Census Bureau Announces Findings for 2013 Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the U.S.

Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance in the United States, the Census Bureau's annual fall reports, were released today. The poverty report features 2013 data and a very encouraging headline: for the first time since 2006, the overall poverty rate has fallen in the United States. Even more encouraging, for the first time since 2000, the overall poverty for children under 18 has gone down.

These annual reports are an invaluable resource for nonprofits looking to share up-to-date data on the economic realities faced by children, seniors, and adults across the country. Each of the full reports are long and rather dry- this is Census data after all- but the tables contained in the report can provide insight to nonprofits looking to educate funders and stakeholders. While the headlines are positive, the reality is that there are still more than 45 million Americans living in poverty. 

You can view the official press release here. These findings are contained in two reports: Income and Poverty in the United States 2013 and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States 2013.

Encore Fellows Program Matches Experienced Talent With Nonprofits

As nonprofits continually strive to meet a growing demand for services, an innovative solution successfully employed across the US has come to greater Boston: the Encore Fellowship Program. Comprised of experienced professionals pursuing their "encore careers," this source of highly skilled and experienced talent is available to take on high impact work assignments at an affordable cost.

ESC of New England (ESCNE), a nonprofit organization providing management consulting and capacity building services to other nonprofits, has been selected as the regional operator for the national Encore Fellows Program.  The program is designed to deliver a new source of talent to nonprofits by matching organizations with skilled, experienced professionals who are generally transitioning from a primary career. The fellows help meet the unique challenges of nonprofits in areas such as strategy development, marketing, fundraising, human resources, business development, program development and technology.

Fellowship assignments are typically 1000+ hours over either 6 months full-time or 12 months part-time. The cost to sponsor a Fellow is $25,000. Nonprofits hosting a fellow gain affordable, low-risk access to experienced, skilled talent carefully matched to the specific assignment.  Fellows earn a stipend of $20,000, increase their knowledge of social-purpose work, and develop a network of contacts and resources for a possible "encore career" in the nonprofit sector.

If you are interested in hosting, sponsoring, or becoming a fellow visit www.escne.org or contact Donna Morelle, Director, Boston Encore Fellows Program at [email protected].

Not Your Typical Opening Session

New to MNN's conference this year: Stories of Innovation and Change, an inspiring opening to the day during which prominent leaders in the nonprofit and business sectors will share brief and impactful narratives. These vignettes will spur your creativity and help you think more broadly about your impact; setting the stage for a day full of learning and sharing.

Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Ernest L. Arbuckle Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, award-winning business leader, and author, will kick-off the session and address the need to incorporate innovative leadership strategies into your organization in order to thrive in the future.  You will then explore new ideas with accomplished leaders Tiffany Cooper Gueye, Ph. D., CEO, BELL; George Overholser, CEO & Co-Founder, Third Sector Capital Partners; and John Werner, Head of Innovation & New Ventures, MIT Media Lab. They'll share their experiences and insights through stories that highlight evolving practices and innovative ways to better meet your mission through infrastructure, resources, and strategy.

Click here to learn more about the storytellers and other conference workshops, presenters, and resources.

New Study of Nonprofit Executive Leadership in New England Launches Today

Are you a nonprofit executive or board member? You are invited to participate in Leadership New England, a survey of executive leadership in our region from Third Sector New England. Take the survey now.

The survey is designed for executive directors and board members to help investigate their current challenges, discover where they are headed, and document what organizations need to move forward. Take the survey.