Our hearts go out to the victims of wildfires on Maui and the Big Island of Hawai`i –wildfires which were historically horrific, but also among several declared disasters last week. FEMA reports there have been 74 declared disasters in the U.S. so far in 2023. That’s an average of more than two declared disasters a week. (And that doesn't include this summer’s sweeping and historic heatwaves, with their tragic, record number of heat-related deaths.) Nonprofits around the country routinely find themselves affected by a disaster at the same time they are needed to help their communities with immediate relief and later recovery, rebuilding, and planning for future resilience. In today’s newsletter, we share disaster-related resources for nonprofits (as both helpers and victims), donors, and foundations. We also share a terrific article on performance evaluation by Laurie Wolf of The Foraker Group, guidance for nonprofits on maintaining web traffic and search engine rankings as they plan for a new website, and more new resources.

• Employee Retention Tax Credit: The IRS has issued a fresh set of FAQs on the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC). The new “Frequently asked questions about the Employee Retention Credit” provides answers to 20 of the most common questions about ERTC eligibility and application. It’s partly an attempt by the IRS to combat and highlight the challenges raised by “ERTC mills,” groups that have popped up everywhere promising free government money. In a July 27 Congressional hearing, New Jersey Center for Nonprofits’ President and CEO Linda Czipo testified on the importance of the ERTC to the survival of charitable nonprofits while highlighting the damage being done by the ERTC mills. [View the new FAQs]
  
  
• Embedding Equity in Compensation: On the Fund the People podcast, thought-leader Mala Nagarajan shares six practices that nonprofits can use to embed equity in compensation. [Listen or read the transcript]
  
  
• More on Pay Equity: Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) shares how they worked with their board on pay equity, noting, “The purpose of sharing this case study of pay equity policies and practices is not to position MCN as a perfect example, but rather as a fellow nonprofit wrestling with complex issues that often have no universal ‘right’ solution.” [See MCN's case study]
  
  
• Guidance for Nonprofits with Foundation Funding: The latest webinar in the Nonprofit Financial Commons’ series on nonprofit business models, “The New and Improved Business Model for Foundation-Funded Nonprofits: Negotiating the Terms and Survival of the Fitting,” is now available to view on-demand. [Watch the video]
  
  
• New Form I-9: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new version of Form I-9, the form that all U.S. employers – including nonprofits – must use to verify the identity and employment eligibility of new employees. USCIS is allowing for a grace period through October 31, so your nonprofit won’t be subject to penalties if you inadvertently use the old form when hiring new staff between August 1 and October 31 [Download the new Form I-9]

“We knew (and know) that this work to help solve climate change, while also centering racial equity, is long work. It requires dedicated communities of people working together toward similar goals. What clicked after our pause was that just as people need opportunities to practice new skills, they also need the chance to practice resting, being in community, and imagining new relationships and possibilities. Moments like these are necessary for sustaining long-term work.”

--from the Barr Foundation’s blog post, "why we paused for joy again"

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