Staying Alive Resource Guide is a VNR publication which has detailed information and guidance on how nonprofits can best address the challenges of the recession. To download a free copy, click on Staying Alive Resource Guide (61 KB PDF).

California Community Foundation Support for Grantees The Foundation is helping to preserve and sustain its grantees by (a) expediting grant renewals and giving no-cost extensions; (b) serving as a no-cost back office for planned giving, so that donors can support a nonprofit by giving real estate, stock or other non-cash gifts; (c) providing access to local nonprofit consulting groups offering low-cost or free services (VNR is one of those groups); and (d) providing a planned giving toolkit with information about an array of tools and resources CCF offers that go beyond the grant. CCF grantees can contact the Foundation for more information, and others can consult the Foundation's website at www.calfund.org

Downsizing: Doing It Right, While Minimizing the Pain is a new publication by PBP Executive Reports, useful for both businesses and nonprofits, that offers reduction-in-force guidelines and suggestions that can help to minimize the pain of lay-offs while maintaining employee morale. It also covers getting positioned to bounce back when the need for minimizing is over. Advice includes: Specific must-do tasks for 7 critical areas within an organization, setting the selection criteria to avoid legal repercussions, and reduction-in-force pitfalls and how to avoid them. 24 pages, price $99. Instant PDF download delivery. For more information and to order go to: www.pbpexecutivereports.com/er.asp?O=22S&LDownsizingH

Executive Service Corps of Southern California Consulting Scholarships ESC, which recently co-sponsored with VNR a workshop on fundraising during the recession, provides capacity-building support to nonprofits in the Valley and throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties. ESC's consulting services fall into broad categories of operational development (e.g., strategic planning), fund development (e.g., building individual donor support), and leadership development (e.g., board development and staff development). Consultation also can be custom-tailored to meet other needs of nonprofits. All services are offered by dedicated retired/semi-retired executives. The typical client engagement is for twelve months at a cost of $4,000 for the year. ESC currently has scholarships available that would reduce this amount significantly. To learn more about ESC's services and these scholarships, contact Jesus Romero at 213/381-2891 or JRomero@escsc.org

Federal Economic Stimulus Legislation: Nonprofit Grant Opportunities is a report from the National Council of Nonprofits summarizing the spending and tax-cut provisions of the $787 billion stimulus legislation noting grant opportunities for nonprofits. To access the report: www.councilofnonprofits.org/files/Special%20Report%201%20-%20Overview%20(Feb%2023%20FINAL).pdf

Foundation Center's MapShot is an online interactive map providing data on U.S. foundation giving in response to the economic downturn. Part of the Center's initiative to provide information, news, and research on the impact of the recession on the philanthropic sector, the map displays data by state, county, city, Zip code, and congressional district. It presently includes information on more than $56 million in foundation grants and program-related investments (PRIs).
http://maps.foundationcenter.org/economic_crisis/RecipTypeUS.php.

How Charities Can Weather the Bad Economy is a transcript made from a Chronicle of Philanthropy interview with Dan Cardinali, president of Communities in Schools; Rick Dunham, a fund-raising consultant with Dunham and Company in Addison, Tex., and Clara Miller, president and CEO of the Nonprofit Finance Fund in New York. Among other topics they cover these questions: What can your organization do to state its case to donors and supporters during anxious times? How have groups weathered previous uncertainty? And how can you stretch your resources to meet your mission when money gets tight? To access the transcript, go to:
http://philanthropy.com/live/2008/09/financial_storm/

Maintaining Employee Morale During Tough Economic Times is an article written by Lyn Freundlich, Director of Administration and Human Resources at Third Sector New England. Maintaining employee morale in the nonprofit sector has never meant providing high-priced perks and exorbitant bonuses. But providing thanks for a job well done and recognition for the commitment and enthusiasm that nonprofit professionals bring to their work is critical, and doesn't need to drain resources. The article provides tips for simple things management can do to keep morale up. To access the article, go to: www.tsne.org

Motivating Without Money: 91 Inexpensive Ways to Keep Employees Happy is a new publication by PBP Executive Reports, useful for both businesses and nonprofits, which offers employee motivations that have little or no cost to the employer. It includes: the top 10 things that employees say make them happy, gives tips on how successful managers boost morale, tells about the biggest motivation killers and how to avoid them, and many more tips and suggestions. For more information and to order: www.pbpexecutivereports.com/er.asp?o=G38&L=MWOM4D&id=750452251

Nonprofit Finance Fund, a national leader in helping nonprofits strengthen their financial health, is working with the California Community Foundation and the Bank of America Charitable Foundation to launch a new Nonprofit Sustainability and Effectiveness Initiative in Los Angeles. This initiative provides local nonprofits facing financial challenges with working capital loans and financial consulting services. Ultimately, it will help ensure that critical community needs are met by a nonprofit sector facing record demands due to the recession. To learn more about this program go to:
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS174577+28-Oct-2009+PRN20091028?utm_source=CNM+E-Newsletter&utm_campaign=b54eda0ff7-News_Training_Jobs_Oct_28_2009&utm_medium=email

Seven Pivotal Points When Nonprofits Must Make Fundamental Changes is an article by Rebecca Post that looks at scaling back operations through the turning points lens. First e turning points are described in question form: Do we need to get organized? Do we need infrastructure? Do we need to let go? There also is a discussion about the importance of focus and setting priorities when navigating through tough economic times. To access:
http://www.fieldstonealliance.org/client/tools_you_can_use/03-04-09_seven_turning_points.cfm.

Tough Time Strategies: Moving Beyond the Bake Sale is an online article by Sandy Jacobson offering advice on strategies for increasing revenue and cutting/controlling costs, plus the advantages of collaboration where two or more nonprofits work together to do more with less. Collaboration can be powerful, but working together has its challenges. More than any other strategy, collaboration requires innovation and openness to new ways of working. To access:
http://www.fieldstonealliance.org/client/tools_you_can_use/04-23-09_collab_in_tough_times.cfm.

"We Are Family Too" Fund supports local animal welfare programs nationwide and addresses the country's difficult financial climate. Grants are available through the Petco Foundation, whose mission is to raise the quality of life for pets and the people who love and need them. Grants are provided to shelters that have seen an increase in surrendered animals due to the rise in foreclosures and evictions, as well as to organizations that have programs that help families in their communities stay with their companion animals during these hard economic times. Examples of funded programs include resources for pet-friendly rentals, spay and neuter services, short term foster homes, etc. Applications may be submitted at any time and generally take up to twelve weeks to process. To submit an online application for help, go to: http://www.petco.com/petco_Page_PC_petcofoundationfam_Nav_568.aspx? CoreCat=LN_PETCOFoundation_WeAreFamilyTooFund.