FW: Publications, Tools, Learning, and Funding

From our colleagues at USDA-RD . . .

 

From: Agans, Suzette - RD, Washington, DC [mailto:Suzette.Agans@wdc.usda.gov]
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2013 3:15 PM
Subject: Publications, Tools, Learning, and Funding

 

ARTICLES

 

State-by-State Snapshot of Poverty Among Seniors: Findings From Analysis of the Supplemental Poverty Measure
Presents poverty data, among seniors, by state. Includes seniors living in poverty and those living with modest incomes. Includes charts, tables, and maps. Organization: Kaiser Family Foundation. Date: 05 / 2013

 

Safety in Rural Areas - Provides safety tips when dealing with an abusive relationship in a rural area or town. Organization: National Network to End Domestic Violence

U.S. agricultural exports and imports forecast to continue to rise - U.S. fiscal 2013 (October 2012/September 2013) agricultural exports are forecast at a record $139.5 billion, $3.7 billion above fiscal 2012 exports and $2.1 above the fiscal 2011 record. U.S. agricultural imports are forecast at a record of $111 billion in fiscal 2013, $7.6 billion above the previous record in fiscal 2012. Stronger global gross domestic product (GDP) growth and robust demand in China and developing countries in Asia, Latin America, and North Africa are expected boost export demand for U.S. products, offsetting the effects of a stronger U.S. dollar. The 8-percent increase in U.S. agricultural imports forecast for fiscal 2013 is driven by a combination of a relatively strong 3.2-percent increase in personal disposable incomes in the year through March, combined with the strengthening of the U.S. dollar. U.S. agricultural import growth is forecast to be broadbased, with relatively large increases forecast in major import categories, including fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, and livestock and meat products.

Hired farmworkers lacking authorization are particularly important for some crops - Hired farmworkers make up less than 1 percent of all U.S. wage and salary workers, but play an essential role in U.S. agriculture. In 2012, some 1.1 million hired farmworkers were employed on U.S. farms, according to USDA’s Farm Labor Survey. The U.S. Department of Labor’s National Agricultural Workers Survey provides information about the immigration status of hired crop farmworkers but does not cover the livestock sector, for which no similar data are available. Of those crop workers surveyed between 2007 and 2009, 71 percent were foreign-born (67 percent in Mexico and 4 percent elsewhere). Forty-eight percent of all hired crop workers surveyed, and over 60 percent of those surveyed in the fruits/nuts and vegetable sector, indicated that they were not legally authorized to work in the United States. A chart is available based on data from Immigration and the Rural Workforce, in the ERS Newsroom, updated May 2013.

Recent job trends vary widely among nonmetro counties - All sectors of the economy were not equally affected by the 2007-09 economic recession and the subsequent recovery. Specialization within local economies has shaped county-to-county differences in recent rural (nonmetro) growth in jobs. Boosted by high farm income and, in some areas, booming gas-extraction activities, farming-dependent counties have seen job growth for the first time in many years, growing during and after the recession. Manufacturing counties, affected by global competition, showed weak job growth in the early 2000s, followed by substantial losses during the recession. Recreation counties, which experienced above-average job growth in 2001-07, lost jobs in 2007-09 as their housing markets collapsed and the recession reduced tourism. Weak postrecession job growth did not bring jobs back to prerecession levels in most nonmetro counties by 2011. County economic types were defined by ERS in 2004 and are scheduled to be updated next year. This chart combines the ERS county typology codes with employment data from U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Like this chart? Embed it on your blog or website.

See all ERS Charts of Note

 

 

TOOLS

 

Online Tool Helps Find Opportunities for Bike/Pedestrian Project Funding
A new tool from Advocacy Advance makes it easier to identify the federal transportation programs that could be used to pay for many types of walking and bicycling programs. The tool also provides helpful information about each type of federal transportation funding source available for biking and walking projects, including what it is, how much funding is available, and who to approach for more information.  Click here to access the tool. 

 

www.benefits.gov - Benefits.gov goes mobile

Benefits.gov has launched a mobile compatible version of its website, the U.S. Department of Labor announced today (July 1). Benefits.gov, the official benefits website of the U.S. government, has enhanced its site for visitors using mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. The changes make it easier for the public to access government benefit and assistance program information anytime, anywhere.

Mobile access to Benefits.gov increased by more than 200 percent in the last year, underscoring the importance of enhancing the website to improve user experiences. A new "Responsive Design" enables the site to identify the resolution of the user's viewing screen and dynamically alter the format to accommodate the device. It ensures that a quality user experience is not dependent on the type of device or operating system being used — computer, smartphone or tablet.

"Benefits.gov is an outstanding example of how citizens can learn about the government assistance that is available to them. Opening up these resources to mobile devices moves Benefits.gov in the right direction, creating an easier experience for the public to access government benefit and eligibility information," said Al Sloane, Benefits.gov program manager.

 

 

LEARNING

 

WEBINAR: Facilitating Effective Small-Group Dialogues. Friday, July 12, 2013  at 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time 
Want to facilitate an effective small-group discussion on mental health? This webinar will describe the role of the facilitator, walk through a typical session, and provide tips for facilitating effectively. Pre-register Here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4258406686786288128

Panelists:

• Betty Knighton, West Virginia Center for Civic Life
• Susanna Haas-Lyons, AmericaSpeaks Network Associate

WEBINAR:  EPA Webinar to Address Stormwater Management, Neighborhood Stabilization, and Complete Streets
On Tuesday, July 16 from 2:30-3:45 ET, experts from HUD, DOT, EPA, and the city of Indianapolis will discuss ways communities can use green infrastructure to manage stormwater, help revitalize neighborhoods, and create complete streets, and how federal formula funds can be used to finance green infrastructure.  Green infrastructure involves using landscape features to store, infiltrate, and evaporate stormwater. This reduces the amount of water draining into sewers and helps reduce the discharge of pollutants into water bodies. Examples of green infrastructure include rain gardens, swales, constructed wetlands, and permeable pavements. Green infrastructure solutions can cost less than typical grey infrastructure solutions, such as installing large drainage pipes, and can be equally effective.  No pre-registration is required.  Click here for more information. 

 

TELECONFERENCE: Design for the Vision and Values of Your Community, Thursday, July 25, 2013 3-4 PM EDT  Registration

Featuring:

• Peter Flinker, Principal at Dodson & Flinker Landscape Architecture and Planning
• David Hohenschau, Senior Associate at the Orton Family Foundation

David will talk about the nuts and bolts of articulating shared community values and defining a community vision, and Peter will share stories of communities that have successfully used their vision and values to shape design and planning projects, and insights gleaned from that process.

Read more on our blog about why a sound values-based community vision is an essential foundation for your projects, and sign up to join our free call!

WEBINAR: Energy Savings is Asset Building, Tuesday, July 30, 2013 | 2 – 3 pm EDT According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the average U.S. household spends about $1,900 per year on home energy. From  changes like adding insulation or replacing appliances to fully replacing an outdated home with a newer ENERGY STAR® home, organizations across the country are advancing innovative strategies that amount to hundreds of dollars in energy savings for low-income families every year. In this webinar, presenters will share measures that homeowners and renters can take to control, or lower, their monthly utility bills to save more money and build assets. Participants will learn about energy savings strategies that work as well as innovative programs that are making a difference in the energy savings and asset building fields. Registration: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/512239209

This webinar is ideal for affordable housing developers, operators and counselors and all those promoting asset building and financial security for low and moderate income households.
Speakers will include Michelle Winters, Senior Manager, Green Strategies, NeighborWorks America (Moderator); Dave Betler, Marketing & Operations Specialist, Next Step Network, LLC; and Ludy Biddle, Executive Director, NeighborWorks of Western Vermont.

 

RECORDED WEBINAR: Affordable Care Act and You - Click on the link to view and hear this presentation recording or download slides, and call 1.888.566.0614 to hear the audio. It describes the Affordable Care Act, health insurance marketplaces, qualified health plans (QHPs), essential health benefits (EHBs), and what this all means to consumers, small businesses, employers, and health care providers in rural communities. It also summarizes implementation timelines and deadlines associated with these aspects of the ACA. Organization: Office of Rural Health Policy

 

 

FUNDING

 

Native Asset Building Initiative - Application deadline: Jul 15, 2013
Funding to establish and operate a Native Asset Building Initiative which will provide an array of supports and services to enable low income individuals and families to become economically self-sufficient.

 

Rural Youth Development Grants - Application deadline: Jul 15, 2013
Provides grants to 4-H, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Future Farmers of America programs to break down economic and physical barriers for youth living in rural areas to participate in programs that allow them to receive adequate care, services, or resources necessary for healthy development.

 

Section 533 Rural Housing Preservation Grants - Application deadline: Aug 2, 2013
Grants to assist rural low-income homeowners and renters to repair and rehabilitate their homes.

 

Libri Books for Children Program - Application deadline: Aug 15, 2013
Donates new, quality, hardcover children's books to small, rural public libraries in the United States.

 

Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grants - Application deadline: Sep 10, 2013
Supports communities that have undergone a comprehensive local planning process and are ready to implement their “Transformation Plan” to redevelop the neighborhood.

 

Economic Development Assistance Programs - Application deadline: Sep 13, 2013
Grants for rural and urban communities to support the implementation of regional economic development strategies.

 

Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program (REDLG) - Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Offers loans and grants are to assist in the economic development of rural areas.

 

Small Business Administration Microloan Program - Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Offers loans to small businesses and nonprofit childcare centers to start up and expand.

 

MacArthur Foundation Announces Open Call for Documentary Film Proposals - Eight to twelve projects will receive grants of up to $200,000 for the production and distribution of social-issue documentary films on important contemporary topics.... Deadline: July 31, 2013

 

National Alliance for Accessible Golf Accepting Applications for Programs Serving Individuals With Disabilities - Grants support organizations that provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities to learn and enjoy the game of golf and its inherent values.... Deadline: Rolling

 

National Science Teachers Association Accepting Entries for Shell Science Lab Challenge - More than $93,000 in equipment, cash grants, and other resources will be awarded to middle and high school science teachers in the U.S. and Canada who have created replicable approaches to science lab instruction utilizing limited resources.... Deadline: December 20, 2013

 

Pollination Project Seeks Applications from Educators for School Social Change Projects - Seed grants of $1,000 will be awarded to educators to launch or expand social change projects that support their students in making a positive difference in the world.... Deadline: September 22, 2013

 

Aetna Foundation Accepting Applications for Regional Nutrition and Physical Activity Programs - Grants of up to $40,000 will be awarded for programs that target communities where healthy food can be difficult to buy, and where social and environmental factors may limit people's ability to be physically active.... Deadline: September 15, 2013

 

Wood to Energy Initiative - The Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, State and Private Forestry (S&PF), is providing leadership and funding on behalf of a USDA, multi-agency, Wood To Energy Initiative.  The USDA  has published a Request For Proposals (RFP) that supports collaborative, statewide wood energy teams that advance the installation of commercially viable wood energy systems.

 

Public-private statewide teams are invited to seek funding to support the development of geographic or business sector-based clusters of wood energy projects. Activities may include, but are not limited to, workshops and assistance that provide technical, financial and environmental information; preliminary engineering assessments; and community outreach needed to support development of wood energy projects in both the public and private sectors.

Total funding anticipated for awards is $1 million for the FY 2013 Statewide Wood Energy Teams. Individual Cooperative Agreements cannot exceed $250,000. The Federal government's obligation under this program is contingent upon the availability of funds.

Eligible applicants are State, local and Tribal governments, non-profit organizations, or public utilities districts. Applicants may be either or both of the fiscal and administrative agents for the funding.

The July 9 FEDERAL REGISTER outlines the application requirements and Federal evaluation criteria.  The application deadline is August 5, 2014.

 

 

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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