IN THIS ISSUE: 

• Meet the Nonprofit Excellence Award Finalists
• 5 Crucial Points for Leaders of Foundations
• Free Wednesday Webinar- Crowdfunding: It's Not All About the Money
• Nonprofit 411: Information Security for Nonprofit Organizations
• Jobs, Grants, Trainings & more...

HEADLINES

Meet the Finalists in Collaboration and Communications 

Every year, MNN honors the dedication, passion, and impact of nonprofit organizations and leaders through the Nonprofit Excellence Awards. This year, our panel of judges reviewed over 200 nominations that highlighted the incredible impact of nonprofits from every sub-sector and corner of the state. Read on to get to know the finalists for the Nonprofit Excellence Awards in Collaboration and Communications.

 

Help celebrate these amazing nonprofits and be there when the winners are announced! Register now for 

Nonprofit Awareness Day, June 27 at the State House, presented by  Citizens Bank. 

 

The Excellence Award in Collaboration recognizes the lead organization that was the catalyst for an effort by two or more  nonprofit organizations. These organizations partnered to address a

BELL in Action

compelling problem that could not have been solved as effectively by one single organization. The finalists effectively defined roles, allocated combined resources, utilized efficient communication, and implemented a clear process for accountability to achieve meaningful and measurable outcomes. The finalists for the Excellence Award in Collaboration are:  ArtWeek (Citi Performing Arts Center); BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life); Children's Vision Massachusetts; and Food For Free.

Learn more about each of the impressive finalists vying for the Nonprofit Excellence Award in Collaboration here.

Boston Gay Men's Chorus

The Excellence Award in Communications honors a nonprofit that has effectively strengthened the organization through communications tools or strategies. This can include the identification of a target 

audience and strategic messaging, channels, tools, and tactics in order to reach that audience and better carry out its mission, a creative campaign to raise funds, or effective storytelling. The finalists used

clear, compelling, and creative messages and materials to engage their target  audience and achieve favorable outcomes. Meet the finalists for the Excellence Award in Communications:  Boston Gay Men's Chorus; IBA-Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion; Inversant; and Lextended Day.

To learn why each of these organizations were chosen as a finalist for the Nonprofit Excellence Award in Communications, click here. 

In the coming weeks, MNN will continue to highlight each of the finalists. Stay tuned! 

New Report: 5 Crucial Points for Foundation Leaders

Recently, the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP), based here in Massachusetts, released  " Big Issues, Many Questions: An essay on the pressing issues facing U.S. foundation leaders and boards. " The essay, authored by CEP's President Phil Buchanan, covers industry trends and topics including data, transparency, and collaborations among funders.  Laid out in the essay are five crucial topics for leaders and boards of foundations to consider: 

1) Fundamental questions about the role of philanthropy as the so-called establishment comes under fire;

2) Questioning the traditional approach to endowment management;

3) An evolving notion of what good strategy and measurement look like in philanthropy;

4) The embracing of - or return to - aligned action among funders (and with other actors); and,

5) A new sophistication in considering how to support nonprofits effectively.

Even if your work isn't in philanthropy, we encourage you to download and read the report. The themes are sure to resonate with you and are reflective of the future of philanthropy.  Download the report here.

If you're interested in learning more about philanthropy, be sure to check out  HistoryofGiving.org- a site from the  National Philanthropic Trust  that features an interactive timeline that takes visitors through 500 years of giving.

May FREE Wednesday Webinar

Nonprofit 411: Information Security for Non-Profit Organizations

By Dan Keleher.  CGEIT, CISA, CRISC,  Kevin P. Martin & Associates

While cybersecurity has long been a concern for private and government organizations,

nonprofits are also vulnerable to attack. Sensitive information

such as donor data, credit card numbers, employee payroll records, health information, and program data must all be protected against data breaches. For nonprofits, compromised security can lead to monetary losses such as fines and penalties from credit card companies for failure to comply with security processes, to the loss of donor confidence from thefts related to donor information.

And for nonprofits, perhaps the biggest concern of a data breach is the loss of reputation. A good reputation is the lifeblood of any nonprofit organization...this is what ultimately drives fundraising efforts, volunteerism, and the mission of the nonprofit. Unfortunately, the limited resources of nonprofits make it more challenging to handle information security. This is why it is so critical that everyone in the organization be involved and responsible for preventing cyber-attacks.

Read more.