CT Historical Society Kicks off Community History Tour 2014

Connecticut residents with an opinion on how the state – and its local communities - can best celebrate Connecticut’s history are being given an opportunity to share their views by the Connecticut Historical Society (CHS), which has launched Community History Tour 2014 in an effort to build deeper relationships with local communities throughout the state.

CHS is conducting nine regional town hall-style discussions, hosted by local organizations, with the public and area organizations with an interest in history encouraged to participate. With an active heritage organization in nearly every one of the state's 169 towns, the CHS has aspirations to build stronger bridges with local Connecticut residents throughout the state.

The purpose of the listening tour is to engage local organizations and residents in a broad statewide conversation exploring how to celebrate the state’s history in ways that are relevant to today’s audiences.

The sessions kicked-off on February 11 at the Stanley-Whitman House in Farmington, and the next session will be on Monday, March 3 in Hartford at CHS.  It will be followed by open meetings in New Haven, Willimantic, Fairfield, Greenwich, Waterbury, Old Lyme and Litchfield over the next two months.

"Connecticut is a state rich in history," says Jody Blankenship, director at CHS, "and we know people like to experience history in different ways. We want to better understand how the state's communities feel about that. Do they want to see more or less of it? How do they want to see that happen, and how can we help? We're ready for a no-holds-barred conversation."

The Connecticut Historical Society is a private, not-for-profit museum, library, research and educational center. The organization’s mission is to inspire and foster a life-long interest in history through exhibitions, programs, and Connecticut-related collections.  The CHS website notes that “improving knowledge of the past enhances understanding of the present and the ability to meet the challenges of the future.”

Founded in 1825, the Connecticut Historical Society houses an extensive and comprehensive Connecticut-related collection of manuscripts, printed material, artifacts and images that document social, cultural, and family history.  It is located in Hartford.

"Our goal is to better understand what makes each community special and how the history of that town or area is integrated into the Connecticut fabric. The best way to do that is ask those who are passionate to tell us," Blankenship added.

Community History Tour 2014 Dates and Locations: (All meetings occur at 4:30pm, unless otherwise indicated.)

February 11: Stanley-Whitman House, Farmington March 3: Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford March 10: New Haven Museum, New Haven March 15: Windham Textile Museum, Willimantic, 11:00am March 31: Fairfield Museum, Fairfield April 7: Greenwich Historical Society, Greenwich April 8: Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury April 15: Florence Griswold Museum, Old Lyme April 21: Litchfield Historical Society, Litchfield

Museum Retailers Headed to Hartford for National Conference

What do Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Chicago and Hartford have in common?  Each has been selected to serve as host for the Museum Store Association’s annual Retail Conference & Expo.  Hartford will have the honors in 2015, having just been selected by the association’s site selection committee for their 60th Annual event.

The four-day conference, to be held at the Connecticut Convention Center April 17-20, 2015,  is expected to bring in 900 participants downtown, representing over 500 museums, other cultural institutions, and companies with products and services of interest to the museum store industry. Officials anticipate 1,130 room nights and 360 peak nights will be booked by attendees next spring.

It is the only conference and expo specifically created for retailers at museums, historic sites, botanic gardens, aquariums, zoos, libraries and more. The annual show provides a valuable opportunity for members of the association to network, learn and source vendors and products to complement their institutional collections.

Among the 11 institutions and nine vendors that are Hartford-area members of the association are the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Connecticut Historical Society Museum & Library, Harriet Beecher Stowe House, New Britain Museum of American Art and Friends of Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum.

The Museum Store Association (MSA) is bringing its annual conference to the Northeast for the first time in more than a decade.  They met in Philadelphia in 2003.  Given the number of members and vendor affiliates on the East Coast - and especially in the northeast - the organization’s  leadership determined it was time to head east. Within an 11-state region in the Northeast, there are more than 200 institutions and 100 industry vendors that are members of MSA.

Stacey Stachow, President of the Board of Directors of MSA and Manager of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum Shop, was especially pleased with the choice. “Connecticut has so much to offer with its rich cultural history, so many museums and things to do that relate to our members.”

It is expected that a Hartford-based committee will help plan activities that will involve the local members of MSA. Those plans will likely include educational sessions, networking events, tours to local museums, historical sites and other institutions of interest, and the organiation’s membership meeting and silent auction.

In selecting Hartford, MSA officials cited the convenience of travel, affordability, cultural institutions in and close to the city, and Hartford’s “pedestrian-friendly” layout as factors in the selection process.  Having a 4-star hotel interconnected with a modern Convention Center was also a plus.

MSA is a nonprofit, international association organized to advance the success of museum retail professionals. By encouraging high standards of professionalism, MSA helps cultural commerce professionals better serve their organizations. MSA also is focused on helping increase awareness about museum stores as unique shopping destinations for tourists and cultural travelers. The event features hundreds of booths showcasing the unique items for museum store and MSA-represented institutional buyers.

Jama Rice, MBA, CAE, Executive Director/CEO at MSA, reflected about the site-selection for the 2015 program: “I’d attended a conference in Hartford years back, and found it to be both charming and intimate.” Ms. Rice, who joined MSA in 2013, continued, “The area offers so many advantages from a rich museum culture to close proximity to both New York and Boston, a convenience for that concentration of institutional members and vendor affiliates across the Northeast. It’s also easily accessible to those traveling from across the country or coming in from overseas.” 

“We are excited to host the Museum Store Association for their 60th Annual Retail Conference & Expo next April,” stated Michael Costelli, General Manager for the Connecticut Convention Center. “The program will utilize much of the meeting and exhibit space at the Center and we are confident attendees will appreciate the countless cultural attractions located right here in Hartford.”

Although this year’s conference in Houston is still months away, the MSA has already begun to promote next year’s event, highlighting Hartford on the organization’s website: “As the fourth-largest city in Connecticut, Hartford is not only home to the state’s capital, but it is the birthplace of the Boys & Girls Club, the first FM station to begin broadcasting in the world and President Theodore Roosevelt’s first automobile ride. An 18-square-mile city, Hartford is home to 125,000 residents, world-class dining, international cultural attractions and award-winning entertainment venues.”

Connecticut Talks Issues at Forums, Conferences Across State

The Connecticut legislature, now underway for 2014, is not the only place for conversation on key issues impacting Connecticut.  A range of news organizations, nonprofits, associations and community-based groups are sponsoring forums, summits and sessions to better-inform the public and bring interest and attention to specific issues.  Among them:

February 10  - Hartford’s Edgy Arts, Mark Twain House & Museum

The Hartford area attracts an array of creative people from actors to musicians, poets to painters.  What is it that so draws artists?  What to they need to flourish here?  A discussion of the creative economy, in the Capitol City.  Refreshments at 5:30; panel discussion at 6:15.  Advance articles published in The Hartford Courant; a program of Hartford Young Professionals & Entrepreneurs (HYPE), FOX Connecticut and The Hartford Courant.

February 20 - Pay-for-Success Informational Conference, Legislative Office Building

National leaders from the emerging field of Pay for Success will be speaking, with a focus on three key elements: 1) Offering high-quality preventative services; 2) Requiring rigorous measurement of results; and 3) Capturing savings or avoided costs. The 2014 Pay-for-Success (PFS) Informational Conference, 10:00-12:30 PM, will offer interested stakeholders the chance to discuss the field with leaders from around the country, while hearing about projects underway in the areas of early childhood, juvenile recidivism, health care and workforce development.  Sponsoring organizations include BlumShapiro, Connecticut Institute for the 21^st Century, Capitol Region Council of Governments, Connecticut Center for Social Innovation, Community Impact Strategies Ltd, and Connecticut Association for Human Services.

February 24 -  The Knowledge Economy; Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, CT Mirror, Quinnipiac University

Connecticut is home to almost 50 colleges and universities and has created an industry in surrounding towns and cities. What is expected as we continue into the 21st Century? Join the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges and The Connecticut Mirror in the lively discussion, "The Knowledge Economy," on Monday, Feb. 24 , from 7-9 p.m., in the auditorium at the Quinnipiac University Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine. This event is free and open to the public. No registration is necessary.  Panelists include Sal Filardi - Vice President, Facilities & Capital Planning, Quinnipiac University; Rich Jacob - Vice President for Federal and State Relations, Yale University; Todd Andrews - Vice President for Economic & Strategic Development, Goodwin College and Jeff Seemann - Vice President for Research, UCONN.

February 26 - Vital Voices in Entrepreneurship, Goodwin College

A special speaker series focused on the first-hand perspectives of leaders making a mark in business and the community. The next event at Goodwin College's Community Room on February 26 will feature Stew Leonard, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer of the unique, family-owned and operated farm fresh stores, Stew Leonard's. The keynote address will commence at 6:00 p.m., preceded by a networking reception at 5:00 p.m. with wine, beer and hors d'oeuvres.

February 28 – Retrofitting Our Towns:  Can We Add Density, Affordability and Walk-ability to Help Municipalities Survive…And Thrive?  The Lyceum, Hartford

Can suburbs and smaller towns reshape and respond to the demographic, economic and lifestyle pressures of the 21^st Century?  One of the nation’s leading experts – Lynn Richards of the EPA Office of Smart Growth – assesses four Connecticut municipalities and offers lessons for all the others.  Program 9:00-111:00 AM.  Sponsored by the Connecticut Main Street Center, Partnership for Strong Communities and the American Planning Association - Connecticut.

March  7  - An Honest Look at Mental Illness, Connecticut Forum, The Bushnell

The Connecticut Forum presents a conversation about perceptions, realities, and what it’s like to work and live with the stigma of mental illness.  Panelists include journalist and mental health advocate Andrew Solomon, Dr. Hank Schwartz, Chief of Psychiatry at Hartford’s Institute of Living, former NBA player Royce White and bipolar disorder authority Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison.   Founded in 1992, The Connecticut Forum is a one-of-a-kind 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving Connecticut and beyond with live, unscripted panel discussions among renowned experts and celebrities, and community outreach programs including the award-winning Connecticut Youth Forum.

March 14 – Hartford Business Journal Municipal Collaboration Summit, Goodwin College

An opportunity to learn about the benefits of collaboration which save money and leverage the purchases and agreements for towns.  The event will highlight people that are already implementing positive changes.   Panel discussions, workshops and Q&A with key leaders and a panel of experts.

March 26 - Student Debt and Financial Aid: What (if anything) can we do?, Southern Connecticut State University

Sponsored by the Center for Higher Education Retention Excellence, 9AM-3PM, at Southern Connecticut State University, featuring Sandy Baum, Research Professor of Education at the George Washington School of Education and Human Development and Senior Fellow at the Urban Institute, and  panel of Connecticut financial aid directors (representing a public university, community college and private college) and a student panel.  Registration now available; limit 75 attendees.

Hartford as Global City: Immigrant Civic Engagement Initiative Gains Recognition

Hartford is quite an international city, a melting pot of cultures and backgrounds that most assume is the exclusive province of major metropolitan areas such as New York and Boston.  But in language, nation of origin, and cultural traditions, virtually every corner of the globe is represented in Connecticut’s Capitol City, and its surrounding communities.

In fact, Hartford is a popular resettlement city, with about 25 percent of the city’s population recent immigrants.  To respond to the significant need among the various immigrant communities for assistance and guidance in navigating language barriers and cultural differences and more fully integrating into their new home community, a partnership of Hartford-based organizations stepped up in a way that has proven quite effective, and is gaining national recognition.

The Hartford Public Library received funding in 2010 for an Immigrant Civic Engagement Project through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), to develop a comprehensive program to promote immigrant civic engagement.  The initiative had two goals:

• Facilitate the transition of newly arrived immigrants into the community and build trusting relationships of mutual understanding between new and longtime residents

• Engage established immigrants in civic integration and facilitate their involvement in broader community building efforts

At the annual conference of the international Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA), hosted recently by Hartford and held at the Connecticut Convention Center, the leaders of the ground-breaking Hartford partnership were called upon to lead a session to outline their work for those who may seek to emulate it in other communities across the country.

Among the presenters was Richard Frieder, Director of Community Development & Civic Engagement within the Cultural Affairs & Public Programming Department and Center for Civic Engagement of the Hartford Public Library.  Frieder was joined by Homa Naficy, Chief Adult Learning Officer and Nancy Caddigan, Intercultural Liaison of the Hartford Public Library, and Kyle Barrette and Rebecca Thomas of the UConn School of Social Work.

Innovative Approaches, Impactful Outcomes

Their session, called “Innovative Approaches to Community Development in a Challenging Economy and Changing Society,” was well-received by conference participant from across the country.  They focused on “effectiveness, evaluation and programs,” outlining what was done and why – and how it all worked.

• They described an effort that engages immigrants and “receiving” community members, social service providers and other immigrant advocates, highlighting the importance of building networks of trusting relationships.
• The initiative provided an opportunity to address immigrant voices isolated from the mainstream, respond to language and economic barriers, and address the lack of engagement in community and civic associations.
• The program featured “cultural navigators” – some of them bilingual - and community dialogues – held at the Library’s American Place - all aimed at improving the immigrant experience in Hartford.

Most of all, it created bonds between existing members of the community – many of them retired teachers and social workers who volunteered to be “cultural navigators” – and immigrants looking to adjust to their new land.

New connections were developed between city officials, organizations and service providers to the immigrant and refugee community, and both the immigrant community and receiving community became engaged in community building.  There was also outreach to churches, community centers and other neighborhood organizations.

Over three hundred people were involved across all activities of the three year project.

The outcomes were substantial, and included the development of strong relationships, an increased awareness of immigrant issues, integration of immigrant and refugee families within their local communities, and increased social capital for immigrant as well as receiving communities.  In addition, action teams focused on new community projects, municipal and organizational investment in immigrant and refugee issues was enhanced, and a City Commission on Immigrant Affairs was established.

UConn School of Social Work students, as part of the grant-funded initiative, served as program evaluators, maintaining a rigorous evaluation of outcomes, and an audit trail of activities so that the entire project could be replicated.

At the end of the day, organizers hope that the program has effectively “changed the way that people think about immigrants – and the Capitol City.”  Hartford is a global community.  And it has produced a program that can help immigrants here and elsewhere to settle in and excel.

Nonprofit Seeks Support for STEM Mentoring Initiative Focused on Women, Underserved

It is, after all, National Mentoring Month.  It makes perfect sense, therefore, for a fledgling Connecticut-based nonprofit devoted to mentoring young women and students of color to increase their presence in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math) to launch a fundraising initiative.

ManyMentors, a nonprofit that promotes peer mentoring to increase the interest, pursuit and attainment of STEM degrees among underrepresented students, has kicked-off an Indiegogo crowdraising campaign aimed at supporting the development of “the world’s first mobile mentoring app and complementary online platform,” according to the campaign’s website. 

Online contributions will also support the ongoing outreach and advocacy activities of ManyMentors in Connecticut, and support outreach activities planned for establishment of student chapters at universities nationwide.  The fundraising initiative runs through February 10, 2014.

The organization’s website notes that “of the 20 fastest growing occupations projected for 2014, 15 of them require significant mathematics or science preparation.”  The nonprofit hopes to “make STEM mentoring more mainstream among middle and high school students, college and graduate students, as well as working professional.”  As their slogan emphasizes, “If they never know, they will never go!”

Keshia Ashe, co-founder and CEO of ManyMentors, gave a well-received TEDx talk in Springfield, MA last fall about the important role of mentors and role models to encourage our young people to pursue degrees and careers in STEM. Keshia Ashe is a University of Virginia alumna, and current Ph.D. candidate in Chemical Engineering at the University of Connecticut. Since the age of 11 she has been actively involved in several youth-serving groups and advisory boards, and has had many opportunities to travel nationally and internationally as a speaker and trainer.

The ManyMentors program primarily serves middle and high school students located in the state of Connecticut. The organization currently implements onsite mentoring opportunities with local community partners, and is piloting the mobile mentoring with a select number of mentor/mentee pairs.  Supporting organizations of ManyMentors include the CBIA Education Foundation, Granville Academy of Waterbury, and CPEP (Catalysts Powering Educational Performance).

Tiffany St. Bernard, the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of ManyMentors, is a University of Connecticut alumna, and current Ph.D. student in Genetics at Cornell University. She is passionate about ManyMentors because she has experienced first-hand the positive benefits of having many mentors guide her through academic life, beginning during her years at Tunxis Community College.

Using social networking, ManyMentors aims to connect students from a wide variety of academic and ethic backgrounds with the hopes that these relationships will stimulate, sustain, and support students’ interest in, pursuit, and attainment of STEM degrees.

Among the upcoming activities ManyMentors is sponsoring this year are a series of “STEMinars” at UConn, beginning in February, aimed at “Preparing Tomorrow's Female STEM workforce, Today.”  The sessions are designed to “increase awareness of female STEM workplace issues by being exposed to female STEM professionals who will discuss topics such as career placement basics, salary and promotions, communication, creating support groups, being culturally aware, finding a work/life balance, and appreciating the value of staying true to oneself in male-dominated fields.”

ManyMentors is moving forward with three central efforts:

• Creating partnerships between K-12 students, institutions of higher education and STEM professionals to stimulate and sustain student interest in the STEM fields.
• Selecting college mentors with a vested interest in sharing their best advice, wisdom, and insight to support the academic, professional, and cultural development of their mentees.
• Providing ongoing trainings for mentors to share best practices and cultivate a community of STEMentors.

 Photo:  Keshia Ashe (left) and Tiffany St. Bernard

Task Force Report on State Response to Alzheimer’s Nears Completion

Thirty-one states have published a plan to respond to what advocates describe as the “escalating crisis” of Alzheimer’s Disease. Connecticut may be next, and is one of 13 states currently in the midst of developing plans.

The Connecticut Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association was among the leaders in crafting and shepherding legislation in the 2013 General Assembly session to create a task force to study the care provided to persons diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and dementia in the state.  That Task Force has been up and running throughout the fall, and is poised to announce its recommendations next month, just ahead of the start of the 2014 legislative session in February.

The 23-member task force of key agencies and community stakeholders convened in September, under the auspices of the Legislative Commission on Aging, to prepare findings and recommendations on ways to improve early detection, better coordinate health care services, set training requirements for health care providers and other professionals, services for early-stage and younger onset, and support to family caregivers.

The Task Force was co-chaired by State Commissioner on Aging Edith Prague and Rep. Joseph Serra of Middletown.  Members included Laurie Julian of the Alzheimer’s Association in Connecticut and other diverse community stakeholders appointed by legislative leadership and representatives from state agencies including the Department of Public Health, Department of Emergency Services, Department of Banking, Department of Labor and Department of Social Services, as well as six current legislators.

Over 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, and as many as 16 million will have the disease in 2050. Nearly one in every three seniors who dies each year has Alzheimer’s or another dementia. The cost of caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias is estimated to total $203 billion in 2013, increasing to $1.2 trillion (in today’s dollars) by mid-century. Between 2000 and 2010, nationally, the number of people who died as a result of breast cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, stroke and HIV all declined, while the number of people who died with Alzheimer’s increased by 68 percent.

In Connecticut, there were 820 deaths due to Alzheimer’s Disease in 2010, there are more than 63,000 individuals with Alzheimer’s in nursing homes in the state and it is estimated that 68% of nursing home residents have a cognitive impairment. As of 2010, there were an estimated 2,800 people between age 65-74 with Alzheimer’s in Connecticut, 30,000 between 75 and 84, and 37,000 age 85 or older.

The task force, in accordance with the legislation, will make recommendations in areas including:

• services provided to persons diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and dementia; including persons with early-state and early-onset of Alzheimer's disease, and such persons' family members and caregivers
• legislative policy changes to better serve such persons, family members and caregivers;
• coordination between state agencies and private community-based health care providers to serve such persons, family members and caregivers;
• case management services for such persons, family members and caregivers;
• the transition of such persons from one health care facility to another; and
• the placement of such persons in community-based settings or health care facilities other than nursing home facilities, when feasible.

The state legislature acknowledged the growing numbers of residents impacted by the disease, passing the bill unanimously earlier this year, with 67 co-sponsors. It was signed into law in June by Gov. Malloy.  The Alzheimer’s Association has been actively involved in the effort. The organization’s   Connecticut chapter is based in Rocky Hill, with regional offices in Hamden, Norwalk, Norwich and New Milford.

In accordance with the legislation, the task force report is due to be published early next month, according to officials at the State Legislative Commission on Aging.

Hartford Hospital Will Devote Annual Fundraiser to Mental Health

The call to action regarding mental health awareness and treatment, which intensified in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School murders a year ago, now has a strong local voice for the New Year.  Hartford Hospital is kicking off a campaign to end the stigma of mental illness at the annual Black & Red Gala on January 25, 2014 at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford. The goal is to obtain 5,000 pledges, spreading the message that changing attitudes can begin to change minds.

Proceeds raised at this year’s Black &Red will benefit the Institute of Living (IOL) at Hartford Hospital. The IOL will be better able to respond to this national call to action with improved access to mental health care for adolescents and young adults –a critical need not only in Connecticut, but throughout the nation. Support will help carry out critically needed research, offer increased services and treatments, and provide much needed education to those impacted by mental illness.

An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about one in four adults — suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. In addition, mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and Canada. Many people suffer from more than one mental disorder at a given time.

Mental health stigma can be divided into two distinct types, according to the Hartford Hospital website:

• social stigma is characterized by prejudicial attitudes and discriminating behavior directed towards individuals with mental health problems as a result of the psychiatric label they have been given.
• perceived stigma or self-stigma, is the internalizing by the mental health sufferer of their perceptions of discrimination and perceived stigma can significantly affect feelings of shame and lead to poorer treatment outcomes.

The annual gala – Hartford Hospital's lead fundraising event - will feature entertainment by Barenaked Ladies, winner of two American Billboard Music Awards and two Grammy nominations.

Individuals attending the event will be asked to sign a “pledge” to...

• Show compassion by reaching out to those in need of help. I will not let anyone suffer in silence.
• Have the courage to speak up and challenge stereotypes and attitudes. I will not tolerate or perpetuate stigma.
• Teach by sharing my own experiences with mental illness and encouraging others to share their stories with me. I will learn in order to change.
• Demand a change in how we view and address mental illness. I will help lead the way.

The pledge, and additional information about mental illness and the Hartford Hospital initiative, is now available on a new webpage on the Hospital’s website, at www.stopthestigma.org   Individuals do not need to attend the event in order to sign the pledge – that can be accomplished directly on the website.

 “We will be looking to our employees of Hartford Hospital and across the Hartford HealthCare system to take the pledge. As a healthcare leader in the community and the state, it is our duty to set the example and stop the stigma associated with mental illness. Together, we can do it,” said Stuart Markowitz, M.D., President Hartford Hospital and Hartford Region, Senior Vice President Hartford HealthCare.

Harold (Hank) Schwartz, M.D., Hartford HealthCare Regional Vice President, Psychiatrist in Chief, Institute of Living at Hartford Hospital, says for some people, a mental illness may be a lifelong condition, like diabetes. “However, as with diabetes, proper treatment enables many people with a mental illness to lead fulfilling and productive lives. By helping combat the stigma associated with mental illness, we can help increase the number of people that seek treatment.”

Examples of common mental illnesses include bipolar disorder, depression, PTSD, schizophrenia, OCD, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, ADD/ADHD, autism and Asperger’s.  CT by the Numbers has previously reported on research underway at the Institute of Living.

A year ago, over $1,000,000 in net proceeds was raised at the Black & Red gala for Hartford Hospital’s transplant services.

Nonprofits Nationally Suffer From Late Government Payments, CT Tackling Issue

Connecticut is one of eight states that has begun to respond to a serious problem facing nonprofit organizations in a time of tight budgets and reductions in state funding:  late payments and duplicative requirements by government agencies.  A new report from the Urban Institute says the problem – which grew more serious during the recession – may be easing somewhat, but still has a way to go.

The 57-page report, “Nonprofit-Government Contracts and Grants:  Findings from the 2013 National Survey,” indicated that “Joint government-nonprofit working groups in Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Texas are tackling issues, such as duplicative documents and audits and late payments, with the goal of improving government processes and the ability of nonprofits to win and successfully implement contract and grant requirements.”

The data, according to the report, is “a sobering reminder that human service nonprofits are continuing to wait extended periods of time for payments.”  The national survey indicates that 22 percent of nonprofits received payments 61-90 days late from local governments, 24 percent from state governments and 20 percent from the federal government – all increases from 2009 survey data.  The number of nonprofits experiencing late payments of more than 90 day dropped slightly for local and state government payments, but grew slightly for federal government payments.

The Urban Institute report outlined a series of recommendations for governments and nonprofits to improve systematic relationships; state-by-state data is due to be released next month.

A 22-member Connecticut panel appointed by Gov. Dannel Malloy, in a report issued last fall, found that “some state agencies do not pay contractors in a timely manner consistent with agreed upon timeframes and thereby create additional hardship and costs of borrowing for nonprofit service providers.”

The group recommended that “the State of Connecticut adopt Principles to Guide the State-Private Nonprofit Provider Partnership, intended to promote a fair, effective, responsive, transparent and accountable partnership between nonprofit providers and their state government funders.” It also called for revisions to the state’s procurement standards, streamlining data gathering, and “payment rates that cover the true cost of services.”

Nationally, nearly half of organizations reported that they experienced limitations on the percentage of government funds that could be used for program and organization administration costs. Approximately one-quarter of organizations with a contract indicated that they had to share in the cost of the contract and one-half of grantees said they had a matching requirement associated with a grant.

Reflecting the fiscal challenges faced by nonprofits, the report found that “more than 40 percent of respondents turned to their reserves to make ends meet and about 25 percent of nonprofits reduced the number of employees on their payroll. About 14 percent of organizations reduced the number of clients served and almost 11 percent cut programs.”  In addition, 21 percent of respondents nationwide said their experience with government contracts and grants was worse than in the previous year, while 6 percent said it had improved.

The report concluded that “all types of nonprofits reported problems with late and insufficient payments, complex and burdensome application and reporting processes, and changes made to contracts and grants after they have been approved.”

Late payments have the biggest impact on human-service and health organizations, which receive the lion’s share f all government spending on nonprofits, the Chronicle of Philanthropy reported. Overall, the national study found that:

• government agencies entered into approximately 350,000 contracts and grants with about 56,000 nonprofit organizations;
• on average, nonprofits have six contracts and/or grants per organization; the median is three; and
• governments paid $137 billion to nonprofit organizations for services (in 2012)

The Urban Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy research and educational organization that examines the social, economic, and governance problems facing the nation.

Nonprofits See Tangible Benefits from Leadership Greater Hartford’s Quest Program

Four Hartford-based nonprofit organizations have received a boost from some of the region’s up-and-coming leaders participating in the flagship program of  Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH).  The Hartford Consortium for Higher Education, Oak Hill School, CountMeIn! Hartford and GreenShare Technology saw rising and established leaders from diverse career backgrounds - corporate, government, small business, academia and nonprofit – work on key projects as part of the Quest program.  It is the most recognized community-based leadership development program for professionals working throughout the Greater Hartford region, a landmark initiative of LGH for more than three decades.

The 11-month program kicks off with an orientation and retreat in January and ends with November class presentations and commencement. Workshops throughout the program focus on learning about one’s own leadership personality, participatory decision- making, effective group dynamics and leadership practices, including change leadership. The field experiences allow participants to meet the area’s key players and organizations, better understand the region’s assets and challenges, and gain a greater understanding of creative problem solving while leveraging limited resources.

Central to the Quest program is the community service component, a collaborative team project working alongside various nonprofits in the Hartford region. Through real world community projects, Quest participants work in teams and learn the tools and insights needed to become collaborative leaders. The four community-based projects tackled by the 2013 Quest participants, now completed, included:

Working with the Hartford Consortium for Higher Education (HCHE) to create a media device that would tell the story of the Career Beginnings program, which connects Hartford-area high schools, businesses, volunteers/mentors and parents in a coordinated effort to increase the percentage of Hartford teenagers who graduate from high school, pursue higher education and fulfill career goals.

One of the Quest project groups created a magnificent 25-page booklet – which has now been produced by HCHE and is being distributed to interested parties throughout the region - that effectively tells the story of the students who are a part of the Career Beginnings program.  They presented the publication to stakeholders of Career Beginnings at an event held at the Artist Collective.

 Working on the project were Brenda de los Reyes (Corporation for Independent Living), Diana Marsh (United Healthcare), Cara Farrrell (Women’s Health USA), Teresa Nieves (Village for Families and Children), Shawnee Baldwin (Archdiocese of Hartford), Lisa Galinski (Wild Heart Coaching), Brenda Pabon (Aetna), Vivek Mukherjee (OptumHealth), Karen Bernard (retired; Dept. of Correction), William Tarinelli, Jr. (Travelers), Alice Ferguson (HIV/AIDS Commission) and Shazia Chaudry (Alzheimer’s Resource Center). They coordinated with Martin Estey, a Quest 2012 participant, the executive director of HCHE. 

Working with Oak Hill School on a new, all abilities/inclusive wellness facility that is being built in Bristol, a second Quest group was charged with developing aspects of a recruitment plan for members and staff for the wellness facility.  They produced a video montage for marketing and a recruitment plan for staff and facility members.  The group worked with a 2012 Quest graduate, Leslie Sanborn.  The wellness center is projected to open in late 2014 or early 2015.

The participants in the projected included Bob Bourett (ConnectiCare), Pat Sebring (Imagineers), Kent Limson (Phoenix), Alex Cuevas (Stone Academy), Neville Brooks (Hartford Police), Leilany Rivera (Harc Inc.), Jim Mindek (UConn), Chris Baker (American Red Cross), Anne Hayes (Travelers), Casey Bandarra (Eastern Connecticut State University), Mel Camacho (United Way of Central and Northeast CT), and Dan Wenner (Day Pitney).

CountMeIn! Hartford is a new, local think tank whose mission is to provide thought leadership for individuals who want to turn an idea into an organization.  The third Quest group – anxious to help start an endeavor from scratch – set out to provide organizational structure.  The group focused on marketing, strategic relationships, board development and fundraising, breaking into subcommittees to develop a document with plans outlined in each of these areas.  They worked with Scott Orsey, a Quest 2009 participant , who is leading CountMeIn! Hartford.

The project team included Betty Ann Grady (Hartford Foundation for Public Giving), Aliza Finn-Welch (Junior League of Hartford), Mike Fritz (Shipman and Goodwin), Lee Hameroff (Goodwin College), Dartanion Reed (Hartford Arts Center), Jay Arcata (Halloran & Sage), Lindsay Ryan (Ryan Marketing Partners), Jas Millette (CT1 Media), Mick Connors (CCMC), Kiran Panati (OptumHealth) and Christian Sager (Travelers).

The fourth Quest group shared a passion for closing the digital divide for residents of Hartford, and worked with GreenShare Technology, a social enterprise and one of the first reSET Social Enterprise Trust projects, now operating in Hartford.  The organization refurbishes computers and then sells them to organizations that might not otherwise be able to afford computers.  The group developed and held a fundraising event which raised sufficient funds to purchase six refurbished computers that could then be donated to area nonprofits that the group had visited as part of their Quest program.

Working on the GreenShare Technology project were James McLaughlin (Murtha Cullina), Corey Fleming (Hartford Public Library), Jessica Gagliano (Lincoln Financial Group), Anthony DeSalvo (Travelers), James McLoughlin (Hartford Fire Department), Rasheed Ali (Phoenix), Christopher Pagano (Travelers), Jennifer Carrier (CRCOG), Matthew Wallace (CCMC), Dalyn Delgado (CNG) and Kim McPherson-Shiffrin (OptumHealth).

 Photo: Leadership Greater Hartford's 2013 Quest class

Charities Receive Record-Setting Contributions from Travelers Championship

Charitable organizations associated with the Travelers Championship, Connecticut's only PGA TOUR event, were well-served in 2013 - the event generated a record $1,253,000 for 180 charities throughout the region.

It is the largest annual amount the tournament has given since Travelers became title sponsor in 2007, helped in part by 2013 winner Ken Duke who made a personal donation of $25,000 during the tournament’s closing ceremonies following his playoff win in June.

The Travelers Championship donates 100 percent of net proceeds to charity and offers a variety of fundraising programs that allow for community involvement. Duke, who won his first PGA TOUR event at the 2013 Travelers Championship, attended last week’s announcement at The Bushnell, where Travelers recognized his generosity by donating an additional $10,000 to the charity of his choice.

Hundreds of organizations have benefited from the charitable giving of the Travelers Championship, most notably The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. Founded in 1988 by Paul Newman, the Camp is dedicated to providing "a different kind of healing" to children and their families coping with cancer, sickle cell anemia and other serious illnesses. Through summer sessions and family weekends at the Camp in Ashford, Conn., and year-round outreach to hospitals and clinics across the Northeast, the Camp serves more than 20,000 children and family members annually. All services are provided free of charge.

The 2013 Travelers Championship benefited 180 charities through hundreds of thousands of dollars raised in the Birdies for Charity pledge-based fundraiser and the Chip In for Charity ticket-sales fundraiser. Additionally, the Travelers Championship raised awareness and funds for local charities through a variety of special events like the Birdies for the Brave Golf Outing, BlumShapiro 5K for Charity, Premier Limo First Tee Classic, Military Appreciation presented by Saint Francis Care, Golf Digest Junior Pro-Am, Northstar Wealth Partners Celebrity Mini Golf Tournament, Women's Day presented by Travelers, Powerstation Events Concert Series, and the LEGO® Children's Charity Golf Tournament.

Since 2007, the tournament has generated more than $7 million for charity, bringing the total giving since 1952 to more than $31 million.  For the fifth consecutive year, CohnReznick was the presenting sponsor of Birdies for Charity, by supporting administration of the program and contributing to a bonus fund for the charities that raised the most money. New this year, the bonus bucks pool increased from $15,000 to $50,000 to be distributed among qualifying nonprofits.

 "We are thrilled to be giving more than $1 million to charity for the fifth consecutive year, which wouldn't have been possible without the sponsors, volunteers and fans who support our event," said Travelers Championship Tournament Director Nathan Grube. "This record donation is a testament to the support the community gives in making our tournament one of the top sporting events in the Northeast. As we look ahead to 2014, we encourage everyone to continue to show their support."

Preparation has already begun for the 2014 Travelers Championship, which will be held from June 16 to 22 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell. More information is available at www.TravelersChampionship.com