And we have a winner!

do good Consulting and the Champaign-Urbana Design Organization are pleased to announce 2010's project: non-profit makeover winner: the CHAMPAIGN COUNTY FARM BUREAU FOUNDATION.

Founded in 1985, the Foundation has awarded nearly $500,000 in scholarships to students pursuing careers related to agriculture: forestry, agriculture education, dietetics, horticulture, agriculture education or engineering, diesel mechanics, farm management, animal science and others. In doing so, they have quietly impacted nearly everyone who eats, for Champaign County is known around world for being blessed with the richest soil on Earth.

Champaign County's agriculture industry is extremely diverse and touches every individual in some aspect. In addition to providing sustenance, agriculture-related jobs employ nearly 25% of all Illinoisans.

Debby Rehn, the Foundation's Executive Director, expressed frustration with the Foundation's image in her application: "The closest image we have to a logo is a pillar, in place for years before I arrived at the Foundation. It's a picture from Microsoft clipart. I imagine it was meant to represent higher education, but it in no way incorporates the major basis of the Foundation—agriculture. We also have no real website to speak of. These need to change if we are to move forward. Food is our future, and teaching students about agriculture of the future is key."

First impressions are crucial in attracting an individual or business to support a cause, and the Foundation's need for a new logo and a real website were clear.

"It is not uncommon for people in the agriculture industry to quietly go about their business without showcasing their efforts," says Rehn. "But it is now time for the Foundation to proudly depict the impact it has made on students -- and the world -- for the past 25 years. The time has come for a makeover."

The Champaign County Farm Bureau Foundation is supporting our future, ensuring a crop of leaders in the agriculture industry who are skilled, ready, and adept at meeting tomorrow's food challenges. Through project: non-profit makeover, do good and CUDO are pleased to join the Champaign County Farm Bureau Foundation in this ambitious and noble mission. Representatives from CUDO, do good , and the Champaign County Farm Bureau Foundation will gather Saturday, July 10 in Champaign for a one-day "design-a-thon" to create a new organizational logo, website, and business paperwork. We will share the outcome of this effort with readers in the August 1 issue of Doing Good.

Read more about this great organization in the Group Spotlight below. And be sure to watch the transformation that takes place with the Champaign County Farm Bureau Foundation in the coming months, as do good Consulting and CUDO give them an organizational makeover!

“School’s Out” means more volunteers

by Jenn Raley Miller, Management & Communications Specialist, do good Consulting

My friend Matt, a sophomore at the University of Illinois, is home in Chicagoland for the summer. He recently posted to his Facebook page that he wasn’t sure what to do with himself for the next three months. “I want to do something good this summer…maybe I should volunteer?”

School’s out for the summer, for college students and K-12 students, as well as a lot of their teachers. In this economy, only a lucky few have summer jobs. It would be a tragic waste if young people like Matt end up playing video games all summer instead of putting their energy into doing good in their communities.

Has your organization started reaching out to them yet? Don’t miss out on this opportunity to get them plugged into your efforts. It’s not too late – while potential volunteers may start thinking early in the summer about donating their time, it may take a few weeks before acting on the idea.

Here are some things to think about...

Click here for more.

Q&A: Form 990 - Is the IRS Serious?

Dear do good:

I have been hearing in the news that up to 25% of non-profits may lose their tax-exempt status this year for failing to file a required form. Can you please elaborate on this for me? How can I make sure that my organization is not part of this 25%?

- Compliance-focused, Springfield, IL

Dear Compliance:
Great question! There have been many reports over the last month stating that a provision within the Pension Reform Act of 2006 may result in 25% of all non-profits losing their tax-exempt status. Here's what you need to know: The law requires that all non-profits file appropriate forms with the Internal Revenue Service. The law previously required only those organizations with annual revenues above $25,000 to file, but now requires organizations with annual revenues from $0 to $25,000 to also file. The deadline to do this was this past May 15.

Before the 2006 bill was passed, only non-profits with revenue above $25,000 had to file, using Form 990 or 990 EZ. Beginning in 2008, organizations with less than $25,000 of annual revenues had to file Form 990-N within three years. That time period ended this past May 15. The penalty for failing to comply with this new regulation was revocation of an organization's tax-exempt status.

The purpose of this provision is to monitor charitable donations more closely, which are provided a tax deduction, and to weed out organizations that may now be defunct and forgot to file required paperwork when they closed their doors. The IRS hopes these actions will allow for a fuller view of the U.S. non-profit sector as well as better protect the sector from fraud.

These are noble purposes, but have also left smaller, staff-strapped organizations with little revenue either scratching their heads or completely in the dark regarding what do to, how to do it, and when to do it.

If you think you fall into this category, it appears you may still have time to file. IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman recently said that tax-exempt organizations that have yet to file their required information return should still do so, even though the filing deadline has passed. He issued a statement assuring small organizations that the IRS will do what it can to help them avoid losing their exempt status. Learn how to file the required form, Form 990-N (e-Postcard) , and get more information about automatic revocation for failure to file here.

Have a question for do good? Contact our experts at 217-778-1687 or dogood@dogoodconsulting.org.

ONE SIMPLE ACT

In each month’s Doing Good, you’ll find one great tip to implement over the next month. By taking this one small, achievable action each month, you can make big changes in your organization’s and your own performance, increase donations and volunteerism, and expand your group’s visibility. Give it a try!

This month's ONE SIMPLE ACT focuses on boosting volunteerism, retaining volunteers, and volunteer appreciation.

Group Profile: Champaign County Farm Bureau Foundation

by Rachael Dietkus-Miller, Champaign-Urbana Design Organization

NOTE: The Champaign County Farm Bureau is the winner of this year's project: non-profit makeover award. On July 10, 2010, graphic design and communications experts from the Champaign-Urbana Design Organization and do good Consulting will transform the Foundation's current website, develop a new Foundation logo (old logo, right), and create templates for business cards, letterhead, and envelopes.

Since its start 25 years ago, Champaign County Farm Bureau Foundation has awarded 552 scholarships to 236 students totalling over $480,000. From just one scholarship awarded in 1986, the Foundation has since dramatically increased the amount of scholarships and the number of recipients awarded each year. The Foundation holds several events throughout the year, including a spring luncheon to honor the year's recipients and to provide an opportunity for the students to interact with fellow students, donors and Foundation staff. The Foundation receives generous donations from both individuals and area businesses as well as additional support from small add-on donations via Farm Bureau memberships.

Through their scholarships, the Foundation has worked hard to build relationships with recipients. They work hard to keep track of students once they graduate, with some actually joining their Board and others taking on grand endeavors. Most notably, two of these former Foundation scholarship recipients are Lauren and Annie Murray, Fisher High School and University of Illinois ACES graduates.

While studying Hospitality Management with the help of Foundation scholarships, the sisters took classes that taught them about the origin of both food and plants. Graduating from ACES in 2006 not only provided them with a solid base, but also many valuable connections. While Lauren’s interests were always in finance and event planning, Annie was passionate about being in the kitchen. In 2006 they combined their talents and the result was L.A. Gourmet Catering . The crucial component that allowed Lauren and Annie to make their dream a reality was a solid education that provided them with the knowledge to make L.A. Gourmet Catering a successful business.

The Foundation’s primary purpose is to support Champaign County youth like Lauren and Annie financially during their education in order to ensure a strong future for the agriculture industry. Lauren and Annie's success story is just one of many the Foundation can boast of.

For more information, contact Debby Rehn, Foundation Director, at 217-352-5235 or debby@ccfarmbureau.com. To learn more about Champaign County Farm Bureau Foundation, visit http://champaign.countyfarmbureau.org/cat/39.

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