Tax Exempt Organizations Must File Return May 15

Tax exempt organizations with a December 31 fiscal year are obligated to file their annual tax return by Tuesday, May 15.

Small tax exempts, i.e., those with annual incomes of less than $50,000, can file a "postcard" 990N.  Instructions for that form can be found at:

http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=169250,00.html

Larger tax exempts have to file an IRS form 990 or form 990-EZ.   A form 990-EZ may be filed for those organizations with less than $200,000 annual income and less than $500,000 in assets.

Per the IRS, tax exempt organizations which fail to file a tax return for three years in a row may lose their tax exempt status.

If your organization is not ready to file a 990 or 990-EZ by May 15, you can file an automatic 3-month extension by a simple filing of form 8868 (extension).  Information on this simple to file form can be found at:

http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=152723,00.html

The IRS has a one minute video with other helpful information on this topic:



(Note:  If your organization has a fiscal year which is other than a calendar year end 12/31/11, then your annual tax return is due the 15th day of the fifth month after your fiscal year end.)

Share of working moms nearing all-time high, but has it gotten any easier?

What's become clear in the weeks since Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen said Ann Romney "never worked a day in her life" is that the touchy, judgment-passing hostilities of the so-called mommy wars have not ceased to rankle moms of all stripes.

This latest chapter of the mommy wars – which many saw as a smokescreen for more pressing issues affecting working mothers today, such as comparatively low wages and the lack of quality, affordable child care – sees near-record-high shares of mothers in the workforce, some 70.6 percent.

It's been about 40 years since women, freshly liberated by the feminist movement, began entering the workforce in droves. Four decades later, has it gotten any easier?

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2012/0511/Share-of-working-moms-nearing-all-time-high-but-has-it-gotten-any-easier

Michigan K-12 Science Scores Improve, but Gap Between White/Black Students Labeled "Woeful"

Michigan students are making gains in science on a national exam, scoring above the national average, state educators said.

But an education advocacy group says the state has more work to do with black and low-income students who “remain woefully behind their white and more affluent peers.”

National Assessment of Educational Progress scores released Thursday show state eighth-graders showed Michigan students are ranked 16th in the country, up from being ranked 23rd in 2009.

Only three states – South Caroline, Colorado and Mississippi – had larger gains.

“Michigan's significantly improved scores are likely a result of our dedicated science teachers helping students learn more difficult information,” state Superintendent Mike Flanagan said in a release.

http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2012/05/michigan_students_scoring_high.html

Michigan Lawmakers Discussing Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients

State lawmakers are taking testimony on legislation to require some state welfare recipients to undergo drug testing.

Michigan tried before to require drug testing of welfare recipients.    That law mandated random drug testing.    But the courts stopped that program a decade ago.

Some legislators want to resurrect the idea, though this new program would focus on cash assistance recipients who are suspected of using illegal drugs.

“Hard earned tax dollars should be used efficiently,” says Utica State Representative Jeff Farrington.  He’s the bill’s sponsor.   “There are limited resources as we all know. Those resources should go to those in highest need. If someone is using cash assistance for their illegal drug habit that’s not a good use of our resources.”

Substance abuse treatment and welfare advocates oppose the drug testing requirement.    They say the proposal won’t save the state any money.

http://www.michiganradio.org/post/michigan-lawmakers-discussing-drug-testing-welfare-recipients

Comstock Public Schools Face Serious Fiscal Challenges

"Like trying to run with weights tied to your feet".

That's how Comstock Public Schools superintendent Todd Mora described the district's financial problems.  In a district faced with difficult problems like decreasing enrollment, student poverty and economic decline in the broader Comstock community, the sharp decrease in funds from the state are serious handicaps.

Julie Mack at MLive details the challenges facing Comstock's students, parents  and teachers in a community where parents who can are transferring their students to districts in less dire straits.  This only compounds the problem, as test scores (and, therefore, state funding) declines apace.

Read the whole article here.

Summer Job Outlook Improves for Teens

Claire Wahl is one-for-one in her summer job search.

The 14-year-old Birmingham Seaholm High School student pounced on the opportunity to be one of 20 seasonal workers at Dairy Deluxe in Birmingham — the only place she looked in her quest to save money for college and a car.

Other teens might find similar success in their search for summer employment, thanks to an improving economy that is expected to mean more job opportunities in Michigan and across the country.

While the outlook is rosier, there are still challenges, especially in Michigan where the unemployment rate for teens ages 16 to 19 was nearly 29 percent last year. In searching for jobs, teens might need to think outside the box, experts say.

"I actually feel like it is improving a bit," said Nancy Zambardi, a career specialist with the Troy School District's two high schools. "I have more job postings now than I did this time last year and for a higher hourly rate."

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120508/BIZ/205080368#ixzz1uFqe1dYW

Pokagon Band's New Community Center Is First in Southwest Michigan to Receive Environmentally Friendly Gold Certification

Porous paving bricks in the parking lot and solar panels in the back make it easy to understand why the Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi's new community center has received environmental honors from a national organization.

The building along Dailey Road also features native plants growing on a roof section to insulate and reduce water runoff. It has a geothermal heating and cooling system, a berm insulating one side of the building and a passive solar system with glass walls facing south. It has a 12-inch concrete floor.

"We wanted the community center to be a gathering space for our members and also reflect our values and the idea of not doing too much damage to the Earth," said tribal spokeswoman Paige Risser. "The upfront costs may be higher but people will save in the long-term."


...The center is next to the band's Pokegnek Edawat Village residential development, about a mile from tribal headquarters. The site is ideal because it's within walking distance of the neighborhood, she said.


http://www.heraldpalladium.com/articles/2012/04/30/local_news/9748028.txt

Hispanic Center of Western Michigan seeks volunteers to help bridge gap between techie kids and parents who can't compute

Like many moms, Gildara Gaona of Grand Rapids wants to help her children with homework. She wants to monitor Facebook activity in their teen years, and someday guide them through the college application process. But first, she is working to conquer email.

Gaona is a recent graduate of the digital connectors class at the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, a 15-week course teaching basic computer skills like Microsoft Word, Internet browsing, and email use.

“The digital divide in Kent County is huge,” said Jaenelle Ott, the adult education coordinator and lead teacher at the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan. “It creates inequality, and the gap continues to widen.”

http://www.mlive.com/living/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/05/the_hispanic_center_of_western.html

How your county ranks for unwed births, pregnant teens and infant health

Fewer Michigan teenagers are having babies, and the state is seeing fewer premature births, according to a new report looking at health and birth trends.

But the Kids Count in Michigan Right Start report indicates that the number of babies born to unwed mothers has risen dramatically over the last decade, accounting for 41 percent of babies born between 2008 and 2010.

The report, released today by the Michigan League for Human Services' Kids Count in Michigan project, looks at eight maternal and infant health measures and ranks 81 of the state’s 83 counties.

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/04/report_fewer_michigan_teenager.html

Map the Meal Gap

What percentage of people or children in your county have food insecurity?

The following is a link to an interactive map which shows.  Click on Michigan and then click on your county to find out:

http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies/map-the-meal-gap.aspx