Today's Giving, Issue 4

The New HomelessCompetition, lack of affordable housing intensify homelessness in spite of healthy N.D. economy

Ending Long-Term HomelessnessSpecial feature by Michael Carbone, Executive Director, N.D Coalition for Homeless People

Effective Corporate

GivingQ & A with Matthew Mohr

also…Hunting for a new organization | fundraising strategies | domestic Violence PreVention

Volume 1, Issue 4

Winter 2010

2 Today’s Giving Winter 2010 Winter 2010 Today’s Giving 3

Volume 1, Issue 4

Winter 2010

4 FromOurReaders

5 FromtheFounders

6 NorthDakotaPromotesPhilanthropyThroughLegislation

10 UniformPrudentManagementofInstitutionalFundsAct(UPMIFA)

SpecialfeaturebyBriannaJ.McAleer

14 EndingLong-TermHomelessness SpecialfeaturebyMichaelCarbone

16 EffectiveCorporateGivingQ&AWithMatthewMohr

20 DomesticViolencePrevention

24 TheNewHomeless Competition,lackofaffordablehousingintensify

homelessnessinspiteofhealthyN.D.economy

34 HuntingForABetterOrganization

38 SocialMedia:FollowingtheRulesofEngagement

42 FundraisingStrategiesForANewYear

44 CalendarofEvents

46 NEW!IndustryBuzz

47 FacesofGiving

1407 1st Avenue North, Fargo, ND, 58102phone 701.364.4001 | fax 701.365.8118www.todaysgiving.com

PublisherToday’sGiving

Editors In ChiefShannonSchweigert,FounderLisaJackson,Founder

Managing EditorKateHenne

StaffKarlaTetreault

Graphic DesignMikeBiewer,Creative DirectorJamieFarmen,Production DesignDanNisbet,Production Design

Illustration & CartoonsSteveStark

Advertising Account ExecutiveLynnHanson,Lead SalesLisaJackson

PrintingUnited Printing, Bismarck, ND

Thank you to our grocery distributorsHugo’sHornbacher’sCentral MarketDan’s Supermarket

[email protected].

Distribution InformationToday’sGivingisavailablefreebypickupatmultipledistributionpointsthroughoutNorthDakota,westernMinnesota,andnortheasternSouthDakota.ForalistofoutletsthatprovideToday’sGiving,visitwww.todaysgiving.com.Ifyouneedmoreinformationaboutavailabilityinyourregionorwishtorequestanissuecopy,[email protected].

Subscription ServicesInadditiontofreepickupofToday’sGiving,youcanreceiveyourpersonalcopybyorderinganannualsubscriptionfor$19.95forfourissuesdeliveredtodirectlyyourhome,businessoragency.Contactsubscriptions@todaysgiving.comorvisittodaysgiving.com.

AdvertisingContactlynn@todaysgiving.comorLynnHansonat701.730.4570.

Article [email protected].

“Faces of Giving” Thissectionofeachissuewillrecognizethosewhogiveinuniqueways.Sendrecommendationstoinfo@todaysgiving.com.

ThemissionofToday’sGivingistoprovideinsight,inspiration,andknowledgeableguidancethatwillhelpindividuals,businesses,andagenciesmaximizetheirtimeandcontributionstomeettheiruniquegivinggoals.Today’sGivingisanindependentorganizationownedbyGivingPoint™andisnotaffiliatedwithspecificnonprofits.

©2010Allarticlesandcontentinthispublicationareundercopyrightandrightsarereserved.AnyuseorreproductionofthecontentisprohibitedwithoutwrittenpermissionfromGivingPoint™.Torequestreprintpermission,[email protected].

Somearticlesinthismagazinearesubmittedbyindependentauthorsandindustryspecialists.Therefore,theirviewsmayvaryandmaynotbethoseofthepublishers,Today’sGiving™orGivingPoint™.

“AbstractCloudyStockBackgroundTexture”,availableunderaCreativeCommonsAttribution2.0Genericlicense.2009,Backgroundsetc.

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Effective Corporate Giving

Q & A with

Matthew Mohr

Domestic Violence Prevention Success

Hunting for a Better Organization

Today’s Giving cover was a collaborationbetween local artists, organizations andbusinesses to visually show the transitionof homelessness into a bright future.Photography is by Ockhardt Photography,theconstructionphotoisprovidedbyLakeAgassiz Habitat for Humanity, the modelisTuckerLewisanddesignwasachievebyBiewerMediaLLC.

OckhardtPhotography108FrontStreetBarnesville,MN218.779.9021www.ockhardtphoto.com

LAHFHPOBox1022210N11thStreetMoorhead,MN56561-1022218.284.5253www.lakeagassizhabitat.org

BiewerMediaLLC.www.mikebiewer.com


Shannon Schweigert is a founding principal of GivingPoint (a fundraising consulting firm founded in 2007) and founder/co-editor in chief of Today’s Giving. He has 20 years experience as a fundraiser and financial advisor for organizations including: Jamestown College, Foster Klima & Co., EideBailly, LLP, and Impact Foundation. In addition to his professional work, Shannon serves on the board of directors for Wellspring for the World, a Fargo nonprofit that drills freshwater wells in Africa. He and his wife Holly have two children: Andrew, a freshman at the University of North Dakota, and Alison, a freshman at Fargo Shanley High School.

We continually hear from our read-ership on how a feature or tip in ourmagazinewasthedecidingfactorintheirtaking action and getting involved andsolvinganissue.Weattractengaged,in-novativereaders.Ourdistributionpointsoffer high traffic and visibility, yet westill take the time todistribute innichemarket places frequented by highly-engaged individuals. Our readers areyour customers, donors, volunteers andorganization’sleaders.FromeveryoneatToday’sGiving,happyholidays.Maytheseasonbeallyouwishittobe.

ShannonSchweigert,Co-EditorinChief

Shannon SchweigertCo-Founder,Today’s Giving

Itseemslikewe’realwaysupagainstsomething urgent that needs do-ing before we can find time to do

it. And there’s no time like the holidayseasonandtheonsetofanewyearthatmakesusconsciousofwhat’sleftundone,andhowit’s importanttoprioritizeandmakeimprovementsinourselves.Thisisaspecialtimeoftheyearonlyifwetaketimetoenjoywhat it ismeanttorepre-sent.Nomatteryourparticularfaith,theseasonrepresentshope,salvation,simplemiracles, and another chance to makepersonal improvementswe’vebeenput-tingoff.Takethetimetoenjoywhatthistimeoftheyearreallymeansanddirectthisyear’schangeinyoutowardstheim-provementofthelivesofthoseinneed.

Thisissue,wetakeanin-depthlookatcriticalissuesfacingourcommunitiesaswe explore transformative success andon-goingchallengesinthebattleagainsthomelessness and domestic violence.Learn how sportsmen and women arepassing along the heritage and valuesof the hunt to the next generation. Weshare with you philanthropy tips fromFargo businessman Matthew Mohr,bringyou the lateston legislative issuesand their impact on philanthropy andas always provide tools for you to useeveryday.

TheToday’sGivingfamilyiscelebratingamilestonewiththis issuemarkingourfirst year of publication. Creating eachissue has been a learning experience.

Deadlines and CommitmentsBy Shannon Schweigert, Co-Founder, Today’s Giving

We’ve endured deadlines, set prioritiesandhavecomethroughitallwithmanylessons learned. We’ve been honored topartnerwithexpertsinthephilanthropicfield who have shared their knowledgein our pages and we’ve enjoyed bring-ingyounewsoftremendousworkbeingdoneinthenonprofit industrybysomeveryspecialpeople.Wecontinuetoworkonalwaysimprovingourproductsothatisbestservesourreadersandthisregion.Thank you to our advertisers, subscrib-ers,distributionpartners,andourmanypick-upreadersforsupportingusinourfirstyear.Welookforwardtocontinuingtocountyouasamemberofthefamilyforyearstocome.

Inordertocontinueourmissionandprovide this publication to you, we askthatyouconsidersupportingitsproduc-tionbybecominganadvertiser,purchas-ing a subscription, or listing your non-profit or business in our Industry Buzzsection.MakeitpartofyourNewYear’sresolution, or consider it as a gift forfamily, friends,or themembersofyournonprofitboard.At just$19.95 for fourissues,it’stheperfectaffordableroadmapto becoming a better you. Learn moreaboutgettinginvolvedthrougheffectivevolunteering,boardmembership,orgiv-ing.Stayinformedonhowthenonprofitcommunity improves our region’s qual-ityoflife,who’smakingapositivediffer-ence in our communities and how youcanhelp.

From the FoundersFrom our readers

We welcome your letters or e-mail on any topic regarding the act of and need for giving, whether or not Today’s Giving has covered it directly in our quarterly magazine or on our web site online.Please send your feedback and comments to [email protected] or mail them to: Today’s Giving 1407 1st Ave North Fargo, ND 58104Our editors will select from the letters and messages that are received, and publish those that are most representative of the needs and opinions of our readers. We look forward to hearing from you!

HOPE LODGE – A HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR CANCER PATIENTS

ilyFoundation.Thiswasmatchedwithanother$5millionfromindividualdonations.ThelandwasprovidedbytheUniversityofMinnesotathroughtheMinnesotaMedicalFoundationandtheUniversity’sCancerCenter.

Dealingwithcancerisoftenalongandemotionalprocess.AtHopeLodge,patientsandtheircaregiversreceivesupportfromprofessionals, families, friends, and other cancer patients andcaregiverstohelpbuildandstrengthentheirhope.Thisprocessis a fundamental piece of the cancer journey. Hats off to theRichardM.SchulzeFamilyformakingHopeLodgeareality!

Darold D. Rath

Fargo, ND

Darold Rath is the former CEO of accounting firm EideBailly,LLP. His positive outlook throughout his on-going cancer battleiswell-knownandaninspirationtomany.Throughouthistreat-ment,hehascontinuedtofocusonhelpingothersthroughvolun-teerismatHopeLutheranChurchandWellspringfortheWorld.

FormoreinformationaboutHopeLodge:Website: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/subsite/hopelodge/index.aspTheRichardM.SchulzeFamilyACSHopeLodgeMinneapolis,MNPhone:612.238.7603SandraJ.SchulzeACSHopeLodgeRochester,MNPhone:507.529.HOPE

Whilebeingtreatedforrenalcellcarcinoma(kidneycancer)at theUniversityofMinnesota–FairviewHospital, IbecameawareofawonderfulfacilitysponsoredbytheAmericanCan-cerSociety.ThisfacilityiscalledtheRichardM.SchulzeFamily–AmericanCancerSocietyHopeLodge®.RichardM.SchulzeisthefounderandchairmanofBestBuystores.I’mwritingthisletter to Today’s Giving in hopes of spreading the word aboutthis wonderful resource available to cancer patients from ourregionwhomayalsobereceivingtreatmentthroughtheUni-versityofMinnesotaMedicalCenters.

HopeLodgeisabeautifulapartment-style,non-medicalfacil-ity,locatedaboutamileawayfromthemedicalcenter.ItoffersasenseofcommunityandcomforttocancerpatientswhomusttraveltotheTwinCitiesfortreatmentswhichtypicallyarenotfound in their local communities. It provides over 40 privateguestrooms,“freeofcharge”tocancerpatientsandtheircare-giverwhoresideatleast40milesfromHopeLodgeandareun-dergoingactivecancertreatment.Guestshavetheirownroomwhichhasaprivatebath,ishandicapaccessibleandhasawon-derfulkitchenarea.

Wehavemetmanypeoplewhousethisfacilityfromnorth-western Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Someofthesepeoplearethereforlongperiodsoftimehavingtreat-ments such as stem cell transplants, which generally requireastayofat least100daysnearthetreatmentfacility.Manyofthesepatients cannotafford themotel costs for this lengthoftime.TheRichardM.SchulzeFamilyAmericanCancerSocietyHopeLodge®willsavepatientsanestimated$2millioninhotelexpensesin2010.

ConstructionoftheHopeLodgewasacommunityeffortwitha$5millionchallengegrantfromtheRichardM.SchulzeFam-


north dakota Promotes Philanthropy through legislation By Shannon Schweigert, Today’s Giving

NorthDakotanscantakeadvantageofstateincometaxcreditsthatfewothersintheUnitedStatescan.Since2005,stateresidentshavebeenabletoparticipateinincometaxcreditsforplannedgifts.In2007thestate’sbusinessdonorsweregiventheopportunity toqualify for taxcreditsbasedupongifts toqualified

includeCcorporationsandpass-throughentitiessuchasScorporations,partnerships,andlimitedliabilitycompa-nies(LLCs).Trustsandestatesfilinganincometaxreturnarealsoeligible.Currently,banksarenoteligibleforthiscreditsincetheyaretaxedunderaseparatesectionoftheNorthDakotaCenturyCode.

Multiple Gift OppOrtunityThe$10,000annualmaximumtaxcreditforendowmentgiftsisdeterminedattheentitylevel,thereforeanindivid-ualowninganinterestinmultiple“pass-through”entitiesmayexceedthe$10,000limitontheirindividualreturn.Forexample,anowneroffoureligibleentitiesmaymakefour separate $25,000 endowment gifts (one from eachentity) for totalgiftsof$100,000,derivinga totalNorthDakotaincometaxcreditof$40,000whichisavailableintheyearofthegiftplusthree(3)carryforwardyears.Ascanbeseeninthisexample,thelawallowsforsomeverysignificantgiftandtaxplanningconsiderations.

readyinG nOnprOfits tO accept QualifyinG endOwMent GiftsThough many nonprofit organiza-tions operate quite well without thepresenceofanendowmentfund,theformation of a “qualifying” endow-mentbydefinitionunder theNorthDakota tax credit for endowmentsmay give an organization’s support-ers access to the tax incentives thatmay ultimately encourage them to-wards greater and more frequentgiving. Craig Johnson, CFRE; CPAofFargo,wasdirectlyinvolvedindraftingandpromotingboththeplanned-givingtaxcreditlegislationin2005andthe endowment credit bill in 2007. He and Fargo attor-neyRichardAndersonhavepreparedmodeldocumentstoassisttheirclientsinestablishingaqualifyingendow-ment. Johnson advises nonprofits to work with profes-sional counsel so that the fund’s governing documentsallowit toqualifyasa“permanent, irrevocable fund”asrequiredbythislaw.Andersonfurtherstressestheimpor-

tanceofdefiningthefundasatrueendowment,adding,“be certain that your fund is a ‘true endowment’ ratherthana‘quasi-endowment’fund.Clarifyingthetruenatureofyourfundwillavoidinstancesofdisqualifiedcontribu-tions.Itprotectsyourdonor’sinterestswhichiscriticalinanydonor/beneficiaryrelationship.”Atrueendowmentisonethatallowsonlytheendowment’searningstobespentand does not allow for invasion of principal; except inextremesituations.

enhanceMents prOpOsed fOr endOwMent credit

There isamovementunderway toamend theendow-mentcreditlawtoexpandparticipationtoincludefinan-cial institutions and individuals. The issue will be takenup during the 2011 legislative session. Financial institu-tions—whicharenoteligibleunderthecurrentlawthoughhistorically have been incredibly socially conscious andphilanthropic leaders of their respective communities—aretaxedunderaseparateprovisionoftheN.D.CenturyCodeandwerethereforeoriginallyexcluded.Changesbe-ingproposedforlegislativeconsiderationwouldextendto

financialinstitutionsthesameprovisionsasothereligiblebusinessentities,thoughitwouldbeaddressedspecifical-lyintheCodepertainingtobanktaxation.Provisionsthatwouldallowindividualstopartakeoftheendowmenttaxcreditarestillbeingfinalized,howeverwouldmostlike-ly include a minimum annual aggregate contribution toclaimthecredit.Forinstance,anindividualwhocontrib-utes a minimum of $5,000 to one nonprofit’s qualifyingendowmentfundwouldbeeligibleforthe40%($2,000)

The more nonprofits are prepared to accept gifts qualifying for the planned gift and endowment credit, the more their donors will benefit.– Craig Johnson, CFRE; CPA of Fargo

endowmentfunds.BothopportunitiesarebelievedtoexistinonlyahandfulofotherstatesincludingMontana,Iowa,andKentucky,andaretheresultoflegis-lationintendingtopromotegreatergivingtoNorthDakota’snonprofitentities.(See,NDCenturyCode57-38-01.21)

tax credits fOr planned GiftsAplannedgivingtaxcredit,originallyenactedin2005andenhancedin2007,allowsindividualtaxfilerstoclaimuptoa$10,000creditandjointtaxfilersuptoa$20,000creditforplannedgiftsmadetoqualifyingNorthDakotanon-profitorganizations.Theamountofthecreditiscomputedat40%ofthefed-eraldeductioncreatedbythegift.Thecreditmaybeclaimedintheyearofthegift,plusacarry-forwardperiodofthreeyears.Eligibleplannedgiftsinclude:varioustypesofcharitabletrusts,currentanddeferredcharitablegiftannuities,certainpaid-uplifeinsurancepolicies,pooledincomefundtrusts,andchari-tablelifeestateagreements.

endOwMent credit aiMed at nOrth dakOta “Business entities,” estates and trustsInanefforttoencouragegreatergivingtoendowmentfundsheldbyNorthDa-kotanonprofits,in2007thestatelegislatureenactedanewcreditforbusinessgiftstoqualifyingendowmentfunds.Thelawallowseligibleentitiestoqualifyfora40%stateincometaxcreditupto$10,000annually.Thus,eligiblegiftsupto$25,000willbringaboutthemaximumcredit.Eligibleentitiesunderthelaw


credit.Thegiftscouldbemadeinin-crements,($1,000x5)aslongastheaggregate equals or exceeds $5,000.The annual maximum credit for in-dividual tax filers would likely be$10,000, making the optimal aggre-gate gift $25,000 which is the sameforthebusinessentitycredit.

experts weiGh inJohnson is not discouraged by thestatistics reflecting a slow, steadyupswing in use of the credits, butbelieves it will take time until theseopportunities become part of theculture of North Dakota giving. “Ibelievestepsarebeingtakentopro-mote the benefits of the income taxcredits through articles and semi-nars,”statesJohnson.“themorenon-profits are prepared to accept giftsqualifying for the planned gift andendowment credit, the more theirdonorswillbenefit.”

Dana Schaar, Executive Directorof the North Dakota Association ofNonprofit Organizations (NDANO)echoes Johnson’s sentiments saying,“Expanded educational efforts toincrease knowledge of the endow-mentcreditarevital,particularlyfornonprofits and financial planners.NDANO is committed to helpingnonprofits learn more about thesetaxcreditsandhowtheycanusetheincentives to increase planned andendowment gifts to provide long-term support for their work.” Bothagreethatthediscussionmustbeginthrough informed nonprofits andadvise nonprofit executives to rou-tinelymeetwiththeirdonorsandthe

professionaladvisorcommunityaboutthebenefitsofanyneworexistingcharitabletaxlaws.

GordonBinekofBismarckStateCollegeFoundationbe-lievestheenhancementstotheendowmentcreditlawwillhelpattractmoreuse.“Itwillcreateagreaterawarenessofendowmentfundsoperatedbycharities.NorthDakotansareverypracticalpeoplewhenwehave theopportunitytoreduceourcostofagifttoafavoritecharitywe’rego-ingtotakeadvantageofthebenefit,”declaresBinek,whoissupportiveoftheefforttoincludeindividualdonorsintheendowmentcredit.Allowingindividualdonorstopar-ticipatehasconcernedsomenonprofitswhobelieveitwillforcetheirdonorstomakeachoicebetweenagifttotheannualfundforimmediateneeds,andagifttotheendow-ment where the greatest tax benefit lies. They have sug-gestedhigherminimumcontributions toqualify for thecreditsoastonotaffectannualgifts.Binekweighsinontheconcernadvising,“Some[donors]mayalternatetheirannualsupportofcharitiestotakeadvantageofthecredit.Charitieswillneedtorecognizethattheymaynotreceiveanothergiftfromthatdonorfortwoorthreeyears.Even-tually,theendowmentfundwillgrowenoughtogenerateannualdistributionswhichhelpsupportthecharity.”

Morediscussionontheenhancementswilllikelyensueas the bill winds its way through the legislative process.The issues surrounding the unique taxation of financialinstitutionswillundoubtedlybediscussed,aswilltheag-gregateminimumcontributionfromindividuals.Regard-lessof thespecifics in thefinaldraft,NorthDakotawillcontinue to be a national leader in creating incentivesfor charitable giving. The state’s donors, nonprofits, andthosebenefittingfromtheirgenerosityandmissioncanbegratefulfortheinsightshownbyourlegislators.

Totracktheprogressofthebill,visittheNorthDakotaLegislature website: www.legis.nd.gov or the NDANOwebsite:www.ndano.org.

Resources1StatisticscourtesyoftheNorthDakotaStateTaxDepartment

Quarter PageCenter for Innovation

BUSINESSREPORT

NORTH DAKOTA

ISSUE 8 - DECEMBER 2009

Date ________________________Approved _____________________

$

240k

200k

160k

120k

80k

40k

0k

2005 2006 2007 2008

These annual figures represent a cursory review of the history of usage and do not necessarily reflect only new contributions, but may reflect carryovers of unused credits from one year to another by the same taxpayer.

Number of Returns1520

51

62

C Corporation Income Tax Returns1

North Dakota Endowment Gift Income Tax Credit Usage1

North Dakota Planned Giving Credit Usage

North Dakota Endowment Credit Stats

TAXYEAR No.OFRETURNS TOTALCREDITS

2007 8 $23,920

2008 7 $22,968

TAXYEAR No.OFRETURNS TOTALCREDITS

2007 45 $110,189

2008 39 $57,493

A C corporation may only claim the endowment fund income tax credit. These figures do not neces-sarily reflect new contributions, but may reflect carryovers of unused credits from one year to another by the same taxpayer.

These figures represent a cursory review and do not reflect the number of contributions made. For example, a partnership may have made one contribution that earned a credit of $20,000, of which $2,000 was passed through to each of ten partners.


uniform Prudent management of institutional funds act (uPmifa)Special feature by Brianna J. McAleer, University of North Dakota law student

InApril2009,NorthDakotaadoptedtheUniformPrudentManagementofIn-stitutionalFundsAct(UPMIFA)toprovideguidanceandauthoritytochari-tableorganizationsonthemanagementandinvestmentoffunds,aswellastoimpose additional duties on those who manage and invest charitable funds.

decisionsbemade,“with thecareanordinarilyprudentpersoninalikepositionwouldexerciseundersimilarcir-cumstances.”Amanagershouldask,forexample,“Wouldsocietymeasurethischoiceasalegallyandmorallycor-rect investment given this set of circumstances that in-cludes themissionofmyorganization?”Anotherexam-ple:Consideraboardmemberwhoisalawyerandseesalegal issue involvingan investmentstrategy.That lawyerhas theduty tobeneficiariesof thecorporation tobringthatissuetolight.

In choosing whether to acquire or retain an asset, aninstitutionshouldconsideritsmission,currentprogram-ming,anddesiretocultivateadditionaldonations,inad-dition to factors that are more directly related to an as-set’spotentialasaninvestment.Thisleadstothefinaldutyworthmentioning:disposalofunsuitableassets.TheActincludesadutytoreviewthesuitabilityofretainingprop-erty contributed to the institution within a reasonableperiodoftimeaftertheinstitutionreceivestheproperty.However, this merely requires a decision, not a specificoutcome,suchassale.

Institutionsareencouragedtoquestionwhetherretain-inganunsuitableassetwillhelpengageadonor togiveagainwhenmakingthesedecisions.Whatmightbecon-sidered prudent spending or investment practices for afor-profit corporation is not alwaysprudentforanonprofitcorporation.

AllthedutiesandprovisionsoftheActapplytoallfundsheldbyanin-stitution, “regardless of whether theinstitution obtained the funds bygift or otherwise and regardless ofwhetherthefundsarerestricted.”

Theremainingsectionsof theActonlyapplytoendowedfundsthatarerestrictedthroughagift,whichmakesthisprovisionapplicabletoallcharitiesinNorthDakota—eventhesmallestwhotypicallydonothaveendowmentfunds.

2. Spending TheclearestdifferencebetweenspendingunderUMIFAUniformmanagementofInstitutional

FundsActandUPMIFAis thatUPMIFAdisregards thehistoricdollarvalue(HDV)provisionofUMIFA.UMIFApermittedexpenditureofappreciationandincome,ratherthanincomeonly,butdidnotpermitinstitutionstospendendowment funds below HDV. However, this often be-comesimpracticalorarguablyimprudent,becauseHDVfixesvaluationatanarbitrarypointintime.HDVmaybe-comemeaninglessovertimeandmaythereforebecomeaninadequateprotectionfor the fund iforganizationshaveanyincentivetomaximizeallowablespending.Addition-ally,ifthevalueofanendowmentfunddropsbelowHDV,thereisnoclearanswerinUMIFAonhowtodealwithan“underwaterfund.”UPMIFAallowsfor“prudent”expen-dituresevenonunderwaterfunds,becauseaninstitutioncanspendoraccumulateasmuchofanendowmentfundastheinstitutiondeterminesisprudentforthe“uses,bene-fits,purposes,anddurationforwhichtheendowmentfundisestablished.”

The prudence standard under spending outlines sev-eral factors that board members, trustees, directors andmanagersshouldconsiderinmakingdecisionsonexpen-ditures.Thesefactorsemphasizetheimportanceofdonorintent,asexpressedinagiftinstrument.Considerationofthe factors requires attention to the purposes of the in-stitutionandtheendowmentfund,economicconditions,

and present and reasonably anticipated resources of theinstitution.Adonormayprovidespecificinstructionsastotheappropriateusesforcontributedassets.Fiduciariesaddressed in the section on investment have the samemandatoryduties forprotectingdonor intent inregardstospendingofendowedassets.Itisagainrecommendedthataninstitutiondesignawrittenspendingpolicy.Ad-ditionally,itisrecommendedthatinstitutionsdesignwrit-

Brianna McAleer is a Moorhead, MN native who has successful work, education and volunteer experience in the nonprofit sector. She received her B.A. in Economics from The Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO and is currently attending the University of North Dakota, School of Law. She is serving as a member and president of the Public Interest Law Student Association, co-chair to the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program and Associate Editor of the North Dakota Law Review. During the summer of 2009, Brianna received a Public Interest Grant from the State Bar Association of North Dakota to research legislation involving the development of non-profit law.

Thesedutiesprovideadditionalprotectionforcharitiesandhelpensurethatcontributions are used wisely. To help readers better understand the Act,this article outlines three main parts of the act: investment, spending, andmodificationoffunds.

1. inveStmentPrevious acts held directors of nonprofits to nominal investmentstandardsbutrecognizedthattheorganizationswerecharitiesand

notfor-profitbusinesses.UnderUPMIFA,directors,boardmembers,andman-agerswillbeheldtothehigherstandardof“reasonablecare,”whichcallsformoreskillandcautioninhandlinginvestments.TheActlistsseveralguidancefactors which charities must follow in investment decisions and investmenttrackinginordertocomplywiththeAct.Charitiesshouldconsiderawritteninvestmentpolicy tooutlineprocessesbywhich investmentsarechosen,di-versifiedorchanged.Tocurbliability,corporationsmayoutsourceinvestmentservices,solongastheyregularlyreviewtheinvestmentstrategyandportfolio,anddonotpayexcessivefeesfortheservice.

UPMIFAmakescertaindutiesmandatory,includinginvestment“care”bydirectors,boardmembers,andmanagersoftheinstitution.Underthiscon-cept,donorintentexpressedinawrittengiftmustbefollowedwheninvestingthosefunds.Forexample,ifagiftisreceivedwithdonorinstructionsthat50%ofthefundsbeheldinanaccountnottoexceedariskratioofaspecificrate,thentheinvestmentofthosefundsmustfollowthespecifications.

The duty of care implies acting in good faith. It requires that investment

A manager should ask, for example, “Would society measure this choice as a legally and morally correct investment given this set of circumstances that includes the mission of my organization?”


tengiftacceptancepolicies to informdonorsabouthowtheircontributionwillbeinvestedandspent.

NorthDakotachosetoadopttherebuttablepresump-tion of imprudence clause. This clause allows the attor-neygeneraltoinvestigateormakeclaimsofimprudence

againstanyorganizationthatspendsmorethansevenper-centofthefairmarketvalueofthefund.Whileitmaybeprudenttospendmorethan7%,thisprovisioneliminatesconcern about excessive expenditure. Prudent spendingandinvestmentaretwoareasofUPMIFAthathavebeenupdatedtoincludespecialdutiesandliabilitiesofdirec-tors,managers,boardmembers,andtrusteesofnonprofitinstitutions.Thisissimplypermittingreleaseofarestric-tiononanendowmentfund,ifadonorisableandwillingtoconsent.Consentneedstobeinwriting.Thissituationmightarisewhentheoriginalideaforthefundhasn’tre-allycaughtonanditshavingahardtimegettingtoamini-muminvestmentamount(forexample,$10,000foranen-dowed,namedscholarship).AnotherpertinentportionoftheActisonmodificationofendowmentfunds.

3. modificationWhile an institution can pool endowmentfundsforpurposesofmodification,theymust

allbemaintainedandquestionedseparately.Therearetyp-icallythreewaystomodifyanendowmentfund,andonenewwayforinstitutionstomodifycertaintypesoffundswithoutgoingthroughtheexpenseofCypresordeviation.ItisinallofthecitationsBriannamakesofitbelow)inthecourtssystem.

Afinalwayforaninstitutiontoreleaseormodifyare-striction is according to Cy Pres principals but withoutcourtapproval if theamountof the institutional fund issmall and has been in existence for a long time. Thesefundsmusthavebeen in existence formore than twen-tyyearsandhavea totalvalueof less than$25,000.Thepurposeofthisprovisionistobalancetheneedsofanin-stitution to serve its charitable purposes efficiently withthe policy of enforcing donor intent. A nonprofit mustchangetherestrictioninamannerthatisinkeepingwiththeintentofthedonorandpurposeofthefund.Thein-stitutionmustnotifytheattorneygeneraloftheplannedmodificationandwait60daysbeforeproceeding.Theat-torneygeneralhasthistimetotakeactioniftheproposalseemsinappropriate.

The first way of modifying an endowment fund isthroughdonorrelease.Donorreleasepermitsthereleaseofarestrictiononagiftifthedonorconsents.Releasecan-notchangethebeneficiaryofthefundandadonorcannotdirectthepropertytoanotherusebythecharitybecause

thedonorhasnotretainedaninter-estinthefund.Fortaxandallotherintensivepurposes,thissectiondoesnotcreateapowerinthedonor.

Anotherwayofmodifyinganen-dowmentfundisthroughdeviation.Deviation may become necessarywhere unanticipated circumstancesarisebecauseofarestrictioninclud-edintheoriginaldonationorwhenarestriction impairs themanagementorinvestmentofthefund.Modifica-

tion of the restriction usually helps and permits the in-stitutiontocarryoutthedonor’spurposesinamoreef-fectivemanner.Typically,acourtwillmodifyrestrictionsbasedonthewayaninstitutionmanagesoradministersafundinamannerthatfurthersthepurposesofthefund.Thisprocessimplementsdonorintent.Thepurposeofthegiftisupheld,butdeviationchangestheprocessbywhichadonorhadintendedthattohappen.

AnothermeansofmodifyinganendowmentfundisbyCyPres.Thistoolauthorizesacourttomodifythepur-poseoftheinstitutionalfund,butisonlyapplicableiftherestrictioninquestionhasbecomeunlawful,impractica-ble,impossibletoachieve,orwasteful.Oneofthesetermsmustbeprovenbecause this is suchabroadpower thatallows courts to release, change the restriction, or per-mitthefundtobepaidouttoanotherinstitution.WhenconsideringCyPres,aninstitutionshouldrememberthecostsof attorneyandcourt feesand the fact that courtswill not change donor intent without sufficient facts tosupportthattherestrictionsare‘wasteful’andmusthavesome evidence of what the donor intended. UPMIFAmakes this a little easier for judges because it hints thatwastefulfundsareundesirableforinstitutionsanddonotprovideforbeneficiaries,whichissubjectivelywhateverydonorintends.

ThethreemainprovisionsofUPMIFAareinvestment,spending, and modification of funds. In many ways theActallowsnonprofitinstitutionsto“thinkbig”orrather,encourages understanding about what the organizationreallyneedsandthinkingaboutthebestwaytogetthere.In many ways it is also requiring more sophisticationfromnonprofitsbyprovidingamorespecificframeworkfornonprofitstoconsiderwhenacceptinggifts,spendingfunds, and investing funds. In the end, complying withsuggestionsoftheacttocreatepoliciesintheseareasandthenproperlyconsideringthosepolicieswhenmakingde-cisionsshouldactuallybenefittheorganization,itsclients,anditsdonors.

“The secret of true happiness? Always read the grant guidelines before you fill out the application!”

The three main provisions of UPMIFA are investment, spending, and modification of funds. In many ways the Act allows nonprofit institutions to “think big” or rather, encourages understanding about what the organization really needs and thinking about the best way to get there.


ending long-term HomelessnessSpecial feature by Michael Carbone,

Executive Director, North Dakota Coalition for Homeless People

NorthDakotahasastatewideTenYearPlantoEndLong-TermHomelessnessde-velopedbytheNorthDakotaInteragencyCouncilonHomelessness(NDICH).TheworkofNDICHwasfacilitatedbytheNorthDakotaCoalitionforHomelessPeople(NDCHP).Thestatewideplanispredicatedonregionalplansdeveloped

Michael Carbone is the Executive Director of the North Dakota Coalition for Homeless People (NDCHP), and is responsible for the state’s combined Continuum of Care grant application that provides funding for emergency, transitional and supportive housing. He also directs the state’s annual point-in-time count of homeless households and coordinates homeless services across the state. Carbone has contributed to Fargo’s 10-Year Plan to End Long Term Homelessness, and works with the ND Interagency Council on Homelessness to coordinate statewide 10-year-plan efforts. He serves on numerous boards to address homelessness and shelter needs in both North Dakota and western Minnesota. He was formerly the Executive Director for the Fargo Moorhead Coalition for Homeless Persons, and coordinator of the Clay-Wilkin (MN) Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program. Carbone holds a degree in political science from Minnesota State University in Moorhead. (MichaelCarbonecanbereachedatNorthDakotaCoalitionforHomelessPeopleinBismarck,701.258.2240,[email protected])

Additionally, external factors drive homelessness.Lack of affordable housing, low apartment vacancy rates(like those caused by the demand for workforce housingin N.D.), shortages of housing vouchers and an afford-ability gap make housing development difficult and re-quire interventions in the form of public awareness andpolicyreform.

We also need to know what works and what does not.Withoutaccuratedataandmeasurementsweareunsureofbestpractices.

Thereisnosingleentity,publicorprivate,thatcanprovidethehousing,supports,interventionsanddatasingle-hand-edly.Successrequiresacollectiveeffort.NDCHPprovidesa platform for that collective effort through a coalition ofserviceproviders.

Members include permanent and transitional housingproviders, mental health and chemical dependency ser-vices, domestic violence services, emergency shelter pro-viders, Community Action agencies, government entitieslikeplanningdepartmentsandlawenforcement,andotherstakeholders. Activities of NDCHP consist of writing andsubmittingthestate’scombinedgrantapplicationtoHUD’sContinuumofCarecompetitivegrantprocess,administer-ing the HUD mandated Homeless Management Informa-tionSystem(HMIS), conductinga statewideannualPointinTimeStudy.

TheContinuumofCareCompetitiveGrantisaHUDpro-cessthatbringsfundingintothestatefortheestablishmentand operations of permanent supportive housing. Cur-rently,NDCHPishelpingtoprovidefundingformorethan20 housing projects and has obtained over $15 million inHUDfunds.

Each January, NDCHP members attempt to locate andsurveyallhomelessinthestate.Participantsremainanony-mous,butsupplyvaluableinformationabouttheircircum-stances.Thisinformationidentifiestrends,tracksprogress,and formsprogramming.Thestudy iscomprehensive,butgroups like youth, veterans and those on Indian Reserva-tionscanbedifficulttocount.NDCHPbelievesthesegroupsareusuallyundercounted.This information isprovided toHUD, policy makers on state, local and federal levels andthemedia.

NDCHP works to ensure that housing development forthehomelessisinalignmentwiththestate’sTenYearPlanto End Long-Term Homelessness. Currently, NDCHPis working with the Corporation for Supportive Hous-ing and the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency(NDHFA) to develop a Supportive Housing Training In-

stitute thatwouldprovide training for agencies andhous-ing authorities to plan, develop, finance and operatesupportivehousing.

Theworkofendinglong-termhomelessnessiscurrentlybeing complicated by the shortage of workforce housingin thewesternpartof the state.Specialneedspopulationsand the booming workforce are being forced to competeforhousing.NDCHPisworkingwiththeHousingAllianceofNorthDakota(HAND)todevelopandproposeapolicythatbalancestheneedforworkforce,affordableandspecialneedshousing.HANDisdedicatedtothebroadanddiversehousingneedsthatexistinthestate

ThecooperativeeffortsofNDCHPanditsmembers,NDH-FA,NDICHandHANDgoalongwaytowardprovidingtheelementsneededtoendlong-termhomelessness.Thefinalpieceofthepuzzleispublicsupportintheformofpolicyre-formandfinancialresources.Donorswhowishtohelpinthefighttoendlong-termhomelessnesshavetheopportunitytosupport efforts tounderstandandmitigate theunderlyingcausesoflong-termhomelessnessbycontributingtoNDCHP.Theycanhelprelievethemiseryofhomelessnessbycontrib-utingtothesheltersandotherprogramsthatrepresentthecoalition’smembership.

People can help promote policy reform by contactingpolicymakersandlettingthemknowthatendinglong-termhomelessnessistheboththerightthingtodoandthesmartthingtodo.

throughoutthestaterepresentingacomprehensiveapproachtohousingpeoplewhohavebeenhomelessformorethanayearorfourtimesormorewithinthelastthreeyears.Whilethismayseemambitious,itisanachievablegoalifwefollowthebestpracticesandsupportivehousingdevelopmentasoutlined.

Anydiscussionabouthowtoendhomelessnessshouldbeginwiththequestion,“Whyendhomelessness?”Afterall,thecommonmisconceptionispeopleexperi-encinghomelessnesshavechosentheirownfates.Thisisnotaccurate.Peoplewhoappeartohavechosenhomelessnesshaveeitherchosennottoengageasystemthattheyfeelhasfailedthem,ortheydonothavetheskillsnecessarytonavigatethesocial systemsthatexist tohelp them.Thevastmajorityofpeoplewhoareconsidered long-term homeless are suffering from mental illness, chemical de-pendencyorsomeotherdisablingcondition.

Endinglong-termhomelessnessistherightthingtodo.Itisalsothesmartthingto do. Long-term homelessness is a chronic problem. Emergency services likeshelter,detox,policeandambulancecalls,foodpantriesandemergencyroomvis-itsareveryexpensiveandnotveryeffectivefortreatment.Permanentsupportivehousingisalesscostly,moreeffectiveandmorehumanewayofdealingwithlong-termhomelessness.StudiesfromOregonandNewYorkshowanaveragesystem-widesavingsof$16,000/yearforeachsupportivehousingunit.StatisticsfromasupportivehousingprojectforthechronicallyhomelessinFargoarebearingthatout.Thesavingsarenottheonlybenefit.Peoplearemorelikelytoaccessservices,maintainemploymentandreturntoproductivelivesiftheyarestablyhoused.

Long-term homelessness is a complex problem with a variety of contribut-ing factors: disabilities, race, domestic violence, lack of education or job train-ing, childcare, transportation, criminalbackground, credit issues,financial lit-eracy,veteran’sstatus,generationalpovertyandotherfactors.Theinterventionsrequire a continuum of services that is well-coordinated and designed to meetindividualneeds.

The work of ending long-term homelessness is currently being complicated by the shortage of workforce housing in the western part of the state.

16 Today’s Giving Winter 201016 Today’s Giving Winter 2010

Effective Corporate Giving Q & A With Matthew Mohr

totransitiontotheotherparentforavisitorstay,sothatthechilddoesn’tgetinvolvedinthemiddleofarguingor theconflict. It’sabitmoreobscure,butvaluable.

Also,takecarenottobaseyour“asks”ontheamountofbusinessyouoryouragencygivetothecorporation—it’snotapositiveapproach.Stayfocusedonthemission,andthedifferencethatthebusinesscanmakewithcontribu-tions.Considerextendinganinvitationforameetingorvisit toyour [organization].Also, it’s important to showyourappreciationforcontributions.We’vebeeninvolvedincontributionswherenothanksweregivenafterthefact.Recognitionisanimportantandeffectivewaytoshowap-preciation, especially when you can show how the con-tributormadeadifference.

QYou’ve helped ensure that Dacotah Paper Co., a long-time local business, continually gives back to the community. What challeng-es come with corporate giving decisions, and how do you go about those decisions?Tobeeffective,youhave tobelieve in themissionsof theorganizationsyougiveto,andgetinvolvedwiththemandtheirworkinthecommunity.Therearemanyrequestsmadeofwell-known,successfulbusinesses.Asacorporateleaderorboardmember,youhavetoprioritizemultiplerequestsandchoose.Focusonmissionsyoubelieveinandwhereyoufeelyoucanmakeadifference.

QWhat recommendations do you have for those who wish to approach businesses for money, time or in-kind contributions?First,whenlookingforcontributions,youneedtohaveawell-craftedandspe-cific“ask”tomakeofthecompanyorboard.Besureyoushowboththeneedfortherequestorserviceandhowitwillmakeadifferenceinthecommunity.Presentapersonalconnection,suchashowyouorsomeoneyouknowneedsand uses the service and how it has affected real-life situations. For health-relatedservicesandeducation,that’softeneasytoshow.Forotherservices,itcanbemoredifficult.Forexample,throughtheFargoKiwanisIlearnedofaservicecalled“RainbowBridge”whichprovidesasafeplacewhereparentswhoarewithincontentiousseparationprocessescanbringchildrenwhenit’stime

Subscribe Now!NevermissanissueofToday’sGivingmagazine.Signuptoreceivefourissuesayearfor$19.95sentdirectlytoyourmailbox.StaycurrentoninformationregardingphilanthropywithintheUpperMidwestregion.Today’sGivingisagreatresourceforindustrynewsandtrends,peopleoftheareachangingotherpeople’slives,nonprofitlistings,eventsandmuchmore!

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Editor’s note: Matthew Mohr is President and CEO of Dacotah Paper, a century-old business in Fargo that serves North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and parts of Iowa, Wisconsin and Montana. He holds degrees in economics and business from NDSU, and a Masters Degree from Purdue University. In addition to ensuring that Dacotah Paper con-tinues to give back to the greater community effectively, Mohr has personally served on numerous non-profit boards and committees including the Fargo Public Schools Founda-tion, the MeritCare Foundation Board, the State Historical Society of North Dakota, Fargo Kiwanis, and more. He is a philan-thropist and author, and writes occasional business and advice articles and has published several motivational and life-guidance books.

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fulfill their missions? How can nonprofits ensure they are best utilizing board members?Effective board members must getinvolvedwiththeorganization.Andagain,theymustbelieveintheorga-nization’s mission. Go to the boardmeetings, and take time to visit theorganization. Spend time learningabout and seeing their daily opera-tions. In addition to personally see-ing the outcome, by being involvedand visiting the organization, youcanthenprovideinformedguidance.If you truly believe in the organiza-tionand itsmission, it’snothard togetinvolved.Sometimesboardmem-bersdon’thaveordon’tmaketimetoattendboardmeetings,muchlesstovisittheagencyoritsoperations.Or-ganizations should consider settingpolicies for at least minimal board-

meeting attendance to help ensurethat members are engaged and in-formed. Reasonable involvementwill result in reasonable and moreeffectivecontributions.

QWhat do you feel are the smartest decisions you’ve made in respect to giving at both a corporate and personal level?Thosesituationsinvolvingacommit-menttosustainedgivinghaveprovedto be the most meaningful. For ex-ample, Dacotah Paper has been asupporteroftheAnneCarlsenCen-ter[Jamestown,ND]sinceitsincep-tion. Their long-time commitmentto supporting and educating peoplewith special needs has grown to berenownedandhasimprovedsomanylivesovermanyyears.[Editor’snote:The Anne Carlsen Center began asa care facility in Fargo and openedas a full-care center in Jamestownin1940.]Sustainedgivinggivesyouchancetoreallyhelpamissionalong.TrollwoodPerformingArtsSchoolisanotherexamplethatwe’vebeenin-volvedwithsinceitsearlydays.We’vebeenrewardedwithseeingandhelp-ing it mature into a long-term andvaluablecommunityasset.Sustainedgiving takes commitment, but yougettoseethegreatervalueovertime.It’srewardingtoseepositivegrowthandapparentchange.

giving money.” He knew the valueof involvement. I personally believethattimeisoftenmorevaluablethanmoney when it comes to contribu-tions.

QContributors of time and money should prioritize the recipient groups that display “best prac-tices” regarding use of those re-sources. What do you consider top best practices for agencies? It’sdifficulttobespecificaboutwhat“bestpractices”areforeveryagency,because there are so many differentcauses.Butyouneedtobeverysub-jectiveabouthowtheagencyspendsmoney and how your contributionswillbeused,makingsurethemoneyisgoingdirectlytowardtheagency’smission.Besuretheagencycanshowexactly what they do and how it’smakingadifference.1“Corinthian Column Head”, available under a Creative Commons CC-BY-SA 2.5 license. 2006, David Bjorgen

QWhat advice do you have for other business owners regarding charitable contributions?Long ago our company set a policythat our officers could not get di-rectlyinvolvedwithfundraising.Wewere well known within the com-munityandoftenaskedtoassistwithfundraising,buthadtofocusondo-ingbusiness.I’mhappytohelpmakeconnectionsandoffersupport,andofcoursemakedecisionsoncorporategiving.Butbeinginvolveddirectlyinfundraising,asacorporation,canbea tough issue. It of course dependson your [corporation’s] personalityandmission.

Chuck Bailey [founder of the ac-counting/consulting firm CharlesBaileyandCo,whichmergedin1998tobecomeEideBailey]wasafriendofmygrandfather’s,andalwaysveryinvolvedinthecommunity.Iremem-berheoncetoldme,“YouknowMat-thew,Ichosetogivealotofmytimewhenever I could, rather than only

QYou have served and continue serving on multiple nonprofit boards. What do you see as the most important talents, skills, and actions to help organizations

Martha Jane Friedrich knows the power of giving.“I think it’s important to give to the generations that come after me. And that’s why a gift to public television is so important.”

Martha Jane included her public broadcasting station in her will. Consider joining the community of people who want public media to span generations.

For more information about making a bequest to Prairie Public, or to request our free booklet, “How to Make a Will That Works,” please

contact Prairies Public’s director of development, Ann Clark, at 701-241-6900. www.prairiepublic.org


Changinglife-longviolentbehaviorisdifficult,butac-cordingtoHall-Jiranitismorelikelywhenoffendersareabletoreviewtheirbeliefsandroleintheworld.Theirvio-lenceisbaseduponthecontroltheyseek;treatmentoffersmorechoicestocontrolthemselvesandseekmoreposi-tivebehaviorinsituations.CVICconductedastudyof127offenderswhocompletedtheNewChoicesprogram.Thestudyreviewedtheparticipants’domesticviolence-relatedcriminalbehaviorforthetwoyearspriortoenteringtheprogram,andthentrackedtheirbehaviorforatwo-year

period followingcompletionof theprogram.Thestatis-ticswereveryencouraging,notingan85%drop in law-enforcementinvolvement,a91%dropincriminalchargesfiledagainstthestudyparticipants,anda96%dropinthenumberofprotectionordersfiledagainstmembersofthestudygroup.

NewChoicesisofferedina27-weekcurriculumaddress-ingninetopicsoverthree-weekperiods.Thethree-weekintervalsallowindividualstoentertheprogramatvariousstagesratherthanwaitingforthebeginningofanentirenewclassoffering.Offendersattendinclassesofupto12individualswithvaryingissuesandvaryingdegreesofvi-olenthistories.Demandfortheprogramisincreasing;158individualsparticipatedintheprogramin2009,and135

domestic Violence Prevention successBy Shannon Schweigert Today’s Giving

Thestatisticsarestartlingandshinealightontheglaringrealityoftheugly,oftenhiddentruthaboutdomesticvio-lenceinAmerica:Oneineveryfourwomenwillexperi-encedomesticviolenceinherlifetime1.Eighty-fivepercentofdomesticviolencevictimsarewomen2andanestimated1.3millionarevictimsofphysicalassaultbyanintimatepartnereachyear3.EverydayintheU.S.morethanthree

Beyond the immediate damage to physical and mentalhealthliethelong-termhealtheffectsforthevictimandfamily members—all of which has a personal as well asfinancialimpact.Womenvictimizedbydomesticviolenceare80%morelikelytosufferstrokes,70%morelikelytohaveheartdisease,60%more likely tohaveasthmaandmore likely to abuse alcohol.3 In a single day in 2008,16,458childrenwere living inadomesticviolence shel-terandanother6,430soughtservicesatanon-residentialprogram.5 Witnessing violence between one’s parents isthestrongestriskfactoroftransmittingviolentbehaviorfromonegenerationtothenext.6Boyswitnessingdomes-ticviolencearetwiceaslikelytobeoffendersthemselves.7Victimsofabuselosealmost8milliondaysofpaidworkannually,theequivalentof32,000full-timejobs.Thecostofdomesticviolenceexceeds$5.8billioneachyear,$4.1billionofwhich is fordirectmedical andmentalhealthservices.3

BreakinG the cycle with new chOicesVictiminterventionremainstheoverwhelmingpriorityatmostagenciesaddressingtheissueofdomesticviolence.But for Kristi Hall-Jiran, executive director of GrandFork’sCommunityViolenceInterventionCenter(CVIC),thereisaveryimportantsecondstepinthefightagainstabuse: prevention. “We realized that it’s going to take alot more than intervention services if we really want to

end the violence. We needto begin to address it at thesource,”Hall-Jiransays.Since1988 CVIC has offered ther-apyprogramming foroffend-ers, but in more recent yearsithasdevelopedanapproachthatcentersonmorecognitiverestructuringthantherapeutictreatment. The New Choicesprogram approaches the is-sue from the philosophy that

domesticabuse isachoice,and that theoffendermakesacognitivedecisiontoabuse—thereforetheabusermustmakeacognitivechoicetochangetheirpatternofabuse.

Jake drew this picture last year for CVIC’s child therapist to show her what a happy family looks like.

women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends;aboutone-thirdofallfemalehomicidevictimsarekilledbyanintimatepartner.4Thesearethestatisticsofwhatisreportedandmayonlyrepresentafractionofassaultsthatactually occur, because most cases of domestic violenceareneverreportedtopolice.Researchsuggeststhatonlyonequarterofalldomesticphysicalassaultsarereported.1

CVIC Executive Director Kristi Hall-Jiran


about discussing it when it occursandinterveningwhenseeingithap-pen.” Encouraged by the number ofmen getting involved in finding thesolution, she reminds us, “Thoughmost abusers are men, most menare not abusers.” With proven pre-

hadalreadydonesoin2010,throughAugust of this year. Many partici-pantsarecourtorderedintothepro-gram, but Hall-Jiran is encouragedbyafewindividualswhoarevolun-teeringtoparticipate.“Thevolunteerparticipanttrendisanimportantfirststep in our efforts to make offend-ers aware of the control over theirchoices they have. Choosing, ratherthan being ordered into the pro-gramisahugeadvantageandagreatbeginning to making healthy newchoices,”shesaid.

There are many reasons the pro-gramhashadsuccess,butHall-Jiranpoints specifically to what she be-lieves is the primary factor. “We’vehadtremendouscollaborationwith-inourcommunity.Thecourts,statesattorney’soffice,lawenforcement, and the community simply won’t toleratedomesticviolenceanymore.”Shebelievesthatattitudeiswhat led toCVICdevelopingaprogramthatdidn’t justtreat the symptoms of abuse, but got to the source of it

A number of men’s groups focused on promoting a change in the cul-ture of acceptance have emerged throughout the region reflecting a national trend of the leadership role men are taking to end domes-tic violence. For more information about these groups, please contact any of the organizations listed here.

Works Cited1Tjaden,Patricia&Thoennes,Nancy,NationalInstituteforJusticeandtheCentersofDiseaseControlandPrevention,“Extent,NatureandConsequencesofIntimatePartnerViolence:FindingsfromtheNationalViolenceAgainstWomenSurvey,”(2000)2BureauofJusticeStatisticsCrimeDataBrief,IntimatePartnerViolence,1993-2001,February,2003.3CostsofIntimatePartnerViolenceAgainstWomenintheUnitedStates,2003.CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,Atlanta,GA.

4FederalBureauofInvestigation,UniformCrimeReports,“CrimeintheUnitedStates,2000,”(2001).5TheNationalNetworktoEndDomesticViolence.2009.DomesticViolenceCounts2008:A24-hourCensusofDomesticViolenceSheltersandServices.6BreaktheCycle.(2006).StartlingStatistics.7Strauss,Gelles,andSmith,“PhysicalViolenceinAmericanFamilies:RiskFactorsandAdaptationstoViolence”in8,145Families.TransactionPublishers(1990).

Regional Men’s gRoups

to prevent its re-occurrence. “Slowly we’re changing theculture of acceptance and breaking down barriers thatcauseddomesticviolencetobethoughtofasafamilyis-sue rather than society’s problem. Men and women areworking together to solve the issue, being more open

vention success at CVIC, Hall-Ji-ran hopes others will be encour-aged to adopt more preventativeoffender treatment models. Shelooks forward to the day when thetraditional model, which is top-heavytowardsinterventionandlightonprevention,isinverted;greatlydi-minishingthenumberofvictimsandtheirsuffering.

Fargo – Red River Men’s Action Network

Rape and Abuse Crisis CenterPO Box 2984 Fargo, ND 58108-2984

Contact: Jamie Pfeifer 701.261.8937 [email protected]

Grand Forks – Grand Cities CARES (Communicate, Act, Respect, and Encourage)

Community Violence Intervention Center211 South Fourth Street Grand Forks, ND 58201701.746.0405 www.cviconline.orgJamestown

(Men’s Group Forming)

Safe ShelterP.O. Box 1934 Jamestown, ND 58402701.251.2300 888.353.7233

Bismarck – PULSE (People United in Living in Safe Environments)

Abused Adult Resource CenterPO Box 5003 Bismarck, ND 58502-5003

Contact: Nicole Weiss Program Director 701.222.8370

For more information on forming a men’s support network North Dakota Council on Abused Women’s Services – www.ndcaws.org

www.menstoppingviolence.org www.menagainstsexualviolence.org

Most children living in violent homes are afraid to talk about the violence and have told no one about what they’ve seen, which only augments their fear and confusion. CVIC’s Bright Futures Program provides them with an outlet to talk about the abuse, offering not only a safe environment, but also a non-threatening way to tell their story for the very first time, through the use of techniques such as art and sand tray therapy.

Become a foster or adoptive parent

Make a financial donation

PATH provides an array of family based services You can help in so many ways. 877-766-PATH

Families’ making the difference makes all the difference in the world.

Join the PATH to healthy families.

www.pathnd.orgNorth Dakota, Inc.


The Dakotas and western Minnesota by no means host the highest rate

of homeless in the United States. But for a large part of the year, they

host the coldest, most hostile weather. Yet on a single night in Jan. 2010,

more than 1,126 people in North Dakota were homeless.1 Most alarm-

ing is a growing trend: Despite boasts of one of the healthiest econo-

mies in the nation, North Dakota is seeing an increasing number of

homeless children.

chanGinG cOnditiOns exacerBate cOre causes Mental illness, substance abuse, do-mestic violence and poverty havelongbeenatthecoreofhomelessnessin America, and attitudes againsttheseissuesaredifficulttoovercome.Traditional municipal laws againstbehaviors such as loitering, sleep-ing in public places, and “begging”tend to punish and amplify stigmasattached to homelessness. In addi-tion, a widely-held stereotype of a

U.S.homelesspersonasasinglemaleadultwithsubstanceabuseormentalillnessraisesanobstacletoawarenessof the reality: roughly a third of to-day’sU.S.homelessarefamilies,oftenwithasinglefemaleparent.

Native Americans, new Ameri-cans, minorities and U.S. militaryveterans also make up an in-pro-portionate percentage of today’shomeless in North Dakota andwesternMinnesota.

the newHOMELESS

Competition, lack of affordable housing intensify homelessness in spite of healthy N.D. economy

While the underlying causes ofhomelessness remain consistent, it’simportant to remember that envi-ronmental,economicalandpoliticalconditions can not only aggravatebut even produce the core causes.Forexample,aneconomicrecessionresultinginlossofworkcanquicklybring a family to poverty. Seem-ingly endless mitigating factors ac-celerate deteriorating conditions: Asmaller food budget usually means

By Kate Henne, Today’s Giving


lesshealthyfood,whichinturncanresultinillhealthandhighhealthcarebills.Inadditiontoalowerincome,joblosscancausedepressionandstress,oftendirectlyresult-inginanincreaseindomesticviolenceand/orsubstanceabuse.

Carla Solem, West Central Minnesota Continuum ofCareCoordinator,saysthere’salsobeenarecentincreaseinyoungadultswhoarehomeless.Whilethecauseforthatrise is not yet documented, she suspects it’s also drivenbythestates’downeconomy.“Parentscan’taffordtohelpoutyoungadultswithhousingandothercostsasmuchastheyhaveinthepast,”shesaid.

Butthemostsurprisingcause-and-effectcircumstanceis currently driving a major homelessness situation inwesternNorthDakota:aboomingeconomydrivenbytheoilindustry.

the irOny Of an ecOnOMic BOOMInrecentyears,westernNorthDakotahasbuckednation-altrendsasincreasedoilproductionbroughtonaneco-nomicexplosion.Butthenegativeeffectshavebeenaston-ishing.Housinghasbecomeutterlyunaffordableforlowerincomefamilies.InDickinson,N.D.andsimilarcommu-nities, housing has become nearly impossible to find atanyprice.Thelureofhighwagesofferedbyoil-industry

workhasmadekeepingskilledstaffextremelydifficultforsmallerbusinessandagencies.

TheNorthDakotaContinuumofCare(CoC)networkfor homelessness is comprised of eight regions and ismanaged by the North Dakota Coalition for HomelessPeople.Dickinsonisthehubofthesouthwestregionandseat of the Southwest Homeless Coalition. The agency’schairpeople—Darianne Johnson,ExecutiveDirectorofDickinson’s Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Center,GloriaFichter-Rau,DirectServicesCoordinator,andCh-antelZeller,CoordinatorforIndependentLiving—sayanalready volatile housing environment has become evenworseinSeptember,andtheyexpectittocontinueaccel-eratingwiththeonsetofwinter.

While people in the region are generally extremelythankful for the healthy economy, the positive impacttends to mask underlying backlashes in housing afford-ability.“Thechangesinhousingarehappeningsofastthatallthenonprofitsassistingdisplacedpeoplearetrapped,”Johnsonsaid.Agenciesaresofocusedonurgentactiontohelpthoseaffectedthat“nooneisavailabletotaketimeorcomeintoassessandaddresstheoverallsituation.”

Johnsonaddedthatinadditiontoasurgeindemandforservices,community-actionagenciesareincreasinglybe-comingunderstaffedbecausethelureofhigherwagesintheoilindustryismakingitextremelydifficulttofindandkeepconsistentstaff.“It’sjustnotveryenticingtoworkatlowerwageswhenyoucangetpaidsomuchmoreelse-where,”shesaid.

Fichter-Rau said the elderly, who are often on set in-comes,arealsofeelinganextremeimpactashousingcostssoar.“Insomecasespeoplearehavingtochoosebetweenmedicationandrent,”shesaid.

Zeller added that a 2009 tornado destroyed a 36-unitlow-incomehousing facility inDickinson,adding to to-day’s severe shortage of affordable housing. In addition,dorms and housing for Dickinson State University stu-dentsareovercrowdedandbecomingunavailable,whichFichter-Raususpectsmayleadtostudentspostponingorcancelingeducation,whichisnotgoodfortheeconomylongterm.

Dickinson city Commissioner Carson Steiner says

Homelessness is indiscriminate. It doesn’t matter if you’re a baby or old, or what your current conditions are. Very few people are completely exempt from risk.– Carla Solem

West Central Minnesota Continuum of Care Coordinator

The following lists ways you can help agencies, whichprovidedirectservicestothehomeless.Theseideasareapplicableforindividuals,groups,andorganizations.

� Donatefurniture,clothing,bedding,towels,washcloths,andhouseholditemstolocalhomelesssheltersorthriftshops.

� Donatepersonalitems,cleaningsupplies,andfoodtolocalhomelessshelters.

� Donatemoneytolocalhomelessshelters.� Donateyourtalents,suchascarpentryskills,haircuts,daycare,etc.atalocalshelter.

� Offertospendtimeinthesheltersteachingtheindividualslivingthereanyspecialtalentsyoumayhave.

� Suggestthattheorganizationsyoubelongtodoafooddrive,clothingdrive,oranon-fooditemdriveforlocalfoodpantriesorshelters.Possibly,thatorganizationwoulddoafundraisingprojectforalocalpantryorshelter.

� Followthroughonatleastonespecialgifttoandfortheneedy.� CounteachlightyouusetodecoratethisChristmas.Givetencentsforeachlighttothehungerappeal.

� Give$1.00forevery“alternative”giftyoureceivethisChristmas.

� Donatefoodcertificatesorcouponstoalocalshelter.� Donateabagofbustokenstoashelterorschool.� Fastforonemealaweekanddonatetoafoodpantrywhatyouwouldhavespentonameal.

� Volunteeratasoupkitchenorhomelessshelter.� Setanextraplaceatyourtableasareminderofthe5millionchildrenwhogotobedhungryeverynight.

� Donate$1.00toaserviceagencyforeverypairofshoesyouown.

� Donatetoashelteritemsthatcannotbeboughtwithfoodstampssuchassoap,sanitarysupplies,paperproducts,diapers,shampoo.

� Learnabouthomelessnesssothatiftheissueisdiscussedyoucanprovideusefulinformationorresources.Respectthehomelessasindividuals.

� Whenapproachedbythehomeless,respondwithkindness,carryfast-foodcertificates,andknowwherethesheltersare.

� Getothersinvolved.Signupyourcompanyorschooltovolunteeratashelter,recruitlocalbusinesses,oremploythehomeless.

� Educateyourchildrenaboutthehomelesssotheycanteachtheirfriends,collecttoysandgamesfordonation,donateadmissionfeesforanevent,playwithchildreninashelter,andusebirthdaypartiestohelp.

Source: North Dakota Coalition for Homeless Peoplewebsite,www.ndhomelesscoalition.org


In percent of capita, Bismarckand Fargo are close contenders forhosting the most homeless. Butwhen including statistics from ad-joining Moorhead, Minnesota, theFargo/Moorhead area takes a clearlead. A Wilder Study on homeless-ness reported that Fargo/Moorheadin2009had763homelessandat-riskof homelessness persons (includingprecariouslyhoused).2InJan.2010,aContinuumofCaresurveyindicatedthatthepercentageswereasfollows:

� 27%ofhomelessmenweremilitaryveterans

� 14%ofhomelesswomenwerevictimsofdomesticabuse

� 26%ofallFMhomelesshadrecentlymovedtothearea

� 34%hadmedicalproblemsotherthanmentalillnessorsubstanceabuse

� 46%citedbadcreditasdrivingtheirhomelesssituation

livinG in precariOus hOusinGCountsofcurrenthomelessdon’tin-cludethegrowingnumberofthosein“precariouslyhoused”situations, in-cludingthosescrapingbyonmonth-to-monthpaychecksbarleycoveringrent or mortgages; those living insubstandard housing that may failor be condemned; and those livingin temporary arrangements such aswith friendsorextended families inovercrowdedconditions.

When housing becomes unavail-able or deteriorates, people livingin rural areas and native-American

the city has been looking for cre-ativeandlong-termsolutionstoad-dressing homelessness. “In today’spaper, there were seven columnsfor help wanted, which is good…people can find work. But on theother side of the page, there wereonly two ads for places for peopletolive.”

The city’s only homeless shelter iscombined with the Domestic Vio-lence and Rape Crisis Center, andwomen and children take priority.The shelter just can’t accommodateallhomelessneeds,Steinersaid,andcametothecityforhelp.

“Instead of just giving money forshelter—which would be a ‘band-aid’—thecityactuallypurchasedtwohomes we intend to use as tempo-rary housing for homeless familiesandalsofornewworkerscomingtothe area,” Steiner said. This wouldprovide transitional housing whilehomeless and new residents findmorepermanenthomes.

“Contractors are planning a 30-plus income-based housing unit toreplace the one we lost last year,”Steinersaid,aprojectthatZellersaidwouldbeveryimportantinaddress-ing the problem. “Contractors aredoingagoodjobbutbecausethingshavechangedsoquickly,it’sacatch-upgameforthecity.”Headdedthat,“We’re also looking to hire a cityplannertobetterprepareforchang-ing and increasing housing needs.Some of the developers rememberthata‘boom’wasfollowedbya‘bust’inthe80sandtheymightbehesitanttoinvestinmorehousing.Solidcity

planningandaplannercanhelpas-sureinvestorsofongoingneeds.”

MichaelCarbone,executivedirec-tor of North Dakota Coalition forHomeless People (NDCHP), saysthatashortageofaffordablehousingisindeedcurrentlythebiggesthous-ingproblemacrossthestate.Hesaidthat latest surveys indicate a recentdouble-digitincreaseinthepercent-age of homeless persons, and thatroughly 27% of the state’s homelessarechildren.

MetrO areas draw hOMelessWhileconditionsin“boomareas”ofwesternNorthDakotaaresurprising,alarmingandurgent,themetroareasof Bismarck and Fargo-Moorheadstillhostthelargestpercentofhome-less per capita according to the lastHUD“pointintime”countbyCon-tinuum of Care coordinators (Jan.2010). However, change is happen-ingso fast in thewesternregionsofNorthDakotathatNDCHPbelievescurrent homeless are undercountedthere. A volatile economy drawshomelesspersonstoareaswherere-sources and services are available.Dickinson’s Johnson says that be-causeof lackofhousing,agenciesattimes have had to help people relo-catetoothercities,usuallythemetroareasofBismarckandFargo.

Western Minnesota’s Solem saysthat Fargo-Moorhead employmentrates seem promising, but whenpeople relocate to thearea forworktheyfind thatwages just aren’thighenoughtomatchthecostsofrent.

reservations commonly share livingspace and often live in substandardhousing due to lack of rural codesor code enforcement, coupled withpersistent poverty in many ruraland tribal regions. Multiple familiesin a house often causes stress andfamily or friendship conflicts, lead-ing to increased domestic violence,

depression,andotherhealthissues.At the upper end of the “precari-

ously housed” population are thosefamilies who may be employed butstill cannot quite overcome the bar-riers to purchasing a home of theirown,andsoforfeitabigpartoftheirincome to monthly rent for what isoftensubstandardhousing.


Who are the homeless in North Dakota?A statewide January 27, 2010 Point-in-Time Survey of 1,126 Homeless

People indicated:

Theworldwideorganization“Hab-itatforHumanity”hasprovedtobeasuccessfulapproachtohelpingelimi-nate such situations. Shirley Dyk-shoornis theExecutiveDirectorforLake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity,which serves Fargo/Moorhead andsome other parts of the Red RiverValley.Dykshoornsaysthattherearemany misunderstandings about theorganization, including that it pro-videsfamilieswithfreehousingfromtaxdollars.

In fact, “families in the programmustmeet amonthlymortgage justlike any other homeowner,” Dyk-shoorn says. However, the programdoes provide assistance that helpslower the barriers to home owner-ship, such as an interest-free homeloan, credit assistance and coach-ing,andmaterialsandtimedonatedby volunteers to help keep buildingcosts low. “But to qualify, familiesmustbeready tocommit long-termto a partnership….they have to bereadyandwillingtotakeonthecostsand commitment of home owner-ship,”shesays.Theymustalsomeetincome guidelines and yet show aneedforassistance.

Dykshoorn says benefits of homeownershiparemultipliedmanytimesover in the community. “The larg-est impact is on children. With safeand secure housing, they feel moregrounded. Both they and their par-entsarehappier.Thekids learnbet-ter,aremoreconfidenthavingfriendsvisittheirhomes…theycanevenof-tenhavepetswhentheycouldn’tbe-fore.”Sheadds that everyhouse the

organizationbuildsmakesitpossibleto build more homes for additionalfamilies.“You’renotjusthelpingonefamilyatonepointintime,buthelp-ing a family for an entire lifetime,plushelpingotherfamiliesforyears.”

Butlikemanyagenciesinthecur-renteconomy,HabitatforHumanityisseeingincreaseddemandwithlittleadditional funding.Governmentas-sistancehastendedtobefixedinre-cent years while expenses and needincrease. Dykshoorn says over 100families have attended orientationfor applications in the 2011 build-ingseason.Applicationswillbenar-roweddownto26forconsideration,and ultimately only 4-6 homes willbebuilt.

Andunfortunately,NorthDakota’sSouthwestHomelessCoalitionchairpersonssaythatHabitatforHuman-ityinDickinsondisbandedlastyear,because citizens—who may havebeen unaware of looming chang-es in housing conditions—didn’thave enough interest in supportingtheorganization.

prOGress in sOlutiOn planninGShelters and food address urgentcare, but NDCHP’s director Car-bone stresses that they are not theanswer.“Weneedtoimproveaware-ness of the underlying problems.Long-term solutions require iden-tifying obstacles to housing sta-bility and putting people in touchwith the correct resources to over-come the obstacles,” Carbone said.Long-term solutions require iden-

stayed outside, in cars, or in abandoned buildings the night of the survey

3%

+stayed in emergency shelters or transitional supportive housing

63%

were precariously housed in motels or doubled up with family or friends and at imminent risk of being on the street

25%

were unaccompanied individuals55%

were families, including 300 children under the age of 18

44%

$can not afford rent, even if they have some income

52%

were unemployed48%

had alcohol or drug abuse problems45%

had a mental illness35%

tifying obstacles to housing stabil-ityandputtingpeopleintouchwiththe correct resources to overcomethe obstacles,” NDCHP’s directorCarbonesaid.

Fortunately, NDCHP and sisterorganizations have assisted the gov-ernor’sinteragencycouncilonhome-lessness to create a 10-year plan toend homelessness. And N.D.’s tribalregionsofTurtleMountainandFortBerthold created the first 10-year-plansintheentirenationtoaddresshomelessness in Native Americanreservations.Thepurposeofthe10-year plans is “to assist communitiesandtribalnationsthroughoutNorthDakota with the ambitious goal ofending long-term homelessness atthe local level within the next 10years.” It includes recommendationstoaccomplishthefollowing:

� Developpermanentsupportivehousing

� Improvetheabilitytopayrent� Expandsupportiveservicestowrap-aroundhousing

� Strengthenpreventionandoutreachprograms

� Collectanddisseminatedatarelatingtolong-termhomelessness

The plan has been presented to thestategovernorforadoption,andcit-iesacrossthestatehaveformallyad-opted support for the plan. Steps intheplan,allofwhicharecompletedorwellunderway,include:

� Secureinputandapprovalofthe10-yearplan.

� Designateanentitytoassumetheleadroleinimplementingtheplan.

� Securefundingtosupporttheplan.

� Provideinformation,education,toolsandresourcestolocaltosupporttheplan.

Whyisalong-termplansoimportantto addressing homelessness? Car-bonepointstotheoldandwell-prov-enadagethatanounceofpreventionisworthapoundofcure.“Preventinghomelessness is more effective, lessexpensive, and much more humanethanurgentactionsneededafterthefact,” he says. And to prevent last-minute,short-termsolutionssuchashandouts,foodlines,andtemporaryshelters,awarenessandplanningarekey. Put quite simply, Carbone says,“Sheltersaren’t theanswer tohome-lessness.Homesare.”

Shelters aren’t the answer to homelessness. Homes are. – Michael Carbone,

Executive Director, North Dakota Coalition for Homeless People

Winter 2010 Today’s Giving 3332 Today’s Giving Winter 2010

Get invOlved tO end hOMelessnessThe following resources will provide you with more in-formationabouthomelessnessinyourarea,andhelpyoufindgroupstoguideyouinhowtohelp:

NORTH DAKOTA COALITION FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE

www.ndhomelesscoalition.org*

2105LeeAvenue

Bismarck,N.D.58504

701.258.2240

*UsetheResourcesandMemberAgencies linkstofindlocalcontact

information

MINNESOTA CONTINUUM OF CARE CONTACTS FOR HUD

www.hud.gov/local/mn/homeless/mnccc.cfm

Check out these Regional Films/VideosThe Face of Homelessness

Contact theFMCoalitionforHomelessPersonsat701.200.0855forfilm/videoavailability.

Homeless in the HeartlandContacttheNDCoalitionforHomelessPersonsat701.328.3264.

Homelessness Can Happen to Anyone...Even You; Lost In the Shuffle: Homeless Children in Our Schools; Fly Away Home, Street Life: Invisible Family, A Place to Call Home

ContacttheNDDeptofPublicInstruction(701)328.3264.

FM COALITION FOR HOMELESS PERSONS (Fargo-Moorhead)

www.fmhomeless.org

P.O.Box7238

Fargo,N.D.58106

701.200.0855

NORTH DAKOTA DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CRISIS AND SUPPORT RESOURCES

www.aardvarc.org/dv/states/nddv.shtml

HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION AND RAPID RE-HOUSING PROGRAM

www.hudhre.info/hprp

PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECTwww.projecthomelessconnect.com

IntheFargo-Moorheadarea,seewww.fmhomeless.org

IntheBismarckarea,see

www.missourivalleyhomeless.org/PHC_VSD.html

HABITAT FOR HUMANITYBismarck,NorthDakota:

MissouriValleyHFH

www.mvalleyhabitat.org

600S2nd3RDFlSte8

Bismarck,N.D. 58504

701.255.7566

Fargo,NorthDakota,

MoorheadandCassCounty,Minnesota:

LakeAgassizHFH

www.lakeagassizhabitat.org

P.O.Box1022

Moorhead,Minnesota. 56561

218.284.5253

GrandForks,NorthDakota:

RedRiverValleyHFH

www.rrvhabitat.org

P.O.Box5415

GrandForks,N.D. 58206-5415

701.772.4418

Minot,NorthDakota:

NorthernLights,HFH

www.local.habitat.org/minotND

6183rdStNE

Minot,N.D.58703-2506

701.852.9799

US DEPT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

www.hud.gov

Works Cited:1AstatewideJanuary27,2010Point-in-Time Survey of 1126 HomelessPeopleindicated:2North Dakota Coalition forHomeless People web site,www.ndhomelesscoalition.org

A giving advertising opportunity

utilizing print, web, e-newsletter &

social networking.

[email protected]


Many things about our part of the country are special, including the genuine people –most of whom go by, “do what you say and say what you do.” The work ethic is unparalleled and our land includes some of the most beautiful rolling plains that are home to wildlife and many outdoor activities. The combination of these demographics gives rise to a special way of life and truly remarkable accomplishments.

Lastyearat theFargodome’sannualsportsman show, while my husbandwasenviouslyeyeingnewboatsandhunting trips to far-off places, westumbled along an intriguing boothfor “The Outdoor Adventure Foun-dationInc.”Beinginvolvedwithphi-lanthropy in the state for years andhavinga familyofavid sportsman Iwassurprisedtonotknowaboutthisorganization. I alsoassumed that ina state known for hunting and theoutdoors, we would have nonprofitefforts geared to helping those that

maynothavetheopportunitytoen-joytheseactivities.Notso.

Recently, I sat down with BrianSolum,founderandpresidentoftheOutdoor Adventure Foundation’s,tohearmoreabouttheireffortsandwhywhattheyaredoingissounique.Iwasimpressedbyeverythinghehasaccomplishedthusfar.Hehasstarteda new nonprofit organization, wasapplyingforgrants,planningannualevents and opening new chaptersfor the foundation across the coun-try.InadditiontoNorthDakota,the

organizationisnowinTexas,Wash-ington,andIowa,withdozensmorestates lining up. Solum gave me theimpression he was a seasoned vet-eran of the fundraising world, withexperienceofrunninganonprofitforyears.WhenIaskedhimwhenorga-nizationwasincorporated,Solumre-plied,“It’sbeenjustover...ayear.Mayof2009.”Wow—impressive.

Thefirstorganizationofitskindinthe region, The Outdoor AdventureFoundation, Inc. has grown signifi-cantly in the last year with support

fromnationalhuntingpersonalities,companiesandtelevisionshows.Asabusinessownerandentrepreneurforhis“day”job,Solumfollowsbusinesspractices that are important regard-lessoftheindustry–identifyingyourmarket, networking, collaborating,andhavingpassionforyourgoals.

A few learning and collaborationmillstones along the way helpedthe organization get off the ground.Previously, Solum was an ambas-sador for The Hunt of a Life TimeFoundation, a national organization

based in Harborcreek, P.A., work-ingboth for thenationalandNorthDakotachapters.

“Their mission was great, but theorganization wasn’t run very well,”said Solum. He was frustrated be-causeofthreehang-ups:Onlyasmallportion of the funds raised locallywould be used for hunts within thestate; it was very difficult to fulfilla dream hunt for kids locally; andcommunication channels were dis-jointed. Soon a committee of 15peoplewasformedtodiscusshowto

Hunting for a Better organizationBy Lisa Jackson, Today’s Giving

keepthegoodintentionsofTheHuntofaLifeTimeFoundation,butpro-videlocalhuntsformorepeople.

The committee expanded the ageofparticipationinyouthactivitiesto25andalsoaddedopportunities forveterans.Nowthemajorityoffundsraisedbyeachchapterstaywiththatchapter, which is responsible formanaging hunts and selecting re-cipients. The chapters now have thecontroltousetheirownnetworksforfundraising, reaching out to youthand veterans and connecting with

Cancer fighter, Jeff Nelson 16 years old from Argusville on a deer hunt with Keith Mark in Missouri in 2009.


outfitters,landowners,andsponsors.In North Dakota, collaboration in-cludesbusinesseslikeGateCityBankandScheels,associationslikePheas-ant Forever, Cass County WildlifeClub,andothersgroupsliketheCe-darRidgeElkRanchand theNorth

ingbanquettoshowhimmore.Markis now the national director of thefoundationandit’shispersonalmis-sion to work on behalf of the foun-dation and get his contacts such asWorldWrestlingEntertainment,Inc.wrestlerShawnMichaels,performerTed Nugent, hunting show hostsLee & Tiffany, and other huntingcelebritiestohelpraisefundsfortheorganization.Marksaid,“Mygoalisto raise,—well, I’m not going to tellyou,becauseit’salot.ButIwillcon-tinue to do hunts for the show. I’mcreating a DVD that will promoteandraisefunds.”

Hunting can be controversial forsome, but according to Mark, thereare four big reasons why this par-ticularorganizationis important.“Achildyouhavetakenonanadventuremaypassaway.Thatpartofitisverytough, but to have those memoriesandknowthatyouwerepartofhelp-

ing someone deal with their fightisworthit.IgetmoreoutthanIputin.” In addition, Mark believes thistype of organization helps commu-nities rally together, puts people intouchwiththeirownhumanity,andoffers a gut check about personalfaithandluck.

Sowhatdoesthefuturehold?So-lum and the board’s vision is to ex-pand to all of the states and even-tually have opportunities for everyapplicant. Currently, Solum is stilldoing80%ofthefundraisinganddo-natesmuchofhistimeandtheofficespacetomakethingswork.

This story is just one example ofhow individuals with passion helpothers who, because of illness orother circumstances, don’t have thesameopportunities.Workingwithintheir network of hunters and sport-ing associations, the leaders of TheOutdoor Adventure Foundation,

DakotaGame&FishDepartment.The organization has tremendous

momentum and buy-in from hunt-ingcelebritiesandnationalbusiness-es, helping make the organizationfinanciallyviable.

MikeFeener,NorthDakotaDirec-tor of Disabled Veterans, has beenworking with the foundation sinceits inception and initially contactedKeithMark,whoownsandoperatesMacMillanRiverAdventuresOutfit-ters in the Yukon Territory, CanadaandisahostoftheMacMillianRiverAdventures show on the OutdoorChannel. As a national televisionfigure, Mark is contacted almostdaily about helping organizations,but Freener’s request for The Out-door Adventure Foundation, Inc.struckachord.

“The mission statement is awe-some, I’ve never been around suchgoodfolksanditwasapparentfromdayonethattheirheartswhereintherightplace,”saidMark.Theboardin-vitedMarktotheirannualfundrais-

Inc. have created a very success-ful venture in a short time. Theirbiggest supporters are those wholove the outdoors, appreciate thesport of hunting, and believe inlandstewardship.

Pheasant hunt in Napoleon, N.D.

Keith Mark headshot.

Walleye fishing in Devils Lake, N.D.


social media: following the rules of engagementBy Jay Wilkinson

IfFacebookwereacountry,itwouldbethethirdlargestintheworld,rightbe-hindChinaandIndia.That’saprettybigcluethatsocialnetworksaren’tgoingawayanytimesoon.So,youprobablyunderstandbynowhowcrucialitisforyournonprofittobuildane-communityandestablishasolidpresenceinthe

2. thou Shalt not lieThis is self-explanatory, so I won’t elaboratemuch.Justletmesay,wordspreadsquicklyon-

line,andevenlittlewhiteliescangetuncoveredquickly.Staytruetoyourorganizationandbehonestaboutyoursuccesses as well as challenges. Your audience will havemorerespectforyourhonestythantheywillanyattemptstostretchorspinthetruth.

3. thou Shalt not hire a third party to write

nice thingS about youDon’t pay someone to sing yourpraises. You’ll find that good wordabout your organization will spreadorganicallyifyoustayengagedinameaningfulwaywithyour constituents and supporters. Pay attention to whatpeoplepostaboutyouonFacebookorTwitter.Youmayuncoversomeauthentic,favorabletestimonialsthatshowupinthebestpossibleway—unsolicited.

4. thou Shalt talk in real wordS, not corp SpeakNoteveryoneknowsnonprofitlingo,norisev-

eryonefamiliarwiththeinsandoutsofyourorganization.This means that what you write for your e-communityshouldbefreeofindustryjargonornonprofit“speak.”Ifyoucan,runyourcontentbyapersonwho’soutsideyourorganizationandseeifitmakessensetothem.Iftheygetit,you’reontherighttrack.

5. remember thy community and keep it holyTo paraphrase a famous president, “Ask not

whatyoure-communitycandoforyou—askwhatyoucando for your e-community.” If you approach your onlineaudiencewiththeattitudethatyouwantsomethingfromthem,youprobablywon’tgettheresponseortherelation-shipsyoudesire.Butifyourgoalistoeducate,inspire,in-formandservethemembersinyoure-community,you’ll

bemorelikelytomakefriendsandgarnernewsupporters.Inshort,keepyourfocusothers-centered.

6. thou Shalt not be a wimpHere’s a shocker—sometimes people will saythingsaboutyourorganization that areunfa-

vorable.That’swhyyouneedtohaveabackboneandnotcrumplewiththeslightesthintofnegativity.Everyonehasopinions,andsocialmediahasbecomeapopulararenainwhichtosharethem—andit’sokay.Holdyourheadhighandletthecommunicationflow.

7. thou Shalt not complain when people are meanYouknowthosepeoplewhoshaketheirfistsat

slowdriversduringrushhourorflipyouasignifyoumakethe slightest mistake? Well, they’renot just mean on the roads. They’reprobably mean everywhere—eveninyoursocialnetwork.Youmayrunacrossalittle“roadrage”fromsomeofyouronlinetraffic.Ifthathappens,my best advice is to refer back tocommandment#6.

worldofsocialmedia.Nextstep—youneedtoknowtherulesofengagement.It’snotenoughtosimplycreateaFacebookpage,acquiresomefollowerson

Twitterorstartablog.Thekeyisinknowingwhattodonext.Howyouconnectwithyourfollowersandconstituentsinyoure-community

islargelyuptoyou.However,followingafewimportantguidelineswillhelpyoumaximizeyoursocialnetworkingefforts.In2008,prominentBloggerSo-niaSimonewroteaboutthe“TenCommandmentsofSocialMedia.”Here’sanupdatedtwistontheseimportantruleswewouldallbewisetoheed.

1. thou Shalt participate in the converSationYour online activity should be interesting and relevant, drawingyouraudienceintoalivelydiscussion.Socialmediaisnottheplace

tobesilent.Theconversationisgoingtohappenwithorwithoutyou.Wouldn’tyouratherbepartofit?

Onceyouinvestthetimeintobuildingane-communityonsiteslikeFace-book,LinkedIn,TwitterandYouTube,you’llwanttocapitalizeonyoureffortsbykeeping theconversationalive.Post timely informationoraskquestions.Don’teversitidle—theonusisonyoutokeepthecommunicationflowing.

Jay Wilkinson is one of the nation’s most sought after speakers on the impact of the web on nonprofits. As the CEO of Firespring, an interactive agency in Lincoln Nebraska, he has helped thousands of nonprofits utilize the power of the Internet for leveraging purpose, passion and mission. To register for one of Jay’s free webinars on Using the Web to Engage Constituents, Online Fundraising in Hard Economic Times, or The Power of Social Networking for Nonprofits, visit www.firespring.com/nonprofit.


8. thou Shalt write what iS worth reading

Imentionedearlierthatit’suptoyoutokeeptheconversationbetweenyouandyoure-communitygoing.Inpart,thatmeanskeepingtheconversationrelevantandcompelling.Youcantweetaboutwhatyouhadforbreakfast,butwhocares?Unlessthatbreakfastwasatahomelessshelterthatyourorganiza-tionsupports,andthey’rerunningacannedfooddrivetostocktheirpantryforthewinter.Keepyourpostsrelevantandtalkaboutthethingsyouraudiencewantstohear.Otherwise,you’llkilltheconversation.

9. thou Shalt not pontificate about what thou knoweSt nothing aboutSimplyput,don’tblowalotofhotairaboutsomethingifyoudon’t

havetheadequateknowledgeorexperience.Knowyourniche,speaktoyourexpertise,andleavetheresttotheotherexpertsoutthere.Believeme,peoplewillknowwhenyou’refakingit.

10. thou Shalt have a SenSe of humorTheworldofsocialmediaisnot“allworkandnoplay.”Farfromit.Lightenup,havefunandeveryonceinawhile,try

to make your audience smile. Mostpeople inyoure-communityengagein social media for the fun of it, somakeitfun.Youcanbeinformative,engagingandinteresting,allwithasenseofhumor.Makesomeonelaugh,andthey’llrememberyou—andthatisagreatwaytoberemembered.

Socialmediaisanexcellentwaytoconnectwithyouraudience,fostergoodrelationshipswithyoursupportersandpromoteyourorganization’smission.Youjustneedtobesmartaboutit.Stayconsistent,stayfocused,berealandhandlecriticismwithclass.Followtherulesofengagement,andyou’llbuildane-communitythat’saspassionateasyouareaboutyourcause.

one day... i’ll become a botanist

College SAVE — for your child’s promising future

* Matching grants are subject to the availability of funds and can be reduced or stopped at Bank of North Dakota’s discretion.

If you are not a North Dakota taxpayer, consider before investing whether your or the designated beneficiary’s home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state’s qualified tuition program.

For more information about North Dakota’s College SAVE Plan, call 1-866-SAVE-529 (1-866-728-3529) or visit www.collegesave4u.com to obtain a Plan Disclosure Statement. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are included in the Plan Disclosure Statement; read and consider it carefully before investing. Upromise Investments, Inc. serves as Distributor and Underwriter.

The College SAVE Plan is a 529 Plan established by the State of North Dakota. Bank of North Dakota acts as trustee of the College SAVE Trust and is responsible for administering the Plan. Upromise Investments, Inc. and Upromise Investment Advisors, LLC serve as the Plan Manager and Recordkeeping and Servicing Agent, respectively, with overall responsibility for the day-to-day operations, including effecting transactions and marketing and distribution of the Plan. The Vanguard Group, Inc. provides underlying investments for the Plan. The Plan’s Portfolios, although they invest in mutual funds, are not mutual funds. Units of the Portfolios are municipal fund securities and the value of units will vary with market conditions. ND6125 0809

Learn about the benefits of North Dakota’s own 529 college savings plan, including a matching grant for North Dakota residents.*

Visit collegesave4u.com or call 1.866.SAVE.529.

save for college while reducing taxes — a compelling combination

Itsoundstoogoodtobetrue,butCollegeSAVE,theStateofNorthDakota’s529collegesavingsplan,canactuallyhelpyousaveforeducationalexpenseswhilereducingyourstateandfederaltaxes.

A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged way to save for highereducation. With the rising costs associated in pursuing acollegedegree,familiesaresearchingforwaystohelptheirlovedonesfinance theireducationalgoalswhile reducingstudentloandebt.

CollegeSAVEistheonly529planinthenationspecificallydesigned for North Dakota residents and offers a statetax deduction on contributions made to the plan. NorthDakotataxpayerscandeductupto$5,000peryear(upto$10,000 if married, filing jointly) of their College SAVEcontributions fromtheirstate taxable income.AnyNorthDakotataxpayeriseligibleforthestatetaxdeduction,notjusttheaccountowner.Parents,grandparents,friendsandneighborscanhelpachildsaveforcollegeandstillreceivethetaxsavings!

Another valuable benefit includes a gift tax exclusiontypically used for estate planning purposes. You cancontributeupto$13,000perbeneficiaryeachyear($26,000ifmarried,filingjointly)withoutincurringthegifttax.Theexclusionalsoallowsindividualstomakefiveyears’worthof contributions - $65,000 ($130,000 if married, filingjointly)-inasingleyearandtreatthemasiftheyweremadeoverfiveyearsfortaxpurposes.

When you invest in College SAVE, earnings grow taxdeferredandareexemptfrombothfederalandstatetaxeswhenusedforqualifiedhighereducationexpensessuchasroom&board,books,tuitionandevenalaptop.Studentsand their families have the potential to increase theirsavingsmorequicklythanifinvestedinataxableaccount.

Asifthatwasn’tenough,BankofNorthDakota(BND)mayalsocontributetoyourcollegesavingsefforts.AstheadministratoroftheprogramBNDcan,dependingonyourincomelevelandtheageofyourbeneficiaries,matchyourcontributionsupto$300.

To learn more about how College SAVE can help yousave for a future college-bound student please visit www.collegeSAVE4u.comorcall1-866-SAVE-529.

�V.

From the Collection “Calling Home”

How strange this is,

this peaceful time

a

brand new year

in which I find

myself

alone.

And I

am standing – I am slowly

understanding

what it means

to

be.

The quiet of

a place that makes you

smile

a stranger’s face.

another mile.

And I am standing

I am still

standing.

I am

home.

©2009ChristineHoper

“V.”appearsinToday’sGivingcomplimentsofFargopoetChristineHoper.ChristinespentherchildhoodinsmalltownsacrossMinnesotaandNorthDakota.Foraslongasshecanremember,she’shadanotebookcloseathand.Thewordssharedherecapturemomentsintime–andwhoknows;theymightbereminiscentofthingsyoutoohaveseenandheardalongtheway.Youcanfindmoreofherpoetryatwww.northdakotarealized.comandhercurrentblogfeaturingmusingsaboutthemoonatwww.redrivergirl.com.


fundraising strategies for a new YearBy Lisa Jackson, Today’s Giving

We are either “askers” or “givers” when it comes to fundraising. Pretty simpleright?Wrong.Whetherreceivingaknockatyourdoorfromaschoolchildwithcookiedoughorvisitingwithadevelopmentdirectorpitchingacollege’scapi-talcampaign,therearethingsallfundraisersanddonorsmustkeepinmindto

meanheorshewillgivetoyourcause.Focusonstrength-eningrelationshipswithyourowntopdonors,ratherthanattemptingtoconvertanothergroup’smajordonors.

4. Short-term gain can be long-term detriment. Emergencyappealsmightworkonce,butcould

affectcontributors’long-termconfidenceinyourorgani-zation.Focusonbuildingareputationthatisstrongandviable. Recruiting highly-regarded board members andstaffandconsistentlyfocusingonyourorganization’smis-sionwillultimatelyworkbetterthanscaretactics.

5. people alwayS give to people. Thisisn’tthefirstorlasttimeyouwillhearthissentiment,butit’strue.However,it’sdifficultto

keepthisinmindwhiletacklingday-to-dayactivities.

“Givers”: tips fOr GivinG this hOliday seasOnDuringtheholidayseason,manyofusreflectonourgoodfortunes and try to help others in need. But to receivecharitable tax deductions for the 2010 fiscal year, giftsmustbegivenorpostmarkedbyDec.31.Hereareafewtipstohelpguidethedecisionmakingprocess.

1. create a charitable budget for you and your family. Considerhowmuchyougavethisyearandare

willingtocontributenextyear.Theprocessshouldincludethefamily.Don’toverorunderspend.

2. reSearch your giving. Itwillmeanmoretoyouandtheorganizationsthat you support if you make an engaged de-

cisions about how to spend your charitable dollars. Youwouldn’tbuystock inacompanybeforereviewing theirportfolio. The same goes for giving to nonprofits. If taxdeductions are important, be sure to support charitieswith 501(c)3 status. Focus on the mission, operatingcosts,andoutcomesoforganizationsyouareconsideringsupporting.Doestheirmissionmatchyourvalues?Visit

www.charitynavigator.orgtofindthemostefficientchari-ties,includingthosethatspendatleast75%oftheirbud-getsonprogramsandservicesandspendonlyasmallper-centonadministrativeandfundraisingcosts.Investigateeachcharity’soutcomes.Checkonaseachorganization’sbusinesspracticessuchas theirrecordofmeetinggoals,ethicalbehavior,andsoon.

3. try Selecting fewer organizationS to Support. Focusingontwoorthreegroupscanhelpyou

haveagreaterimpactontheeffectofyourcontributions.For example, if yougive$25 to10charities and theav-eragecharityspendsabout$10toprocessandfundraiseforeverygiftitreceives,$100(or40%)ofthe$250you’dgivegoestoprocessingcosts.Bygiving$125toonlytwocharities you are only spending $20 on administration(or10%).

4. know current irS regulationS on charitable giving. Ruleschangefromyeartoyearandmayinflu-

enceyourdecisiononmakingagiftnoworwaitinguntilnextyear.Forexample,incometaxratesarescheduledtogoupin2011,toppingoutat39.6%withthecapitalgainstax rate rising from 15% to 20%. Ordinarily, taxpayerssave more from charitable contributions when tax ratesarehighbutthatmaynotbethecaseafter2010,ifcertainitemizeddeductioncutbackproposalsbecome law.Visitwww.irs.govformoreinformation.(Seealso:“NorthDa-kotaPromotesPhilanthropyThroughLegislation”inthewinterissueofToday’sGiving)

5. timing iS everything when making large or non-caSh giftS.If you are considering gifting non-cash as-

setssuchasmineralrightsorrealestate—orifyouhavebeen considering a life-income gift such as gift annui-tiesorcharitabletrusts—besuretoallowsufficienttimetomeetwithadvisors,yourfamilyandthecharitiesyouwish to support. These types of transitions need to bereviewedcarefully.

improvetheimpactofcontributions.Herearetenkeen,timelessinsightsformaximizingphilanthropyandmakingyear-enddecisions.

“askers”: tips fOr fundraisinG

1. the biggeSt problem in fundraiSing iSn’t getting otherS to give; it’S getting people to aSk otherS to give.

So,figureoutwhatisholdingyoubackfrommakingthe“ask.”Whyareyouhesitant? Is it thatyoudon’tknowenoughabout thedonor?Notsureabouttheamount?Isitthewrongtime?Makealistofwhatyouneedtoknowpriortoa solicitationand thenmeetwithyourcontactuntilallofyourquestionsareanswered.

2. get your board on board.Thereisnowayaroundit;tobesuccessfultheboardmustfundraise.Althougheveryoneontheboarddoesn’tneedtodotheasking,they

shouldbepreparedtoprovideideasfornewcontributors,usetheirnetworkstopromotetheorganizationandfindthebestwaystoimprovestewardshipandthanksupporters.

3. don’t aSSume if a proSpective contributor iS wealthy that they will automatically contribute to your cauSe.

Whenamajordonorisannouncedinthemedia,doyouimmediatelythink,“Howcan Iget thisperson to supportus?Ourcause is justasworthy.” Justbecauseanindividualiswealthyandevenphilanthropicdoesn’tautomatically

Want more tips on asking and giving? Visit todaysgiving.com to see additional strategies. Don’t forget to tell us your favorites, add additional ideas or ask questions!

http://


E-mail your events to [email protected]. More events listed on todaysgiving.com

StatewideDecember

Salvation army bellringing Season is here!The money raised will help provide for families in our community.

January 14 to 15

Special olympics State winter gamesBottineau,NDwww.specialolympicsnorthdakota.org | 701.746.0331

North East North DakotaNovember 26 to December 31

christmas in the parkLincolnDrivePark

GrandForks,ND

[email protected] | 701.795.1115

$5 per vehicle (additional charge for limos and buses), with the money going to benefit local Lions Club charities.

December 1 to 24

art exhibit: “art on the prairie”CampbellLibrary

4224thSt.NorthwestEastGrandForks,MN218.773.9121

February 5

north dakota museum of art benefit dinnerUNDCampus

GrandForks,[email protected] | 701.777.4195

The twentieth annual North Dakota Museum of Art Gala Benefit Dinner and Silent Art Auction.

North West North DakotaDecember 28 to February 6

“best of Show” americas 2010: paperworksMSUNorthwestArtCenteratGordonB.OlsonLibraryGallery

Minot,ND

Reception:Wednesday,January19at6:30p.m.

January 26 to 28

kmot ag expoNorthDakotaFairGrounds

180016thSt.SWMinot,[email protected] | 701.852.5254

February 17 to 26

heritage Singers 2011 varity ShowVegasMotel

Minot,NDHeritage Singers annual variety show with dinner, music, silent auction and more!

South West North DakotaDecember 11

lewis & clark fort mandan foundation christmas teaInterpretiveCenter

Washburn,NDwww.fortmandan.org | 701.462.8535

December 19

Show me the accountabilityHosts: Nonprofits Assistance Fund and NDANO with support from Otto Bremer Foundation

Bismarck,NDwww.ndano.org

Get the Most out of Your 990 – with Eve Borenstein.Accountability, Another Way to Tell Your Story

December 26

zoo year’s eve fun run/walkDakotaZoo

DiscoveryCenterParkBismarck,NDwww.dakotazoo.org | 701.223.7543

Help the Dakota Zoo kick off it’s annual Zoo Year’s Eve Fun Run and Walk!

January 28 to 30

trinity mardi grasTrinityHighSchool

Dickinson,[email protected] | 701.483.6092

A 45-plus year tradition offering great food, entertainment and auction.

February 18

rSvp+ penguin plungeMandanCommunityCenter

Mandan,NDhttp://rsvp.ndsu.nodak.edu | 701.258.5436

South East North DakotaJanuary 1 to February 28

coming to clay county: 150 years of immigrationHjemkomstCenter

2011stAve.NFargo,NDwww.hjemkomstcenter.com | 218.299.5511

January 1 to February 30

The white album: The beatles meets the plainsPlainsArtMuseum

7041stAve.NFargo,NDwww.plainsart.org | 701.232.3822

January 15

paws to read: reading Therapy petsFargoPublicLibrary

1023rdStNFargo,NDwww.cityoffargo.com/cityinfo/departments/library/ 701.241.1495

February 5

home is where the art is – lake agasiz habitat for humanity reStore art Show and Silent auctionSpiritRoomGallery

111Broadway,Fargo,NDwww. lakeagassizhabitat.org | 218.284.5253 x2

Tickets: $15 in advance $20 at the door

January 30 and February 6

candlelight cross country SkiingMSUMScienceCenteratBuffaloRiverStatePark

Fargo,NDwww.mnstate.edu/regsci/seasonalevents.cfm | 218.498.2124

Western MinnesotaDecember 12

lakes area community concert bandHistoricHolmesTheatre

DetroitLakes,MNwww.dlccc.org | 218.844.7469

Hear talented lakes area musicians perform holiday favorites.

December 14

canadian pacific holiday trainHolmesStreetRailroadCrossing

DetroitLakes,MN218.844.7470

A donation to the Food Pantry is suggested.

February 12

poles ‘n holes fishing tournamentLittleDetroitLake

DetroitLakes,[email protected] | 218.846.0369

Help Breakfast Rotary earn money to fund programs.

January 29

3rd annual friends of friends fighting hunger in ottertail countyThumperPondResort

300ThumperLodgeRd.Ottertail,MNwww.otcfriends.com

Eastern South DakotaDecember 11

it’s Snowing in Sd! paper 3d SnowflakesSouthDakotaArtMuseum

Brookings,SDwww.southdakotaartmuseum.com | 605.688.5423

December 31

celebrate vermillionDakotadome

Vermillion,SDwww.vermillionchamber.com | 605.624.5571

December 31

parade / Simply South dakota tasting eventDelmont,SDwww.delmontsd.org | 605.779.2621

Calendar of Events

Winter 2010 Today’s Giving 47

At 73 years of age, Ed Milligan, a combat veteran who served nearly 25 years in

the U.S. Army, continues to give back to his comrades. Once a month Milligan

hosts “Veteran’s Hour” on KFGO radio, during which he interviews guests and takes

calls on veteran-related topics. Since he retired in 1992 Milligan has been an ac-

tive volunteer for the Disabled American Veterans Foun-

dation in Fargo-Moorhead, serving as commander of

the group for one year. Milligan has been broadcast-

ing “Veteran’s Hour” for the past five years, and re-

ceived the 2007 American Legion Press Award for

his work. The show airs on designated Saturdays

from 2-3 p.m. For information on the next airing, visit

http://www.wdayhonorflight.com/veteranshour.html.

After years of declining membership, the Presbyterian Church

in Stanley, North Dakota was decommissioned in 2000 at the

request of its remaining congregants.

The thought of losing one of its

iconic structures alarmed Stan-

ley residents and out-of-area

alumni, but Don Hoirup initi-

ated the idea to repurpose the

building as an arts center. Evelyn

Horne helped coordinate fund-

raising and planning. Horne contacted

Preservation North Dakota (PND) which offers an Affiliate

Program to assist the organizations in starting a nonprofit.

Using contact lists from Stanley’s centennial celebration in

2002, alumni and residents were contacted and eventually

contributed close to $400,000. After extensive renovations,

the building is now known as the Sibyl Center for Life Enrich-

ment. Its namesake is for Sibyl MacDonald, who taught piano

lessons to generations of students and left significant funds

to the church when she died in 1973. Since it was dedicated

in 2003, the Sibyl Center has had nine seasons of hosting en-

tertainment, arts, musical performances and social events,

creating a community-friendly space for the arts and learn-

ing. Learn more about the Sibyl Center at www.sibylcenter.

org and Preservation North Dakota at www.prairieplaces.org.

Editor’s Note: Each issue of Giv-

ing will include “Faces of Giving”

to recognize and thank some of

those across our region whose ac-

tions serve as both leadership and

inspiration for thoughtful, meaningful

contributions that improve the lives of

others. Do you know of someone who

fits the profile? If so, please send rec-

ommendations to faces@givingmag.

com or mail to Faces of Giving, 1407

1st Ave North, Fargo, ND 58102

Jim Klein has always put the needs

of others ahead of his own. As the

first blind graduate of UND Business

School, Klein embarked on a career in mortgage banking; a

profession in which he spent the majority of his life. When

retirement came calling, Klein wasn’t ready to put the busi-

ness skills he had honed to rest so he put his knowledge to

work for the benefit of others by writing grants for nonprofit

organizations. From 1993 to 1997, Klein raised a half a million

dollars in small grants for the Pioneer Rest Home in Bathgate,

ND, and spent time volunteering for the Cavalier Hospital as

well. In May 2010 Klein, who has been blind since childhood,

joined Great Plains Assistance Dogs Foundation, Inc. in Jud,

ND as a grant writer. The foundation trains and certifies as-

sistance dogs to help physically challenged individuals gain

independence and autonomy. Klein’s professional experience

and perseverance has created new sources of funding in sup-

port of the foundation’s work. To learn more about giving re-

sources to the GPADF, visit www.greatplainsdogs.com.

YOUR local 2-1-1 call center and 24 Hour HotLine.

Dial 2-1-1 or

701.235.7335 (SEEK)

www.myfirstlink.org

We provide listeningand support,

human service information

and referral, suicide survivors

support group, and volunteer

opportunities.

24 Hour Suicide Line:

Dial 1.800.273.8255 (TALK)

Tails of the City – Holiday Pet Portraits

108 Front Street

Barnesville, MN

218.779.9021

www.ockhardtphoto.com

Pet portrait sessions including

25 custom-designed premium

holiday greeting cards for $60.

Treat your furry pal to a fun

trip to a modern photography

studio. Ockhardt Photography

loves animals and provides

a fun and relaxed session.

Changing Lives One Heart at a Time

1.800.450.4457

www.catholiccharitiesnd.org

Pregnancy, Parenting and

Adoption Services

Guardianship Services for adults

with developmental disabilities.

Adults Adopting Special

Kids Program (AASK).

Counseling Services for

individuals, couples, and families.

It’s all good.

701.258.2127

www.dansupermarket.com

Visit one of our locations in

Bismarck, Mandan or Dickinson.

industrybuzz

get in on the buzz!call 701.364.4001

46 Today’s Giving Winter 2010

Today’s Giving magazinethe regions source for today’s nonprofit industry.

Insight inspiration guidance

community giving People

Projects ideas Planning estates

money education goals

Documents

Today's Giving, Issue 4