We’ve compiled this listing of excellent resources - trainings, webinars, templates, articles, updates, guidance and more - to help progressive leaders and nonprofit staff adapt to leading during the pandemic and the resulting social distancing we all need to follow. We will be updating this list on an ongoing basis and we welcome your additions. We are planning a free webinar series, please let us know which topics you’d like us to prioritize here.
INFORMATION ON RELEVANT FEDERAL LEGISLATION
CARES Act: On March 27 the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a $2 trillion economic stimulus law intended to provide immediate relief for individuals, nonprofits, businesses, and state and local governments became law. The Act has numerous provisions of sector-wide interest to charitable nonprofit organizations - including loans and tax implications for nonprofits.
Council of Nonprofits: Resources that explain loans and legislation related to nonprofits and the CARES Act and a spreadsheet breaking out types of loans available to nonprofits under CARES Act.
Inside Charity: CARES Act Summary
U.S. Chamber of Commerce: CORONAVIRUS EMERGENCY LOANS Small Business Guide and Checklist
U.S. Chamber of Commerce: CORONAVIRUS EMERGENCY LOANS Small Business Guide and Checklist
Bolder Advocacy: CARES Act Brings New “Universal” Charitable Deduction for 2020. A helpful article that explains to 501(c)(3) public charities and their donors should be aware of a new tax incentive in the law that could strengthen nonprofit fundraising at this critical time.
TSNE - Mission Works: Excellent Resources for CARES Act loans.
Jewish Federation: Excellent Chart offering a Comparison of Payment Protection Plan Loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans.
The Small Business Administration: SBA has many useful resources on the CARES Act and the Payroll Protection Plan.
SBA has created a borrower fact sheet, linked here with helpful Highlights of the components of the PPP loan.
You can also download the PPP application from the SBA (Please note that your SBA lender may have a modified version of the application. Check with them first).
Legal Memos Explaining CARES
Sandler Reiff: Legal Analysis of CARES Act for nonprofits
Trister Ross : CARES Act Analysis and Loan and Employment Updates
Families First Response Act: On March 18, 2020, the President signed into law the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). Among other things, the law imposes new Family and Medical Leave Act and paid sick leave requirements on many employers. These new provisions go into effect on April 2, 2020 and will expire on December 31, 2020.
Sandler Reiff: Summary of Families First legislation for employers by Sandler Reiff Law Firm.
Nonprofit HR: "Families First Coronavirus Response Act" brochure
Department of Labor: FMLA leave info for COVID-19 for US employers
National Council on Nonprofits: Legal Analysis of what the Families First Coronavirus Response Act means to Nonprofits
Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EDIL): The Small Business Administration announced last week that it is extending disaster relief loans to small businesses, including nonprofits, to help alleviate economic injury caused by COVID-19. Working with state officials, SBA will be offering loans of up to $2 million through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. As SBA explains, “These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses without credit available elsewhere; businesses with credit available elsewhere are not eligible. The interest rate for non-profits is 2.75%.” Learn more about the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program.
Nonprofit Quarterly: How Nonprofits Can Utilize the New Federal Laws Dealing with COVID-19 by Tim Delaney, in the Nonprofit Quarterly.
LEGAL RESOURCES FOR EMPLOYERS
TCM: These employment policy resources shares how it updated its own employment policies to respond to COVID-19.
Alliant Employee Benefits: Coronavirus and Its Impact on Employers
Legal Aid at Work: Frequently Asked Questions From Employees (Federal and CA law Focus)
CDC: Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019
Department of Labor: link - Occupation safety updates and policies on COVID from OSHA
Nonprofit Risk Management Center: Are We Covered? Your Nonprofit’s Insurance Policies and COVID-19 Claims
Alliance for Justice Bolder Advocacy: Nonprofit Advocacy and COVID-19
Nonprofit HR: "Families First Coronavirus Response Act" brochure
FMB:
Coronavirus and Employee Privacy Laws: What Employers Should Know addresses challenges of medical privacy issues for employers. Employers must observe employees' legal right to privacy—including under the ADA, HIPAA, and/or relevant state and local laws.
Key Legal Updates for Employers is a summary of CoronaVirus and the Workplace including federal and CA law.
GENERAL INFO & RESOURCES
Mutual Aid National Connections: A coordination slack channel for mutual aid networks that have sprung up around the country with the goal of bringing diverse mutual aid networks into more effective coordination, for the duration of this crisis and beyond.
Groups.io: Facilitators for Pandemic Responses Group
National Council of Nonprofits: A Compilation of COVID-19 Resources for Nonprofits
Nonprofit NY: Business Continuity Plan Template - This is a sample business continuity and disaster recovery plan to help nonprofits manage a disruption in operations. It is geared towards a natural disaster but relevant in many circumstances.
Nonprofit HR: Portal of HR COVID-19 Resources For Employers
Facebook: People's Coronavirus Response Group - a venue to discuss the pandemic and practical responses to the new challenges the progressive movement is facing.
Google Docs: Crowd-Sourced COVID-19 Resource List
WORKING AND MANAGING FROM HOME
The Management Center:
Survey Question to Assess Staff Needs: A tool to help you identify and prioritize policy changes and forecast costs.
Cash Flow Tracker Template / Sample: A tool to keep track of your anticipated expenses and revenue.
5 Tips for Managing Remotely: An article advising managers on how to adjust to working remotely.
Check-ins during COVID-19: You’ve probably already adjusted your check-ins. Here are our top tips for checking in during the pandemic, including a new agenda template.
Bridgespan: Eight Steps for Managing Through Tough Times provides specific steps for weathering uncertainty, including planning contingencies and protecting your core operations.
Nobl Academy: Going Remote Overnight: Preparing for the Coronavirus
Forbes: 6 Tips For Managing Remote Employees: How To Maintain Productivity And Engagement
Facilitators For Pandemic Response Group: Resources for Online Meetings, Classes, and Events
Training for Change: Online Meetings, Facilitation Resources, and Webinars
Beth Kanter’s Blog: How to Facilitate Effective Virtual Meetings Beth has great practical advice and links to examples. A good resource.
New York Times: Working From Home: How Coronavirus Could Affect the Workplace
IntelliVen: Work From Home Practices That Work
Harvard Business Review:
Coronavirus Could Force Teams to Work Remotely (we particularly like the section on normalizing new work environments)
Tools for working remotely: The following companies are offering video conferencing and chat tools free of charge:
WebEx: This video conferencing system offers a free subscription option and has recently expanded capabilities to include features such as unlimited usage, the ability to support up to 100 participants in a single virtual meeting, and toll-free dial-in phone numbers (in addition to existing VoIP capabilities).
Zoom: This video conferencing system is likewise expanding its free subscription service to include additional features such as support for up to 100 participants in a single virtual meeting.
Google Hangouts: This video conferencing system is expanding its free services to include the ability for up to 250 participants to join per meeting, live streaming for up to 100,000 viewers within a domain, and the ability to record meetings and save them to Google Drive.
Slack: Often used for company chat groups, Slack offers nonprofits the ability to use their service free of charge for up to 250 users, after which they will discount 85% for additional users.
Tech Soup: Provides an array of free and heavily discounted software to 501c3 organizations.
Nonprofit Resources for Remote Work During the Covid-19 Outbreak - Options that can be implemented relatively quickly, with little or no external tech support to keep communication flowing and foster collaboration while staff members work remotely.
Understanding Video conferencing Tools Available to Your Nonprofit - A side-by-side comparison of tools.
INC.COM: 5 companies are that are providing free remote working tools.
Tech Against Coronavirus: This site tracks popular tools for working remotely.
Action Squared/ Action Network: Free access to a version of Action Builder specifically designed to coordinate mutual aid efforts in the United States. If you are involved in a mutual aid project fill out this form to get started, read about a program here, and sign up for a training webinar here.
NTEN: Technology resources and virtual events, a great resource for organizations transitioning to online work and/or digital organizing. See the NTEN Events List.
Information Ecology: Great resources on Organizational Security and Remote Collaboration.
Washington Post: Story on zoom security concerns.
Azure Leadership Group:
DIGITAL & REMOTE ORGANIZING CAMPAIGN RESOURCES
Becker Digital: Four trainings are scheduled between now and August. Note from NLA: Provider had indicated that trainings will likely occur online rather than in-person - please check with them before signing up.
Digital Organizing Bootcamp - June 14-20th **deadline to apply is March 31st
Advanced Digital Organizing Bootcamp - July 27- August 1st **deadline to apply is April 15th
Digital Organizing Camp, Atlanta - July 20-24th
Train the Trainer, Denver - August 10 & 11th
M+R: Coronavirus Demands a Quantum Leap In Organizing - 10 tips for switching to digital organizing.
Blueprints for Change: Is an open library of advocacy how-to’s put together by campaign innovators to help progressive organizers. The guide topics are sourced from community requests and are then co-created and peer-reviewed. We have found them to be an excellent source of info. (Resource guides)
Training for Change: Excellent resources for training and leading online including Upcoming Online Workshops and Online Training Tools.
National Council on Nonprofits: provides links to the various state associations of nonprofits tailored to state-specific context.
Bridgespan: How to Change a Physical Event to a Virtual Conference
Sister District: Virtual organizing blog, tips and resources for keeping volunteers engaged during COVID-19.
NTEN: Technology resources and virtual events, a great resource for organizations transitioning to online work and/or digital organizing. See the NTEN Events List
60decibles: Remote Surveying Toolkits and Resources (for census and remote organizing)
Organizing 2.0: This conference is a well-respected skills training conference for organizers, communicators, techies, and activists of all levels. This conference will be converted to fully online - April 16 & 17
FUNDRAISING AND FINANCE
Charity How To:
Grants and Coronavirus: Free webinars that cover various topics around the Coronavirus. These are live, but if you register and cannot attend, you will get a recording and slides (webinar).
Network for Good:
Classy: Need to Convert an Event Online? Classy is a vendor that has been recommended to us by a number of groups.
Nonprofit Finance Fund: COVID-19 Tools and Resources for Nonprofits
Garecht Fundraising Associates: Fundraising, Coronavirus, and Your Non-Profit and Donor Calls and Video Chats in the Age of Coronavirus
MESSAGING & COMMUNICATIONS
The Digital Plan: Social Media Campaigns Strategic Cohort - March 5th - June 18th (ONGOING)
Note from NLA: Cohort is still open and only on session two if new organizations wish to join. This cohort is a four-month intensive that goes beyond posting in the moment with a focus on building sustained momentum and narrative for issues and campaigns.Medium Posts
Nicole Carty & Anthony Torres: How Progressives Should Talk About COVID-19
Brevity and Wit: 10 Ways Inclusive Leaders Can Mitigate Bias When Communicating About Coronavirus
The Opportunity Agenda:
Race Class Narrative from Anat Shenker-Osorio: COVID-19 Messaging Document
The Communications Network: Coronavirus Communications Crisis Triage Kit which includes a summary of resources - including canceling events.
ReFrame: An explainer on Threat Modeling and SWOT Template
DEMOCRACY & ELECTION PROTECTION PREPAREDNESS
National Vote at Home Institute: has comprehensive resources and expertise about the mechanics of voting by mail, an update, Vote at Home Scale Plan, and library.
The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights: (LCCR) is calling attention to the damage that could be caused by doing vote by mail the wrong way.
New York Times: This article discusses the challenges to moving the November election.
Protect Democracy: Discusses concerns about a fair, national presidential election.
Medium Post by Eli Pariser: How might a pandemic affect US society and politics in 2020?
Brennan Center for Social Justice: Excellent blog posts and resources on Covid-19 election response.
Fair Fight: Election reform fact sheet.
MIT: Demographics of vote by mail reference.
New York Times: An article on challenges to implementing vote by mail reforms with limited time.
ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES
Bridgespan: Moments of crisis call on leaders to be adaptive, resilient, and proactive. In the free 45-minute webinar "Continuity Planning During Moments of Crisis", Bridgespan will share strategies and tactics to help nonprofit leaders be effective financial and organizational stewards during this moment of unprecedented uncertainty. Webinar - April 21 3 p.m. EDT
Up with Community: Strategic Thinking in a Long Term Crisis - a framework and resource kit to help groups merge rapid-response planning tools with strategic thinking to plan for the short, medium and long term simultaneously. The map of questions can help you think about strategic thinking in a long-term crisis.
Mission Met: The One Month Leadership Action Prioritization Plan is a helpful one-page framework to focus your priorities.
Third Plateau: A free four-part live and recorded webinar series on developing strategies to respond, mitigate, and recover from the COVID-19 crisis. Part 1: Rapid Needs Assessment; Part 2: Emergency Response Plan; Part 3: Organizational Resilience and Risk Monitoring; Part 4: Leadership & Equity in Uncertain Times. Register here.
The Management Center: The 60-Minute Back-Up Plan. An easy to use template to plan for possible staff absences during the pandemic. Start with this template.
FOR PARENTS
Running a nonprofit while homeschooling your kids is no small trick! As a mom with a 4 and 6 year old at home I have created a google doc with some of the great parenting/homeschooling resources shared with me. Please use it, add to it, and share it. May the force be with you!
WHAT ARE WE MISSING?
Do you know of a good resource (training, webinar, article, toolkit, whitepaper, conference, etc.,) that would benefit the progressive movement? Please let us know about it.