5k Celebration!

Girls on the Run 5k Celebration!

REGISTER HERE

Presented by the Steuben Rural Health Network at IHS

Run - Walk - Hop - Skip - Jump - Celebrate!

Join us for a family-friendly, non-competitive 5k Celebration!

First 100 people registered will get a Girls on the Run 5k Tshirt & Race Bag

When:  Saturday, June 8

Where: Mark Twain Riverfront Park, Baldwin St & Water St, Elmira

Time:   8:30 am - 9:15 am - Day of Registration

1st Wave - General Public - 9:30 am

2nd Wave - Girls on the Run Participants & Running Buddies - 9:50 am

Pre-Registration & Pre-Race Pick Up:          

Wednesday, June 5th at Arnot Mall Community Room, 3pm - 6pm

Thursday, June 6th at Arnot Mall Community Room, 3pm - 6pm

Healthy Snack Shack Sponsored by Cameron Manufacturing & Designs

Happy Hair Station Sponsored by Goody Hair Accessories

Tot Trot - 20 yard dash for children 2-6 - $5 donation

Happy Face Place - Face painting!

Wagons and strollers welcome!

Tutus, tiaras, and fun safe costumes encouraged!

5k Celebration Sponsors:

Steuben Rural Health Network at the Institute for Human Services, Inc.

Bethesda Foundation

Cameron Manufacturing & Design

Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc.

Corning Corporate Communications

Goody Hair Accessories

Hilliard Corporation

The Triangle Fund

Wegmans Elmira

Media Partner:

The Star Gazette

REGISTER HERE

To become a sponsor, vendor or exhibitor: Please call Girls on the Run of the Southern Tier at607-776-9467 x-226 or email gotrst@ihsnet.org

For updates and events related to Girls on the Run of the Southern Tier, visit and like the program's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GirlsOnTheRunOfTheSouthernTier or find us on the web atwww.gotrst.com.

To learn more about Girls on the Run, as well as the many other programs offered by the Steuben Rural Health Network and the Institute for Human Services visit www.steubenrhn.org and www.ihsnet.org.  

Local growers eye Big Apple markets

By JOE MAHONEY
The Daily Star

HAMDEN — Walter Riesen grows vegetables on Star Route Farm in the Otsego County town of Worcester.  Ken Jaffe raises grass-fed beef cattle on Slope Farm in Meredith.

Both farmers would like to sell more of meat and produce in New York City. After all, the five boroughs, with a population of more than 8 million, doesn’t have any farms.

Therein lies the opportunity for Riesen, Jaffe and other industrious farmers seeking to expand their businesses in a tough industry that doesn’t allow for many strategic mistakes.

Risen and Jaffe were among about 20 local farmers who gathered Monday at Lucky Dog Organic Farm in Hamden to consider working with the Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship (CADE) in organizing a “food hub” in Delaware County. The goal is to expeditiously and efficiently move fresh farm products to consumers and businesses in New York City.

“We have the food, and they want it,” said Rebecca Morgan, director of CADE. “The demand is there, and everyone is trying to figure out how to efficiently meet that demand.”

Rather than have each local farmer truck their farm-fresh products to New York City, CADE is hoping the farmers can work cooperatively to coordinate shipments directly to the buyers.

In some cases, those buyers are restaurants with discerning patrons who prefer to know precisely how and where the food that appears on their dinner plates was grown. CADE is also working with Greenmarket in New York City, a not-for profit operation begun in the 1970s that helps about 230 farmers, fishermen and bakers sell their products.

The mission of Greenmarket is to promote regional agriculture by providing small family farms the opportunity to sell locally grown produce directly to consumers. Brokers and middlemen are not allowed.

The local farmers who met Monday were advised that if they want to sell to Greenmarket, they must contact  the organization’s buyers and work out a price for their products.

Richard Giles, owner of Lucky Dog, volunteered to coordinate the transportation of the food to New York City.

The arrangement calls for the farmers to pay  15 percent of the gross invoice for the shipment to the customer. That would cover both transportation and loading.

“That’s how it’s going to start out,” Morgan said later. “If that works for everybody, that will be the number.”

Morgan said she hopes the shipments can begin this spring.

“We want to be able to have our system in place very soon,” she said.

Jaffe, a former physician in Brooklyn who got into farming a decade ago, said he already sells directly to markets and butchers in New York City but is interested to hear more from Greenmarket.

“Any system that makes it easier for farmers to get their product out to market is a good thing,” Jaffe said.

Riesen said reminders of the region’s past success in agriculture exist in towns throughout the area.

“When you look around at the beautiful homes and buildings and ask, ‘How did they get built?’ it was agriculture,” he said.

For instance, he noted, the community of Bovina, famous for the delicious butter produced there in the 19th century, had its own railroad spur as a result of the scores of successful dairy farms that existed there then.

Patrick Rider, owner of Greenane Farms in Meredith, said he’s excited by the possibility of having a cooperative venture wtih local farmers.

“The faster we get over the feeling that we’re competitors, the faster we will actually start to make money,” he said.

Giles, who already trucks his organic produce to New York City weekly, said local farmers can only benefit by having access to New York City.

“The market will appreciate better food at the prices that a conglomeration like this will start to provide,” he said.

Two Quick Polls, Share Your Story with NBC Nightly News

 Two Quick Polls, Share Your Story with NBC Nightly News

Share You Feedback, Share Your Stories

NYCON has recently launched two quick polls. Take a few minutes to share your feedback on the proposed increase in the minimum wage as well as giving your input on the ways your nonprofit might  utilize vendor relationships internationally in order to save money.

 

Poll #1:Where Do You Get Your Goods & Services?

Click here to take the poll 

NBC Nightly News has recently contacted NYCON inquiring about how New York nonprofits access the most affordable goods & services - and how they might utilize vendor relationships outside the United States. We are defining goods and services as utilities (electricity, water, natural gas, heating oil, phone service, etc.) as well as basic program or office supplies (i. e. paper, toner, or in the case of heath care, pharmaceuticals.)  

   

Poll #2: Raise the Minimum Wage?

Click here to take the poll.

The Governor has recently proposed a plan to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $8.75 an hour. Do you agree with this proposal?

For the online version click here.

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

Earth Festival Offers Brand New Recycling Opportunities

Earth Festival Offers Brand New Recycling Opportunities

Earth Festival Offers Brand New Recycling Opportunities

MILFORD – Have you ever wondered why those wrappers from individual cheese slices aren’t recyclable? Ever wished you didn’t have to throw that empty toothpaste tube into the trash?

On April 13, you can bring these and a number of other previously non-recyclable or difficult-to-recycle waste items to Earth Festival 2013. From there, they will go on to a New Jersey-based company, TerraCycle, to be converted into new products such as recycled park benches and upcycled backpacks.

“There are so many things we all throw away on an almost daily basis that are not accepted through our local recycling resources – cereal bags, chip bags, spent pens and markers,” said Otsego County Conservation Association Special Projects Manager Martha Clarvoe, who recently discovered the TerraCycle program.

“Through TerraCycle, we’ll be keeping more materials out of the county waste stream and out of landfills. At the same time, for each piece of garbage collected, OCCA will receive money toward next year’s event,” Clarvoe added.

Previously non-recyclable waste items being accepted at this year’s Earth Festival are:

• any brand used toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes and plastic toothbrush packaging

• any brand of flexible cheese packaging, including string cheeses packages, individual singles wrappers, singles packages, shredded cheeses packages, grated cheese, and all flexible cheese wrappers

• any empty brand or size chip bag

• diaper packaging waste, including plastic diaper packaging, wipes outer plastic packaging and individual wipes packaging

• any size Elmer’s brand glue sticks, plastic glue bottles, refill jars and Elmer's glitter glue tubes (Elmer’s only)

• all plastic cereal bags and cereal bag liners of any brand

• any brand pens and pen caps, mechanical pencils, markers and marker caps, permanent markets and permanent marker caps.

According to the website, TerraCycle’s purpose is to eliminate the idea of waste by creating national recycling systems for previously non-recyclable or hard-to-recycle waste.

Anyone can sign up for their 40-plus programs, called the Brigades, and start sending waste. TerraCycle points can then be redeemed for a variety of charitable gifts, or for a payment of $0.01 per point to the non-profit organization or school of your choice. With more than 20 million people collecting waste in over 20 countries, TerraCycle has diverted billions of units of waste and used them to create over 1,500 different products available at major retailers.

TerraCycle’s goal is to eliminate the idea of waste by creating collection and solution systems for anything that today must be sent to a landfill. For more information, visit www.terracycle.com

The 8^th Annual Earth Festival will be held on Saturday, April 13 at Milford Central School. The traditional information and vendor fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the gymnasium – kicking off the day will be the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society’s popular pre-festival bird walk.

Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension Schoharie and Otsego Counties will return with Spring Garden Day in conjunction with Earth Festival, featuring classes on a wide variety of gardening topics suitable for those both new and experienced to gardening. Dr. Jonathan Comstock, a researcher from the Department of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, will speak at 11:15 a.m. as part of Spring Garden Day. His presentation, on climate change and its impact on the growing season and gardens, is free and open to the public.

This year, the Milford Central School Education Foundation’s “recycled fashion” show is back by popular demand! Students and adults are invited to showcase wearable art they made or embellished themselves with recycled and waste materials – anyone interested in entering an outfit is welcome. For more information, call  (607) 286-3349 or e-mail lhenry@milfordcentral.org.

The EcoArt/Trendy Trash Contest and expanded children’s activities led by Milford Central School students will also be featured. Styrofoam (clean, white only), bubble wrap, empty inkjet cartridges, cell phones, eyeglasses, reusable shows, videotapes and CDs, and used nylon monofilament fishing line will also be collected for recycling.

Earth Festival is an environmentally-focused, interactive event featuring exhibits, activities, vendors and entertainment, all with a fun, earth-friendly twist. Financial contributions are most welcome, and an open invitation to earth-friendly exhibitors, food and retail vendors is extended. Earth Festival 2013 is sponsored by Otsego County Conservation Association and WildLearn.com. To sign up or donate, look for the registration form at www.occinfo.org. Call  (607) 547-4488 or e-mail admin@occainfo.org to learn more.

Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's Weekly News

Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's Weekly News

DiNapoli: Municipalities Should Ensure Background Checks For Youth Program Workers

Local governments could do more to conduct background checks on individuals working in municipal youth program services, according to an audit released Friday by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

DiNapoli Approves Terms of $3.14 Billion Tappan Zee Bridge Contract

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli last Friday announced he has approved a $3.14 billion contract between the state Thruway Authority and Tappan Zee Constructors to design and build the new Tappan Zee bridge.

Officers of Albany Nanotech Complex Safeguarding Public Funds

Fuller Road Management Corp., the not for profit corporation that runs the State University at Albany’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, is fulfilling its duties to support and provide appropriate internal controls over operations and activities, and promoted an ethical business climate at the multi–billion dollar facility, according to a report released Friday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

DiNapoli: State Tax Revenues Up, But Still Lag Projections

Tax collections through December totaling $46.4 billion were $48.3 million below the state’s latest estimates and $685.3 million below initial estimates in April. Higher than anticipated personal income tax collections in December likely reflect income paid before federal tax increases take effect in 2013 for high income taxpayers, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said last week in releasing the December cash report.

Comptroller DiNapoli Releases Municipal Audits

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli Thursday announced his office completed audits of:
the City of Beacon; the Midway Fire District; the Niagara Falls Housing Authority; the Orleans County; the Town of Otto; and, the Village of Spring Valley.

Program Recap: From Silo'd to Syncro'd

Program Recap:

From Silo'd to Syncro'd: Merging Individual Program Messages & Marching Under Your Organizational Banner

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

The South Central Executive Directors Group presents the new Economic Impact Brochure

Click here for the final Socieconomic 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

NTEN:Change on Nonprofit Collaboration

Happy 2013 from NTEN:Change!

With all the end-of-year campaigns and, for many of us, time off, chances are you haven't been able to read the latest issue of NTEN:Change yet. We certainly understand the time crunch around this time.

We thought you might be interested in these articles in particular from our December Issue on Nonprofit Collaboration, however, so we hope you'll take a look when you have a few minutes:

Leadership Cheat Sheet: Is Your Organization Ready to Collaborate? Five Questions for Board and Staff, from La Piana's Heather Gowdy and Bob Harrington. Read the article.

Advocacy: Sharing A Cause (and Data) Across Multiple Orgs. Developing a High Touch, Human Platform for Collaboration, from Upwell's Rachel Weidinger. Read this article.

DIY: 5 Tips for Working More Effectively With Consultants , by Dennis Deery. Read the article.

Of course, there are also case studies, how-tos, nonprofit leadership profiles, a podcast, and much more in the current issue: click here to open in the e-reader.

If you'd like to downoad the PDF version of the issue, click here to start the download . You can also access a text-only version of the articles (for translation or accessibility needs).

To read the latest issue click here.

Future of theater focus of meeting

Future of theater focus of meeting

By Denise RichardsonThe Daily Star

The curtain rose Sunday on efforts to save the Oneonta Theatre.
About 45 supporters stepped onto the stage of the historic venue at 47 Chestnut St. to share ideas about the future of the theater. Dressed in winter jackets, they mingled in pairs or clusters, or sat at one of nine tables, and addressed topics ranging from dance, music and youth programming to finances, fundraising and hospitality.
“Getting us back here to talk with tables according to subject was brilliant,’’ Joe Fincano of Oneonta said. Fincano said he would like the theater to continue as a showcase for music, particularly for local and regional groups.
The two-hour meeting at the theater was called by Tom Cormier, theater and building owner, and the Friends of the Oneonta Theatre, a nonprofit organization. After Cormier announced in December that he would close the theater Jan. 1, he and FOTOT members met and began on the road to find long-term viability for the venue.
On Sunday afternoon, two local women were checking into volunteer options.
“We don’t want to see the theater close,’’ Amanda Mason of Oneonta said.
“Exactly,’’ said Angela Bouchard of Oneonta.
John Gill of Maryland said he could draw on past experience in public relations to help FOTOT. Gill, a drummer and teacher, said he has performed on the Oneonta Theatre stage.
“It’s important to the community and people in the arts to have this theater as a venue,’’ Gill said.
Cormier bought the 115-year-old theater for $225,000 in June 2009. Initially, he worked with FOTOT to upgrade the building. However, Cormier, a businessman, said after he realized how long it would take the group to renovate the theater, he stepped in to make improvements and expedited the theater’s return to operations by mid-2010.
In the 675-seat theater Sunday, Macaluso reviewed the theater’s recent history using slides projected on the giant movie screen. She invited listeners to join her on stage as the screen rose, in the meanwhile explaining a project estimated at $15,000 could provide the required spray-on insulation needed back stage to prevent drafts settling into the audience area.
Macaluso praised Cormier’s rescue of the building from water damages, including mildew, and work to restore and improve the building. FOTOT members were disappointed when Cormier took over restoration efforts, she said, but is eager at this juncture to do the research and continue networking to create a not-for-profit organization that can operate the theater.
The development requires consideration of programming, hospitality, cleaning, fund-raising and other categories of operations and management, according to a organizational diagram she presented.
“At this point, we want the community to engage,’’ Patrice Macaluso, president of the Friends of the Oneonta Theatre board, told listeners seated in the theater during introductory remarks.
FOTOT and the Oneonta Theatre remain separate organizations, Macaluso said. Another key step is a study to help transform the vision into reality and gain a better sense by fall of how to use the theater.
Cormier and Macaluso, interviewed separately, described the evolving collaboration as a “win/win’’ opportunity.
Events are planned for the theater in February and March, Cormier said. In five years, he would like to see FOTOT as a solid organization that operates the theater with fine-tuning under way to make improvements, he said.
Oneonta has held its own during the recession, Cormier said, and Oneonta’s location, its college communities and development on Southside are factors supporting its economic transition and potential for growth.

For the online article click here.

Nonprofit to operate Oneonta Theatre

Nonprofit to operate Oneonta Theatre
By Richard WhitbyThe Daily Star

The Oneonta theatre will be taken over and used as a performing arts center. The theater will run on a non for profit status.

For the full story click here.

SBA, Microsoft create technology guide, online course

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) today announced a new technology resource is available for small business owners.

The SBA and Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft Corp. have teamed up to create "Business Technology Simplified," a free guidebook that offers tips on how to use technology and innovation to make businesses work more efficiently, the SBA said in a news release.

The guidebook includes material on simplifying work tasks, do-it-yourself marketing, time management, and finding and cultivating customers.

"Business Technology Simplified" is available in a printed format at the SBA Syracuse district office. Computer users can also access the guidebook online at the Microsoft website.

It's also available as a free distance-learning course, according to the SBA.

The course is available at www.sba.gov/training.

Pathfinder Village Stories: Every family involved has their own story. We'd like to share some of them with you.

With great excitement and anticipation, I'm happy to announce the launch of our new campaign and microsite entitled Pathfinder Village Stories www.pathfindervillagestories.org. Months of work on this collaborative project have resulted in a comprehensive story that I believe is a true reflection of all that is good about Pathfinder Village, our residents and their families.

Every family with Pathfinder Village has their own story. Each of these stories come together to form the fabric of the Pathfinder Village community. While each family's story is unique; there are common threads that help to make the fabric of our community stronger.

It is my hope that other families working through their own decisions will visit and see Pathfinder Village through the eyes of our residents and their families. Words and images that only a mother or father or son or daughter could find to express why this is such a special place. I am so pleased to be able to share these stories with you and hope that you will spread the word and share our stories with others as well.

I invite you to explore the new microsite and to keep an eye out for our new campaign. This represents an important step towards our future and a great way to introduce Pathfinder Village to new families and friends.

And, many thanks to those Pathfinder families that generously offered their time and effort (and emotion) to help us complete this important project.We, quite literally, couldn't have done this without you and we look forward to continued efforts to write new, exciting chapters in the Pathfinder Village story.

Be Well,

Paul C. Landers
Chief Executive Officer
Pathfinder Village

Nonprofit Ventures

The NY Council of Nonprofits started a simple blog, Nonprofit Ventures, after our recent Entrepreneurial Ventures for the Arts trainings in Albany and NYC. This blog is a place to share ideas and ask questions about starting your own for profit venture. As nonprofits face more funding challenges, entrepreneurial ventures are becoming more of focus and opportunity to generate unrestricted operating revenue. Do you have an idea? Share it here on NYNED or visit Nonprofit Ventures.

We also invite to learn from your peers. We recently sat down to speak with Bernadette Cannon, an amazing supporter and advocate for Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care, who attended the very first New York Council of Nonprofits Entrepreneurial Ventures training in Oneonta in 2004. She came to the training with a simple idea: start a thrift shop. For the next couple of years, she worked tirelessly to make her idea a reality. Listen to her share her insight about her for profit venture. Most importantly, hear about her success.



Visit our YouTube channel and watch Bernadette share the rest of her story and her feedback. Have your own story to share? Post it here, or contact us. Interested in contacting Bernadette? You can e-mail her at thrift.shop@cahpc.org.