Somehow, I missed the release of NTEN’s latest report last month, “The State of the Nonprofit Cloud.” Thanks to Wild Apricot and Lori Halley for her great write-up this morning. Her article is a helpful primer if you don’t yet have time to read the full report. If you do, however, here’s what you might learn:

Definition of “the cloud.” Basically, this refers to any software accessed over the Internet, including everything from Facebook and Twitter to customer relationship management (CRM) tools like Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics to broadcast email tools like Emma and Constant Contact.

Most nonprofits surveyed are in the cloud. Of the 780 nonprofits surveyed, 91% reported using some kind of cloud-based software, with staff email being the most common, at 69%.  Broadcast email tools and office software also ranked high.

Nonprofits value remote access and flexibility. Remote access was the most cited advantage in selecting cloud-based systems, followed by ease of maintenance. Not only does remote access offer flexibility for those who telecommute or occasionally work from home, but it also allows for employees who do work in the field to access software and stay connected when they’re away from a traditional office setting.

Total cost over time is the highest concern for nonprofits. While nonprofits did factor in time and cost to convert to cloud-based software and time to train staff, the total cost over time of maintaining cloud-based systems was the most cited concern. While maintenance costs are often low, one respondent pointed out that installed software can be “‘pay it once-and-done’, [but] often the cloudbased software is a subscription type of service,” requiring an annual fee at a minimum.

Security of data and concerns about privacy ranked high on the list of potential disadvantages. Nearly 60% cited security as a primary concern; however, NTEN points out that “there is little evidence…that cloud-based solutions pose any more risk than any other system connected to the Internet.” The report goes on to say that reputable online vendors often have far greater capability to safeguard against security threats than the average nonprofit.

These are just a few highlights from the report. It’s definitely worth a read if your nonprofit is considering cloud-based software or if you’re just curious what’s happening in the cloud.

Greenlights recently made the transition to Rackspace, a cloud-based email service, and we’ve been using Salesforce for several years to track data on membership, event registrations, donors, and consulting projects. We’re also using Emma to communicate with our constituents, and the integration between Salesforce and Emma has been a tremendous benefit for our staff. Next, we’ll tackle transitioning the document storage on our server to the cloud. No more server reboots! I know our tech guy will be happy when that happens.

How are you using the cloud?

2011 Board Summit

I ran the title of this post by my dad, who has always told me nothing is free. Technically speaking, he’d be right in this case, too — when you join a nonprofit board, you give your time, energy, and yes, in many cases, a financial contribution. I’ve never been one for speaking technically, though. For me, nonprofit board service has not only provided “free” professional development, it has also served as one of the richest, most rewarding experiences of my life.

It’s not just me, either.

Just yesterday, Fast Company referred to nonprofit board service as the “single best way to develop leadership skills.” I’m inclined to agree. The article’s author, Alice Korngold, highlights the importance of experiential learning and development in our world, “You might learn a great deal in school, but it’s doubtful that you’ll actually develop as a leader by reading a book or taking a course.” Books can lay a great foundation, but there’s no substitute for hands-on learning.

Nonprofit board members are in a unique position to define the vision of an organization, thoughtfully plan for its future, and bring needed resources to ensure that the organization fulfills its mission. Nonprofit board service can be very fulfilling and at the same time, it is a tremendous responsibility and, according to Korngold, “the ultimate experience in ethics, accountability, leadership, group dynamics, and crisis management and communications.”

At Greenlights, we work with nonprofit boards every day, and we see firsthand the value and benefits that nonprofit board members receive, simply by virtue of serving. If you’ve been waiting to find the board that’s the right fit for you, now’s your chance! Greenlights’ annual Board Summit is coming up on June 7, and you’ll have the opportunity to meet and talk with leaders from over 50 nonprofits looking for board members just like you.

We hope to see you there!

“Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Earlier this week, people across the country engaged in service projects as part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service. The Day of Service grew out of the nationwide service initiative, United We Serve, a response to growing social needs as a result of the economic downturn. Communities across America came together and engaged in a variety of service projects, including cleanup efforts, tree planting and gardening, and clothing and food drives. Concentrated efforts like the Day of Service are a wonderful way for communities to come together, but what if we approached every day as a day of service to others?

Here are some creative ways you can give back all year long:

• Make it a team effort. Host a toy drive or coat drive, or simply find one so that you can participate! Share a weekly Meals on Wheels route with your colleagues, or get a group of friends together to work in a community garden one Saturday per month. (I can say from experience that sorting canned goods for four hours is a lot more fun with friends!)
• Donate money without spending a dime. There are lots of websites out there that donate money to charities based on “clicks” and advertising revenue. Gimundo lists their five favorite sites here.
  
• Use social media. If you follow our blog, you know we love our friends at HelpAttack!. Join their site to donate an amount of your choice for every tweet or Facebook update. Or, for your birthday this year, ask friends to make a small donation to your favorite charity in lieu of gifts. Sites like Facebook Causes make this a breeze!
  

How will you or your organization give back this year?

Last week, the Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations sent out a public policy alert regarding the current debate in Congress over the charitable giving incentive whereby individuals may deduct charitable donations on their income taxes. If you haven’t been following this debate, you can watch the latest hearing and read member statements here.

It’s worth mentioning that the proposed cap on tax deductions not only includes charitable giving, but also state and local income taxes and home mortgage interest payments. The week following the hearing, Rick Cohen published a provocative piece in The Nonprofit Quarterly titled, “The Nonprofit Sector’s Embarrassing Defense of a Maximal Charitable Deduction.” In it, he argues that there is little to no likelihood of a charitable deduction cap actually passing, even though there is potential for a cap to actually help the sector.

President Obama’s latest proposal would use savings from the charitable deduction cap to fund his jobs bill. Cohen writes, “Imagine how much more charitable giving there would be to community-based groups if more people were employed and earning incomes enabling them to make donations.” (It is also worth mentioning that President Obama’s previous two proposals to limit deductions died before even going before Congress.)

Cohen also makes an interesting connection between this debate and the current Occupy Wall Street movement sweeping the country. Just as the nation’s wealthiest 1% control a disproportionate share of the wealth, they also donate a disproportionate share to our nation’s charitable organizations. “There’s no denying the odd-couple pairing of the nonprofit sector’s words of support for the Occupy movement right alongside its diehard protection of a valuable charitable tax deduction for the nation’s upper crust.”

In response to Cohen’s article, Tim Delaney of the National Council of Nonprofits asked to be given equal time on the issue. In his piece, “Nonprofits, Tell Congress: ‘Help, or at Least Do No Harm,’” Delaney argues that the debate on limiting tax deductions for the wealthy is virtually over and has distracted us all from a more likely possibility, “disproportionate cuts to domestic programs and the possible limitation or even elimination of the entire charitable giving incentive.”

The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction has been charged with the Herculean task of reducing the deficit by $1.2 trillion (yes, that’s trillion with a ‘t’) by November 23. Delaney’s concern is that, given such a condensed timeline, the Supercommittee will make “rash, sweeping changes rather than delicate, precise adjustments.” Moreover, he purports that the charitable deduction has no business being lumped together with other tax deductions. Contrary to Cohen, Delaney argues that the current debate over charitable deductions presents a legitimate threat, for three main reasons:

1. First, if Congress does not pass the Supercommittee’s deal by December 23, without any amendments, $600 billion will automatically be cut from defense and another $600 billion taken from most domestic programs. If the defense industry successfully shifts its own cuts over to domestic programs, Americans who access those programs will take a bigger hit.
2. Second, the options for reducing the deficit are limited. Increasing taxes and changes to entitlement plans are off the table. That leaves cutting spending on programs and raising new revenues by eliminating or lowering “tax expenditures” like charitable deductions.
3. Third, President Obama and Speaker Boehner and their respective parties are facing elections next year and have indicated that they believe a “sweeping grand bargain” on this issue may be a viable solution.

Rick Cohen and Tim Delaney each make valid arguments, and both recognize that the question of charitable deductions will not be an easy one for Congress to answer. What are your thoughts on the issue? We’d love to hear your comments!

You can add your voice to the many thousands of nonprofits who have already made their voices heard on the National Council of Nonprofits’ website. If you have more questions about how this affects Texas, please contact Barry Silverberg, TANO President & CEO, or Mary Beth Harrington, TANO Director of Community Outreach.

October is my favorite month, and apparently I’m not alone (ahem, Amy Silvey). Fall weather (even in Texas!), baseball playoffs, and all things pumpkin. What’s not to love? Well, add one more reason to love this month — #givetober.

What exactly is #givetober? I’m so glad you asked! In short, it’s a way for people to support their favorite causes by simply using the hashtag #givetober when you tweet during October. The brains behind the brilliance belong to our good friends at HelpAttack! If you’re a follower of our blog, you know we’re fans of theirs.

How does it work? It’s simple. Some fine folks have committed to donating a certain amount (as little as a penny!) each time someone includes the hashtag #givetober in their tweets. It adds up, too. So far, more than $7 per tweet has been pledged! You, too, can participate, either by joining HelpAttack! or simply including the #givetober hashtag in your own tweets. And if you’re not on Twitter yet… what the heck are you waiting for?

How can I sign up my own organization as a cause? Piece of cake. Follow these easy instructions to add your organization to HelpAttack!’s database.

This sounds cool. What next? If you’re in Austin, check out these two fun events to learn more about #givetober, meet the brains behind HelpAttack!, and have fun with new friends. I know I’ll be at both!

October 5th at Molotov and October 19th at Gibson

This couldn’t possibly get any better. Actually…it can. The folks at HelpAttack! have prepared some messaging if you need help getting started spreading the word about #givetober on your own social networks. Check it out here!

Now go forth and give!