From our colleagues at USDA-Rural Development, this week’s resources have a number of opportunities for rural health and housing!
Dave
From: Agans, Suzette - RD, Washington, DC [mailto:Suzette.Agans@wdc.usda.gov]
Sent: Friday, February 08, 2013 8:53 AM
Subject: Publications, Tools, Learning, and Funding
PUBLICATIONS
DOT Federal Highways Livability Newsletter - The Federal Highway Administration published the next edition of the Livability Newsletter. You can check it out at: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/livability/newsletter/
New GME Model Strives to Keep Doctors in Underserved Areas - Jan 22, 2013 -- American Medical News article tells how a new model of federal funding for graduate medical education is training more residents in community-based health centers with the goal of reducing primary care physician shortages in medically underserved areas.
Challenges to Head Start and Early Childhood Development Programs in Rural Communities - Seeks to address the regulatory challenges to providing quality early childhood services in rural communities. Organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services. Date: 12 / 2012
Need to Integrate Work Programs for Low-Income Rural Residents - Examines some of the issues and opportunities that could emerge from the integration of workforce programs in rural communities as well as the opportunities for DOL and HHS to further collaborate in serving low-income rural residents. Organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services. Date: 12 / 2012
Why Do Some Critical Access Hospitals Close Their Skilled Nursing Facility Services While Others Retain Them? - Examines the factors related to the operation of skilled nursing services by critical access hospitals (CAHs) and specifically the factors related to closure of skilled nursing units by some CAHs and the continued provision of these services by others.
Organization: Flex Monitoring Team. Date: 12 / 2012
A new report from the Housing Assistance Council (HAC) discusses the housing crisis in rural America. Despite enjoying generally lower housing costs, an increasing number of rural households struggle with poverty. Get the report here.
Shelterforce Rooflines blog posted “10 Things That Did Not Happen in Rural Housing in 2012”. Read the post here.
The National Rural Housing Coalition has released “Opening Doors to Rural Home Ownership: Opportunities to Expand Homeownership, Build Wealth, and Strengthen Communities”. The report documents successful federal strategies for providing affordable housing to low-income rural families, and focuses on homeownership programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Housing Service. Get a copy here.
An article in the Daily Yonder on poverty rates discusses how few places are average in rural America, and gives information on the counties that had the largest increases and decreases in poverty rates from 2007 to 2011. Read the article by clicking here.
A recent paper from the Heritage Foundation profiles innovative programs that encourage saving among low-income populations. The report highlights a number of savings programs in the U.S. and abroad, including Michigan's Save to Win program that uses a lottery to incentivize saving, and Super Saver CDs, a product that many credit unions are using to help customers follow through on savings goals. Read the paper here.
HHS Announces the Release of Adjusted Poverty Guidelines - On January 24, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the release of their adjusted poverty guidelines for 2013. The adjustment accounts for a 2.1% increase in the cost of living from 2011 to 2012. For programs that use this benchmark, the 2013 poverty line for a family of four in the continental U.S. is $23,550. Click here to view the full report.
TOOLS
Introduction to the North Central Region County Food Systems Profiles Online Portal, February 11, 2013 (Monday) 1:00 PM – Eastern Time
The Food Systems Profile Portal Project was driven by a growing interest in food systems as a community economic development tool in the Upper Midwest. The goal of this project was to develop and publish an online food systems profile tool using existing secondary data sources to help county based educators and community leaders better understand the local/regional food system in a systematic way in the North Central Region. The web portal tool features printable county profiles and maps for a twelve state region, food systems resources by topic, and template discussion tools to help county educators make use of the profile in a community setting. This webinar will provide an overview of resources available through the portal, potential uses, as well as external sources of related data. For a Sneak Peek go to http://ncrcrd.msu.edu/ncrcrd/webinars
Registration: There is no registration and no fee for attending this webinar. To join the webinar go to http://connect.msu.edu/ncrcrd, “enter as a guest” is by default already chosen. Type your name into the text box provided, and click on “Enter Room”. You are now in the meeting room for the webinar.
If you’ve never used Adobe Connect on the computer you will be using, please use the “Test your connection” link below and do a test connection to the actual meeting space well in advance of the scheduled meeting time. http://connect.msu.edu/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm. To facilitate Q&A’s, participants submit questions/comments via the Chat Function in Adobe Connect. The webinar will be recorded and archived at http://ncrcrd.msu.edu/ncrcrd/chronological_archive.
Don’t Forget to Check Out Interactive Map of Current Transit Projects!
Transit Space Race 2013, an Interactive Map of Current Transit Projects from Reconnecting America, shows fixed-route transit projects planned and proposed in 2013, organized by the population of an area and the number of projects occurring there. By clicking each region, a list of projects appears, complete with details including the project’s name, status, and transit technology, and a link to the project’s source.
NOAA Coastal Services Center to Hold Webinar on Coastal Imaging Software
On Wednesday, February 6 from 2-3pm EST, the NOAA Coastal Services Center will present a webinar highlighting the CanVis image and visualization tool which can be used to show coastal changes resulting from development, sea level rise, shoreline erosion, offshore wind turbines, and other conditions. This easy-to-use image-editing software allows users to create simulations using digital photos and CanVis’ library to add buildings, infrastructure, natural elements, and other features. The hour-long webinar will demonstrate the basics of using CanVis and show how it can be used for making policy decisions and presenting to the public. Click here to learn more and RSVP. Click here for an archive of previous Coastal Services Center webinars, which cover other mapping tools and data sources.
LEARNING
WEBINAR: The Rural School and Community Trust is hosting a webinar in its Rural School Innovations Series titled “The STAR School's 3-to-3rd Project” on February 13, 2013 at 2:00 PM EST. Click here to register online for this free webinar series.
WEBINAR: Given the Chance to Spend $1 Million in Your Community, What Would You Do? Thursday, February 14, 2013, 4-5 PM EST
Across the country, local governments are asking their residents this same question, and actually doing something about it. That’s right - real people, real money, and real choices.
On this month’s CommunityMatters conference call, we’ll learn about Participatory Budgeting (or “PB” for short), a public process where community members decide how portions of their city or town’s budget should be spent.
Josh Lerner is Executive Director of The Participatory Budgeting Project, a non-profit that empowers communities to decide how to spend public money. He first became involved in PB in 2003, when he wrote a PB guide for the City of Toronto. Since then, he has researched and worked with dozens of participatory budgeting processes in the US, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Guatemala, Spain, and the UK.
Marti Brown, Councilmember in Vallejo, California will also join us on the line. Marti championed efforts to bring Participatory Budgeting to Vallejo; the city was first in the U.S. to adopt PB at a city-wide level.
WEBINAR: Housing as an Asset-Building Platform. Friday, March 1, 2013, 3:30 pm EST / 2:30 pm CST / 1:30 pm MST / 12:30 pm PST
In response to demand for a reprise of the Assets Learning Conference session, Housing as an Asset-Building Platform, this webinar will present innovative strategies to integrate asset building and other financial services into affordable housing programs. As families across the country struggle to become financially secure, housing programs are looking to place-based, asset-building strategies as a way to help build up communities so that people stay and invest in the places where they live. In this session, you will learn how innovative housing authorities, intermediaries and affordable housing developers are helping low-income families build assets through savings opportunities, renter equity and other unique approaches.
Presenters include:
· Chris Krehmeyer, Beyond Housing
· Margery Spinney, Cornerstone Corporation for Shared Equity
· Michael Mirra, Tacoma Housing Authority
· Jennifer Medina, CFED (Facilitator)
Click here to register now! For more information, contact Jennifer Medina.
FUNDING
EPA Calls for Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Applications
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking applications for its Smart Growth Implementation Assistance (SGIA) program which focuses on helping communities find innovative solutions to development challenges. Since 2005, the SGIA program has provided technical assistance to diverse communities on issues such as stormwater management, code revision, transit-oriented development, affordable housing, infill development, corridor planning, green building, and climate change. For more information, please see here. Applications are due on March 1. This year’s categories for assistance include: 1. Community Resilience to Disasters and Climate Change; 2. Redevelopment for Job Creation; 3. The Role of Manufactured and Modular Homes in Sustainable Neighborhood Design; and 4. Medical and Social Services Facilities Siting. If you have questions about this solicitation, please contact Abby Hall (hall.abby@epa.gov, 415-972-3384).
Citizens' Institute on Rural Design Invites Proposals for Rural Communities Facing Design Challenges - The initiative brings together local leaders, nonprofts, and design specialists to address how rural communities can strengthen their economies, enhance their rural character, and design efficient housing and transportation systems.... Deadline: March 5, 2013
GTECH Seeks Proposals to Create Afterschool Computer Labs for At-Risk Youth - The company will provide computers, computer software, and technical assistance for afterschool computer centers for at-risk kids in communities where it has an office.... Deadline: Rolling
Cisco Systems Offers Cash Grants to Support Education and Critical Needs in Local Communities - The company's Community Impact program provides grants of up to $15,000 to nonprofits working to provide basic needs in underserved communities within a fifty-mile radius of a major Cisco office or facility....Deadline: February 15, 2013
RGK Foundation Accepting Proposals for 2013 Grants Cycle - The foundation supports nonprofit organizations working in the broad areas of K-12 education, community improvement/development, and health and medicine.... Deadline: Rolling
Home Depot Accepting Applications for Historically Black Colleges and Universities Improvement Grant Program - The fourth-annual Retool Your School program recognizes innovative projects that result in enduring improvements to the campuses and/or facilities of historically black colleges and universities.... Deadline: February 13, 2013 (Letter of Intent)
American Association of Community Colleges Announces Grants to Start Plus 50 Encore Completion Programs - The "Plus 50" program supports efforts to help students age 50 and over earn a certificate or degree in high-demand fields such as health care, education, and social services, thereby increasing their employment competitiveness.... Deadline: February 15, 2013
Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment (Cycle III) - Application deadline: Feb 21, 2013
Grants to organizations that help families with children enroll in health coverage opportunities, including Medicaid, CHIP, and insurance affordability programs.
Health Center Program New Access Point Grants - Application deadline: Feb 27, 2013
Grants to support the establishment of new health service delivery sites for underserved and vulnerable populations.
Indian Health Service Dental Externships - Application deadline: Feb 28, 2013
Externships to dental students interested in a career with the Indian Health Service Division of Oral Health or a Tribal site.
NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program - Application deadline: Feb 28, 2013
Offers loan repayment assistance to registered nurses, nurse practitioners, advanced practice nurses, and nursing school faculty who agree to work in underserved areas.
Rural Passenger Transportation Technical Assistance Program - Long Term Technical Assistance - Application deadline: Feb 28, 2013
Provides transit planning assistance for facility and service development and expansion.
Tribal Passenger Transportation Technical Assistance Program - Long Term Technical Assistance - Application deadline: Feb 28, 2013
Provides technical assistance to help Native American tribes enhance economic growth and development by improving transportation services.
Health Professions Extern Program - Application deadline: Mar 1, 2013
Provides externship opportunities for Indian Health Service Scholarship recipients, as well as other health professions students.
Nursing Workforce Diversity Grants (NWD) - Application deadline: Mar 8, 2013
Grants to establish and/or operate scholarship or stipend programs aimed at increasing nursing education opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Statewide Consumer Network Grant, Geographic Coverage: Available in 39 states. Application deadline: Mar 8, 2013
Funding to organizations controlled and managed by mental health consumers to enhance statewide capacity and infrastructure for activities related to wellness, integrated care, health care reform, and trauma-informed care.
Healthy Communities/Healthy America Fund- Letter of Intent (Required): Mar 15, 2013. Application deadline: Mar 15, 2013
Grants to support the efforts of physicians and other volunteers working at free clinics to provide quality, affordable health care.
Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant Program (SHIP) -Application deadline: Mar 15, 2013
Provides funding to small rural hospitals, through their State Office of Rural Health, to help them do any or all of the following: pay for costs related to the implementation of PPS, comply with provisions of HIPAA, and reduce medical errors and support quality improvement.
Delta States Rural Development Network Program - Geographic Coverage: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee. Application deadline: Mar 18, 2013
Grants to fund projects that address the delivery of clinical health services for individuals with, or at risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or obesity that affect rural communities in Delta states.
Healthy Workforce Challenge - Letter of Intent (Required): Feb 15, 2013. Geographic Coverage: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee
Application deadline: Mar 18, 2013. Funding for pilot programs that work with local businesses to give incentives for healthy living behavior changes in the workplace. Applicants must dually apply for the Delta States Rural Development Network Grant Program.
Academy of General Dentistry Foundation Grant Program - Application deadline: Oct 31, 2013
Supports programs that offer access to quality oral health care outreach for underserved populations.
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES has announced funding for the Telehealth Network Grant Program (TNGP). The objective of the program is to demonstrate how telehealth programs and networks can improve access to quality health care services in rural, frontier and underserved communities. TNGP networks are used to: (a) expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of health care services; (b) improve and expand the training of health care providers; and/or (c) expand and improve the quality of health information available to health care providers, patients and their families for decision-making. Deadline to apply: 2/13/2013. For an application and guidelines, click here.
LOWE'S CHARITABLE AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION has announced the availability of funding for their Toolbox for Education Grant Program. Grants range from $2,000 to $5,000 and are awarded in support of projects that encourage parent involvement in local schools and build stronger community spirit. Applicants must be a public K-12 school or nonprofit parent group associated with such a school. Deadline: 2/15/2013. To learn more about these grants, click here.
THE HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION is offering primary health care grants to nonprofit and public agencies to support the establishment of new service delivery sites for medically underserved populations to receive comprehensive primary and preventive health care services. Deadline to apply: 2/27/2013. Click here for more information on these grants.
LOCAL INITIATIVES SUPPORT CORPORATION is accepting applications for the NFL Youth Football Fund Grassroots Program. The program provides matching grants of up to $200,000 to nonprofits working to make capital improvements to football fields in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods lacking clean, safe and accessible football fields. Deadline: 3/15/2013. Click here to learn more.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is accepting applications from nonprofits and public entities for Targeted Capacity Expansion Peer-to-Peer (TCE-PTP) grants. The purpose of this program is to expand and enhance service capacity through the provision of addiction peer recovery support services for those individuals with substance use disorders. Deadline: 3/15/2013. Click here for an application and guidelines.
HUD is offering Comprehensive Housing Counseling grants to housing counseling agencies (including local housing counseling agencies, intermediaries and multi-state organizations) that are directly approved by HUD and State Housing Finance Agencies (SHFAs). Deadline: 3/18/2013. To get an application, click here.
HUD has issued a NOFA for the Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) Program. The purpose of the ICDBG program is the development of viable Indian and Alaska Native communities, including the creation of decent housing, suitable living environments and economic opportunities primarily for persons with low and moderate- incomes. Deadline: 3/18/2013. To read the notice, click here. For more information contact Roberta Youmans (202-402-3316). Click here on how to apply.
HUD has issued a NOFA for the Healthy Homes program which will fund technical studies to improve existing methods for detecting and controlling key housing-related health and safety hazards to develop new methods to detect and control these hazards and to improve our knowledge of key housing-related health and safety hazards. Deadline: 3/19/2013. To learn more and to apply, click here. Academics, nonprofits, for-profits, state and local governments and tribes are eligible to apply. For programmatic questions contact Dr. Peter Ashley (Peter.J.Ashley@hud.gov, 202-402-7595) and for grants administrative questions contact Ms. Nadine Heath (Nadine.L.Heath@HUD.gov, 202-402-7680).
THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR has issued a NOFA for the YouthBuild program for nonprofits, state and local governments, and tribes. YouthBuild grants will be awarded through a competitive process to organizations to oversee the provision of education, occupational skills training and employment services to disadvantaged youth in their communities while performing meaningful work and service to their communities. Deadline: 3/19/2013. Click here for an application. For more information contact Kia Mason (mason.kia@dol.gov, 202-693-2606)
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE is offering Coordinated Tribal Assistance Grants to federally-recognized Indian Tribal governments, including Alaska Native villages and Tribal consortia consisting of two or more federally-recognized Indian Tribes. This solicitation provides federally-recognized Tribes and Tribal consortia an opportunity to develop a comprehensive and coordinated approach to public safety and victimization issues. Deadline to apply: 3/19/2013. For more information and to apply, click here.
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES has issued a request for proposals for the Ethnic Community Self Help Program Grant. The objective of this program is to strengthen organized ethnic communities to ensure ongoing support and services to refugees within five years after their initial resettlement. National, regional (multi-state) or local refugee ethnic-based community organizations that address community building and facilitate cultural adjustment and integration are invited to apply. Deadline: 3/22/2013. To learn more about this opportunity, click here.
HUD has issued a NOFA for the Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP). SHOP funds are awarded to national and regional nonprofit organizations and consortia to facilitate and encourage innovative homeownership opportunities on a national, geographically diverse basis through the provision of self-help homeownership housing programs. Deadline: 4/24/2013. Click here for an application. For more information contact Ginger Macomber (202-402-4605).
THE DOLLAR GENERAL LITERACY FOUNDATION is accepting applications for youth literacy grants of up to $4,000 from schools, public libraries and nonprofits located within twenty miles of a Dollar General store that are working to help students who are below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading. Deadline: 5/23/2013. Click here to visit the website.
USDA will offer Farm 'Microloans' to Small Farmers. The Sioux City Journal published an article that reports that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has created a new loan program to help operators of small farms, including those who want to take advantage of growing consumer interest in locally produced food. Read the article here.
Suzette M. Agans
Rural Development | Community and Economic Development
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W. Stop 3254 | Washington, D.C. 20250
Phone: 202.401.1922 | Fax 202.401.7311
www.rurdev.usda.gov
"Committed to the future of rural communities"
"Estamos dedicados al futuro de las comunidades rurales"
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