In 2011, the National Main Street Center shared some great ideas for historic sites who manage volunteers on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Historic Sites Weblog.  The following article, "Main Street Advice for Managing Volunteers," is reproduced with the permission of the National Main Street Center and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

"Main Street" is one of the flagship programs of the National Trust and offer lots of great resources for historic sites. They may focus on commercial properties, but they rely heavily on small staffs, volunteer boards, and limited resources to keep their historic buildings attractive and useful in their communities-just like historic house museums!

From time to time, I'll share useful ideas from them, although you'll have to translate it into "historic house museum" language. The latest is from the July 13 issue of Main Street Weekly:

Main Street programs across the nation don't look alike, they don't act alike, and they don't sound alike, but they have one thing in common. They rely on volunteers to get things done. The value volunteers bring to Main Street revitalization is, in many ways, priceless: their talent, their creativity, their commitment, their love for their community. These things can't be measured. But there are tangible benefits of volunteer work that Main Street programs can and should quantify.

According to Independent Sector, a coalition of nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving, the estimated dollar value of volunteer time for 2010 was $21.36. Click here to find out the dollar value of volunteer time in your state.

How many hours are Americans spending in volunteer work? The Corporation for National and Community Service reports that 63.4 million Americans, or 26.8 percent of the adult population, gave 8.1 billion hours of volunteer service worth $169 billion. To download the complete report on volunteer service; get detailed volunteer profiles of boomers, college students, older adults, young adults, teenagers, men, women, and parents; and get data for national, state, and city levels, visit the Volunteering in America website.

As budgets tighten and everyone is expected to do more with less, competition for volunteers is bound to increase, and Main Street organizations will need to develop effective strategies to bring in new volunteers, keep them interested, and reward them for the work they do. One community, Vineland, New Jersey, has created a successful four-point plan to grow its volunteer program. Along with recruitment, retention, and recognition, sponsorship is key to Main Street Vineland's volunteer success. The plan is inexpensive, easy to implement, and best of all, simple to duplicate in just about any community.

Additional resources to help you make effective use of volunteers:

• Track the hours of your volunteers with this simple, yet effective, form from Old Town Cape, Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

• Don't forget to recognize your volunteers. View this sample certificate from Arcata, California.

• Learn how to recruit the right people for the right jobs.

• Get a volunteer job description and tips for supervising volunteers in this article on "Investing in Volunteers."

• Working with student volunteers: get tips on how to effectively recruit and work with students and their schools.

• Micro-volunteering: Put your project online and get quick answers from people with skills that you need through this micro-volunteering network.

"Main Street Advice for Managing Volunteers" originally was published on the National Trust Historic Sites Weblog on August 24, 2011

The HRC thanks Rebecca Taber-Conover for serving as guest author for the following entry. Rebecca is the Coordinator of Public Programs and History Day at Connecticut's Old State House.

Who's heard of History Day?

Have you ever heard of History Day in Connecticut? Right now approximately 1,000 Connecticut students in grades 6-12 are busy working on their History Day in Connecticut projects. Having chosen a topic based on this year's theme of Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History, students are currently conducting historical research and creating their projects. Participants may choose to present their work in one of five ways:

• Exhibit
• Documentary
• Paper
• Performance
• Website

On Saturday, March 24, 2012, these hardworking students will share their work with teams of judges at one of the five District Contests in Connecticut:

• Manchester
• Stamford
• Torrington
• Mansfield
• New Haven

Districts are the first step in a journey that may take students all the way to the national contest in College Park Maryland. If students place third or higher at a District Contest, they attend the State Contest, held in Hartford on Saturday April 28, 2012. Students placing first or second at the State Contest are invited to the University of Maryland for the national competition in June.

Why should I care about this program?

• History Day students represent the next generation of heritage lovers and are the future audience for heritage organizations.
• You can share your archives! Encourage participating students to visit your institution and utilize your archives when doing their historical research.
• You could host an exhibit or public program featuring local History Day student projects from your community.
• History Day helps students do better in school! A recent study found that History Day students have an edge over the peers and perform better in high stakes tests.
• It's a way to share your love of history! Consider sharing your expertise by judging at a contest or serving as a mentor to participating students.

Want to learn more?

• Check out the History Day in Connecticut website at http://ct.nhd.org/
• Sign up to judge at one of the District Contests. Click here to learn more about being a History Day judge and for information on how to register.
• Questions? Call the Connecticut History Day Coordinator at 860-522-6766.

History Day in Connecticut is one of 56 affiliate programs of National History Day. It is co-sponsored by Connecticut's Old State House and the Connecticut Historical Society, with major funding provided by the Connecticut Humanities Council.

Rebecca Taber-Conover is the Coordinator of Public Programs and History Day at Connecticut's Old State House. She previously served for seven years as the Director of Education for Connecticut Landmarks. Rebecca serves on the boards of the Association for the Study of Connecticut History, the Connecticut Council for the Social Studies, and the Executive Council of National History Day. She is a graduate of the Cooperstown Graduate Program and Mary Washington College.

The Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) is hosting a series of public forums to communicate its new direction to the arts & cultural community and to engage constituents in a planning discussion regarding the reorganization of programs and services for FY13. Christopher "Kip" Bergstrom, DECD's Deputy Commissioner, and COA staff will be present. There will be time for Q & A and public comment. Each forum will include small group breakout sessions to exchange ideas about constituent needs. COA offers these forums as a opportunity to add the public's experience and wisdom in developing COA's new direction on arts-based place-making.

Art makes great places. Great places attract great talent. Great talent creates great jobs. If we can prove this connection, we can significantly increase annual arts funding.

Christopher "Kip" Bergstrom, Deputy Commissioner, DECD
January 9, 2012 Hartford Business Journal

On July 1, 2011, the Commission on Culture & Tourism was consolidated into the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). They are now the Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) within the Department of Economic and Community Development. DECD also incorporates a separate Connecticut Office of Tourism and a State Historic Preservation Office.

In order to strengthen and align the effectiveness and impact of arts and cultural organizations, artists and emerging groups, and to focus outcomes on collaborative activities that create jobs and revitalize communities, the new direction of the Connecticut Office of the Arts will change as of July 1, 2012. COA will strategically integrate current grant programs including Arts Access (Arts Presentation and Creative Collaboration), Artists Fellowships, Arts Project Support, General Operating Support and the Local Arts Agency Program into one wide-ranging, comprehensive resource designed to give constituents practical and creative options when applying for grant support.These programs currently receive $1.6 million annually in funding. In FY 2013, a total of $3.1 million will be available, almost double the current level.

The new strategy will be designed to generate a broader impact through fewer but larger grants to organizations of all sizes, as well as to individual artists, in an open and competitive grant program. Art in Public Spaces, Arts Endowment, HOT Schools, Poetry Out Loud, Peer Advisor Network and the Connecticut State Troubadour/Connecticut Poet Laureate programs will continue as is.

The strategic link among all aspects of the integrated program is a focus on "place-making" while maintaining our existing standards of artistic merit. Place-making is a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public and private space(s) and the people who use them, that leverages the assets of the creative sector - artists, arts and cultural organizations, arts-related business - along with residents, schools, businesses and local governments, to improve the community's economic conditions and quality of life. It creates artistic communities with a rich variety of participants and events involving large cultural institutions, small emerging organizations with fresh ideas, community and educational organizations, and artists who flourish in a supportive environment.

A special emphasis will be made on supporting new cross-sector collaborative initiatives between arts and culture organizations, artists and other sectors of the community. Grants will also be made to sustain, leverage and enhance exemplary preexisting creative place-making projects. All proposed projects may be customized to the local circumstances and needs of all regions of Connecticut. Revised criteria for all funding will be developed with input from the public, CT Office of the Arts staff, DECD staff, regional arts agencies and individual organizations.

Here is the forum schedule:

• January 24, 3-5 p.m. Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven
Hosted by the Arts Council of Greater New Haven

• February 1, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Thomaston Opera House, Thomaston
Hosted by the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council

• February 8, 10 a.m.-12 noon Westport Country Playhouse (White Barn), Westport
Hosted by the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County

• February 14, 3-5 p.m., Quinebaug Valley Community College, Danielson
Hosted by the Northeast Cultural Alliance

• February 15, 2-4 p.m. Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford
Hosted by the Greater Hartford Arts Council

Those interested in attending should register in advance at this link.

For the most up-to-date information on the public forums, please visit www.cultureandtourism.org

Redefining Audiences: Viewing and Discussion

at the Connecticut Humanities Council
Middletown, CT
Friday, January 27, 2012
2:00-4:00 pm
FREE

Do you know who your institution's current audience is? Do you hope to engage new visitors? If you answered yes to one or both of these questions, this is the program for you!

Our country is undergoing dramatic changes as Baby Boomers age, immigration shifts take place, and household incomes struggle to keep pace. Looking at the most recent U.S. Census, Susie Wilkening will discuss demographic change and the valuable ways in which your organization can use census data to think about current audiences, future audiences, and their motivations and constraints. This program will explore:

• How shifts in household composition may affect who you try to attract to your organization

• How growth OR constraints in household income may affect your development efforts or your tourism base, and

• How an aging population may mean boom times for history organizations . . . or not.

The session will explore these trends and ideas as well as discuss how history museums can effect change in their communities by understanding societal demographic shifts.

Instructor: Susie Wilkening is a Senior Consultant and Curator of Museum Audiences with Reach Advisors. Prior to joining the firm in 2006, Susie worked for ten years in museums including tenures as the Executive Director of the Saratoga County Historical Society and Development Director of Historic Huguenot Street. Susie's insights are featured frequently through her work as a speaker at leading museum conferences including AASLH. She is the lead author of Life Stages of the Museum Visitor and editor of the Museum Audience Insight blog.

Format: Hosted by the Connecticut Humanities Council (CHC) and the Connecticut League of History Organizations (CLHO), the program will feature an in-person, group viewing of the AASLH Redefining Audiences webinar and a post-webinar 30-minute discussion about the day's content facilitated by representatives from the CHC and CLHO director, Liz Shapiro.

Is this for you?: The program is designed for organizations wanting to better understand the demographic changes happening in America and how to use this information to grow their audience.

StEPs Connection: This workshop may help institutions achieve the standards in the Audience section of the national AASLH StEPs Program.

Seating is limited to 15 total participants so reserve your seat today!

Click here to register online.

(Note: This is an in-person program that takes place in Middletown, CT. The webinar that will be shown is created and presented by AASLH; the CHC and CLHO are hosting a group viewing of the webinar followed by post-webinar discussion about the session's content.)

Contact Melissa Diaz with questions: melissa@ctculture.org or 860-685-7583.

Presented by the Connecticut Humanities Council and the Connecticut League of History Organizations.

The HRC thanks Mark Berardi for serving as guest author for the following entry. Mark is the Director of Membership Development & Training Services at Connecticut Association of Nonprofits.

For over 30 years, the Connecticut Association of Nonprofits (CT Nonprofits) has been the flagship organization supporting nonprofits throughout the state. Today, we continue to help individual nonprofits and the communities they serve while strengthening the sector.

Members of CT Nonprofits enjoy:

• Cost Savings Benefits: The collective purchasing power of more than 500 nonprofit organizations allows you to receive cost savings on dozens of products and services from our endorsed partners, including exclusive access to the Unemployment Services Trust.

• Training & Education: We bring together nonprofits and experts in all of the skill areas it takes to lead your organization in the 21st century. With more than 130 workshops each year, there are always valuable training sessions planned for staff of all levels. Check out the Winter 2012 Training Catalog by clicking HERE.

• Public Policy & Advocacy: CT Nonprofits has been a clear voice at the State Capitol, advocating for funding and establishing visibility for the role of nonprofits in our society. We provide our members with direct access to elected officials and policy decision makers, and experienced lobbyists track and monitor bills and provide the latest updates. Just as importantly, we provide training for our nonprofit members to advocate on their own behalf.

• Publications & Communications: Members receive exclusive newsletters on the latest nonprofit issues and trends, plus discounts on special publications, including the Nonprofit Employee Handbook, Nonprofit Compensation Survey and Employee Benefits Survey.

• Networking: Through our policy committees and management forums, you can share experiences, challenges and ideas among colleagues, and cultivate communication and cooperation among nonprofits.

• Publicity: CT Nonprofits works daily to promote the good works of our members, highlighting to policy makers and the public the critical role that nonprofits serve in the community.

CT Nonprofits serves as a hub for resources, best practices and core competencies. The Nonprofit Resource Center section of our website is open to everyone. It showcases tools and support around public policy efforts; leadership; human resources; fundraising; communications; technology; finance; nonprofit trends and much more. Visit the Resource Center by clicking HERE.

Learn more about CT Nonprofits by visiting www.ctnonprofits.org or contact Mark Berardi, Director of Membership and Training, at mberardi@ctnonprofits.org. We will work one-on-one with you in order to maximize your benefits and make membership affordable.
________________________________________

Mark Berardi is the Director of Membership Development & Training Services at Connecticut Association of Nonprofits. He manages membership recruitment and retention and supervises over 130 workshops offered through the Association's Center for Professional Development. Mark also supports identifying and implementing revenue development initiatives with the business community and other nonprofits. He oversees planning the Annual Connecticut Nonprofit Conference, CT Nonprofits' signature event of the year. Mark has been instrumental in increasing the association's visibility and has been credited with developing collaborative relationships with key community organizers that continue to have a lasting impact on the sector state-wide.

The Connecticut Humanities Council (CHC) is a statewide, private non-profit foundation established as an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. CHC champions research, education, preservation and public programs in the humanities. By providing funding and encouraging partnerships, CHC builds the capacities of the state's museums, historical societies, libraries, schools and cultural organizations to uncover and share the important lessons of history and stimulate meaningful community dialogue.

The Granting Program Officer is a key member of the CHC programming team and works closely with senior staff to develop and manage granting initiatives in support of organizational mission and goals, including the Council's Heritage Revitalization Fund, Public Humanities Program grants and multi-year partnership programs. The G.P.O. serves as a liaison to the state's heritage and cultural communities; manages CHC's Application Review and Evaluation Committee by writing staff reports, organizing committee meetings and materials; and collaborates with program staff to develop, promote and integrate CHC granting and direct service programming.

Qualifications: Advanced degree in related humanities discipline. Five years experience with review, oversight, and grants program development. Management-level experience in a museum or other cultural non-profit organization a plus. Ability to cultivate strong relationships and positively represent the CHC and its programs. Outstanding written and verbal skills. Ability to create and manage complex budgets and to analyze and summarize large quantities of information. Expertise in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access.

This is a salaried, full-time position with benefits. Submit cover letter and resume to carolyn@ctculture.org by 1/27/12. No phone calls, please.  Click here to see the complete Granting Program Officer job description.

The Association for the Study of Connecticut History (ASCH) is very pleased to announce the recipients of their 2011 Linsley and Babbidge Awards. The Betty M. Linsley Award is presented to the Connecticut Historical Society for Connecticut Needlework: Women, Art, and Family, 1740-1840, edited and annotated with great skill by Susan P. Schoelwer. Within the household and the family, Connecticut's women of the eighteenth century and early nineteenth century particularly shaped the course of the colony and the state. While some women left journals, far more placed their impress on the more ordinary crafts, utensils, and objects of the household. Outside of the kitchen and the barn, women especially cultivated the spinning wheel, the loom, and the needle. Nothing more brilliantly illuminates this realm than the extraordinary artistry of the embroidered textile panels and tableaus they produced and which Connecticut Needlework has so elegantly reproduced and explicated.

The Homer D. Babbidge Award is presented to the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture for Walter W. Woodward, Prospero's America: John Winthrop, Jr., Alchemy, and the Creation of New England Culture, 1606-1676. Prof. Woodward treats an individual--John Winthrop, Jr.--who was so evidently integral to the successful settlement and prospering of Connecticut in the seventeenth century that the reader is left stunned that we have had to wait this long for this comprehensive, incisive, and necessary biography. A gifted researcher and prosist, Prof. Woodward textures his archives and diction into a richly layered and lively narrative so fresh that you not only feel you are discovering John Winthrop, Jr. for the first time, but that you are re-discovering early New England. Prospero's America is an unusually outstanding contribution to our understanding of seventeenth-century New England culture.

Nominations are now being sought for the 2012 ASCH Betty M. Linsley, Homer D. Babbidge, and Bruce Fraser Awards. Applications for all three awards must be received by June 30, 2012.

The Betty M. Linsley Award recognizes the best work on a significant aspect of Connecticut's history published by, for, or on behalf of a Connecticut historical society or organization during the previous calendar year. Click here for more information and for application instructions.

The Homer D. Babbidge Award honors the best work on a significant aspect of Connecticut's history published in the calendar year 2011. Click here for more information and for application instructions.

The Bruce Fraser Award recognizes the best work on a significant aspect of Connecticut's public history as practiced within and outside of academic institutions. Click here for more information and for application instructions.

Each year the Connecticut League of History Organizations (CLHO) presents Awards of Merit in recognition of outstanding institutional and individual contributions that enhance and further the knowledge and understanding of Connecticut history.

Awards categories include:

• Project

• Publication

• Educational Program

• Individual Achievement

Deadline: Nominations must be postmarked by February 1, 2012. You can submit any project completed within the 18 months leading up to the deadline. Award recipients will be recognized at the CLHO Annual Conference on June 4, 2012.

Click below for additional information, guidelines, and application forms for the CLHO Awards of Merit program:

• 2012 CLHO Awards of Merit Information and Guidelines

• 2012 CLHO Awards of Merit Nomination Cover Sheet

• 2012 CLHO Awards of Merit Nomination Instructions
  

State agencies, municipal agencies, tribal organizations and private non-profit organizations are eligible for certain types of federal disaster assistance under Public Assistance from FEMA resulting from the Disaster Declaration DR-4046 for the late October snowstorm.

DESPP/DEMHS has scheduled a series of Public Assistance Applicant Briefings over the next week, to provide information on how to apply for the disaster aid.  Briefings are scheduled in each of the 5 DEMHS regions for Towns, Tribal Organizations and private non-profits.  A separate briefing for state agencies is also scheduled for Friday, December 2nd from 10-Noon at the State Armory.  You can also send state agency reps to the regional briefings if you'd prefer.

It is ESSENTIAL that all eligible applicants send a representative to the briefing for state agencies to insure each agency have access to federal disaster aid funds.  It is recommended that you send your Chief Financial Officer, or their designee. They will need to supply DUNS and FEIN numbers at that time.

A briefing schedule is attached for your information as is the official memorandum re Schedule of Applicants' Briefings for FEMA Public Assistance.

Please direct questions from your staff to:

Dana Conover, Public Assistance Coordinator, at 860-883-3904 or email dana.conover@ct.gov

Anthony Dembek, Deputy Public Assistance Coordinator, email anthony.dembek@ct.gov

Mark Scerra, Deputy Public Assistance Coordinator, email mark.scerra@ct.gov

Thank you,

Bill

William J. Hackett

State Director of Emergency Management

Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection

25 Sigourney Street

Hartford, CT 06106

860-256-0801 (Office)

This article is reprinted with permission from Blue Avocado, a practical and readable online magazine for nonprofits. Subscribe for free by sending an email to editor@blueavocado.org or at www.blueavocado.org.

Nonprofit Personnel Files -- A Guide from Ask Rita
Ask Rita in HR • By Ellen Aldridge • August 4, 2011

Dear Rita: We've never paid too much attention to our personnel files, but we've just entered a contract with the county and we think it's time for us to get our act together on this. I know we need a personnel file for each employee -- but what should be in it? Signed, An Accidental HR Manager

Dear Accidental: It's great that you are asking this question now! Good personnel files are important not just for your county contract but because documentation of various employment matters is required by many state and federal employment laws and most employee-specific documentation is best retained in a personnel file.

• For example, to comply with the Fair Credit Report Act (FCRA) when doing a background check, you've got to give specific written notices and get a written authorization if a third party conducts the records check. The proof that you've complied with FCRA should be kept in each individual's personnel file.

• The file should also contain performance evaluations and any documentation that evidences the employee's employment status (a signed offer letter, an Employee Change Form reflecting things such as job title, wage rate, promotions, benefit coverage, and leaves of absence). The personnel file should read like the rings of a tree, giving evidence of an employee's history with your agency.

The rest of this article provides an overview of how to manage your organization's personnel files and a checklist of documents to include in a personnel file. First, let's talk about what should not be in a personnel file, which is just as important from a legal perspective.

What NOT to put in the personnel file

Following are the most important items to exclude:

• Any writing regarding the employee's performance that the employee has not seen should not be in the file. For example, while the performance evaluation that was presented to the employee should be in there, a complaint memo from a department manager about an error the employee made that was never shown to the employee should not.

• Working notes or logs that a supervisor has kept for her own benefit, usually to assist in the drafting of a performance evaluation. The notes should be destroyed after documenting anything of importance in the annual performance evaluation.

• Any medical information (including drug testing information) about the employee from any source should never be in the employee's personnel file, but rather in a separate, more restricted confidential medical file. This separate medical file could also include any medical-related information such as documents related to Workers' Compensation, FMLA and ADA.

• Complaints or investigation reports (harassment, discrimination, ethics, licensing etc.). Any complaint about an employee that is subject to an investigation should not be in the employee's personnel file, but in a separate complaint file. For example, if an employee is accused of sexual harassment, the only thing that should be lodged in the personnel file is any disciplinary action taken against the employee or a substantiated report of wrongdoing -- but not the original complaint or investigation notes.

These items also should not be kept in a personnel file, but in separate, confidential files:

• Hiring Documents, such as letters of reference, background investigation reports, or I-9s

• EEO Statistical Information for the EEO-1 Report

• Payroll records

In short, to manage all of this personnel information we suggest four sets of files:

1. A personnel file for each employee
2. A separate medical file for each employee
3. One folder that has Forms I-9 for all employees
4. A file (or set of files) for all employee payroll records

What can the employee put into his or her own file?

Most employers' policies allow an employee a limited period of time to submit a written response to any negative information in the file regarding performance. While responses and rebuttals are not required by law, this practice allows the employee to have her concerns documented, typically making it easier for everyone to move beyond any dispute and focus on performance.

Where should we keep personnel files?

Since personnel files contain confidential personal information, you will also need to establish a policy about access and security of these files. We recommend these practices:

• Keep files in a locked cabinet and identify two staff (such as the HR manager and the executive director in a small organization) who will hold the keys.

• Maintain a written log that shows when a personnel file has been reviewed and by who. You can, for instance, staple such a form to the inside front cover of the file.

• Include a policy in your employee handbook that personnel files can only be accessed by the employee, his or her supervisor/manager, and others only if they have a need to know. (Note that many states have laws that grant employees the right to review their own personnel file or to keep a copy of certain documents.

In a separate locked drawer:

• Keep one file that has Forms I-9 (Immigration) for all employees. Again, do NOT put an employee's I-9 in his or her personnel file, athough you might want to have a checklist in the file that indicates that this information has been collected. Form I-9 is the "Employment Eligibility Verification" form from the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS, formerly called the INS). The government is entitled to inspect these forms, and if it does, you don't want the agents viewing the rest of the employee's personnel-and personal--information at the same time.

• Keep a medical file for each employee.

How long should we keep a personnel file?

As a general rule, keep files for four years after an employee separates from your organization, with the exception of the following documents, which must be retained for a longer period of time:

• Employee Benefit Plan documents and enrollment forms (medical, retirement, etc.) (must be retained for 6 years under ERISA)

• OSHA Toxic Chemical Exposure records and Material Safety Data Sheets (30 years) and

• Workers' compensation lost time injury reports (example: in California, 5 years)

Remember also that since personnel files contain confidential information, proper destruction of records is critical. The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions (FACT) Act, effective in 2005, requires all employers to burn or shred all applicant or employees' personal information such as Social Security numbers, addresses, telephone numbers and any other information reported to an employer by a consumer reporting agency. Medical information should be handled similarly. Employers that use an outside party to dispose of records are expected to conduct due diligence in hiring a document destruction contractor.

Checklist for documents to keep in a personnel file:

• Job description(s)

• Resume and/or employment application

• Offer letter

• Authorizations for background checks

• Certifications, licenses or proof of educational degrees or training

• Drivers' license and proof of auto insurance (if employee drives as part of the job)

• Personal and emergency contact information

• W-4 tax exemption form

• Benefits enrollment forms

• Beneficiary and dependent benefit forms

• Employee acknowledgment of receipt of Employee Handbook or any additional Employer Policies

• Performance evaluations

• Letters of commendation

• Attendance records (but not payroll records)

• Disciplinary memos

• Personnel action form (also called employee change forms): Changes in salary, job title, etc.

• Payroll information including direct deposit authorization, memos related to wages attachments or garnishments, request/authorization forms for leaves of absence (excluding medical certification)

• Letters of resignation or termination

(Click here to download this checklist in a Word document you can modify.)

Dear Accidental: This may be more information than you expected, but it isn't as complicated as it might seem. Sincerely, Rita in HR

The Connecticut Civil War Commemoration Commission and Central Connecticut State University are pleased to announce the availability of micro-grants that will allow organizations throughout the state to host speakers on Civil War topics. These funds are made possible via a grant from the Connecticut Humanities Council.

Detailed information is available at http://finalsite.ccsu.edu/page.cfm?p=7877 as is an extensive list of speakers and topics. (Organizations are not required to use only speakers listed on the site. It is merely an additional resource for you.)

Here are the basics of the program:

Who can apply: CT non-profit organizations - historical societies, museums, libraries, schools, etc.

How much can be requested and what are the guidelines: This is a matching fund program of up to $100. Thus organizations must put up some of their own funding to receive funds. The largest match is $100. Thus an organization can put up $50, and receive a $50 grant. Or put up $100, and receive a $100 grant. Amounts to be paid to speakers is negotiated between the speakers and organizations.

How does my organization apply: It is your organization that is applying, not the speaker. Funds will be paid to organizations only. Funds can then be dispersed as determined to the speaker. 1) Fill out the required form. 2) Fill out a W-9 for your organization and send both to Matt Warshauer. warshauerm@ccsu.edu (860) 832-2803

Announcing your program: All organizations are required to list their program on the CCWCC website calendar. Simply send the listing to Matt Warshauer.

Forms and W-9s can be sent electronically or via mail.

Click here for more information.

Creating Historic House Interpretive Plans that Connect webinar

at the Connecticut Humanities Council
Middletown, CT
Thursday, December 8, 2011
2:00-4:00 pm
FREE

Do your visitors leave your historic house excited and wanting more? If not, this is the webinar for you!

Creating engaging historic house interpretation begins with a solid understanding of your site's important stories. Guest speaker Nancy Bryk will show you how to develop a research plan that includes research on the historical characters who lived in the house, the important events that took place there, and changes in the site over time. She will discuss where and how to look for this information, and how to use worksheets to develop your interpretive plan based on your research.

The webinar will be led by Nancy E. Villa Bryk and is part of the American Association for State and Local History's (AASLH) StEPs Webinar Series. Bryk served as Curator of Domestic Life at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan from 1981 through 2005. There, she researched, reinterpreted and reinstalled over a dozen buildings in Greenfield Village. Bryk is now an Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation in Eastern Michigan University's Graduate Program in Historic Preservation.

Hosted by the Connecticut Humanities Council (CHC) and the Connecticut League of History Organizations (CLHO), the program will feature a group viewing of the AASLH Creating Historic House Interpretive Plans that Connect webinar and a post-webinar 30-minute discussion about the day's content facilitated by representatives from the CHC and CLHO director, Liz Shapiro.

Is this for you?: The program is designed for organizations that are looking to create new or tweak existing interpretive plans.  What is an interpretive plan? Come and find out!

Seating is limited to 15 total participants so reserve your seat today!

Click here to register online.

(Note: This is not a virtual session. The program takes place in Middletown, CT. The webinar is created and presented by AASLH; the CHC and CLHO are hosting a group viewing of the webinar followed by post-webinar discussion about the session's content.)

Contact Melissa Diaz with questions: melissa@ctculture.org or 860-685-7583.

Presented by the Connecticut Humanities Council and the Connecticut League of History Organizations.

Photo courtesy David Hawgood CC-BY-SA-2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Going to NEMA? Stop by the CT Museum Reception hosted by the Connecticut Humanities Council (CHC) and the Connecticut League of History Organizations (CLHO)!

The New England Museum Association's Annual Conference will be in Hartford, CT, November 16-18, 2011, at the Hilton Hartford Hotel.

Where?     Connecticut Ballroom, Salon B
When?      Wednesday, 11/16, from 5:15-6:00pm
Who?        Anyone from Connecticut attending
                the NEMA conference
Why?        Colleagues, Conversation, and Cocktails

Chat with CHC and CLHO staff; learn about StEPs-CT: Connecticut's new integrated program of training, mentoring, and grant funding for smaller Connecticut museums, historical societies, and other cultural organizations; and enjoy a drink with other Connecticut conference attendees. Cash bar; CHC will provide munchies.

Come on by and bring a friend!

RSVP recommended.  Register online via our online events registration page or e-mail melissa@ctculture.org.

The CHC is pleased to sponsor the Keynote Session at this year's NEMA conference.  Don't miss Museums in the Mirror: Reflecting Relevance in a Diverse Society, featuring:

• Colin McEnroe, panel moderator, and host of "The Colin McEnroe Show" on the Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network
• Claudine Brown, Assistant Secretary of Education and Access for the Smithsonian Institution
• James Chung, President of Reach Advisors
• And other special guests!
  

In May, the Connecticut Humanities Council provided stipends for four Connecticut museum professionals to attend the Institute for Cultural Entrepreneurship for Museum Leaders in Cooperstown, NY. This four day immersion program for mid-career professionals introduced the principles of entrepreneurial thinking with the goal of expanding vision and leadership skills. The program's training sessions were designed to serve as catalysts that challenge traditional models of museum work in innovative and creative ways.

Over the past few weeks, each of the four CHC stipend recipients shared their thoughts and experiences on their time at the Institute for Cultural Entrepreneurship with the Heritage Resource Center.

In part four of this four part series, Emily Dunnack, Head of Education Programs at the
Connecticut Historical Society (CHS) in Hartford, CT, shares "Problem Solving: Some Tools You Can Actually Use!" The HRC thanks Emily for the following post.

I went into the Institute for Cultural Entrepreneurship for Museum Leaders with a big challenge: to learn entrepreneurial tools used in the for-profit world to increase revenue generated by the education programs at the Connecticut Historical Society. I have been in my current position for almost two years, but I still felt that I didn't fully have a handle on the education department. I was too caught up in the day-to-day and I hadn't taken a step back to fully evaluate the department:

• What are we doing well?

• What do we need to work on?

• How can we solve some of the problems we are facing?

• What are the next steps?

At a time when many institutions are facing budget constraints and reduced staff, it's easy to push ahead without stopping to ask these important questions. One of the most valuable parts of ICE was learning some concrete problem solving tools.

I want to share two tools I found particularly effective: the SWOT analysis and "Six Thinking Hats." The SWOT analysis is a great place to start. It has you identify Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats by looking at the work you are currently doing and identifying areas to improve on. For tackling my challenge, I did a separate SWOT analysis for each of CHS's four educational programming areas (school and teacher programs, family programs, adult programs, and partnerships) and found it very helpful. Through SWOT analysis, I identified that one of our strengths is developing innovative teacher workshops around specific themes. The weakness was that the majority of these workshops were the result of Teaching American History grant partnerships and therefore the only teachers who took part were TAH participants. The opportunity was to reach new teachers by offering and promoting these workshops in our 2011-12 school programs brochure as scheduled workshops for individual teachers to sign-up for and receive CEUs .

The "Six Thinking Hats" tool is one I plan on using during an upcoming education department retreat. This tool assigns a different "hat" or thinking style to each group member such as creativity (green hat), negativity (black hat), and data driven (white hat). By "wearing a hat", each person is forced to look at the problem through a specific perspective, which leads to new ways of thinking. When we tried this activity out during ICE, it sparked many new ideas and discussions. I plan to use this tool to work through a tough decision: should CHS continue to offer drop-in family programs during the first Saturday of the month when we are free to the public, or should we charge for these programs? You can find many other tools, including worksheets at www.mindtools.com or www.planninginnovations.com.

Click here to read part 1 of this 4 part series, "Can Boards be Entrepreneurial," by Anne Guernsey, here to read part 2, "Cultural Entrepreneurship...huh?" by Liz Shapiro, and click here to read part 3, "Building Communities" by Tammi Flynn.

SWOT analysis grid by Xhienne [CC-BY-SA-2.5], via Wikimedia Commons. Photo "I wear many hats" by Logan Leistikow (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0] via Wikimedia Commons.