COMMENTS REQUESTED: DOT Announces Notice of Availability of Proposed Circular and Request for Comments for the Urbanized Area Formula Program
On April 22, the U.S Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced the notice of availability of proposed circular and request for comments on the Urbanized Area Formula Program. FTA has placed in the docket and on its website proposed guidance in the form of a circular to assist recipients in their implementation of the section 5307 Urbanized Area Formula Program. The purpose of this proposed circular is to provide recipients of FTA financial assistance with instructions and guidance on program administration and the grant application process. The proposed revisions to the existing circular are a result of changes made to the Urbanized Area Formula Program by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Comments are now being accepted and the deadline to comment is June 21, 2013. Click here to view the original announcement including instructions to submit comments.
PUBLICATIONS
2 Washington Post Articles on Manufacturing – a special section of the paper on Wednesday 5/1/13:
Back to ‘Made in America?’, http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/05/01/is-u-s-manufacturing-set-for-a-comeback-or-is-it-all-hype/?tid=pm_business_pop
Innovations from the Factory Floor - http://www.washingtonpost.com/postlive/innovation-the-jackpot-for-american-manufacturers/2013/04/29/dacb0f56-acf9-11e2-a8b9-2a63d75b5459_story.html
Civic Engagement in the Digital Age - Social networking sites have grown more important in recent years as a venue for political involvement, learning, and debate. Can online engagement lead to offline action? The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project explores how civic engagement has changed in the digital age.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness released its third annual assessment, “The State of Homelessness in America 2013." Click here to download a free copy.
Women-operated farms and ranches increased in all sales classes between 1982 and 2007 - The total number of women-operated farms—where the person most responsible for day-to-day business decisions is a woman—more than doubled between 1982 and 2007. In addition, each sales class (adjusted for price changes) experienced a gain. In contrast, the number of men-operated farms declined by 10 percent, and men-operated farms increased in only the largest and smallest sales classes. Since the number of women-operated farms grew more rapidly than that of men-operated farms in each sales class, women principal operators increased their share of farms in every sales class during the past 25 years. Women operators accounted for 14 percent of all farms, but their share of farms with no or very low sales was even larger, at roughly 21 percent. For sales exceeding $100,000, however, women’s share of farms remained small, in the 4- to 5-percent range. A chart is found in the ERS report, Characteristics of Women Farm Operators and Their Farms, EIB-111, April 2013.
Colorado Beacon Consortium: Strengthening the Capacity for Health Care Delivery Transformation in Rural Communities - Describes how physicians, hospitals, and other care providers in seven predominantly rural counties managed to build the capacity needed to exchange health data and transform clinical care. Organization: Commonwealth Fund. Date: 04 / 2013
Essential Community Providers: Tips to Connect with Marketplace Plans - Provides information on essential community providers, which typically serve low-income, medically underserved populations and include: 340B eligible entities, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Ryan White providers, family planning providers, Indian providers, specified hospitals (e.g., Rural Referral Centers, Critical Access Hospitals) and others. Organization: National Academy for State Health Policy. Date: 04 / 2013
Health Ownership in American Indigenous Communities - Examines the efficacy of both the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the relative few tribal healthcare systems respectively in their sociopolitical contexts, to determine their utility among a financially limited IHS. Date: 04 / 2013 Journal: Rural and Remote Health
Rural America's Oral Health Care Needs - Policy brief that provides an overview of Rural America's oral health care needs and lists recommendations for consideration for improving oral health in rural America. Organization: National Rural Health Association Date: 02 / 2013
Rural Women's Health - Policy paper that provides information and statistics on the state of women's health in rural America and how legislation and national trends can affect women's health.
Organization: National Rural Health Association. Date: 01 / 2013
The Carsey Institute has published a brief on “Rural Natives' Perceptions of Strengths and Challenges in Their Communities.” The brief shares insights about Native Americans and Alaska Natives using data from Community and Environment in Rural America surveys and focus groups with Native leaders in one rural state. Download the brief here.
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City: The Spring 2013 issue of Community Connections highlights new research by the Kansas City Fed on how the low- and moderate-income (LMI) community is still struggling in the recovery to find affordable housing, jobs and credit. The issue also explores workforce development and how nonprofits can enhance their banking relationships with a better understanding of the Community Reinvestment Act. In addition, readers are invited to take an online survey on ways to continue to improve the three-year-old Community Connections. http://kcfed.org/publications/community/connections/index.cfm?ealert=ccs0430
Artists Revitalize Rural Manufacturing, By Janet Kagan and Jean Greer
The manufacturing base in many rural towns of the U.S. has dwindled, but in North Carolina, combined public and private support has spurred an innovative approach: combining the creative talents of seasoned artists with the skills of local workers.
Like many rural communities, Siler City, North Carolina (population 7,887), retells its stories, honoring its tradition of manufacturing and its history of agriculture in contemporary terms. The town’s residents also recognize the value and necessity of strong public-private leadership and initiative, enabling local prosperity. Located in Chatham County in the Central Piedmont of North Carolina, Siler City has since the late 1990s experienced a dramatic increase in its Hispanic population (now almost 50%). In this same period, the town has benefitted from the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center’s financial support and from partnerships with the Chatham County Economic Development Corporation.
But setting it apart from most other rural communities its size, Siler City is in the midst of a turn-around, one propelled by the arts,.. for the rest of the story, visit here
TOOLS
AARP Public Policy Institute has released a report called “Weaving it Together: A Tapestry of Transportation Funding for Older Adults.” The report identifies major sources of federal funding that providers can tap to fund transportation projects geared toward older adults and adults with physical disabilities. It includes seven case studies (including four from small and rural communities) showing how they combine federal, state and local funding to support their projects. Download a copy of the report here.
2013 Flex Coordinator Manual - Contains information on the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program and is a resource for current staff as well as an orientation manual for new staff.
Organization: Technical Assistance and Services Center. Date: 2013
The 2013 version of the National American Indian Housing Development Handbook has been released and includes information on funding sources, homeownership strategies and a summary of relevant Indian law. Download a copy here.
A wealth of data and resources – USDA Economic Research Servcie (ERS) provides a wealth of data free, online, in various forms and formats to suit users’ needs—including tools to explore the data. The offerings range from chart collections to data files, queriable applications, and interactive mapping. ERS data products cover a variety of topics and issues—from animal products and crops to the farm economy, farm practices and management, food and nutrition assistance, food choices and health, food markets and prices, food safety, international markets and trade, natural resources and environment, and the rural economy and population.
See all ERS Charts of Note
LEARNING
TELECONFERENCE: Civic Infrastructure: Building Powerful, Vibrant Communities, Thursday, May 9, 2013, 4-5 PM EDT Register now!
Civic infrastructure consists of the opportunities, activities and arenas—both online and face-to-face—that allow people to connect with each other, solve problems, make decisions and celebrate community. By strengthening civic infrastructure, a community can become a more prosperous, vibrant place to live.
But what does strong civic infrastructure look like on the ground? How do you know how much of it your town has? Or needs? How can you and your town start to build it? What are other communities doing that’s been successful? Learn how to strengthen civic infrastructure in your area on this month’s free CommunityMatters® conference call, Thursday, May 9th from 4-5pm Eastern. Featuring:
- Sandy Heierbacher, National Coalition on Dialogue and Deliberation (NCDD)
- Patricia Sears, Newport City Renaissance Corporation
- Janice Thomson, Public and Stakeholder Engagement Consultant
Sandy will introduce us to civic infrastructure. She’ll speak about what we mean by civic infrastructure and why NCDD is working to strengthen it in communities across the country.
We’ll also hear from Patricia Sears of Newport City Renaissance Corporation (NCRC) in Newport, Vermont. NCRC is working to promote community power in local decision-making processes by bringing together city residents and elected officials for monthly meetings.
Janice Thomson, a Public and Stakeholder Engagement Consultant in Chicago, will be on the line to share insights and strategies for creating a community of practice focused on dialogue and deliberation to strengthen civic engagement.
TELECONFERENCE: Third Quarter Rural Gateway Conference Call: Economic Development Assistance in Rural America: A Discussion of Best Practices - May 9, 2013 - 2 pm EDT
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development (ORHED) invites you to take part in our next Peer-to-Peer conference call. Scheduled for May 9, 2013, this call will offer participants the opportunity to learn about the current issues related to economic development activities throughout Rural America.
Leaders of federal economic development organizations will share their knowledge of successfully implementing economic development activities that have expanded and created opportunities and improved the economy for those living in Rural America. Various organizations will have an opportunity to discuss and share issues related to economic development and the impact it has on Rural America.
Conference call participants will have the opportunity to ask questions about best practices, discuss the challenges of developing economic development activities within rural communities, and establish contacts for future reference. Join HUD’s Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development (ORHED) and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration as we engage rural community leaders in this open forum.
Speakers will include:
- Valerie G. Piper, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Development, Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development;
- Jackie L. Williams, Ph.D., Director, Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development, Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development;
- Tom Guevara, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Affairs, Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce;
- Phil Paradice, Director, Economic Development Administration’s Atlanta Regional Office, U.S. Department of Commerce; and
- Robert E. Olson, Director, Economic Development Administration’s Denver Regional Office
Topics to be discussed:
- Economic Development Assistance Program and upcoming Funding Opportunity Announcements
- The types of economic development activities developed and implemented
- Performance outcomes of the economic development activities
- Public and Private sources of funding to carry out projects
- Best practices and lessons-learned
Format of the call: Call-in instructions and additional materials will be emailed to participants on May 8, 2013. The call will consist of a 60 minute presentation by our speakers, including a Q&A session. Please RSVP by email to rhed@hud.gov no later than close of business on May 8, 2013. Please include your name and organization. If you have any questions, please call 1-877-RURAL-26 (1-877-787-2526).
WEBINAR: Place-based Branding for Food Systems and Beyond: A study by the Central Appalachian Network, Registration for the May 23rd, 1-2 pm ET
Members of the Central Appalachian Network will report on a study of place-based branding applied to food systems and other sectors.
WEBINAR: Policy Link is offering a series of webinars in May through its Healthy Food Access Portal. On Thursday, May 30, the title is “Resources to Create or Expand Healthy Food Retail: Public and Private Grant and Loan Programs” from 2:00–3:00 PM Eastern Time. This webinar will provide an overview of the “Find Money” section of the Healthy Food Retail Portal and provide examples of specific federal, state, and local resources that can be tapped to create or expand healthy food retail opportunities in underserved communities. Register by clicking here.
FUNDING
Grants to support economic justice efforts - The Norman Foundation support efforts that strengthen the ability of communities to determine their own economic, environmental and social well-being, and that help people control those forces that affect their lives.
Cooperative Agreement to Support Navigators in Federally-facilitated and State Partnership Exchanges, Letter of Intent (Optional): May 1, 2013, Application deadline: Jun 7, 2013
Awards funding to entities and individuals to serve as navigators for Affordable Insurance Exchanges, assisting consumers with enrolling in qualified health plans and managing new regulations.
Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention Veteran’s Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing Program, Application deadline: Jun 7, 2013
Funding to develop and implement career ladder programs to increase the enrollment of veterans in bachelor's of science in nursing programs. Preference will be given to programs that benefit rural and underserved populations.
Aetna Foundation Regional Grants, Geographic Coverage: Available in 15 states and the District of Columbia. Application deadline: Sep 15, 2013
Funds community wellness initiatives focusing on healthy food and activity that serve low-income, underserved, or minority populations.
HUD is offering grants to nonprofit and public agencies to develop comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plans which will transform these communities into viable, mixed-income neighborhoods by linking housing improvements with appropriate services, schools, public assets, transportation and access to jobs. Deadline: 5/28/2013. Click here for application guidelines.
HUD is also offering grants to nonprofit and public agencies for research under the broad subject area of sustainability. Deadline: 5/29/2013. Click here to learn more about these research grants.
THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION is offering funds to small rural schools to provide support to address the unique needs of rural school districts. Deadline: 5/31/2013. Click here for more information.
ANNIE'S GRANTS FOR GARDENS offers funding to K-12 school gardens nationwide that connect children directly to real food. Two types of grants are provided. “Getting Started: Funds for Your New Program” offers grants of $500 to start brand-new school garden programs. “Digging Deeper: Funds for Your Existing Program” offers grants of $1,500 to enhance current school garden programs. Deadline: 5/31/2013. Visit the website here to learn more about the program.
FARM AID will provide grants of $3,000 to $10,000 to organizations that work to maintain a family farm system of agriculture and that promote solutions to the challenges facing rural communities. Letters of inquiry are due by June 1, 2013. Grant application guidelines are available on the Farm Aid website here.
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES has announced the availability of funding for community-based projects for the Social and Economic Development Strategies (SEDS) program. The purpose of the funding is to support Native American communities in their efforts to be self-determining, healthy, culturally and linguistically vibrant and economically self-sufficient. Deadline to apply: 6/6/2013. Click here for an application and to learn more.
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES is offering grants to nonprofit and public agencies in the 34 states that have a state-based healthcare insurance exchange to have Health Navigators guide the uninsured through the healthcare system. Deadline: 6/7/2013. Click here for more information.
THE ADMINISTRTION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES is offering grants to nonprofit and public agencies to help refugees develop microenterprises and to help mainstream organizations serve refugees. Deadline to apply: 6/10/2013. Click here to learn more about this program.
THE MCKNIGHT FOUNDATION is seeking proposals for community improvement initiatives. Through its Region & Communities program, the foundation will award grants totaling $750,000 to scale up market-based public/private initiatives that benefit low-income people and communities in Minnesota. Deadline: 6/28/2013. To learn more about the foundation and this initiative, click here.
THE WELLS FARGO HOUSING FOUNDATION is seeking applications for the Homeownership Grant Program that supports local nonprofit housing organizations nationwide that help create sustainable homeownership opportunities for low- to moderate-income families. The program focuses on construction/rehab, homebuyer education and counseling, foreclosure counseling and prevention, subsidies, and home repairs. Deadline: 7/13/2013. Visit the Wells Fargo website here to submit an online application.
Kendal Charitable Funds Invites Letters of Intent for Elder Abuse Projects - Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded for pilot projects that focus on the identification or prevention of financial, physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse of non-institutionalized elderly populations.... Deadline: May 15, 2013 (Letter of Intent)
World We Want Foundation Invites Applications From Youth for Social Change Projects - Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to youth between the ages of 13 and 25 who want to make a difference through a range of social action activities, including community service projects, service-learning projects, and social ventures....Deadline: Rolling
Safeway Foundation Seeks Applications for Innovative Childhood Obesity Programs - Grants of up to $100,000 will be awarded to organizations working to prevent childhood obesity in communities where Safeway companies have a presence.... Deadline: May 15, 2013
Foundation for Technology and Engineering Educators Invites Applications - Grants of $2,000 each will be awarded to K-12 technology and engineering teachers to encourage the integration of a quality technology and engineering education program within their school's curriculum.... Deadline: December 1, 2013
Captain Planet Foundation Seeks Applications for K-12 Environment-Based Projects
Seed grants of up to $500 will be awarded to high-quality educational programs designed to help children and youth understand and appreciate the world through hands-on projects that improve the environment in their schools and communities....Deadline: September 30, 2013
Fuel Up to Play 60 Invites Applications for K-12 Nutrition and Physical Activity Programs - Grants of up to $4,000 will be awarded to K-12 schools to help students and adults select and implement a series of activities that result in long-term changes in student nutrition and physical activity....Deadline: June 4, 2013
NEH Announces Applications for Humanities Collections and Reference Resources Grants
On April 19, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) announced applications for Humanities Collections and Reference Resources grants. The Humanities Collections and Reference Resources (HCRR) program supports projects that provide an essential underpinning for scholarship, education, and public programming in the humanities. Thousands of libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations across the country maintain important collections of books and manuscripts, photographs, sound recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, art and material culture, and digital objects. Funding from this program strengthens efforts to extend the life of such materials and make their intellectual content widely accessible, often through the use of digital technology. Awards are also made to create various reference resources that facilitate use of cultural materials, from works that provide basic information quickly to tools that synthesize and codify knowledge of a subject for in-depth investigation. Grants awards can be as high as $350,000 and the deadline to apply is July 18, 2013. Click here to view the original press release. Click here to view the grant synopsis.
National Endowment for the Arts Announces Second Round of FY2013 Art Works Grants
On April 23, the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) announced plans to award $26.3 million in grants to nonprofit national, regional, state, and local organizations nationwide. These grants support exemplary projects in thirteen artistic disciplines and fields: arts education, dance, design, folk and traditional arts, literature, local arts agencies, media arts, museums, music, opera, presenting, theater and musical theater, and visual arts. Contact NEA Public Affairs (202-682-5570) for more information. Click here to view the original announcement.
EPA Announces Availability Funds to Supplement Eligible Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grants
On April 18, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization (OBLM) announced the availability of an estimated $6 million in FY2013 funds to supplement eligible Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) grants. Grants eligible to request supplemental funds are Brownfields RLF grants that have been previously awarded competitively under Section 104(k)(3) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) or that have transitioned to Section 104(k)(3) of CERCLA, and subject to other identified criteria (see links below). The deadline to apply is May 20, 2013. Click here to view a supporting FY2013 RLF supplemental funding process memo. Click here to view the Federal Register announcement. Click here to view the original announcement.
DOT Announces Notice of Funding Availability for 2013 TIGER Funds
On April 22, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced the notice of funding availability (NOFA) for the National Infrastructure Investments (TIGER Funds). The $473.8 million in funding will be awarded on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant impact on the Nation, a metropolitan area, or a region. Unlike last year, a pre-application is not required. By law, all funds must be obligated by September 30, 2014. Therefore, applicants must demonstrate that the project can meet all local, state, and federal requirements by June 30, 2014. DOT will start accepting applications on April 29, 2013 at www.Grants.Gov and the deadline to apply is June 3, 2013. Click here to view the full NOFA article for information about project eligibilities, application requirements, and other important information. Click here to view the TIGER webpage for more information on past awards, benefit/cost analysis, and other application resources.
