tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20746562631232448332024-03-14T00:47:09.736-04:00Investing in Community ChangeBetter Results for Children and FamiliesLauren Wechslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15322760335131092471noreply@blogger.comBlogger773125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-8409039111830583112015-05-01T12:54:00.001-04:002015-05-04T12:52:36.125-04:00Investing in Community Change Blog Moves to Center for the Study of Social Policy BlogThe Investing in Community Change blog has moved to a new home. The <a href="http://www.cssp.org/media-center/blog">Center for the Study of Social Policy blog</a> will feature helpful tools and strategies for communities, including workforce development, asset building, community development, organizational capacity and resident engagement, as well as commentary on the field of community change and additional fields in which CSSP works to improve the lives of children and families. View our new <a href="http://www.cssp.org/media-center/events">events page</a> for upcoming webinars and conferences. <a href="http://www.cssp.org/media-center/blog">Visit to our new blog</a>! <br /><br />Also, check us out on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CtrSocialPolicy?ref=hl">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/CtrSocialPolicy">Twitter</a>!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-41542016852754666162015-04-22T14:56:00.003-04:002015-04-22T15:15:03.009-04:00Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Welcomes Applications for Assets for Independence (AFI) Demonstration ProgramThe Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Community Services (OCS) welcomes applications for the Assets for Independence (AFI) Demonstration Program. AFI enables community-based nonprofits and government agencies to implement asset building projects serving low-income individuals and their families. The awards of up to $1 million cover a 5 year project period.<br />
<br />
AFI grantees enroll participants to save earned income in special-purpose, matched savings accounts called Individual Development Accounts (IDAs). Every dollar that a participant deposits into an AFI IDA is matched (from $1 to $8 in combined federal and non-federal funds) by the AFI project, promoting savings and enabling participants to acquire a lasting asset. <br />
<br />
AFI participants use their IDAs and matching funds for one of three allowable assets: <br />
<ul>
<li>Purchase a first home; </li>
<li>Capitalize or expand a business for self-employment; or </li>
<li>Fund post-secondary education or training.</li>
</ul>
AFI grantees also assist participants in obtaining the skills and information necessary to achieve economic self-sufficiency. Grantees are encouraged to tailor the strategies and services they offer to the needs of their project participants and the opportunities in their community. Examples of activities in this area include financial education, asset-specific training, financial coaching, credit-building services, credit/debt counseling, and assistance with tax credits and tax preparation.<br />
<br />
To learn from examples of asset building, register for a special webinar on using AFI for <a href="http://idaresources.acf.hhs.gov/Event?id=00U7000000VJeEQEA1">Building Economic Opportunity in Low-Income Neighborhoods</a> on <b>Tuesday, May 5, 2015 at 2 p.m. ET</b>. Hear from BCJI grantee Northwest New Jersey Community Action Partnership (NORWESCAP) about how asset building contributes to their community building and crime reduction efforts in the Phillipsburg - Parnassus Neighborhood.<br />
<br />
The deadline to apply for the <a href="http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=275744">AFI Funding Opportunity</a> is <b>June 15, 2015</b>. To view information about resources, trainings, and other assistance for grantees and potential applicants is posted on the <a href="http://www.idaresources.acf.hhs.gov/">AFI Resource Center website</a>.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-31547482995493617572015-03-31T13:20:00.003-04:002015-03-31T13:20:48.609-04:00Diversitydatakids.org Project Provides Equity-Focused ToolDiversitydatakids.org, a research project designed by the <a href="http://heller.brandeis.edu/">Brandeis University's Heller School of Social Policy and Management</a> and the<a href="http://kirwaninstitute.osu.edu/"> Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity</a>, is the first national information system to take a comprehensive, equity-focused approach to monitor progress toward improved well-being for children of all racial and ethnic groups. Indicators examine several domains, including education, housing, health, policy indicators and more with up to seven geographies and multiple time periods.<br /><br />Users have the ability to:<br /><ul>
<li>Query the database of child well-being and policy indicators by topic, by geographic area (national, state, county, metropolitan area, city, or school district) and by race/ethnicity;<br /></li>
<li>Display the results of data queries through three website functions: customizable area profile reports, area ranking reports, and thematic maps;<br /></li>
<li>Explore maps of child-focused opportunity indices for all neighborhoods in each of the 100 largest metropolitan areas and overlay the child population by race/ethnicity on these contextual maps of neighborhood opportunity;<br /></li>
<li>Read equity-focused analyses of selected policy and program areas that are relevant to child wellbeing, for example, Head Start, and coming soon, Child Care Subsidies, Family and Medical Leave, and Housing Subsidies.<br /></li>
<li>Read and share our infographics, briefs and reports featuring our rigorous data and policy analysis on issues of child wellbeing and equity.</li>
</ul>
To learn more, visit the <a href="http://www.diversitydatakids.org/">website</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-414537386569257632015-03-27T12:20:00.003-04:002015-03-27T12:20:54.318-04:00Building Neighborhood Capacity Program Releases Formative Assessment Report with Lessons Learned from the FieldThe <a href="http://www.buildingcommunitycapacity.org/">Building Neighborhood Capacity Program</a> (BNCP) seeks to catalyze community-driven change in neighborhoods that have historically faced barriers to revitalization. A key program of the federal Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, BNCP was launched in 2012 to provide resources and targeted technical assistance to eight neighborhoods in four cities – Flint, MI; Fresno, CA; Memphis, TN; and Milwaukee, WI. <br /><br />BNCP focuses on building <a href="http://www.buildingcommunitycapacity.org/Building-Community-Capacity-Infographic.pdf">community capacity</a>: the knowledge, skills, relationships, processes and resources that neighborhood residents, local organizations and city-level partners need to work together to achieve better results. BNCP is funded by the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development and Justice and supported by technical assistance from the Center for the Study of Social Policy. <br /><br />BNCP’s Federal Management Team and the Center for the Study of Social Policy are excited to release the Formative Assessment report, showcasing findings to contribute to the field’s knowledge about effective strategies for building neighborhood capacity. Written by Prudence Brown and Leila Fiester, the report covers BNCP’s original timeline from January 2012 to April 2014, as well as its six-month extension to October 2014.<br /><br />Since that time, BNCP has been expanded, providing each city with two years of additional support to expand to a third neighborhood and develop a city-wide strategy to sustain revitalization efforts. The findings from the Formative Assessment are being used to inform and strengthen BNCP’s ongoing work in the initial eight neighborhoods, as well as the BNCP <a href="http://www.buildingcommunitycapacity.org/documents/bncp-program-documents/BNCP-Process-Guide-Capacity-Framework.pdf">expansion process</a>.<br /><br />Check out the <a href="http://www.buildingcommunitycapacity.org/tools/bncp-documents/document/BNCP-Formative-Assessment-March-2015-web.pdf">Formative Assessment</a> on the <a href="http://www.buildingcommunitycapacity.org/">Building Neighborhood Capacity Resource Center</a>!<br /><br /><br /><div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-10410153883727288642015-03-18T14:44:00.002-04:002015-03-18T14:46:10.667-04:00Forum for Youth Investment Annual Ready by 21 MeetingFrom March 31 - April 2, the Forum for Youth Investment will be hosting its fourth annual Ready by 21 National Meeting. Ready by 21 is a set of strategies developed by the Forum to help communities improve the odds that all children and youth will be ready for success in college, career, and life. This convening will bring together in New Orleans up to 400 leaders from the local, state, and national levels who are committed to developing partnerships, policies, and practices to improve the lives of children and youth. <br />
<br />
Sessions will cover a wide range of topics, including:<br />
<ul>
<li>Advancing a Racial & Gender Equity Lens in Collective Impact Efforts</li>
<li>Statewide Afterschool Networks: Forging Partnerships and Policies for Afterschool & Summer Learning</li>
<li>Tackling Indicator Overload: How a Community Aligned its Dashboard, Mapping & School Systems to Aim for Better Outcomes</li>
<li>United We Stand: Building Effective Rural Community Partnerships that Endure </li>
<li>Supporting Opportunity Youth in Education Attainment & Workforce Development</li>
</ul>
<br />
For complete details about the agenda and information on how to register, please check out the Forum for Youth Investment's site <a href="http://www.readyby21.org/nationalmeeting">here</a>.Anand Sharmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11731226092855108493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-44347787865776561132015-03-17T16:28:00.000-04:002015-03-17T16:28:05.945-04:00National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice LaunchesThe National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice formed as a collective working to improve relationships and increase trust between minority communities and the criminal justice system. In September 2014, the Department of Justice (DOJ) awarded a three-year grant to launch this initiative in efforts to advance public and scholarly understandings of these issues and develop interventions.<br /><br />The initial interventions will be informed by ideas in five pilot sites across the country. The five sites are Stockton, California; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Gary, Indiana; Fort Worth, Texas; and Birmingham, Alabama.Each pilot site will develop a detailed site-specific plan that will enhance:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Racial reconciliation</b> facilitates frank conversations between minority communities and law enforcement that allow them to address historic tensions, grievances, and misconceptions between them and reset relationships. </li>
<li><b>Procedural justice</b> focuses on how the characteristics of law enforcement interactions with the public shape the public’s views of the police, their willingness to obey the law, and actual crime rates. </li>
<li><b>Implicit bias</b> focuses on how largely unconscious psychological processes can shape authorities’ actions and lead to racially disparate outcomes even where actual racism is not present. </li>
</ul>
Additionally, the initiative will focus on interventions for victims of domestic violence and other crimes, youth and the LGBTQ community. Following initial research and evaluation of the five sites, the initiative plans to establish a national clearinghouse where information, research and technical assistance are readily accessible for law enforcement, criminal justice practitioners and community leaders.The initiative will be guided by a board of advisors which will include national leaders from law enforcement, academia and faith-based groups, as well as community stakeholders and civil rights advocates. For resources and more information, visit the <a href="http://trustandjustice.org/">website</a>.<br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-36370471751615494632015-03-09T13:51:00.000-04:002015-03-09T13:54:55.152-04:00Promise Neighborhoods Training and Technical Assistance CenterPromise Neighborhoods launched the <a href="http://promiseneighborhoods.ed.gov/">Promise Neighborhoods Training and Technical Assistance Center</a>, designed for Promise Neighborhoods grantees and any community that is interested in improving the cradle-to-career results for its children. The Promise Neighborhoods theory of change focuses on placing great schools at the center of neighborhood revitalization efforts. When effective family and community supports are combined with strong academic experiences that are targeted at the children and families who need them most, children are prepared for success in college and career and entire communities are strengthened.<br />
<br />
The Center provides an overview of the Promise Neighborhoods program and the key components to develop a successful neighborhood. The website features research-based practical information, publications, links to other websites, training materials, data tools, news from grantee sites and other resources developed by the work with grantee sites and TA providers. Here are a few of the features you’ll find on this website: <br />
<ul>
<li>Toolbox – Whether you’re trying to identify promising and effective solutions to make up your cradle-to-career pipeline, or create the conditions that will allow for their successful implementation and broader community change, we’ve got you covered. Check out the <a href="http://173.226.70.152/pn/resources">Toolbox</a> for resources related to each of the Promise Neighborhood results as well as the conditions necessary to achieve them. You can also access archived presentations and slides from past Promise Neighborhoods webinars.</li>
<li>Information on Grantees – Wondering if there’s a Promise Neighborhood near you? Trying to connect with Promise Neighborhoods similar to your own? Visit the <a href="http://173.226.70.152/pn/grantees">Grantees</a> section of the site and use our “Grantee Map” or “Grantee List by State” to learn about work taking place in your region and across the country.<br /></li>
</ul>
And here are some of the things you can look forward to in the near future: <br />
<ul>
<li>Neighborhood Notes – Every quarter, the Promise Neighborhoods Training and Technical Assistance Center will publish “Neighborhood Notes,” a newsletter highlighting new resources of interest to Promise Neighborhood communities, stories from the field, and announcements related to upcoming events.</li>
<li>Blog Posts – Keep an eye out for future blog posts highlighting new and featured resources, as well as original content, such as interviews with and insights from Promise Neighborhoods leaders and partners.<br /></li>
</ul>
Technical assistance providers includes the <a href="http://www.cssp.org/">Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP),</a> <a href="http://www.urban.org/">Urban Institute</a>, <a href="http://resultsleadership.org/">Results Leadership Group</a> and <a href="http://www.promiseneighborhoodsinstitute.org/">Promise Neighborhoods Institute at PolicyLink</a>. CSSP is contracted by the U.S. Department of Education to provide a range of TA and training to the current cohort of Promise Neighborhoods grantees to help them build the capacity they need to successfully plan and implement their cradle-to-career strategies. In addition to PNI, CSSP partners with <a href="http://www.sei2003.com/">Synergy Enterprises Inc.</a> to deliver TA to grantees. Stay tuned for future updates and check out the website <a href="http://promiseneighborhoods.ed.gov/">here</a>. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-48864447324016266982015-03-06T11:37:00.000-05:002015-03-06T11:37:56.480-05:00Othering & Belonging Conference: A National Conference to Promote an Inclusive SocietyTo make the community-lead changes to improve a community can require altering the structures, processes and narratives to create an environment that represents the diverse voices of community members. This involves navigating the social, political and economic shifts that occur in the neighborhood as well as larger society that often result in the marginalization, or "othering", of different social groups.<br />
<br />
The Othering & Belonging Conference, organized by the <a href="http://diversity.berkeley.edu/haas-institute">Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society</a> at UC Berkeley, seeks to bring together scholars, researchers, advocates, and organizers to examine the issue of Othering, a set of processes that engender marginality across any of the full range of human differences, such as race, socioeconomic status, gender, religion, statehood, ethnicity, ability/disability, sexual orientation, and more.The conference will feature a multi-disciplinary, intersectional examination of the forms of othering in order to craft transformative solutions that promote belonging. The goal of the conference is to discern possibilities and develop practices for generating more inclusive structures, narratives, and identities that prohibit Othering and promote belonging.<br />
<br />
"<i>Belonging or being fully human means more than having access. It means having a meaningful voice, and being afforded the opportunity to participate in the design of social and cultural structures. Belonging entails being respected at a basic level that includes the right to both contribute and make demands upon society and political institutions.</i>"<br />
<br />
Conference speakers include<br />
<ul>
<li>Luis Garden Acosta</li>
<li>Guillermo Gómez-Peña </li>
<li>bell hooks</li>
<li>Naomi Klein</li>
<li>Joanna Macy</li>
<li>Lynn Manning</li>
<li>Manuel Pastor</li>
<li>Ai-jen Poo</li>
<li>john a. powell</li>
<li>Andrew Solomon</li>
</ul>
The conference will take place in Oakland, CA from <b>April 24-April 26</b>. To learn more, volunteer and register, visit the <a href="http://www.otheringandbelonging.org/register">website.</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-74601389412092240402015-03-04T12:06:00.001-05:002015-03-06T11:48:00.630-05:00Healthy Food Access Portal Hosts Virtual Training on Community Mapping Tool<a href="http://healthyfoodaccess.org/">Healthy Food Access Portal</a> hosts a virtual training on <a href="http://healthyfoodaccess.org/get-started/research-your-community">Research Your Communit</a>y, a new mapping tool to help communities and organizations understand the landscape of food accessibility in a given area.The Healthy Food Access Portal harnesses a vast array of data and information to support the successful planning and implementation of policies, programs, and projects to improve access to healthy foods in low-income and communities of color. The Portal is designed to help people access resources related to healthy food access policy efforts, funding opportunities, and successful retail strategies. <br />
<br />
The tool helps communities identify the changes that can improve food accessibility and serve as a valuable resource for advocacy and fundraising efforts. The grocery landscape is ever changing, and data is one of many ways to paint a picture of a community’s need for healthy food access interventions. This webinar will train users about how to effectively leverage this new tool. <br />
<br />Powered by PolicyMap, this tool allows users to access 60 data indicators. Topics include: <br /><ul>
<li>Demographics, including income and SNAP participation; </li>
<li>The food environment, including locations of supermarkets and farmers markets; </li>
<li>Health indicators, such as fruit and vegetable consumption and </li>
<li>Eligibility data for federal funding programs, such as the New Markets Tax Credit program.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
</ul>
The virtual training will take place <b>March 10, 2015, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (ET)</b>. <a href="https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6578116750035485185">Register here</a> to learn how to use this tool.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-57142978480909717012015-02-25T11:18:00.000-05:002015-02-26T10:18:58.885-05:00Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program FY 2015 Grant AnnouncedThe U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) invites eligible entities to apply for the <a href="https://www.bja.gov/Publications/BCJIFS-2015.pdf">Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program (BCJI) FY 2015 competitive grant</a>, a program to plan and implement place-based, community-oriented strategies to address targeted crime issues within a neighborhood as a part of a broader neighborhood revitalization initiative. BCJI builds the capacity of local and tribal communities to identify and address significant crime issues through collaborative cross-sector approaches that help advance broader neighborhood development goals.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.1999998092651px; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><br /></span>Neighborhood revitalization requires working on multiple areas, including public safety, health, education, housing and economic development to effectively transform the community. As such, applicants should develop a plan to coordinate BCJI with other existing neighborhood revitalization efforts—such as <a href="http://promiseneighborhoods.ed.gov/pn/">Promise Neighborhoods</a>, <a href="http://financing-community-change.blogspot.com/2015/01/new-choice-neighborhoods-planning.html">Choice Neighborhoods</a>, Community Health Center grants, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) funds, or a <a href="http://www.cssp.org/policy/2013/Promise-Zones.pdf">Promise Zone’s</a> designation—where possible.<br />
<br />
Eligible entities to serve as fiscal agent include states, units of local governments, non-profit organizations (including tribal non-profit organizations), and federally recognized Indian tribal governments as determined by the Secretary of the Interior. <br />
<br />
BJA solicits applications in two categories:<br />
<div>
<br />
1) Planning: Under Category 1, BJA estimates that it will make up to 15 awards of up to $175,000 each for up to an 18-month project period, beginning on October 1, 2015.<br />
<br />
2) Implementation: Under Category 2, BJA estimates that it will make
up to 3 awards of up $1,000,000 for up to a 36-month project period, beginning on October 1,
2015.<br />
<br />
To learn more, follow <a href="https://www.bja.gov/Funding/15BCJIsol.pdf">this link</a>. Applicants must register with <a href="http://grants.gov/">Grants.gov</a> prior to submitting an application. All applications are
due to be submitted and in receipt of a successful validation message in Grants.gov by <b>11:59
p.m. ET on April 20, 2015</b>.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-55716504380426740762015-02-23T11:25:00.003-05:002015-02-23T11:27:24.471-05:00National Endowment for the Arts Invites Applications for Challenge America Fast-TrackThe <a href="http://arts.gov/">National Endowment for the Arts</a> (NEA) accepts applications for the Challenge America Fast-Track grants program, which will award fixed grants to projects designed to extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations, including those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that funds, promotes, and strengthens the creative capacity of our communities by providing all Americans with diverse opportunities for arts participation.<br />
<br />
Applicants may be arts organizations, local arts agencies, art service organizations, local education agencies (school districts), and other organizations that can help advance NEA goals. All organizations must have a three-year history of programming prior to the application deadline. NEA will award fixed grants of $10,000 to support small and mid-size organizations that demonstrate projects focusing on:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Engagement: Engaging the public with diverse and excellent art</li>
<li>Livability: The strengthening of communities through the arts.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
A minimum $10,000 match from an outside funder is required. Applicants are encouraged to consider partnerships with other organizations, both in and outside the arts, as appropriate to their project. The application deadline is <b>April 16, 2015</b>. For more information and to apply, see the <a href="http://arts.gov/grants-organizations/challenge-america/grant-program-description">website</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-13688626889817171342015-02-20T16:25:00.001-05:002015-02-20T16:30:10.674-05:00Local Initiatives Support Corporation Hosts Crime Mapping Webinar Series: Crime Mapping Level 1Crime mapping can be a helpful tool for police and community members to track and address persistent crime problems in the neighborhood.<a href="http://www.lisc.org/"> Local Initiatives Support Corporation'</a>s (LISC) Community Safety Initiative (CSI) will facilitate a Crime Mapping Webinar Series led by crime analysis expert Julie Wartell of the <a href="http://www.analysisgroup.com/">Analysis Group</a>. LISC has connected local organizations and community leaders with resources to revitalize neighborhoods and improve quality of life. LISC is a technical assistance provider for <a href="https://www.bja.gov/Publications/BCJIFS-2015.pdf">Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation (BCJI) Program</a>, a program that is a part of the Obama Administration's <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/nri_description.pdf">Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative</a>, focused on supporting data-driven, comprehensive responses to crime in some of the country’s most troubled communities.<br />
<br />
The first of the series, Crime Mapping Level 1 will provide beginners who have little or no past experience using crime mapping and/or geographic information system (GIS) software an overview of how these tools can be used to inform public safety efforts. The following will be covered:<br />
<ul>
<li>History of crime mapping</li>
<li>Basic GIS concepts</li>
<li>Data sources</li>
<li>Case studies/examples</li>
</ul>
These webinars are open to practitioners involved in the BCJI program, other White House Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (NRI) Programs, LISC's Community Safety Initiative and other interested parties. Crime Mapping Level 1 will be held on <b>Monday, February 23, 2015 at 2p.m. </b>To register, follow<a href="https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=4ska4k3esrzo"> this link</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-70462987324966647512015-02-19T09:54:00.000-05:002015-02-19T09:54:40.418-05:00New Report Calls for 60 percent Reduction in Child PovertyThe <a href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/">Children’s Defense Fund</a> recently published <a href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/library/PovertyReport/EndingChildPovertyNow.html">Ending Child Poverty Now</a>, a report outlining their approach to comprehensive child poverty reduction. According to the <a href="http://www.census.gov/">US Census Bureau</a> and highlighted in this report, 1 in 5 children growing up in the United States live in poverty. Children of color have an even greater likelihood of living in poverty, with 1 in 2 black children and 1 in 3 Hispanic children living in poverty. Poverty doesn’t just have an adverse experience on children early in their lives. Children living in poverty experience lifelong consequences including poor health, lower educational attainment, and more frequent involvement with the criminal justice system.<br /><br />While child poverty in the United States is inexcusably high (19.9 percent), there are programs and policies that have been shown to make a difference. CDF’s recommendations suggest building on these successful programs - and <a href="http://blog.metrotrends.org/2015/02/takes-package-policies-substantially-reduce-poverty/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MetrotrendsBlog+%28MetroTrends+Blog%29">analysis</a> conducted by the Urban Institute found that, if implemented, these recommendations would reduce poverty for 6.6 million children. The policy recommendations included in the report are projected to reduce child poverty by 60 percent when measured with the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM).<br /><br />According to the report, reductions in poverty can be made by expanding federal policies that are already in place. The report suggests:<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
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<ul>
<li>Increasing the Earned Income Tax
Credit for lower-income families with children: <b>9 percent reduction</b></li>
<li>Increasing the minimum wage from
$7.25 to $10.10: <b>4 percent reduction</b></li>
<li>Creating subsidized jobs for
unemployed and underemployed individuals ages 16-64 in families with children: <b>11 percent reduction</b></li>
<li>Making child care subsidies
available to all eligible families below 150 percent of poverty: <b>3 percent reduction</b></li>
<li>Making the Child and Dependent
Care Tax Credit refundable with a higher reimbursement rate: <b>1 percent reduction</b></li>
<li>Increasing SNAP benefits: <b>16 percent reduction</b></li>
<li>Making the Child tax Credit fully
refundable: <b>12 percent reduction</b></li>
<li>Making housing vouchers available
to all households with children below 150 percent of poverty for whom fair market
rent exceeds 50 percent of their income: <b>21
percent reduction</b></li>
<li>Requiring child support to be
fully passed through to TANF families, fully disregarded for TANF benefits, and
partially disregarded for SNAP benefits: <b>1
percent reduction in the number of children in poverty</b></li>
</ul>
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The report also includes suggestions of ways to pay for these policy changes. They suggest investing $77.2 billion to pay for the recommendations included in the report and that the money could be found by taking any of the following actions:<div>
<ul>
<li>Closing tax loopholes for
corporations <b>($90 billion)</b></li>
<li>Eliminating tax breaks for the
wealthy by taxing capital gains and dividends <b>($84 billion)</b></li>
<li>Closing tax loopholes included in
the Tax Reform Act of 2014 <b>($79.3
billion)</b></li>
<li>Cutting 14 percent of the FY2015
$578 billion in military spending <b>($80.9
billion)</b></li>
<li>Scrapping the F-35 fighter jet
program <b>($1.5 trillion)</b></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
The CDF report analyzes the impact of individual policies, but also demonstrates how the most successful anti-poverty strategy involves a combination of policy changes. Though these recommendations are based on federal policies, state policymakers can help to influence state counterparts of these policies and programs to reduce poverty among children within their states. <br /><br />For the full analysis of each policy recommendation, please see CDF’s complete <a href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/library/PovertyReport/EndingChildPovertyNow.html">report</a>.<br /><br />For state policies to reduce child poverty, please read <a href="http://www.cssp.org/">CSSP</a>’s report <a href="http://www.cssp.org/policy/2014/Results-Based-Public-Policy-Strategies-for-Reducing-Child-Poverty.pdf">Results-Based Public Policy Strategies for Reducing Child Poverty.</a></div>
Natasya Gandanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18424188120701925496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-67257494930979337992015-02-18T13:44:00.001-05:002015-02-18T13:51:05.691-05:00ArtPlace America Invites Applications to Community Development Investments Program<a href="http://www.artplaceamerica.org/">ArtPlace America</a> (ArtPlace) is accepting applications to its new Community Development Investments program from place-based nonprofit organizations with a primary mission of community planning and development. ArtPlace is a ten-year collaboration that exists to position art and culture as a core sector of comprehensive community planning and development in order to help strengthen the social, physical, and economic fabric of communities.<br />
<br />
ArtPlace will select one organization in each of six geographical regions (six organizations total) that can demonstrate a sustainable plan to incorporate arts and cultural strategies into its work of community planning and development. This one-time grant program will provide up to $3 million in funding per organization. Each selected organization will also work with national creative placemaking experts, a financial capital consortium, a federal grants advisory team, and a community documentation and research team.<br />
<br />
Eligible applicants must:<br />
<ul>
<li>be working to achieve a variety of social, economic, and physical outcomes in that geographic area</li>
<li>regularly partner and work across sectors to achieve positive community outcomes</li>
<li>have long-term vision and presence in a community</li>
<li>not have a significant history of working in the arts and cultural field</li>
<li>and operate in a defined geographic area of focus (Eligible organizations work in one of the following: a community of any size in Alaska; a community of any size in California; a non-metropolitan area community in Arizona, New Mexico, or Texas; a non-metropolitan area community in Minnesota; one or more neighborhoods of Philadelphia; or a metro area community in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia).<br /></li>
</ul>
Submission deadline is <b>March 12, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. (ET)</b>. To learn more and apply, visit the <a href="http://www.artplaceamerica.org/CDI/?utm_source=ArtPlace+America+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=76b85c20bf-CDI_Announcement&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4e3b668158-76b85c20bf-83054853">website</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-80866161061774231542015-02-11T17:44:00.000-05:002015-02-11T17:44:41.522-05:00Strive Together and National Taskforce Host Webinar: Five Ways Community Organizations Can Ensure Responsible and Effective Student Data UseStriveTogether and members of a national taskforce on student data privacy will host a webinar on <b>Wednesday, February 18th at 1PM ET</b>: Five Ways Community Organizations Can Ensure Responsible and Effective Student Data Use. <a href="http://www.strivetogether.org/">Strive Together </a>Cradle to Career Network is a national network of 55 community partnerships in 28 states and Washington D.C. working to improve education success for every child by bringing together cross-sector partners around a common vision. <br /><br />Panelists will discuss five ways organizations can ensure effective and responsible use of student data, and share real-world examples of how these practices are helping communities improve education outcomes for kids. Panelists include: <br /><ul>
<li>Chris Kingsley, Data Quality Campaign, Washington, D.C. </li>
<li>Theresa Pardo, Center for Technology in Government, University at Albany, New York </li>
<li>Matt Deevers, Summit Education Initiative, Akron, Ohio </li>
<li> Matt Harris, Puget Sound Educational Service District and The Road Map Project, Seattle, Washington </li>
<li>Greg Wong, Pacifica Law Group, Seattle Washington </li>
<li>Geoff Zimmerman, StriveTogether Staff, Cincinnati, Ohio</li>
</ul>
Visit the website to <a href="http://www.strivetogether.org/">learn more</a> or <a href="https://events-na11.adobeconnect.com/content/connect/c1/1120215584/en/events/event/shared/default_template_simple/event_registration.html?sco-id=1282916869&_charset_=utf-8">register</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-68040666565998994542015-02-10T19:06:00.000-05:002015-02-12T11:25:20.589-05:00College for Every Student Invites Applications for Closing the Gap Awards<a href="http://www.collegefes.org/">College for Every Student </a>(CFES) is currently accepting applications from low-income middle and high schools for its Closing the Gap Awards. CFES is a global leader at helping underserved students get to and through college, and ready to enter the 21st century workforce. CFES currently supports 20,000 students through partnerships with 200 rural and urban K-12 schools and districts in 27 states and Ireland.<br />
<br />
CFES awards grants annually to implement programs that help prepare low-income students for college and a career. This year CFES will award funds to fully support two schools for three years. Three additional schools will receive grants covering half of their program costs (i.e., $12,500 a year for three years); schools in this category will be asked to find matching support from other sources. CFES uses three core practices – Mentoring, Leadership Through Service, and Pathways to College—to provide a frameowork for schools to help underserved youth get to and through college, ready to enter the workforce.<br />
<br />
Expectations of CFES Schools:<br />
<ul>
<li>Develop a CFES school and community-based team composed of teachers, faculty and staff, students, parents, and/or community members.</li>
<li>Appoint a CFES Liaison who serves as the main point of contact with the CFES central office and your CFES program director.</li>
<li>Provide CFES professionals access to your CFES Scholars so they can conduct leadership workshops, peer mentor trainings, development of The Essential Skills, etc.</li>
<li>Complete CFES Plan, Mid-Year and End-of-Year Assessments.</li>
<li>Brand College For Every Student within your school/ community.</li>
<li>Track and evaluate program impact for a subset of 100 students.</li>
<li>Engage your students schoolwide in the three core practices: Mentoring, Leadership Through Service, and Pathways to College.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
Eligible applicants include middle or high schools in the United States in which at least 50 percent of the student population comes from low-income households. See the website for more<a href="http://www.collegefes.org/one-million-more.php"> information</a> and <a href="http://www.collegefes.org/perch/resources/1-27-cfes-closing-the-gap-application2.pdf">to apply</a>.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-55388632013553973042015-02-09T10:37:00.000-05:002015-02-09T10:37:42.622-05:00 Coalition for Community Schools Hosts Community Schools and Community Organizing WebinarThe Coalition for Community Schools will host a Community Schools and Community Organizing webinar for organizers to learn about organizing campaigns across the country.The <a href="http://www.communityschools.org/about/overview.aspx">Coalition for Community Schools</a>, housed at the <a href="http://iel.org/">Institute for Educational Leadership</a>, is an alliance of national, state and local organizations in education K-16, youth development, community planning and development, family support, health and human services, government and philanthropy as well as national, state and local community school networks. <br />
<br />
Webinar participants will hear from organizers and parent leaders in New York City who lead the organizing efforts that resulted in the city's recent commitment to 128 new community schools. Presenters will talk about the coalitions that were formed, the impact they had on the current mayor's education agenda, and the follow-up efforts to ensure successful implementation, including a new community schools policy to help ensure quality and sustainability of the city's community schools.<br />
<br />
Presenters: <br />
<ul>
<li>Claudette Agard, Parent Leader, Coalition for Educational Justice </li>
<li>Jitu Brown, National Director, Journey for Justice Alliance, Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools </li>
<li>Natasha Capers, Coordinator, Coalition for Educational Justice </li>
<li>Barbara Gross, Principal Associate, Annenberg Institute for School Reform</li>
</ul>
The webinar is on February 12, 2015, 3:00-4:00 p.m. (ET). Register <a href="https://events-na12.adobeconnect.com/content/connect/c1/1316061355/en/events/event/shared/default_template_simple/event_registration.html?sco-id=1319006999&campaign-id=cs-organizing&_charset_=utf-8">here</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-63768206504397395592015-02-06T09:49:00.000-05:002015-02-06T09:49:10.714-05:00National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference 2015The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) and Feeding America will hold its annual conference, the 2015 National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference in Washington, DC. The conference will convene anti-hunger and anti-poverty advocates; federal, state and local government officials; child advocates; representatives of food banks and food rescue organizations; and nutrition and anti-obesity groups, for three days of training, networking, and Capitol Hill advocacy. The <a href="http://frac.org/">Food Research and Action Center (FRAC)</a> is the leading national nonprofit organization working to improve public policies and public-private partnerships to eradicate hunger and under nutrition in the United States. <a href="http://www.feedingamerica.org/">Feed America</a>’s mission is to feed America’s hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger.<br />
<br />
The conference will give participants an opportunity to share information and learn how to strengthen the quality and reach of federal nutrition programs, learn best practices in outreach and programming from other states and localities, identify the gaps in food service for millions of low-income children and strategize creative ideas for new and innovative approaches to ending hunger. Members of Congress, Hill staff and key Administration officials will be in attendance, provide comments as part of plenary sessions and panels, and join participants at receptions and special events.<br />
<br />
The agenda includes workshops on advocacy, communications, child nutrition, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), access, nutrition, research and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). To see a complete list of workshops, check the <a href="http://www.antihungerpolicyconference.org/agenda">agenda</a>. The conference will take place <b>March 1-3, 2015</b>. Visit the website for more <a href="http://www.antihungerpolicyconference.org/">information</a> or to <a href="http://www.antihungerpolicyconference.org/registration">register</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-47385189846838514642015-02-03T15:11:00.000-05:002015-02-04T09:43:27.398-05:00KEEN Effect Grant Program Accepts Nominations to Promote the OutdoorsKEEN Footwear, an outdoor retailer, accepts nominations for its KEEN Effect grant program, which supports organizations that promote and provide responsible outdoor participation to help preserve the places we all play. <br />
<br />
The KEEN Effect encourages KEEN customers and the general public to nominate nonprofit organizations that are aligned with the company’s core, outdoor-focused values. In 2014, the program's first year, KEEN awarded $100,000 in grants to twenty-five nonprofits in sixteen states and seven countries. This year, the program plans to award ten grants of $10,000. KEEN provides a list of criteria:<br />
<ul>
<li>Projects must increase responsible outdoor participation as a way to work towards building a strong community.</li>
<li>Projects should be innovative and creative.</li>
<li>Projects should have clear goals and measurable objectives.</li>
<li>Projects that introduce new audiences to the outdoors through responsible outdoor participation will receive special consideration.</li>
<li>Project leads must be willing to interact with KEEN online and should leverage social media technology as appropriate.</li>
<li>Project leads should be capable of working collaboratively with KEEN throughout the program process and project reports must include a minimum of five high resolution photos.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Nominations received by<b> March 1, 2015</b>, will be considered for the first round of grantee winners announced on Earth Day, April 22, 2015. Applications filed between <b>March 1</b> and <b>August 1, 2015</b>, will be considered for the final round of winners, to be announced on National Public Lands Day, September 26, 2015. Applications are accepted year-round. Visit the website to <a href="http://www.keenfootwear.com/keen-effect.aspx">learn more</a> or <a href="http://www.cybergrants.com/pls/cybergrants/ao_login.login?x_gm_id=4494&x_proposal_type_id=32162">apply</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-43659783163967408942015-02-03T13:54:00.000-05:002015-02-03T15:20:36.365-05:00Aligning Resources and Results: The President’s FY 2016 BudgetYesterday, President Obama released his Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Budget, outlining the administration’s policy agenda and budget requests for federal spending in the upcoming year. As the guide for every major spending and revenue decision, the President’s budget request is a significant policy vehicle for supporting children and families.<br />
<br />
With the release of the President’s budget comes an opportunity to emphasize how policymakers can advance equity through the budget process at the federal level – but also through state and local budgets.<br />
<br />
The President’s budget proposal includes notable efforts to increase equity by improving access to education, including dedicated funding for universal pre-kindergarten, increasing opportunities for low-income schools through Title I funding and tuition-free community college. <br />
<br />
At the community level, the proposal introduces the Upward Mobility Project – a new initiative that will provide up to 10 communities with the opportunity to flexibly spend federal funding from four existing programs in an effort to invest in programs and resources that meet the specific needs of its residents. These investments – as well as a host of others – have the ability to promote equity and provide communities with the flexibility to create opportunities for low-income children and families.<br />
<br />
In CSSP’s new brief “Aligning Resources and Results: Increasing Equity Through the Budget,” we highlight equitable budget strategies from Portland, Oregon; Chicago, Illinois; and an example from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.<br />
<br />
As outlined in the brief, the President’s FY2016 budget includes funding for key programs that impact communities:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Preschool for All: $75 billion over 10 years</li>
<li>Preschool Development: $500 million</li>
<li>English Language Acquisition: $36 million</li>
<li>America’s College Promise: $1.36 billion</li>
<li>Promise Neighborhoods: $150 million</li>
<li>Choice Neighborhoods: $248 million</li>
<li>Community Development Block Grant: $2.8 billion</li>
<li>Housing Choice Voucher Program: $21.1 billion</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
By proposing investments in programs like early child care and universal preschool, including tax credits for working families, the President’s FY2016 budget includes strategies to advance equity in the coming year. Making investments to advance equity is an important way to ensure all children and families have the opportunity to succeed.<br />
<br />
For more information on the President’s FY2016 budget release, please read CSSP’s statement <a href="http://www.cssp.org/policy/Aligning-Resources-and-Results-Increasing-Equity-Through-the-Budget.pdf">here</a>. Natasya Gandanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18424188120701925496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-70722638653621840052015-01-29T10:48:00.002-05:002015-01-29T11:05:46.812-05:00International Association of Chiefs of Police Convene a National Policy Summit on Community-Police RelationsWhen distressed communities are asked what improvements they would like to see in the neighborhood, residents often voice public safety as a necessary factor to strengthening their communities, which at times requires working with law enforcement. In order for communities and law enforcement to come together to create a safe environment, building a strong relationship between community members and police is essential. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recently convened at a summit and released a <a href="http://www.theiacp.org/ViewResult?SearchID=2517">report</a>, the “IACP National Policy Summit on Community-Police Relations.” The IACP is an association of law enforcement executives with over 23,000 members in 100 countries. “The IACP’s mission is to advance professional police services; promote enhanced administrative, technical, and operational police practices; and foster cooperation and the exchange of information and experience among police leaders and police organizations of recognized professional and technical standing throughout the world.” <br />
<br />
The report provides an overview acknowledging the complexities within each community, assesses current police challenges, and provides recommendations. As law enforcement takes an evidence-based practice approach to including community members, key takeaways from the report include:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Police are often working with diverse populations, which requires proper training in implicit bias, the “predilections held by all that operate largely outside of one’s awareness,” in order to establish trust with community members. </li>
<li>The police department should be more transparent in releasing statistics, arrest information, and other data whether it paints them in a negative or positive light. This can include communicating with the community through media as well as through relationships with community members.</li>
<li>Chiefs of Police need to engage key community leaders and build a culture of collaboration in the strategic planning process to address neighborhood safety. Create a shared definition of roles, responsibilities and priorities</li>
<li>Citizen surveys should allow for honest feedback to hold police accountable. Police should incorporate the feedback into their practice.</li>
<li>Allow the community to see police people as community members, who live, work, and have a stake in the community.</li>
</ul>
<br />
The recommendations from the report are not only a guide to police and community relations, but also are a guide to building community. Because resident engagement is an integral piece to creating strong communities, CSSP’s <a href="http://www.buildingcommunitycapacity.org/">Building Neighborhood Capacity Program (BNCP</a>) provides resources for resident engagement within the <a href="http://www.buildingcommunitycapacity.org/tools">tools and templates</a> section of the website.<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
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<!--[endif]--></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-61641807897378756552015-01-28T11:05:00.000-05:002015-01-28T11:06:27.408-05:00National Family and Community Engagement Conference 2015 Focuses on "Shaping Our Future by Leading Together: Families, Schools and Communities"The Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) hosts the National Family and Community Engagement Conference in Chicago, the theme for this year being “Shaping Our Future by Leading Together: Families, Schools, and Communities.” IEL works across boundaries to connect policymakers, administrators, and practitioners at all levels to better prepare children and youth for college, careers and citizenship.<br />
<br />
Offering over 70 workshops, the event will feature evidence-based practices and leadership at all levels to showcase how schools and communities across the country realize mutual goals through productive partnerships. The structure of the conference encourages networking at the local, state and regional levels, team planning, and in-depth discussions.<br />
<br />
The 2015 National Family and Community Engagement Conference will include:<br />
<br />
4 Plenaries: <br />
<ul>
<li>Setting the Stage </li>
<li>The Chicago Story </li>
<li>Family Engagement & Equity </li>
<li>Taking it to Scale </li>
</ul>
<br />
70 Workshops: <br />
<ul>
<li>Sessions will highlight high quality family and community engagement on the following topics: </li>
<li>Early Learning & Literacy (Birth to Age 8) </li>
<li>Student Achievement and Schooling </li>
<li>Community Partnerships </li>
<li>Teacher Leadership & Professional Development </li>
<li>Systemic Practice and Policy </li>
<li>Inclusive Education </li>
<li>Parent Leadership & Advocacy </li>
<li>High School, College & Career Transition</li>
</ul>
The conference will take place <b>June 22-24, 2015 </b>in Chicago. Policymakers, administrators, and practitioners are encouraged to attend. Visit the<a href="http://www.cvent.com/events/shaping-our-future-by-leading-together-families-schools-and-communities/event-summary-940ffc866de047c0b7d1d81aef6f265a.aspx"> website</a> to learn more or <a href="https://www.cvent.com/events/shaping-our-future-by-leading-together-families-schools-and-communities/registration-940ffc866de047c0b7d1d81aef6f265a.aspx">register</a>.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-9920573961556041532015-01-26T12:10:00.000-05:002015-01-26T13:32:58.132-05:00New Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants Awarded<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week, HUD awarded seven new planning grants through their </span><a href="http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/ph/cn/cntechnicalassistance/ppg"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Choice Neighborhoods Initiative</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Choice Neighborhoods is an initiative that assists local communities with distressed HUD-assisted or public housing through comprehensive neighborhood revitalization. Planning grants awarded through the program allow communities to embark on a 2-year community-driven planning process to both develop a transformation plan and position the community to implement the revitalization outlined in the plan as well. </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this latest round of grant awards, HUD has awarded a total of $3.2 million seven new grantees: </span><br />
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The<em> <strong>South Saginaw</strong></em> Neighborhood in Flint, Michigan</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <strong><em>University Park East</em></strong> Neighborhood in Gary, Indiana</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <strong><em>Russell</em></strong> Neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <strong><em>Three Mile Trace</em></strong> Neighborhood in Mobile, Alabama</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <strong><em>Thomas James Place</em> </strong>Neighborhood in Mobile, Alabama</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <strong><em>Urban Core</em></strong> of North Las Vegas, Nevada</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <strong><em>Near North Side</em></strong> Neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These neighborhoods are the newest additions to a list of 63 neighborhoods across the country that have received Choice Neighborhoods planning grants since 2010. Descriptions of the neighborhoods and details about their projects under the Choice Neighborhoods planning grants can be accessed </span><a href="http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=FY14PGSummaries.pdf"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. </span>Shanti Abedinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14327593531154560581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-49379845851027150752015-01-21T12:26:00.000-05:002015-01-21T12:26:35.922-05:00Department of Health and Human Services Announces Drug-Free Communities Support Program GrantThe <a href="http://www.hhs.gov/">Department of Health and Human Services (DHS)</a> announces a request for applications for community-based coalitions to apply for a grant under the Drug-Free Communities Support Program (DFC). DFC was created with two goals in mind: <br />
<ul>
<li>Establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, public and private non-profit agencies; as well as federal, state, local, and tribal governments to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance use among youth (individuals 18 years of age and younger). </li>
<li>Reduce substance use among youth and, over time, reduce substance abuse among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance abuse and promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance abuse. </li>
</ul>
Eligible applicants are community-based coalitions addressing youth substance use that have never received a DFC grant; or have previously received a DFC grant, but experienced a lapse in funding; or have concluded the first five-year funding cycle and are applying for a second five-year funding cycle. See Section III-1 of the <a href="http://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/grants/pdf/sp-15-001.pdf">RFA</a> for complete eligibility information. <br />
<br />
The program expects to administer 170 awards. The maximum award amount is $125,000 for up to five years. Applications are due <b>Wednesday, March 18, 2015</b>. For more information and to apply, visit the <a href="http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/grant-announcements/sp-15-001">website</a>. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074656263123244833.post-68662623404537828102015-01-15T09:44:00.001-05:002015-01-15T10:35:46.144-05:00Violence Reduction Network Webinar: Innovative Strategies to Address Youth ViolenceYouth violence, while steadily decreasing in the U.S. since 1994, remains a continuous issue in many communities. Youth violence refers to physically and social emotionally harmful behaviors that a young person experiences, inflicts or witnesses. Youth violence can exist in school, outside of school and in the home. With an issue that affects entire communities, addressing it requires different agencies to pool resources and work together. <br />
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On<b> January 27, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. (ET)</b>, <a href="https://www.bja.gov/Programs/vrn.html">the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Violence Reduction Network (VRN)</a>, in partnership with the <a href="http://findyouthinfo.gov/youth-topics/preventing-youth-violence/about-national-forum">National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention</a>, will host a Webinar on Innovative Strategies to Address Youth Violence that will engage participants in discussions about innovative approaches to working with high-risk and gang-involved youth, based on the city of San Jose’s Mayor’s Gang Prevention Task Force and the application of the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission process on Juvenile Case Review. In addition, local police department representatives will share their expertise. The specific objectives of this session are: <br />
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<ul>
<li>Describe the Juvenile Justice Review process, including successes and challenges. </li>
<li>Illustrate successful, collaborative initiatives and programs developed as a result of the review process. </li>
<li>Examine the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission process and how it can apply to youth violence. </li>
<li>Discuss the structure and staffing of the Safe School Campus Initiative (SSCI). </li>
<li>Discuss partnerships with local agencies. </li>
<li>Review the process to develop a SSCI program. </li>
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State and local law enforcement command-level officers, gang unit officers, and personnel from school police and juvenile justice agencies would benefit from this session. Participants will have the opportunity to submit questions to the presenters when registering and during the Webinar. In addition to learning from these speakers, there will be time for peer-to-peer discussion to allow VRN and National Forum on Youth Prevention sites to share their experiences, challenges, and successes in addressing youth violence in their communities.<br />
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The webinar will be moderated by Ms. Kristie Brackens, VRN Co-Director, and Mr. Theron Pride, Senior Policy Advisory, Office of the Assistant Attorney General. To register, follow <a href="https://www.iir.com/Home/Event_Registration/VRN-Webinar-01272015">this link</a>. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01348338602627625700noreply@blogger.com0