Vol 1, Issue 3
November 25, 2003

Welcome to this pre-Thanksgiving issue of the NPAction Update. Before you go over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house to test the tensile strength of your belt, check out what's going on at NPAction.org.

You are receiving this newsletter as requested during your registration with NPAction.org. If you do not wish to receive future editions of this notice, please e-mail: npaction@npaction.org with the subject line: UNSUBSCRIBE NPACTION UPDATE.

In this issue:

*What's New*
*Featured Articles*
*Featured Forum*
*Featured Resource Links*
*Hey, You Asked*



*What's New*

The New York Times, in its recent annual special section on giving, spotlighted oversight of charities, noting that "oversight of the nonprofit sector is parochial, piecemeal, political and, at times, accidental." Check out the main article "New Equation for Charities: More Money, Less Oversight", and the accompanying series of articles under the heading "Accountability."

"New Equation for Charities: More Money, Less Oversight"
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/17/giving/17STRO.html

New York Times 11/17/03 Giving section
http://www.nytimes.com/specials/giving



*Featured Articles*

Most of us have at least a rudimentary understanding of legislative advocacy, but far fewer people know how to influence rules and regulations as they are developed by executive agencies. This four-part guide focuses on rulemaking at the state and local level, but its principles can be applied to the federal level as well.

Influencing the Rulemaking Process
http://www.npaction.org/article/archive/209


One of the hardest things for anyone learning something new is dealing with jargon. Advocacy and government relations work have more than their share indeed, but are especially confusing because some terms have one meaning in common usage, but a different legal meaning entirely. NPAction has assembled an advocacy glossary that tries to clear things up a bit. Like all good dictionaries, this is a document in progress, and can use as much input from the field as possible.

NPAction Advocacy Glossary
http://www.npaction.org/article/articleview/381/1/124/

Comments and Suggestions
http://www.npaction.org/article/articleview/231/1/36



*Featured Forum*

To most nonprofits, boards are a valuable resource. Are nonprofit boards, however, a help or hindrance in advocacy activities? What ideas do groups have to encourage boards to participate in public policy, or to do so more effectively? Add your opinions to the NPAction Forums today.

Nonprofit Boards and Advocacy Forum
http://www.npaction.org/forum/message/65

NPAction Forums
http://www.npaction.org/forum/categorylist



*Featured Resource Links*

The NPAction Resource Links Directory is a human-edited compendium of tools and references, contributed by nonprofits for nonprofits. Two specific resources of interest, given our Thanksgiving theme:

The Native American Rights Fund's National Indian Law Library specializes in tribal laws, which are not often included in regular legal information sites. The library has an online feature that allows users to search tribal legal documents and find legal citations, as well as many complete online tribal documents. The organization also provides research help, and will provide documents through interlibrary loan, or even copy and send the document you need for a small fee.

The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) is an advocacy group that conducts research on hunger in America, coordinates the activities of smaller anti-hunger groups, and acts as a watchdog of federal regulations and programs that affect hunger.


Native American Rights Fund's National Indian Law Library
http://www.narf.org/nill/Nillindex.html

Native American policy issue resources
http://www.npaction.org/link/category/221

Food Research and Action Center (FRAC)
http://www.frac.org

Human needs policy issue resources
http://www.npaction.org/link/category/172

Suggest a Resource Link
http://www.npaction.org/link/suggestlink



*"Hey, You Asked"*

This issue's question is about starting up a board and possible conflicts with IRS rules. An NPAction member asks: "I live in a trailer park that is part of the city's low-income housing, purchased by a 501(c)(3) non-profit for the purpose of lessening the burden of government in the application of the low-income housing section. The park was purchased with tax-exempt bonds. Can the residents maintain all of the seats of the Board of the 501(c)(3) that owns the park, as long as we maintain the purpose set forth within the approved 501(c)(3)? Is there a ruling needed by the IRS?"

This an interesting question, as many new charities are unsure of how to structure their boards. Generally, a charity is free to invite anyone it likes to be a board member. However, it should be sure that no one with a personal conflict of interest has undue influence over the board, as the board will likely make decisions that could benefit its members-- even more so if they are all residents. Individual states may have specific requirements of their own, so it's worth checking with your state charity regulator to find out more details.


Full answer available:
http://www.npaction.org/forum/message/91

Ask a question for "Hey, You Asked":
http://www.npaction.org/forum/messagelist/170



*"Steal This Code": Put NPAction on Your Site*

NPAction invites organizations to share our tools on their websites. Choose a logo that best meets your needs, whether you want to link to our site, incorporate our search engine with results from a range of nonprofit sources, add the ability to connect to federal lawmakers and national media, or state-level policymakers and media. Just copy the HTML code from our site, and you're ready to go (but when you steal the code, just let us know!):

"Steal the Code" today
http://www.npaction.org/article/archive/208



About NPAction Update

NPAction Update is a service for NPAction subscribers. If you received this message from another party, and wish to subscribe, simply register with NPAction. Registration allows you to receive the NPAction Update, join in all of the forums, vote in polls, and participate as a full member of the NPAction community.

Join NPAction Today!
http://www.npaction.org/user/user/new/


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NPAction, an online resource hosted by OMB Watch, provides access to tools and information for nonprofit advocacy from a wide range of organizational partners and sources in order to encourage greater participation by nonprofits in the policy arena. Funding for this project was provided by Atlantic Philanthropies, the Ford Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the Surdna Foundation.

For more information, contact:

NPAction
1742 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.,
Washington DC 20009
(202) 234-8494
E-mail: npaction@npaction.org
Web: www.npaction.org

© 2003 NPAction