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- Adventures in Compensation
- Learning Log - The Ethical Rainmaker Podcast
- Nonprofit Slack Community
- Nonprofit FAQ: E-Filing IRS Form 990
- Communicating with Pronouns
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"I was not ladylike, nor was I manly. I was something else altogether. There were so many different ways to be beautiful."
-Michael Cunningham
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Adventures in Compensation
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By Laura Pierce (Executive Director)
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How do nonprofits decide how much to pay their employees? This question is frequently asked of us, and there is not one clear answer. In fact, Washington Nonprofits has struggled to determine what is fair compensation for our staff. Going into 2021, we decided to do some work to determine if our team was being paid livable and competitive wages. Here are a few of the things we learned.
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By Jennifer Chang (Director of Learning)
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In May, nearly 1,000 Washington State Nonprofit Conference registrants came together to learn, connect, and push our thinking and collective actions. Through a week of learning and networking opportunities, we engaged across five tracks that included communication, equity, fundraising, leadership, and working with people.
We were thrilled to welcome Michelle Shireen Muri, host of The Ethical Rainmaker, and her guest, Christina Shimizu, to do a live podcast recording on The Racist Roots of Nonprofits and Philanthropy. If you missed this plenary session at the Conference, the podcast is now ready for you to check out! (Please listen to Michelle and Christina’s first podcast on the topic – Part 1 – that also has great content.) As the episode summary notes, “Remember…if we don’t examine how these things came to be, we can never hope to reimagine them, improve them or do better, to benefit the communities we are trying to serve.”
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Nonprofit Slack Community
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By Alex Panagotacos (Director of Community Engagement)
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We are excited to launch a Slack workspace for Nonprofits across the State at the end of this month!
What is Slack?
Slack is a user-friendly, professional communication tool. Slack can be accessed via the web, desktop app, or mobile app.
Why did we create this Slack workspace?
We created the Nonprofit Community Slack to bring together members of the Washington Nonprofit community to connect, collaborate, and strengthen the sector. There are channels to engage in conversation with nonprofits in your region, share relevant information, and brainstorm solutions (read on to learn more about channels). You can also ask questions and collaborate through direct messages and private groups!
What are channels?
Channels are shared spaces where people can share updates and insights, ask questions, and give feedback. Joining a channel allows you to send and receive messages to and from everyone else who belongs to that channel in one shared space.
You can join channels that are relevant to you and your work and say hello to the people there! Bring your ideas, your questions, your connections, and your experiences into these spaces. Channels range from “General” to “Volunteer Managers” to “En español.”
Join the community!
The sign-up page will be on our website soon! Check back at www.washingtonnonprofits.org/slack. Stay connected with us on social media for the launch announcement.
Become a moderator!
If you are interested in helping to keep the space relevant and welcoming, consider becoming a moderator. Moderators serves two roles: 1) Upholding the Washington Nonprofits Network Code of Conduct and 2) Fostering conversation and collaboration between members.
Contact Alex Panagotacos if you are interested alex@washingtonnonprofits.org or 509-990-6835.
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GiveBIG Demonstrates the Benefits of Shifting to Online Giving and Virtual Events
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By Nancy Long (Executive Director, 501 Commons)
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In Washington, GiveBIG now reaches donors across the state, with nearly a third of the donors and 25% of the participating nonprofits outside King County. This year GiveBIG raised $17.6 million in online donations, DAF/IRA donations, nonprofits’ matching funds, sponsorships, in-kind media contributions, and employer matching gifts. Nearly 72,000 donations were made to 1,644 nonprofits in Washington.
Online giving advances equity and diversity
The jump to virtual events and online giving during COVID will yield long-term fundraising benefits. Online giving promotes equitable access to funding and reaches more diverse donors.
Online giving and peer-to-peer fundraising are a boon to rural and community-based nonprofits without large donor lists. With additional support, that success can grow. Organizations serving immigrant communities that participated in 501 Common’s Campaign Support Program doubled what they raised. Those participating for two years saw greater growth.
Donors like online giving options and virtual events
From the donor’s perspective, online giving is a hit. Once they adjusted to the technology, many people reported preferring virtual events. Virtual events can be more accessible, more affordable, and allow you to reach a broader geographic audience.
Donors enjoy the buzz of Giving Tuesday and GiveBIG – one of the largest giving days in the US. People are introduced to philanthropy and new nonprofits, often by their friends and family members, during these events.
Online giving trends
Blackbaud reported that online giving grew by more than 20% in 2020. For most nonprofits, it’s especially good news that donations below $250 increased by 15%. Online giving can reverse the decline in Americans donating to charity, down from 83% in 2018 to 73% in 2020.
Finding a role for online giving and events in the year ahead? The Washington Gives platform and its features (including peer FUNdraising pages and event promotion) are available year-round.
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Nonprofit FAQ: E-Filing IRS Form 990
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By Erika Bentley Holland (Administrative Assistant)
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Q: Help! It’s tax season and our nonprofit is e-filing with the IRS for the first time. What do we do?
A: Thanks to the pandemic, many nonprofits are still working on completing their 990s for 2020. The deadline was moved from May 15 to July 15 for those of us with calendar fiscal years. Most nonprofits are now required to file their 990 annual tax form electronically (for fiscal years ending after July 2020). 990-EZ filers (revenue under $200,000) have one more year to transition.
Does your nonprofit need help e-filing? The Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation at The Aspen Institute has created an introduction to the process, accessible here.
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Communicating with Gender Identity Pronouns
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By Sondra Santos (Communications Manager)
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
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If you attended the 2021 Washington Nonprofit Conference, you noticed that we regularly encouraged attendees to use gender identity pronouns. We also included a section on sharing pronouns on our conference accessibility page.
Why encourage the use of gender identity pronouns? As shared on our accessibility page, “By sharing your pronouns even if you feel your gender identification is obvious, you are showing solidarity with others and communicating that you care about getting everyone’s pronouns correct. Asking and correctly using someone’s pronouns shows respect. When someone is referred to with the wrong pronouns, it can make them feel invalidated, dismissed or alienated.”
As we listen, learn, and celebrate Pride Month, take a moment to learn ways you can communicate respectfully using gender identity pronouns. To start, check out “A Guide To Gender Identity Terms” an article, recently published by NPR as part of their Pride Month Special Series.
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Understanding the Washington Cares Fund: Virtual Briefings for Employers and Employees
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Lots of questions have been coming into Washington Nonprofits about the new public long-term care program beginning in 2022. To talk through the ins and out of this new program, we’ve set up two briefings to walk you through everything you need to know.
Part 1 of Understanding the Washington Cares Fund is what employers need to know. This virtual briefing happens Thursday, June 24 from 12:00PM - 1:00PM. More information and registration HERE.
Part 2 of Understanding the Washington Cares Fund is what employees need to know. This virtual briefing happens Tuesday, June 29 from 2:00PM - 3:00PM. More information and registration HERE.
Both events are free and brought to you in partnership with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.
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Welcome New and Renewing Members: January - June 2021
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Washington Nonprofits: Welcomes and Farewells
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Washington Nonprofits has a new Communications Manager.
 We are pleased to welcome Sondra Santos (she/her), who started with Washington Nonprofits back in March of 2021. She comes to Washington Nonprofits after a 20+ year career in broadcasting including television news (writer), commercial radio (on-air personality), and public radio (announcer/producer). Her latest gig in broadcasting was an 11-year stint as morning news host with community radio station 90.7 FM, KSER in Everett, WA.
Originally from New York, Sondra currently works and resides in Seattle, WA with her husband, twin daughters, and their Goldendoodle, named Ace. In her spare time, she enjoys napping and a newfound passion, scriptwriting.
As Sondra is welcomed in, Washington Nonprofits bids a fond farewell to our Director of eLearning, Tom Lang.
Tom, who has been with us for nearly 4.5 years, will go on to serve as Development Director for Coltura, an organization working towards a gasoline-free America.
Tom has been an integral part of our team here and he will be missed. We wish him all the best in this next phase of his professional career.
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