CapacityBuilding Civic

Engagement

Technology/Highway T Public

Policy

Resources

Data Driven Detroit

Membership

Volunteer Centers of MichiganThe LEAGUE

Michigan

Michigan Campus Compact

...

www.MNAonline.org

Creating A Social Media Policy Farming for Autism

Feature:Getting to Know MNA: Data Driven Detroit (D3)

14

26

In thIs Issue:

6

table of contents>>Winter 2013 | Volume 14 . Number 1LINKS

Public Policy

Creating a Social Media Policy

Civic Engagement

Financial Management: What Your Organizational Leaders Need to Know

Diversity & Inclusion Collaboration, Not Just a Buzz Word

Membership SpotlightFarming for Autism

Feature 6Editor: Kelley Kuhnkkuhn@MNAonline.org

Designer: Gylin Teh

For membershipand advertisinginformation contact:Bill Gesaman bgesaman@MNAonline.org

Web: www.MNAonline.org

MNA periodically rents itsmailing list to vendors whoseservices and/or products fitour guidelines. If you wish tohave your name removed fromthe list, please request so inwriting to the address above.

MNA welcomes articles andinformation from our readers.Please contact the editor forsubmission guidelines.

MNA reserves the rightto edit or reject informationand/or to reject advertisingsubmitted for publication.Appearance in the publicationdoes not constitute anendorsement of theadvertiser, its products orservices; nor does MNA makeany claims or guarantees as tothe accuracy or validity of theadvertiser’s offer.

For permission to reprint,contact the editor.

Getting to Know MNA -Data Driven Detroit (D3)

Data Driven Detroit (D3) joined Michigan Nonprofit Association as an affiliated program in December 2012. D3’s mission is to provide accessible, high-quality information and analysis to drive informed decision-making.

■ Preliminary Numbers on the Elimination of the Charitable Tax Credit

■ 3rd Edition of the Nonprofit Advocacy: A Michigan Primer ■ MNA Lobby Day and Nonprofit Champion Awardees

■ Youth Engagement ■ Civic Health Index ■ Giving & Volunteering

12

14

26

18

22

25

Mission: Michigan Nonprofit Association serves nonprofits to advance their missions.

Michigan Nonprofit Association is affiliated with Michigan Campus Compact, Volunteer Centers of Michigan and Data Driven Detroit (D3)

www.MNAonline.org

SuperConference

table of contents>>Winter 2013 | Volume 14 . Number 1

Our success as a network depends largely on the number of organizations

involved as well as their diversity in mission and geography. This ensures

our policy work reflects the voice of many, creates affordable professional

development, increases our buying power, & increases

peer support through collaboration.

Refer an organization to join between March 1 and May 31, 2013 & they will

receive a FREE Michigan Nonprofit Management Manual!

For each member you refer to join, you will receive $10 off your next renewal & be

entered into a drawing to receive 50% off your renewal as well.

Find more info at: MNAonline.org/M2M.aspx

Thank you for your support in strengthening MNA’s network!

Strengthen our network, Save money, and win!

October 14-16, 2013

Grand Rapids, MI

41st Annual Conference

More information to follow in coming months, visit www.MNAonline.org for conference updates and announcements.

Savethe

Date

3

ww

w.M

NA

onlin

e.or

g

MNA Links is published by Michigan Nonprofit Association for distribution to association members, state legislators and friends of MNA. Circulation: 1500+, four issues annually.

As an MNA member, you will automatically receive LINKS delivered right to your door four times a year. Each issue features nonprofit news and resources.

LINKS MAGAZINE

About MNA

Incorporated in 1990, and governed by a board that represents the diversity of the nonprofit sector, Michigan Nonprofit Association is a leader, a model, an advocate and a support system for nonprofit organizations throughout the state. Membership is open to all Michigan nonprofit/tax exempt organizations. For-profit businesses and government entities may join as affiliate members. Visit http://mnaonline.org/supportus.aspx to get more info.

Board of Directors

4

MN

A L

inks

>>

Win

ter

2013

CapacityBuilding

CivicEngagement

Technology/Highway T

PublicPolicy

Resources

Data Driven Detroit

Membership

Volunteer Centers of Michigan

The LEAGUE Michigan

Michigan Campus Compact

...

www.MNAonline.org

Creating A Social Media Policy Farming for Autism

Feature:Getting to Know MNA: Data Driven Detroit (D3) 14

26

In thIs Issue:

6

Abo

ut L

INK

S

Chair:Sheilah P. Clay, President and CEO Neighborhood Service Organization Chair-Elect:Jenee L. Velasquez, Executive Director Herbert H. & Grace A. Dow Foundation Secretary:Paula Cunningham, PresidentCapitol National Bank Treasurer:David Price, Executive DirectorMARO Employment and Training Association Immediate Past Chair:David Eisler, President Ferris State University Chair Emeritus: Russell Mawby, Chairman Emeritus W. K. Kellogg Foundation

Ibraham Ahmed, Executive Director Z.I.A.D. Health Care N. Charles Anderson, President/CEODetroit Urban League Michael Boulus, Executive DirectorPresidents Council State Universities of Michigan Carolyn Bloodworth, Secretary/TreasurerConsumers Energy Foundation Rob Collier, PresidentCouncil of Michigan Foundations Robert Cohen, Executive DirectorJewish Community Relations Council of Metropolitan Detroit

Marsha Cooley, Vice PresidentUnited Way of Saginaw County

David Donovan, Founder/ConsultantDonovan Company, LLC

Scott Dzurka, President and CEOMichigan Association of United Ways

Kareemah El-Amin, Executive DirectorFood Bank Council of Michigan

David Fike, PresidentMarygrove College

Jennifer Goulet, President and CEOArtServe Michigan

Suzanne Greenberg, President and CEOCAN Council Saginaw County

Michael Hansen, PresidentMichigan Community College Association

Kathy Hayes, Executive DirectorMichigan Association of School Boards

2012-2013 Officers

MNA Online Bookstore:http://mnaonline.org/bookstore.aspx

Nonprofit Job Centerhttp://mnaonline.org/nonprofitjobcenter.aspx

Training and Opportunities http://mnaonline.org/training.aspx

Public Policy News and Updates: http://mnaonline.org/publicpolicy.aspx

Rich Homberg, President and General ManagerDetroit Public Television

Gilda Jacobs, President & CEOMichigan League for Public Policy

Reggie LaGrand, Director, Greater Battle Creek ProgrammingW. K. Kellogg Foundation

Robert LeFevre , PresidentAssociation of Independent Colleges and Universities of Michigan

Bill Liebold, President The Liebold Group LLC

Paul Long, President and CEOMichigan Catholic Conference

Maud Lyon, Executive DirectorCulturesource

William Mayes, Executive DirectorMichigan Association of School Administrators

Kimberly Houston-Philpot, Director, Corporate and Foundation RelationsCentral Michigan University

Anne Rosewarne, PresidentMichigan Health Council

Jane Royer, Director, Volunteer CenterHeart of West Michigan United Way

John P. Schneider, Attorney at LawClark Hill PLC

Scott A. Schropp, Vice President & Chartered Advisor in PhilanthropyThe Illes Private Banking & Investment Group

David Seaman, Executive Vice PresidentMichigan Health & Hospital Association

Brandon Seng, President and CEOManistee Community Kitchen

Jacqueline D. Taylor, Consultant Pondera Advisors, LLC

Lorna Utley, President and CEOGoodwill Industries of Greater Detroit

Paula K. VanDam, Executive DirectorMichigan Community Service Commission

Bridget Clark Whitney, Executive DirectorKids’ Food Basket

5

ww

w.M

NA

onlin

e.or

g

What’s on the w

eb >>

ww

w.M

NA

online.org

WhAT’S ON ThE WEB>> www.MNAonline.org

Socially Stay Connected

http://twitter.com/MNAonline

http://www.facebook.com/MNAonline

http://mnaonline.wordpress.com/

Getting to Know MNA: Data Driven Detroit (D3)

Data Driven Detroit (D3) joined Michigan Nonprofit Association as an affiliated program in December 2012. D3’s mission is to provide accessible, high-quality information and analysis to

drive informed decision-making. Our partners and clients are primarily philanthropic nonprofit and community organizations. Originally established in 2009 as the Detroit-Area Community Information System (D-ACIS), D3’s small staff has evolved into a fifteen-person team with a variety of backgrounds, including urban planning, demographics, sociology, geographic information systems(gis), public health, education, web development, and graphic design. We are housed in an open office on the third floor of TechTown, an entrepreneurial incubator located north of the Wayne State University campus in Detroit. Operating grants from The Kresge Foundation, The Skillman Foundation, and W. K. Kellogg Foundation allow us to work with a wide range of clients to produce tailored web tools, reports, maps, and other products. Our work falls into five major categories: Data Collection, Data Visualization, Data Analysis, Data Accessibility, and Data-Driven Outcomes.

The five bars in our logo reference our 5 major activities. Our collection, visualization, analysis, and accessibility work is all focused on increasing data-driven outcomes in policymaking and planning processes throughout Detroit and Michigan. Learn more about us at our website: www.datadrivendetroit.org.

Feature

6

MN

A L

inks

>>

Win

ter

2013

Data CollectionWe collect and process administrative and government datasets for use at the local level. We also warehouse data for organizations who want their data to be made available to others. Additionally, when these data are too general for use at the local level, D3 has collaborated with partners to collect primary data to fill any gaps. In one of our earliest landmark projects, we worked with the Detroit Office of Foreclosure Prevention and Response, Community Legal Resources (now Michigan Community Resources), and the University of Michigan Ginsberg Center to conduct a comprehensive survey of residential property in Detroit. In mid-2009, surveyors walked through neighborhoods gathering information from residential properties in Detroit, including data on building type, condition, vacancy, fire damage, and open and dangerous conditions. D3 staff worked on the planning, routing, and mapping portion of the project, as well as data entry and quality control. Those data, now referred to as the Detroit Residential Parcel Survey (DRPS), have formed the backbone for many D3 projects, including the work of Community Development Advocates of Detroit (CDAD) and Skillman Good Neighborhoods, in addition to many other planning efforts through the city. DRPS was also one of the initial inputs for the Detroit Future City strategic framework

In the summer of 2011, we had the opportunity to update the parcel survey in one Detroit neighborhood while also building community through the education of local youth. We partnered with Southwest Solutions to educate Southwest Detroit youth about the geography of their neighborhood as part of the Community Youth Mapping Program. Developed by the Center for Youth Development and Engagement, The Community Youth Mapping Program is a nationally reproduced model in more than 100 other sites across America. In addition to training youth on survey techniques, we were also given the opportunity to educate the youth about the uses of Geographic Information Systems and help them present about the data they collected. While out surveying, youth also talked to area business owners about job and internship opportunities, beginning a dialogue to explore their future employment opportunities..

Erica Raleigh (On the left), now our Assistant Director of Projects, is shown surveying parcel quality with a local stakeholder. Learn more at www.detroitparcelsurvey.org.

Senior Analyst Josh Long teaching summer students about identifying inequality using maps. Read more about this project in his newsletter article found at www.newsletter.datadrivendetroit.org.

7

ww

w.M

NA

onlin

e.or

g

These visualizations are from the most recent State of the Detroit Child report, which offers insights about area children and their households. The entire report can be found on the Projects Page of www.datadrivendetroit.org.

We perform expert analyses to benefit diverse planning efforts for community groups and regional collaborations. We also utilize clear and transparent methods for combining and synthesizing various datasets into single measures. These analyses are most often compiled in reports accompanied by visualizations and released to the public. The Detroit Metro Profile report is one example of a regional report which utilizes our analyses to create a common understanding of essential indicators for the Detroit region. The Metropolitan Opportunity

Unit at the Ford Foundation is funding a metropolitan equity strategy in nine regions across the country, supplemented by a national strategy intended to facilitate projects, research, and scaling of models for affordable housing, transportation, and land use. In the Detroit region they are funding nine grantee organizations. This document was designed to evaluate the collective impact of grantee work within the demographic, political, and financial realities of the Detroit metro region.

In order to ensure widespread understanding and interpretation of data, D3 creates visualizations that help people understand complex and diverse data patterns. Maps are the most common form of visualization, but we also transform spreadsheets into powerful and unique graphs, charts, illustrations, and infographics. D3’s publication of the 2012 State of the Detroit Child report is one of our most recent data visualization projects. The

report, which can be found on the Projects Tab of our website, tells the data story of Detroit youth through visuals across a number of subject areas. Written for The Skillman Foundation, the report provides data and analysis intended for use by both organizations working in the city and the general public; it is meant to serve as a foundation for making data-driven decisions that will impact the futures of our region’s children.

Data Visualization

Data Analysis

8

MN

A L

inks

>>

Win

ter

2013

This report was created using data prepared by D3. Our maps are also included throughout. This document was intended to provide context as well as evaluate progress. You can access the entire report through our Projects Tab on our website via the NeighborWorks Ford Evaluation project link.

We developed a similar report on poverty trends in the region for Forgotten Harvest, a nonprofit that relieves hunger in the Detroit metropolitan community by rescuing surplus, prepared, and perishable food and donating it to emergency food providers. They were interested in developing a better understanding of poverty indicators for southeast Michigan, and demonstrating that it was much more than a “City of Detroit issue.” We provided context by analyzing indicators and policy related to poverty rates, food stamp eligibility, and free and reduced-price lunch.

Data AccessibilityWe are committed to making data, visualizations, and analyses accessible through a variety of online and printed products. We additionally believe in increasing accessibility, while respecting sensitivity and privacy, by building relationships and restructuring data in such a way that it can be released to the widest possible audience. D3 provides access to national and regional datasets through online tools on our website. We also develop community trainings to enable users to more efficiently access our website to find data and use our datasets and online tools. We have also created numerous interactive tools available through the Data & Mapping page on our website

Our work with Detroit LISC’s Building Sustainable Communities Initiative is a great example of our accessibility work. Up-to-date property information is essential to revitalization efforts in Detroit’s neighborhoods. Data at the parcel level provides the most detailed and fine-grained picture of local conditions. To support Detroit LISC’s Initiative, we created an interactive

This report was written by D3 for Detroit-based Forgotten Harvest to help them better understand poverty trends in their region as well as provide them with visuals for future planning.

parcel tool to support planning and development in the Grand/Woodward, Grandmont Rosedale, and Springwells Village neighborhoods. This interactive map, available on the Data and Mapping page of our website, combines multiple public data sources in one interface, greatly reducing the time needed to research parcel-

level information. Users can also view and print parcel reports that include information about tax status, ownership, structure details, vacancy, neighborhood amenities, and more. It also allows users to interactively visualize parcel conditions by theme for the area of their choice.

This online tool was developed in-house at D3. It allows the user to access a variety of parcel level data, as well as visualize essential indicators including vacancy, condition, and recent foreclosures.

All of our collection, visualization, analysis, and accessibility work is focused on increasing data-driven outcomes in policy-making and collaborative planning processes throughout Detroit and Michigan. Our work helps build the civic capacity of communities through the infusion of data. Our work with the Woodward Corridor Initiative (WCI), Detroit’s Integration Initiative project site funded by Living Cities, exemplifies this approach to decision making.

When the Woodward Corridor Initiative was launched in early 2011, their Governance Council identified eight strategy areas for the Initiative’s work. Within the

strategy area of education and workforce, the Council assumed that local schools were under-performing and therefore initially planned to create a new school in the neighborhood. D3 presented baseline data for all eight strategy areas to the Governance Council for review, including education data showing that the neighborhood schools were high performers that routinely surpassed statewide averages on a variety of performance measures. Armed with this information, the Governance Council altered the program strategy around education. Instead of founding a new school, the Initiative began to focus on marketing and outreach to drive increased enrollment in existing high-performing schools.

Data-Driven Outcomes

10

MN

A L

inks

>>

Win

ter

2013

The data visualized in this graphic helped the WCI Governance Council develop the best strategy to impact education in their neighborhood. Rather than found a new school, they focused on supporting existing high-performing local neighborhood schools.

As D3 continues to grow, we will continue to collect, analyze, and visualize data with the tools and talent available to us. Our new affiliation with Michigan Nonprofit Association will allow us to connect with a statewide network of organizations that are increasingly understanding the need for data to understand their markets and tell their stories. In December 2012, Philanthropy News Digest ran an article entitled, More Nonprofits Using Data to Boost Performance. The essence of the article can be summed up in this quote: “While data collection and analysis isn’t a new idea for the sector, it has grown from a tool used largely for demonstrating financial transparency and accountability to a means of building a knowledge base about target populations and adapting programs to better serve constituents.” The D3-MNA affiliation will serve to give Michigan nonprofits and funders a strong partner in their data development efforts. t

11

ww

w.M

NA

onlin

e.or

g

Technology Solutions:

► Managed Care Services

► Assessment and Planning

► Trainings

Highway T changes the way that nonprofits work. The technology solutions provided by Highway T

are robust enough to feel like an entire IT department is on-site, without having to hire an IT specialist. Highway T provides affordable packaged technology services, utilizing free resources and our experience, in an effort to encourage innovation and increase the probability your success.

www.highwayt.org

Highway T is a program of Michigan Nonprofit Association

Contact Highway T to learn more about meeting your mission with the help of technology.

Public Policy

In May of 2011, Michigan passed Public Act 38, a package of budget cuts that were a part of our state’s corporate tax reform. The law repealed Section 261 of the Michigan Individual Income Tax Act, which eliminated the charitable giving credits. In January 2012, the charitable tax credit could no longer be claimed by state residents.

The charitable tax credit that was repealed gave a credit of 50% of a $400 contribution to food banks, homeless shelters, community foundations, public foundations and other nonprofits. According to preliminary findings from

a study about the effect of repealing charitable tax credits conducted by the Johnson Center for Philanthropy and commissioned by the Council of Michigan Foundations, there has been a significant decrease in $200 to $400 donations by Michigan residents. This is a troubling development because historically these levels of giving have been starting points for initiating donors into charitable giving with the potential for increasing the amount of their gift over time. Further, this has led to an overall loss of $1.1 million for community foundations, with a loss of over 2,000 individual donors.

Preliminary Numbers on Elimination of the Charitable Tax Credit

3rd Edition of Nonprofit Advocacy: A Michigan Primer

The Michigan Nonprofit Association is proud to announce the printing of its third edition of Nonprofit Advocacy: A Michigan Primer. The Primer is an essential tool for nonprofit leaders in Michigan that want to know about the merits of advocacy for their organizations and service missions, the differences between advocacy and lobbying, and important strategies nonprofits can undertake to advocate and lobby effectively for their

organizations and on behalf of their clients. For instance, the following are excerpts from the Primer:

What is advocacy? Advocacy is simply identifying, embracing and promoting a cause. Individuals tend to approach advocacy as if it were something foreign and unusual, but advocacy is simply an activity that comes second nature to most people and can become second nature to you. The terms advocacy and lobbying are often used interchangeably. However, advocacy does not have a legal definition; rather, advocacy is an umbrella term that includes lobbying to influence legislation. Most advocacy tactics are not considered lobbying efforts by the IRS (see the lobby law section of this guide).

What are the IRS lobbying rules for charities? Congress has stated that influencing legislation is an appropriate activity for 501(c)(3) public charities. As a result, public charities, including public foundations (i.e. community foundations), CAN LOBBY. The IRS sets limitations on the amount of lobbying. However, the limit is generous and should not be an impediment to lobbying.

This and other invaluable advice will be available in the Primer, which will have a limited print run that will be given complementary to member organizations of MNA. It will also be available online for nonprofit sector practitioners in Michigan and around the U.S.

12

MN

A L

inks

>>

Win

ter

2013

Nonprofit AdvocacyA Michigan Primer

MNA Lobby Day and Nonprofit Champion AwardeesIn concert with the Michigan Nonprofit Association’s annual Giving and Volunteering Celebration at the Capitol April 24, 2013, we will also be holding our Nonprofit Lobby Day. The annual MNA Nonprofit Lobby Day presents an unparalleled opportunity for nonprofit leaders from around the state to effectively advocate on behalf of their nonprofits, their valuable social and cultural missions and on behalf of their clients to key legislators. This year, we will be visiting with the leadership of the Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate, as well as leading state representatives and senators that have a direct impact on shaping Michigan’s tax policy, education policy and the allocation of state resources.

On the morning of April 24, the nonprofit delegation for Nonprofit Lobby Day will meet with several co-chairs of the Michigan Nonprofit Caucus, a bipartisan and bicameral forum through which lawmakers collaborate on legislative and regulatory issues impacting charities and foundations in Michigan. MNA- in concert with the Council of Michigan Foundations and the Michigan Association of United Ways- helped established the Caucus in 2009 and it has been instrumental in advancing legislation that benefits the missions of existing nonprofit organizations. The co-chairs and MNA staff will give nonprofit delegates practical advice on advocacy and lobbying effectively, which will be used almost immediately in the morning and afternoon visits with lawmakers.

There will also be a break in the day for members of the Lobby Day to attend the Giving and Volunteering presentations that will take place on the Capitol Lawn between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Among the presentations will be the awarding of the Nonprofit Champion Awards for 2013, which recognize outstanding personal dedication and exemplary support of service, volunteerism and civic engagement by policy makers in the legislative, executive or judicial branches of state government. There will be four awardees this year : Representative Vicki Barnett, Former Representative Judson Gilbert III, Representative Rudy Hobbs and Senator Mark Jansen. Each legislator is being recognized for their unique role in securing passage of Public Act 573 of 2012, which vitally clarified Michigan nonprofits’ exemption from sales tax for products bought for fundraising purposes. t

13

ww

w.M

NA

onlin

e.or

g

As nonprofits have increasingly turned to social media, policies to govern its use have become the new frontier. It can be difficult for organizations to find examples that fit their needs. A

good social media policy will provide clear guidelines as to what staff should and shouldn’t do when posting and interacting with the community on a day-to-day basis, freeing them up to think more strategically. But what’s involved in creating one?

Social Media Policy

■ By Ben Stuart and Andrea Berry, September, 2012

Creating a

A good social media campaign or engagement strategy can help your organization fulfill its mission, and there are many examples of nonprofits using these tools successfully for everything from fundraising and volunteer recruitment to building awareness. But there are also examples of organizations that have encountered pitfalls along the way to an effective social media presence.

How do you avoid such a fate? By developing a policy that provides guidelines for how and when to use social media, you can save staff time, improve the effectiveness of your efforts, and limit the risk of other potential problems before they arise.

What your policy covers, and to what to extent, will vary based on your particular needs, but the foundation is the same. Let’s look at the different components one at a time.

Defining Policy Within Your OrganizationWhat should your social media policy say and do? That’s going to depend on your organization’s particular needs. For some nonprofits, a policy should spell out what staff can and cannot do on different social media channels by creating strategically defined roles governed by hard-and-fast rules. For others, a policy is a vision statement that guides staff, but empowers them to make decisions for themselves.

14

MN

A L

inks

>>

Win

ter

2013

Which is right for your organization will depend on whether your day-to-day work includes legal risks, privacy concerns, or other potentially risky situations. Do you have lawyers sign off on all policy documents? Do they take the lead in drafting policy? If not, informal guidelines—or something in-between—might be a better fit.

Before you write the plan, think about who is going to follow the policy and whether it fits into a larger plan, like an employee handbook. Existing policies could influence your guidelines for social media, so give some thought to whether they need to match with regard to style.

As an example of this, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, a global humanitarian organization, built its policy around its strengths—the volunteers who carry out the day-to-day work in the field. Many of those people have their own social media presences on Twitter or Facebook or blogs. The goal was to embrace the nature of volunteerism and empower people rather than restricting them. The organization could not guide what its volunteers said online, but it could ask them to think about what the organization would do and make suggestions.

Similarly, your social media policy is your opportunity to guide staff toward a better fit for your organization’s brand and values presence on social media. Some guidelines should be broad—for example, encouraging people to add value and be passionate about what they say—while others may more specific, like requiring staff to use a disclaimer distinguishing their own personal views from those of the organization.

Identifying and Incorporating ValuesThe process of developing a social media policy gives you the opportunity to reflect on and organize your external voice and communication values. Think of your social media presence as an interactive extension of your organization. It’s often the first and easiest way for stakeholders to learn about you and comment on, share, and applaud your actions—and sometimes, criticize them.

Start with your organization’s mission, and identify a short list of values central to the work you do. Examples might include friendliness, collaboration, integrity or sustainability. Defining your core values helps ensure that

you incorporate them into your social media guidelines—for example, if “responsiveness” is a core value for your organization, it makes sense to focus on listening to what others are saying in your community and make it a priority to respond in a quick and informative manner.Assigning Roles Who will be the person interacting with your community through social media? Who maintains the Twitter feed, and who posts to Facebook? Is it one person, or several? Who is responsible for finding content? Well-defined roles and responsibilities among staff will help to eliminate the ambiguity that can often come with social media content creation.

Some staff may have great stories to tell, but don’t know how or if they should post them. Remember, social media works best when it is current, active and responsive—it’s easier to allow for that when everyone is clear about who can post, when and how often. It’s often easier to keep content organized if the social media strategy is owned by an individual or small group.

Creating and Sharing Content Whether you’re posting about your organization’s work or events, or sharing interesting information related to your field, there are plenty of topics to post about—use your policy to narrow your focus to fit with your core values or organizational goals. There’s a lot of content floating around the internet. By finding your niche and creating or sharing mission-related content, you’re more likely to draw people in and entice them to return, and more likely to find the right audience for your nonprofit.

This is also the time to consider what types of content should never be posted, or posted only with approval. This can be as simple as maintaining a certain image for your organization, or as complex as protecting it from legal problems. For example, health-related nonprofits subject to the Health Information Portability and Accountability ACT (HIPAA) should make sure health records and information that might inadvertently identify patients or clients is protected. Other 501(c)3 organizations might be concerned with activities that could be considered lobbying as they could endanger the foundation’s nonprofit status.

15

ww

w.M

NA

onlin

e.or

g

If your nonprofit is concerned with such issues, a conservative policy can make sure no one oversteps the bounds. A good policy that defines what can and can’t be posted can help prevent problems from arising.

Monitoring Conversations and Responding to CommentsSocial media is a two-way conversation, so your policy should not just inform external communications—what your organization says, and how you say it—but how you deal with what people say to, and about, you. Creating and publishing content means it’s open to comments, both good and bad, and can be shared with other networks—often without your knowledge. How do you control your reputation and your brand?

You could choose to disable comments on your Facebook page, but then you’d miss out on one of social media’s greatest benefits. Instead, develop a strategy for monitoring and responding to comments, both positive and negative. Who will respond? Will you do it public or take the discussion offline? Every comment is an opportunity to further craft your organization’s personality and reputation and build relationships. Responding thoughtfully can turn a bad situation into a positive “customer service” moment and publicly correct misinformation.

A good way to develop a response policy is to practice with a series of hypothetical situations. How will you respond to posts that contain inaccurate information, vulgar or inflammatory language, or information that purposely or inadvertently identifies clients in a way that breaches their privacy?

Answering hypothetical questions will prepare you for real ones.

There are general guidelines to start with. If you receive a complaint you can turn into a customer service moment, or a post with misinformation in it, you should take the opportunity to respond. Determine who will do so, and what they will say. Consider removing comments that will damage your community or that include vulgar or inflammatory language. Some negative posts are better left unanswered, especially if a response is likely to incite the poster into further action.

Don’t just reply to negative comments—be a part of the conversation and reply to positive or neutral comments to create a rich, informative environment for your audience. Answer questions that arise, invite others into the conversation, and thank people for participating. Your responses put a human quality to your content and can create a feeling of good will in your community. Let your organization’s core values and mission inform your response policy.

Protecting PrivacyIn an era where sharing content is so easy, and even encouraged, privacy concerns seem to be often overlooked or ignored. Part of the problem lies with the tools—new privacy complaints about Facebook and Twitter seem to pop up all the time—but it’s important to review your organization’s privacy and permissions policies, especially if you work in areas like healthcare or children’s services.

Start by examining your existing policies for relevant information. When can you use photos of children or names of clients, and do you need their permission? Update your policies and waiver forms to include the social media channels you plan to use—there’s a big difference between getting someone’s permission to use their photo on a brochure, and using that same photo in a blog post or on your Facebook page. Photos or videos posted on social media can be widely shared, and often will.

Protecting Rights to Content This is also the time to look at how you attribute the content you share, and how you copyright the content you create. Weigh the value of keeping complete control of your content against the value of sharing. Some nonprofits copyright all material and ask permission for others to share it, while others adopt a more open approach that lets others repost freely. The latter, called a “Creative Commons license,” lets you maintain some control over how your content is used by setting guidelines for attribution and whether other users can modify your content or use it for commercial use. (See the Creative Commons website to learn more.) Which approach is right for you? Again, this decision should be informed by your organization’s nature,

16

MN

A L

inks

>>

Win

ter

2013

and whether you’re concerned with legal issues or interested in being open. Remember, this is a two-way street, as well—make sure you follow the rules and ask permission before reposting content you did not create, if necessary. It’s OK to link to something as long as you don’t pass the content off as your own, but do not assume anything you find online is free to repost. How can you craft your policy to ensure that you are respecting copyright restrictions?

Finding and Enforcing the Line Between Personal and ProfessionalSocial media lets you put a human face on your organization, making it easier to connect with constituents who, in turn, can become champions for your cause. In many cases, you want your social media presence to be as personal as possible. But you can run into problems when the line between the personal lives of your staff and your organization’s goals is blurred.

What type of personal information can be posted to your organization’s social media channels? Do you only allow mission-related posts, or can staff express personal opinions or share information about major life events, such as weddings and birthdays? Defining the boundaries in advance can prevent inadvertent problems, but make sure your staff understands how the policy relates to their own, personal social media use. If they link to your organization’s page, or speak about the inner workings of your nonprofit on their personal pages, their audience might not distinguish their personal posts from your organization’s posts.

There’s a fine line to walk here—you can’t enforce regulations for what staff do in their free time, but you

can encourage them to adhere to organizational best practices and to represent your nonprofit’s culture and goals. The legal boundaries in this area are evolving almost as fast as the technology itself. If you have concerns about this aspect of your policy, it might be worth contacting your lawyer to make sure you define the risks and find the appropriate way to prevent them.

Even if staff don’t self-identify as employees on their Twitter feeds or Facebook pages, in most cases, a good number of people still know where they work. To address that, your policy might train staff on the effective use of social media, and ask them to adopt strict privacy settings on personal pages. You might also encourage a “What would your mother think?” approach to posts. Each organization should decide whether it’s necessary to dictate how personal pages reflect upon the nonprofit as a whole, and make it clear to employees what that separation is.

Creating Your PolicyYou can’t foresee or protect against all possibilities, but being proactive and thoughtful when creating a policy can help ensure that your organization gets the most benefit out of its social media efforts while avoiding many of the problems. The return on your efforts is likely to be worth the extra consideration.

So how do you go about crafting an appropriate policy? Start by identifying your team, and make sure all the right stakeholder groups are represented. Ask and answer the questions identified here to help get the conversation started, but don’t hesitate to ask other questions specific to your organization’s work and goals. Your policy should ultimately fit your own use of social media, and your own needs. t

17

ww

w.M

NA

onlin

e.or

g

For More Information:Nonprofit Social Media Workbook, Idealware. http://idealware.org/reports/nonprofit-social-media-policy-workbook

Nonprofit Social Media Policy Template, Idealware.http://www.idealware.org/smpolicy

This article was originally published by TechSoup.

Youth engagement. Youth leadership. Youth voice. Youth service. The terms vary, but the meaning is the same. Bringing young people to the table is an important piece of civic

engagement. So important, in fact, that Global Youth Service Day is “the largest service event in the world” (gysd.org).

According to the Find Youth Info website, “Youth can provide added energy, ideas, and value to organizations through youth volunteering efforts” (http://www.findyouthinfo.gov). Working together with youth can be beneficial for organizations. In fact, youth can be assets for organizations and communities because they “can transform their lives and those of their peers, family and neighbors. Youth offer unique perspectives, ideas, peer connections, and incredible energy – all things we need to make our communities stronger” (http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov). The experience can be equally beneficial for the young people: “Research indicates that young people have a lot to gain from volunteering–including increased academic achievement, increased civic engagement and a reduction of risky behaviors” (http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov).

While the idea is pretty well accepted by now, the implementation can be challenging. Turning over control of projects to people who were born in the late 1990s or early 2000s can be rather daunting. Don’t worry. You are not alone! Resources on engaging youth abound.

generationOn is the global youth service movement igniting the power of all kids to make their mark on the world. By partnering with teachers, parents, schools, community organizations and businesses, generationOn gives kids the opportunity to see firsthand the issues in their communities and the tools and resources they need to respond and become part of the solution.

18

MN

A L

inks

>>

Win

ter

2013

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

The LEAGUE Michigan is a program for service, service-learning and philanthropy education that builds character and empowers young people to “do good” in their community, the nation and the world. The LEAGUE Michigan utilizes the Learning to Give curriculum, teacher trainings, a student service & leadership camp, national service members and project resources to support teachers and students in integrating service, service-learning and philanthropy education projects in the classroom and community.

■ Large-scale public mobilization campaigns such as Global Youth Service Day, Semester of Service and Service Vote;

■ YSA Grants of more than $1 million annually, available to youth, schools and organizations around the world for youth-led service projects;

■ Resources and trainings that equip youth and adult mentors to lead high-quality, high-impact service and service-learning programs;

■ Recognition programs such as Everyday Young Heroes and the Harris Wofford Awards, which recognize exceptional youth and adult mentors who are champions of youth voice.

YSA improves communities by increasing the number and the diversity of young people, ages 5-25, serving in substantive roles. YSA fulfills its mission through four key strategies and program areas:

Global Youth Service Day “is an annual campaign that celebrates and mobilizes the millions of children and youth who improve their communities each day of the year through service and service-learning.” Are you looking for some project ideas? Visit www.gysd.org to get great ideas on how your organization can mobilize young people for this day of service. t

April 26-28, 2013

19

ww

w.M

NA

onlin

e.or

g

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

For over a decade, the Michigan Nonprofit Association, Council of Michigan Foundations, and the Michigan Community Service Commission have published the Giving and Volunteering

Report in Michigan as part of our state’s Annual Giving and Volunteering Day Celebration. This report provides our state with value assessment information and helps to guide the work of several state partners who are working to build and sustain the infrastructure for volunteerism and philanthropy in our great state.

In 2013 several state and national partners including the Volunteer Centers of Michigan, the Michigan Campus Compact, the Council of Michigan Foundations, the Michigan Nonprofit Association, the Michigan Community Service Commission, and the National Conference on Citizenship have developed a more detailed report regarding the civic health of Michigan. This report was launched at the 2013 Giving & Volunteering Day event.

The Michigan Civic Health Index draws data from the national census and supplements of the census along with data from the Michigan State of the State Survey conducted annually at the Michigan State University. The Michigan Civic Health Index is intended to serve as a comprehensive look at how Michigan is performing against

nationally set civic health indicators. Michigan may both celebrate this information and identify areas for Michigan partners to address for years to come. The partners are committed to working collectively to build and sustain our volunteer and philanthropic infrastructure towards a healthy and prosperous state using volunteering and giving as strategies.

With the release of this first report in 2013, the initial partners of this project plan to develop a statewide partnership to include several other educational and nonprofit partners. The partnership will have the charge of developing future Michigan Civic Health Index reports to be used as baseline data and a focus for developing strategies for continuing to improve the civic health and overall vitality of our state. t

20

MN

A L

inks

>>

Win

ter

2013

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

This year, we will recognize a diverse group of people who give so much of their time and efforts to improving Michigan and the lives of our citizens. From the national service members past and present who serve our communities in both their personal and professional lives, to the colleges who make service and service-learning a part of the everyday campus experience, we are grateful for the diverse range of committed volunteers across the state. In addition to presenting the Outstanding AmeriCorps Alum, Outstanding Senior Corps Member, and Michigan Engaged Campus of the Year Awards for the second year in a row, we will be pleased to recognize another important member of the service world: Volunteer Centers. Volunteer Centers play a critical role in their Michigan communities and as such, we will be honored to present one Volunteer Center in our state with the first-ever Michigan Volunteer Center of the Year Award. Each of these award winners and finalists, as well as the millions of unnamed volunteers across the state, represents the best of the Great Lakes State and the heart of what we celebrate during this National Volunteer Week.

In addition to recognizing leaders in the civic engagement field, we will recognize past and present members of the Michigan legislature with the Nonprofit Champion

Award. The Nonprofit Champion Award recognizes outstanding personal dedication and exemplary support of service, volunteerism, and civic engagement by policy makers in the legislative, executive or judicial branches of state government. t

The 2013 Giving & Volunteering Celebration will be held in Lansing at the State Capitol to celebrate the ways that charitable giving, volunteering, and service are

helping to build stronger communities across this great state.

21

ww

w.M

NA

onlin

e.or

g

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Let’s start with the Board of Directors. The Board is ultimately responsible for providing resources and being accountable for the use of those resources. Your resources include facilities, materials, programs and services, people, and money. The budget is the first phase of the financial cycle, and it demonstrates what you plan to do with all your resources. It is also the hardest item for the Board to assess. The Executive Director with input from senior staff and the Treasurer typically prepares the budget document. While the Board as a governance entity cannot and should not know all the details, it does need to know the assumptions used in preparing the organization’s budget. When the budget goes to the Board for approval does anyone ask questions? Is it probable that a Board might accept the report thinking, “our Treasurer knows what he/she is doing” and/or “the Finance Committee already approved this, what else is there to ask about?” The report may indeed be complete, the Treasurer having stated all the assumptions, anticipating all questions and documenting the answers. It may also be presented in a manner in which everyone on the Board, even those with little finance and accounting experience, can understand. However, that is not the usual situation.

The Board needs to know how optimistic or pessimistic the assumptions, which are the basis of the draft budget document, actually are. What is the probability of each component of revenue? What is the probability of receiving each of those three grants? How are we forecasting client income? What is the basis for the numbers on individual contributions? Why are we adding a special event? And on the expense side of the ledger, what are the assumptions about the reduction in cost with the new technology? The answers may be clear, but the Board won’t know unless the questions are asked. Having a well-thought-out

budget is critical; it is the foundation for what comes next.Let’s suppose your Board meets quarterly. When it comes time for the Treasurer’s report, she distributes and reports on the balance sheet, profit and loss for the quarter, and cash flow. There is also a report of progress against budget with an explanation of significant variances. That tells you where the finances were at the end of the previous month. What other information would be valuable? What about the forecast? Given what we know now, where will we be at the end of the fiscal year? How can the Treasurer know that, especially after just the 1st quarter? Using information gathered during the first three months of the year, we are able to gather valuable information that can guide useful projections—helping the organization to gauge its potential for earnings across the remaining quarters.

Organizations run into trouble when they ignore early warning signs and think that the numbers will be made up at the end of the year. It is ultimately Board members who are responsible for understanding the organization’s financial condition and asking the tough questions.

Now let’s turn to the Treasurer. How do you select the person for this position? Professional experience working as a CPA, a banker, or a business executive might offer a key skill set to your board. Start by thinking of the tasks, the knowledge, and experience required for that position—which is a role that requires more than presenting reports and preparing forecasts. You should also consider the financial expertise of the audience for the report. In a for-profit there are people at the table with business experience and familiarity with the type of information presented. At a nonprofit, the audience for this information is likely to be different. The Treasurer

Everyone in your organization, from the Board of Directors to the front line staff, should be aware of its finances. What they need to know, the level of detail, and how they learn, varies. In order for everyone to pull together and focus on the

delivery of organization’s mission, there has to be a common understanding of how the organization is faring and where it’s going financially. This article focuses on the key organizational leadership roles of the Board, Treasurer and Executive Director.

Financial Management: What Your Organizational Leaders Need to Know

22

MN

A L

inks

>>

Win

ter

2013

has to have the skills to communicate the impact of this information to a Board of Directors composed of people from a variety of, and often, non-business backgrounds.In addition to having general expertise and experience in accounting and/ or finance the Treasurer also should be aware of the peculiarities of nonprofit accounting. This is taught in business and accounting programs, but not everyone takes such a course. A person who has made their career in the for-profit sector probably does not have the knowledge of the specialized financial requirements applicable to nonprofits, such as the specifics of managing endowments and grants. Issues of revenue recognition are different for nonprofits compared to for-profits. Since it is true that the Board depends on the Finance Committee to ensure accuracy in reports and implications, members must have the same knowledge as the Treasurer. If you do not have the requisite skills among Board members, this becomes an opportunity to add a non-Board member to a Committee.

The Executive Director is the third part of the triumvirate. Executive Directors are in a complicated position. They are expected to know the details of their operations as well as be aware of the organization’s “big picture”. Regarding financial matters, Executive Directors are expected to: prepare and monitor budgets; oversee investments, especially if there is an endowment; prepare for an audit or review; understand the economics of fundraising; and directly or indirectly supervise the accounting system used to record all

financial activities. The Treasurer, Finance Committee and the Board rely on the Executive Director for answers to these hard questions.

Executive Directors are chosen for a variety of reasons. An ideal candidate for Executive Director will possess seasoned fund development skills, expertise in program management, impressive networks, and excellent management skills. Most job postings and job descriptions for an Executive Director also require some expertise in finance, but that is rarely as important as the other criteria. In large organizations there may be a Chief Financial Officer, who has direct responsibility for these matters. Although, even with a CFO on staff, the Executive Director is ultimately responsible for an organization’s overall financial management. Ideally, the Executive Director will work with the Treasurer to learn more about finance and the business of the organization. Between the two of them the Board will receive the information it needs to succeed in its role as ultimate fiduciary and decision-maker.

Suzanne Dibble is President & Chief Executive Officer of the Detroit Executive Service Corps (DESC) and the author of Keeping Your Valuable Employees: Retention Strategies for Your Organization’s Most Valuable Resource, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Visit the Detroit Executive Service Corps web site, www.esc-detroit.org t

Engage!A Complete Guide to, , , and

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

VOLUNTEER CENTERS OF

Learning Center

Starting RevampingMaximizing Volunteer Engagement to Help Meet Your Organization’s Mission.

VOLUNTEER CENTERS OF

MICHIGANLearning Center

Free to MNA Members

Launches in September

Register now at www.MNAonline.org/Engage.aspx

23

ww

w.M

NA

onlin

e.or

g

24

MN

A L

inks

>>

Win

ter

2013

In Michigan, there are 16,000 students and 50,000 other individuals and their families who are living with autism. ASD is a neurobiological disorder that typically affects development within the first three years of life and is characterized by:

1. Impaired social interaction

2. Impaired verbal and non-verbal communication

3. Stereotyped and restricted behaviors, play, and/or interests.

ASD is an umbrella term and includes three diagnoses; Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, and classic Autism. The Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) is a statewide autism organization which focuses on collaboration to improve the quality of life of individuals with autism and their families. Dr. Colleen Allen is President and CEO of the Autism Alliance of Michigan, an MNA member. Dr. Allen was also appointed to the Michigan Autism Council which is charged to oversee the implementation of the State Plan.“We’re not trying to create programming that competes with what others are doing. We don’t provide clinical or recreational services. We are the umbrella organization that leads statewide initiatives to support and improve the quality of direct service provided by our partner organizations. Most organizations collaborate with us as they know we are a good source for support, information, and networking,” says Allen. “Currently, our most important work is our safety program, which was initially intended for first responders helping them understand what autism looks like, and how to safely and confidently respond when approaching a person with autism. The need for this training came from media reports of police officers who encountered individuals with autism or Aspergers, misinterpreted the behaviors,

which are known to be autism, for aggression or non-compliance. Persons with autism frequently react negatively to intense sensory experience such as sirens, lights and/or being restrained.”

AAoM saw the value in not just training police officers, but fire and rescue, parks and recreation officers, transportation, and retail. They are also doing an extended version of their safety program at Henry Ford Greenfield Village as a model for creating environments that are safe for families. “Persons with ASD are at greater risk of wandering, drowning and even fatal accidents because many do not understand boundaries or potential risk and can be put in dangerous situations at times,” added Allen.

In regards to Michigan’s new ASD State Plan, Allen describes the plan as a gap analysis. “The Plan outlines the current state of practice in Michigan against best practice. Our job will be to dissect areas of the plan and create work groups to address the recommendations for change.” Allen mentions that as people develop programs across the state they can actually follow this plan as a roadmap. “We want people going to the plan and checking into the recommendations they are interested in. Different agencies can address different parts of the plan.” Allen indicates that the most immediate change will be an improvement in communication and coordination. “Initiatives will move a lot faster.” t

For more information on the Autism Alliance of Michigan and the Michigan ASD State Plan visit: autismallianceofmichigan.org.

Collaboration, Not Just a Buzz Word

Diversity & Inclusion

Michigan was one of only four states that did not have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) State Plan. Until now. The Michigan ASD Plan was released to the public in March 2013 after a three year development process. This document provides a roadmap for building

an infrastructure of integrated systems and support across the domains of early intervention, families, evidence based practice, education, professional development, and adult services.

25

ww

w.M

NA

onlin

e.or

g

Membership Spotlight

■ By Bill Gesaman, Membership Manager, Michigan Nonprofit Association

BG: Why did you decide on farming for your son and the Kalamazoo community?

CP: We know that not everyone with autism wants to live on a farm, but there should be that option. There are more people that are interested than there are opportunities. The need is pretty great right now.

One of the goals is not to strictly be residential, we would like it to be a place where people from all over Southwest Michigan can come and work as many days that work for them.

Autism is a spectrum disorder, so there are people all along the spectrum. Some prefer to live in the city, some in the country. Looking at how many children there are with autism, there will be many coming into their adult lives seeking good vocational and residential options.

Individuals with autism have difficulty in so many areas of their life. There’s so much on a farm, tasks big and small. Seasonal events that come and go that seem to meet people with autism where they are. Those that are attracted to the farm life, it is their favorite thing. On a broad scale, people with autism are like everyone else in their desires to do things in their life that have meaning to them.

BG: What other models in the country have had success?

CP: Bittersweet Farms in Ohio has been around for 30 years. Individuals with autism live and work there. It is an amazing place that we aspire to replicate here. However, they have been around 30 years, so it takes time to become as developed as they are. Currently, they have a long waiting list because it is so successful and a lifelong program. Often the only time space becomes available is when someone passes away.

Agricultural communities designed for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are in high demand. A farm setting offers rich, varied and abundant opportunities for self-paced, distraction-free activities that are perceived as immediately meaningful by many individuals with ASD. They are able to see the process of their work and are able to enjoy the product of their labor. It is a secure and safe environment in which individuals with challenging behaviors and limited social and communication skills can grow and develop. Participants can live and work full-time on a farm, or participate by commuting in for a day at a time.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 1 in 88 children have autism. As a growing number of children with ASD are becoming adults, there are more adults requesting this type of community than there are farms designed to accommodate them. While there are existing farm communities throughout the country, many are lifespan models, which means little turnover as participants may stay their entire lives.

AACORN Farm is a Kalamazoo-based nonprofit that was formed early in 2011 by parents of children and adults with ASD. AACORN is an acronym for Autism Agricultural Community Option for Residential Needs. The organization is currently in the process of creating an agricultural community for ASD adults in Kalamazoo. For the past few years, they have had participants who commute to a “borrowed farm” for their activities. Bill Gesaman, MNA staffer, sat down with AACORN President, Cathy Pinto, for a short discussion on their work.

Farming for Autism

BG: Can you describe some of the activities that a participant would engage in on the farm?

CP: There is so much throughout the year. Gardening, animal care, egg gathering, washing, packaging, feeding the animals, taking the hay out, grooming the horses, brushing the oxen. Animals require a lot of care. People with autism may not understand all of what needs to be done but can par ticipate at some level. Sometimes my son may make noises or act a little odd, which doesn’t bother the oxen a bit. There is some sor t of unusual but wonderful quality to the interaction between the animals and the young adults who currently work on the farm.

BG: What changes have you seen in your participants once they start working on the farm?

CP: Just watching them connecting with the animals and doing work that is outdoors. They truly enjoy the entire process of caring for animals. It is by far my son’s

favorite day of the week. We cannot miss it at any point throughout the year, no matter the weather outside. You can distinctly see a difference in how they interact on the farm compared to elsewhere. It is amazing. t

For more information on AACORN farm, please visit: AACORNfarm.org.

HandsOn Tech is a national AmeriCorps *VISTA program made possible through the Corporation for National and Community Service along with a collaborative partnership with Google. HandsOn Tech

Detroit, a part of HandsOn Network & Highway T, seeks to provide technology assistance in low incomeareas throughout greater Metro Detroit.

Our Focus Areas:

Training nonprofit members through large andsmall scale workshops/ presentations on free & lowcost technology tools such as Google Apps

Providing in-depth Technology Assistance Grantsto selected nonprofits

Through workshops, trainings and

consultation services on various technologytopics, HandsOn Tech Detroit aims to assist

in creating sustainable and positive growth inthe community.

www.highwayt.org/handsontech

Ad Size in InchesQuarter Page 3.625 x 4.75 Half Page 7.5 x 4.75Full Page 7.5 x 10

MNA LinksAssociation. Links is distributed four times annually to association members, state legislators, and friends of MNA. Circulation is 1500+ per issue. Organizations advertising in this publication reach

Non-MembersNon-members of MNA add an additional 25% on all advertising prices. For more information or to submit your ad for the next issue of MNA Links contact Bill Gesaman at 517.492.2416 or email bgesaman@mnaonline.org.

Duration Quarter Page Half Page Full Page1 Issue $175.00 $275.00 $450.00 2 Issues $320.00 $500.00 $850.004 Issues $600.00 $960.00 $1,600.00

Member Advertising Rates

Ad Dimensions

Michigan Nonprofit Association serves nonprofits to advance their missions.Michigan Nonprofit Association is affiliated with Michigan Campus Compact,

Volunteer Centers of Michigan and Data Driven Detroit (D3).