Insight  December 2016
Join Us ... Let's Continue to Do Good BETTER!  

As the New Year approaches, it is an ideal time to reflect on all of the good you--our nonprofits--do here in our County.
Your job is to be mission driven, passionate, efficient, and effective in the essential services you offer the communities you serve. And, Nonprofit Prince George's County is here to help each of you--our nonprofits--become better at delivering the good you provide. We are in service to guide you toward excellence.
I hope you were able to join us this past year for some of our powerful training sessions and valuable networking events. As Nonprofit Prince George's County prepares for a new year, we want you to know that we have listened to you. In response to the various surveys you submitted, we are developing exciting training sessions (in person and online), maximizing and providing access to valuable databases, and securing marketing and partnership/collaboration opportunities that will take your organization to the next level. We have also set goals to improve our outreach and communication, enhance member benefits, and secure more major gifts to provide you with first-rate tools to advance your mission.
Whether you are a renewing or a first-time member, I urge you to join Nonprofit Prince George's County now. If you join by December 31, you can attend the January and February Ideas&Info Luncheon Trainings at no charge. That's TWO FREE TRAINING SESSIONS, plus the savings of joining before the January 1, 2017 membership rate increase.
Membership does empower nonprofits! Now is the time for you to make a pledge to Do Your Good BETTER by joining Nonprofit Prince George's County.
Thank you for your time and your good work! I look forward to seeing you flourish in 2017!

Howard Burnett
Board President
DO GOOD BETTER
BECOME A MEMBER NOW!
Did You Know ... Changes to Charitable Registration Process
During the summer, a change was made by the Maryland Office of the Secretary of State (SOS) regarding the annual update for charitable registration, making the process smoother for nonprofits. Extensions for charitable registration are now automatically granted to an organization with a current registration.

Previously, nonprofits had six months after the end of their fiscal year ended to submit the Annual Update of Registration Form, their 990 and audit (if required). Since many nonprofits do not have their 990's and audits completed within six months of the close of their year, nonprofits were required to request an extension and send the financial information at a later date. If the information wasn't sent in, nonprofits were removed from the list of charitable organizations IN GOOD STANDING with the SOS.
 
Charitable organizations no longer need to file a written request for an extension to the registration deadline--extensions are now automatically granted to an organization with a current registration. For example, if your year ends on June 30th, the annual renewal would have been due on December 31st. Now you have until May 15th (of the following year) to forward your registration form and financial documents. This change allows all information to be submitted at the same time. For more information, please click on the link below:  
 
November Ideas&Info Recap ... Fundraising Strategies
Kim Patton, Director of The Foundation Center Northeast, presented strategies on strengthening your board and its fundraising capacity. Following her presentation, a few of the nonprofit professionals in attendance shared their fundraising ideas and strategies: 

Leah Paley, Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services
"Our organization has a 5K Turkey Trot every year. In its 12th year, it is actually really successful. Last year, we had just under 800 people register. We had $22,000 in sponsorship, plu s another $30,000 in registration."
Anthony Zanfordino, The Arc of Prince George's County
"Our bowling bash... We've been doing it about 15 years. We have a golf tournament, too, and those are our big fundraisers every year."  

 
Elaine Arnold & Serafina Lease, Community Support Systems
"We've been s uccessful with holding events at historic homes. Recently, a Victorian home in Brandywine was restored, and we held an ice cream social. We dressed in costume like the 1890's, had an ice cream truck, games for kids, stilt walkers and a picnic lunch."
Nonprofit Notes
Maryland Community Connection Celebrates 15 Years! 
Maryland Community Connection, whose primary mission is to establish, operate, and maintain services in the community for individuals with developmental disabilities, celebrated its 15th anniversary with festivities and a silent auction at Martin's Crosswinds on November 17th. Congratulations! 
 
 

     

Congratulations to members who participated  
in Giving Tuesday 2016!


        We wish you all the best 
      during this holiday season! 
   Thank you for your membership
 and support of excellent nonprofits!
Sincerely,

Hillary Lindeman
Director

Advancing Communities Through Excellent Nonprofits
240-582-5654   [email protected]   www.nonprofitpgc.org

Nonprofit Prince George's County is sponsored in part by