Upcoming Events & Webinars

Best Practices for Internal Controls in Small Arts Organizations [NYSCA Webinar] December 4th, 2014 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM  Register Now  This webinar is free and the live version is open only to nonprofits receiving funding from the NYS Council on the Arts. The recording will be made available to NYCON Nonprofit Members.   Many small arts nonprofits have limited administrative staff, but the same expectations from funders (and regulators) regarding their organization's internal controls. NYCON has seen this issue come into sharper perspective as we, and many of our nonprofit members (including smaller arts groups) have had to go through the NYS Grants Gateway and Prequalification process in order to continue to receive our state funding. One of the biggest questions we heard during this process was "How can we possibly create, document and consistently apply complex Internal Control processes in an organization with 2 or 3 or 4.... staff people?" This training will focus on the implementation of simple, yet effective internal controls processes that allow your organization to reap the benefits of accountability, efficiency, and fraud prevention despite running a smaller nonprofit. It's Not Too Late: Year-End Major Gifts Fundraising for Nonprofits [Webinar] December 9th, 2014  12:00 PM - 1:00 PM  Presented by Andy Robinson, Consultant and Trainer Andy Robinson Consulting, LLC Cost:  $49 Member Rate $69 Regular Rate  REGISTER NOW NYCON is proud to partner with our State Association colleagues in Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina to bring you this webinar.   The most effective way to raise money is face to face -- and the most lucrative time to ask is right now!  In this webinar, Andy Robinson will walk you through the process of major gifts fundraising, step by step. Whether you're a veteran fundraiser or new to the field, you can expect to gain practical information and advice to help in: Identifying prospects Setting up appointments Meeting with donors How to structure the conversation -- and "the ask. Materials & Log-in/Call-In Instructions: Webinar materials (PowerPoint PDF and other handouts), along with instructions on how to log in and call-in, will be emailed to attendees prior to the date of the webinar. Nonprofit Committee Structures under the New Nonprofit Revitalization Act [Lunch & Learn Webinar] Wednesday, December 10, 2014 from 11:00am to 12:30pm Presented by Susan Weinrich, VP of Organizational Development Services Free & Open to NYCON Members Register Today   Join us for this webinar and explore the changes in nonprofit board committee structure under the new law. Many rules have changed regarding board committees and nonprofit board governance. Gone are standing and "ad-hoc" committees. Now we define them as "committees of the board" and "committees of the corporation." Do you know who can be on each committee? Do you know what the roles and responsibilities are for each? Do you need minutes for each? Who should chair them? How do we bring non-board members onto a committee? For committees of the Board, what authority do they really have and how do we ensure they are accountable to the board?  Join us for this webinar on the practical implications of committee structure changes - and learn where to start. Nonprofit Fraud & Abuse: A Unique and Personal Perspective [Special Webinar] Thursday, December 11, 2014   11:00 am to 12:00 pm Free & Open to NYCON Members Register Today The mismanagement and misappropriation of nonprofit funds is a serious issue. Not only is it illegal, and carries with it significant penalties, it also takes valuable resources from people who truly need services and damages the brand of all nonprofits. It can also severely impact the lives of those involved with the organization. In this honest and frank webinar, you will hear from a former nonprofit executive director recently convicted of conduct relating to grants management fraud. Learn about the path he chose, the decisions he made, the lessons he learned, and, most importantly, how to avoid this type of event occurring at your own nonprofit organization. Executive Director Retreat for New Nonprofit Leaders December 10th-12th, Latham,NY REGISTRATION  INFO Participants will be introduced, through practical application, to mastery of the diverse skills necessary to achieve success in their current role. Led by a multi-disciplinary team of experienced instructors, this retreat emphasizes real world elements of nonprofit executive leadership, management and problem-solving.   Latest Job Postings on the [NEW] NYCON Nonprofit Job Board... Executive Director Brooklyn, NY Coordinator, Marketing and Communications New York City Care Managers Albany & Hudson Falls Outreach Specialist Albany, NY Community Health Specialist  Albany, NY Astronomer, Public Outreach & Education Schenectady, NY Health Care Research Analyst Rochester, NY Program Manager, Best Practices & Strategies/Community Health Improvement Rochester, NY Administrative Coordinator Troy, NY Insurance Sales and Service Positions Menands, NY Social Work Coordinator Albany, NY Director of Development and Community Relations Albany, NY All Members can Post jobs for FREE! Click to learn more.

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November From the Field: Arts & Culture Best Practices

Arts Services Initiative of Western New York 95 Perry Street, Suite 402 Buffalo, New York 14203 Phone: (716) 362.8389 asiwnyinfo@gmail.com www.asiwny.org

November 2014   Arts & Culture What's Going On...     Nonprofit Disaster Preparedness     Disaster Preparedness Americans for the Arts   Are you prepared?   Are you prepared for emergencies and disasters? Is your arts agency or organization? In the past few years, we've witnessed an increase in both natural and man-made disasters throughout the United States. More and more emergencies can happen unexpectedly in communities just like yours, to people like you. Often, the arts are one of the first things people turn to in times of need. Make sure you're able to support your community in these tough times.   Click here for tips and resources on how to be prepared.     Data Driven Advocacy     Is the Cultural Sector Ready to Move Beyond Data for Data's Sake? Createquity   As any internet geek or high-priced consultant will be happy to tell you, we find ourselves today in the age of Big Data. You know, the era when science and numbers are supposed to solve all our problems forever? That one. And yet in the cultural sector, according to a  report published earlier this year, we don't have the data we need; we don't know what to do with the data we have; and even if we did, we still wouldn't use it to make decisions. (Okay, that may be oversimplifying things a bit...but not by much.)   Read the complete article here.     Art & Health     These 12 Childhood Art Techniques Can Help Adults Relieve Stress Priscilla Frank, The Huffington Post   Making art doesn't necessarily sound like a stress reliever. Finding inspiration, keeping concentration, finding your artistic voice -- these things demand extreme attention, time and effort. Yet there is something about expressing your creative side that can help put your mind at ease.   Most forms of art making involve both logic and creativity -- for example, coloring inside the lines and mixing and matching colors to your preference. The combination of vision and precise motor skills also leads to an all-encompassing experience that captivates the brain, pushing other stressors out of the picture, at least temporarily. "The idea that creative expression can make a powerful contribution to the healing process has been embraced in many different cultures," Heather L. Stuckey and Jeremy Nobel wrote in  the American Journal of Public Health. Caregivers involved with creative arts intervention methods at cancer treatment centers in particular "reported significantly reduced stress, decreased anxiety, and increased positive emotions after taking part in the intervention."   Read more...     Art Studios     Adapting a Studio to a Changing Economy Cherie Haas, Editor, ArtistsNetwork   Having a studio space in which to create your art is a gift. With that space-be it modest or illustrious-comes a sense of dedication to your craft. In a world that doesn't always take art seriously, having an art studio establishes a sense of importance for creativity, as well as providing shelter from the storm of dissenters. Not to say that one must have a designated space, but it's rather nice to, surely.   Continue with more art studio ideas here...     Nonprofit     NOT All Enterprise is Social! Paul Hogan, Nonprofit Quarterly   Back in May of 2014, NPQ published an essay by Buzz Schmidt entitled "All Enterprise is Social," which asserts that all enterprise should be judged on its contributions to and debits from a number of different categories of capital, which he defines. Finding ways of measuring these "credits and debits" that would be acceptable equally to shareholder and social entrepreneur would promote greater activity in all categories and eliminate any real differences between the enterprises. For me, however, the approach could unintentionally do more harm than good.   Read more HERE.       Arts Services Initiative of Western New York promotes the cultural sector's vital role in economic development and the community through capacity building, collaboration, and advocacy.                       Keep up to date on funding opportunities and similar opportunities by Liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, and receiving our e-newsletters.       We would like to thank our major sponsors:                       Arts Services Initiative of Western New York, Inc.