Free St. Louis "H.S. to College" Counseling Center Opens June 1-Aug. 18

If you or your group works with high school seniors hoping for more education in their futures, counselors at St. Louis Graduates'  new summer High School to College Center, open daily noon-5 pm, can help them figure out financial aid, understand various living and transportation options, find out how to enroll and register online and complete  the necessary paperwork. Drop-ins are welcome; the service is free. The address is 618 North Skinker, the phone is 932-6956. Find out more about St. Louis Graduates goals and other services at www.stlouisgraduates.org

June 2013 Events for St. Louis Nonprofits

• Tues. June 4, 11-30-1:30, "Grantwriting Consultants:  To Subcontract or Not?"  with Julie & Tom Assel, Grant Professionals Assn. St. Louis, Central Reform Congregation, brownbag lunch mtg. nonmembers: $15 Call 314-740-5284 with ??s or to register.
• Tues. June 11, 11:30 - 1:15, "Operation: Advocacy" with Anne Silea, CSPRC, Sheraton Clayton Plaza, nonmembers: $40, www.csprc.org
• Weds. June 12, 12-1:30, "3 Stages of Board Engagement" AFP live webinar with Robbe Healey, download at your desk or meet Spencer Rd branch of St. Charles City County library, nonmembers: $20, www.afpstlouis.org
• Tues. June 18, 8-9:30 am, "Will to Give Orientation for St. Louis Nonprofits", training program from Youthbridge Community Foundation & St. Louis Planned Giving Council, United Way offices, free, find out more and register at www.centerforgiving.org.
• Fri. June 21, 11:30-1, "How to Get Young Friends and Keep Them" with Launch St. Louis, YNPN brownbag lunch at Regional Arts Comission HQ, nonmembers: $10, go to www.ynpnstl.org/events

Get Nonprofit Bylaws Help May 29 at UMSL

Whether you're trying to draft, revise or just learn more about bylaws for a nonprofit organization,  attorneys Dan Sise (NPML) and Laurie Hauber (LSEM) will go over the what, why and how of Nonprofit Bylaws  Weds. May 29, 2-5 pm,  on the UMSL campus. Cost $25. Speaking from experience at their  sessions here at the G&FC, I can endorse Dan and Laurie as wonderful teachers and highly recommend this NPML class.
Go to www.umsl.edu/npml or call 314-516-5655 to register.

NPML Annual Fundraising Institute Coming in June

UMSL's Nonprofit Management & Leadership Program will offer it's comprehensive Fundraising Institute covering current  practices and ideas June 17–20, 2013  at the J.C. Penney Conference Center, UMSL North Campus. Fees range from $35 - $99 per workshop or register for all 6 courses for $350.

The 2013 Fundraising Institute will offer new topics as well as updates to our popular grant writing and fundraising research classes. Six sessions over four days includs topics on:

• Grant Writing
• Planned Giving
• Grant and Fundraising Research Techniques
• Ethics in Fundraising
• Planning and Managing Successful Special Events
• Panel Discussion with Funders

For a detailed schedule or to register go to http://umsl.edu/~pcs/noncredit-offerings/fri.html#.UZZOf66d6Sq

Funder Site Supports Black Male Achievement

Is your organization aware of  BMAfunders.org?

The Foundation Center and the Open Society Foundations recently launched the web portal BMAfunders.org to facilitate engagement, collaboration, and strategic decision making among funders, nonprofits, and policymakers working to promote positive outcomes for black men and boys in America. The site is supported by the Campaign for Black Male Achievement, in which the Open Society Foundations has invested $50 million over the past five years. BMAfunders.org supports those working to reverse the damage done by years of systemic injustice by providing access to a variety of knowledge resources, including:

• A mapping tool that fosters collaboration by showing who's funding what program, where;
• A timeline of philanthropic milestones that sheds light on the historical context of the field;
• An "Outcomes Toolkit" that points users to key measures that will help them assess the impact of their work; and Research reports case studies of work on the ground that highlight innovation and lessons learned.

Another Great Free E-Newsletter for Nonprofits

Keep up with state and national reports and news about professional development and advocacy issues important to the common interests of Missouri's more than 15,000 nonprofits by requesting a subscription to Nonprofit Missouri's free weekly NPMO Newsletter Updates at  info@nonprofitmissouri.org. While you're at the Nonprofit Missouri site, check out the resource links this important organization offers, as well as the benefits of membership.  And get details on speakers and workshops at  the June 12-13 annual conference in Columbia, Beyond Survival: Preparation and Prevention.

Nonprofit Reads: "It's All about Relationships"

Nonprofit development office professionals are invited to bring questions or a problem you've experienced with building long-term donor relationships to discuss informally with been-there-done that fundraising colleagues -- including Liz Reeves from the St. Louis Public Library Foundation -- at the May 28 session of Nonprofit Reads, from noon-1 pm in the 1st floor book club room at Central Library. 

An electronic copy of “It’s All about Relationships,” a recent 2-page article by St. Paul fundraisers who have been successful at establishing and nurturing relationships with a variety of donors, is available now to prime your thinking about this topic. Just send an e-mail request to kparks@slpl.org and I'll send you a copy or you can come by the G&FC for a print-out.  Bring your lunch to the discussion if you like, beverages will be provided, 

Nonprofit Reads meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month; topics so far have included effective networking techniques and generational giving patterns. Assigned readings are just a jumping off point for getting to know colleagues and problem-solving discussions.

Small St. Louis Neighborhood Sustainability Grants Available this Summer

Are you part of a group who could use $5,000 to improve your neighborhood this summer?

The City of St. Louis 2013 Sustainable Neighborhood Small Grant Competition invites teams of city residents, neighborhood organizations, schools, religious organizations, and community groups to propose sustainable projects for their own neighborhood. Seven $5,000 grants will be awarded to winning projects.

Catherine Werner, Sustainability Director from the City of St. Louis Mayor's Office, will describe the Competition at a free information session May 16 for potential applicants from 6-7 pm in the 2nd floor training room at Central Library.

To win, a project must be submitted on behalf of at least one of the 79 official City of St. Louis neighborhoods. A project team must include an organization that has not-for-profit status and who can serve as fiscal representative if awarded the prize money.  Grant applications for projects must be submitted online by June 15.  Go to http://sustainableneighborhood.net/ for details.

Monetizing Your Artistry in St. Louis

• Weds. May 15, noon- 1:30, Books Every Working Artist Should Read, Central Library 2nd floor Training Rm. Discover some really helpful books for individual visual artists, writers, musicians and filmmakers seeking to take their careers to the next level -- books that provide solid information about practicalities like copyright, negotiations and marketing and books that provide inspiration to help you through the process. Sue Greenberg, executive director of St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts and published writer, will share her list and invites you to bring titles and websites you have found helpful to share with colleagues. Bring your lunch as well, beverages will be provided. Also note: limited free parking is available for participants in the center aisle of the lot on the northwest corner of 15th "& Olive. Call the G&FC for details.
• In preparation for this session, in conjuction with Central Library's Arts, Entertainment and Literature librarians, we've updated our recommended list of local and national funding websites and books offering grants and other specific markets for individual 1) Funding for Filmmakers, 2) Funding for Musicians, 3) Funding for Visual Artists, and 4) Funding for Writers.  E-mail me for a copy of a particular list or come by and examine our  resource Kiosk at the Grants & Foundation Center.
• RAC -- Regional Arts Commission -- recently has made a new series of funds available to individual local artists: 10 annual $20,000 fellowships, and  $75,000 to be split into several smaller grants of $500 to $3,000 for area artists. Go to www.art-stl.com/artistscount/index.php/grants/  to find our more and sign up for updates.

  

  RAC -- Artists Count