Entries with Blog Label: Nonprofit Management

What makes a workforce diverse? According to Merriam-Webster, diversity is defined as “an instance of being composed of different elements or qualities.” As a nonprofit organization, expanding diversity in the workplace can be a good way to propose fresh ideas into an otherwise stale environment, and incorporating new perspectives can help employees tackle problems from a number of different angles.

When building a diverse workplace, it’s important to implement policies that encourages employees to feel supported, protected and valued. Creating an environment where your employees can feel at ease to be themselves, regardless of their ethnicity, should be a priority when diversifying a workforce.

Adopting a new approach can be overwhelming or can even cause confusion of where to begin. Here’s a few helpful tips and resources for introducing diversity and inclusion into the workforce at your nonprofit.

  1. Provide your employees with a list of key terms around diversity—this could help spark up conversations and the asking of questions.
  2. Arrange a one-on-one meeting with each employee to find out what diversity and inclusion means to him or her personally.
  3. This Diversity Toolkit created by USC’s MSW program outlines a discussion of identity, power and privilege. It offers ideas on how to facilitate these conversations and how to instill a productive learning process.
  4. Consider implementing a “zero tolerance policy” to prevent any form of bullying or harassment and in the workplace.
  5. Bringing more awareness to the Americans with Disabilities Act can help to educate your staff on the importance of being mindful to those with disabilities. The Corporation for National and Community Service offers some extensive information on disability inclusion that can be very helpful.
  6. Learning from fellow nonprofits is always a perk. Consulting with other nonprofits on their approach to diversity in the workplace can be a great resource.
November 22, 2017
At the end of May more than 200,000 people in eight states had their federal extended unemployment benefits end. They join more than 180,000 jobless workers in 19 other states who had already seen their benefits end in 2012.

Extended benefits are being cut across the country as average unemployment rates drop. To stay on extended benefits, the average unemployment rate for the past three months must be at least 110 percent of one of the rates from a comparable three-month period in one of the last three years. For each of the states affected, their average unemployment rate is currently lower than at any of the same three month periods in the last three years.

While the drop in unemployment rates will be a positive change for the overall economy, for the hundreds of thousands of job seekers who have already exhausted their state and federal unemployment benefits, the cuts don’t bode well.

So what do the nearly 400,000 job seekers who have been cut from extended unemployment benefits mean to the nonprofit sector?

Putting more strain on at-capacity nonprofits, the newest round of cuts will mean that more job-seekers will be turning to nonprofits for job re-training and employment support.

The newest round of unemployment cuts also means that state and nonprofit programs that lend aid to the needy will be the last place for the long-term unemployed to turn.

A UST partner since 2000, the Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Services Providers is a statewide trade and advocacy association that represents 150 private organizations that provide alcohol and other drug addiction, mental health, and family services. 

Established in 1979, the Ohio Council is funded through member dues as well as various products and services and membership training events. Committed to improving the health of Ohio’s communities and the well-being of its families, the Ohio Council offers four core sets of services that include:

  • Policy and legislative advocacy
  • Member support and technical assistance
  • Product and service development
  • Educational opportunities

The Ohio Council also has an active committee structure to ensure every aspect of their service offerings are receiving the full attention they need and include committees such as Alcohol & Drug Addiction Services Policy, Employment Services Policy, Housing Policy, Human Resources/Membership Services, Mental Health Policy, Nominating, and Youth & Family Services. Members also receive benefit programs such as legal consultation, organizational insurance, online learning and drug screening—just to name a few.

For nearly 40 years, the Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Services Providers has been the go-to resource for improving the health of Ohio’s communities by promoting effective, efficient, and sufficient behavioral health and family services through member excellence and family advocacy. To learn more about the Ohio Behavioral Council visit https://www.theohiocouncil.org/.

Earlier this year Congress approved a deal to allow up to 10 states to develop demonstration projects which would allow businesses to hire unemployed workers and essentially pay their salaries with money from the unemployment insurance fund.

Though the system has gotten off to a rocky start, many hope it will soon pick up.

As part of the program, the 10 states which are picked to participate would be allowed to use UI funds to subsidize employer-provided training or to pay employers that hire unemployment insurance beneficiaries. Although atypical, some lawmakers see the UI job program as a quick way to increase the number of those going back to work.

According to an article published in Stateline Daily, George Wentworth of the National Employment Law Project believes that the program’s intent is to ensure that the program participants “get good jobs with good wages and that there is a good chance they can retain the job permanently.”

However, a good intent and the lack of state applicants may show that the innovative program is a far cry from the easy fix that some lawmakers see it as. New Hampshire has already indicated that it probably won’t bother to apply because the considerations for inclusion are too difficult.

Other states have similarly indicated that they will wait to see what the federal government and their fellow states do before considering an application for the waiver.

For 501(c)(3) agencies that can opt out of the state UI system but have not yet done so, the program’s possibilities are problematic though. Repurposing funds from their taxes to pay for the salaries of for-profit agencies, the waiver program could undercut the operating budgets of many nonprofits.

Now, more than ever, it is important that nonprofits with more than 10 full-time employees explore their options for leaving the state UI system to self-reimburse for unemployment claims. To learn more about how UST can help your nonprofit stop subsidizing the salaries and unemployment benefits of other for-profit companies.

Read more about the current holding pattern at Stateline.

For the past 4 years, Florida has been indebted to the Title XII federal loan program, due to the economic crisis in 2008. Along with 35 other states, Florida’s Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund became insolvent as the economy suffered. While this state trust fund was designed to be self-sustaining, most states had no other option but to take out an extensive loan—coupling a devastatingly shorter and smaller supply of unemployment benefits with a huge outstanding balance owed to the federal governments.

But, Florida was able to make their final loan payment of $9.2 million on Tuesday, May 21st.

Using more than $3.1 billion from employer tax collections and $360 million from an issued Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) tax credit, Florida became the 14th state to successfully pay off their debt. The remaining states still possess a cumulative outstanding balance of over $21 billion, with an added interest of over $464 million—all of which must be paid off in order to restore their Trust Fund balance.

With their balance finally at $0, and their unemployment rate down to 7.2 percent, Florida is now able to focus their energy on job creation and economic improvement strategies.

While there was no specified payment schedule for the loan, Florida has progressed a lot quicker than some of the larger states. 22 states still remain in debt, but Florida paves the way for economic salvation. And provides a sense of hope to those seeking employment.

Want to learn more about the Florida federal loan pay-off from the Tampa Bay Times? Read this overview.

Compare what your state debt balance is here.

It can take months to find the perfect candidate but even after the acceptance letter has been signed and a start date agreed upon, nothing is for certain, until they are through the doors on that first day. This is especially true of a candidate coming to you from another company – typically a company that is now unhappy over the loss of a good employee.

Often times, these other employers, already have a strategy for handling this very type of situation and are likely prepared to counteroffer in an effort to change their employee’s decision to leave.  And nowadays, employers are far more sophisticated about counteroffers than in days gone by. They used to be based mostly on compensation, but companies are now addressing these issues in a more global way, by looking at everything from different work assignments to title changes.

Understanding a candidate’s motivations for a career move is vital to fending off the threat of a potential counteroffer. If someone is leaving their current employer for money, they are likely to stay for it, too. If you want to avoid losing a new hire to a counteroffer, consider the following:

  • Discuss the possibility of a counteroffer with the candidate during the interview process
  • Find out more about any other opportunities a candidate is exploring
  • Maintain regular contact with the candidate through their notice time
  • Send links to articles or share a recently published annual report
  • Share company updates and department developments
  • Arrange a lunch with their new boss or colleagues
  • Schedule “meet-the-team” meetings immediately

For you it might just be another hire, but for the candidate it is a life-changing event – a new route to work, new coworkers, new places and new routines. With this comes some degree of uncertainty, fear, and apprehension. Conveying a genuine interest in the candidate and making them feel like they are already a part of the team, even before their start date, can reduce the temptation to follow up with other recruiters or go on any remaining interviews.

Are you keeping up with the Trump administration’s quick moves to change laws, enforcement actions and regulations to support business and our economy?

Presented by ThinkHR, this on-demand webinar explores President Trump’s first 100 days in office. The presentation will address issues and questions about rescinded Executive Orders, regulatory enforcement agenda changes and legislative moves that could impact your nonprofit’s business operations.

Discover what you need to know and should be doing relating to:
 

  • Wage and hour changes
  • Benefits and time off programs
  • Immigration
  • OSHA and safety
  • Other work-related rules

Watch the webinar recording today: http://links.thinkhr.com/Q0FW0oT0Kj1Rn0Wf900v9S0

Want access to more HR-certified webinar opportunities and a live HR hotline? Visit www.chooseust.org/thinkhr/ to sign up for a FREE 30-day trial of the UST HR Workplace, powered by ThinkHR.

Don’t miss out on this NEW self-paced training to introduce you and your nonprofit team to COA Accreditation.

Presented by The Council on Accreditation COA, a nonprofit accreditor of human services organizations, this on-demand training is designed for people with little or no knowledge about COA.

The webinar will provide participants with a better understanding of:
 

  • The key concepts that define COA
  • The elements of COA’s accreditation process and standards
  • And more!

Watch the webinar recording today: bit.ly/2kDwGhh

This webinar series is part of UST’s efforts to educate the nonprofit sector. For more learning opportunities, tips and legal updates just for nonprofits, sign up for ourmonthly e-News today!

The web emerged, in the 1990s and provided endless possibilities of engaging potential customers through communication and interaction – a pivotal moment for the nonprofit community.

Since its inception, audiences have come to expect a different kind of experience of being fully embedded in the life of an organization through the worldwide web.  Organizations quickly came face-to-face with not only technical and operational issues but content barriers as well, all of which were far more difficult to overcome than expected. Organizations were also dealing with trying to figure out how to remain relevant to audiences looking to the web for their information and quickly learned that their standard marketing materials did not translate to the web. This required organizations not just to repackage what they were producing but also create new ways to transform how audiences receive, process, and interact with content.

The growth of social media over the last several decades has been boundless and continues to grow by staggering leaps. How we communicate with our audience changes on a constant basis and we are forced to adapt quickly. Just pushing a message won’t create a relationship but you are uniquely qualified to provide the perspective and guidance that your potential clients are looking for by creating public value and promoting an intuitive understanding of what your organization is about.

Building a mission-delivery engine requires a thoughtful process and the ability to create dynamic content to meet the needs of your audience. Organizations that know its greatest resource is its understanding of what its audience wants is the stepping stone to successful engagement.

Some helpful tips:
 

  1. Rethink your nonprofits programming strategy and enhance the relevancy of the organization
  2. Create partnerships within your network to help build content and potential audience members
  3. Reach out to stakeholders to solidify partnerships and secure long-term engagement and support
  4. Engage all facets of your organization to create an engine that delivers and communicates value
  5. Utilize the web’s ability to encourage interaction and dialogue, creating ways to tear down the boundaries between your nonprofit and the nonprofit audience
  6. Enrich the conversation by offering opportunities to participate and share ideas

The web is central to how we enable, activate, and resource our mission. With multiple points of views and supporters, we’re enabling results that form something new. Get back to the possibilities that originally inspired us about the web and be intentional by providing a space on the web in which your audience’s needs are met.

Have you ever critiqued a coworker because of their overbearing tendencies or their abrasive personality? Don’t worry… you’re not alone in your frustrations. However, learning to dissect and identify your own and others’ personality traits can actually increase work ethic and strengthen internal relationships—paving the way for a stronger organization overall.

For nonprofits, employees’ collaborative efforts are often the key element to mission advancement.  But clashing personalities working toward the same goal can lead to resentment and impatience in the work place.

Learning to recognize and understand others’ personality strengths and weaknesses can help you appreciate the diverse environment you work in.  Specifically, nonprofits can take advantage of their diversity when it comes to improving their employment procedures and ensuring ongoing structural soundness.

Basic working styles can often be separated into 4 general categories:
 

  1. Learning—Learners are the researchers.  Unable to quench their thirst for knowledge, learners are constantly looking for the root of current and potential problems.  For instance, with regard to your organization’s employment practices, learners can help analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your workforce, analyze how better documentation and standardized hiring practices can lead to a stronger, more long-term labor force.
  2. Loving—These individuals are known for their relationship building abilities. They tend to show empathy and kindness towards others and understand how to approach difficult situations with grace. Spreading optimism throughout the office can help your nonprofit maintain a “glass-half-full” outlook on everyday work problems. Internal positivity and support alleviates stress during unanticipated budget or employee loss—providing you with a sense of security and consistency.
  3. Doing—Doers are known to execute and accomplish set goals. They thrive on lists, deadlines, and projects. For example, by utilizing this focus and attention to detail, nonprofits can analyze and restructure their training and continued education opportunities—leading to greater time efficiency and overall HR effectiveness.
  4. Leading—Leaders create and persuade by providing your employees with the tools to succeed.  Able to paint a picture of their visions, using innovation and passion, leaders are able to easily rally support behind their ideas. Great leaders inspire employees to constantly push themselves and take calculated chances to further your nonprofits’ mission. With each leader setting the bar even higher for the next, your nonprofit will be on track for upward mobility and constant procedural refinement.

Whichever working style team members possess doesn’t really matter by itself.  What most affects a nonprofit’s success is the compilation of strengths your team brings to the table and your team’s ability to successfully work together as a cohesive unit. As long as you understand and utilize everyone’s unique abilities, pertinent to your team’s progress, your nonprofit will continue to flourish.

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Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

UST maintains a secure site. This means that information we obtain from you in the process of enrolling is protected and cannot be viewed by others. Information about your agency is provided to our various service providers once you enroll in UST for the purpose of providing you with the best possible service. Your information will never be sold or rented to other entities that are not affiliated with UST. Agencies that are actively enrolled in UST are listed for review by other agencies, UST’s sponsors and potential participants, but no information specific to your agency can be reviewed by anyone not affiliated with UST and not otherwise engaged in providing services to you except as required by law or valid legal process.

Your use of this site and the provision of basic information constitute your consent for UST to use the information supplied.

UST may collect generic information about overall website traffic, and use other analytical information and tools to help us improve our website and provide the best possible information and service. As you browse UST’s website, cookies may also be placed on your computer so that we can better understand what information our visitors are most interested in, and to help direct you to other relevant information. These cookies do not collect personal information such as your name, email, postal address or phone number. To opt out of some of these cookies, click here. If you are a Twitter user, and prefer not to have Twitter ad content tailored to you, learn more here.

Further, our website may contain links to other sites. Anytime you connect to another website, their respective privacy policy will apply and UST is not responsible for the privacy practices of others.

This Privacy Policy and the Terms of Use for our site is subject to change.