Standards for Excellence

Protect the Charitable Giving Incentive

Today we sent letters to all 10 members of Maryland’s congressional delegation to raise the concerns of charitable nonprofits in Maryland as the 115th Congress considers comprehensive federal tax reform. Multiple elements of the Internal Revenue Code affect the...

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Getting Grant Ready: Technology Considerations for Your Financial Systems

  Guest Blog by Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman Partners, Jennifer Arminger , CPA and Ian Schuman, CPA  Fundraising and development activities are not only critical to the success of any nonprofit; donors and grant makers are demanding more...

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Make a New Year’s Resolution to Strengthen Your Nonprofit

By Amy Coates Madsen, Director, Standards for Excellence Institute Happy New Year! There are so many things that mark the beginning of the calendar year for me. Choosing or designing a new calendar, enjoying the holiday decorations for a few more...

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Kick Dull, Boring Annual Reports To The Curb

Guest Blog by Alizah Epstein, Chief Creative Officer, Epstein Creative Group  THE END OF THE YEAR IS FAST APPROACHING, and if you’re like some fellow nonprofits, you may be scrambling around to compile that dreaded annual report. But before you...

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Keeping It Simple: How to Go Short with Your Nonprofit’s Annual Report

Guest Blog by Alizah Epstein, Chief Creative Officer, Epstein Creative Group    When many of us in the nonprofit sector think of creating an annual report, the words long, boring and complicated come to mind. While they’re not legally required for...

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Overtime Requirements for Nonprofits

  Employers in the U.S. are subject to a dual system of federal and state laws and regulations that apply in the workplace. Federal and state regulations largely overlap and often ‘interconnect,’ but where they vary, compliance with the more stringent standards...

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Five Opportunities for Nonprofits in a Trump Administration

By Heather Iliff, President & CEO of Maryland Nonprofits   One of the biggest strengths of nonprofit organizations is that we are non-partisan, and can create a space for community problem-solving that is not muddled by political conflict.  Nonprofit...

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Need a Brand Overhaul? Don’t Just Skim the Surface, Plunge Deep

Guest Blog by Gayle Carney and Kate Purcell, Pulse Forward At Pulse Forward, we hardly ever help organizations with neatly packaged answers to the questions we’ve proposed. That’s why we’re equipped to meet you wherever you are on your “organizational...

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How to Get Started with Social Media

Guest Blog from Cate Cannavino, Redstart Creative Social Media has quickly taken the place of various forms of traditional marketing, headlining digital marketing plans across diverse industries. Using social media effectively is an important component of...

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BPW Adopts Governor’s Proposed Mid-Year Budget Cuts

In response to reduced revenue projections, last week the Hogan Administration proposed over $82.3 million in reductions to general fund appropriations in the current (FY17) budget. These reductions were approved today (Nov. 2) by the State Board of Public Works. Just...

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