5D. Purely for Public CAAs
CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge and Applications                                Level: Overview
Public Community Action Agencies face unique opportunities and obstacles in operating their programs. Explore the relationship between a public CAA’s tripartite board and staff and the local government entity of which it is a part. In particular, analyze the authority delegated to the CAA, the role of the tripartite board, and the ways in which a public CAA can fulfill the goals of the Community Services Block Grant Act.

Anita Lichtblau, Esq., CAPLAW

Lois Carson, Executive Director of the CA Riverside CAA

5C. FISCAL/Tricks and Traps of the New Form 990 and Other 501(c)(3) Tax Tips
CPE Field of Study: Tax                                                                                     Level: Update
You know how to fill out the new Form 990, been there, done that! However, did your organization fight an uphill battle to complete the form? Was it a struggle to collect the correct information? Bring your war stories to this session and find out how to assemble the information the Form 990 is asking for so that you can more easily and adeptly complete next year’s form. This session will also review the nuances of Form 990-T (the tax form required for reporting unrelated business tax income) and address other 501(c)(3) tax topics such as the special tax concerns raised by employer provided cell-phones and the implications of the IRS’s governance guidelines.

Jeanne Schuster, Esq., CPA, Ernst & Young LLP

5B. HR/A Measured Approach to Managing Union Impact
CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge and Applications                                Level: Overview
In the face of a difficult economy, prevailing wage requirements, widespread discussion of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), and heightened efforts by union organizers, CAAs must work as hard as ever to foster positive employee relations, which are essential for managing the impact of unions on the workplace. This workshop will focus on fostering those relations in such a way as to make the option for unionizing your workers a less engaging one. It will also cover how an employer should conduct itself when faced with union organizing efforts (including complying with the special constraints imposed on CAAs by the Head Start Act and similar state laws) and offer an update on the current status of the EFCA.

Richard (Rick) V. Pins, Esq., Leonard, Street and Dienard

5A. GOVERNANCE/Board and Staff Roles: The Invisible Yellow Line
CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge and Applications                                Level: Overview
You know how that yellow line appears on the screen when you watch football? It marks the goal, a first down – and it keeps moving! Sitting at home in front of the TV at home, the line is perfectly visible, but to the players on the field, it’s invisible. In football, without careful planning before each play and communication during the play, it can be hard for the players to know what each of them is supposed to do to reach the goal. This workshop will explore who does what – how staff and board volunteers can successfully work together as partners to advance the mission and programs of your organization. Whether it’s planning, human resources, budgeting, fundraising or management – we'll discuss who should do what and how to keep lines of communication open. Taught by a nonprofit pro who has been on both teams – as board and staff leader – and who will entertain and inspire.

Jean Block, Jean Block Consulting, Inc.