Coca-Cola announces $17.9M in grants

[from Philanthropy News Digest] The Coca-Cola Foundation has announced grants totaling $17.9 million to eighty-three organizations around the world, including $4.8 million to twenty-nine nonprofits in Canada and the United States.


In the fourth-quarter, the foundation awarded a total of $3.7 million in support of fitness and nutrition programs; $3.6 million for water stewardship projects; $3.9 million in support of education programs; and $1.6 million for recycling initiatives. In addition, the foundation allocated nearly $5 million to support local priorities, including HIV/AIDS prevention, disaster relief, youth development, arts and culture programs, and civic initiatives. The grants bring the foundation's 2011 giving for community initiatives around the world to more than $70 million, including $24.2 million to 115 organizations in the U.S. and Canada.

"As a local company in more than two hundred countries, The Coca-Cola Company has a role to play in building sustainable communities," said Coca-Cola Foundation chair Ingrid Saunders Jones. "Our consumers increasingly expect us to be part of their community's solution, and through our support of these eighty-three programs, we are making a powerful difference to improve lives and help communities thrive."

“The Coca-Cola Foundation Ends the Year with More Than $24.2 Million in Giving to Communities Across North America.” Coca-Cola Foundation Press Release 12/06/11.

Where's the Money?: Revenue Planning for Your Start-Up Nonprofit

Wednesday, December 7, 2011, 4:00 to 7:00 pm at WQLN, 8425 Peach Street, Erie.
Presented by Barbara Ward, Business Management Consultant, Small Business Development Center at Gannon University

In today's economy, one of the most difficult feats of nonprofit magic to accomplish is how your start-up begins to develop a revenue base when you have no track record, little visibility, and you are just learning the ropes in this business. This practical session will walk through how you can be successful at raising money despite the many challenges we face in our environment. The small group atmosphere in this session will allow participants to share their successes, challenges, and ideas with each other. A light dinner will be served.

(More information on the Nonprofit Partnership website)

Small games bill impacting nonprofits passes in the Senate

[from Senator Scarnati's website] WARREN--The State Senate today approved legislation (46-4) that would help non-profit organizations, including volunteer fire companies and veterans clubs, raise more money for community activities and keep their operations running, according to State Senator Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson), who strongly supported the measure.

Senate Bill 444 amends the Local Option Small Games of Chance Act to provide for increased prize limits. The bill would increase the daily cash payout from $500 to $1,000, and weekly payouts from $5,000 to $25,000. Under an amendment Scarnati voted for, clubs would be allowed to keep 30 percent of the proceeds for operating expenses.

Scarnati said that payouts for small games of chance have not increased since 1988, and many organizations and social clubs are struggling to make ends meet as a result. Expanding the prize limits and allowing them to keep a portion of the proceeds would help them raise money and pay general operating expenses.

"These volunteer organizations are vital to our communities and do wonderful work, but many are facing funding challenges because of the increasing cost of insurance, utilities and other day-to-day expenses," Scarnati said. "In Pennsylvania, which has one of the strongest and longest traditions of volunteerism, we need to help these community organizations continue to fulfill their mission."

Senate Bill 444 now goes to the House for consideration.

Public Relations Challenge

[reposted from The Erie Community Foundation's website] Do you have an operating budget of $250,000 or less AND a public relations challenge at your organization? Then, this is the opportunity for you!

As part of their mission of “giving back,” the board of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) NWPAChapter voted to create an exciting competition among the local nonprofit sector. PRSA members will donate time to tackle a public relations challenge for a local nonprofit.

The following criteria must be completed by November 4th; the PRSA board will choose the winner on November 10th and the public relations challenge will be tackled in December. All you need to do is fill out the following information:

Name of Nonprofit:_______________________________________________________

Address:_______________________________________________________________

Phone Number:__________________ Web Address:___________________________

Name of Director:______________________________________________

Name of Contact for this PR challenge:_____________________________

Size of Board:_________________

Size of Nonprofit staff:___________

Size of Nonprofit budget:_________

Size of Public Relations budget:________

Please note: The applying nonprofit should preferably not have a paid public relations person on staff.

In 500 words or less, describe your Public Relations challenge. Please provide as much detail as possible. Where is your nonprofit now and where would you like to see it in the future. (Please attach a form with this application). Please mail to Erin Fessler, Marketing and Public Relations Director, The Erie Community Foundation, 459 West 6th Street, Erie PA 16507 or via email by clicking here.

To learn more, visit the PRSA website by clicking here.. You can also like them on Facebook.

21st Century Librarian Program

Description

The Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program supports projects to recruit and educate the next generation of librarians, faculty, and library leaders; to conduct research on the library profession; and to support early career research. It also assists in the professional development of librarians and library staff. All members of the library community are invited to play an active role in ensuring that the profession is prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century. 

Link to Full Announcement

http://www.imls.gov/applicants/detail.aspx?GrantId=9

The New Executive: Nonprofit Rock Stars

As our economic uncertainty increases, those organizations which survive and thrive will have strong executives who possess three vital characteristics. What are these keys to success and how do you know if you’re prepared for the demands of the future?

Presented by Michael Brand, MNO Project Officer ReTool Erie
Thursday September 29th 12noon-1:30pm (Lunch Provided)
Location: WQLN - 8425 Peach Street
Register For Any or All Events Here

The New Leader

Are you looking to enhance your effectiveness as a leader? Do you have specific employees you believe have leadership potential? Then this is the session for all of you. In his groundbreaking book Developing The Leader Within You, John Maxwell posits keys to effectively developing your leadership potential. This session will focus upon the 4 essential elements.

Facilitated by Rick Capozzi, from the Human Resources Development Center at Penn State
Thursday September 22nd – 8:30am-12noon (Breakfast buffet)
Location: Mannechor Club - 1607 State Street
Register for Any or All Events Here

The New Structure: Evolving Ways Of Doing Business

Form follows function. Is your nonprofit organized in a form that plays to your strengths? In this session, discover new models for organizing your nonprofit and consider ways you can adapt in order to meet changing demands.
Facilitated by Marsha Tongel of The Tongel Consulting Group
Thursday September 15 – 12noon-3:00pm (Lunch provided)
Location: Bayfront Sheraton 55 West Bay Drive
Register Here

Leadership Lab

Co-sponsored by The Nonprofit Partnership and Retool Erie
This special two-session leadership lab is designed for staff-board agency teams who are looking to increase their effectiveness in reaching important organizational goals. In these sessions, teams will be challenged to choose a key goal, find obstructions and barriers, identify the hidden competing commitments that individuals and the organization pursues, and develop a plan to resolve them and move toward goal achievement.
Facilitated by Bob Wooler, Executive Director of The Nonprofit Partnership and Debbie Thompson, President of Strategy Solutions
Two Sessions!
Wednesday, September 7 - 5:00pm-8:00pm
Saturday September 17 - 9:00am – 5:00pm
Location: The Ambassador 7794 Peach Street
Register For Any And All Events Here

Introducing the Map of Nonprofit Startup Resources by State

(Stephen Sherman is a reference librarian at the Foundation Center-Atlanta, on whose blog this post originally appeared.)

Have an idea for a nonprofit but not sure where to begin? We've collected the best resources from organizations across the country and listed them in one place to help you get your nonprofit off on the right foot. Our new Map of Nonprofit Startup Resources by State provides links to helpful resources such as state associations, legal support organizations, and government agencies that provide information on forming a nonprofit in all fifty states and U.S. territories. Find out where to go to incorporate, where to register before raising funds, and which organizations offer management or technical assistance for nonprofits in your area.

Business in Our Sites applications open

Release Date: Aug 02, 2011 9:58 am | Author: Steven Kratz, DCED; 717-783-1132

Harrisburg –The Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) Board of Directors approved a motion to begin accepting applications for the Business in Our Sites and PennWorks Programs, both programs assist with funding for the development of business sites in Pennsylvania. The application period will remain open until October 31, 2011.

“These two programs are a great example of state government partnering with private developers, local economic development organizations, and communities to develop shovel-ready sites to attract new investment and jobs,” Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary C. Alan Walker said. “There will be a heavy emphasis on financing high-impact projects in regions of the state where there is a significant need for developed business sites.”

The Business in Our Sites program provides loans for the acquisition and development of key sites for future use by businesses. PennWorks provides grants to municipalities and municipal authorities and loans to municipalities, municipal authorities, industrial development corporations and investor-owned water or wastewater enterprises for projects which construct, expand or improve water and wastewater infrastructure. Improvements must be directly related to an economic development project. Business in Our Sites and PennWorks are administered by the CFA.

The CFA plans to deploy approximately $38.5 million in funds that are available from loan repayments and projects that either did not use all of the awarded funding or did not proceed. Within the $38.5 million there is approximately $25 million available in Business in Our Sites that can be re-loaned and approximately $13.5 million in unused PennWorks funds that can be awarded in either loans or grants for water and sewer improvements.

Eligible applicants are encouraged to contact Brian Eckert or Scott Dunkelberger at (717) 787-7120 to discuss potential projects before commencing the application process. The CFA anticipates acting on Business in Our Sites and PennWorks applications at the January, 2012 board meeting.

For more information about economic development initiatives in Pennsylvania, call 1-866-466-3972 or visit newpa.com.

Media contact: Steven Kratz, 717-783-1132

Western Union supports 50 nonprofits

[from Philanthropy News Digest]

The Western Union Foundation in Englewood, Colorado, has announced second-quarter grants totaling $1.8 to nearly fifty nonprofits, including several working to expand global economic opportunity through programs that aim to improve access to labor markets and job training opportunities, enhance language acquisition, and help immigrants assimilate into their new communities.

To support international entrepreneurship, the foundation awarded several grants including $10,000 to Open Africa to provide training in marketing and business development to a group of women who have developed tourism services and attractions along a heavily used highway in rural South Africa, and $80,000 to Tsinghua University Education Foundation in China to provide senior university students and recent graduates with business training.

Through its Building Bridges initiative, the foundation awarded grants to organizations working to ease the transition of recent immigrants to their adopted countries. Recipients include Public Interest Projects, which was awarded $100,000 for a national grassroots effort to promote understanding between recent immigrants and their American-born neighbors; Upwardly Global, which received $15,000 to provide college-educated immigrants with career counseling services; and Shivi Development Society, which was awarded $10,000 to help support people in India moving from rural areas to cities.

"Today, many individuals endure loneliness and exile, simply to provide food, shelter, and other basic necessities for loved ones back home," said Western Union Foundation president Luella Chavez D'Angelo. "The organizations we support work tirelessly to ease some of the burdens faced by these people and their families, giving them a chance to build a better life. Western Union Foundation's greater goal is to help people prosper and create economic opportunity."

“Western Union Foundation Gives $1.8 Million to Create Global Economic Opportunity.” Western Union Foundation Press Release 8/10/11.

Summer Jobless Youth grants

[from Philanthropy News Digest] In response to this summer's high teen unemployment rate, Do Something, a national nonprofit organization that helps young people create and participate in community service projects, is offering a grant program to help young people get involved in or create their own local projects to provide youth with volunteer opportunities in place of jobs.

Summer Jobless Grants can be used to help cover the costs of implementing a youth volunteer project, including food, materials and supplies, event space, and transportation, and include more teens in community action projects. All applicant programs must engage at least twenty-five teens in volunteerism.

The program will provide eight grants of $2,000 and eighteen grants of $500.

Applicants must be 25 years of age or younger and must be a U.S. or Canadian citizen.

Applications are due by July 10, 2011; applicants will be notified whether or not they have won by July 15, 2011.

Visit the Do Something Web site for complete program guidelines and application procedures.

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Voluntary Agencies Matching Grant Program

The Voluntary Agencies Matching Grant Program is an alternative to public cash assistance designed to enable refugees, asylees, and other ORR eligible populations to become self-sufficient through employment within 120 to 180 days from date of arrival into the United States (U.S.) and/or date of eligibility for ORR services; however, clients must be enrolled within 31 days of becoming eligible to ensure adequate services are provided and self-sufficiency is achieved and maintained within the period of eligibility. Services provided under this cooperative agreement include, but are not limited to, comprehensive case management, employment services, maintenance assistance, cash allowance, and administration. As the Voluntary Agencies Matching Grant Program is designed to work in consort with the Refugee and Cuban & Haitian Entrant Reception and Placement (R & P) programs, service provider competition for funding under this program is limited. Only those voluntary agencies that already provide R & P services through a cooperative agreement with the Department of State or the Department of Homeland Security may apply to provide Matching Grant services. Participating agencies agree to match the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) grant with cash and in-kind contributions of goods and services from the community. Currently, ORR awards $2 for every $1 raised by the agency up to a maximum of $2,200 in federal funds per client. At least 20 percent of the non-federal share (the grantee's match) must be met with cash or cash equivalent; the balance may be cash, in-kind services, or donated goods. Note that while federal and match funds are calculated and awarded on a per capita or client basis, the actual spending of such funds is not per capita based.

Link to Full Announcement

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/foa/view/HHS-2012-ACF-ORR-RV-0203

Family Health services block grant

The Bureau of Family Health (Bureau) is accepting public comments on the Commonwealth's draft of the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant 2010 Report (2010 Report) and 2012 Application (2012 Application) from June 3, 2011, through July 1, 2011. A draft of the 2012 Application will be electronically accessible through the Department of Health's web site at http://www.health.state.pa.us. Comments must be submitted in writing to Peggy Forte, pforte@state.pa.us or in hard copy to the address listed as follows. Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. on July 1, 2011.

 Persons with a disability or individuals who require an alternative format for review of the Commonwealth's 2010 Report and 2012 Application should contact the Bureau in writing or electronically at Title V Block Grant Coordinator, Bureau of Family Health, Health and Welfare Building, 7th Floor East, 625 Forster Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120, (717) 772-2763, TDD (717) 783-6514, fax (717) 772-0323, pforte@state.pa.us; or for speech and/or hearing impaired persons V/TT (717) 783-6514, or the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984.

ELI N. AVILA, MD, JD, MPH, FCLM, 
Secretary