News & Forums
NCBF April 2022 Newsletter
NCBF ANNUAL MEETING, AUGUST 4-6, KANSAS CITY, MO
The 2022 NCBF Annual Meeting is set for August 4-6, in Kansas City, MO, hosted by the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association/Bar Foundation at their offices!
Presentations on Friday, August 5, by noted experts and members of the judiciary will be on the topics of Diversity/Equity/Inclusion, Civic Education, Women in the Legal Profession and the Judiciary, and the Rule of Law. The highly successful NCBF program sharing and networking opportunities sessions will occur on Saturday, August 6, after breakfast, as well as the presentations of the NCBF/LexisNexis Partnerships for Success Award and the NCBF Excellence Award.
There will be three special events—a Welcoming Reception hosted by the KC Metropolitan Bar Association/Bar Foundation at their offices on August 4, the luncheon on August 5 with highly anticipated remarks from Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas, and the August 5 dinner at a choice Kansas City restaurant.
It will be a hybrid meeting with the registration fees being $250 each for onsite attendees and $50 each for online attendees. The cost for the dinner is $75 per person. Sleeping rooms are available at the Sheraton Hotel, located 1.5 blocks from the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association/Foundation offices for $179 per night. (Regular price-$249).
The Annual Meeting registration form and the Sheraton Hotel room reservation information are now available at ncbf.org.
NCBF is going to Kansas City—Be There!
Register for the Annual Meeting
MEMBER CONNECT
The NCBF Board of Directors has unanimously approved the initiation of a new improved service, Member Connect, to enhance the networking and idea sharing activities that are the heart of becoming and being an NCBF member.
For numerous years, NCBF has had a listserv process where members could ask questions and seek information on necessary bar foundation matters with responses being placed on the website, ncbf.org.
However, there were comments made that NCBF members did not want to receive email requests on so many topics and there were occasions when email responses were sent to “Reply All”. On the other hand, NCBF members stated a need for the listserv process to be quickly responsive to requests and that there not be a delay of several days or a couple weeks.
So, the NCBF Communications Committee, chaired by Candice Jones of the Oklahoma Bar Foundation, quickly put together an enhanced new process that effectively responds to the different desires of the membership and the Board approved it.
Congratulations to the NCBF Communications Committee members for utilizing their experience and expertise in implementing this wonderful new networking service for our members—Member Connect!
Click Here for Information About Using Member Connect
NCBF SEEKING AWARDS NOMINATIONS
NCBF is currently seeking nominations for two awards.
Lexis Nexis Partnership With NCBF
NCBF is pleased to collaborate with LexisNexis once again to present the NCBF-LexisNexis Partnership for Success Award that honors bar foundation partnership initiatives having a significant impact in their community on issues for which lawyers are uniquely positioned to lead. This award celebrates the power of successful partnerships, whether new or existing, between bar foundations and affiliated bar associations and other allied members of the legal community, working together for the benefit of the community. The selected Foundation for the NCBF-LexisNexis Partnership for Success Award receives $1,500 in unrestricted funds very generously donated by LexisNexis.
The NCBF Excellence Award recognizes an outstanding contribution to law-related philanthropy by an individual. This award is a wonderful opportunity to recognize a bar foundation staff member or volunteer for a job well done. This award is meant to recognize bar foundation volunteers, employees, and others within member bar foundations. Please note, an individual nominee need not be a dues-paying member of the NCBF (to allow for past bar foundation staff members and volunteers to be considered). Current members of the NCBF Board of Directors are ineligible.
NCBF will accept nominations through May 7. The awards will be presented at the NCBF Annual Meeting on Saturday, August 6. Please visit the following webpages for more information about each award and how to make a nomination:
NCBF-LexisNexis Partnership for Success Award
THE FUTURE OF EVENT PLANNING WEBINAR
On March 29, NCBF members participated in the second free webinar this year on the high priority topic of “The Future of Event Planning: Virtual & Hybrid Events”. With 25 registrants, the webinar was another successful opportunity for bar foundations across the country to learn from an expert speaker and network with their colleagues, as shown in the accompanying screenshot.
The excellent interactive presentation was made by Lynne Wester of Donor Relations Guru Group and included numerous slides with tips and ideas for having productive events and meetings during this new normal era. Lynne has made well received presentations at previous NCBF meetings and is well known for her knowledge and expertise.
There was a great deal of interaction through personal questions and chat box comments with beneficial answers and specific opinions from Lynne and from the participants. The entire webinar was recorded and can be viewed on the NCBF website
The NCBF Program Committee, chaired by Lori Keating of the Ohio State Bar Foundation, is to be highly commended for these free outstanding webinars, with a third one planned to occur in May.
NCBF BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
The quarterly meeting of the NCBF Board of Directors was held on Thursday, April 7, using Zoom technology with all but one Board member participating.
The Board took the following actions:
- After a presentation by the independent auditor, the Board approved the 2020-21 Audit, IRS Form 990, and Illinois Form 990. The audit was a clean audit with the Board also approving an annual audit procedure. The documents will be placed on the NCBF website.
- Approved the NCBF Financial Report for the first six months of the fiscal year. NCBF is in good financial condition.
- Received Committee reports with recommendations and made decisions in several areas, as reported.
Confirmed next Board meeting on August 4, at the beginning of the NCBF Annual Meeting.
NCBF President-elect and Annual Meeting Committee Chairperson Dan Burns of New Haven County, CT, reviews the plans for the Annual Meeting in Kansas City, MO, on August 4-6.
NCBF President-elect and Annual Meeting Committee Chairperson Dan Burns of New Haven County, CT, reviews the plans for the Annual Meeting in Kansas City, MO, on August 4-6.
NCBF MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
This month the NCBF Member Spotlight shines on the Texas Bar Foundation. The foundation was founded in 1965 by 255 attorneys that started as the Charter Members of the Texas Bar Foundation. Since inception, the trustees of the Texas Bar Foundation have awarded more than $23 million in grants to charitable organizations across Texas. The TXBF is the largest charitably funded bar foundation in the nation.
