Tuesday, November 25, 2014

FW: Americorp

Sorry for the cross-posting.

 

This could be a great way to get some full-time help implementing High Quality Plans for SET regions, in addition to dealing with other issues at the local level. Local governments and tribal organizations are eligible to apply.

 

From: set-iv-request@lists.msstate.edu [mailto:set-iv-request@lists.msstate.edu] On Behalf Of Agans, Suzette - RD, Washington, DC
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2014 2:04 PM
To: set-iv@lists.msstate.edu; set-iii@lists.msstate.edu; set (set@lists.msstate.edu); set-ii@lists.msstate.edu
Subject: [set-iv] Americorp

 

This looks like it could be useful for some SET work in the regions.  Suzette

 

Americorp is launching a new grant program: Operation AmeriCorps. The notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) was officially released on Thursday and can be a resource for place-based work across the Administration. Operation AmeriCorps is open exclusively to tribal and local governments and is designed to help them address their most pressing local problems by using AmeriCorps to implement a holistic solution.

Operation AmeriCorps can help tribal and local governments (including cities, counties, towns, and school districts) fulfill big goals related to existing administration initiatives such as MBK, Promise Zones, SC2 and others. It may also be relevant to specific place-based work that you all are undertaking at your agencies. For the first time, this NOFO allows applicants to request AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps VISTA, and AmeriCorps NCCC resources in a single application (which starts with a 10 page concept paper due before January 13, 2015).  More information, including the Notice of Funding Opportunity and the schedule of TTA calls, is on our website: www.nationalservice.gov/operation-americorps. Applicants should reach out to their State Service Commission for details on the submission process.

 





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Friday, November 21, 2014

FW: Publications, Learning, and Funding

From our colleagues at USDA-Rural Development.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

 

PUBLICATION

 

25th annual Community Foundation Week with the release of our most recent report, A New Anchor Mission for a New Century: Community Foundations Deploying All Resources to Build Community Wealth, authored by Democracy Collaborative Senior Fellow Marjorie Kelly and Community Development Associate Violeta Duncan.

 

 

LEARNING

 

Webinar: Learn how community foundations are building community wealth, December 4th, 2014, 2PM-3:30PM EST

Marjorie Kelly and Violeta Duncan will present and discuss the findings of their new Democracy Collaborative report, A New Anchor Mission for a New Century: Community foundations deploying all resources to build community wealth, with experts from the field.  To register - https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6642574517351513858

 

EPA Webinars on FY 2015 Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grant Application Guidelines/Requests for Proposals, December 4th – 2-4pm Eastern

EPA will conduct a webinar addressing the Grant Application Guidelines/Request for Proposals (RFP)

This webinar will provide an overview of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training (EWDJT) Grant Application Guidelines/Request for Proposals (RFP) and competition.  Prospective applicants will be provided an opportunity to ask questions and gain useful information for submitting a strong proposal.  Changes from the FY14 EWDJT competition will also be covered.
Call-in number: (866) 299-3188, conference code: 2025662772#

To join the meeting, please go to the following link: https://epa.connectsolutions.com/r53z0s9dvb4/

 

FUNDING

 

Chesapeake Bay Trust Accepting Proposals for K-12 Environmental Programs - DEADLINE: January 16, 2015

Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded in support of school-based activities that provide meaningful watershed educational experiences and teacher professional development in the Chesapeake Bay region....

 

Big Read Accepting Grant Applications for Community-Wide Reading Programs - DEADLINE: January 28, 2015

Seventy-five grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded to nonprofit organizations for community-wide reading programs that encourage reading and participation by diverse audiences....

 

American College Health Foundation Seeks Applications for Student Mental Health Award - DEADLINE: January 31, 2015

A single grant of up to $2,500 will be awarded in of support efforts to promote and improve the quality of mental health care for college students....

 

Sidney Hill Foundation Invites Nominations for 2015 Hillman Prize - DEADLINE: January 30, 2015

Prizes of $5,000 will be awarded for investigative journalism and commentary in the public interest that exemplify sound news judgment, resourcefulness and courage in reporting, skilled storytelling, and social impact....

 

Independent Sector Accepting Nominations for Gardner Leadership Award -DEADLINE: January 30, 2015

The annual award is presented to an American whose leadership in or related to the nonprofit community at the international, national, or regional level has been transformative....

 

Lawrence Foundation Accepting Proposals for Environmental, Education, and Human Services Projects - DEADLINE: April 30, 2015

The foundation currently awards program and operating grants to U.S.-based nonprofits working in the areas of the environment, education, human services, disaster relief, and other issue areas....

 



Monday, November 17, 2014

FW: Publications, Learning, Funding, and Comments Requested

From our colleagues at USDA-Rural Development. Particular focus this week on rural health care, with targeted funding for native American health facilities.

 

PUBLICATIONS

 

Cultivating a Competitive Advantage: How Rural Counties Are Growing Economies with Local Assets and Regional Partners
Case studies of rural counties using creative methods to improve their economies. Includes examples that involve the healthcare sector and address issues that impact health.
Organization: National Association of Counties. Date: 11 / 2014

 

Rural America at a Glance, 2014 Edition
Highlights indicators of social and economic conditions in rural areas. Focuses on employment trends, poverty, population trends and educational attainment in rural versus urban areas.
Organization: USDA Economic Research Service. Date: 11 / 2014

 

Encourage Community College Innovation To Promote Middle-Skill Career Pathways, According to Report

A more innovative economy does not have to lead to greater inequality, as long as educational pathways exist for middle-skill workers, according to a new report from Jobs for the Future and Achieving the Dream. The groups’ Middle-Skill STEM State Policy Framework provides a set of strategic goals for states to link the community college experience with the needs of employers. States should better align community college programs with state economic development strategies, encourage engagement and apprenticeships with the private sector and implement incentives for schools to design more innovative STEM learning opportunities. Download the report…

 

Rural Remedies - Nov 9, 2014 -- This article suggests that social dynamics may have more to do with America’s rural doctor shortage than the number of medical schools or curriculum. It discusses this unique consideration when recruiting workforce and the need to build an established medical community and a vibrant rural lifestyle, which could help alleviate feelings of professional isolation to lure more physicians. Source: Yakima Herald

 

A New Effort to Ease the Doctor Shortage
Nov 4, 2014 -- The Federation of State Medical Boards is gearing up to promote an interstate compact aimed to ease licensing requirements for physicians who practice in 2 or more states. Discusses how this compact, in conjunction with telehealth technology, can help ease a doctor shortage around the country, especially in rural areas. Source: Governing

 

The New Heroin Epidemic - Oct 30, 2014 -- This article discusses the growing heroine epidemic throughout the United States with note of the drugs severe impact in rural communities. Source: The Atlantic

An aging rural veteran population declined over the last 20 years - Nearly 4 million veterans resided in rural (nonmetropolitan) America in 2012. They are a rapidly aging and increasingly diverse group of men and women who comprise over 10 percent of the rural adult population despite their persistently declining numbers; the number of veterans living in rural areas declined from 6.6 million in 1992 to 3.8 million in 2012. A drop in the size of the active military population since 1990, from 3 million to roughly 1.4 million, and natural decrease due to aging (over half of rural veterans were age 65 or older in 2012, compared to 18 percent of the nonveteran rural population) means the downward trend in the number of rural veterans will likely continue for many years. Whether due to their military service or because of their age profile, over 20 percent of rural, working-age veterans report disability status compared with 11 percent of nonveterans. Taken together, their older age and higher incidence of disabilities make the well-being of rural veterans, as a group, increasingly dependent on access to medical care in rural areas. A chart appears in Rural Veterans at a Glance, EB-25, November 2013.

 

Wage Growth of Part-Time versus Full-Time Workers: Evidence from the SIPP
The growth in part-time workers in the wake of the Great Recession has been well documented. But how have hourly wages grown for part-timers compared with full-time workers, and what role does educational attainment play? A macroblog post delves into the data to find out.

Beginning farmers differ demographically from established farmers - In 1982, the Census of Agriculture reported 38 percent of principal operators had operated their farm for less than 10 years, but by 2007, this number had declined to 26 percent. In 2012, beginning farms—those headed and completely operated by farmers with 10 or fewer years of experience—made up just 17 percent of family farms. Although beginning farmers are more likely to be younger than established farmers—17 percent are under age 35, and their average age is 11 years younger (49 versus 60)—nearly 13 percent of beginning farmers are 65 or older. Beginning farmers are also more likely to be female than established farmers; nearly one in five principal operators of a beginning farm is female. Beginning farmers are also more likely than established farmers to have at least a 4-year college degree. The differing demographic profiles of beginning and established farmers may signal change for the sector as older farmers retire. This chart is from the ERS topic page on Beginning & Disadvantaged Farmers, updated October 2014.

 

 

LEARNING

 

CONFERENCE CALL: Civic Health Thursday, November 20, 2014, 4-5 p.m. EST

We all know the importance of physical health—regular exercise, eating well and good habits help us keep on track with that (most of the time). But how do we exercise our civic health? How do we supercharge participation in our community? Mike Stout, Ph.D., associate professor, Missouri State University, and Evan Weissman, executive director, Warm Cookies of the Revolution join CommunityMatters on November 20 for an hour-long talk about promoting healthy civic life. They'll share both fun and data-driven approaches to exercising civic health and, in turn, maintaining strong communities. Register here: http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/civic-health-registration-13968118017?aff=mcivte&mc_eid=332ff2b438&mc_cid=1f75eb5845

 

“TAKE OUT MENU” WEBINAR: How the University of Minnesota Tourism Center contributes to Event Management Education: Introducing the Online Festival & Event Management (FEM) Course

November 20, 2014 (2:00 PM – ET) Free - http://connect.msu.edu/ncrcrd

During this webinar, Dr. Qian will introduce the online Festival and Event Management (FEM) course. She will talk about the key topics the course covers and the ongoing effort to develop special topic sessions. She will also introduce the team of instructors and the online interactions they engage in with students. Dr. Qian will finish the webinar by talking about the option of obtaining the certificate of completion for the course and plans to continuously improve the course.

Presenters:

Dr. Xinyi Qian is a Tourism Specialist in the Tourism Center at University of Minnesota. As the lead instructor of the online Festival and Event Management course, Dr. Qian leads a team of instructors to deliver and continuously improve the online course. She also collaborates with colleagues from different units within the University to develop special topic sessions for the course. Besides managing and teaching the FEM course, Dr. Qian leads a variety of applied tourism research projects, ranging from visitor profile projects in different destination areas in Minnesota to sustainable tourism, from the economic impact and health effects of biking to profiling festivals and events in Minnesota.

 

Tribal Grant Writing Training Series
A series of grant training videos designed to assist American Indian and Alaska Native physicians, tribal health clinics and tribal grant writers in applying for grant opportunities. Modules include writing statement of needs; writing goals and objectives; preparing budgets; planning and submitting for federal grants; and challenges that tribes may experience when applying for
Organization: University of Washington

 

 

FUNDING

 

American Indian and Alaska Native Medical Equipment Grants - Application deadline: Dec 1, 2014
Awards funding for medical equipment purchases for clinics and hospitals that serve American Indian and Alaska Native populations. Sponsor: Association of American Indian Physicians

 

NURSE Corps Facility Site Review Application - Application deadline: Dec 2, 2014
Gives applicants the opportunity to have their facility reviewed for participation in the NURSE Corps Loan Repayment list of eligible sites. Sponsor: Bureau of Health Workforce

 

Service Area Competition Funding for Health Center Program (Areas Served with a Project Period Start Date of June 1, 2015) - Application deadline: Dec 3, 2014
Funding to provide comprehensive primary health care services to an underserved area or population. Sponsor: Bureau of Primary Health Care

 

Healthy, Active Native Communities Capacity Building Funding Opportunity - Application deadline: Dec 15, 2014
Supports innovative, culturally sensitive approaches to prevent obesity and improve nutrition and physical activity in American Indian communities. Sponsor: Association of American Indian Physicians

 

Request for Proposals: 2015 Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup Grants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking proposals for their Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup grants.  EPA’s Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup grants may be used to address sites contaminated by petroleum and hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum).  Opportunities for funding include Brownfields Assessment Grants (each funded up to $200,000 over three years; Assessment Coalitions are funded up to $600,000 over three years) and Brownfields Cleanup Grants (each funded up to $200,000 over three years).  The proposal submission deadline is December 19.  Click here for proposal and funding information and here for frequently asked questions.

 

Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant Program - Application deadline: Jan 9, 2015
Funding for needs related to planning and establishing integrated healthcare networks with the goal of strengthening or expanding access to essential healthcare services. Sponsor: Office of Rural Health Policy

 

Youth Service America, Sodexo Foundation Offer Grants for Hunger Service Projects - DEADLINE: January 15, 2015

Grants of up to $400 will be awarded for youth-led projects that bring together young people, families, and other community members to address childhood hunger on Global Youth Service Day, April 17-19, 2015....

 

Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) Implementation Funds Program - Application deadline: Jan 30, 2015
Funding to support pediatricians in the initial and/or pilot stage of implementing a community-based child health projects related to medical home access, health services to uninsured/underinsured, secondhand smoke exposure, immunization programs, and Native American child health. Sponsor: American Academy of Pediatrics

 

Mary Byron Foundation: Roth Award for Underserved Populations - Application deadline: Jan 31, 2015
Awards to honor programs that demonstrate promise in ending the cycle of domestic violence in underserved populations. Sponsor: Mary Byron Project

 

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Invites Entries From Creative Teens - DEADLINE: Various

Scholarships of up to $10,000 are available to talented teen artists and writers in the United States and Canada in twenty-eight categories....

 

Harpo Foundation Accepting Applications for Native American Artists Fellowships - DEADLINE: February 15, 2015

One-month fellowships will be awarded to Native American artists who demonstrate strong artistic ability and a practice that engages a dialogue between the indigenous world and the surrounding culture....

 

GANNETT FOUNDATION is offering Community Action Grants to nonprofit organizations, with funding priority given to programs that focus on education and neighborhood improvement, economic development, youth development, community problem-solving, assistance to disadvantaged people, environmental conservation, and cultural enrichment. Deadline: 2/28/2015. Geographic coverage is limited to certain areas of 35 states and U.S. territories. Click here to visit the Foundation’s Website for details.  

 

U.S. RURAL INFRASTRUTURAL OPPORTUNITY FUND

The Rural Infrastructure Opportunity Fund is a collaborative effort between USDA, CoBank and Capitol Peak Asset Management.  Capitol Peak Asset Management (CPAM) will manage the fund’s operation and recruit other investors. CoBank has pledged up to $10 billion of its balance sheet capacity to make loans inconjunction with the fund. USDA is helping to identify and prioritize projects that improve rural infrastructure. The program explicitly targets broadband projects along with other rural infrastructure programs. All applications are confidential.

 

The purpose of the Rural Infrastructure Opportunity Fund is to serve as a new source of capital for rural infrastructure projects, promoting financing for critical infrastructure projects in rural America and the resulting creation of jobs in rural communities. The Fund is supported entirely by private sector dollars and offers a sustainable platform for new kinds of investors that traditionally have not participated in financing projects in these markets. The Fund is designed to complement existing government loan and grant programs by investing in a wide range of projects in America’s rural communities. Its activities will include:

  • Recruiting new sources of private capital to support rural infrastructure projects, including pension funds, endowments, foundations, and sovereign wealth funds;
  • Serving as a co-lender for borrowers financing projects where government program limits or resource constraints warrant the fund’s involvement; and
  • Promoting private lending in support of projects capable of meeting market terms.

Eligible Projects: Loans include a range of vital infrastructure programs to improve rural communities.

Target investments will include rural community facilities (especially health care and educational facilities), rural water and wastewater systems, rural energy projects, rural broadband expansion efforts, local and regional food systems, and other rural infrastructure. Loans will only be provided for commercially available technology, with a preference for proven technology (e.g., it will be advantageous to point to other examples of similar projects to demonstrate low risk). While USDA may help identify projects, projects need not be vetted by USDA to secure a loan.

 

The fund was launched in July 2014 and is currently accepting applications. Interested parties can apply through CPAM at http://www.capitol-peak.com look under contact us. Program staff emphasize that this is not a time-limited program. Project funding inquiries may be submitted at any time as the program is designed to operate as a sustainable investment platform.

 

 

COMMENTS SOUGHT:

 

VA: Expanded Access to Non-VA Care Through the Veterans Choice Program
Nov 5, 2014 -- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is accepting comments on the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 interim final rule until March 5, 2015. The rule dictates the creation of the Veterans Choice program which allows veterans who cannot be seen by a VA healthcare provider within the wait-time goals of the VHA, or who qualify based on their place of residence, to be seen by non-VA healthcare providers.
Source: Federal Register

 

---------------------------

Newsletters and email from where I gather this information include:

 

v  Foundation Center RFP Service -  To subscribe or unsubscribe, or to change your e-mail address, visit: http://foundationcenter.org/newsletters/

v  To subscribe to the RAC Health Listserv - click here to go to the subscription form.

v  Electronic newsletter of the RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, Rural Entrepreneurship NewsTo subscribe, http://team.energizingentrepreneurs.org/news2/public_html/lists/?p=subscribe  

v  Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City newsletter: http://www.kansascityfed.org/alert/

v  Blue Avocado Nonprofit Magazine - They have a newsletter on boards and nonprofit management, down-to-earth and useful.  http://www.blueavocado.org/

v  Rural LISC e-newsletter - http://www.lisc.org/rural

v  National Association for Development Organizations (NADO) – www.nado.org

v  ERS - A notification service is provided by USDA's Economic Research Service for Charts of Note and other research to keep you informed of the latest and most relevant research on the topics that interest you. You can subscribe at http://www.ers.usda.gov/Updates/

v  Department of Labor – Email Subscription Service - https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOL/subscriber/new?topic_id=USDOL_167

v  Orton Family Foundation – email sign-up - http://www.orton.org/sign_up

 

This is the bulk of them, a few others are random.

 

Friday, November 7, 2014

Community Development Newsletter

The latest edition of Community First, the newsletter of Extension’s Community & Rural Development Team, is attached for your viewing. It summarizes several projects we’ve been working on over the last 6 months, and it gives you dates for upcoming events in which you might be interested. I would encourage you to take a few minutes to look it over.

 

Feel free to share this newsletter with community leaders and others who might interested. If you’d rather send a link, you can use this: http://oces.okstate.edu/payne/uploaded_files/Vol2-Issue2.pdf

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Dave

Monday, November 3, 2014

FW: OWRB Water for 2060 Drought Grants

Financing specifically for public water systems in OK from OWRB.

 

From: Fox, Garey
Sent: Friday, October 31, 2014 2:24 PM
To: Shideler, Dave
Subject: OWRB Water for 2060 Drought Grants

 

Here you go!

 

http://www.owrb.ok.gov/financing/grant/droughtgrants.php

 

 

----------------------------------------------------------------

Garey A. Fox, Ph.D., P.E., D.WRE

Interim Director, Oklahoma Water Resources Center

Professor and Orville L. and Helen L. Buchanan Chair

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Oklahoma State University

120 Agricultural Hall

Stillwater, OK 74078

Phone: 405-744-8423

Fax: 405-744-6059

Mobile: 405-334-3401

http://biosystems.okstate.edu/Home/gareyf/index.htm

http://studentwater.okstate.edu

 

 

FW: Publications, Tools, Learning and Funding Opps

From our colleagues at USDA-RD as well as additional information from the Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation (Rural LISC; http://www.lisc.org/rural_lisc/index.php).

 

PUBLICATIONS

 

FTA Publishes Guidance on Implementation on Section 5311 Rural Area Formula Program

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has placed in the docket and on its Web site, guidance in the form of a circular to assist grantees in implementing the Section 5311 Rural Area Formula Program. The purpose of the circular is to provide recipients of FTA financial assistance with updated instructions and guidance on program administration and the grant application process. The revisions to FTA Circular 9040.1F are a result of changes made to the Rural Area Formula Program by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21).

 

The final circular becomes effective November 24, 2014. The Section 5311 Program, as amended by MAP-21, provides for expanded eligible activities and set-asides that support rural transit program such as the Appalachian Development Public Transportation Assistance Program, the Rural Transit Assistance Program, and the Tribal Transit Program. The Section 5311 Program permits activities authorized under the repealed Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) program to qualify as Section 5311 eligible activities. Additionally, since MAP-21 changed the program's name from the Formula Grants for Other Than Urbanized Area Program to the Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program, the term ``rural'' replaces ``non-urbanized area'' or ``other than urbanized area'' throughout the circular.

Click here for the October 24 FEDERAL REGISTER notice. An electronic version of the circular can be found at www.fta.dot.gov.

 

Deloitte Consulting Availability of New Handbooks for Job Seekers, Employers and Communities

http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_US/us/About/social-impact/540aa1db85f58410VgnVCM3000003456f70aRCRD.htm

Creative class county job growth resilient following recession

During the pre-recession economic growth years, counties with a high percentage of their workforce employed in “creative” occupations—engineers, scientists, artists, and others tasked with combining knowledge and ideas in novel ways—tended to experience higher rates of local employment growth than other counties, but having a high share of creative jobs did not offer much local job market protection during the 2007-09 recession. “Creative class” counties—those in the top quartile of all counties ranked by their share of creative jobs—were more likely to experience employment losses in the recession than other counties. However, a higher share of creative class counties gained employment during the economic recovery. While a much higher percentage of metro counties have seen recent employment growth whether or not they are creative class counties, a higher share of nonmetro counties gained employment during both the recession and recovery, the latter group benefitting from employment gains driven mainly by the energy boom. This chart is derived from the October 2014 Amber Waves data feature, “What Happened to the “'Creative Class' Job Growth Engine” During the Recession and Recovery?

 

 

TOOLS

 

10 step guide to fundraising - Raising funds will help expand your outreach, involve more people in dialogue and community change and tell the story of the impact you are having. Use this guide to help you think about budgeting and fundraising.

 

Speed Meeting Activity for Communities Addressing Racism- This activity is for programs addressing racism and racial equity, particularly those that are using the Facing Racism in a Diverse Nation discussion guide. This activity can be used whenever people don't know each other and need to connect at any phase of the work, and especially in the organizing phase.

 

 

LEARNING

 

WEBINAR: Rural leaders invited to join Climate Dialogues Webinar, November 12, 3:30pm CST/4:30pm EST

This webinar is geared toward rural leaders, organizers, and community stakeholders who are looking for a process to engage their communities in conversations about climate change.

Hosted by Assembly Steering Committee member Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), the Rural Climate Dialogues are part of an effort to spur rural leadership and build resiliency in the face of extreme weather conditions and a changing climate.  This webinar will provide an overview of the first Rural Climate Dialogue in Morris, Minnesota, focusing on the process, outcomes, follow-up, and a participant's perspective. REGISTER HERE
 

WEBINAR: Crowdfunding the New Economy, Thursday, November 20, 2014, 12:00 - 1:30 pm ET- A WealthWorks Perspective, a webinar presented by the Croatan Institute. Check out this blog post to learn more. Register 

 

WEBINAR: TAKE OUT MENU” November 20, 2014 (2:00 PM – ET): How the University of Minnesota Tourism Center contributes to Event Management Education: Introducing the Online Festival & Event Management (FEM) Course. Presenter: Xinyi (Lisa) Qian (University of Minnesota).) http://connect.msu.edu/ncrcrd

During this webinar, Dr. Qian will introduce the online Festival and Event Management (FEM) course. She will talk about the key topics the course covers and the ongoing effort to develop special topic sessions. She will also introduce the team of instructors and the online interactions they engage in with students. Dr. Qian will finish the webinar by talking about the option of obtaining the certificate of completion for the course and plans to continuously improve the course.

 

WEBINAR: CommunityMatters Talk on Civic Health, Nov. 20.  You will need to register

We all know the importance of physical health—good habits like regular exercise and eating well help us keep on track with that (most of the time). How do we maintain our civic health? 
Dr. Mike Stout, associate professor, University of Missouri and Evan Weissman, executive director, Warm Cookies of the Revolution join CommunityMatters® on November 20 for an hour-long talk about promoting healthy civic life. They'll share both fun and data-driven approaches to promoting civic health. 

RECORDED WEBINAR: Rewriting the Rural Narrative 

If you missed Ben Winchester's talk on population trends in rural communities, no worries. You can download a recording of the hour-long webinar that focuses on Ben's research on rural migration trends and the impacts they have on social and economic opportunity. While brain drain, the loss of 18- to 29-year-olds, dominates the conversation about rural population change, Ben's research shows a lesser known migration. A majority of rural counties are, in fact, experiencing brain gains as newcomers age 30-49 move in. Ben is a research fellow for the University of Minnesota Extension, Center for Community Vitality.  Download now »

 

 

FUNDING

 

“Yes, Virginia, there is funding for Rural Areas” - http://www.rural-design.org/blog/yes-virginia-there-funding-rural-america - a page with ideas on rural funding

 

Looking for volunteers? Apply for AmeriCorps- AmeriCorps volunteers work to strengthen communities. The focus areas for funding are: disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environment, veterans and military families, governor and mayor initiatives, and programming that supports My Brother's Keeper.

 

Funding for grassroots, social change organizations-  Haymarket makes Sustaining Grants that range up to $10,000/year for grassroots, social change organizations that meet their funding criteria and priorities in the New England area. They fund both start-up groups and groups that are more established.

 

FTA Announces Funding Opportunity under the Innovative Public Transportation Workforce Development Program (Ladders of Opportunity Initiative) – revised NOFA

The Federal Transit Administration has announced a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Innovative Public Transportation Workforce Development Program (Ladders of Opportunity Initiative).

Eligible applicants include departments of transportation (DOTs) providing public transportation services; Metropolitan Planning Organizations; Indian Tribes; nonprofit institutions; and institutions of higher education. Only these types of organizations are eligible to apply to this program. The cooperative agreement will be between FTA and the selected organization, which must have a substantial interest in the project and must not simply act as a pass-through for funds. Applicants may apply individually or in a consortium of eligible applicants. The consortium of eligible applicants must include a lead applicant as the primary recipient of federal funds. Complete proposals are due December 23, 2014.  Click here for full background, including the relevant partnership information, application content requirements and process, and Federal evaluation criteria. Prospective applicants may visit http://www.fta.dot.gov for additional information.

 

NSF Announces Funding Opportunity under “US Ignite”; Identifies  Resources for Scaling Up Smart and Connected Cities and Regions”

US Ignite is an Administration initiative seeking to promote US leadership in the development and deployment of next-generation gigabit applications with the potential for significant societal impact. The primary goal of US Ignite is to break a fundamental deadlock: there is insufficient investment in gigabit applications that can take advantage of advanced network infrastructure because such infrastructure is rare and dispersed. And conversely, there is a lack of broad availability of advanced broadband infrastructure for open experimentation and innovation because there are few advanced applications and services to justify it. US Ignite aims to break this deadlock by providing incentives for imagining, prototyping, and developing public sector gigabit applications, and by leveraging and extending this network testbed across US college/university campuses and cities. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has published a solicitation that builds on the experience gained from initial US Ignite activities to further engage the US academic research and non-profit communities along with local cities, municipalities, and regions in exploring the challenges of developing and applying next-generation networking to problems of significant public interest and benefit.   Full applications are due by January 21, 2015. NSF has identified $10,000,000 to support the award of 6 to 10 grants.

Funding and Financing Opportunities

THE DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY is offering funding to rural counties and parishes within the Delta region for direct technical support and assistance needed to develop a connected workforce development system at the local level. Geographic Coverage: available in Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Kentucky. Deadline: 11/10/2014. Click here to review application guidelines.

HUD has opened the second round of Promise Zone funding for high poverty communities where the federal government will partner with and invest in high-poverty urban, rural, and tribal communities to create jobs, increase economic activity, improve educational opportunities, leverage private investment, and reduce violent crime. HUD will designate six urban communities, one rural community and one tribal community through the competition. Deadline: 11/21/2014. Click here to review application guidelines.

THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FUND is accepting applications from CDFIs, potential CDFIs, and Native American CDFIs to build their capacity to serve low-income people and communities that lack access to affordable financial products and services. Deadline: 11/24/2014. Click here for application guidelines.  

ALASKA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION (AFC) is offering grants through the Alaska Native Fund for projects in the following categories: Climate Change, Food Security, Sustainable Economies, Energy, and Holistic Wellness. Alaska Native organizations and individuals that address one of these issues are eligible to apply. Deadline: Letters of Inquiry by 12/1/2014; full proposals by 3/1/2015. Visit ACF’s website here to learn more about the Foundation's application guidelines.  

THE INDIAN LAND TENURE FOUNDATION will provide grants to Indian nations and nonprofit organizations that are working to promote education about Indian land issues, increase cultural awareness, create economic opportunity, and reform the legal and administrative systems that prevent Indian people from owning and controlling reservation lands. Letters of inquiry are accepted throughout the year. Application Deadline: 12/15/2013. Visit the Foundation’s website here to learn more about applying for these funds.

LAURA BUSH FOUNDATION FOR AMERICA'S LIBRARIES is accepting applications to help libraries expand, update, and diversify their book collections at schools where 85 percent or more students qualify for free or reduced lunches. Deadline: 12/15/2014. Click here to visit the website and download an application.

USDA is offering grants to nonprofits, public agencies and food suppliers to increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables among low-income consumers participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by providing incentives at the point of purchase. Deadline: 12/15/2014. Click here to review application guidelines.  

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES is offering grants to nonprofit and public agencies to reduce barriers to community living for people with disabilities and to address families' lack of access to the services, advocacy and the assistance they need. Deadline: 12/16/2014. Click here for application guidelines.

HUD is offering funding to public housing agencies through the Jobs Plus Pilot Program to support programs that will improve employment and earnings outcomes for public housing residents through work readiness, employer linkages, job placement and financial literacy initiatives. Deadline: 12/17/2014. Click here to learn more about this program.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY is offering grants to nonprofit and public agencies for developing inventories of brownfields, prioritizing sites, conducting community involvement activities, and conducting site assessments and cleanup planning related to brownfields sites. Deadline: 12/19/2014. Click here for guidelines.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY is also offering grants to nonprofit and public agencies to prevent, inventory, assess, clean up, and reuse brownfields sites. Deadline: 12/19/2014. Click here to review application guidelines.

THE PUFFIN FOUNDATION is offering Artist Grants to art organizations and artists throughout the country to encourage emerging artists in the fields of fine arts, public interest, and video/film. The Foundation is particularly interested in supporting innovative initiatives that will advance progressive social change. Deadline: send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Foundation by 12/6/2014; completed applications will be accepted through 12/27/2014. Visit the Foundation’s website here to review grant guidelines.

USDA Rural Development has announced that preservation revolving loan fund monies for Section 515 and 514/516 housing are still available for intermediaries, due to receiving an insufficient number of applications in 2014. Deadline to apply: 12/22/2013. Click here to read the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA).  

THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN is providing grants of up to $10,000 for innovative programs or non-degree research projects that promote education and equality for women and girls, especially in STEM disciplines. Deadline: 1/15/2015. Click here for funding guidelines and an application.

ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION is offering grants of up to $200,000 through the New Jersey Health Initiative to existing multi-sector, community-focused coalitions in the state working to make sustainable systems changes and advance long-term policy-oriented solutions for healthier living. Deadline: 1/15/2015. Click here for more information and to apply.

THE CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE is offering AmeriCorps State and National Grants to public and private nonprofit groups for projects that will improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic participation through service and volunteering. Deadline: 1/21/2015. Click here for an application.

GANNETT FOUNDATION is offering Community Action Grants to nonprofit organizations, with funding priority given to programs that focus on education and neighborhood improvement, economic development, youth development, community problem-solving, assistance to disadvantaged people, environmental conservation, and cultural enrichment. Deadline: 2/28/2015. Geographic coverage is limited to certain areas of 35 states and U.S. territories. Click here to visit the Foundation’s Website for details.  

Training Events and Conferences

The National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations will hold its 8th Annual Summit in San Antonio, Texas November 12-14, 2014. The Summit provides opportunities to engage with community development association professionals and board members. For more information, click here.

The 10th Annual “I’m Home” conference will be held November 12-13, 2014 at the Hyatt at Olive 8 in Seattle, Washington. “I’m Home” is an initiative of CFED to advance the concept of high quality manufactured housing as a key source of affordable housing and asset-building for low and moderate-income families. Click here to visit the website and to register.  

Ballard Spahr's Ninth Annual National Housing Symposium “Beyond the Horizon: Housing and Community Development Strategies for the Future” will be held in Washington, DC on November 13, 2014. Participants will explore how the various housing pieces fit together to create financing and development solutions, and learn about recent trends and industry developments that are defining the future of affordable, sustainable housing projects. Click here to register.  

The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco will host the San Joaquin Valley Affordable Housing Summit “Impacting Communities with Collaborative Community Development” on Thursday, November 13, 2014 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Pacific Time in Stockton, California. Click here to learn more and to register.

The Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) will host the 2014 National Development Finance Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona November 18-21, 2014. The Summit will feature speakers from across the country presenting case studies, challenges and solutions in the development finance industry. This year’s National Summit will feature CDFA’s training workshops as a pre-Summit training course focused on building a local seed and venture capital initiative. Click here to learn more about this event and to register.

The 2014 Affordable Housing Developers Summit will take place November 19-21, 2014 at the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. Attendance is reserved exclusively for people who are primarily owners and developers of affordable housing, state and local housing finance agency representatives, and nonprofit organizations focused on the business of affordable housing. For more information about this event, click here.  

Wealth Creation and Rural Livelihoods will partner with The Croation Institute to offer a webinar titled “Crowdfunding the New Economy - A WealthWorks Perspective” on Thursday, November 20, 2014 from 12:00-1:30 PM Eastern Time. Presenters will give an overview of the Wealthworks approach to local and regional economic development, and will introduce how online crowdfunding can fill the funding gap in early-stage ventures. Click here to register.

The National Council of State Housing Agencies will host the 2015 HFA Institute January 11-16, 2015 at the J.W. Marriott in Washington, DC. Participants will explore techniques for administering the Low Income Housing Tax Credit; the HOME Investment Partnerships program; Mortgage Revenue Bonds, Federal Housing Administration and rural housing mortgage insurance; and HUD's Performance-Based Section 8 Contract Administration initiative. Click here to learn more about the event and to register.

The Council for Affordable and Rural Housing (CARH) will host its 2015 Midyear Meeting January 26-28, 2015 at the Loews Don CeSar Hotel in St. Pete Beach, Florida. Visit CARH’s website here to learn more about the event and to register.  

Information and Other Resources

USDA has released a new state-by-state "Made in Rural America" report showing the impact of USDA investments in rural communities. Each state factsheet highlights specific investments in rural businesses, manufacturing, energy, water and other infrastructure development. They also outline how USDA is helping rural communities attract businesses and families by investing in housing and broadband. Click here to access the state factsheets.

HousingFinance.com writes about the work of NeighborWorks and Rural LISC member CDC Impact Seven to maintain Section 515 affordable housing in Wisconsin. Read the article here about its work and its recent $100,000 Wells Fargo NEXT Seed Capital Award.  

The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University has published “Housing America's Older Adults—Meeting the Needs of An Aging Population.” America’s older population is in the midst of unprecedented growth. With the aging of the baby-boom generation and increased longevity, the 50-and over population is projected to increase about 20 percent by 2030, to 132 million. In just 15 years, one in five people will be at least aged 65. Download a copy of the report here.

“Beyond Year 15: Preserving Housing Credit Projects & Portfolio” has been published by Enterprise Community Partners. The guide includes organizational procedures for preparing for Year 15 events as well as strategies for repositioning communities for the long term. Download a free copy here.

The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a study called “Manufactured-Housing Consumer Finance in the United States.” The Bureau found that manufactured home loans are typically much more expensive than traditional mortgages and have fewer protections for borrowers. Industry sources also help dispel one of the myths of this market: manufactured homes are not mobile. Click here to read a press release from CFPB and download the report.  

The U.S. Census has released 2013 American Housing Survey tables. This survey includes characteristics and physical condition of the nation's housing units, indicators of housing and neighborhood quality, and home improvement activities. This year's survey includes new topics: disaster planning and emergency preparedness, public transportation, household involvement in neighborhood and community activities and the prevalence of "doubled-up" households. Click here to view the tables.

According to Rural Family Economic Success Action Network (RuFES) one-in-Five New Rural Americans is foreign-born. Over 11 million new residents moved to rural and mixed-rural counties across the United States since 2000. Of the 11 million, 2.3 were foreign-born. That means that one-in-five new rural Americans are immigrants. To check the ratio in your state, click here. To read an article about how a rural Minnesota community found a way to help their foreign-born neighbors, click here.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has published its list of rural and underserved counties for 2015. View the lists here.  

“Supporting Veterans Housing: A Time for Action” is the title of an article by Matt Josephs, Senior Vice President for Policy, at Local Initiatives Support Corporation. Ending homelessness for our brave returning veterans is an ambitious but doable goal. But it requires an effective and strong Low Income Housing Tax Credit program. Read the article here.

Rural Voices fall issue addresses the question “What Does Affordable Housing Mean to You?” The magazine presents the perspectives of rural families, the challenges they face when living in unaffordable or substandard conditions, and how they used federal resources to obtain quality housing. Click here to read the full issue.

“The Supplemental Poverty Measure: 2013” from the U.S. Census Bureau provides estimates of poverty for the official poverty measure and the supplemental poverty measure, which takes into account government programs that support low-income families. Tables provide data for metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. Click here to download the report.

An article in The Daily Yonder titled “Rural Mortgage Activity Declines” uses Housing Assistance Council’s mortgage data to illustrate that rural mortgage markets continue to struggle in the aftermath of the national housing crisis. While the number of loans for rural home purchases grew slightly from 2012 to 2013, refinance loans dropped by 23% in rural America. Rural counties continue to have a disproportionate share of higher-interest-rate loans, according to analysis by the Housing Assistance Council. Read the article here.  

The Federal Reserve Banks of Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Richmond are issuing a call for papers for the 2015 Policy Summit on Housing, Human Capital, and Inequality, which will be held June 18-19 in Pittsburgh, PA. The conference brings together researchers and practitioners interested in economic policy and development in low- and moderate-income communities. Deadline for submissions: 12/19/2014. Please submit an extended abstract or a draft of your research paper to the address here. Authors will be notified of accepted papers by January 31, 2015; full conference papers will be due June 4, 2015. Please direct any questions about the call for papers to Dionissi Aliprantis at dionissi.aliprantis@clev.frb.org, Lisa Nelson at lisa.a.nelson@clev.frb.org, or Shannon McKay at shannon.mckay@rich.frb.org.

 

 

Associate Professor and Community Development Specialist

Department of Agricultural Economics

Oklahoma State University

323 Ag Hall

Stillwater, OK 74075

405-744-6170

405-744-8210 – fax

http://rd.okstate.edu

Find grants and professional development resources on my blog
http://okextdevres.blogspot.com/