News for Nonprofits July 2008

• Legislative Update
• Where you can find me in the District: “Sidewalk Office Hours”
• Video on My Website
• State Cabinet-level Secretary on Volunteering
• Regional Announcements

A bill that has been of interest is Assemblymember Joe Coto’s AB 624, which proposed to require foundations with assets over $250,000,000 to collect data relating to governance and grantmaking. Assemblyman Coto has decided not to pursue the bill after reaching an agreement with several major foundations on these and related issues.

The bill would have required foundations to disclose the race and gender composition of the board of directors and staff of the foundation. Foundations would have been required to collect and disclose race, gender-related, and sexual orientation information about its grantees. The bill would also have required that these foundations post this information online and in their annual reports.

Other legislation of interest:

• Bingo: AB 1924 raises the limit on the portion of gross process from bingo games that can be used for rental of property and certain overhead expenses to 20% or $3,000 per month.

• Wine Donations: AB 1964 allows a nonprofit organization to store donated wine on their premises while they are waiting for a license to sell the wine at a later event.

• Donation Boxes: AB 2610 authorizes local jurisdictions to regulate donation boxes for used clothing and household goods.

• Spam: AB 2950 strengthens prohibitions against unsolicited commercial electronic mail (e-mail).

• Language Diversity: AB 1930 requires the state to plan and establish a process to help people with limited English proficiency to prepare for emergencies and understand information conveyed during emergencies.

• Eligibility: AB 2327 requires emergency responders to strive to ensure that victims receive the assistance they need and are eligible to receive without information documents that are not strictly necessary to determine eligibility under federal law.

• Liability: AB 2796 establishes that it is the intent of the Legislature to amend the California Emergency Services Act to encourage private and nonprofit organizations to join with government agencies to respond to catastrophic emergencies. The bill originally proposed to provide emergency liability immunity for nonprofits, but was amended down to an “intent bill” to enable continuing discussions on the issue.

• Fund Management and Dissolution: SB 1329 would update the prudent standard for management and investment of charitable funds and provides for the dissolution of a nonprofit by the Attorney General when the nonprofit cannot do it on its own. Senator Simitian voted for the bill, and SB 1329 is now in the Assembly.

• Excused Absences for Volunteering and Service: AB 2396 permits excused absences for K-12 students participating in civic engagement activities.

• Paid Sick Leave: AB 2716 requires employers to provide paid sick leave to an employee who works seven or more days in a year.

• Retirement: AB 2940 creates the California Employee Savings Program to provide retirement saving opportunities to private sector employees.

One of the ways I stay in touch with my constituents is to hold “Sidewalk Office Hours.” These events give both the public and me a chance to interact in an informal, friendly atmosphere. It’s tremendously helpful to hear first-hand what people are talking about. I invite you to visit with me at either or both of the following Sidewalk Office Hours.

Friday, July 25 Cupertino 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Cupertino Square Farmer’s Market

Sunday, July 27 Campbell 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Campbell Farmer’s Market

If you can't make it to these events, keep an eye on my website. I plan to hold several more Sidewalk Office Hours in August and September, and you can find information about those online as they are scheduled.

If you are already familiar with my website, www.SenatorSimitian.com, you might have noticed that I've added video clips to the site. You can view segments of my monthly Capitol Focus program, along with short takes from bill presentations in committees or on the floor.

The newest interview is with the California Highway Patrol Officer Tammy du Temple, who talks about the CHP’s view of the hands-free cell phone law which went into effect July 1. Sen. Darrell Steinberg, the incoming Senate President Pro Tem, was another recent interviewee. A typical Capitol Focus will include a discussion between moderator Megan Fogarty and me about current concerns in the Legislature and a preview of activity in the district. From time to time I also add a brief “Take Two” video to the website to highlight a topic of particular interest to constituents.

The full Capitol Focus program airs on public-access stations on the Peninsula (Channels 26, 27 and 15), Santa Cruz County (Channel 25) and the Coast (Channels 6 and 27) on different schedules.

My website is a good place to catch up with news on current legislation that I’m sponsoring in the 2008 session, such as SB 1401 related to caring for returning California veterans. (More detail on the progress of individual bills is of course available from the Senate’s own website at www.sen.ca.gov.) Other information on the website includes the areas that each of my staff members covers in depth, such as education or the environment. I’d welcome your taking a look at my website and offering your suggestions for enhancements.

In February California became the first state with a Cabinet-level office devoted to organizing volunteers, when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger created the position of Secretary of Service and Volunteering. Karen Baker was confirmed to fill the post; she will also continue to direct the state’s California Volunteers program that she has headed since 2005. One of her functions will be advising the governor on supporting nonprofits. She will also take on more responsibility for disaster response and take over from the Office of Emergency Services the management of donations for disaster relief. Part of the impetus for creating the new office was the lack of an effective plan in place to use volunteers after last year’s San Francisco Bay oil spill.

• Nonprofits and other grant seekers on the Peninsula will now be able to access free information about applying for grants nationwide. The San Mateo Public Library has become a Cooperating Collection of the Foundation Center of New York, taking over that function from the former Peninsula Community Foundation. The Foundation Center is the nation’s leading authority on organized philanthropy. Its core collection includes The Foundation Directory Online, which profiles more than 91.000 U.S. grantmakers, and Foundation Grants to Individuals Online. Both databases are accessible only at the San Mateo Public Library, 55 Third Avenue, San Mateo. Print directories and proposal writing guides are also available. For information, contact reference librarian Roselyn Donald at (650) 522-7818.

• The Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County provides grants and management assistance to local nonprofits, public sector agencies and community groups; contact (831) 477-0800 or go to http://www.cfscc.org. Other helpful websites are also listed. In addition, the Santa Cruz Public Libraries (www.santacruzpl.org/ref/scbus.shtml) has compiled useful information for starting a business in Santa Cruz County, some of which is applicable to those starting non-profits. For obtaining non-profit status, the book How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation in California by Anthony Mancuso (Nolo Press) is recommended. Forms and general information can be found online at http://www/sos.ca.gov/business/bpd_forms.htm#be and Publication 927 from the CA Franchise Tax Board.

• RSVP of San Mateo County, which actively recruits and supports older adults in volunteer efforts for nonprofit agencies, has published a 2008 Directory of Volunteer Opportunities. It includes information on the mission and contacts for more than 100 organizations, primarily in San Mateo County, and their openings for volunteers. Call RSVP for copies at (650)696-7660.

• California homeowners having trouble paying their mortgages will be eligible for counseling to avoid foreclosure as part of a new $8 million grant that will dramatically expand free counseling services to homeowners. The counseling will be available to homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages or are in danger of doing so. Funding is from a new federal program which made a grant to the California Housing Finance Agency, the counseling groups, and the Rural Community Assistance Corporation. Homeowners can visit www.yourhome.ca.gov or www.reac.org, or they can contact one of the HUD-approved counseling services in Northern California: - ACORN Housing Corporation in San Jose and Oakland - East Palo Alto Community Alliance & Neighborhood Development Organization, East Palo Alto - Project Sentinel Inc., Sunnyvale and Palo Alto - Monterey County Housing Alliance, Salinas

• The Stewardship Council’s Youth Investment Program is offering $2 million in 2008 grants to nonprofits, among others, to improve the lives of underserved youth in Northern and Central California by providing outdoor experiences varying from urban parks to wilderness areas. Projects fall in four categories. Applications for the second round of Catalyst and Impact Grants are due August 8 (with applications or letters of inquiry available July 7). The Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council is a private, nonprofit foundation established in 2004 as part of a Pacific Gas and Electric settlement, with the first grants awarded last year. For more information and an application, go to www.stewardshipcouncil.org.

• Kidsdata.org, a Web site sponsored by the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, offers data on more than 250 indicators on the health and well being of children. Originally for San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, it has expanded to five other Bay Area counties and Santa Barbara County. It includes summaries of data for the hundreds of cities and school districts in these counties, including such topics as child safety, demographics, disabilities, emotional and behavioral health, family economics and more. For more information, visit http://www.kidsdata.org/sanmateo or www.kidsdata.org/santaclara.

• “Putting It All Together: Guiding Principles for Quality After-School Programs Serving Preteens” is a new report commissioned by Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health and produced by Public/Private Ventures. It identifies six characteristics of programs that are linked to positive outcomes for this age group. The full report and a companion resource guide are available from http://www.lpfch.org/afterschool.

• A recently released report, “Ready to Lead? Next Generation Leaders Speak Out,” analyzes data from a survey last year of some 6,000 nonprofit employees, the largest national study to date of emerging nonprofit leaders. It indicates that nonprofits are not doing enough to retain young employees, drawn to the sector by the chance to make social change but feeling underpaid and dubious about a longtime career. It was conducted by the Casey Foundation, the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services and the online job site Idealist.org. The authors recommend that nonprofit groups provide mentors and help employees meet leaders of similar organizations, among other improvements. The report can be downloaded from http://www.compasspoint.org/assets/521_readytolead2008pdf.