In Oregon
Over the weekend, more people have died in Oregon from COVID-19, according to health officials bringing the state’s death toll from COVID-19 to 91. Oregon’s total number of identified coronavirus cases climbed to 2,311 patients on Sunday.
The Oregon Health Authority said nearly a quarter of all coronavirus patients (546 people) have been hospitalized because of the virus. The latest numbers also show the incredible sacrifice of frontline health workers – many of them work for nonprofits; 338 patients or about 18% of Oregon's patients are healthcare workers. Governor Brown’s shelter in place order remains in place as pressure mounts across the country and in parts of Oregon for relaxation of restrictions, despite scientific evidence to the contrary.
We at NAO want to thank all our colleagues in the health and social services sectors as they literally risk their lives (and potentially the lives of their families) to provide critical services. Your sacrifices are deeply appreciated.
In addition to the health and safety crisis, Oregon’s economy is also taking a beating. The state budget is facing sudden, severe, and widespread
declines in revenue
amid the coronavirus outbreak. As personal and corporate income declines or evaporates, the accompanying taxes on that wealth, taxes on capital gains, lottery revenues, lodging and fuel taxes and program fees also evaporate. The estimated losses to revenue for the 2019-2020 biennial budget are topping $2 billion.
All state agencies are being hit, but no two identically. Some, such as the Oregon Health Authority,
the Employment Department
and the Department of Human Services, face a surge in demand for their services, whether it’s expanded COVID-19 testing, increased Medicaid spending or the needed hiring to process unemployment claims. Many of these programs are implemented through nonprofit health and social service providers.
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At the national level
The interim funding bill (H.R. 266) was signed by President Trump on Friday. The “CARES 1.5 Patch” as it has come to be known, provides a total of $484 billion in new spending, including $310 billion in new money for the Paycheck Protection Program.
In a news release on Friday, the Small Business Administration (SBA) stated it will (HAS!) resume(d) accepting PPP loan applications today (Monday, April 27) at 10:30 a.m. ET from approved lenders on behalf of any eligible borrower. The lag between signing and opening the portal was reported to “ensure that SBA has properly coded the system to account for changes made by the legislation.” The initial rollout of the PPP met with quite a bit of confusion and over half of the Oregon nonprofits that NAO has polled missed the initial application period.
As the second round of funding opens today we are hoping it will be run more smoothly and be successful for those nonprofits applying. It is unlikely that there will be a third round of this funding, so be sure to connect with your lender today to find out the status of your application.
Many of you have begun asking how these loans can be forgiven. Official guidance has not yet been handed down by the SBA to the lenders, but NAO is tracking this closely and
will be offering a special webinar on PPP Loan Forgiveness
as soon as we know we have information and experts who can speak with authority on the topic.
We at NAO are keeping our fingers and toes crossed for all of you submitting again today. Good luck!
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Upcoming online sessions for nonprofits
Ask the Experts – Maintaining Internal Controls in the Remote Work Environment, Tuesday, April 28, Noon – 1 p.m. PT:
Erin Zollenkopf, CEO of Susan Matlack Jones & Associates and Jessica Yoder, Shareholder of McDonald Jacobs will discuss the importance of maintaining strong internal controls, especially during a time when many nonprofits and their employees are working remotely. They will share ways to reduce the possibility of mismanagement, error, and fraud and how nonprofits can maintain strong controls to keep pace with the current ever-shifting COVID-19 environment. . There’ll be a Q&A/discussion session where participants can ask questions and offer comments. Register for the session
here
.
What Boards of All-Volunteer Nonprofits Need to Do in Response to COVID-19, Wednesday, April 29, 2
–
3 p.m. PT:
This session is specifically designed for boards of all-volunteer nonprofit organizations working in rural communities across Oregon.
Jess Hampton, Program Director at the Center for Nonprofit Stewardship and Jim White, Executive Director of Nonprofit Association of Oregon will explore the fundamental duties and roles and responsibilities of board members of all-volunteer nonprofits regarding governance and programming. The session has been developed in the context of the COVID-19 crisis and will focus on how applying the fundamentals now will mitigate immediate- and long-term impacts on community-based organizations. As your board considers critical organizational decisions in response to COVID-19, this session will provide a core set of tools and principles to apply and modify for your nonprofit. Register for the session
here
.
Crisis Engagement: 12 Tasks to Sustain Donors in Turbulent Times, Thursday, April 30, 2 – 3 p.m. PT:
Matt Lehrman, Founder of Social Prosperity Partners will discuss ways to sustain the support of your donors, members, volunteers, and other stakeholders. This session offers an espresso shot of substantive and actionable recommendations designed to help you protect the relationships upon which your organization depends. There’ll be a Q&A/discussion session where participants can ask questions and offer comments. Register for the session
here
.
Pivot or Perish: Redefining Disaster Law, Wednesday May 6, Noon
–
1 p.m. PT:
Latisha Nixon-Jones, Visiting Professor of Law at the University of Oregon will define disaster law – both state and federal – and explain how nonprofits and legal organizations can pivot together to advocate for and protect vulnerable populations. The session will cover current obstacles to building and preserving resilient communities and will offer examples of effective strategies for overcoming these obstacles. There’ll be a Q&A/discussion session where participants can ask questions and offer comments. Register for the session
here
.
QuickBooks Desktop Edition Made Easy for Nonprofits, May 12, May 13 & May 14, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. PT:
Gregg S. Bossen, CPA of QuickBooks Made Easy, is partnering with NAO to offer an updated three-part QuickBooks® training webinar for nonprofits.
This webinar is for the Desktop edition of Quickbooks
. Gregg will cover the basics of setting up and entering transactions specifically for nonprofits, an overview of the software updates included in the QuickBooks® 2018 Desktop Edition, as well as advanced topics covering a host of specific processes that will help you do more helpful and amazing things! Register for the three-part webinar
here
.
QuickBooks Online Edition Made Easy for Nonprofits, May 19, 20 & 21, 11 a.m. – 1 pm. PT:
Gregg S. Bossen, CPA of QuickBooks Made Easy, is partnering with NAO to offer an updated three-part QuickBooks® training webinar for nonprofits.
This webinar is for the Online edition of Quickbooks.
Gregg will cover the basics of setting up and entering transactions specifically for nonprofits, an overview of the software updates included in the QuickBooks® 2018 Online Edition, as well as advanced topics covering a host of specific processes that will help you do more helpful and amazing things! Register for the three-part webinar
here
.
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Jim White
Executive Director
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Thank you to the following SPONSORS and FUNDERS who are supporting NAO’s online COVID-19 events and communications during these challenging times. Their support is vital in helping NAO to bring much-needed resources and information to Oregon’s nonprofits – thank you.
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FRIEND PLUS PARTNER SPONSORS
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FOLLOW NAO ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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