Advice to President Obama – A Call to Non-Profit Leaders

The President and all of our elected officials need to hear our voices, individually and collectively. Following a practice initiated by “The Chronicle of Philanthropy,” the Oakland Chamber Non-Profit Roundtable is inviting you to participate in a collection of messages to the President, to provide information, advice and guidance to him and his administration as they proceed over the next four years. What advice would you give them as they develop their non-profit agenda? What would you like to see happen? There are many issues already under discussion, such as tax laws regarding donations, federal funding for social services and the arts, and employment.

We want to collect these messages and then forward them on as organizations/companies/businesses with a stake in our community and our country. Please write pointedly and submit your message to Non-Profit Roundtable Co-Chair Jerry Metzker (jerry.metzker@bayer.com) or Ana-Marie Jones (amj@CARDcanhelp.org) November 30, and then we’ll compile them and share them – with our elected officials and each other.

The election is only the beginning. Now we get to work.

What’s New with YOU and the Oakland Chamber Nonprofit Roundtable?

There are new faces and new efforts afoot at your Chamber! Please join us on October 16th to meet and hear from some key people at the Chamber, including Shannon Pedder, Board Chair (who is a small business owner with many strong ties to the nonprofit community); Paul Junge, Vice-President and Director of Public Policy; and Brandon Brooks, Membership Sales Representative AND our new liaison to the Roundtable! You'll have the opportunity to introduce yourself in a new way, and we'll pick up our conversation about the exciting initiative called "Nonprofit Day at the Races!" in partnership with Golden Gate Fields. 

This is a great time to take a new look at what your Chamber membership can do for your and your business, and see how you can be better connected and better known in your community. Load up your business cards, and get ready to share the new you on Tuesday, October 16, 2012, from 2:30pm - 4:30pm in the Oakland Chamber, 475 14^th Street.

Chamber Co-Chairs Ana-Marie Jones (CARD), and Jerry Metzker (Biotech Partners), will be there to meet and help you connect!

Mark Your Calendars: The Nonprofit Roundtable meets on the 3rd Tuesday of every month, 2:30pm - 4:30pm -- it's where Chamber community champions meet, greet, learn, and engage!. 

11th Annual Walk to End Domestic Violence

The 11^th Annual Walk to End Domestic &  Teen Dating Violence, a benefit walk in support of A Safe Place the only comprehensive domestic violence shelter in Oakland, will be held on Saturday, October 13, 2012 from 9AM to 2PM at Lake Merritt.  This is an excellent opportunity for Chamber members to promote their products and services at the Community Resources Expo as part of the walk festivities. 

 To reserve a spot for your business or for more information on sponsorship/tabling opportunities, please contact Alex Arteaga, aarteaga@arteagacoltassoc.com. or call (510)859-8111. 

Oakland Chamber September Non-Profit Roundtable Meeting

Oakland is the place for culture, and the growing and prospering arts community will be the feature conversation at the September 18, 2012 Oakland Chamber Non-Profit Roundtable. Featured presenters will include Margo Dunlap, Executive Director of Pro Arts; Andrea Lundquist, Tara Batholomew and Executive Director Steve Young of The Crucible and Vessel Gallery owner Lonnie Lee. We are also planning a special salute to Chamber Membership Director/Roundtable liaison Triche Christmon.

The Non-Profit Roundtable serves as the Chamber’s hub to connect the Non-Profit business community with the For-Profit business community in the mutually beneficial way to support Oakland. Please join us and participate in the conversation to strengthen Oakland.

Why Non-Profits are profitable for Oakland

By Jerry Metzker

Co-chair of Non-Profit Roundtable and
Development & Marketing Manager of Biotech Partners

The word “charity” is often a misnomer, and yet that is the word that pops into most people’s heads when we think of “non-profits.” In addition, “non-profit” often carries with it the common and diminishing belief of sameness. Frequently, non-profit companies and organizations are listed together, as if their primary business was, in fact, being “non-profit.”

A review of the non-profit organizations that are members of the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, however, reveals a breadth and depth in focus, service and business. First, approximately 15% of all Oakland Chamber of Commerce members fall under the IRS status of “non-profit.” These roughly 200 businesses run in size from employing a handful of employees focused on a specific service or activity to the largest private sector employer in Oakland. While many are specifically local, others are regional, national or even international.

Non-profits are service organizations for children and youth, seniors, people with disabilities or illnesses, the unemployed, homeless and disadvantaged; they are arts organizations and museums; social and civic clubs and associations; schools (from pre-school programs through universities), churches, synagogues, mosques and religious communities; cultural organizations; zoos and science centers; health care providers (including Kaiser and Children’s Hospital); credit unions; City CarShare, AAA and even the Oakland Chamber of Commerce.

A person wouldn’t classify a restaurant, farm, trucking company and supermarket as the same type of business, because they merchandise in food. Yet that same person would lump a school, health organization and orchestra under the giant umbrella of “non-profit.” Simply, to be a non-profit is to be a legal corporation with a specific IRS tax status.

Not only do non-profits provide valuable and necessary services to our communities, but they also provide thousands of jobs and pour millions of dollars into local economies. Non-profit companies also make our communities better places to live and prosper. Imagine Oakland without its world-class zoo, the Paramount, Chabot Space & Science Center, Children’sHospital, the Oakland Museum or the Chamber of Commerce.

Non-profit companies and organizations are integral to the positive fabric of our community, and the Oakland Chamber’s Non-profit Roundtable invites all those that are interested in interfacing and networking with this valuable collection of local businesses on the third Thursday of each month, from 2:30-4:30 p.m. in the Oakland Chamber boardroom.

Nonprofit Roundtable hosts local transit experts

July's Non-Profit Roundtable, which met on July 17, discussed the many ways that individuals can travel around the Oakland Metropolitan areas, and several of the opportunities available to secure safe, cost-effective and environmentally friendly transport.

With the fifth largest container port in the country, international airport, regional rail system, public bus system, ferries, Amtrak station and bike lanes, Oakland is a transportation and transit mega-star.

At the meeting, two local organizations serving Oakland and all of Alameda County presented their respective organization's opportunities to individuals and companies.

LaShawn Martin of 511.org, the Bay Area transit specialist, introduced the many transit opportunities offered to individuals and corporations, including several of the free services for commuters. These services include coordinating and supervising over 500 vanpools and carpools throughout the Bay Area (and oh yes, there are rewards for users), transit schedules and route maps, up-to-date traffic information and future traffic challenges, bike maps and even a trip planning function. 511.org even provides parking information.

For companies that want to meet state air quality requirements, care about making their locations convenient and accessible to their employees, and want to reduce employee transit costs and enhance their corporate image, 511 offers several options, including worksite events.

511.org can be accessed via the internet and by phone (by dialing 511). The site also has several downloadable apps.

The second presenter was Melanie Curry, representing The Alameda County Guaranteed Ride Home Program (GRH), a unique service that does just what it says—“guarantees a free ride home for employees working in the event of unexpected circumstances such as illness, family crisis, or unscheduled overtime. Registrants may use the GRH vouchers to take either a taxi or a rental car, provided they have taken transit (BART, bus, etc.), a carpool, a vanpool, walked, or biked to work.” Users don’t have to live in Alameda County, they just have to work here. Up to six trips may be used per employee each year.

This fantastic program is a “free county benefit for employees and offered through the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency (ACCMA). To register, or for more information, see the Guaranteed Ride Home website at www.grh.accma.ca.gov or call (510) 433-0320.”

One specific side note about the Alameda County Guaranteed Ride Home Program is that companies must sign up first—and any Alameda County Company can, no matter the size of the business.

Every month, the Oakland Chamber Non-Profit Roundtable holds pertinent discussions and addresses issues and opportunities for growth and to connect with For-Profit businesses, all in the effort to strengthen the greater Oakland metropolitan community. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 21, from 2:30-4:30 pm, in the Oakland Chamber board room. The group is a great introduction to the Chamber as well as a great networking opportunity for all Oakland businesses.

Contacts:

Co-Chair Âna-Marie Jones, Executive Director of CARD (amj@cardcanhelp.org)

Co-Chair Jerry Metzker, Development & Marketing Manager of Biotech Partners (jerry.metzker@bayer.com)

Chamber Liaison Triche Christmon, Membership Director (tchristmon@oaklandchamber.com)

Non-Profit Roundtable works to make Oakland more hospitable

By Jerry Metzker, Co-chair, Oakland Chamber Non-Profit Roundtable

Oakland's growing prominence as a destination for visitors from both near and far was the subject of the June 19 Oakland Chamber Non-Profit Roundtable meeting.

Presenters Myra Howay and April Tamaddoni from Visit Oakland shared a number of ways that community benefits organizations and other non-profits can utilize its growing body of resources to promote themselves and strengthen the infrastructure and prominence of Oakland.

The primary role of Visit Oakland is to ensure everyone who comes to Oakland is greeted and welcomed.

"Getting to sell the entire City of Oakland gives me goose bumps," Tamaddoni gushed.

One of the ways that Visit Oakland can help organizations is to act as liaison between them and the various hotels to schedule events and activities. With intimate knowledge and strong relationships with the hospitality businesses in the community, Visit Oakland is able to design a proposal process and review the results to help organizations make the best choice for their needs and budget.

"Our goal is to bring more business to Oakland," Howay noted.

Visit Oakland is also able and willing to create customized visitor's guides and packages for any number of out-of-town guests. Those in attendance received a sample package that included a variety of information and some terrific postcards of Oakland.

"Oakland has so much to offer," Howay declared, including a popular fine arts and music district, excellent cuisine from a variety of countries and cultures, professional sports teams, hiking and Lake Merritt-the oldest animal sanctuary in the country.

Visit Oakland also wants to hear from the members of the community, and the city's guests. Posting stories and experiences on its Facebook page is a fantastic way to spread the word.

One of Oakland's primary hosts is Children's Fairyland, located in Lakeside Park on the northwest corner of Lake Merritt. Executive Director C.J. Hirschfield shared with the Roundtable several of Fairyland's great accomplishments as well as improvements and new opportunities.

Children's Fairyland has the only children's performing arts theater in this region, and the longest-running puppet theater in the U.S.A.

Although a non-profit, 82% of the operating and program income is earned from ticket sales and special events. These events include weddings and adult nights. (The next adult night will be held on July 20, 2012.) Fairyland is also developing mutually beneficial partnerships with other Oakland-based businesses, such as Oaklandish and The Crucible (which is also a non-profit).

"We are in the memory-making business," declared Hirschfield, "and we love it!"

Children's Fairyland continues to explore ways to engage children and their families, not simply in the fun and the arts, but also by developing resources and partnerships to improve health and increase literacy.

"We are continuing to up our game," Hirschfield concluded, inviting Fairyland's non-profit colleagues to propose collaborations.

In addition to the conversation on hospitality, a new business in Oakland extended an opportunity to non-profit Chamber members. Dugaduga.com is a unique new social networking site designed to connect individuals with similar interests to participate in activities together, such as mountain biking or knitting. The site enables individuals to connect online and then pursue their interest or activity together.

Dugaduga.com founder Jessie Ivey declared that for-profit corporations need to recognize that they have a responsibility to the communities in which they do business. As part of its giving back to the community, the Internet company is offering 10% it's advertising to nonprofits that do not discriminate. For more information, contact them at Staylon@dugaduga.com.

Please mark your calendar. The next Non-Profit Roundtable committee meeting will be held on July 17, 2012 from 2:30-4:30 pm in the Oakland Chamber board room. The conversation subject will be Transportation, and we are lining up several guest speakers.

Oakland Chamber Non-Profit Roundtable

Co-Chair Ana-Marie Jones, Executive Director, Collaborating Agencies Responding to Disaster (CARD)

Co-Chair Jerry Metzker, Development & Marketing Manager, Biotech Partners

Chamber Liaison Triche Christmon, Membership Director

Attention Community Benefits and Non-Profit Organizations

On April 4^th at 6:00pm the Oakland Raiders Group Sales and Fundraising team will be hosting a fundraising informational roundtable at Oakland Raider headquarters (1220 Harbor Bay Parkway, Alameda). At this event, you will have the opportunity to meet the sales team that will assist in making your 2012 fundraising campaign a success.  The Raiders are excited to show organizations how they can team up with us for the upcoming season.

 Please RSVP the information below to Dimitrous Chattman at dchattman@raiders.com

 Organization:

Contact Name:

Email:

Phone:

Number of guests:

Benefits of attending:

- Q&A with Raider Legend and Hall of Famer Jim Otto
- Learn the benefits of working with The Oakland Raiders
- Strategize with your personal Group Sales Representative about your 2012 fundraising goals
- Raise money for your company or organization          
- Find out about the new fundraising sections
- Take pictures with the Super Bowl Trophies (all guests are encouraged to bring a camera)

Sign up today.