[Map News Wire] Honor the Work of Your Nonprofit

[mapnewswire at communityforum.net]

April 14, 2006

MAP FOR NONPROFITS
25 Years of Navigating for Nonprofit Excellence

1. Honor the Work of Excellent Nonprofits
2. New Leaders Circles(r) Forming
3. See You at the Technology and Communications Conference
4. HealthPartners Offers Technology Help to Health Nonprofits
5. MAP Welcomes New Staff Member

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1. Honor the Work of Excellent Nonprofits

This year, honor the work of your nonprofit or another organization you
greatly admire with a nomination for a Nonprofit Excellence and/or
Nonprofit Mission Award.

MAP for Nonprofits and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits are accepting
nominations for the 2006 Nonprofit Excellence Awards and 2006 Mission
Awards. Friday, May 26 is the nomination deadline. The Nonprofit
Excellence Award is based on MCN's Principles and Practices for
Nonprofit Excellence and is sponsored by Marquette Financial Companies.
Board involvement is required to submit a Nonprofit Excellence
application, so don't delay. The Mission Awards are given in the
categories of Innovation, Advocacy, Anti-Racism Initiative, and
Responsive Philanthropy. Nominate your Minnesota organization - or
another -- for a Mission Award. Visit www.mncn.org/awards.htm for more
information on both the Excellence Awards and the Mission Awards.

Being recognized from among the field of an organization's nonprofit
peers is one of the highest honors a Minnesota nonprofit can achieve.
Take the time to honor the work of nonprofits. Take action, through your
nomination.

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2. New Executive Director Leaders Circles(r) Forming

For more than 10 years, MAP has convened small groups of nonprofit
executives in professionally-facilitated Leaders Circles(r) to
strengthen and nurture their leadership. If you're an executive director
of a nonprofit-whether in human services, the arts, health, education,
or the environment - you can join a new Circle now for only $400 for the
entire year. If you are a Greater Twin Cities United Way funded agency,
United Way is now making it possible for you to participate for only
$100. The new Circles will be launched during the next few months. In a
Circle, five to seven executives meet monthly to focus on solving their
own real-life management and organizational issues. Using
results-oriented, action learning methods, resources are shared,
problems are solved and leadership is developed. If you are interested
in being a part of a Leaders Circle(r), please contact Debbie Okerlund,
a MAP Leaders Circles(r) facilitator. She can be reached at 612-798-4908
or at debbie.okerlund at bitstream.net.

Here's what one executive director says about Leaders Circles(r): "I
always leave the Leaders Circle with a feeling of renewed energy. I gain
not only knowledge, but also a sense of perspective, humor, and support
from people I respect."

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3. See You at the Technology and Communications Conference

Visit MAP for Nonprofits' exhibit at the HD(c)(3) Sharpening Your
Organization's Image and Messaging Conference, April 25, sponsored by
MCN and the Greater Twin Cities United Way. Rick Birmingham, MAP
technology circuit rider, is presenting sessions on "Exploring Nonprofit
Fundraising Software Options," and the "Next Generation of Your
Nonprofit's Database" at the conference. For more information on the
conference, visit www.mncn.org/events.htm. For more information on MAP's
Technology Services, contact Kathleen Alme at 651-632-7229 or
Kalme at mapfornonprofits.org. 

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4. HealthPartners Offers Technology Help to Small Health Nonprofits

Mini-grants from HealthPartners are available to agencies that are MAP
for Nonprofits' technology clients and that have programs that address
health care or disparities in health care. Up to $1,500 may be granted
and must be used for hardware and/or software purchases and upgrades.
Please visit www.mapfornonprofits.org and click on Nonprofit Services,
and then Scholarships, for more information.

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5. Tom Guettler joins MAP Strategic Services Group

MAP welcomes Tom Guettler as a new MAP staff member who will work with
clients as a strategic development consultant, focusing on board
development and strategic planning. 

Before joining MAP, Tom was director of resource development for
Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund. His duties there included
board training, curriculum development, and management of a federal
grant project. Prior to that, Tom served as manager at Agris
Corporation, where he developed skills in training, facilitation,
business analysis, planning, and management. Tom has a bachelor's degree
in journalism from the University of St. Thomas. Among his volunteer
activities, Tom has served as president of the board of Mississippi
Market Co-op in St. Paul. Tom can be reached at 651-393-2160 or
tguettler at mapfornonprofits.org.

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MAP for Nonprofits 
25 years of Navigating for Nonprofit Excellence

MAP provides management and board recruitment services to large, medium
and small nonprofit organizations in the Greater Twin Cities area. We
complement the management expertise and resources of our clients with
the right combination of paid staff, consultants and volunteers to
achieve our clients' strategic objectives. 
 
If you would like to discuss how MAP services can help your nonprofit
achieve its objectives, contact Julie Dappen at
jdappen at mapfornonprofits.org.