Photo by Ross Mayfield     Photo by keishkakeishka

Individuals are the power behind nonprofits and the government.  Sometimes these entities lose they way and need help to find their mission and vision again.  People are the engine of CHANGE.

What is your geographic reach?

Write down ten companies within a five minute walk of where you are working?

Write down which communications you have sent these ten companies.

Write down the last time these companies were invited to an event run by the nonprofit.

 Write down the contact name for these companies.

If you were able to complete the task, your way ahead of most organizations.  Now do the exercise for another ten companies.

After completing the exercise look up all on the web for those businesses within a 2 mile radius and build your contact list.  When your done with that, try those businesses within your zip code. 

For those of you whom never got to the first ten, you should begin with creating a contact list of those businesses in your targeted geographic area starting with the instructions above. 

You will be amazed how when businesses get to know you and feel your part of the community how much more they are willing to be part of your circle of friends. 

 Photo by aid85

Make sure that you and your employees retire in the winning circle.

Before you spend time and money on setting up a 401(k), make sure that your employees are well-informed. Building up anticipation and educating employees is the secret to a high participation in any benefit you offer

Here are five simple strategies:

#1 Educate your employees about the benefits of a 401(k)

Talk to your employees about this benefit and how it can help them save for retirement and lower their taxes. They’ll not only thank you, but you’ve just ensured that they’ll participate in the plan when it gets set up!

#2 Make sure the provider you select has an easy enrollment process

While you are doing your research on 401(k) providers, ask to be walked through the enrollment process. Many people are intimidated by the multiple forms, delays and somewhat confusing enrollment processes.

The enrollment process should be simple and easy-to-understand in order to encourage employees to participate.

#3 Find out the level of service that participants can expect

Some small business 401(k) plans only provide service via e-mail. Make sure your employees’ questions can be answered by a live human being!

#4 Make sure the investment options offered fit what your employees would like to see

Are your employees investment-savvy? Are they comfortable with a specific fund family or do they want a basic range of funds? Find out what types of options your employees would like before you commit to a provider.

#5 Advertise it!

Too many times, small businesses announce the 401(k) plan with little fanfare. This is an important benefit you are offering your employees. Celebrate it!  If your employees don’t know about the plan, it’s hard for them to participate. A nice e-mail announcing the 401(k) coupled with a meeting to go over questions your employees might have will go a long way.

This article comes to you from The Online 401(k), a provider of 401(k)s for small businesses. For more information or a free consultation on your 401(k) plan, contact John Wasiejko at jwasiejko@theonline401k.com or call us at 415.477.8800 xt 828.

Photos in order by YKsin, herzeleyd, gianlucaneti and titaniumdreads

photo by Za3tOoOr!

phot by Tracey O

Are actions by the means you communicate whether intentionally stopping individuals and companies from accessing you?  No web site or an non useful web site turns away potential supporters and those whom want to give.  The goal is to always have the easy means for the easy money to flow your way.

PHOTO by mandy maarten

One of the most important goals in communicating is to be able to reach the intended audience.  The web provider DIGG I have found to be a place to find and distribute information.  DIGG For those of you not familiar with DIGG the simple explanation is that it is a social media platform on the web in which individuals share information from other web sites.  To get a better understanding of human nature in communicating I conducted a three day experiment with multiple posts of information.

1.    I found that 35% of individuals relate to information as if a drone.  They will take the same steps they always do when a piece of information shows up.  I confirmed this by specifically asking for an opposite reaction that one would only have done if they read the request first.

2.    I found that 70% of individuals only share what is within the DIGG community already and rarely post original content them selves.

3.    I found that it is necessary to have 51%-75% of the individuals promoting a persons post need to not be mutual friends.  The result is a sight that promotes not associating in public.  It compels a sub society to communicate.

4.    I found that the number of comments increases the likelihood of more people to read the posts.

5.    I found the automatic tracking by mutual friends of the posts could make it harder for posts to become popular because if the mutual friend shows they liked it, it makes it even harder to become popular.

6.    I found promoting posts of information is only best if not done by you.

7.    I found that the DIGG site evolved from seeking friends base on topic area or communities into a grouping of associates whom cross promote.  Thus, the selection of mutual friends is more about keeping them distinct from others.  Common bonds are looked upon with negative reinforcement.  Thus, the importance of sharing information with like minds directly results in a negative action.

8.    I found that separate from the need to understand the need to ignore the stated intent of the web site DIGG, that the title and description of a post can either make or break the information from going popular.
·    The key areas of success are in the many areas of entertainment.
·    Negative information is more successful than positive information.

In closing here a little advice in promoting your cause.
·    Have an eye catching title
·    If it is about being popular keep close friends limited and play the field
·    If it is about promoting a specific place of information or cause and not so much about making it big then have lots of close friends and upcoming information your promoting will get more views
·    Diversity among your audience in a social, geographic and time period will provide a weighted influence on the level of success of the communication
·    The more time you spend promoting the more likely you will find the right options and preferred methods for communicating to the audience you want to reach.

Nonprofits need to adopt their means of communicating on the web.

Photo by Vmaurin

My brother has served the military his whole life and his dedication to his fellow members is of equal respect and to make a difference.  There have been many recent articles and web posts recently about who makes a better Community Organizer.    While one of McCain’s daughter said that no family that comes close to being the military family they are, I would remind her of the families that had every male in their family die for the USA.  I would remind her of the thousands of individual’s whom support the troops no matter where they are station.  I kind of think it will cause a back last since it seems to be an Elitist attitude.  Germany, Japan, Korea, Kosovo and Iraq are four of examples where the military was the Community organizer and built the foundations of their societies of which many function today.

Community Organizers are inclusive not considered Mavericks because Mavericks are loners. The term Community Organizer is about working together, building coalitions and lastly structure.  I am unaware of a historical impact of a Maverick.  However, I am aware of many Community Organizers becoming part of history in making Change.

Do not forget that Socrates was one of the greatest promoters of “Question Authority”.    Community Organizers and Mavericks are both great at questioning authority but only one consistently produces results and shares the honor with all.

Nonprofits are organizing the efforts in communities across America where those whom have served return to provide the support they deserve even if government has not been fulfilling the job.  Community Organizing is not about money but about making a difference in the community in which the effort is being made.  Sometimes the effort is across the country and sometimes it is in one neighborhood.

Take a moment as people debate the issue to honor the efforts in the community you serve.  Nonprofits and individuals need to not be afraid to go in harms way and serve.

Photo by Tojosan

The Safe Harbor 401(k) is a type of 401(k) plan that waives compliance testing requirements.  Best of all, establishing a Safe Harbor plan does not cost any more than a regular plan.

What is compliance testing?

Compliance testing (also known as discrimination testing) ensures that you don’t establish a plan that treats your employees unequally. That means that your highly compensated employees can’t contribute significantly more than your other employees. This is a worry for smaller businesses who have an unequal numbers of highly compensated vs. non-highly compensated employees.

So what’s in it for the employer?

• You ensure success with the plan administration by automatically passing the discrimination test
• You can deduct employer contributions from taxes as a business expense.
• You enhance your benefits package to reward current employees.
• You can take advantage of this as a recruiting tool for new talent.

What’s in it for the employees?

• Employees receive either a contribution of 3% of their compensation on their behalf or a generous matching contribution
• You can decide if highly compensated employees will receive the same match benefit.
• Highly compensated employees are able to deer the maximum dollar amount for the plan year, regardless of what the other employees defer.
• Both employee and employer contributions are pre-tax.
• Your mandatory employer contributions are 100% vested.
• Employee deferrals are always 100% vested.

This article comes to you from The Online 401(k), a provider of 401(k)s for small businesses. For more information or a free consultation on your 401(k) plan, contact John Wasiejko at jwasiejko@theonline401k.com or call us at 415.477.8800 xt 828.

Photo by baratunde

photo by abbyladybug

Photo by eightk

THE USA was establish by community organizers willing to give up their life.  I am proud to continue the tradition of caring about my community and being involved.

Two words that will for months be remembered as a turning point in activism; COMMUNITY ORGANIZER and UPPITY.  It is also become a time of real reflection of the role nonprofits.   Through out history where government has failed nonprofits have stepped forward.  Before nonprofits and today community organizing has been the bedrock of helping neighbors.  Katrina was the best recent example of individuals reaching out an organizing a solution.  I am willing to project that “Community Organizers”will be more visible as a solution.  This is an opportunity and time to feel proud that nonprofits are at the front line for change.  Do not let any person, especially government tell you that your work as a community leader is less worthy than a government work.

How expression in an emotional moment can offend people.  How the use of anger should be recognized as real.  It is important to note injustice is real on all sides.  The use of controversy that fuels discussion is good but if it is used to be divisive then it is a failure. During elections various factions or groups will go too far because the emotion of a cause is left unchecked.   So you might ask how does this effect the nonprofit I associate with? The faith base community is the most exposed to crossing the line.  Those working with elected officials are the next exposed.  The best way to avoid the problem is to make sure the education process to the community includes the elected officials.  Leave the names of a party or a candidate out of the content.Let the others make mistakes that you can take advantage of.

Individuals can Stand UP,Feel Proud, and make their voices known.

photo by olaf

photo by Spices of Life

I have discover an old way to save money so that I can pay for the extra cost of gas and still have the money to take the family out for miniature golf and dinner.  You can thank my six year old to remind me of the days of preserving food either via canning or freezing.

The key areas to save are to utilize fruits and vegetables that are in season and create the base or final product that you, your family or the organization use.  For instance a crate of tomatoes and the ingredients to make spaghetti sauce can be produced in one day of cooking and canning and save you lots of money for the following six months.  We use sauce a minimum of once a week and enjoy the savings each week.   A little trick I learned to help you busy folks.  Once you ground up the tomatoes put them in the Tupperware or similar container and set overnight in the refrigerator; the pulp will separate.  While it will require have less time to boiler out the water, it does decrease the amount of time to blend the favors.

When it comes to pesto, the olive oil and ingredients freeze real well.   Use the small containers that are about the 2-inch size. It does not take much to give you the taste you want.

Do not limit yourself to a vegetables current form.  My favorite is Zucchini Bread.  It freezes well after you make it.

Try freezing the fruits or making the jams and using them to add to your yogurt.  It is a whole lot cheaper to buy plain yogurt and add your own favors.  You never have to think about what is on sale.

Some of you might be thinking, wow this is time consuming.  You are wrong.  It is just enough of your time to prepare for a large dinner party but once it is over you have the fruits of your labor for months to come and the savings to show for it.  The reason canning works best is that it does not require storage in the refrigerator.  I estimated that base on our small family garden for four and buying at the farmers market in bulk and doing the canning and freezing that our family saves about 20 dollars at a minimum a week.  All it took was planning.  Getting the two boys to help was easy.

P.S. The child whom hates vegetables loves the pesto he helps to make.  He even likes spinach because it makes the cheese in the lasagna firmer.

Oh, do not forget that you know the food is healthy because you made it and it does not include all of the sodium and other ingredients you prefer to avoid.

How much could you save?  How valuable is money to you or your organization? Is saving $400 worth it?  Is saving $1,000 worth it?  What if an employee doing this you could use the money their savings for retirement?  What if the employee could use that money to save for their child’s college fund?  What if an employee could use that money to buy pampers for their infant?  What if your organization could save thousands of dollars each year, teach individuals the skill to maximize their dollar on food costs and use that money to cover the increase in fuel costs?  What if possibilities do not have to be a dream?   Make a plan, implement it and watch the dreams become reality.

photo by McMorr

Nonprofits can create beauty from a dumpy house.

Photo by Scott Ableman

Now is the time for just about any faith base organization and nonprofit to get into the housing market.  It is time to identify the housing needs of the individuals you serve and create affordable housing options for them.  There are numerous neighborhoods in each state in which there are properties that are run down, foreclosed or in blighted areas.  Make a plan to utilize your resources and make a difference to meet the housing needs of individuals.  You will find that you will find that there will be a mixture of needs.  Affordable housing means that the costs of ones housing whether they own or rent will be within 30-40% of the individual/family income.

Identify the housing needs of those you serve.
Identify the housing needs of the staff you employ.
Identify the housing needs of the geographic communities you serve.

Identify the income means of those you serve.
Identify the income means of the staff you employ.
Identify the income means of the geographic communities you serve.

Create a priority list of the targeted geographic areas.
Create a priority list of the targeted individuals.

Identify the internal resources the organization can bring to the initiative.
Identify the community resources the organization can bring to the initiative.  (i.e. Colleges and other organization to participate)
Identify the individual resources the organization can bring to the initiative.

I close with one FACTOR NOT TO REPEAT.  Do not replicate the response to Katrina.  Over five thousand people are still displaced.  But maybe that also shows a different approach is necessary for some organizations in that area.