NYCON webinars this week, more to come!

[Tomorrow!] NYCON Member Benefit Spotlight: Budget & Cash Flow Toolkits Every fiscal staff members best friend... Learn More on February 27th at 10:00am Just in time for budget and cash flow planning, NYCON has developed a new benefit for our member that will truly be the "best friend" of every fiscal person who uses it!  Designed with the needs and resources of the smaller to medium sized nonprofit in mind, NYCON's Chief Fiscal Officer and staff have designed a "fool proof" tool for developing a streamlined, compliant and easy to understand budget.   The features of the Budget Toolkit include: Built in instructions on "Getting Started" and"How to Develop Your Budget" Built in formulas and linked spreadsheets Definitions & Glossary on types of budgets, frequently used budgeting terms & more Helpful notes that 'pop up' as you create your budget spreadsheet  Quick and easy allocations (for shared costs like space and supplies, etc.) Templates that your organization can utilize to customize for your own organization's budget and salary and fringe expenditures. And more! Experience the Budget Toolkit for yourself. Learn More on February 27th at 10:00am  On this webinar we also featured the new "Cash Flow Toolkit" which, just like the Budget Toolkit, will be a great addition to any nonprofit fiscal office.

[Thursday!] Free Tour of  Grantstation.comFebruary 28th   10:00am to 11:00am  Register Today Join Ellen Mowrer, GrantStation's Business Development Advisor, for a free webinar that offers a short tour of the GrantStation website. This tour will provide tips on the most effective way to use all of the valuable resources the website offers; including the extensive funder databases that can help you identify the right grantmaker for any program or project. During this webinar we will also introduce GrantStation's new interactive Grants2020 visioning tool! There will be plenty of time for questions. This webinar will be held Thursday, February 28, 2013. Did You Know? As a NEW Membership Benefit of NYCON, ourprogram now also allows a discount on Grantstation Membership - which gets you full access to GS.com - for only $75! Click here for more information.

New Year, Great Time to Explore New Employee Benefits that You Can Afford!   We know that the Employe Benefits "Market" can be complicated.  Our job is to help make that world more simple, and affordable for nonprofits. To help you understand each type of benefit, it's coverage features and it's costs we are rolling out a series of short 30-minute webinar spotlights on our administered programs: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts and our Vision Program - which is new for 2013! To see the online article click here.

National Webinar Free for Your Members

Sample Promotional Language

Like yours, many nonprofit organizations often find themselves wondering...

• Do we need to have an independent audit? (And what does that entail anyway?)
• Are there special rules for us because we receive government grants?
• How can we prepare so that the process goes smoothly?
• What’s the board’s role?

To answer these questions and more, NYCON is excited to bring you Nonprofit Audits in a Nutshell, a free webinar on March 28th at [3:30pm Eastern] , hosted by our national network, the National Council of Nonprofits. This webinar features practical tips from nonprofits about their audit practices, as well as experts from BoardSource andRaffa and is designed to give you background on everything you need to know about the independent audit process (from legal requirements to practical advice).

Thanks to the support of First Nonprofit Foundation, this exclusive webinar is available, free of charge, to all members of NYCON. Don't miss this opportunity - Register Today!

Did You Know: Dental PPO Balanced Billing?

Dental Benefits: What is Balanced Billing? 

 

 

This year, once a month, Council Services Plus will be bringing you tid-bits of helpful and interesting facts and information about insurance. 

  

Last month we discussed Dental Benefit Maximums; so keeping with that theme, this month we

we'll focus on another term that often is associated with dental benefits: PPO Balanced Billing.

Many times employees choose a dentist that may not participate in the "network" of dentists approved by the plan offered by the employer. Many dental plans offer out-of-network benefits and still pay claims submitted by dentists that do not participate with that plan. If your plan has out-of-network coverage (usually associated with Point of Service (POS) or Preferred Provider organization (PPO) plans) you need to be aware of the fees charged by that dentist, and what your plan deems as reasonable and customary (R&C) charges that they will pay for.

When you use a participating (or preferred) provider, that dentist has agreed to accept the company's R&C fees as the basis for their billing. For example, if a filling R&C fee is $100, then the participating dentist must charge that for a filling. If your coinsurance is 80%, then you pay $20 (20% of $100) and the company pays $80.

 

Let's now assume you go to a non-participating provider and they charge $150 for the same filling. The insurance plan will still base the amount they pay at 80% of R&C ($100) and you must pay the "balance" of the bill due to the non-participating dentist. Under this situation, your cost is $70 ($150-$80). You can see why you may "prefer" to see a "preferred" provider in a PPO plan to help keep your costs down. 

Register Now for Spring NYCON Webinars, Spots Filling Up!

Register for NYCON's Spring Webinars! Get to Know NYCON & Your Membership Benefits... February 22nd, 2013  10:00am - 10:45am Register Online Today In this session NYCON staff will tell you all you need to know about your membership benefits - and answer all the questions you have regarding our process, costs and what you get for FREE. No matter if you are a new member, a renewing member who would like more information or a non-member interested in joining, this session will be enlightening and helpful. We will be covering the following benefits:   Nonprofit Training, Education and Professional AssistanceNYCON empowers our members with the best practices, policies, and procedures as well as information on ever-changing regulations, funding, accountability and more Cost Savings Solutions for Nonprofits NYCON leverages the purchasing power of thousands of nonprofits to bring you economies of scale on everything fromOffice Supplies to Fundraising Software.   The Nonprofit Voice in New York State NYCON represents our members on the local, state and national level, giving voice to small and medium sized nonprofits everywhere

NYCON Member Benefit Spotlight: Budget & Cash Flow Toolkits! Every fiscal staff members best friend... Learn More on February 27th at 10:00am Just in time for budget and cash flow planning, NYCON has developed a new benefit for our member that will truly be the "best friend" of every fiscal person who uses it!  Designed with the needs and resources of the smaller to medium sized nonprofit in mind, NYCON's Chief Fiscal Officer and staff have designed a "fool proof" tool for developing a streamlined, compliant and easy to understand budget.   The features of the Budget Toolkit include:   Built in instructions on "Getting Started" and"How to Develop Your Budget" Built in formulas and linked spreadsheets Definitions & Glossary on types of budgets, frequently used budgeting terms & more Helpful notes that 'pop up' as you create your budget spreadsheet  Quick and easy allocations (for shared costs like space and supplies, etc.) Templates that your organization can utilize to customize for your own organization's budget and salary and fringe expenditures. And more! You have to see all the features to believe it!   Experience the Budget Toolkit for yourself. Learn More on February 27th at 10:00am  On this webinar we also featured the new "Cash Flow Toolkit" which, just like the Budget Toolkit, will be a great addition to any nonprofit fiscal office.

Free Tour of the GrantStation.com Website  Thursday, February 28th   10:00am to 11:00am  Register Today Join Ellen Mowrer, GrantStation's Business Development Advisor, for a free webinar that offers a short tour of the GrantStation website. This tour will provide tips on the most effective way to use all of the valuable resources the website offers; including the extensive funder databases that can help you identify the right grantmaker for any program or project. During this webinar we will also introduce GrantStation's new interactiveGrants2020 visioning tool! There will be plenty of time for questions.This webinar will be held Thursday, February 28, 2013. Did You Know? As a NEW Membership Benefit of NYCON, ourprogram now also allows a discount on Grantstation Membership - which gets you full access to GS.com - for only $75! Click here for more information.

Broker News

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Tax Update

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Tax, also known as the Comparative Effectiveness Research Fee, is a fee paid to the government to fund Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) research. One of the main goals of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is to foster a healthier population through improvements to the health care system.
Read more >>

W-2 Reporting Requirement for Employers Update

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) contains a requirement for employers to report the cost of health coverage under an employer sponsored group health plan on an employees' W-2 form. The cost includes both the cost paid by the employer and contributions from the employee.
Read more >>

Did You Know...You Can Get Dedicated Client Consulting Through the New Blue Honors Program?

If your agency qualifies for the Blue Honors program, you will be eligible to utilize Excellus BlueCross BlueShield's Information Connection. Information Connection is an online tool that allows brokers to pull specific information, whether it be by book of business or individual groups.
Read more >>

Creditable Drug Coverage and Medicare Part D – What It Means to Employer Groups

Creditable coverage is non-Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage that is at least as good as (i.e., pays, on average, as much as or more than) standard Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. When a person becomes eligible for Medicare Part D, they must maintain creditable drug coverage, and not have a break in coverage for 63 or more days.
Read more >>

Excellus BCBS Awards Hospitals $26 Million for Quality Improvements

Fifty-four upstate New York hospitals and health centers last year earned $26 million in quality improvement incentive payments from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield as part of their Hospital Performance Incentive Program (HPIP). In the past nine years, quality performance incentives from Excellus BCBS have exceeded $145 million.
Read more >>

Neighbors Helping Neighbors Build Healthier Communities – Learn More About Our Service to the Community

Neighbors Helping Neighbors Build Healthier Communities - 2012 Annual Report of Caring tells how we collaborate with other nonprofits, providers and government and civic agencies to make a difference where we work and live.
Read more >>

N.Y. cities seek revenue sources other than property taxes

ALBANY — If Syracuse raises property taxes 1 percent, the city would get about $300,000 in revenue. Its pension bill is rising by $15 million next year.

If the city of Rochester raised property taxes to its constitutional limit, it would bring in $32 million in additional revenue. That would only be enough to cover the city’s budget deficit for next year.

While much of the focus of upstate cities’ financial problems have been on rising costs for pensions and health care, they are dealing with just as many problems on the revenue side of their ledgers.

“There has been a fundamental change in these places,” Rochester Mayor Thomas Richards said. “That fundamental change means that we just can no longer generate enough revenue to pay our expenses.”

Property taxes and state aid are cities’ main revenue sources. But a dwindling manufacturing sector, a glut of vacant properties and growing poverty have made property taxes a less reliable foundation for their budgets.

“Either with abandoned properties or tax-exempt properties, you can get just so much out of the folks who are still able to pay taxes,” Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said.

Yonkers, which has property values four times higher than the average of other upstate New York cities, has also struggled with revenue. Property values declined 24 percent from 2008 to 2011 in Yonkers, a report Tuesday from DiNapoli found.

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said last month that the city’s sales-tax revenue has increased in recent years, and there is some positive economic development. But it hasn’t made up for growing costs. He wants a state task force to look at cities’ problems.

“We still need to address the core issues that are facing cities,” he said after a budget hearing in Albany. “They will not be able to tax their way, cut their way nor borrow their way out of their issues. There needs to be a new matrix put in place.”

Last month, Moody’s Investors Services downgraded Binghamton’s credit rating and said it could take further steps against the city, citing its fiscal woes and diminishing tax base.

Oriskany Grantsmanship training

Grantsmanship Training Program^®

Member agencies can receive $50 off tuition for this training

Anyone who is interested can enter the promo code NYCON when they register online (or mention it, if signing up by phone) in order to receive $50 off this grant proposal writing workshop.

in Oriskany (Utica area),

New York   

March 11-15, 2013   

hosted by

Cornell Cooperative Extension

Oneida County   

To learn more about this training, click here. 

   

Tuition for this comprehensive five-day training is $895. 

To reserve a place in this training program, click here. Or call the Grantsmanship Center's registrar at (800) 421-9512. 

Show A Little Love to Your Corporate Documents

This Valentine's Day it's Time to Give Your Corporate Documents the Love and Affection they Deserve! It's the beginning of a new year and a very good time to show a little love...to your nonprofit's Corporate Documents!  Bylaws, Personnel Policies and other Corporate Documents need regular attention to ensure they are appropriate, consistent with the Nonprofit Incorporate Law in New York State and provide sufficient protection for your organization and employees. With packages for NYCON Members we can help ensure your peace of mind at a price your nonprofit can afford.

Bylaws & Personnel Policy Review [Get Started]  Whether you are a newly created organization or a long standing one, risk management is the keystone for good governance of your organization.  Two important tools for protection of your organization from mission killing liability and litigation is the creation and annual review of corporate bylaws and personnel policies.  Our attorneys and legal staff will dissect your corporate documents and review same for legal pitfalls, returning same to you with revision comments and "best practice" advice within 30 days. A Bylaw Review is $500. A Personnel Policy Review is $700. Package price for both is only $1,000.  Want to Learn More? Click here and let us know and we´ll have one of our legal staff get back to you to start the process!

Corporate Document Review [Get Started]  Another important element of risk management is the maintenance of the proper form of corporate existence.  Our attorneys and legal staff will analyze your Certificate of Incorporation, and any Amendments for consistency between them and your internal corporate documents and Bylaws, returning the same to you with revision comments and "best practice" advice within 15 days.A Corporate Document Review is $300.  Want to Learn More? Click here and let us know and we´ll have one of our legal staff get back to you to start the process! To see the article online Click Here

Affiliation Solutions Provided by NYCON

Affiliation Solutions Provided by NYCON

We Educate Guide and Support
NYCON knows nonprofits and we know the anxieties, risks and
opportunities that come with the consideration of affiliating
with another organization.  NYCON educates by providing training sessions on affiliation in communities across the state for
nonprofits and funders, and providing our members with informational resources and tools through our website or upon request.  NYCON professionals are available to advice and consult
our members throughout the process, from the very earliest
stage of thought and inquiry, to actively engaging a partner.
We have successfully completed over 100 affiliations in the past
10 years, our staff have experienced the nuances of affiliation as
well as the social, political, and regulatory hurdles occasionally
placed before it and have provided time-and-time again a comprehensive, tailored solution to achieve success.
Our Service Package
NYCON offers a unique, comprehensive and coordinated package of professional services delivered in a proven multi-phased
approach to affiliation that is designed to support decisionmaking, due diligence, and successful implementation and affiliation success in the future.
Expert Services Provided Include
•  Assistance in exploring partners & options
•  Facilitation, documentation and logistical management of
the negotiating process
•  Financial analysis & budgeting
•  Direct accounting, board and program  assistance if there
are “fix-it” items important to the process and it’s success

Please contact Doug Sauer, CEO
Ph: (800) 515--5012 ext. 103  --5012 ext. 103  
Email: dsauer@nycon.org
•  Program assessment & planning
•  Human resource planning & patterning, including comparative personnel policies & compensation/benefits
analysis
•  Cost savings analysis for the short and long-term
•  Strategic advice regarding messaging, communications
and funder engagement also for the short and long-term
•  Legal support services:
⇒ Corporate document review & amendments, as necessary for success (Certificates of Incorporation, Charters, Bylaws, etc.)
⇒ Analysis & advice as to legal options
⇒ Preparation of board and/or membership resolutions
⇒ Analysis of contracts, state and national affiliation
arrangements, and regulatory or licensing requirements that may impact on affiliating
⇒ Facilitation with regulatory agencies and their Counsel’s office
⇒ Legal representation (via the Endorsed Corporate law
firm of Watson & West, PLLC) including issuance of
legal opinions, preparation of dissolution & merger
documents, purchases and sales, etc.
Sometimes it is necessary or determined to be best that an
organization dissolve or simply go out of business.  Sometimes a formal merger is what is best.  Our staff are conversant in all of the forms of affiliation and look forward to providing you with assistance.

Click Here to see the flyer.

Leatherstocking AEA RECAP Dec 12th: Presentation and Videos Now Available

Leatherstocking AEA RECAP Dec 12th

Program Recap: From Silo'd to Syncro'd: Merging Individual Program Messages & Marching Under Your Organizational Banner Presentation now available!  Special thank you to Tara Collins, Watershed Agricultural Council Our presenter discussed how Nonprofits have different programs that tend to work independently of each other in reaching out to their respective audiences. She explains that often those programmatic messages aren't in line with an organization's overall message, goals and strategic plan    Special Videos: Here are 3 videos from the presentation: Leatherstocking AEA: From Silo'd to Synchro'd :Messaging  Leatherstocking AEA: From Silo'd to Syncro'd: Language Leatherstocking AEA: From Silo'd to Syncro'd: Branding Additional program materials: Nonprofit Marketing Plan Template and other handouts Program Presentation

The South Central Executive Directors Group presents the new Economic Impact Brochure Click here for the final Socioeconomic Impact of Non-profit Organizations brochure   The group is pleased to provide the completed Non-Profit Economic Impact Brochure that was created by Riger Advertising. This was a collaborative effort of all Nonprofits in the South Central region who provided information and funded support for the project A special Thank You to those organizations who helped to fund this final stage of a multi-year project.

Recap and Webinar Recording Now Available! Leatherstocking AEA Special Collaboration Webinar Program September 26th: Collaborating and Maximizing Your Partnerships: Webinar Discussion   Panel Discussion and Overview of Collaboration Database  This program featured a discussion about programmatic collaboration. The discussion featured a special collaboration presentation and overview the nonprofit collaboration database, a new venture.   Presenters included:  Pat Rogers, Executive Director, Institute for Human Services   Andrew Marietta, Regional Manager, NYCON   Danielle Newell, Smithy Center for the Arts      The Agenda from the Webinar was as follows:  Introductions and an overview of agenda Programmatic collaboration examples  Discussion about STNED and IHS regarding the nonprofit collaboration database  Discussion about the potential for this kind of idea for nonprofits Ideas about possible next steps LISTEN HERE  Additional Documents from the Webinar:   Collaboration Presentation  STNED Handout

Looking for new ideas for employee benefits?  Let NYCON help you create an extensive, affordable benefits package that is easy to comprehend and manage!  Contact us to learn more about how we help over 1,000 nonprofits just like yours with Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Disability Insurance, Flexible Savings Accounts, Life Insurance, Retirement Benefits, Unemployment Savings Program, and Workers Comp. Contact us for more information.

Ideal Ware:Best February 2013

Best of the Web: February 2013

The Idealware “Best of the Web” is a monthly roundup of the top nonprofit resources from the Idealware blog, our Facebook page, and our Twitter feed to help you make the right technology decisions.

Infographic: Social Media’s Impact on Giving in 2012 (Nonprofit Quarterly) 

A look at how social media has affected online giving.

How-to: Quickly Optimize Your Website for Mobile Devices (NTEN)

How do you get the most bang for your buck when investing in the mobile web?

On Demand Tactical Technology Planning (Idealware)

All your tactical technology planning needs in one on-demand package to solve your organization's current problems and avoid future issues.

Secrets to Finding Out What You Need - Good Questions to Ask During a Technology Assessment (The Data Bank)

When you start by asking the right questions, your organization will be in the best place to plan for the future.

Getting Started With Data-Driven Decision Making: A Workbook (Idealware/NTEN)

Could you use more help thinking through how to use data to help your organization make decisions? This workbook Idealware prepared for NTEN is the perfect place to start.

I Could Be Your Next Monthly Donor. So Call Me, Maybe? (NTEN)

Tips on how to recruit, retain, and upgrade monthly donors.

5 Smartphone Apps for Nonprofits (About.com)

Use these apps to keep up with the rapid growth of mobile.

The eMail Guide Email Marketing Glossary (The eMail Guide)

The 325 email marketing terms everyone needs to know.

Power through schedules with 21 Google Calendar tricks (PC World)

Save time and increase your organization's productivity by becoming a Google Calendar whiz.

A Guide to Synagogue Management: Research and Recommendations (Idealware)
We looked at a variety of donor and constituent management systems to create an overview for a complex and niche market

New Benefits & New Webinars for Members

NYCON Member Benefit Spotlight: Budget & Cash Flow Toolkits! Every fiscal staff persons' best friend... Learn More on February 27th at 10:00am Just in time for budget and cash flow planning, NYCON has developed a new benefit for our member that will truly be the "best friend" of every fiscal person who uses it!  Designed with the needs and resources of the smaller to medium sized nonprofit in mind, NYCON's Chief Fiscal Officer and staff have designed a "fool proof" tool for developing a streamlined, compliant and easy to understand budget.   The features of the Budget Toolkit include:   Built in instructions on "Getting Started" and"How to Develop Your Budget" Built in formulas and linked spreadsheets Definitions & Glossary on types of budgets, frequently used budgeting terms & more Helpful notes that 'pop up' as you create your budget spreadsheet  Quick and easy allocations (for shared costs like space and supplies, etc.) Templates that your organization can utilize to customize for your own organization's budget and salary and fringe expenditures. And more! You have to see all the features to believe it!   Experience the Budget Toolkit for yourself. Learn More on February 27th at 10:00am  On this webinar we also featured the new "Cash Flow Toolkit" which, just like the Budget Toolkit, will be a great addition to any nonprofit fiscal office.

Pros and Cons of  Restructuring a Nonprofit: What it Means for your Staff and Board February 13th, 2013   10:00am to 12:00pm Doug Sauer, CEO, NYCON Last Chance to Register This thought provoking, insightful event will provide you with knowledge gleaned from decades of Doug's work with hundreds of nonprofits in various stages of formal restructuring, shared service models and, certainly, merger. Doug, perhaps more than anyone on the national nonprofit "scene," knows first-hand that merger (or any type of structural "re-engineering" of your organization) is a serious solution to the very complex issues facing today's nonprofits. Join us and learn from Doug's real world and very practical experiences. Doug will be talking about the variety of options available for restructuring a nonprofit, what the potential benefits and very real risks are -- as well as what the process of going "beyond collaboration" is really like.There will be time for Q&A at the end of the online session so make sure you take advantage of having our resident expert available to you. Last Chance to Register

Free Tour of the GrantStation Website for NYCON Members Thursday, February 28th   10:00am to 11:00am  Register Today Join Ellen Mowrer, GrantStation's Business Development Advisor, for a free webinar that offers a short tour of the GrantStation website. This tour will provide tips on the most effective way to use all of the valuable resources the website offers; including the extensive funder databases that can help you identify the right grantmaker for any program or project. During this webinar we will also introduce GrantStation's new interactive Grants2020 visioning tool! There will be plenty of time for questions. This webinar will be held Thursday, February 28, 2013.Did You Know? As a NEW Membership Benefit of NYCON, ourprogram now also allows a discount on Grantstation Membership - which gets you full access to GS.com - for only $75! Click here for more information.

Biggest Mistakes Boards Make, Founding Fathers Write a Grant Proposal and more

Practical, Provocative and Fun Food-For-Thought for Non-Profits

The Trouble with "Passion for the Mission" . . . editor notes issue #84

"Passion for the mission is a must" . . . so say many job announcements and board member requirement lists. Wait a minute. Let's examine this sacred cow cliche a little more. Read More>

Surprisingly Uncomplicated Path for Developing Leaders

Kirk Kramer of The Bridgespan Groupsuggests some new approaches to leadership development in his recent papers. For Blue Avocado readers, he cuts right to the chase: Read More>

In the Swirling Dust of Change, Life Still Goes On for an ED

It just makes sense that the founder of the Center for Digital Storytelling would tell his own story in a remarkably compelling way. Here's Joe Lambert with a thoughtful First Person Nonprofit account of how organizational problems can bring out the creativity and best in people and how, through it all, life goes on, though it's your choice how to embrace its everchanging moods: Read More>

The Founding Fathers Write a Grant Proposal

"Just look at this second sentence!" groaned Samuel Adams. "'We hold these truths to be self-evident  .  .' This flies in the face of 'evidence-based practice'! We'llnever get funded!" Read More>

Ten Biggest Mistakes Boards and Executives Make

"To err is human," and as we all ruefully know, nonprofit board members and executive directors are typically human. Here are some of the biggest mistakes we make: Read More>

Take a 3-Minute Vacation to an Oscar-Nominated Film Starring Avocados

Has anyone else seen an avocado in an Oscar nominated film this year? Read More>

To see it online Click Here