October 30, 2015
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has been under a budget crisis since July 01, 2015 and will continue to be until a new budget is approved. Gov. Tom Wolf proposed a 1.8 billion tax increase which the State House voted against. Since the government has been unable to agree on a solid 2015-2016 budget plan, the interruption of revenues to nonprofits’ programs creates a stressful condition for their employees and their constituents.
Many nonprofits’ funds are severely depleting and there is serious concern about how to continue for the foreseeable future programs in the absence of customary state funding. The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence Executive Director Jennifer Snyder stated in a recent interview with Pennlive.com that “her organization has already cut back on transporting victims to medical and legal appointments; has asked women to stay with family instead of at their shelter, and has reduced counseling sessions.”
The Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofits (PANO), a First Nonprofit Group member, has been a remarkable supporter of nonprofits since 1984. PANO’s mission is to amplify the impact of the community benefit sector through advocacy, collaboration, learning and support. During the budget impasse, PANO has provided support for nonprofits through advocacy calls and webinars that provide information on how to raise dollars to get them through until a new budget is approved. For more information on PANO, visit www.pano.org.
Resources
• Pennsylvania budget talks are set to resume Wednesday – PennLive
• Pennsylvania’s domestic violence, sexual assault centers will soon start closing due to budget impasse, organizations say – PennLive
• In budget mire, far apart – The Inquirer
• Nonprofits say they may soon reach crisis point due to state budget impasse – Pittsburgh Post Gazette
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We first started using First Nonprofit’s Unemployment Savings Program when we were a small startup nonprofit. We didn’t have an HR department and needed expertise in the event that an unemployment claim was made. We knew we were eligible to be a reimbursing employer, but weren’t sure how to navigate that process. They made it easy to set things up, plan for, and then manage claims when they came at a very reasonable cost. The amount of time and stress they’ve saved us dealing with all this has been worth way more than the cost. We’ve now grown to a large nonprofit and do have an HR department but have no plans to stop using their services. I highly recommend them to every nonprofit I come into contact with!
Throughout our membership in the Unemployment Savings Program, First Nonprofit understood our demands, community dynamics, and the importance of seamless services; that allowed us to serve our constituents better.
Because INCS advocates for the operating conditions that allow charter public schools to provide high quality public education, partnering with First Nonprofit was an easy decision. First Nonprofit’s unemployment programs provide our member schools two operating elements crucial to their ability to provide high quality public education: savings and budget certainty. Capable, committed teachers are the key to student success. By participating in the unemployment insurance savings plan, charter public schools gain peace of mind and are able to invest more money in their teachers.
It has been our sincere pleasure to maintain a strong, vibrant business partnership with First Nonprofit. We greatly admire their strong industry knowledge, technical expertise, constant professionalism, knowledgeable and dedicated staff. They are always extremely responsive, personable and provide us with the necessary guidance and recommendations on a numerous variety of employment scenarios.
NYCON members who use First Nonprofit’s programs enjoy enduring savings and improved efficiency. Our association knows that success, because from the beginning, we achieved the same great benefits. Great savings, seamless technology, and responsive service. NYCON highly recommends First Nonprofit’s remarkable unemployment solutions.
Visually Impaired Preschool Services has been a client of First Non-Profit since it was first offered as a benefit of VisionServe Alliance. We completed a thorough evaluation of cash savings to our agency before taking advantage of this wonderful benefit and it has been a very wise decision. Our experience with the processes from accounting to claims have been professional, expeditious and easy.
Luckily for us, our interactions regarding any issues with staffing has been very minimal! I can say that all other interactions with regards to billing, 941 reporting, etc. have been extremely pleasant, accommodating and easy to work with. Kim Ghanayem is always prompt, professional and friendly. Thank you so much!
First Nonprofit has been easy to work with and makes the administrative process easier and smoother. We enjoy working with you.