Workshop Schedule
This year’s conference will feature three pre-conference workshops and 35 workshops that will satisfy all knowledge levels.Participants will also have the option of following workshop tracks on fiscal, governance, sustainability and HR topics
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Monday, June 4, 2012 |
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| 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | Conference Registration and Information |
| 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Conference Registration and Information |
| 8:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Pre-Conference Tour (pre-registration and payment required) |
8:30 a.m. – 11:45 p.m. |
Pre-Conference Workshops: (with 15 min. break) Credits: 3 HRCI, 3.5 CPE, 0.30 CEU A: HR: Maximizing Potential through Positive Employee Relations Join us for this highly interactive session and learn techniques for successfully motivating, evaluating and disciplining employees. Using real-life workplace scenarios, we will examine how to manage expectations and performance by applying strategic employee relations, implementing constructive evaluations that lead to improved operations and deploying disciplinary measures that maintain legal compliance while promoting a productive workplace. CPE Field of Study: Personnel/HR B: FINANCIAL: Cost Allocation Best Practices In this session, you will learn how to write an easy-to-implement cost allocation plan. You will briefly review cost allocation regulations applicable to government grants, get an overview of cost allocation methods including indirect cost rates and direct costing, and discuss of how to develop a plan using direct costing methodologies. You will also probe particularly thorny issues that have been raised in Head Start and other reviews. CPE Field of Study: Finance
C: Create Jobs? Generate Income? Community Economic Development Attend this session and find out how the Community Action network has created new jobs, generated new sources of revenue, and built opportunity in low-income communities through community economic development (CED). The national Community Action Partnership’s community economic development (CED) initiative is in its third year. Representatives from the Partnership will share what they have learned, the tools they have identified and created, and how they can help you bring community development projects to your community. This workshop will provide participants with an understanding of the field of community economic development, information about current CED projects in the Community Action network, and an understanding of CED financing options. In addition, the session will provide an overview of training available to start or expand real estate, social enterprise, and loan fund projects. CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge & Applications |
| 1:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | Opening Session: Welcome remarks from the CAPLAW board, greetings from local Community Action representatives, Jeannie Chaffin, Director, Office of Community Services, ACF, HHS, John Wagner, Interim Director of the California Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) and David Bradley, National Community Action Foundation |
3:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
Workshop Session One: Credits: 1.75 HRCI, 2 CPE, 0.18 CEU 1A. GOVERNANCE: Building a Board that Works Interested in enhancing your board’s engagement and effectiveness? Learn how through the lens of a Community Action Agency (CAA) that overcame a rogue board chair, overhauled its board without bloodshed and emerged as a stronger organization. The CAA’s CEO and current board chair will detail how deliberate steps, high-risk decision-making, trusted partners, and courage can lead to constructive change and shape a model board, opening the door to new levels of organizational effectiveness. We will then extract valuable lessons from this experience that you can apply in your organization. CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge & Applications In the last five years, a fundamental and significant change has occurred in the world of leave laws and – more fundamentally – in their management. Federal laws and regulations have continued to expand the scope of covered conditions, and imposed more burdens on already overworked human resources departments. This session will walk through the more significant changes and help you plot a course for navigating this complicated area. CPE Field of Study: Personnel/HR Auditors and monitors are increasingly focusing on grantees’ compliance with the requirement that allocation of all direct compensation costs of personnel be supported with after-the-fact reports reflecting the distribution among funding sources of each employee’s time and work effort. Scrutiny of travel expenditures is also a favorite topic for auditors and the media alike. Don’t get caught short; this session will explain the rules, point out the problem areas, and provide examples and best practices for ensuring compliance. CPE Field of Study: Finance
Organizations helping low-income people achieve economic self-sufficiency are increasingly expected to demonstrate how their work positively impacts the lives of the people and communities they serve and to broaden that impact. Meeting these expectations often seems like a daunting task. Get ideas and inspiration from one Community Action Agency (CAA) that is rising to the challenge by evolving from an organization that simply delivers safety-net services to one that facilitates community-wide changes in systems and policies to reach more people and help them out of poverty. Discover what a “theory of change” is and how the CAA developed and adopted its own theory of change. Find out how the CAA is implementing its theory of change by: restructuring its internal operations; adopting evidence-based practices and defining, measuring and documenting the impact of its programs; and taking on an expanded “intermediary” role in its community – incubating innovative approaches to helping families escape poverty; tackling local policies and systems; and building capacity among community partners. CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge and Applications 1E. CSBG Hot Topics CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge & Applications |
| 5:45 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. | Networking Reception |
| 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Conference Registration and Information |
| 7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. | Continental Breakfast |
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. |
Workshop Session Two: (with 30 min. break) Credits: 2.75 HRCI, 3 CPE, 0.28 CEU 2A. GOVERNANCE:Ensuring Effective Oversight: Tools for Top Notch Organizations Explore the depth of your knowledge and the practical implications of nonprofit governance by participating in this interactive session. Participants will be divided into small discussion groups to analyze case scenarios based on key governance areas addressed in the new CAPLAW publication “Tools for Top Notch CAAs” – including overseeing the organization’s finances, making board meetings matter, and adopting and implementing essential governance policies. Each group will arrive at a solution for each case and share it with the session as a whole. Workshop leaders will summarize the solutions and provide a brief presentation on best practices. This is an opportunity to test your governance knowledge, express your opinions, meet CAA, Head Start and nonprofit leaders from around the country, and learn from the experiences of others. CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge & Applications Conducting a prompt, thorough and legally compliant workplace investigation can be challenging. The primary objectives are to resolve the problem without a lawsuit and ensure a positive workplace environment. If a lawsuit cannot be avoided, the investigation must satisfy legal obligations and stand up to intense court scrutiny. Using scenarios and hypotheticals, we will explore: the importance of well-developed processes and policies; the role of the board of directors, staff and outside consultants; and effective ways to investigate harassment, discrimination and retaliation complaints, as well as workplace misconduct and whistleblower claims. CPE Field of Study: Personnel/HR Planning in today’s uncertain environment requires that a nonprofit organization’s leaders and its funders have a clear picture of where the organization stands financially and how much financial risk it can tolerate. In this session, we will share some of Nonprofit Finance Fund's tools and discuss how they can help your organization develop and use financial information to plan for a more sustainable future, make informed and often difficult decisions, and communicate its financial story to funders, board members and other stakeholders. We will talk through best practices in budget creation. We will offer guidance on the production and use of monthly cash flow projections, share our insight into the importance of cash flow planning as an element of any business plan, and discuss the role of cash flow planning in improving chances of receiving a line of credit or a working capital loan. We will also explore how program profitability modeling can help management and the board set program priorities, tackle deficits, improve the financial bottom line, and identify ideal cost savings. Finally, we will examine various methods for developing contingency plans in the face of uncertain cost and revenue scenarios. CPE Field of Study: Finance Collaboration has long been central to the work of CAAs, Head Start programs and other community-based organizations serving low-income individuals and families. Today, when organizations are being expected to “do more with less,” it’s even more critical. In this session, find out how your organization can lead successful community collaboration efforts to generate and implement innovative solutions, maximize limited resources, garner support and investment, and achieve increased impact. Hear from Community Action leaders about how their organizations are collaborating with others in their community to address the root causes of poverty by establishing a common vision; adopting a shared set of measurable goals; and pursuing evidence-based actions that reinforce one another’s work and further those goals. Also explore common collaboration risks and how to minimize them. CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge & Applications The Head Start world has changed dramatically for grantees in the past six months. Learn how the new designation renewal system is being implemented and strategies for ensuring that your Head Start program not only passes all of the tests with flying colors, but moves toward excellence. In this session, we will discuss strategies for both systemic compliance and adherence to key specific requirements that the Office of Head Start has focused on recently, such as: health and safety requirements, procurement, cost allocation, criminal record checks, facilities maintenance, and sharing of information with the board and Policy Council. We will discuss best practices for responding to problems identified and findings of non-compliances and deficiencies, as well as for developing and implementing corrective action plans. Last but not least, we will examine the process and criteria for awarding grants on a competitive basis. CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge & Applications |
| 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | Morning Break |
| 10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | Workshop Session Two (continued) |
| 12:00 p.m. – 1:40 p.m. | Keynote Luncheon: A Keynote address from Marielena Hincapié, Executive Director of the National Immigration Law Center and network partner updates from Steve Payne, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, National Community Action Foundation |
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. |
Workshop Session Three: Credits: 1.5 HRCI, 1.5 CPE, 0.15 CEU
How do you develop a competitive compensation package that will satisfy regulators and funding sources and won’t end up on the front page of your local paper? Our presenter, who represents numerous nonprofits across the country, will discuss how to apply legal requirements (including government grant rules and IRS “Intermediate Sanctions” and incentive compensation rules) and best practices in setting executive compensation in the real world of limited resources and competition for talent. CPE Field of Study: Personnel/HR The rules affecting employee benefit plans are constantly changing – be sure your organization’s plans are in good shape. Attend this session and hear about the latest developments in implementation of the health care reform law and their impact on employer-sponsored health plans. Topics will include: an update on challenges to the new law pending before the U.S. Supreme Court; W-2 reporting of health care coverage costs; handling medical loss ratio rebates; complying with the requirement to provide a summary of benefits and coverage; and preparing for the “pay or play” mandate. On the retirement plan front, find out how to comply with new fee disclosure rules, brush up on the rules that now apply to 403(b) plans, discuss common 403(b) compliance challenges resulting from the new rules and find out how to resolve them. CPE Field of Study: Personnel/HR Financial information doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s meant to be used by decision-makers throughout the organization – including program directors, who can offer valuable insight into their programs’ day-to-day operations and economic realities. In this session, find out why it’s important to involve program directors in financial management. Learn about steps executive and finance staff can take to ensure effective communication with program directors on financial matters, give them the information and tools they need to develop and monitor their budgets, and work with them to interpret financial data from their programs and use it to drive decision-making. CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge & Applications While the conventional wisdom “no money, no mission” certainly holds true, it’s also important not to lose sight of your mission when pursuing funding opportunities in lean times. In this session, explore opportunities to strengthen and expand your organization’s resource base while remaining true to its mission. We will discuss the process of clarifying your organization’s mission and priorities, assessing its core competencies, and understanding and evaluating the effectiveness of its current business model (including taking into account the true cost of its current programs and activities). We will examine opportunities to make fundamental changes in your organization’s business model through an increased understanding of potential “markets” for its services and the investments required to penetrate those markets. Our discussion will cover opportunities to generate earned income, to play leadership roles in emerging government funding streams, and to build financial support from individuals, businesses and foundations. CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge & Applications Sound records management is critical to operating efficiently, documenting compliance, preparing for and responding to monitoring, and defending against legal claims. More than just a record retention schedule, records management is an organization-wide approach to controlling records from their creation, through their distribution, use and maintenance, to their ultimate disposition. In this session, we will review relevant record retention requirements and the fundamentals of records management and offer practical tips on putting in place a compliant, consistent and cost-effective records management program. CPE Field of Study: Business Management & Organization |
| 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Afternoon Break |
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. |
Workshop Session Four: Credits: 1.5 HRCI, 1.5 CPE, 0.15 CEU 4A. GOVERNANCE: D&O Insurance: What Every Nonprofit Should Know Running a nonprofit can be a risky business – be sure your board members and officers are fully protected through directors’ and officers’ liability (D&O) insurance. Using real life scenarios and statistics, this workshop will examine what nonprofit board members and officers often get sued for, ways to manage those risks, and what to look for in a D&O policy. CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge & Applications Brush up on the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by taking a practical look at common wage and hour compliance issues facing CAAs, and discover ways to reduce wage and hour law liability. In this session, you will learn how to categorize workers as employees vs. independent contractors and employees as exempt vs. nonexempt. We will examine the salary basis requirement for exempt employees – what it means to pay an employee on a salary basis and how to avoid impermissible deductions that can jeopardize the salary basis of an employee’s pay. We will also discuss how employees may volunteer for your organization without running afoul of FLSA requirements. CPE Field of Study: Personnel/HR Whether you're looking to upgrade your current financial software system or to install accounting software for the first time, the steps to choosing the right financial software are essentially the same: determine what your needs are, research the available software options, and then select the best software available within your budget. This workshop will walk you through each of these steps in depth to help you find the best option for your organization. CPE Field of Study: Computer Science Ever wonder why there isn’t a quorum at the board meeting when you’ve asked board members to bring a list of 25 people they’ll ask for money? It’s no surprise – many board members dread this part of their responsibilities. Attend this workshop to discover more than 25 ways board members can FUNdraise – successfully – without making that dreaded list. Come ready to share some of your best ideas! CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge & Applications It’s another big election year. How can nonprofits and public agencies receiving federal grants, including CAAs and Head Start programs, operate and advocate effectively within the political activity and lobbying rules that apply to them, their employees and board members? Be sure you’re up to speed by attending this workshop and getting a nuts and bolts explanation of Internal Revenue Service, Office of Management and Budget, Community Services Block Grant and Head Start rules governing lobbying and political activity, as well as the Hatch Act and voter registration rules. CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge & Applications
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| 7:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Conference Information |
| 7:45 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. | Continental Breakfast and Roundtables |
7:45 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. |
Attorney Network Breakfast JUST ADDED! State Association Network Breakfast |
| 8:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. | Morning Break |
9:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. |
Workshop Session Five: Credits: 1.75 HRCI, 2 CPE, 0.18 CEU 5A. GOVERNANCE: Using Self-Assessment Tools to Take Your Board to the Next Level Is your board positioned to help your organization face current and future challenges? Does it function like a well-oiled machine on the road to success? Answer these questions and more using board self-assessment. Self-assessment can serve multiple purposes: educating the board about its function; identifying what the board is doing well and what it could do better; and engaging board members in critical discussions about the organization’s future. In this session, we will review board roles and responsibilities, examine various board self-assessment tools and offer recommendations on how to get the most out of a self-assessment. We will also engage in interactive exercises demonstrating the vital role that board self-assessment can play in helping your organization achieve its goals. CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge & Applications
Are you confused about when and how your organization must accommodate employee requests for individualized treatment? Do you struggle with striking a balance between accommodating employees and maintaining a productive and effective workplace? Attend this session and get practical suggestions on how to respond. Review the Americans with Disabilities Act and other anti-discrimination laws and learn how to distinguish between situations that will likely require an employer to accommodate and those that are likely to result in an “undue hardship” on the employer. Examine the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s constantly expanding view of an employer’s legal obligation to accommodate. Finally, find out about policies and procedures your organization can implement to protect itself from liability and optimize its operations. CPE Field of Study: Personnel/HR Agility, scenario planning, and swift decision-making are necessary financial management competencies to counteract the ever-present and dangerous force of financial inertia. Most organizations have a few key financial drivers that are critical to “make the budget work.” Do you know your budget’s key drivers? Are they being actively monitored and understood? At what point is a change of course necessary? This session will highlight the core tools of dashboard reports and budget scenario plans to illustrate how organizations can successfully engage in dynamic budget management. CPE Field of Study: Finance Building relationships with businesses in your community can generate revenue and more for your organization. CAAs and other similar organizations have leveraged their resources and realized important benefits from those relationships – including money, advocacy, volunteers and more. Attend this session and discover how you can work with your local businesses to foster corporate sponsorship, enhance program revenue, expand earned income opportunities, partner on co-branding, and more. We’ll also explore some successful Community Action examples that could work for you. CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge & Applications Understanding the barriers that eligible individuals in immigrant families face in accessing government-funded benefits and services is critical to ensuring that those individuals are able to avail themselves of the assistance your organization provides. Join us for an interactive session in which you will learn about common issues that affect access to government-funded benefits and services for immigrants, such as concerns about “public charge,” confidentiality, verification of eligibility, sponsor-related barriers, and language access. We will discuss state laws that impose barriers or improve access to public benefits and services. Participants will also explore strategies for overcoming these barriers. CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge & Applications |
| 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Closing General Session: Closing remarks from George Sheldon, Acting Assistant Secretary, ACF, HHS and a legislative update from Anita Lichtblau, Esq., CAPLAW |
| This schedule is subject to change | |
