Category: The Ally

First-Year Reflections from Former Board Chair Mike Clayborne

Posted on by alliancems

What an honor and privilege it was to be involved in the preliminary discussions, planning and ultimate execution of the merger of the Mississippi Association of Grantmakers and the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits to form the Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy. There were so many people that played important roles in seeing this merger through to conclusion; I am reluctant to name any names. I would, however, be remiss if I did not mention the pivotal leadership of Sammy Moon, Wendy Mullins, Aisha Nyandoro, and Jo G Pritchard. The boards of both organizations, staff, and excellent consultant support, particularly from Nancy Perret, were also critically important.

Of course, it is hard to imagine the success of this groundbreaking adventure without the encouragement and financial support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Thank you, WKKF, from everyone in Mississippi. We are blessed to have you as a valued partner.

The relationship of the two organizations has been described as “two sides of the same coin.” Nevertheless, it was two different sides with different cultures and different perspectives on many issues. Each side really didn’t think the other understood their viewpoint very well. To the credit of those involved, a vision evolved of what could be possible and how Mississippi could show leadership in bringing together the “two sides of the same coin.”

I think it is remarkable in such a short period of time that such progress has been made in assembling an outstanding staff, enhancing the delivery of programs, continuing support for affinity groups (education and community foundations), finding a high profile office location, and moving towards financial sustainability. A special thank you to Sammy Moon.

I am proud to have served as the first chair of The Alliance board. I look forward to continuing being involved and seeing the impact this organization has on improving the quality of life of all of the citizens of Mississippi.

Like Many Great Ideas

Posted on by alliancems

It was the fall of 2016, and I was the chair of the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits. The Mississippi Association of Grantmakers (MAG) was in its formative years but already making waves in philanthropic circles. Perhaps for the first time in Mississippi history, nonprofit leaders and funders were in the same room talking openly about a shared vision and goals for advancing the state.

The two organizations successfully collaborated on a joint conference, “Positioned for Progress”, and with it, attracted new stakeholders to the table. These connections planted a seed that the two organizations might be stronger as one.

Despite this momentum, I will always credit the beginnings of the Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy to a meal with then MAG Director Sammy Moon. We were debriefing the conference and generally discussing what comes next for the two organizations over lunch. The scribbling began on a napkin, and soon the “two sides of the same coin” idea emerged. The merger was set in motion.

Two years, hundreds of hours, and a few road trips later, the separate organizations disbanded and started anew as one. As fate would have it, I was at the lunch meeting where the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits’ board cast its final vote to dissolve and join The Alliance.

Not long after, I was attending a meeting of community leaders in Little Rock, Arkansas, and I overheard a conversation about Mississippi. As I braced for the usual, “At least we’re not Mississippi,” I heard something else, something remarkable: “How did Mississippi do it? Maybe we should invite someone from The Alliance to our next meeting? How can we attract funders to our conversations? We need to learn from them how to engage nonprofit and philanthropic sectors to work together.”

It was a lightbulb moment. We had done something remarkable in our state. Through the Alliance, Mississippi is breaking new ground and getting national recognition for pooling its collective generosity, creativity, and accountability to improve our communities and ensure all Mississippians have the resources they need to succeed. It feels good to be first. And it all started on the back of a napkin.

A New Level of Collaboration and Impact

Posted on by alliancems

Throughout its 56-year history, the Phil Hardin Foundation has emphasized collaboration. We don’t have the luxury of excess capacity in Mississippi, so working together is a necessity.

We’ve also long believed that partnership, not paternalism, should be the guiding principle in the relationship between philanthropy and nonprofits.

Hardin Foundation grants helped start and sustain both the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits and the Mississippi Association of Grantmakers. In their time, they exemplified the best of collaboration in their spheres.

But when leaders in those separate spheres began to talk seriously about working together more closely, it seemed to us at the Hardin Foundation to portend an even more powerful partnership. The Center and MAG had done extraordinary work in advancing collaboration for the common good, but how much more could be accomplished for Mississippians if they came together as one?

This exciting prospect guided our board in its decision to provide a three-year, $225,000 startup grant for the Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy. We knew Mississippi would be blazing a trail with this first-of-its-kind partnership, but where better than here—and when better than now—to make it happen?

A year into this experiment in a new level of collaboration, the Hardin Foundation is encouraged by what we see. A new energy and sense of possibility are emerging among both nonprofits and philanthropy as we learn more about each other through the Alliance and discover ways that we can better achieve our common goals.
COVID-19 has only underscored the value of a unified effort. This crisis has birthed several Alliance initiatives that clearly demonstrate the enhanced impact and influence of a new kind of organization intent on breaking down barriers that keep Mississippians from working together to achieve common goals.

The Alliance is already responding to the monumental challenges our state faces and is doing so by forging a stronger bond between two groups critical to addressing those challenges. This is a partnership worth supporting in a state that needs and deserves all the collaboration it can muster.

Philanthropy and nonprofits are in the same business and share the same overarching goals. Neither can do without the other. The Alliance affirms and celebrates this reality, and the Hardin Foundation is pleased to be one of its founding partners.

First Year Reflections from the Executive Director

Posted on by alliancems

Reflecting about the first year of The Alliance is an easy task, but condensing these reflections into a few brief paragraphs is almost impossible. Nonetheless, I will give it a try—beginning with the fact that seeing The Alliance created last April after two years or more of planning was truly a dream come true, and few of us have the opportunity to see dreams fulfilled. I consider myself extremely fortunate and blessed to have been part of the design, planning, strategizing, relationship building, and fundraising that was necessary to bring the idea to reality.  And, I continue to be honored that I was asked to be the first executive director.   

The team of professionals and the nonprofit and philanthropic leaders I get to work with on a daily basis is truly remarkable, and I am constantly in awe of the amazingly creative and impactful work being done every day in communities across the state. It is a constant reinforcement that the decision to bring philanthropy and nonprofits together under one organization was the right decision, not only for the members of The Alliance but also for the children, families, and communities we serve. 

The values that were identified for The Alliance during the planning process continue to drive our work: integrity, transparency, equity, inclusion, quality, flexibility, and customer service. It is my belief that as The Alliance has grown—in staff and organizational capacity and member services—these core values still drive the work while keeping us focused on our mission. 

The Board of Directors for The Alliance has been a remarkable group of committed and concerned individuals that have exhibited incredible focus, stamina, and vision for our work.  They have always insisted on best practices and results but have never shied away from innovation, creativity, and thinking outside the box.  For that we are grateful.

Thanks to our visionary and generous funders we are on stable financial ground, and the multi-year funding commitments that have been received along with the growing sense that our funders are truly partners in the work is astounding.  Over this past year, the sense that we are all in this business together and the understanding that the business we are in is about achieving better results for children, families, and communities has solidified.  

We are on a new journey together and we still have a long way to go, but if the first year is an indication of what is to come, I can honestly say it will be an exciting, adventurous, and inspiring trip! 

The Ally: June 2020

Posted on by alliancems

[print-me do_not_print=”#site-navigation”]

Note from the Executive Director

Reflecting about the first year of The Alliance is an easy task, but condensing these reflections into a few brief paragraphs is almost impossible. Nonetheless, I will give it a try—beginning with the fact that seeing The Alliance created last April after two years or more of planning was truly a dream come true, and few of us have the opportunity to see dreams fulfilled. I consider myself extremely fortunate and blessed to have been part of the design, planning, strategizing, relationship building, and fundraising that was necessary to bring the idea to reality. And, I continue to be honored that I was asked to be the first executive director.

The team of professionals and the nonprofit and philanthropic leaders I get to work with on a daily basis is truly remarkable, and I am constantly in awe of the amazingly creative and impactful work being done every day in communities across the state. It is a constant reinforcement that the decision to bring philanthropy and nonprofits together under one organization was the right decision, not only for the members of The Alliance but also for the children, families, and communities we serve.

The values that were identified for The Alliance during the planning process continue to drive our work: integrity, transparency, equity, inclusion, quality, flexibility, and customer service. It is my belief that as The Alliance has grown—in staff and organizational capacity and member services—these core values still drive the work while keeping us focused on our mission.

The Board of Directors for The Alliance has been a remarkable group of committed and concerned individuals that have exhibited incredible focus, stamina, and vision for our work. They have always insisted on best practices and results but have never shied away from innovation, creativity, and thinking outside the box. For that we are grateful.

Thanks to our visionary and generous funders we are on stable financial ground, and the multi-year funding commitments that have been received along with the growing sense that our funders are truly partners in the work is astounding. Over this past year, the sense that we are all in this business together and the understanding that the business we are in is about achieving better results for children, families, and communities has solidified.

We are on a new journey together and we still have a long way to go, but if the first year is an indication of what is to come, I can honestly say it will be an exciting, adventurous, and inspiring trip!

– Sammy Moon, Executive Director

A New Level of Collaboration and Impact

Lloyd Gray, Executive Director, The Phil Hardin Foundation

Throughout its 56-year history, the Phil Hardin Foundation has emphasized collaboration. We don’t have the luxury of excess capacity in Mississippi, so working together is a necessity.

We’ve also long believed that partnership, not paternalism, should be the guiding principle in the relationship between philanthropy and nonprofits.

Hardin Foundation grants helped start and sustain both the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits and the Mississippi Association of Grantmakers. In their time, they exemplified the best of collaboration in their spheres.
But when leaders in those separate spheres began to talk seriously about working together more closely, it seemed to us at the Hardin Foundation to portend an even more powerful partnership.

Click here to read the full article from Lloyd Gray at The Phil Hardin Foundation

Like Many Great Ideas …

Liz Brister, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Entergy

Like many great ideas, this one started on the back of a napkin.

It was the fall of 2016, and I was the chair of the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits. The Mississippi Association of Grantmakers (MAG) was in its formative years but already making waves in philanthropic circles. Perhaps for the first time in Mississippi history, nonprofit leaders and funders were in the same room talking openly about a shared vision and goals for advancing the state.

The two organizations successfully collaborated on a joint conference, “Positioned for Progress”, and with it, attracted new stakeholders to the table. These connections planted a seed that the two organizations might be stronger as one.

Despite this momentum, I will always credit the beginnings of the Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy to a meal with then MAG Director Sammy Moon.

Click here to read Liz’s reflection.

It Is Hard to Imagine the Success of this Groundbreaking Adventure

Mike Clayborne, President, CREATE Foundation

What an honor and privilege it was to be involved in the preliminary discussions, planning and ultimate execution of the merger of the Mississippi Association of Grantmakers and the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits to form the Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy. There were so many people that played important roles in seeing this merger through to conclusion; I am reluctant to name any names. I would, however, be remiss if I did not mention the pivotal leadership of Sammy Moon, Wendy Mullins, Aisha Nyandoro, and Jo G Pritchard. The boards of both organizations, staff, and excellent consultant support, particularly from Nancy Perret, were also critically important.

Of course, it is hard to imagine the success of this groundbreaking adventure without the encouragement and financial support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Thank you, Kellogg Foundation, from everyone in Mississippi. We are blessed to have you as a valued partner.

The relationship of the two organizations has been described as “two sides of the same coin.” Nevertheless, it was two different sides with different cultures and different perspectives on many issues.

Click here to read Mike’s reflection.

Reflections on Year One

Nancy-Perret

Nancy Perret
Design and Implementation
Project Manager
The Alliance

“I love it when a plan comes together!” Three years of planning culminated in the creation of the Alliance last April, and it’s been exciting to see the plan come to fruition. As with any plan, change occurs during implementation, both because of changes in circumstances (little things, like pandemics, can influence the plan!) and lessons learned along the way. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have developed amazing local, state-level and national partners that have helped us to achieve the dream of an organization that is truly state-wide, highly impactful, and aimed at fundamentally changing the relationship and dialog between and among nonprofits AND philanthropy.

I’ve been honored to have had the opportunity to play the role of project manager in bringing that dream to reality. For me, this has been the culmination of more than thirty years of working in and with the sector, has challenged every bit of my project management, organizational development and strategic planning skills, and has been, by far, my most rewarding project.

My partnership with The Alliance encouraged me to focus more on webinar training. I had not tried that before and was amazed at how much I enjoyed doing it, so much so, that I now have made it an essential part of my business. I was encouraged to expand into social media, which was one of the best decisions I ever made, besides consulting with The Alliance.

I have enjoyed reaching more clients and being able to serve their current needs outside of a traditional office setting. Working with key colleagues and consultants with The Alliance has given me the opportunity to expand my services throughout the country and work with other organizations in the nonprofit sector.

Because of my partnership with The Alliance I have had the opportunity to grow, learn and develop as I continue to enhance my nonprofit consulting skills while helping nonprofits clients throughout the country. That success has allowed me to build my business and is an example of the mutual benefits this partnership has provided.

Michael-Dozier-vintage

Michael Dozier
Principal Owner
Carrington, Holland, & Leigh, LLC

The history of The Alliance is revealed within these reflections, but there is another perspective on our first year, that of new staff members.

EllenCollins

Ellen Collins
Chief Operating Officer
The Alliance

I joined the Alliance because I wanted to be part of a group that is working to uplift nonprofits and bring partners together for “real collaboration” that leads to “real change.

I joined the Alliance because I wanted to be part of a group that is working to uplift nonprofits and bring partners together for “real collaboration” that leads to “real change.

EllenCollins

Ellen Collins
Chief Operating Officer
The Alliance

The Ally: April 2020

Posted on by alliancems

[print-me do_not_print=”#site-navigation”]

Note from the Executive Director: What Enduring Effects Will COVID-19 Have on Education in Mississippi?

Classrooms on campuses across the state sit empty and silent while educators and administrators of students from Pre-K to postsecondary programs scramble to identify and implement new methods and modes of teaching during a time when teachers and students are separated by miles. The immediate and dramatic shift to virtual classrooms caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated inequities that exist at every level of education in Mississippi, with many low-income and rural students unable to access the technology required to shift to online learning.

Decades of disinvestment in poor, rural communities has limited access to technology thereby increasing achievement gaps, and if we do not develop a thoughtful and coordinated response that lasts beyond the COVID-19 crisis and that includes educators, parents, nonprofits, philanthropy, and public sector leaders, there could potentially be very negative impacts on the state’s education system and economy.

The Alliance’s Education Affinity Group (EAG) was established to convene funders supporting education at all levels to better understand education issues in the state, to learn from each other about what philanthropic investments are currently underway, and to identify ways philanthropy can help solve some of the state’s most persistent education challenges. EAG members recognize the COVID-19 pandemic has provided an opportunity to highlight the inequities that impact learning and to develop longer term strategies to rectify these inequities. The EAG will be inviting several funders and leaders in education to share their thoughts about how education inequity is showing up during COVID-19 and what nonprofits, funders, and the government should be considering as we move from response to recovery.

Over the next few months, The Ally will feature brief articles about relevant issues impacting education, including that of inequity. We will feature written pieces from individuals with knowledge about the field, beginning next month with an article from Jim McHale, CEO of the Woodward Hines Education Foundation.  We will also keep readers up to date on what is being learned from the Education Affinity Group conversations.

– Sammy Moon, Executive Director

Responding to the Enormous Need During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Nonprofit Perspective

By Dixie Renault, Project Director, Manna Ministries

On March 1, 2020, based on state and national recommendations regarding the COVID-19, Manna Ministries began to reassess our programs. Assuring patients that our free primary care medical clinic is available and that they still have access to care and medications is a priority. So immediately, we implemented telehealth operations in order to protect our patients and our volunteers. Many people have lost their jobs, or had their hours reduced. Those who cannot afford their medications any longer, have continued to receive our assistance. Manna Ministries had provided a food delivery program for shut-ins for many years. The need for food delivery has increased ten-fold due to the COVID-19 virus. Many of our clients are older citizens who are considered high risk due to age and/or compromised health conditions.

On March 16, we began making deliveries of food, cleaning supplies, hygiene products, etc. to a senior housing community that had requested our assistance. The residents were self-isolating and full of uncertainty about themselves and their families. In addition to food and supplies, we delivered some Easter baskets to them to provide some cheer.

Until our supplies ran out, we delivered personal protective equipment to our first responders, some of the local clinics and the hospital. We have ordered more, but as you can imagine our resources are rapidly diminishing. We are scrambling on two fronts now; to ramp up emergency services, and to find volunteers and resources to help those in need. We continue to receive daily requests for assistance at all levels.

I know we are not alone in this struggle. Nonprofits across our nation find themselves in unprecedented circumstances, attempting to fulfill greater obligations than ever before. I am sure non-profits in all our cities would request that funders reconsider their allocation of resources at this deeply challenging time. While I fully realize that this is a monumental request, there is enormous need right now. The essentials of everyday living are more difficult to sustain. From the need for food, personal protective equipment, medical access, and volunteers, the list is long and the need is great. I know that nonprofits across our nation will rise to the occasion.

That is what we do. Every day.

Member Spotlight

Manna Ministries

Picayune

Since their founding in 1999, Manna Ministries goal has been to help families and or individuals reach their full potential by tackling the root causes of poverty.

In time of human need, Manna Ministries provides and restores health and support to those in need without regard to geographical areas. Every day families struggle to make ends meet and suffer from lack of basic human needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and healthcare.

Since the organization’s founding, Picayune based Manna Ministries has provided more than $5 million to aid families in all of our programs. Last year alone, the organization served over 32,000 families through our various programs. Following the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Isaac, Manna Ministries assisted 1,800 families with repairs or rebuilds to their homes through their disaster case management program.

At Manna Ministries, their slogan says it best: “Together we can make a difference”.

News & Updates

The COVID-19 crisis has been a time of learning. Many people have learned new tunes to sing while washing their hands, how to make face coverings, how to attend a webinar, and how to order groceries online. While this can be a time of frustration and anxiety, The Alliance wants to help make this a productive time as well. What better way to spend some extra hours then attending one or more of our webinars?

During the course of May, we will be offering some incredible new webinars that will be taught by leaders in the field and adapted to meet the current situation. But wait, it gets better. We appreciate that money is tight, so we have cut our pricing by more than half! Our aim is to be able to make this so accessible that you will join us for more than one and bring some friends and colleagues along with you.

When you fill out our May Training Registration Form, if you sign up for one training it will be $25. If you sign up for two trainings they will only be $20 each. If you sign up for three trainings, they will only cost you $15 each! To see the full list of webinars you can visit https://alliancems.org/alliance-site/event-directory/.

Want more of the Alliance? Not a problem. You can see Sammy, Ellen, Jeffery and the rest of the team during our Weekly Webinars. This is a time to get updates about The Alliance, have expert presenters discuss important things happening in the state, and network with other organizations in MS. Join us each Thursday from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM! Click here to participate.

Nonprofit & Philanthropic News

Mississipi Secretary of State Charity Registrations Extended to July 15

Due to the IRS COVID-19 relief efforts and in compliance with the law, the expiration date for renewal registrations due by May 15, 2020, has been extended to July 15, 2020. However, filers wishing to file the renewal registration today may do so at this time and are encouraged to file now. You may contact the Division at charities.customerservice@sos.ms.gov or 601-359-1599 for additional information.

Why All Foundations Should Support the Guardians of the Nonprofit World Now

[W]e need to do more to ensure that nonprofits get the help they need when new stimulus bills are crafted and implementation plans for existing ones are shaped. And throughout this critical period we need full-throated advocacy campaigns to make certain that America’s most marginalized people don’t face the prospect of entrenched inequities becoming even deeper.

Think about it: Every philanthropic strategy depends on the health of nonprofits. A philanthropist’s work can be no stronger than the nonprofit organizations actually doing the work.

Read the entire article here.

Rethinking Social Change in the Face of Coronavirus

COVID-19 has affected every aspect of life around the globe, from individual relationships to institutional operations to international collaborations. As societies try to defend themselves through severe restrictions on people’s movement and interactions, the disease continues to decimate families, upend governments, crush economies, and tear through the social sector.

How should the social sector respond to the evolving crisis? How will nonprofits, foundations, philanthropic organizations, and social justice advocates emerge from the pandemic? What unique insight and capabilities can civil society bring to bear on the problems the world now faces? How will organizations manage potentially calamitous challenges to funding their operations?

Read the entire article here.

Fundraising in the Time of COVID: A TechSoup Roundup

These are certainly strange days. People are sheltering in place and taking a much closer look at their finances in case of sickness and emergency. It just doesn’t seem like the right time for business-as-usual nonprofit fundraising — and it probably isn’t. But not so fast, says Ben Miller, chief analytic officer of DonorTrends and secretary of the Growth in Giving Initiative, a program of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). If we look at what happened during the Great Recession, giving to nonprofits remained steady, with only slight declines over the entire period.

His insights are in the recent AFP article Charitable Giving in Times of Fear and Uncertainty. Miller concludes, “When the current crisis ends, history will show that the most successful nonprofits continued to ask for donations, although likely in a different way. Those nonprofits who go ‘silent’ or attempt to give their donors a break will likely see the same results as others before them — and suffer or even go out of business as a result.”

Read the entire article here.

Hub for Volunteerism, Capacity-Building, and Training

New & Renewing Members of The Alliance

Charles L. Young Sr. Foundation

Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities

First Church of Deliverance

Gordon Community and Cultural Center

Mississippi Families for Kids

Mississippi Press Association Education Foundation

MS Delta Academies

Second Liners Mardi Gras Club

Waynesboro-Wayne County Library

Wildlife Mississippi

Wingard Home Ministry

Upcoming Training & Events

COVID-19 Weekly Webinar Update

When:  Every Thursday
Time:    9:00 am – 10:00 am
Where: Online Webinar

 The Alliance will host a weekly COVID-19 webinar update, beginning this Thursday, April 2nd. The webinars will occur at the same time each week. The focus will be on learning, sharing, identifying needs/resources, and generally supporting each other. Please take a moment and add these webinars to your calendar!

 https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/777167189

You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: 1-872-240-3212
Access Code: 777-167-189

Telling Your Story in Times of Crisis

When:  Monday, May 11
Time:    1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Where: Online Webinar 

There’s no denying that these are tough times. When times are tough, it’s really common for organizations to struggle with what to say, particularly on social media, but in other outlets also. Do you stick with your old messaging and pretend it’s still business as usual? Do you commit your feed to only COVID-19 related posts from now on?

Human Resources in a Time of Crisis

When:  Wednesday, May 13
Time:    9:00 am – 10:30 am
Where: Online Webinar

Diseases like COVID-19 can bring a busy workforce to a standstill. Organizations have to take numerous steps to limit the risk to your community from the possible spread of the virus. Human Resources continues to respond to the evolving situation by reviewing and updating related policies and procedures.

Basic Grant Proposal Strategies Part 1 of 3

When:  Thursday, May 21, 28, and June 4
Time:    1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Where: Online Webinar

This class is designed for beginners, as well as practiced grant writers who need to understand the elements of a proposal and how to successfully integrate each into a compelling proposal, as well as the process for successful grant research. 

Quick Links

Note from the Executive Director

COVID-19: A Nonprofit Perspective

Member Spotlight

Member News

New & Renewing Members

Upcoming Training & Events

The Ally: March 2020

Posted on by alliancems

[print-me do_not_print=”#site-navigation”]

Special Note About COVID-19

Welcome to the March 2020 edition of The Ally. Those of us at the Alliance recognize the concern and stress brought on by COVID-19 and the disruption that has resulted from the outbreak. We are working through internal and external challenges while keeping the home fires burning so that we can continue to be a resource for nonprofits and philanthropies in our state.

For the time being, The Alliance staff will be working remotely. However, we will be available to respond to your questions, so don’t hesitate to contact us. Updates on the COVID-19 situation will posted daily on our website at www.alliancems.org/covid-19.

We are pleased to bring you this newsletter celebrating the leadership and service of women during Women’s History Month. Be safe and well.

March is Women’s History Month—a time when we acknowledge and celebrate the many contributions women have made to the country and the world.  And as I reflect on those contributions, my mind takes me to the oft-cited quote coined by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, “Well-behaved women seldom make history.”

Growing up in the South and being the only girl with two older sibling brothers, it was expected, or shall I say mandated that I be a “well-behaved” girl: be compliant, quiet and don’t cause a scene.  But as I’ve grown personally and professionally, this expectation has seemingly clashed with the core of who I am.

Over the past few years, I’ve been challenged by mentors, friends and colleagues to step beyond my boundaries, take more risks and grow as a leader. This in turn has forced me to find my way and my voice. I’ve learned through a journey of self-discovery to identify my motivation—the voice that gets me out of bed each day, ready to take on the world, and that is my true call to leadership—authentic leadership.

An authentic leader has come to understand their passion and their purpose.  That purpose is many times driven by their life story. I can recall many times as a child often feeling misunderstood and being hurt by the adults in my life. Those experiences guided me down a path to be an early childhood specialist and advocate who believes all children deserve to be respected, valued, and heard!

My experiences give meaning to my life, and the values formed from those moments became my call to action. Often, as women we try to fit into a mold created by the expectations of others, whether that is driven by our upbringing or societal norms. But I challenge us all to take the necessary steps to develop our authentic leadership.

Practice becoming more self-aware. Who is the real you? What experiences in your early years have shaped and impacted your life story? What motivates you to get up and do what you love doing every day? And what are your deeply held values and principles?

It’s when we discover who we truly are that we can lead more effectively and empower others to be leaders as well. And that is when we can change the world—well-behaved or not. Now, let’s go make history!

Ellen Collins, COO

What’s New: Conversations with Two Women Making History in Mississippi

In March of each year, we are reminded of the enormous contributions of women to our society. We celebrate women’s leadership in voting rights, arts and letters, science and medicine, social justice and equality. At the local level, women in Mississippi have been effecting change for years, but are now more engaged than ever.

We asked Ivye Allen, president of the Foundation for the Mid-South, and local attorney Wendy Mullins, a former board member of the Women’s Foundation and The Alliance, to reflect on their experience in the local nonprofit world.

Ally: Women lead 75 percent of nonprofit organizations; however, despite women possessing 51 percent of the wealth in this nation, only recently have the numbers begin to tick up for women leaders in philanthropy. As a woman leading a philanthropic organization, what kind of changes have you seen in the years you have been in a leadership role?

Ivye Allen: Including myself, there has been an increase in women leading foundations and other nonprofit organizations throughout the South as well as the nation. In addition, there is an increasing number of women of color, particularly younger leaders of color taking the helm. There is also a shift in the number of women and people of color joining boards of directors of philanthropic and other nonprofit organizations. Women with a broad cross-section of education and career disciplines are sharing their skills and knowledge throughout the state and region. This creates a network of peers that provide advice and counsel on work ideas that sometimes result in partnerships and other relationship building. But it has also created a network of lifelong friendships that exist beyond professional relationships.

Ally: Your foundation strives to increase the quality of life for those in the Mid-South through better educational opportunities, better health outcomes, and increasing economic security.  What kind of impact has the foundation had on these issues, and what do you see as challenges going forward?

IA: We have been impactful in many quality of life indicators throughout our priority states of Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Our partnerships including municipal leaders, school districts, faith institutions and nonprofits. We have partnered to address quality housing including single family homes, apartments, and senior assisted living facilities. Our workforce development partnerships have assisted thousands through supportive services and programmatic investments. Approximately 250 individuals have been assisted with critical employment specific certification tests such as the NCLEX for nursing.  Over 500 individuals across the community colleges have participated in the manufacturing basic skills programs and related supplemental investments. Over 1,000 people have been directly impacted by our collaborative work towards making Mississippi a Work Ready state with Work Keys testing, remediation and job profiling.

Ally: You are also on The Alliance board and lead a philanthropic group that continues to change lives for the better.  How has your affiliation with The Alliance influenced what you do?

IA:  I can honestly say, through meetings, calls, emails, or simply conversing with other members, I always identify new ideas or approaches to improve our work.  The same is stated by other staff members that have engaged in alliance programs. This is an important entity for nonprofits and philanthropy throughout the state.  We have the opportunity to engage and learn in various settings.  This contributes to consistent information that ensures our effectiveness, communication, and how we engage with nonprofit leaders and organizations that we partner.  This results in better outcomes for our partners and the communities we serve.

Ally: What inspired you to get involved in philanthropy in the Metro Jackson area?

WM: My first memory was of a “Lunch and Learn” at the Women’s Fund in the Clarion Ledger offices where the speakers discussed social issues impacting women and children. It was the first time I had really thought about harnessing the power of women to help women. Women were already running businesses, families and communities, but I came to understand that we also have the power to effect multi-generational change for underserved women and children. [Editor’s note:  That experience led to Wendy’s service on the board of the Women’s Foundation, and later, the MS Center for Nonprofits.]

Ally: What can you share from your experience on those boards?

WM: The Women’s Foundation really helped me to understand that while each contribution matters, we have more impact when we work together. [Editor’s note: This theme of collaboration and intentional partnership between nonprofits and philanthropy further emerged in Wendy’s work on the board at the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits (now The Alliance).]

It became clear over time that we needed to build a better nonprofit and philanthropic network across the state and find a more efficient way to shepherd our resources for maximum impact”. The creation of the Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy was very much a local effort, and yet we [Mississippi nonprofits and philanthropy] are trailblazers with the concept.  Now that we have The Alliance, we can really start moving the needle.  The publication Two Sides of the Same Coin illustrated to me the advantage of bringing both sides together; that teamwork and transparency can pull down the walls. The real prize in all this is the creation of an open, safe space to discuss our challenges so we can work together to solve Mississippi’s problems. [Editor’s note: More of these kinds of things are happening now and give women more opportunities than ever to make a difference.]

Wendy Mullins serves as General Counsel for Molpus Woodlands Group. A native of Dover, North Carolina, she received her undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her J.D. at Mississippi College School of Law.

Guaranteeing Opportunity for Children and Families

Last year Aisha Nyandoro, CEO of Springboard to Opportunities and board chair of The Alliance, helped launch the Magnolia Mother’s Trust, a pilot project to explore the benefits of “guaranteed income” for mothers in Jackson.

After learning about guaranteed income at a conference, Nyandoro began laying the groundwork for the pilot program—the first ever to focus on low-income Black women. Springboard teamed up with the Economic Security Project to design a program for fifteen women who received “a no strings attached, direct cash benefit”, as Nyandoro describes it, for twelve months. Springboard intentionally approached this effort with a two-generation lens, combining financial services for mothers with children’s savings accounts and social support training.

Cheryl Gray, a Magnolia Mother’s Trust participant, recalled her initial reaction to the program in an interview with the Washington Post: I can do anything? Programs like the Magnolia Mother’s Trust can help turn questions tinged with uncertainty into declarations filled with possibility, and mothers like Cheryl Gray, along with countless children and families in Mississippi, can truly believe, “I can do anything.”

“These kinds of pilots are a good role for philanthropy,” said Natalie Foster, a co-chairwoman of the Economic Security Project in a New York Times opinion article about the Magnolia Mother’s Trust. “They open up the political imagination and show what’s possible.”

If you’re interested in identifying a nonprofit or philanthropic partner to develop or scale innovative programming, contact us at connect@alliancems.fahrenheitcreative.com.

Member Spotlight

St. Gabriel Mercy Center

Mound Bayou

Dr. Shakebra L. Young, a native of Cleveland, Mississippi, was appointed executive director of St. Gabriel Mercy Center on July 9, 2018 and is the first African American female to hold the position.

Dr. Young obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Computer Information Systems & Office Administration from Delta State University and a Master of Science Degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Tennessee. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Human Services from Capella University. Dr. Young later obtained a Graduate Certificate in Non-Profit Management from Walden University. She is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration Degree in Human Resource Management from Delta State University.

Dr. Young served as an instructor in the Department of Social Work at the University of Mississippi and an Adjunct Professor of Social Work at the University of Memphis. She worked as the Director of Programs at Sacred Heart Southern Missions. Dr. Young is also currently a professor in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Walden University.

We had the opportunity to ask Dr. Young a few questions about the impact the organization has on the community, any challenges and growth strategies and how the Alliance can assist the St. Gabriel Mercy Center (SGMC) in their operations.

Ally: How has the Mercy Center impacted the community?
SY: Partnerships with local and state agencies have given way to a stronger program-based system. Time is spent attending monthly and/or quarterly meetings with partnering agencies. These partnerships serve as a collective platform that fosters unity and commitment as agencies work collaboratively to further address the all encompassing needs of the vulnerable populations within our service region.

St. Gabriel Mercy Center stands as a beacon of light for countless vulnerable and less fortunate residents throughout Bolivar County and the surrounding areas. In 2019 alone, the Center served over 4,000 clients through its programs and services. These services include an Emergency Assistance Program, which offers food, clothing, and financial assistance, General Education Diploma Program, Senior Outreach Program, Parents as Teachers Program, Sewing Program, Volunteer Program, Summer Youth Program, Mercy Center Learning Lab, and a Thrift Store.

Ally: Do you see an opportunity for growth? And what are the biggest challenges you anticipate?
SY: When looking at program evaluation, I recognize the still much-needed effort for growth as well as the need to improve programs and services for the clients, students, residents, and the Mississippi Delta communities we serve. As we continue to broaden our scope of knowledge by developing services that foster systemic growth among individuals, families, and communities, the Mercy Center seeks to implement educational and life skills; enrichment classes geared to provide clients and residents with an opportunity to acquire the essential skills needed to become self-sufficient.

Class topics will include, but are not limited to, adult and teen parenting education, nutrition and wellness, financial planning, credit restoration, anger management, conflict resolution, self-esteem, homebuyer education, and basic computer classes. All classes will be free to clients and community residents. I foresee the biggest challenge being that of transportation. The Mississippi Delta does not have public transit, and has limited cab services, so that clients who do not have adequate transportation will experience difficulty in being able to attend classes.

Ally: What can The Alliance do better to serve organizations like yours?
SY: The Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy has done an excellent job in helping to educate and enhance organizations throughout Mississippi. The workshops and webinars are very informative and have assisted St. Gabriel Mercy Center, Inc. in strengthening its overall administration and our program base.

About the SGMC

The St. Gabriel Mercy Center began in 1999 and is in Bolivar County in the community of Mound Bayou, Mississippi.  They serve the communities of Mound Bayou, Shelby, Winstonville, Renova, Merigold, Duncan and Cleveland, all of which are clustered along Highway 61 to the north and south of St. Gabriel Mercy Center.

The St. Gabriel Mercy Center is dedicated to working with organizations, programs and schools in the community with a focus on equipping and developing self-supporting, productive and successful individuals for our world.  St. Gabriel Mercy Center is a faith-based, non-profit organization with a mission; rooted in the mission of Jesus and the tradition of Mercy, St. Gabriel Mercy Center seeks to promote and participate in establishing services aimed at enhancing human dignity for residents of Bolivar County.

Nonprofit & Philanthropic News

How To Get More Black Women In Philanthropy Leadership

The median wealth of a single black woman in the U.S. is $200, compared with the median wealth of a single white man, which is $28,900, because of factors such as higher levels of debt and lower incomes. Getting more black women at the decision-making table of philanthropy is one of the ways to ensure that more philanthropic dollars and economic dollars reach the black community, especially black women. Read more here.

On Philanthropy: Funding for charities focused on women and girls in short supply

Charitable support for organizations that serve women and girls is surprisingly deficient when compared with philanthropic giving as a whole.

The Women & Girls Index, which measured giving to more than 45,000 U.S. organizations dedicated to women and girls, found that only 1.6% of all philanthropic support went to these causes — about $6.3 billion. Of this amount, 90 cents of each dollar are focused on reproductive health, leaving inadequate funding for the range of other issues affecting women and girls. Read more here.

Hub for Volunteerism, Capacity-Building, and Training

MLK National Day of Service Book Drive

The Central MS Hub for Volunteers and Nonprofits invites you to participate in its MLK National Day of Service book drive on Monday, January 20th to benefit the Institute of Southern Jewish Life’s (ISJL) 2020 Literacy Achievement Bonanza. The Central MS Hub will be accepting donations of new or gently used books for elementary students. ISJL needs over 1,000 books for their spring break literacy day camp. Participants of the camp receive free books each day!

On Monday (MLK Day),  all you have to do is drive up to Beth Israel Congregation with your books, and we will accept them from your vehicle without you leaving the driver’s seat!

Monday, January 20, 2020 at 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Beth Israel Congregation
5315 Old Canton Rd, Jackson, Mississippi

For more information, please contact Karla Edwards at (601) 968-0061 ext. 13 or karla.edwards@alliancems.fahrenheitcreative.com

It’s Time to Nominate an Outstanding Volunteer for a Prestigious Give Award!

The Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Excellence (GIVE) Awards celebrates the exemplary work of Mississippi’s most dedicated citizens. This award program, presented by Volunteer Mississippi in partnership with the Governor’s Office, recognizes and honors the valuable contributions of some of Mississippi’s extraordinary citizens while inspiring others to follow their example.

NOMINATIONS ARE DUE MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 BY 5:00 PM

Click here to nominate someone for a GIVE Award.

New & Renewing Members of The Alliance

But God Ministries

CFL-Developmental Learning Center

Children’s Foundation of Mississippi

Cleveland Empowerment Foundation

Diabetes 411 Solutions

Earnest Security Service

Hancock County Chamber of Commerce

Historic Natchez Foundation

Lanier High School National Alumni Association

Legacy Village

Midtown Partners

Mississippi Alliance to End Suicide

Mississippi Animal Rescue League

Mississippi Center for Re-Entry

Mississippi Early Learning Alliance

Mississippi Public Health Institute

National Association of Junior Auxiliaries

Pearl River County SPCA

Reaching Beyond Ministries

The LAD Project

The Pinebelt Foundation

Women’s Foundation of Mississippi

Charlotte Allen (Individual)

Upcoming Training & Events

We are currently working to identify ways to deliver training online and will share information via email about upcoming workshops and training.

Quick Links

Special Note About COVID-19

Note from the Chief Operating Officer

What’s New

Member Spotlight

Member News

New & Renewing Members

Upcoming Training & Events

The Ally: January 2020

Posted on by alliancems

[print-me do_not_print=”#site-navigation”]

Greeting Friends,

Now that the holidays are over and we’re all relaxed, refreshed and ready to tackle the new year, it’s time to build off 2019 successes and continue our work to make things better for Mississippi’s children, families and communities. I assure you The Alliance is beginning its second calendar year with an eye towards building on the solid foundation we have established, and we will continue to push for better quality, increased customer service and more supports and benefits for members. We realize and appreciate the fact that our work is directly related to creating opportunities that benefit you!

Early in 2020, we will host the official Public Launch and Celebration of The Alliance. This event will be on Friday, February 7, and will feature nationally known speakers, including Phil Buchanan of the Center of Effective Philanthropy, Jeffrey Moore from the Independent Sector, Janine Lee from the Southeastern Council of Foundations, and Donna Murray-Brown, board chair of the National Council of Nonprofits. This is quite a line-up of individuals in the field who have been recognized and lauded for their expertise and experience with both philanthropy and nonprofits.

We will also continue to celebrate the success of Endow Mississippi that greatly exceeded expectations in its first year, which will include a press conference during our Capitol Day on Monday, January 27. Programmatically, we will seek to advance the work of the statewide Campaign for Grade Level Reading Initiative, the Education Affinity Group, and the Community Foundation Network.

We look forward to building on and expanding partnerships in 2020. We will continue to build stronger relationship with GuideStar, Network for Good and Volunteer Mississippi. We are also working on several other partnerships that can bring additional opportunities for our members—more information on those will be forthcoming soon. In the coming months, we will be expanding affinity groups beyond education to bring nonprofits and funders together to tackle some of the larger issues we face in our state.

2020 is going to be an incredibly exciting year! We look forward to working with you, and we hope you’ll encourage your friends and colleagues who aren’t currently members to join The Alliance. Together, we’ve only just begun to do good things!!!

All the best,

Sammy Moon

What’s New

Save the Date: The Alliance Public Launch | Friday, February 7, 2020

On Friday, February 7, 2020, we’ll be hosting our public launch celebration and luncheon at the Two Mississippi Museums (222 North Street, Jackson, MS), which will include a panel featuring some of the nation’s foremost experts on nonprofit and philanthropic issues. The event will start at 11:30 am and conclude at 2:00 pm.

We’ll be sharing registration details soon, so stay tuned for more information.

Our 2020 Live Event Training Calendar Is Here!

Our new 2020 live-event training calendar is now available, which includes detailed information about our most comprehensive training and education options to date. Our Volunteer/Nonprofit Hubs in Hernando, Clarksdale, Greenville, Tupelo, Columbus, Jackson and Gulfport will be heavily involved in hosting many of these events to bring high quality and impactful training options closer to you.

We have scheduled our events from January through June, and with a diverse offering of learning opportunities, we are confident you will find a training that helps you build capacity and increase impact. If you are interested in discussing more personalized training, technical assistance or coaching, you can email us at connect@alliancems.fahrenheitcreative.com to discuss custom packages.

VIEW 2020 TRAININGS

Webinar Wednesdays are Coming!

We recently launched our #WebinarWednesdays, during which we will be hosting live webinars from our team and partners, enabling you to access quality training from your home or  office! We’ll be posting information about these webinars on Facebook and Twitter, and we’ll send emails to keep you informed about upcoming trainings.

Some of the webinar topics we will be exploring in 2020 include fundraising, legal compliance, leadership and board development.

Member Spotlight

Monroe County Children’s Vision Center

Aberdeen, MS

The Monroe County Children’s Vision Center has hosted three unique conferences on “Hidden Disorders—Right in Front of Our Eyes” for teachers, medical professionals and the public. Each year, six hours Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are made available for teachers, and in 2019 these CEUs were also available for medical professionals. Each conference faculty included at least two world leaders in their respective fields.

Their work is extremely important because approximately one in four people have eyes don’t align properly, even if they pass the “20/20 vision test”. Perfect acuity and collaborative eyes do not always go hand-in-hand! This condition is known as Binocular Vision Disorder (BVD), and most sufferers (adults and children) are generally unaware they have a problem. They’ve always seen the world this way and without a frame of reference, the sufferer doesn’t know what an alternative world looks like!

“QUOTE”
– LuEllen Childress, Chair Pro Tem, Executive Director and Chair, Research Committee

Women’s Foundation of Mississippi

Jackson, MS

The Women’s Foundation of Mississippi is the only grantmaking and advocacy organization in the state entirely dedicated to funding programs that improve the lives of women and girls statewide. Their mission is clear: economic security for women.

Women have greater opportunity for upward mobility and economic sustainability when they can plan for pregnancy, earn a degree or receive relevant job training, and pursue a viable career with a livable income. By cultivating social change, the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi has committed to helping women and girls transcend our state’s dire social and economic barriers – because when women are economically secure, safe, and healthy, then families and communities are economically secure, safe, and healthy.

“QUOTE.”
– NAME, TITLE

Nonprofit & Philanthropic News

Women’s Funds Report Success in Achieving Short-Term Objectives

Although women’s foundations and funds define impact in various ways, three in four report success in achieving their short-term objectives, a report from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy finds. Read more here.

The Women’s Foundation of Mississippi awarded more than $200,000 in new grants in 2019 to benefit women and girls in our great state. To see a list of those who were benefactors, click here.

#GivingTuesday 2019 Brought In Nearly $2 Billion

#GivingTuesday yielded another bumper crop of gifts for nonprofits this year with total giving reaching more than $1.9 billion in the United States. More than a quarter of those gifts were made online, for a grand total of $511 million in online giving—about $111 million more than 2018, an increase of almost 28 percent.  Read more here.

Did you have a unique strategy or approach that helped you succeed on #GivingTuesday? We’d love to highlight your success via social media and email. If you need ideas or help with fundraising, we have several training opportunities and programs that can boost your fundraising expertise. Send us an email at connect@alliancems.fahrenheitcreative.com to discuss how we can help grow your fundraising capacity.

Remember #GivingTuesday is on December 1, 2020. To see some additional data and findings about online giving, click here.

The AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation Announces Funding Opportunity

In order to address a leading cause of death in the United States, the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation recently announced a funding opportunity for its Connections for Cardiovascular HealthSM (CCH), a program with the mission of improving cardiovascular health.

CCH provides grants to U.S.-based nonprofit organizations engaged in community level work in the United States that is aligned with the program’s mission. The AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation will hold an open call for applications for the CCH Next Generation program from February 3 to February 21, 2020 at 4 p.m. CST.  For more information, click here.

Gates Foundation CEO Stepping Down

Susan Desmond-Hellman, M.D., CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is stepping down at the end of January, citing health and family considerations. Mark Suzman, the foundation’s chief strategy officer, will take over the $51.8-billion organization on Feb. 1, 2020.  Read more here.

Hub for Volunteerism, Capacity-Building, and Training

MLK National Day of Service Book Drive

The Central MS Hub for Volunteers and Nonprofits invites you to participate in its MLK National Day of Service book drive on Monday, January 20th to benefit the Institute of Southern Jewish Life’s (ISJL) 2020 Literacy Achievement Bonanza. The Central MS Hub will be accepting donations of new or gently used books for elementary students. ISJL needs over 1,000 books for their spring break literacy day camp. Participants of the camp receive free books each day!

On Monday (MLK Day),  all you have to do is drive up to Beth Israel Congregation with your books, and we will accept them from your vehicle without you leaving the driver’s seat!

Monday, January 20, 2020 at 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Beth Israel Congregation
5315 Old Canton Rd, Jackson, Mississippi

For more information, please contact Karla Edwards at (601) 968-0061 ext. 13 or karla.edwards@alliancems.fahrenheitcreative.com

It’s Time to Nominate an Outstanding Volunteer for a Prestigious Give Award!

The Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Excellence (GIVE) Awards celebrates the exemplary work of Mississippi’s most dedicated citizens. This award program, presented by Volunteer Mississippi in partnership with the Governor’s Office, recognizes and honors the valuable contributions of some of Mississippi’s extraordinary citizens while inspiring others to follow their example.

NOMINATIONS ARE DUE MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 BY 5:00 PM

Click here to nominate someone for a GIVE Award.

New & Renewing Members of The Alliance

Month of December

El Pueblo Immigration Legal Services

Ever Reaching Community Outreach

Families as Allies

Mississippi Center for Legal Services Corp

Twin Forks Rising Community Development Corporation

Images from Our Quarterly Member Meeting

More than 70 Alliance members were on hand for our first Alliance members meeting for 2020 at Families First in Jackson.  We unveiled our 2019 Philanthropy Giving Report in Mississippi, and we updated attendees on our 2019 accomplishments and shared our vision for 2020.

 

Our members also heard from two important guest speakers: Dr. Carey Wright, Superintendent, Mississippi Department of Education, and Dr. Thomas Dodd, State Health Officer, Mississippi State Department of Health. Presentations from the meeting can be viewed in our

Our next quarterly member meeting will be Friday, April 17, in Jackson. If you are interested in becoming a member, contact Sandra Johnson at sandra.johnson@alliancems.fahrenheitcreative.com or call (601) 968-0061.

Upcoming Training & Events

Basic Grant Proposal Strategies

Wednesday, January 22, 2020
9:00 am – 3:30 pm
MS Alliance Training Room

$139 Alliance Members
$209 Not-Yet Alliance Members

This class is designed for beginners, as well as practiced grant writers who need to understand the elements of a proposal and how to successfully integrate each into a successful proposal, as well as the process for successful grant research.

This workshop will cover basic grant writing objectives, the elements of almost every proposal, customizing proposals, locating grants and funding opportunities, developing relationships with funders, and grants management. This workshop is will also help you learn how to conduct successful grant research.

You will hear real stories and the do’s and don’ts of grant writing.

How You Will Benefit:

  • You will gain a new understanding of the grant writing process.
  • You will be able to research, plan, and write grants for your organization.
  • Create a working budget
  • You can use your new skills to advance your career—or start a new one!
REGISTER

Now We Rise: How to be a Better Nonprofit Leader

Wednesday, February 5, 2020
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Online Webinar

$49 Alliance Members
$79 Not-Yet Members

Many people who are working within the ranks of nonprofit organizations could become great senior nonprofit leaders. However, in part because of budget constraints, few organizations in the sector have formal professional development programs to prepare mid-level managers for senior roles. As a result, most mid-level nonprofit professionals must take responsibility for their career development.

This webinar will show you different ways you can improve your leadership skills and position yourself for advancement in the nonprofit sector.

REGISTER

Role of the Board Chair (Partnership with Washington Nonprofits)
A Four Part Series

Thursday, January 30, 2020 through
Thursday, February 20, 2020
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CST
Online Webinar

$80 for Alliance Members
$160 for Not-Yet Members

Leading a group of governance volunteers can be challenging as well as rewarding. Serving as the chair of the board is not a role for the uninspired and undecided. In this workshop, participants will learn about the chair’s responsibility in strengthening and improving the leadership work of the board as a whole.

This course is a great primer for new board chairs and excellent refresher for more seasoned board members! Whether you’re a current chair, chair-elect, or head up a committee, this workshop covers leadership skills every board member needs. Topics include leadership characteristics of effective board leaders, key relationships in and out of the board room, your leadership legacy, facilitating meetings that matter, and ways to engage individual board members.

REGISTER

Strategic Planning 101

Thursday, February 6, 2020
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Knight Center, Gulfport, MS

$69 Alliance Members
$109 Not-Yet Members

Good strategic planning helps nonprofits clarify where their organization is going, how it’s going to get there, and how it will know when it’s arrived. It creates the framework for board and staff to focus their energy and resources toward common goals.

This half-day workshop is a practical introduction to the key concepts and techniques of strategic planning and will help participants understand how to design an effective planning process that meets their organization’s needs.

REGISTER

Quick Links

Note from the Executive Director

What’s New

Member Spotlight

Member News

Hub for Volunteerism, Capacity-Building, and Training

New & Renewing Members

Upcoming Training & Events

The Ally: December 2019

Posted on by alliancems

[print-me do_not_print=”#site-navigation”]

Note from the Executive Director

Happy Holidays Friends,
As we enter the most joyous season, a time to be with family and friends and the time to start anew in 2020, the staff and board of the Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy wish you and yours a very happy holiday season and a great and prosperous new year.

2020 will be a year of great excitement, expectations, and growth for us. Soon we will be moving into our new state-of-the-art office space in the renovated Landmark Center in downtown Jackson. And we’ll continue to provide quality courses, material, tools, consultation, technical assistance and opportunities for you to learn, share and work collaboratively to achieve better results for children, families and communities.

Although the Alliance came together in April of this year, we have an official public launch on Friday, February 7, 2020 in Jackson. We have already confirmed nationally recognized leaders to engage with local stakeholders to celebrate the Alliance, including Phil Buchanan, CEO of The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) a leading voice for the philanthropic community; Jeff Moore, chief strategy officer at Independent Sector; Donna Murray-Brown, president and CEO of the Michigan Nonprofit Association and board chair of the National Council of Nonprofits; and Janine Lee, president and CEO of the Southeastern Council of Foundations.

Please stay tuned to more information, including times and locations.

We are quite excited to continue learning from you and sharing the mission of the Alliance as we continue to serve, build the capacity, and foster collaboration among and between Mississippi’s nonprofit and philanthropic communities.

All the best,

Sammy Moon

What’s New

New Report: Philanthropic Giving in Mississippi

We are proud to announce the release of our 2019 philanthropy report, Philanthropic Giving in Mississippi, which is the second in a series of data-driven students of philanthropy and nonprofits in the state. Although this report focuses on philanthropy in the state, the information contained in the report will be of great benefit to nonprofits as they seek to build stronger relationships with grantmakers.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude to the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for providing the resources to make this report possible. We hope that this information provides a spark of hope and enthusiasm for what lies ahead for your organization and Mississippi.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

What Nonprofits Need to Know About the 2020 Census

Results of the U.S. 2020 Census will influence individuals, communities, governments, for-profit entities, and nonprofit organizations throughout the next decade. Data obtained from the Census will help inform decision-makers in all sectors and determine the distribution of both political power and financial resources.

If the data is incorrect or incomplete, there will likely be an inequitable distribution of resources for basic community needs, such as education, food, and income security, health care, housing, transportation, and much more. The allocation of $600 billion in federal funds hinges annually on the decennial data, including funding for state and local governments, as well as for nonprofits to deliver services to individuals and communities. Read more here.

If your organization is interested in learning more about the 2020 US Census or want to explore other ways to educate your community, contact Carla Ross at 662-996-8700 or carla.ross@2020census.gov

The census is important to your nonprofit and to those you serve.

  • Every person counted in your community affects public funding, representation, and allocation of public services and infrastructure for the next decade.

Your voice and funding are at risk.

  • Federal Funds: Census data is used to determine the allocation of critical funding that nonprofits and those you serve rely on, including health care, education, social services and more.
  • Political Representation: Census numbers re-draw boundaries for congressional districts, state senate districts, state house districts, city councils, county boards, and more.
  • Public Infrastructure: Government and businesses use census numbers to locate schools, transit, and retail outlets. Read more here.

Member Spotlight

Toughest Kids Foundation

Crystal Springs Springs, MS

In 1977, Jim and Mary Kitchens heard those words no parent ever wishes to hear: “Your child has cancer.” There were surgeries, radiation treatments, and chemotherapy with all of the attendant side effects.

“We didn’t realize it then, but God had a plan,” the couple said. “And a sick little boy was a necessary part of that plan.” The family founded Mississippi’s Toughest Kids Foundation (MTK) in 2008, and the whole family, including that little sick boy—who is all grown up now—is very involved and thankful to be a part of bringing Camp Kamassa to Mississippi.

From the beginning, volunteers and board members have visited out-of-state special needs camps and attended several American Camping Association conventions. During the summer visits have been made to Mississippi camps holding sessions for children with special needs.

“I am so excited about Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy and the opportunities it will offer nonprofits. We all struggle to find the most productive way to spend our hard-earned funds. I believe the Alliance is going to be the tool we need to find available funds and to also equip us with the necessary skills to acquire those funds. Another extremely valuable benefit of the Alliance has always been in networking. The Alliance will fill this need we all feel to learn from each other by connecting us with even more organizations. I am very thankful to see the formation of the Alliance and plan to be a very active member.”
– Mary Kitchens, Founder and Executive Director of MTK Camp Kamassa (building a camp facility for children and adults with special needs)

The Pinebelt Community Foundation

Hattiesburg, MS

In 1997, a group of young leaders created The Pinebelt Community Foundation as part of their ambitious leadership project. Since that time, the Pinebelt Foundation has grown to over 220 funds and has distributed more than $15,000,000 throughout the Pine Belt region. By managing and growing the charitable resources of individuals and corporations, the Pinebelt Foundation enables short- and long-term charitable impact.

The foundation is committed to leading and partnering with community stakeholders in a way that is respectful, transparent, and trustworthy and focused on helping the Pine Belt of Mississippi continue to become a more equitable and prosperous community for all of its residents.

“The Pinebelt Foundation is deeply invested in the idea that our work will never successfully happen in a vacuum. We are utterly dependent on the support and wisdom of our friends in the field, and those with expertise other than own. The Alliance provides us both programmed and organic opportunities to network, share best practices, and learn with a wide variety of practitioners in Philanthropic and non-profit work. Our membership in The Alliance is a budget line that we view as far more of an investment than it is an expense.”
– Michael Dixon, Executive Director, The Pinebelt Community Foundation

Nonprofit & Philanthropic News

Our New Blog + Why Giving for Core Mission Support Matters

Earlier this month, we added a blog section to our website where we are featuring in-depth articles and important information for nonprofits and philanthropy directly from leaders and excerpts at the state, regional, and national level. We recently added Why Giving for Core Mission Support Matters, a post from Anne Phillips and Melinda Mosier from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. We’ve included a brief excerpt of that article below, and you can click here to read the entire post on our website.

As you read this, a nonprofit organization is keeping a mother and children safe from domestic abuse. An elder knows that someone from Meals-on-Wheels will be coming to check on him — and deliver a hot lunch. A watershed critical to clean drinking water is being protected. A downtown is coming back to life — with help from arts and economic development nonprofits. Nonprofit media are keeping citizens informed about the news of the day. A child is getting dental care. A New American is learning English. A young boy has a mentor. Read more here.

Hub for Volunteerism, Capacity-Building, and Training

It’s Time to Nominate an Outstanding Volunteer for a Prestigious Give Award!

The Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Excellence (GIVE) Awards celebrates the exemplary work of Mississippi’s most dedicated citizens. This award program, presented by Volunteer Mississippi in partnership with the Governor’s Office, recognizes and honors the valuable contributions of some of Mississippi’s extraordinary citizens while inspiring others to follow their example.

NOMINATIONS ARE DUE MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 BY 5:00 PM

Click here to nominate someone for a GIVE Award.

January is National Mentoring Month

Mentoring, at its core, guarantees young people that there is someone who cares about them, assures them they are not alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges, and makes them feel like they matter. Research confirms that quality mentoring relationships have powerful positive effects on young people in a variety of personal, academic, and professional situations. Ultimately, mentoring connects a young person to personal growth and development, and social and economic opportunity. Yet one in three young people will grow up without this critical asset. Read more here.

New & Renewing Members of The Alliance

Month of November

Christian Services

Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities

Hinds County Human Resource Agency

Hope Haven Children’s Advocacy Center

ICU Ministries

Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church

Mississippi Delta Community College Development Foundation

Oxford Film Festival

Red Door Jackson

Restore My City

Sisters in Birth

Solid Foundation, CDC

Sunnybrook Children’s Home

WE2GETHER CREATING CHANGE

Christine Williams

Mississippi Center for Legal Services

Images from our 2019 North Mississippi Nonprofit Leadership Forum

Gulf Coast Forum | November 13, 2019 | Oxford, MS

The Alliance, in partnership with Volunteer Mississippi, welcomed more than 50 nonprofit and philanthropic professionals and volunteers to the North Mississippi Nonprofit Leadership Forum at the Oxford Conference Center. This was the final forum of 2019 with previous stops in Indianola, Jackson, and Biloxi.  In all, more than 270 nonprofit and philanthropic staff attended forums to learn and network with others in their service areas.  The forums were a huge success, and we are already planning the forums for 2020 and look forward to seeing you there next year.

The Alliance Honored by the Mississippi Business Journal

The Mississippi Business Journal honored 40 nonprofit and community groups during its Mississippi’s Nonprofit Awards ceremony on Thursday, November 21, at the Old Capitol Inn in Jackson. The Alliance is grateful to be one of those 40 organizations from across our great state to receive this honor. Some of the organizations honored—who also happen to be members of the Alliance—include Stewpot, Columbus Arts Council, Extra Table, The Baddour Center, Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, and R3SM. Congrats to all those honored and continue the great work you do.

Upcoming Training & Events

Basic Grant Proposal Strategies

Wednesday, January 22, 2020
9:00 am – 3:30 pm
MS Alliance Training Room

$139 Alliance Members
$209 Not-Yet Alliance Members

This class is designed for beginners, as well as practiced grant writers who need to understand the elements of a proposal and how to successfully integrate each into a successful proposal, as well as the process for successful grant research.

This workshop will cover basic grant writing objectives, the elements of almost every proposal, customizing proposals, locating grants and funding opportunities, developing relationships with funders, and grants management. This workshop is will also help you learn how to conduct successful grant research.

You will hear real stories and the do’s and don’ts of grant writing.

How You Will Benefit:

  • You will gain a new understanding of the grant writing process.
  • You will be able to research, plan, and write grants for your organization.
  • Create a working budget
  • You can use your new skills to advance your career—or start a new one!
REGISTER

Now We Rise: How to be a Better Nonprofit Leader

Wednesday, February 5, 2020
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Online Webinar

$49 Alliance Members
$79 Not-Yet Members

Many people who are working within the ranks of nonprofit organizations could become great senior nonprofit leaders. However, in part because of budget constraints, few organizations in the sector have formal professional development programs to prepare mid-level managers for senior roles. As a result, most mid-level nonprofit professionals must take responsibility for their career development.

This webinar will show you different ways you can improve your leadership skills and position yourself for advancement in the nonprofit sector.

REGISTER

Role of the Board Chair (Partnership with Washington Nonprofits)
A Four Part Series

Thursday, January 30, 2020 through
Thursday, February 20, 2020
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CST
Online Webinar

$80 for Alliance Members
$160 for Not-Yet Members

Leading a group of governance volunteers can be challenging as well as rewarding. Serving as the chair of the board is not a role for the uninspired and undecided. In this workshop, participants will learn about the chair’s responsibility in strengthening and improving the leadership work of the board as a whole.

This course is a great primer for new board chairs and excellent refresher for more seasoned board members! Whether you’re a current chair, chair-elect, or head up a committee, this workshop covers leadership skills every board member needs. Topics include leadership characteristics of effective board leaders, key relationships in and out of the board room, your leadership legacy, facilitating meetings that matter, and ways to engage individual board members.

REGISTER

Strategic Planning 101

Thursday, February 6, 2020
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Knight Center, Gulfport, MS

$69 Alliance Members
$109 Not-Yet Members

Good strategic planning helps nonprofits clarify where their organization is going, how it’s going to get there, and how it will know when it’s arrived. It creates the framework for board and staff to focus their energy and resources toward common goals.

This half-day workshop is a practical introduction to the key concepts and techniques of strategic planning and will help participants understand how to design an effective planning process that meets their organization’s needs.

REGISTER

Quick Links

Note from the Executive Director

What’s New

Member Spotlight

Member News

Hub for Volunteerism, Capacity-Building, and Training

New & Renewing Members

Upcoming Training & Events

The Ally: November 2019

Posted on by alliancems

[print-me do_not_print=”#site-navigation”]

Note from the Executive Director

Greetings Friends,

I hope everyone survived the ghosts and ghouls of Halloween without eating the left-over Snickers and Butterfinger bits.  That’s always the issue in my household—in fact, I may subconsciously buy more than is needed for that very reason!

My original intent was to use this space to talk about the very successful Endow Mississippi effort that was recently completed when this year’s tax credits were fully allotted.  I do indeed want to congratulate all involved in making that effort a success, especially our legislative champions—Representative Jeff Smith and Senator Joey Fillingane.  Over $2 million in endowment funds were contributed to community foundations across the state as a result of the tax credit legislation.  That means there will be more resources available for needed local services that positively impact children, families, and communities.  Our hope is that next year will be even more successful, thereby creating a growing and perpetual source of income for nonprofits.

As I began writing the longer version of the above paragraph, I realized that instead of going on-and-on about the success of Endow Mississippi, there is a different subject—one that impacts every one of us every day—that I should write about.  The subject I want to touch on is that of racial equity, particularly as we in the South live with a unique history that continues to shape our being in ways we only partially acknowledge or even understand.  If I were to title these comments, I’d call them “Fear of the journey keeps us away from where we need to be.”

This is prominently on my mind now because I’ve had the privilege of being in Montgomery for the last two days visiting the impressive civil rights museum here, but even more importantly spending quite a bit of time at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice.  I found both to be sobering and profoundly sad.  Sobering in that spending time there forced me to re-confront a past that can only be described as tragic and barbaric.  But it is also provocative and stimulating in that it forced me to more deeply question my own belief system, values, and understanding of the economic, human, cultural, and social factors that could have allowed such atrocities to happen.  For me it is important to realize that at 70 years old I’ve only just begun the journey of exploration and questioning, that hopefully can at some point help me at least have a contextual understanding.  I don’t know that I will ever have answers because I think some questions simply do not have answers, particularly the question of “what would I have done—who would I have been—if I had lived during the time of slavery?”

I do think that’s a critical question with which to wrestle because I think it helps us understand who we are today, but maybe even more importantly it leads us to ask the more relevant question which I think is, “Given our history and our best understanding of that history, what can I do today to make a positive difference?”

The Alliance and our work together will give us opportunities to continue the dialogue that was begun this year with The William Winter Institute’s Welcome Table discussion.  It is my hope that together we can learn more about how best to answer the questions noted above.

All the best,

Sammy Moon

What’s New

The Challenge of Nonprofit Leadership: Navigating a Perilous Moment

By Phil Buchanan

Phil Buchanan, president of the Center for Effective Philanthropy and author of Giving Done Right, shared powerful and pertinent remarks at the 2019 Philanthropy Summit hosted by the Sanford Institute of Philanthropy at John F. Kennedy University. In his remarks, Phil shares the heroic stories of real nonprofit leaders he has worked with, what funders should understand about supporting nonprofits, and the challenges nonprofits continue to face. We’ve included a snippet of Phil’s comments below, and you can read the entire blog post here.

For more information on the resources and tools we have to help you more effectively with funders or nonprofits, visit our website at alliancems.org or contact us at connect@alliancems.fahrenheitcreative.com.

I have spent the last six months talking mostly to donors about my book, Giving Done Right. But here, I want to address you, nonprofit leaders. And I want to start with some of the words I have heard said about you — about me, about us. Brace yourself.

“Nonprofit staff are overpaid.”

“Nonprofits are bloated.”

“Nonprofits are wasteful.”

“Nonprofits spend too much on overhead.”

“Nonprofit staff couldn’t make it in the ‘real world.’”

“Nonprofits don’t care about measuring effectiveness.”

“Nonprofits aren’t innovative enough.”

“Nonprofits are corrupt.”

Oh yeah, and this one, my favorite: “I have worked in business for the past couple of decades but am looking to slow down, give back, and have work-life balance, so I thought I’d explore nonprofit work.”

Has anyone heard any statements like these before?

Member Spotlight

Community Care Network

Ocean Springs, MS

Community Care Network (CCN) is a faith based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Ocean Springs, Mississippi seeking to empower their clients and minister to their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, enabling them to move from addiction, homelessness, and/or incarceration to a stable and independent life. Founded in 2003, their vision continues to be to equip their clients through life skills training, safe supportive housing, and ongoing support, and to minister healing and restoration through Christian counseling and teaching.

One of CCN’s critical programs is Sue’s Home. It is a long-term residential program for women and children. Sue’s Home accepts women who have graduated from residential drug or alcohol treatment facilities or have been released from incarceration. Women can remain in Sue’s Home for six months and may, after completing the program, receive assistance with relocation, partial rent. and utility deposits.

“Being an Alliance member benefits the families we serve at Community Care Network/Sue’s Home by providing on-going training, staff development, and networking opportunities for our staff and Board of Directors. Whether we are attending workshops, conferences or accessing the one-on-one consultation made available to Alliance members, we receive individualized, up to date information that help us further our mission. ”
– Diane Easley, Executive Director of the Community Care Network

The Community Foundation for Mississippi

Jackson, MS

Mississippi is one of the most charitable states in the nation, and the Community Foundation for Mississippi (CFM) works alongside its partners to help communities harness their philanthropic potential. In 1994, Jackson was the last major southern city without a community foundation.

Serving as a place for charitable fund investment, community foundations frequently are the “permanent endowment” for a community, connecting philanthropic resources and creating a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. That year, a visionary group of Leadership Jackson alumni began the work of creating such a resource for the capital city, and the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson was founded—starting with four charitable funds totaling just $250,000. Fast-forward two decades — our charitable assets have grown to more than $52 million, and we have awarded more than $40 million in grants and scholarships that have directly benefited communities in the Greater Jackson area and across the state.

CFM is an experienced leader and trusted partner in philanthropy and can help counties without a community foundation cultivate donors with a desire to help their nonprofits, for good and forever.

“One of the overwhelming needs in the nonprofit community is for what we call capacity building. It’s a buzzword, of course, but it means helping nonprofit organizations invest in their long-term health – building strong organizations, crafting reasonable budgets and plans to fund them, educating boards, training staff, and learning to identify needs and create programs that can address them in meaningful ways. The Alliance is already changing the way we address capacity, by forging partnerships with GuideStar, Network for Good, the Association of Fundraising Professionals and others, to bring world-class training opportunities to its members. But perhaps more important, grantmakers are co-investing in this work. We are all learning to align grantmaking goals with nonprofit programs, to make sure that our scarce charitable resources in Mississippi are used for maximum benefit. Truly, when these sectors can work together, real change is possible. We are delighted to see how these public-private-philanthropic initiatives are reshaping the charity landscape in our state!”
– Jane Alexander, President and CEO, Community Foundation for Mississippi

Member News

Deadline to Register a Charity with an Extension is November 15

November 15, 2019 is the deadline for charitable organizations in Mississippi who have requested an extension to file to renew their charitable registration. If a charity’s fiscal year ends on December 31, the renewal date was May 15. For organizations getting an extension, the renewal date is now November 15 or six months after the original deadline.

For more information, please contact the Mississippi Secretary of State Charities Division at 601-359-1599 or visit https://www.sos.ms.gov/charities/Pages/default.aspx.

Hub for Volunteerism, Capacity-Building, and Training

Family Volunteer Day is November 23rd

Join us on Nov. 23 and spend time with your family! Family Volunteer Day is a global day of service that celebrates the power of families who work together to support their communities and neighborhoods.
Powered by generationOn, the youth division of Points of Light, and sponsored by The Walt Disney Company, it’s a great way to be inspired by the power of helping others. It’s an amazing day to bring your family together to make your mark on the world. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! Read more here.

7 Keys to Finding & Keeping Valuable Volunteers, Part 1

So, you’ve realized you need some volunteer help at your nonprofit… now what? Where should you start? Who is this “free help” anyway? Finding and Keeping Valuable Volunteers will help answer your questions. In this interactive session, learn the basics of volunteer management from start to finish, including strategically assessing your organization’s needs, writing position descriptions for the people you need, recruiting skills-based and other volunteers, training and retaining them, and recognizing and rewarding your volunteers. You’ll leave this 3-hour workshop with a toolbox of great ideas, templates, sample forms, and a support network to keep the momentum going!

Delta Hub

When:   Tuesday December 3rd
Time:     9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Where: Delta Arts Alliance (104 S. Court Street, Cleveland, MS)

$39 per person

REGISTER

New & Renewing Members of The Alliance

Month of October

Created to Serve

Gilmore Foundation

Innovate Mississippi

Jackson Heart Foundation

Mental Health Association of South Mississippi

Mississippi Heritage Trust

The Leap Frog Program

Theatre Oxford

WE ENGAGE

Rob Greuling

Images from our 2019 Gulf Coast Nonprofit Leadership Forum

Gulf Coast Forum | October 29, 2019 | Biloxi, MS

The Alliance in partnership with Volunteer Mississippi welcomed over 90 nonprofit and philanthropic professionals and volunteers to the Gulf Coast Convention Center for a day of learning and networking.

Images from our Network for Good Year-End Fundraising Live-Stream Event

The Alliance partnered with Network for Good for a year-end fundraising live stream session. The training originated from the Jackson State University e-Center but was streamed to our Hubs in Gulfport, Tupelo, and Greenville to very captive audiences looking to ignite their year-end giving campaigns. Rachel Ramjattan, CFRE of Network for Good led the live session and we brought in a team of fundraising consultants to work in the Hubs with the participants to help them better understand how year-end giving accounts for 70% of nonprofit donations and how these organizations can better tap into that resource.

Upcoming Training & Events

Lunch & Learn: Your Year-End Financial Tune Up
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
11:45 AM – 1:15 PM
Grantham Poole, Ridgeland, MS

$25 Alliance Members
$40 for Not-Yet Members

In this Lunch & Learn session you will learn from a team of CPA’s and financial professionals with the firm Grantham Poole.

  • Learn changes to IRS Form 990 and new nonprofit tax issues
  • QuickBooks tidbits, including setting up a budget
  • Preparing for your organizations audit

This quick moving and informative session will allow you to ask questions of these professionals while enjoying lunch and networking with other organizational leaders.

REGISTER

Basic Grant Proposal Strategies

Wednesday, January 22, 2020
9:00 am – 3:30 pm
MS Alliance Training Room

$139 Alliance Members
$209 Not-Yet Alliance Members

This class is designed for beginners, as well as practiced grant writers who need to understand the elements of a proposal and how to successfully integrate each into a successful proposal, as well as the process for successful grant research.

This workshop will cover basic grant writing objectives, the elements of almost every proposal, customizing proposals, locating grants and funding opportunities, developing relationships with funders, and grants management. This workshop is will also help you learn how to conduct successful grant research.

You will hear real stories and the do’s and don’ts of grant writing.

How You Will Benefit:

  • You will gain a new understanding of the grant writing process.
  • You will be able to research, plan, and write grants for your organization.
  • Create a working budget
  • You can use your new skills to advance your career—or start a new one!
REGISTER

The Right Way to Start a 501(c)3 Nonprofit
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
MS Alliance Training Room

$149 per person (includes Guidebook)

Do you have a dream to make a difference in your community? How about to advocate for a cause near and dear to you, or support the arts in your area?

Well this one-day workshop provides the legal and practical steps to successfully organize and secure state and federal approval to operate as a tax-exempt organization. The class includes a guidebook developed by the MS Center for Nonprofits (valued at $49).

This workshop will cover:

  • Completing IRS Form 1023-EZ
  • Creating by-laws
  • Setting your board of directors
  • Creating a funding plan
  • Mississippi Secretary of State requirements
  • Plus much more
REGISTER

Role of the Board Chair (Partnership with Washington Nonprofits)
A Four Part Series

Thursday, January 30, 2020 through
Thursday, February 20, 2020
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CST
Online Webinar

$80 for Alliance Members
$160 for Not-Yet Members

Leading a group of governance volunteers can be challenging as well as rewarding. Serving as the chair of the board is not a role for the uninspired and undecided. In this workshop, participants will learn about the chair’s responsibility in strengthening and improving the leadership work of the board as a whole.

This course is a great primer for new board chairs and excellent refresher for more seasoned board members! Whether you’re a current chair, chair-elect, or head up a committee, this workshop covers leadership skills every board member needs. Topics include leadership characteristics of effective board leaders, key relationships in and out of the board room, your leadership legacy, facilitating meetings that matter, and ways to engage individual board members.

REGISTER

Quick Links

Note from the Executive Director

What’s New

Member Spotlight

Member News

Hub for Volunteerism, Capacity-Building, and Training

New & Renewing Members

Upcoming Training & Events

X