Inaugural CNDC Newsletter: August 2024 View this email in your browserA QUARTERLY UPDATE ON HOW WE ARE Powering MissionsIntroductionsWelcome to the inaugural edition of CNDC’s quarterly newsletter!This year, we reached out to our partner projects, community members, and funders to gather feedback on how we’re doing and where we can improve. We’re excited to introduce this newsletter as a way to keep everyone in the loop on all thing’s fiscal sponsorship from finance and accounting to risk reduction, and organizational management to human resources. Plus, we’ll be shining a spotlight on our amazing partners!We’d love to hear from you if there’s specific information you’d like to see featured. Just drop us a line at admin@cndc.org. And feel free to share this with anyone who might be interested.Warm regards, The CNDC TeamP.S. Take a moment to learn more about the individuals behind our efforts and their commitment to supporting and empowering our partner projects.Did You Know?At CNDC, we see nonprofits as essential players in civic engagement because of their deep community knowledge and firsthand experiences. This insight can really shape and improve policy. But, especially during election seasons, it’s important to handle political activities with care to stay on the right side of lobbying and advocacy rules. Here’s a quick run down of what’s allowed and what’s not.What Nonprofits Can Do:Educate the Public: Nonprofits can provide nonpartisan information on issues, policies, and the voting process. This can include organizing forums, distributing educational materials, and hosting discussions on relevant topics.Voter Registration: They can run voter registration drives and encourage people to register to vote. This must be done in a nonpartisan manner, without endorsing or opposing any candidates or parties.Get-Out-the-Vote Efforts: Nonprofits can promote voting and help people get to the polls, as long as these activities are nonpartisan. For instance, they can share information on how to vote and where polling places are.Policy Advocacy: They can advocate for specific policies or issues but must avoid endorsing or opposing specific candidates or political parties.Issue-Based Campaigns: Nonprofits can work on campaigns that focus on specific issues rather than individual candidates. For example, they can advocate for environmental protection, healthcare reform, or education improvements.What Nonprofits Cannot Do:Endorse Candidates: Nonprofits cannot endorse or oppose candidates for public office. This includes making public statements or distributing materials that explicitly support or criticize any candidate.Engage in Political Campaign Activities: They cannot engage in campaign activities such as fundraising for candidates, contributing to political campaigns, or organizing rallies for or against candidates.Partisan Activities: Nonprofits must avoid any activities that favor one political party over another. This includes partisan voter guides or any communications that might be perceived as supporting one party’s agenda.Coordinate with Political Campaigns: They cannot coordinate or collaborate with political campaigns. This means they cannot allow candidates to use their facilities or staff for campaign purposes.Political Contributions: Nonprofits are prohibited from making financial contributions to political candidates, parties, or political action committees (PACs).Staying in Compliance:Keep Activities Nonpartisan: Ensure that all educational and advocacy efforts are neutral and focused solely on issues rather than candidates or parties.Monitor and Train Staff: Educate staff and volunteers about the rules and ensure they understand the importance of maintaining a nonpartisan stance.Document Activities: Maintain clear records of activities related to voter education and advocacy to demonstrate adherence to the rules if needed.By sticking to these guidelines, nonprofits can keep making a big impact while staying within the legal lines. If you’re ever unsure about an activity, it’s a good idea to check with legal counsel. provided by ChatGPTPartner Highlight (getting to know our Partner Projects)MissionTo serve as an advocate for military justice and provide resources and support for indigent defendants. http://www.defendourprotectors.com/Partner Project since 2023. Model A Fiscal SponsorshipWhat is your biggest success to date?We have cleared close to 2000 soldiers and veterans who had false arrest records generated by the Army; seen scores of individuals receive back-dated pay and promotions; had federal legislation passed that bars the Army from permanently damaging a service member's personnel file. Most recently, the legal team, that DOP provides background information for, has won hearings in their federal lawsuit against the Army and Department of Defense.What to keep our eye on?Pending legislation in the 2025 National Defense Authorization BillIf your organization had a mascot, what would be and why?Bald eagle, which stands for strength and freedom.View More Partner Projects > By the Numbers77 Partner Projects16 CNDC Staff10 Board of DirectorsEvents Annual Dia de Muertos Community Celebration, by The BIPOC AllianceThursday, November 2nd  |  5:00 to 9:00 pm Old Town Square, Ft CollinsMORE INFORMATIONPowering MissionsOperating under CNDC’s nonprofit umbrella, partner organizations receive immediate access to our nonprofit tax-exempt status, along with an extensive offering of business services and organizational support. Our approach to fiscal sponsorship is both comprehensive and flexible, designed to meet the unique needs of our partners and help them succeed. 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