Volume Two Number One

On September 14, the members of The Evergreen State Society voted unanimously to transfer the programs and assets of the Society to Executive Alliance.

Read a press release about this action issued by the two organizations at the time is was proposed. [[[...click here...]]]

Combined operations will start on October 1.

Invitation to Members, Supporters and Friends
Celebration on October 14, 2004

From 4 to 6 pm on October 14, at the Hannah S. Grunbaum Conference Center located at The Hearing, Speech and Deafness Center, 1625 19th Avenue (at Madison Street) in Seattle, members, friends and supporters of the two organizations will look to the future and celebrate the accomplishments of The Evergreen State Society and Executive Alliance.

The first part of the program will feature the "roll out" of Executive Alliance's current plans and discussion of the importance of this work and how people can be involved in carrying out the goals.

At 4:45, Greg Vigdor (chair of Executive Alliance) and Gene Edgar (chair of The Evergreen State Society) will review the history and legacy of the society and the decision to combine the programs.  Bob Drewel, former Snohomish County Executive and Executive Director of the Puget Sound Regional Council will address the essential role of the nonprofit sector to the vitality of our region.

Following this brief program, there will be a champagne toast to mark this milestone and light refreshments.

Please rsvp to jcragin@exec-alliance.org if you plan to attend.  (Parking is available on the street and in the Mt. Zion parking lot across 19th street.)

Responses to Senate Finance Committee 'White Paper'

Northwest nonprofit leaders agree strongly in their reaction to some of the proposals in the US Senate Finance Committee "White Paper" outlining possible changes in the laws governing public charities and foundations.  And they disagree sharply in their opinions about some others.

The results of our survey to date are posted online.  To see how people voted, and what they added as comments [[[...click here...]]].

The survey form was circulated by email in mid-August.  It is also available online at www.tess.org/ON/0409_survey.html. More responses are welcome.

News about Nonprofits and Their Work

Critical Solutions in Health Care

Greg Vigdor, President of the Washington Health Foundation (and chair of Executive Alliance), will join Cheryl Scott, CEO of Group Health, Michael Rona, President of Virginia Mason, and Joe Martingale of the consultancy Watson Wyatt at a CityClub program at noon on October 7 at the Women's University Club in Seattle; KING-5's Jean Enerson moderates.  For information and reservations, see http://www.seattlecityclub.org.

Service in Action Seminars

Continuing education opportunities presented by the Institute of Public Service and the Nonprofit Center at Seattle University run from October to June.  The first will be Ted Lord of The Giving Practice exploring "Discernment: More than Just Talk" on October 8.  Details, and the rest of the schedule, can be found at http://www.seattleu.edu/artsci/ips.

Profile of a Local Reporter

Cheryl Phillips of the Seattle Times  is interviewed in the Fall 2004 issue of Stanford Social Innovation Review. She answers questions about her coverage of KCTS, the Puyallup Fair, and other nonprofits, and explains how her interest in nonprofits and their work has grown over the years. You can subscribe for the discounted rate of $49 for four issues. Click here, then enter TESS in the promo code field. Some of the content of recent issues of this new journal is available on the website...click here.

"The Law of Nonprofit Organizations"

Topics include: charitable purposes, the tax laws and contributions, property tax exemptions, Washington's nonprofits, Sarbanes-Oxley's implications, selecting and protecting directors, and issues for distressed nonprofits. The Washington Law Institute presents this all-day seminar with Judy Andrews, Sheldon Frankel, Mark Hugh, Putnam Barber, Kristen Gurden, Scott Greenburg and Elizabeth McCaw. The full schedule is linked from the list of current seminars at http://www.wlaw.com.  Members of The Evergreen State Society and Executive Alliance are offered a 25% discount for the fee. On the early registration fee of $199.00 this will work out to a discount price of $149.25 per person. On the regular registration fee of $229.00 (after Sept. 10) this works out to $171.75 per person. To register, use the online form, request materials from mail@wlaw.com or call (206) 726-9337.  Just mark the form "TESS member" or "EA member" (if applicable) to register at the discount rate.

National Philanthropy Day

The Association of Fundraising Professionals Washington Chapter will celebrate community leadership and personal generosity at a luncheon at the Seattle Sheraton on Tuesday, November 16.  Early bird registration is available through November 1.  See http://www.afpwashington.org for details.

"All About Boards 2004 -- Governance as Leadership"

William P. Ryan of the Hauser Center at Harvard will be the featured speaker on "Leadership as Governance: Reframing the Work of the Nonprofit Board" on Thursday, November 18, at the Tacoma Convention Center.  More information from www.npcenter.org. 

Mark Thomas of KPMG will speak about "Financial Accountability Challenges" and Christopher Gilbert presents "Ethics and Transformation: The Power of Spirit in Decisionmaking." Fourteen practical workshops will round out the day. 

Observing Nonprofits

Observing Nonprofits is an occasional publication of Executive Alliance, sent by email to members and supporters. A few days after publication, it is also emailed to a wider audience of people interested in nonprofits in Washington state and simultaneously posted on the the World-Wide Web at http://www.tess.org/pages/Observing_Nonprofits.html

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Observing Nonprofits is a benefit of membership in Executive Alliance. To learn more about membership options, visit http:://www.exec-alliance.org

Observing Nonprofits is also circulated on a delayed schedule to readers of NonprofitNetworking (a free email service of Executive Alliance). To add your address to the NonprofitNetworking list, send email to nonprofitnetworking-request@tess.org with the word "subscribe" (no quotes) in the subject line.