VSN Apr09 Newsletter

  • Author: VSN

SOULUTIONS
April 2009
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in this issue
Case Study: What's A First Step for Following God's Call?
Why Not Consider Pro Bono?
Have Your Filed Your 990? (even if you haven't needed to before)
Quick Wins
 Dear Michelle,
It seems like it would take more than two hands to count the number of conversations I've had about the subject of collaboration in the last two weeks. Can it be that the current economics are forcing us to find ways we can be more efficient by working together? In our part of the Midwest, a number of funders have announced that they will put a higher priority on collaborative projects in the coming year. And many of my colleagues expect to see a dramatic increase in mergers among not-for-profits, just like we are seeing in the for-profit world.
Collaboration can take many forms. Read on to learn how one of our Vesper Service Network members, Lighthouse Christian School, plans to take advantage of public/private collaboration in the state of Wisconsin to provide high quality education to young women in one of Milwaukee's toughest neighborhoods.
Giving our time is a form of collaboration, too. See what a new study from Deloitte has to say about the need for more volunteers.
The important thing to remember about working together is that it takes more planning, more communication, and more effort than working alone...but the rewards are so much greater.
                       
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Case Study: What's A First Step for Following God's Call?
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When Zuwena Fowler, a mother of two, heard the Lord's calling that she needed to open a Christian school for girls, there was a lot going on in her life; and there still is. Yet she decided that if it was the Lord's will then it was meant to be.
Zuwena came to the Vesper Service Network with loads of enthusiasm, a positive, optimistic disposition and a desire to raise capital to get her Choice School off the ground during these challenging economic times-no easy task. After numerous meetings with Zuwena and her Board of Directors, Heather and Kay collaborated themselves to come up with a fine-tuned, comprehensive resource development plan designed to be a road map for Zuwena and her Board of Directors as they navigate the world of foundations, corporate giving programs and individuals in the Milwaukee area to make Zuwena's dream a reality.

Important first steps: identifying potential donors, developing strategies to inform potential donors, getting them emotionally involved in the cause and inviting them to donate.

Says Zuwena: "Knowing it is not about me, but about the girls, keeps me going. I have met some people out in the community who are very excited and willing to help. So now I see I can not do this alone. I may have to open next year, but I have learned so much in these past months and am ready to continue forward, no matter what."
Need help raising funds in these difficult times? Contact Heather Dorsey at the Vesper Service Network today and let us help you create a custom resource development plan tailored to your organization.
As Winston Churchill said: "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
Why Not Consider Pro Bono?
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Pro bono collaboration between not-for-profits and corporations is a win for all involved. The following study, however, shows neither side is using pro bono service to its full advantage. Click here to read the survey.
The Vesper Service Network also helps get not-for-profit organizations and corporations collaborating. Go to our website or give us a call to find out how you can take part.
Have You Filed Your 990? (even if you haven't needed to before) 
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A special reminder regarding a new requirement that began last year - all charitable organizations are now required to file a 990 by one of three methods or risk losing their 501(C)(3).
This now includes those with gross receipts less than $25,000 that previously were not required to file anything. Please click here to see a chart of filing requirements and the IRS website for more information.
Quick Wins
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It's possible to achieve a quick win by collaborating. At the Vesper Service Network, we have helped many organizations plan and implement collaborative initiatives, large and small. We know that in order to be successful, each collaborating partner must know the answer to these three questions, before they begin to work together.
  1. What do we need from this?
  2. What do we have to offer our partner(s)?
  3. What are we willing to give up to make this work?
Before you begin a collaboration discussion, answer these questions, and expect your potential partners to answer them honestly as well.
Need help asking the right questions and bringing partners together? Contact Kay Edwards or Heather Dorsey at the Vesper Service Network, 414-921-0912.