4.17: Nonprofit Virtual Coffee Hour!
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The 815CRT (Community Response Team) is working to support nonprofits in Northern Illinois. Join us for this webinar to learn about available resources for area nonprofits including:
- 815CRT website
- Natural Disaster Fund (Community Foundation of Northern Illinois)
- Emerging Needs Fund (United Way of Rock River Valley)
- Curated nonprofit resources
Engage in guided and open discussion with other area nonprofit leaders about:
- Resources and information you might need to serve your program participants
- Current obstacles or barriers to providing services
- Ways that nonprofits might collaborate and share resources
The meeting will end with the opportunity to just relax and connect with other nonprofit leaders – no agenda! Once you register you will receive a confirmation email with details on how to access this Zoom meeting. To learn more about the 815CRT, visit www.815CRT.org.
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Additional Funding Opportunities
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United Way of Rock River Valley Emerging Needs Fund
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On April 14, the United Way of Rock River Valley (UWRRV) announced that they, in collaboration with the 815CRT (815 Community Response Team), have awarded $250,000 in the first round of grants from its COVID-19 Emerging Needs Fund to 33 non-profit organizations in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson and Winnebago Counties that are responding pragmatically to the needs of individuals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences. Be sure to use the updated grant application from their website.
United Way of Rock River Valley distributed $250,000 in this first round thanks to a donation from the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund, a collaboration between The United Way of Illinois, the Alliance of Illinois Community Foundations and the Office of Governor JB Pritzker. UWRRV was one of 30 Illinois organizations to receive an allocation from the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund.
Grant applications were vetted and chosen by the 815 Community Response Team Grant Making Committee, which is made up of representatives from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, the Kjellstrom Foundation, the Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence and United Way of Rock River Valley and is part of the larger 815 Community Response Team, which also includes Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Transform Rockford and the Workforce Connection.
Including the $250,000 allocation from the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund, United Way of Rock River Valley’s COVID-19 Emerging Needs Fund is nearing $550,000 in donations, including a $125,000 donation from the Kjellstrom Family Foundation, and is a testament to the trust the public places on United Way to raise and distribute funds effectively and fairly so organizations can continue providing critical services to their clients. The additional funds will allow a second and possibly third round of grant funding for emerging needs.
Additional grants will be awarded on a monthly basis, as funds allow. The next deadline is May 1 and grant applications are available at the United Way COVID-19 Emerging Needs Grant web page. Priorities for funding are, but are not limited to: Housing, Utility and Rent Assistance, Medical Assistance, Prescription Assistance, Basic Necessities, Childcare, Food, Transportation, Resources for Human Service Organizations as they respond to their clients’ needs.
In order to be eligible for a grant allocation from the United Way COVID-19 Emerging Needs Fund, nonprofit agencies must:
- Be a 501(c)(3) Organization
- Be in operation and providing human services in Boone, Winnebago, Ogle or Stephenson counties for at least three years
- Have an active, local Board of Directors comprised of non-paid volunteers who meet at least quarterly
- Maintain an annual operating budget
- Agree to the Emerging Needs Fund Memorandum of Understanding
- Comply in a timely manner to a request for information
To learn how you can donate to the fund visit this page.
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Office of The Illinois State Treasurer: Charitable Trust Application Process Extended to April 30
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$375,000 Available for Non-Profits for the Spring Cycle
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced on April 9 that non-profit organizations interested in applying for grants through the Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund now have until April 30 to submit their paperwork.
Frerichs decided to give organizations more time to apply given the impact of COVID-19. “Now more than ever, non-profit organizations need the extra funding to assist with their important missions of providing food, shelter, and economic development,” Frerichs said. “We all are adjusting to this new normal and hope the extra time encourages more organizations to apply.”
The Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund assists small non-profits with annual budgets of $1 million or less. Money comes from filing fees non-profits pay when incorporating in the state of Illinois, not personal or property tax dollars.
More than $2.2 million has been awarded to 100 non-profit organizations through the Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund since the program was established in 2017. Awardees are selected by an 11-member board, which oversees the management and guidelines of the fund.
The 2020 cycle will focus grants to non-profits in three areas: Food Programs, Housing, and Workforce & Economic Development.
The current application window is now open until April 30, 2020. The next application cycle runs from July 1 to September 30, 2020. Visit www.illinoistreasurer.gov to complete an application online. For questions, send an email to CharitableTrust@illinoistreasurer.gov.
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Illinois Small Business Emergency Loan Fund
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Under the leadership of Governor JB Pritzker, the DCEO and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) are establishing the Illinois Small Business Emergency Loan Fund to offer small businesses low interest loans of up to $50,000.
Businesses located outside of the City of Chicago with fewer than 50 workers and less than $3 million in revenue in 2019 will be eligible to apply. Successful applicants will pay nothing for six months and will then begin making fixed payments at a below market interest rate for the remainder of a five-year loan term.
Loan funds must be used for working capital, and at least 50% of loans proceeds must be applied toward payroll or other eligible compensation including salaries, wages, tips, paid leave, and group healthcare benefits. Eligible uses will exclude compensation in excess of $100,000. Learn more about eligibility and the application process here.
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Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program
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With the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and its detrimental impact on small businesses, the State is invoking its option to adjust Community Development Block Grant allocations to address specific needs to benefit Illinois’ non-entitlement communities in case of unforeseen circumstances. $20 million will be available for this program. The Downstate Small Business Stabilization component has been established to provide working capital funds to community’s businesses economically impacted by the COVID-19 virus.
The program component makes funds available for 60 days of verifiable working capital up to a grant ceiling of $25,000 and is available for businesses that employ 50 people or less. Number of employees includes the business owner(s). These funds may be used to assist private for-profit small retail and service businesses, or businesses considered non-essential by the Governor’s Executive Order without the ability for employees to work remotely. Learn more.
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*NOTICE: The SBA Has Halted New Loan Approvals*
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Statement by Secretary Mnuchin and Administrator Carranza on the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program
Release Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Release Number: 20-32
Contact: Press_Office@sba.gov, (202) 205-7036
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin and U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza issued the following statement regarding the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program:
“The SBA has processed more than 14 years’ worth of loans in less than 14 days. The Paycheck Protection Program is saving millions of jobs and helping America’s small businesses make it through this challenging time. The EIDL program is also providing much-needed relief to people and businesses.
“By law, the SBA will not be able to issue new loan approvals once the programs experience a lapse in appropriations.
“We urge Congress to appropriate additional funds for the Paycheck Protection Program—a critical and overwhelmingly bipartisan program—at which point we will once again be able to process loan applications, issue loan numbers, and protect millions more paychecks.
“The high demand we have seen underscores the need for hardworking Americans to have access to relief as soon as possible. We want every eligible small business to participate and get the resources they need.”
Additional Information:
- Due to limited appropriations funding, the application portal for the EIDL–COVID-19 assistance program (EIDL loans and EIDL Advances) is temporarily closed.
- Applicants who have already submitted their applications will continue to be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
- SBA is processing EIDL applications as quickly as possible. SBA will provide those whose applications are approved with loans that will cover the business’s short-term working capital needs.
- This is in addition to the EIDL Advance that small businesses and non-profits are eligible to receive as a result of the CARES Act.
Ways to Take Action: You are encouraged to reach out to your legislators to demand action. Find contact information for your legislators at USA.gov. We wil share more information as it becomes available. |
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Apply for PPP through the International Finance Fund
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Many nonprofits have struggled to access the new Payroll Protection Program (P3) enacted as part of the federal government’s response to COVID-19. IFF has been working hard behind-the-scenes to find a way to interrupt those challenges, and are pleased to announce a new partnership that will facilitate greater nonprofit participation in the program.
Nonprofits can now apply for an SBA Paycheck Protection Program loan through IFF’s nonprofit SBA lending partner, Community Reinvestment Fund, USA (CRF). By working together, IFF and CRF aim to deploy $50 million of P3 loans to Midwest nonprofits.
This new partnership brings together a powerful combination of IFF’s nonprofit-focused knowledge and relationships with CRF’s experience as an SBA-qualified lender. Importantly:
- You do not need to be an existing borrower to apply (tell fellow nonprofits!)
- We welcome smaller loan applications (they understand the power of small nonprofits!)
IFF will answer questions about the program and coach you through the process to ensure your application is complete. Start your application via IFF using this link.
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City of Rockford's
COVID-19 Business Resource Comparison
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Not sure which grant, loan, or other support program might be a good fit for your organization?
The City of Rockford has compiled a useful and concise chart to compare a variety of available funding programs for small businesses including the SBA Payroll Protection Loans, the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Emergency Advance, the SBA Express Bridge Loans, the Illinois Small Business Emergency Loan Fund, the Illinois Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program, and the Northern Illinois Community Development Corporation COVID-19 Small Business Emergency Loan. The chart includes eligibility information, amounts, interest rates and terms if applicable, as well as fund use restrictions. View the chart here.
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Rockford Area COVID-19 Donation Center
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The Winnebago County Emergency Operations Center and the Salvation Army have partnered to open the Rockford Area COVID-19 Donation Center to collect items to meet basic needs for members of the general public, and PPE for first-responders and front-line workers who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The center, which opened this past Tuesday at 5460 E. State St., will be accepting drive-thru donations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Volunteers, wearing masks and gloves, will be on-site to assist you with your donation drop off.
Only the following items are being collected: paper products (paper towels, napkins and paper plates), personal hygiene items (shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, razors, lotion and body wash), baby care items (diapers, baby wipes, baby blankets, baby bottles and formula), cleaning supplies, laundry supplies and handmade face masks.
Personal protective equipment sought for first responders and health care workers includes N95 masks (NIOSH approved), procedure masks (ASTM II or III), isolation gowns, exam gloves (nitrile or vinyl), eye protection (glasses or goggles), face shields, hand wipes, TYVEK suits, sanitizing wipes, sanitizing sprays, anti-microbial hand soap, hand sanitizer, biohazard bags, gallons of bleach, touch-free thermometers and shoe covers.
PPE donations will be distributed to local first responders. Items donated for the general public will be distributed to local agencies and nonprofits serving families and individuals in need.
Community partners include the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, National Electrical Contractors Association, Fitzgerald Equipment, Rockford Sharefest and First Free Rockford.
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Additional COVID-19 Resources
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Did you know that NICNE has been working to collect a variety of resources to help you navigate your nonprofit organization through the COVID-19 crisis? Our Nonprofit COVID-19 Curated Resource List includes information about:
- Funding Opportunities
- CARES Act Resources
- News Releases
- Governance & Board Leadership
- Communication & Messaging
- Donor Communication
- Event and Fundraiser Planning
- Remote Work & Internal Communications
- Volunteerism & Volunteer Management
- The Role of Funders During COVID-19
- Local Community Resource Lists & Information
- Resources for your Program Participants including information about Comcast's Internet Essentials Program which will be provided to low-income families for FREE if they apply by April 30. After the promotion, the $9.95 rates will apply.
The list also includes a collection of other curated resource lists, webinars, tools and toolkits, and more to help you manage your organization.
A highlight of two new List additions:
The Chronicle of Philanthropy has released the following resource which you may find helpful: Nonprofit Crisis Management: A Checklist - The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
AFP has shared their resource list with us as well, which you can access here.
To recommend additions or changes to NICNE's resource list, email us.
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Volunteer Appreciation Week 4.19 to 4.25
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As we near Volunteer Appreciation Week, some of you have reached out to ask how you might recognize volunteers during the Stay At Home order. Here are a few resources, ideas, and webinars that you might find helpful:
Nominate your star volunteer for Volunteer of The Week on Serve Illinois Commission's website
How To Celebrate National Volunteer Week Virtually Ten ideas you can use right now from Volunteer Vibe
How To Celebrate National Volunteer Month and Week in 2020 a brief summary from WildApricot Blog
Volunteers help us meet our missions, and get us through our toughest times. Everyone is going through a tough time right now, organizations, staff, and volunteers alike. This gives us the opportunity to check in with our volunteers to see how they are doing, share praises or positive feedback and fun volunteer memories and milestones.
A Zoom or Facebook Live Check-In, or even a phone tree check-in can provide an opportunity for real connection and a time to show appreciation. A phone call, FaceTime, email, note or card can help to show your volunteers that you think about and care about them all of the time, not just when they are working for your organization. Electronic recognition in newsletters, on Facebook pages, or in emails can be a pleasant and uplifting surprise! The pandemic has us facing indescribable tragedy and grave difficulties, but it also brings the opportunity for us to deepen our relationships, reorient our activities towards what and who matters most, and come together to be there for one another.
A gentle reminder: It is "OK to be not OK" during this unprecedented time, and there are resources you can share to help manage the stress and practice community-care, including Illinois' new Call4Calm program, launched this past Saturday by the Illinois Division of Human Services and Mental Health. Any Illinois resident wanting to speak to a Mental Health Care Professional can text the word "TALK" to 552020. This service is free, and if they text the hotline, they will receive a follow-up text message asking for their first name and Zip Code. That information will be used to connect them to a healthcare professional in their area, and calls to the hotline remain anonymous. This service is also available in Spanish by texting "HABLAR" to 552020. In addition, the phone number can be used to seek help and guidance on other critical issues by texting keywords such as "unemployment," "food," or "shelter," and they will receive additional information in response. Learn more about the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) of Northern Illinois' online support groups for those struggling with mental health or mental illness here.
Because many of us "wear many hats", here are a few more things you might find useful:
We wish you well and look forward to a time when we can come together for our regularly scheduled activities.
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Nearly all NICNE programs and events scheduled for the month of April have been postponed or canceled to prevent risk of potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus. Please watch our events page or Facebook events for more information regarding new dates or other details as they become available. We will re-evaluate circumstances using recommendations from the CDC and city leadership in April and inform everyone of our decision to continue with scheduled programs.
If you need support or assistance, know that we have been advised to work remotely during this precautionary time due to COVID-19. We are, however, available via phone. Pam Clark Reidenbach 815.753.8733 (office) or 815.494.6815 (cell). Billie Callahan 815.753.8733 (office) or 815.912.2207 (cell). Please do not hesitate to call us if we can be of assistance to you.
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Executive Exchange on Innovation:
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*This session will be held via Zoom. Meeting details will be e-mailed to you upon completion of registration.*
NICNE’s Executive Exchange on Innovation helps area leaders network and share information, learn new ideas and approaches to solve complex issues, and foster a culture of sustained innovation in their organization. In 2017, The Bridgespan Group surveyed the leaders of 145 nonprofit organizations; Nearly 80 percent reported that their organizations aspire to innovate and the majority reported that innovation is critical for their organization for a variety to reasons. Almost 60% need to identify new funding streams, almost 40% need to adapt to changing political or regulatory environments, and more than half believe that without effective innovation, they simply won’t be able to achieve the impact they seek.
Join NICNE and other nonprofit leaders to learn about what it takes to build and strengthen an innovative organization—to achieve breakthroughs, consider new approaches and ideas, and move a concept from idea to implementation. Aparna Saligrama, PhD, will facilitate the discussions. Dr. Saligrama recently joined the NICNE team contributing a wealth of knowledge and experience about using design thinking and social innovation.
Each 60-minute exchange will begin with a brief overview or exercise related to a critical component of building a culture of sustained innovation. The session will end with an open exchange to engage, network, and collaborate with other local leaders and innovators. The first six sessions will focus on the six elements of building innovative capacity within your organization as described in the Bridgespan Group article, “Is Your Nonprofit Built for Sustained Innovation.”
The session on April 24 will focus on building the capacity for Diverse Teams.
May 29 – Porous Boundaries
June 26 – Idea Pathways
July 31 - Ready Resources
Exchange Facilitator: Aparna Saligrama, PhD
Aparna is a social innovation researcher and consultant who works to help clients understand and incorporate socially innovative approaches into everything that they do. Dr. Saligrama works on a broad range of issues; from creating new socially innovative approaches for existing products or service lines, designing new ventures, setting up new companies, to creating intra-organizational readiness for innovation. She also works with clients to develop innovative approaches for internal processes, builds content and messaging, creates metrics and designs impact assessments based on client need and industry-type, and creates systems maps to understand problems and to identify impact gaps. Quiet Value is a knowledge platform created and curated by Dr. Saligrama to understand the process of social innovation through providing space for organizations and entrepreneurs from around the world to convene and share their own creative processes and approaches to social innovation. Aparna lives in Loves Park, IL with her family, and consults and travels globally for her work in social innovation.
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Training: New State Education Requirements RESCHEDULED
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Required Sexual Harassment Training:
Recognition, Reporting, and Prevention
Date: Tuesday, June 2
Time: 8:30 to 10 a.m.
Cost: $25 ($20 NICNE Members)
Instructor: Samuel J. Castree, Jr.
Location: Northern Illinois University, 8500 E State St, Rockford
Under State law (SB 75) that took effect on January 1, 2020, companies are now required to provide annual workplace training, or face hefty fines, on how to recognize and prevent sexual harassment. This mandate is part of an omnibus bill called the Workplace Transparency Act, which Illinois lawmakers passed in response to the growing number of sexual misconduct allegations being made in a variety of industries.
This interactive training addresses all Illinois mandated topics, including an explanation of sexual harassment, examples of sexual harassment, and a summary of federal and Illinois sexual harassment laws. This also incorporates EEOC harassment training best practices by introducing and discussing topics such as civility in the workplace, and bystander intervention. This training is appropriate for all staff. Attend this training to comply with state law and learn important information about sexual harassment.
You Will Learn:
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What sexual harassment is
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Which types of conduct are prohibited in the workplace
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What you should do if you are being harassed
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The importance of civility in the workplace
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Introduction of bystander intervention techniques
Presenter Samuel J. Castree, Jr. is Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Staff Management, Inc., a human resource management consulting and outsourcing firm. He is a frequent speaker on labor and employment law, and human resource topics, having spoken before numerous national, regional and local organizations. Over the past two years Mr. Castree’s harassment training and seminars in the Rockford region have included nearly 100 sessions to over 2,000 attendees. He received his undergraduate degree (BA Economics), graduate degree (M.A. Labor and Industrial Relations), and law degree (JD), from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Mr. Castree is also a member of the American Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section), Illinois State Bar Association and Winnebago County Bar Association.
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Educational Opportunities
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Northern Illinois University's Center for Governmental Studies holds courses for public government and nonprofit leaders through their Civic Leadership Academy. Learn about upcoming courses or opportunities for trainings at your workplace at their website. NIU recognizes that many organizations are experiencing decreased financial flexibility due to the COVID-19 crisis. NIU and the Center for Governmental Studies would like to help by offering ALL trainings listed below for FREE, online! *Registration is required - see below for details.
April 30: Nonprofit Board Governance and the Executive Director's Role - A Partnership for Success Presented by Pam Clark Reidenbach, MSSW, Founder and Director of the Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence (NICNE), Northern Illinois University.
May 1: Strategic Thinking & Planning for Small Organizations
May 12: What Does Environmentally Friendly Engineering Mean?
May 21: Strategic Choices and I.T. Leadership
June 2: New Civics and the Impact of Globalization
June 9: Alternative Service Delivery: What's New? What Works? What Doesn't Work So Well?
June 15: Executive Director 101: Nuts and Bolts
June 18: Performance Measures & Organizational Change
June 24: Smart Cities and Data Maturity
To learn more and register, visit the CLA website.
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Calling All Change Agents!
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In collaboration with NICNE, NIU EIGERlab's FastPitch is including a Social Innovation track! Individuals, organizations or businesses interested designing and developing solutions to pressing social and environmental issues are invited to participate. Social innovation is about solving social problems and bringing together similar and seemingly disparate partners. Ideas include solutions that help solve or reduce climate change, poverty, address food insecurity or health outcomes for low income elders. We welcome all ideas and will reward the best ideas with cash prizes. For more information, call NICNE at 815.753.8733.
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NIU EIGERlab's FastPitch is your chance to prove the potential of your business or social innovation idea... meet people who can help you succeed... and maybe win a cash!
You have three minutes to pitch your idea before a panel of judges from the business, nonprofit and investment community. Open with a hook that grabs attention. Deliver your pitch with energy and passion. Be creative... and hit it out of the park!
All competitors receive invaluable feedback, a fun experience and valuable exposure to investors, business leaders, potential mentors and the media.
Visit the EIGERlab website at www.eigerlab.org for complete competition details and requirements. Applications will be accepted through Wednesday, September 16, 2020.
Get prepared! Come to FastPitch presentation training on Tuesday, September 22 and Thursday, September 24, 5:30 p.m. at NIU in Rockford to practice your pitch and recieve feedback.
Questions? Call 815-965-3522.
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**Any reference to a specific product, process, or service does not constitute or imply an endorsement by NICNE/Northern Illinois University. The views and opinions expressed in any linked resource do not necessarily state or reflect those of NICNE/Northern Illinois University.
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