I recently attended a national conference of professionals in the field of Independent Living. I showed up in my mask and wore it most of the time, but I still felt the unspoken peer pressure of, hey, most are NOT
Have Your Internal Controls Survived Covid?
by John Heveron Your staff may have shrunk, and work may be both remote and on-site. So, how have your internal controls survived these changes? See how you match up against this list of best practices. Make sure that your
Changes Coming for QuickBooks
Contributed by John Heveron Starting with the 2022 version, QuickBooks is being sold by annual subscription only. They still have a local version as well as QuickBooks Online (which is what QuickBooks prefers to sell). If you choose to purchase
System Advocacy or System Change?
Advocacy is defined in our regulations, in 45 CFR 1329.4: Advocacy means pleading an individual’s cause or speaking or writing in support of an individual. To the extent permitted by State law or the rules of the agency before which
What advocacy IS allowed with federal funds?
Let’s be clear right up front. The core service of individual and systems advocacy is a driving force at the heart of the Independent Living Movement. Advocacy has the power to change lives, communities, states, and nations. Major disability legislation
Advocacy and Lobbying – a review of the FAQ from ACL
Below is the FAQ from ACL on Lobbying and Advocacy. Next week we will dig deeper into what we CAN do with federal funds, or how to find other funds to pursue lobbying when it is essential to our mission.
Have you submitted your letter of assurance for the Public Health Workforce funding? Due February 25 (updated)!
In November, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that ACL would receive $150 million to expand the public health workforce within underserved communities including the aging and disability networks. Funding will be awarded to 11 grantee networks, including Centers for Independent Living
Strategic planning: own your process, own your future
Your center is required to have a three year financial and program plan*, and you report on that in your annual Program Performance Report. It isn’t called a strategic plan in the requirements, and you have a lot of flexibility
Tools for board self-assessment
The Maine Association of Nonprofits has perfectly summed up the critical importance of regular self-assessments for boards: A strong, vibrant board of directors is a clear indicator of a healthy organization. Yet even the best organizations need a periodic check-up
Board self-assessment – a tool for your board to take it to the next level
This past couple of years have been out-of-the-ordinary. Or maybe have presented us with a new normal (or most probably some of both). Either way, the board as well as the management of your center have had to navigate new