Register for a Free Upcoming Webinar

The Exemplary CAAs’ Toolbox: New CAPLAW Resources for Success 

How can I find the right attorney to work with our CAA? How can our organization adopt policies and procedures to make sure we meet compliance and ethical standards? How can we create an effective procurement policy? Where can I learn more about immigrant eligibility for public benefits? Join us for the free upcoming webinar The Exemplary CAAs’ Toolbox: New CAPLAW Resources for Success where we will walk through recently released CAPLAW training resources that will answer these questions and provide vital insight on building a well-governed and effective Community Action Agency.

Participants will get an in-depth look at new CAPLAW resources including:

• New Exemplary Legal Policies and Practices Guidebook;
• New Introduction to Procurement interactive training module;
• New Pro Bono Referrals and Serving Diverse Populations resource sections;
• Newly redesigned www.caplaw.org;
• And new model policies and procedures.

When: November 13, 2012, 2 -3 p.m. Eastern time
Presenters: Eleanor Evans, Esq., Allison Ma’luf, Esq., and Cara Loffredo, CAPLAW
Format: Webinar
Fee: Free!

https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/221311302

New Resource Launched

CAPLAW is excited to announce a variety of new resources and training opportunities now available at caplaw.org! Read the lasted issue of the CAPLAW Update newsletter, test your knowledge with newly developed training modules, and view webinars On Demand!

New Resource Sections Available
Stop by the newly redesigned caplaw.org and check out the new resource sections, Pro Bono Referrals and Serving Diverse Populations!

New Training Module: Introduction to Procurement for Community Action Agencies
Introducing CAPLAW's new interactive training module, Introduction to Procurement for CAAs! The module contains 12 chapters on topics ranging from the guiding principle of procurement to creating your own procurement policy and procedure. The module also contains quizzes throughout to test your knowledge on the information you just learned. You can also download module attachments referred to throughout the module.

Fall 2012 CAPLAW Update Newsletter
Read the latest issue of the CAPLAW Update newsletter, a continuing series of reports on current legal and financial issues of interest to Community Action Agencies.

New Model Policies Available
CAPLAW has added to its library of model policies for your organization to use. Topics ranging from Head Start to Conflicts of Interest, to Information technology. 

Registration Open for Free Whistleblower Policies Webinar

Essential Governance Policies Webinar Series: Whistleblower Policies

Did you know that most fraud is discovered through hotlines and whistleblower reports? In this webinar, you will learn about legal requirements for whistleblower policies and how to create and implement effective policies for your CAA.

August 8, 2012, 2 - 3:30 p.m. eastern time
Presented by: Anita Lichtblau, Esq., CAPLAW
Fee: Free!

Space is limited. Register today! 
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/613462462

CAPLAW Launches Redesigned Website

We are excited to bring you the newly redesigned CAPLAW website! The site features a new, user-friendly interface that is designed to make it easy for Community Action professionals to find the information they need. CAPLAW members will also have access to member exclusive resources and training opportunities!


We would love to hear your feedback! Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey so we may continue improving the site. Take the survey!

Essential Governance Policies Webinar Series

Effectively governed organizations have policies and systems in place to deal with conflicts of interest, to encourage staff and other stakeholders to report possible improprieties without fear of retaliation, and to ensure that the organization’s records are properly protected, maintained and disposed of when appropriate. Developing and implementing conflict of interest, whistleblower, and records management policies can be tricky.

Join CAPLAW for a series of three free webinars on these topics in which we will provide sample policies and pointers on how to deploy them in your organization. The series is intended for executive directors and management staff, board members, and attorneys of Community Action Agencies, as well as others in the Community Action network with an interest in this topic.

• Roadmap for Resolving CAA Conflicts of Interest
  August 1, 2012, 2 - 3:30 p.m. eastern time 
• Whistleblower Policies
  August 8, 2012, , 2 - 3:30 p.m. eastern time 
• Records Management
  August 15, 2012, , 2 - 3:30 p.m. eastern time

> Learn more about the series and register!

Financial Consultant's Corner

Get the answers to the financial questions you've always wanted to ask!

How should our CAA prepare for an upcoming audit? Can we charge mortgage interest on our headquarters to our federal grants? What should we be looking for when hiring a new CFO?

Get the answers to the financial management questions you've always wanted to ask in CAPLAW’s Financial Consultant’s Corner! Kay Sohl of Kay Sohl Consulting will provide a FREE 30-minute phone consultation to two CAAs each month for the next several months. We will either answer them in-house or refer them to Kay Sohl for a phone consultation.

Submit Your Question!

Free Webinar: How Sharing Services Can Help You Do More With Less

Join CAPLAW and Peggy Eagan of Children and Family Services for a free webinar that will discuss the innovative collaboration between 9 nonprofits to share services and how these shared services now better serve the children and families of Charlotte, NC. The webinar will be moderated by Kay Sohl of Kay Sohl Consulting.

Join us to explore:

• Accounting, IT, HR, and other services your CAA may be able to provide for other nonprofits
• Costs/benefits of sharing infrastructure functions
• Challenges of becoming a service provider – balancing your CAA needs with customer/partner needs
• Structuring infrastructure collaborations and resource sharing agreements

Presenters: Peggy Eagan of Children and Family Services, and Kay Sohl of Kay Sohl Consulting

When: May 15, 2012, 2 - 3:30 p.m. eastern time

Fee: FREE!

To Register: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/190260214

New Resource: Social Media Model Policy

View the new social media policy and other policies that Community Action Agencies may use as a starting place to create their own policies.

Other model policies include:

• Model Head Start Conflict Resolution Policies
• Information Technology Resources Policy  
• Conflict of Interest Policies
• Sample Volunteering by Employees Policy

View All CAPLAW Model Policies >

State Association Networking During National Conference

Join colleagues for a new networking opportunity for State Associations during the CAPLAW National Training Conference on Thursday, June 7th from 7:45 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.
  
Learn more about the conference!

• Registration Information
• Workshop Descriptions
• Hotel Information

New Resource! CSBG Monitoring Map for CAAs

New! Monitoring Map for CAAs: A Guide For Navigating The CSBG Review Process 

This free toolkit represents a collaborative effort between the Community Action Partnership (Partnership) and CAPLAW to provide timely training and technical assistance (T/TA) material about the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) monitoring process that will directly impact a CAA’s ability to consistently provide vital services for the low-income community while maintaining a productive relationship with its state CSBG office.

Learn more and view the guide >>

Registration Now Open for 2012 Conference

Registration Now Open!
  
We hope you will join us for our annual National Training Conference in San Diego this summer. In this time of increased competition and scrutiny, it is more important than ever to ensure your organization is in top-notch shape.
 
This year's conference will once again feature an expert faculty of attorneys, accountants, government officials and nonprofit managers who will be ready to answer your questions and give you the tools you need to resolve the legal, financial and management challenges you encounter every day.

View registration information >

View workshop schedule >

Developing Information: 2012 CAPLAW National Conference

New 2012 National Training Conference information is now available on CAPLAW.org. This year's conference will once again feature an expert faculty of attorneys, accountants, government officials and nonprofit managers who will be ready to answer your questions and give you the tools you need to resolve the legal, financial and management challenges you encounter every day.


Join us for the 2012 National Training Conference in beautiful San Diego from June 5 - 7, 2012.
 
View the developing workshop schedule!

CAPLAW Article: Head Start Recompetition

Read the recent CAPLAW article, "Summary of Head Start Regulations on Recompetition", featured in the November, 2011 e-News Buletin, which gives a summary of the new designation renewal system.