The Center for Nonprofit Management will be closed to the public December 22 through January 5, 2009 to maintain our facility, prepare for the New Year, and celebrate the holidays.

We wish you a wonderful holiday season and look forward to seeing you soon!

The Nashville Scene’s Blog reports on an upcoming fundraiser for East Academy:

If you’re friendly with any families of East Academy students, you’ve surely heard moving stories about a school that not only educates, but truly inspires its students.

Based on the Multiple Intelligences curriculum, a cutting-edge program developed by Harvard University, the school is particularly adept at providing a challenging educational experience to students with a wide range of skill levels, while also encouraging creative and artistic development. And unlike at most private schools, the majority of the students are on scholarship, so that the student body can reflect the East Nashville community.

Because of the low tuition, the school relies on corporate donations and the generosity of the school’s founders and board members. But due to the difficult economic times, it has been unable to raise money to cover this year’s deficit. A large donation has been promised come February of next year, but in the meantime, the school must raise $250,000 to keep operating until then.

To that end, one East Academy parent, Angie Edwards, is organizing a last-minute Holiday Market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20 at East Academy, 108 Chapel Ave. Because of the urgency, this event is being organized quickly, so it will be footloose and fancy-free. If you have items to sell–jewelry, art, clothes, cards, records, anything!–feel free to bring them. Tables will be provided.

It is requested that you donate 30 percent of your sales to the school. (If that’s too much for your particular circumstances, the rate can be negotiated.)

And for the rest of you, come on by, do some last-minute holiday shopping, enjoy some live music, and help keep East Academy’s doors open for years to come. If you have questions, email awe1220@gmail.com.

And if you can’t make the market, visit East Academy’s donor page for details on how to help.

Here’s the details again:
East Academy Holiday Market
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20
108 Chapel Ave. in East Nashville

From today’s Tennessean:

Season to Give: Part of a Continuing Series

Will Connelly sees himself as an agent of hope.

He spends a lot of time connecting folks who live on the streets with social services. In some cases, he helps them find homes.

Connelly coordinates the homeless outreach program for Park Center, a Nashville nonprofit that assists people with mental illness find employment, housing and other services. It also works with the homeless.

“Because of the economic situation, we’re seeing new faces” in need of help, Connelly said.

Continue reading ‘Nashville Nonprofit That Services Homeless Community Sees Increase in Need’

From U.S. News and World Report:

Volunteer to Help Those Hit By the Recession
You can help others and also develop connections and skills that can help you, too

Certified public accountant Ron Paolini, 62, of Nashville helps low-income families by offering them free tax assistance that enables them to get the earned income tax credit and other benefits they might have missed on their own. Paolini volunteers his time-as much as four days a week-through a program run by United Way of Metropolitan Nashville. “It’s personally satisfying to help,” he says of his 20-year stint.

In this recession, the need for financial and other aid has spiked, according to the United Way of America. The increased need for food, housing, heat, and other necessities comes at the same time that nonprofits are bracing for precipitous drops in donations. Paolini and nearly 61 million Americans who volunteer some 8 billion hours each year can fill in some of the gaps.

Continue reading ‘U.S. News and World Report Mentions Middle Tennessee United Way’

From today’s Tennessean:

Season to Give: Part of a continuing series

When Paul Dixon was released from the Williamson County jail this spring, he got a ride to a Nashville homeless shelter.

He didn’t have any other place to go, he said. Stripped of all possessions, with no form of identification and no relatives, Dixon contacted Nashville’s Project Return to help him get back on his feet.

Dixon was convicted of felony theft, he said, and lost his wife and entertainment business as a result. With the agency’s help, he has been able to secure employment and a studio apartment. His hope is to rebuild his entertainment company and sing at weddings and birthday parties.

“If I didn’t have any help, I’d be on the streets,” said Dixon, 42.

Continue reading ‘Project Return Helps Ex-Inmates Get Back on Their Feet’

Sports 4 All Foundation (S4AF) was chosen as one of the Nashville Predators Featured Charities. S4AF’s mission is to improve the quality of life of individuals with disabilities by providing funding, equipment, programming and education to enable full participation in sport and recreation activities.

The Predators are partnering with S4AF and sponsoring an equipment drive at the January 10, 2009 hockey game. Fans can donate new and gently used sporting equipment to the foundation, and a portion of the ticket sales will be donated to S4AF.

Who: Sports 4 All Foundation
What: Equipment Drive
When: January 10, 2009, 6:00 pm
Where: Sommet Center Entrances

From today’s Tennessean:

Season to Give: Part of a continuing series

Cathy Steward says she makes $2.25 an hour as a waitress at a local meat-and-three restaurant.

She’s a single mom of five, who completed an addiction recovery program and is trying to stay clean and sober.

Without the help of a family resource center at her youngest child’s school, Steward said she would have struggled even more.

“We would have been out of food,” said Steward, 43.

“My youngest daughter was short on clothing so we had to wash them every night. They got her three new outfits and uniforms. They’re giving me a food basket for Christmas and one toy. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have anything. It’s been rough.”

Continue reading ‘Family Resource Center Services Bordeaux Community’

Jeremy Scott of Keystone Business Solutions was kind enough to conduct our December Lunch & Learn series yesterday. Here is Jeremy’s Power Point presentation, and below is summary of the workshop. Put your blogging skills to work, and help us continue the discussion online by posting your comments!

 Nonprofits & Blogs

I recently had the privilege to speak to a group of CNM members for their December Lunch & Learn. Our topic for the day was “Blogging and Your Business.” Mostly I wanted to cover the whole gamut of blogging issues, so that everyone in attendance could get something out of the discussion regardless of how familiar they were with blogs coming into the event.

So we talked about what blogs are, why they’re popular, and why a nonprofit or business should definitely be thinking about blogging. The benefits to blogging are too numerous to count, but include improved search engine rankings, community-building with core audience, establishing authority in your topic, and even making a bit of money.

Continue reading ‘Guest Blogger Provides Follow-Up to Lunch & Learn’

The Tennessean reports on a nonprofit that relies heavily on donations to continue provided much needed services:

Season to Give: Part of a continuing series

It’s not unusual for Barbara Adams to hear her brother laugh and giggle.

Until five years ago, it happened rarely, she said.

That’s because until then, her brother – who’s mentally disabled and nonverbal – lived in a large facility for mentally ill where he was mistreated, Adams said.

Since William Lucas, 55, moved to a group home run by a nonprofit called Waves Inc., his quality of life has improved drastically, Adams said. She visits Lucas in his Fairview apartment at least twice a week.

“He’ll give you hugs,” Adams said. “He’s more outgoing, so we can notice changes. Before he wouldn’t do anything with you. He was withdrawn. His caretakers treat him like he’s a king. It makes me feel great.”

Continue reading ‘Waves, Inc. Provides Array of Much Needed Services to Mentally Ill’

Geoffrey Canada, President and CEO of Harlem Children’s Zone, and keynote for CNM’s “Bridge to Excellence” 2009 Conference, recently spoke at a New York forum with leaders from the public, nonprofit, foundation, and business sectors. The event hosted by, the Foundation Center, New York Regional Association of Grantmakers (NYRAG), United Way of New York City, and Citi, dealt with how nonprofits can be prepared to deal with the impending economic storm. Here is video of Canada’s keynote, and the forum discussion panel:

Discussion:

*Video of the event was posted last week on New York Public Television’s Web site.