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News items related to nonprofits

Mercy Home for Boys & Girls has Openings this Fall

Do you know a young person who may need some extra help? Maybe they are having problems at home, in school, or are enduring difficult experiences like grief, loss, unstable living environments, or other traumatic events. They don't need to go through it alone--Mercy Home can help!

Nonprofit Utopia Wraps Up Two of Three Workshop Series On Lever for Change, Bold Solutions Network

Nonprofit Utopia has just completed the facilitation of two of three workshop series for members of the Bold Solutions Network, sponsored by Lever for Change, an affiliate of the MacArthur Foundation. Participants included finalists from the $100 million 100&Change Contest. 100&Change is a competition for a $100 million grant to fund a single proposal that promises real and measurable progress in solving a critical problem of our time.

Nonprofit Utopia Takes To YouTube to Provide Free Fundraising Help for Nonprofits

Successful fundraising includes more than developing a strong case for support and writing the "perfect" grant proposal.  The depth and quality of your relationships with funders can make the difference between getting funded or not.  Most importantly, in this day and age, the relationships your organization has can make the difference in your organization's ability to keep its doors open. With this in mind, Valerie F. Leonard, the Founder of Nonprofit Utopia, LLC, will host an interactive, livestreamed presentation to take viewers through the entire cycle of donor cultivation, from prospect research to stewarding their gifts. The presentation will be aired on Nonprofit Utopia Live, on Thursday, October 29, from 10:00 am until 11:00 am CDT.

Spring 2019 trainings, and the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU)

Public Narrative provides trainings for community organizations, nonprofit professionals and journalists in Chicago and the surrounding regions. 

Building Organizations That Stand the Test of Time

Valerie F. Leonard, a local expert in community and organizational development, is partnering with Chicago State University to host "Lasting Impact: Building Sustainable Organizations".  The information-packed workshop promises to show participants how to build nonprofit organizations that stand the test of time.  The free workshop will be held on Saturday, June 10, 2017, from 11:00 am until 12:30 pm, at the Chicago State University New Academic Library Auditorium, on the 4th Floor.  Chicago State University is located at 9501 South Dr. Martin Luther King Drive in Chicago.

Starting and Managing a Nonprofit Business in the State of Illinois

Tune in to Nonprofit “U” to hear a podcast of Valerie F. Leonard discussing the ins and outs of starting a nonprofit business in the State of Illinois.

The big secret is out! #FomerlyCMW is Now #NP!

The big secret is out! The Community Media Workshop #CMW is now are Public Narrative. We also have a new website. Head over to

Just Checking: Valerie F. Leonard Discusses How Nonprofits Can Maintain Tax-Exempt Status

In response to the growing number of nonprofit organizations losing tax-exempt status, Valerie F. Leonard, will discuss nonprofit compliance on the state and federal levels on the Nonprofit “U” blog radio talk show. The show will stream live on Monday, October 12, 2015, from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., from BlogTalkRadio.com/nonprofit_u.  This episode will include an overview of required nonprofit reports, including the federal Form 990, registration with the Secretary of State and annual reports to the Attorney General.  There will be opportunities for listeners to call in with questions and participate in live chats. Nonprofit professionals are especially encouraged to call in and share their stories and to ask questions. The live call in number is (347) 884-8121. The archived podcast will be available on BlogTalkRadio, Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes and Stitcher.

Dew the Right Thing: Habilitative Systems, Inc. CEO Discusses Mental Health, People With Disabilities and the State Budget Stalemate

Donald J. Dew, the CEO of Habilitative Systems, Inc. (HSI), will be a guest on the Nonprofit “U” radio blog talk show on Monday, October 5, 2015, from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.  Nonprofit "U" is an online forum where nonprofit stakeholders can discuss the latest developments in the sector and increase their capacity to serve their clients and build sustainable communities. Valerie F. Leonard, an expert in community and organizational development is the host. The show will stream live from BlogTalkRadio.com/nonprofit_u.  The archived podcast will be available on BlogTalkRadio, Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes and Stitcher.

Census Bureau Makes Community Assets Count on Nonprofit ā€œUā€

Ileana Serrano, Data Dissemination Specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau, will be a guest on the Nonprofit “U” radio blog talk show on Monday, August 17, 2015, from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.  Nonprofit "U" is an online forum where nonprofit stakeholders can discuss the latest developments in the sector and increase their capacity to serve their clients and build sustainable communities. Valerie F. Leonard, an expert in community and organizational development, is the host. The show will stream live from BlogTalkRadio.com/nonprofit_u.  The podcast will be archived on iTunes, BlogTalkRadio.com/nonprofit_u, Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU and Stitcher.