creative Community Engagement - http://creativecommunity.flexiblelearning.net.au/

Understanding the Legal Issues for Social Networking Sites and Their Users - http://technology.findlaw.com/articles/00006/010966.html

Web Sites That Offer Marketing and Branding Material

All About Marketing - http://www.managementhelp.org/mrktng/mrktng.htm

Branding Your Nonprofit Through Your Website - http://www.alderconsulting.com/branding.html

Smart Chart; Helping Nonprofits Make Smart Communication Choices -
http://www.smartchart.org/

Media Strategies for NGO Sustainability! - http://www.sangonet.org.za/portal/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7710&Itemid=446

Fact Sheet: Marketing for Charitable Nonprofit Organizations - http://www.archrespite.org/archfs7.htm

Essential Fundraising News Release - http://nonprofit.about.com/od/nonprofitpromotion/a/newsrelease.htm?nl=1

New Rules in Public Relations - http://www.davidmeermanscott.com/documents/New_Rules_of_PR.pdf

CHIP and Children’s Medicaid Campaign Graphic Identity and Branding Style Guide - http://www.chipmedicaid.org/files/outreach/logos_graphic/CHIP_GraphicsStandardsGuide.pdf

Katya’s Nonprofit Marketing Blog - http://www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com/comments/5_ways_to_get_people_to_sign_up_for_your_email_list/

See What Your E-Newsletter Looks Like in Different Email Programs -
http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2009/01/06/see-what-your-e-newsletter-looks-like-in-different-email-programs/

Activism

Tools for Citizen Journalists - http://www.kcnn.org/tools

American Opportunity: A Communications Toolkit –
http://www.opportunityagenda.org/american-opportunity-communications-toolkit

Smart Chart: A Tool to Help Nonprofits Make Smart Communications Choices –
http://www.spitfirestrategies.com/pdfs/smart_chart_2.pdf

Affordable New Tools and Strategies for Online Activism - http://www.idealware.org/articles/online_advocacy_tools.php

From Business Week, The Chart of Social Media Behavior in the U.S. - http://images.businessweek.com/mz/07/24/0724_6insiid_a.gif

A Triumph of Trust: Five Principles of Nonprofit Social Media Strategy by Michael Gilbert - http://news.gilbert.org/TriumphOfTrust

The Media and the Law - A handbook for community journalists (From South Africa)
http://fxi.org.za/PDFs/Publications/MediaandtheLawHandbook.pdf

Five Ways to Save Money Using Online Conferencing Tools - http://www.nptimes.com/technobuzz/TB20081223_2.html

Evaluating Online Activities - http://www.coyotecommunications.com/culture/online2offline.html

Annual Reports

What Must Be in an Annual Report? - http://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/faq/242-151/45-58

Tips for Creating a Good Annual Report - http://www.zpub.com/sf/arl/arl-tips.html

Ten Tips for Writing a Great Annual Report - http://nonprofit.about.com/od/nonprofitpromotion/a/annualreps.htm

Subscribe to Media-Related Newsletters and Blogs

Getting Attention is a free e-newsletter, published bi-monthly by Nancy Schwartz & Company - http://www.nancyschwartz.com/

PRW Newsletter is a free e-newsletter from Press-Release-Writing.com - http://www.press-release-writing.com/prw-newsletter.htm

Beth Kantor’s Blog - http://beth.typepad.com/

Books – A Short List

Publicity for Nonprofit: Generating Media Exposure That Leads to Awareness, Growth, and Contributions by Sandra L. Beckwith

Strategic Communications for Nonprofits: A Step-by-Step Guide to Working with the Media by Kathy Bonk, Emily Tynes, Henry Griggs, and Phil Sparks

The Associated Press Stylebook by Associated Press

Attracting the Attention Your Cause Deserves by Joseph Barbato

The Copyeditor's Handbook by Amy Einsohn

Please add to this list through the comment section below.