Volume One Number One

You are reading the first issue of Observing Nonprofits. We will email each issue of this publication to members and supporters and then, a few days later, circulate it more widely to people interested in nonprofits around Puget Sound and throughout Washington state. We hope you find it interesting and invite your comments and suggestions for future issues.

— The Evergreen State Society

Commentary

Close call with do-not-fax rules roils associations and nonprofits

On August 18, the FCC stepped back from implementing a massive change in rules about sending faxes that had been scheduled to take effect on August 25. The proposed regulations from the Federal Communications Commission will forbid any “commercial” faxes unless the sender has written proof that the recipient has signed up to receive them. The American Society of Association Executives led the charge against the proposal.   ASAE filed two petitions with the FCC.  One asked for a blanket exemption for all nonprofits from the new rules.  The other sought a delay in the effective date. Other groups representing nonprofits, and hundreds of associations and charities, weighed in to give support to ASAE’s position.

But should nonprofits seek blanket exemption from this sort of rule? Don’t people get just as annoyed with unsolicited ads from nonprofits as they do with anyone else’s? Isn’t there a way to avoid the risk of alienating a wider public while still connecting with members and supporters in this familiar, low-cost way?

Nonprofits should be looking for a win-win solution in this struggle, not just opposing the FCC’s proposals.

[[[Read more….click here]]]

Professional Query

What To Do About Shenanigans at an Agency on the Other Side of Town?

“What should I do if I’m aware of improper financial transactions that benefit the executive and weaken the performance of a large, important organization in my community?”

— Puget Sound Nonprofit Executive Director

Putnam Barber responds: "I don’t think such knowledge can be ignored. But figuring out what to do isn’t easy."

[[[Read more…. click here]]]

Your comments are invited on Putnam Barber’s suggestions on this difficult topic.

News about Nonprofits and Their Work

Notes about the Seattle Foundation, the Greater Everett Community Foundation, NPower, the Pacific Science Center. ArtsFund, Humanities Washington and the YMCA. Coverage of Washington family foundations in the Puget Sound Business Journal.

[[[Read all about it…. click here]]]

News about TESS

• At its August meeting, the board invited Sherry Shanabarger to become a director.
• The website at www.TESS.org has a crisp new look and simplified navigation.
• BrownBag and Schmoozefest both have new program managers. Welcome Mary Leake and Ellen Zick!
• NonprofitNetworking will soon change hosts.
• Marie Sauter is back as part of our volunteer team, working on this newsletter as its Managing Editor.

[[[Read all about it…. click here]]]

Coming Soon

• Fred Jarrett will be the Civil Society in Everyday Life guest on September 16 (8 to 9:30 am, Seattle University)
• Bikeworks will be featured at the Schmoozefest on August 27 (5:30 to 7:30 pm, Wallingford Community Senior Center)
• Roy Hamrick on investment basics for nonprofits at the BrownBag on August 28 (noon to 1:30, Antioch University)
• Lisa Samuelson will talk about integrated brand strategy for nonprofits at the BrownBag on September 25 (noon to 1:30, Antioch University)
• Maria Marsala, a networking coach, and the NW Bookfest will be featured at the Schmoozefest on September 24 (5:30 to 7:30 pm, Wallingford Community Senior Center)

Details about these and other events are online at http://www.tess.org

Observing Nonprofits

Observing Nonprofits is an occasional publication of The Evergreen State Society, sent by email to members and supporters. A few days after publication, it is also emailed to a wider audience of people interested in nonprofits in Washington state and simultaneously posted on the Society’s website at http://www.tess.org

Managing Editor: Marie Sauter, MNPL

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Observing Nonprofits is a benefit of membership in The Evergreen State Society. To learn more about membership options, visit http:://www.tess.org/pages/join.html.

Observing Nonprofits is also circulated on a delayed schedule to readers of NonprofitNetworking (a free email service of The Evergreen State Society). To add your address to the NonprofitNetworking list, send email to nonprofitnetworking-subscribe@yahoogroups.com (and then respond to the confirmation request you will receive automatically).