FW: CED Matters – Funding, Publications, Events and Learning

From our colleagues at USDA Rural Development.

 

Happy Holidays, everyone!!!

 

From: RA.RD.DCWA2.RDCED [mailto:RDCED@wdc.usda.gov]
Sent: Thursday, December 15, 2016 9:04 AM
Subject: CED Matters – Funding, Publications, Events and Learning

 

Community Economic Development (CED) Matters – Funding, Publications, Events and Learning (12/15)

FUNDING

1.       Strategic Economic and Community Development

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is excited to share a new Rural Development funding opportunity authorized by Section 6025 of the 2014 Farm Bill. This new authority entitled Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) prioritizes projects that support the implementation of multi-jurisdictional plans under the Community Facilities Program, Water and Waste Disposal Program, Business and Industry Loan Guarantee Program, and Rural Business Development Grant Program. Under this provision, up to 10 percent of each programs annual appropriations can be set aside and made available to eligible SECD applicants. Many communities already working together to develop multi-jurisdictional plans with the help of strategic partners including non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, university extensions, regional authorities, coalitions of counties/towns and federal special initiative coalitions such as: Stronger Economies Together, Promise Zones, Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnerships, Sustainable Communities, and Local Food, Local Places. The goal of SECD is to promote collaboration in rural communities and across Rural Development agencies and programs. Communities are incentivized to align resources, develop long-term community and economic growth strategies and engage federal, state and local partners. By promoting this regional focus USDA resources can be more effectively utilized and have a larger impact on rural capacity building and wealth creation.

 

2.       DOJ Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) Justice for Families Program

The Grants to Support Families in the Justice System program (referred to as the Justice for Families Program) was authorized in the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA) of 2013 to improve the response of all aspects of the civil and criminal justice system to families with a history of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, or in cases involving allegations of child sexual abuse. The program supports the following activities for improving the capacity of communities and courts to respond to impacted families: court-based and court-related programs; supervised visitation and safe exchange by and between parents; training and technical assistance for people who work with families in the court system; civil legal services; provision of resources in juvenile court matters; and development or promotion of legislation, model codes, policies, and best practices. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (E.T.) on January 12, 2017.

 

3.       USDA Solid Waste Management Grants

This program helps reduce or eliminate pollution of water resources through funding for organizations that provide technical assistance or training to improve the planning and management of solid waste sites. Application closes December 31, 2016.

 

4.       Corporation for National and Community Service 2017 AmeriCorps State and National Grants

AmeriCorps grants are awarded to eligible organizations proposing to engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions to strengthen communities. An AmeriCorps member is an individual who engages in community service through an approved national service position. Grant awards generally have two components: operating funds and AmeriCorps member positions. Grant award amounts vary – both in the level of operating funds and in the type and amount of AmeriCorps member positions. In the FY2017 AmeriCorps competition 4 of the 12 investment priorities include Disaster Services, Economic Opportunity, Education, and Environment. Application closes January 18, 2017.

 

5.       U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, 2017 Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant Program

The Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant Program goal is to accelerate strategic protection of healthy, freshwater ecosystems and their watersheds. This goal will be achieved by:

Ø  Developing funding mechanisms, plans, or other strategies to implement large-scale watershed protection, source water protection, green infrastructure, or related landscape conservation objectives;

 

Ø  Building the sustainable organizational infrastructure, social support, and long-term funding commitments necessary to implement large-scale protection of healthy watersheds; and

 

Ø  Supporting innovative or catalytic projects that may accelerate funding for or implementation of watershed protection efforts, or broadly advance this field of practice.

 

Eligible applicants include not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations, for-profit companies, tribes, intertribal consortia, interstates, state, and local government agencies including water utilities and wastewater facilities, and colleges and universities are eligible for funding. Application closes February 1, 2017.

 

6.       2017 Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration program

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Wildlife Habitat Council, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, FedEx, Southern Company and Alcoa Foundation are pleased to solicit applications for the 2017 Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration program. The Five Star and Urban Waters program will award approximately $2.5 million in grants nationwide. The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration grant program seeks to develop community capacity to sustain local natural resources for future generations by providing modest financial assistance to diverse local partnerships focused on improving water quality, watersheds and the species and habitats they support. Projects include a variety of ecological improvements including: wetland, riparian, forest and coastal habitat restoration; wildlife conservation; community tree canopy enhancement; and/or water quality monitoring and stormwater management; along with targeted community outreach, education and stewardship. NFWF may use a mix of public and private funding sources to support any grant made through this program. Now Accepting Proposals: November, 2016 – January 31, 2017

 

7.       Agricultural Safety Grants
Awards funding to local or regional agricultural health and safety intervention projects to provide practical education, training, and/or communication tools that can be shared widely with the agricultural community to facilitate timely application of evidence-based safety/health strategies to protect all agricultural workers.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Letter of Intent (Required): Dec 15, 2016
Application Deadline: Jan 4, 2017
Sponsor: Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America

 

8.       Health Professions Extern Program
Provides externship opportunities for Indian Health Service Scholarship recipients, as well as other health professions students.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Jan 31, 2017
Sponsor: Indian Health Service

 

9.       Mary Byron Foundation: Celebrating Solutions Awards
Awards to honor programs that demonstrate promise in ending the cycle of domestic violence.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Jan 31, 2017
Sponsor: Mary Byron Project

 

10.   DOT's FASTLANE Program

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced the U.S. Departments of Transportation's (USDOT) Build America Bureau is now soliciting applications for up to $850 million in Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies (FASTLANE) grants. The FASTLANE program was established in the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act to fund critical freight and highway projects across the country. In the first call for FASTLANE grants, USDOT received 212 applications totaling nearly $9.8 billion for grants – with states and localities requesting over 13 times more funding than was available through FASTLANE – underscoring the continuing need for infrastructure investment across the country. The need to support projects improving the Nation's freight system is also highlighted in the Department's report, Beyond Traffic 2045: Trends and Choices, where freight volume is expected to grow to 29 billion tons—an increase by 45 percent by the year 2040. The deadline for submitting applications is 8:00PM on December 15, 2016.

11.   Youth Garden Grant
Awards funding to schools and community organizations with youth-centered garden programs.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Dec 15, 2016
Sponsor: KidsGardening.org

12.   Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant Program
Grants to promote the planning and development of healthcare networks in order to achieve efficiencies; expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of essential healthcare services; and strengthen the rural healthcare system as a whole.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Jan 3, 2017
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy

13.   Environmental Justice Small Grants Program
Grants for projects that address local environmental and public health issues within an affected community.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Jan 31, 2017
Sponsor: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

14.   Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields

EPA is offering grants to nonprofit and public agencies for either: 1) developing inventories of brownfields, prioritizing sites, conducting community involvement activities, and conducting site assessments and cleanup planning related to brownfields sites, or 2) cleaning up contaminated brownfields sites. Deadline: 12/20/2016.

 

15.   Morris K Udall and Stewart L Udall Foundation

Morris K Udall and Steward L Udall Foundation is offering a 10-week fully funded summer internship for Native American and Alaska Native students who wish to learn more about the federal government and issues affecting Indian country. Deadline to apply: 1/31/2017.

 

16.   Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children Access to Care Grants
Offers matching grants to support community-based initiatives that provide dental homes to children whose families cannot afford dental care.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Dec 15, 2016
Sponsor: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

 

17.   Cooperative Agreements for Adolescent and Transitional Aged Youth Treatment Implementation
Funding to states, territories, or tribes to increase access to and improve treatment for adolescents and/or transitional aged youth with substance use disorders and/or co-occurring substance use and mental disorders.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Dec 20, 2016
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

 

18.   Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) Program
Grants to support innovative academic-practice partnerships to prepare primary care advanced practice registered nursing students to practice in rural and underserved settings through academic and clinical training.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Jan 25, 2017
Sponsor: Bureau of Health Workforce

PUBLICATIONS

1.        Rural America at a Glance, 2016 Edition
A report that provides an overview of social and economic factors affecting rural America. Includes data and statistics about employment, population, poverty, and income trends.
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service

 

2.       Small-Scale Manufacturers See New Markets Tax Credits as Future Hope

The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund announced it was awarding an unprecedented amount of tax credits to investors focused on job creation and other economy boosters in communities hit hard by poverty. The amount of the credits, known as New Markets Tax Credits, totaled $7 billion, with about 60 percent of that going to urban areas.

 

3.       EDA Proposes New Rules for RLF Program

EDA is proposing important changes to the regulations governing the RLF program that are intended to reflect current best practices and strengthen EDA's efforts to evaluate, monitor, and improve RLF performance.

 

4.       How to Do Creative Placemaking: An Action-Oriented Guide to Arts in Community Development

In its ongoing commitment to producing resources for community engagement with the arts, the National Endowment for the Arts has published How to Do Creative Placemaking: An Action-Oriented Guide to Arts in Community Development. The book features 28 essays from thought leaders active in arts-based community development as well as 13 case studies of projects funded through the NEA's creative placemaking program, Our Town.

 

5.       Energy Department Initiatives Create Opportunities for Efficiency, Innovation

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced the Zero Energy Districts Accelerator, an initiative to develop best practices for establishing commercial districts that have net-neutral energy consumption. The accelerator is now one of 12 listed under the Better Buildings Initiative, which also includes dedicated programming for community and manufacturing initiatives. DOE's most recent annual report finds that collectively, Better Buildings programs saved 160 trillion Btus of energy and 2.3 billion gallons of water while collecting more than 400 resources on implementation processes and technologies through 2015. Read more...

EVENTS/LEARNING

1.       Webinar Series Will Get You Ready and Set to "GO" on a Community Food Sovereignty Assessment

First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) has scheduled a new series of four free First Nations Knowledge webinars that will help Native organizations and tribal communities get ready and set to "GO" on conducting a Community Food Sovereignty Assessment, with the last in the series focusing on moving forward with action planning after the assessment. Please register for each webinar individually:

Ø  January 17, 2017 @ 1:00 p.m. MST
"Moving Forward! Community-Based Policy and Action Plans"
Developing action plans from the CFSA data; experience gained through community engagement during the CFSA. This webinar will highlight success stories from two organizations or tribes.  Register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2798412501323018754

 

For more CED-related content please subscribe to the following:

Interagency Working Group on Cooperative Development

Cooperative Reports, Publications, and Statistics

Rural Cooperative Magazine

Placed Based Initiatives & Regional Programs

Community Economic Development

 

To subscribe or unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an email to RDCED@wdc.usda.gov.

 

Newsletters and email from which we gather this information include:

v Foundation Center RFP Service

v Health Listserv

v Center for Rural Entrepreneurship

v Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City

v Blue Avocado Nonprofit Magazine

v Rural LISC e-newsletter

v National Association for Development Organizations (NADO)

v ERS

v Orton Family Foundation

 

 

 

 

This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.

grants, events, publications and opportunities

In lieu of the usual USDA-Rural Development email, I am forwarding the Choctaw Nation's email of grants, events and opportunities along with the following 2 additional opportunities:

 

Small Business and Community Development Forum:

OSU Extension, along with CareerTech, are sponsoring a day-long workshop to address small business and community development issues. The morning session will feature Oklahoma-native Becky McCray talking about "Filling the Gaps Downtown" – identifying opportunities to fill empty storefronts in rural communities; the afternoon session will be a data workshop exploring Census' online data tools, including the new Census Business Builder tool, by Dave Shideler. (More details are in the attached flyer.)

When: January 23, 2017, 10 am – 3 pm

Where: Oklahoma Department of CareerTech, 1500 W 7^th Ave, Stillwater (Tuttle Seminar Center)

Cost: $25 (includes lunch and materials)
Registration:

 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/january-23-2017-small-business-and-communi­ty-development-forum-registration-29903502180

 

National Endowment for the Humanities:

Creating Humanities, encourages partnerships and collaborations between multiple institutions or organizations in a town, county, region, or area in order to increase humanities infrastructure. NEH hopes that the relationships built and strengthened through Creating Humanities Communities will lead to increases in humanities programing for years to come.

 

https://www.neh.gov/news/press-release/2016-11-04-1

 

https://www.neh.gov/grants/challenge/creating-humanities-communities

 

December 12, 2016      A Promising Future for Southeastern Oklahoma   Welcome to the Choctaw Promise Zone newsletter. In this edition you'll find resources for applying for grants with Promise Zone preference, upcoming workshops with technical assistance from federal agencies, and upcoming events in our area. Some listings from last week's newsletter are still available, as well as new opportunities. Thank you for being a valued Promise Zone partner and your commitment to the future of southeastern Oklahoma. Yakoke!       Choctaw Nation Opportunities     Oklahoma Hunting and Fishing License The Choctaw Nation is excited to announce that hunting and fishing license will now be available for all Choctaw citizens residing within Oklahoma regardless of age or if they are a current Oklahoma lifetime license holder. For more information or to access the online application you can click here.   2017 Chahta Foundation Competitive Scholarship Season Quickly Approaching The Chahta Foundation offers approximately 27 different scholarships on a competitive basis. Scholarships vary in the amounts given, and are available to all Choctaw students, undergraduate to doctorate. More information... Applications will open January 15th.      Federal, State, and Nonprofit Opportunities   Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries Grant  Grants of up to $7,000 will be awarded to help libraries in schools where 85 percent or more of the students qualify for free or reduced lunches expand, update, and diversify their book collections. More information...  Application Deadline: December 12, 2016 AFAR Research Grants for Junior Faculty  The major goal of this program is to assist in the development of the careers of junior investigators committed to pursuing careers in the field of aging research. AFAR supports research projects concerned with understanding the basic mechanisms of aging. More information...  Application Deadline: December 15, 2016 Source: AFAR  Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children Access to Care  HSHC Grants are Single-Year matching grants of up to $20,000, supporting community-based initiatives in the U.S. that provide dental care and ultimately serve as a Dental Home to underserved/limited access children. Click here for guidelines.  Online application  Location: Nationwide Application Deadline: December 15, 2016    AMA Foundation Healthy Living Grant  The grant program will focus on medical-related organizations and will encourage collaboration with nonprofits, schools, or government entities. The target audience of the project must be an underserved and/or at-risk population between the ages of 2-21. More information...  Location: Nationwide Application Deadline: December 16, 2016 Source: AMA Foundation Running Strong for American Youth: Dreamstarter grant program  Dreamstarter provides fifty $10,000 grants over five years to jumpstart the dreams of American Indian youth, and this year, we're looking for an outstanding cohort of young Native Dreamstarters, ages 14-29, with projects around the theme of education. More information... Location: Nationwide Application Deadline: December 16, 2016 Source: Running Strong for American Youth    Water and Waste Disposal Technical Assistance and Training Grants  This program helps qualified, private non-profits provide technical assistance and training to (a) identify and evaluate solutions to water and waste problems; (b) assist applicants in preparing applications for water and waste disposal loans/grants; and (c) assist associations in improving operation and maintenance of existing water and waste facilities in eligible rural areas. More information...  Location: Nationwide  Application Deadline: December 31, 2016 Source: USDA Solid Waste Management Grants  This program helps reduce or eliminate pollution of water resources through funding for organizations that provide technical assistance or training to improve the planning and management of solid waste sites. More information...  Location: Nationwide  Application Deadline: December 31, 2016 Source: USDA Baseball Tomorrow Fund Invites Applications From Youth Baseball and Softball Programs  The funds may be used to finance a new program, expand or improve an existing program, undertake a new collaborative effort, or obtain facilities or equipment necessary for youth baseball or softball programs. More information...  Location: Nationwide  Application Deadline: January 1, 2017   Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant Program The purpose of the Network Planning program is to assist in the development of an integrated health care network, specifically for entities that do not have a history of formal collaborative efforts. This program promotes the planning and development of healthcare networks in order to: achieve efficiencies; expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of essential health care services; and strengthen the rural health care system as a whole. More information...  Location: Nationwide Application Deadline: January 3, 2017 Source: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Dreamstarter Teacher Grants  Running Strong for American Indian Youth just announced a new project: Dreamstarter Teachers. They are giving away $500 - $1,000 grants to teachers serving Native students. Native or non-Native teachers or support staff (like librarians or guidance counselors) who teach and/or support Native students are eligible to apply. Grants can be used for (almost) anything teachers need for their classrooms, like educational resource materials, supplies, equipment, professional development, field trips, or stipends for bringing community liaisons into the classroom. More information... Location: Nationwide Application Deadline: January 9, 2017 Source: Running Strong for American Youth Conservation Innovation Grants  Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) are competitive grants that stimulate the development and adoption of innovative approaches and technologies for conservation on agricultural lands. More information... Location: Nationwide Application Deadline: January 9, 2017 Source: USDA   Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative  The purpose of this program is to fund projects that will enhance the ability of producers and processors who have already adopted organic standards to grow and market high quality organic agricultural products. Priority concerns include biological, physical, and social sciences, including economics. More information...  Location: Nationwide  Application Deadline: January 19, 2017 Source: USDA   Environmental Justice Small Grants Program The Environmental Justice Small Grants Program supports and empowers communities working on solutions to local environmental and public health issues. The program is designed to help communities understand and address exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks. More information...  Location: Nationwide Application Deadline: January 31, 2017 Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency   Paralyzed Veterans of America Education Foundation  PVA's Education and Training Foundation is focused on funding educational projects that benefit and serve individuals with SCI/D, their families and caregivers. These projects should be designed to improve the quality of life for individuals with SCI/D, educate consumers about the consequences of and complications associated with SCI/D, improve the knowledge and skills of SCI/D health care professionals and to prevent the occurrence and complications of new SCI/D. More information...  Location: Nationwide  Application Deadline: February 1, 2017   Conservation Stewardship Program Open for Applications  CSP is for producers who are already established conservation stewards, helping them to deliver multiple conservation benefits on working lands, including improved water and soil quality and enhanced wildlife habitat. Through CSP, agricultural producers and forest landowners earn payments for actively managing, maintaining and expanding conservation activities like cover crops, ecologically-based pest management, buffer strips and pollinator and beneficial insect habitat-all while maintaining active agriculture production on their land. More information...  Applications are available in local service centers. Application Deadline: February 3, 2017 Source: USDA   FirstRisk Advisors Initiatives in College Mental/Behavioral Health  This award is designed to fund the development of creative initiatives that address prevention, early intervention, and treatment for mental and behavioral health disorders among students. The goal of these initiatives is to reduce the risk of mental and behavioral illness and injury among college students and to enhance both individual and community health as a strategy to support student learning. More information...  Location: Nationwide  Application Deadline: February 3, 2017    Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Loans & Grants This program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. More information...  Applications are accepted at your local office. Application Deadline: March 31, 2017 Source: USDA   Economic Development Assistance Programs  The Economic Development Administration's (EDA's) mission is to lead the Federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for economic growth and success in the worldwide economy. More information...  Application Deadline: Rolling Rural & Tribal Passenger Transportation Technical Assistance  The rural program provides technical assistance for small communities of less than 50,000 people. The focus of the program is economic development: helping small and emerging businesses and stimulating economic development through new and improved public transportation. The tribal program is designed to help Native American tribes enhance economic growth adn development by improving transportation services. Technical assistance is limited to planning and may support transit service improvements and expansion, system start-up, facility development, development of marketing plans and materials, transportation coordination, training and other public transit problem solving activities. For more information and to register, click here.  Location: Nationwide Application Deadline: Rolling Source: Community Transportation Association of America Homegrown By Heroes The Homegrown By Heroes label is a key differentiation for farmer veteran products in competitive markets. The HBH label gives farmer veterans the point-of-sale visibility they need to be successful in the marketplace. The HBH label also affords consumers a tangible way to support veterans while providing an avenue to share the veteran's story. More information... Dates: Annually renewable Location: Nationwide   Rural Business Development Grant  A competitive grant designed to support targeted technical assistance, training and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas that have fewer than 50 employees and less than $1 million in gross revenues. More information...  Application Deadline: Applications are accepted through local or state Rural Development offices once every year.      Helpful Tools and Internship Opportunities   Forest Service Releases 2016 Fall Tribal Relations Newsletter Click here to access the newsletter   Find Your Town, a New Tool Promoting Small Towns from the White House Opportunity Project December 1, 2016 -- Small towns and rural places hold a special place in our vision of America. They offer residents a unique and often genial place to live. Visitors and those just passing through come to enjoy distinct lifestyles, commerce, and countryside.  Yet, many rural towns have trouble promoting themselves and planning for a vibrant future. More information... Source: USDA   Native American Congressional Internship The Native American Congressional Internship Program provides American Indian and Alaska Native students with the opportunity to gain practical experience with the federal legislative process in order to understand first-hand the government-to-government relationship between Tribes and the federal government. More information...  Application Deadline: January 31, 2017   The Office of Senator James Lankford Internship The Office of Senator James Lankford is currently seeking applications for unpaid interns for the Spring 2017 semester in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa offices. Intern responsibilities may include but are not limited to: answering phones, performing administrative tasks, assisting with database management, contributing to the office correspondence process, supporting staff with projects, and conducting legislative research. Applicants should be highly organized and hardworking. They should also have strong written and verbal communication skills and have the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment. More information...  Interested candidates should apply by emailing a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to interns@lankford.senate.gov.  Application Deadline: April 14, 2017   Chuuk Women's Council Empowers Micronesian Women to be Healthcare Leaders  November 2, 2016 -- Although there is only one state hospital for the 50,000 residents that inhabit Chuuk, a group of women is making a difference for the state's healthcare system and for Chuuk society as a whole. Read more...      Training Opportunities   Overtime Law Workshops Hear up-to-date information about the Fair Labor Standards Act, and its impact upon the nonprofit sector. The changes to overtime laws go into effect December 1, 2016. Webinar - January 11, 2017  Pauls Valley - March 30, 2017    Nonprofit Management Certification Program Through training sessions taught by experts in the field, participants will have an opportunity to apply and practice new skills as well as benefit from networking and confidential space to discuss issues and gain confidence. Each day-long session will cover a different topic pertinent to management in the nonprofit sector. Oklahoma City - January 11, 2017 Tulsa - January 25, 2017   Leaders' Circle The Center's Leaders' Circle program is a cohort of Executive Directors who meet monthly to create a support group and learn from community professionals. The goal is to help executive directors gain the knowledge and resources to deal with the challenges facing their organizations and to create a lasting support system throughout the community. Tulsa - January 12, 2017 Oklahoma City - January 20, 2017   Standards for Excellence Standards for Excellence 2.0 includes expanded and enhanced benchmarks for nonprofit best practices, including 79 benchmarks for best practices; new sample policies in social media and information technologies all nonprofits need to know; and improved information on outcome based measurements and logic models to prove mission impact. Tulsa - January 18-19, 2017 Oklahoma City - February 9-10, 2017 Stillwater - February 21-22, 2017 Tahlequah - March 28-29, 2017 Muskogee - April 18-19, 2017   2017 Advocacy Forums This will be an advocacy and public policy discussion about the specific messaging your nonprofit needs to engage policymakers and our legislators in a conversation about how nonprofits can only create community change with the right legislative environment. While your organization might not receive state or federal funds, support for our core services through the state government means that communities and our state are stronger and healthier.  Tulsa - January 31, 2017 Oklahoma City - February 2, 2017   2017 Oklahoma Conference on Nonprofit Law & Finance This two-day conference will feature local and regionally recognized speakers on topics including legal compliance, charitable giving, financial oversight, Oklahoma policy and advocacy, along with new horizons: cultural competency, cyber security, and the affects of immigration policy on the nonprofit sector. Oklahoma City University School of Law - March 23-24, 2017   Fundraising Summits The Fundraising Summit provides nonprofit professionals an opportunity to gain extensive knowledge about fundraising in a short, 6-hour setting. Fundraising experts present in quick succession their knowledge about best practices on the many topics every nonprofit professional needs to know. Participants will learn insider-tips for applying for grants, tried-and-true tactics for making bold asks, and flawless management for annual fundraising plans.  Oklahoma City - April 6, 2017        Other Opportunities   Cooperative Agreements for Adolescent and Transitional Aged Youth Treatment Implementation  The purpose of this program is to provide funding to states/territories/tribes (hereafter known as states) to improve treatment for adolescents and/or transitional aged youth with substance use disorders (SUD) and/or co-occurring substance use and mental disorders (hereafter known as "the population of focus") by assuring youth state-wide access to evidence-based assessments, treatment models, and recovery services supported by the strengthening of the existing infrastructure system. Project lasts up to four years and does not require a match. More information...  Location: Nationwide  Application Deadline: December 20, 2016   EZ Guarantee Program and Micro Lender Program Status  The EZ Guarantee Program will help lenders reduce costs of underwriting and servicing loans to help meet the unique financing needs of small farm operations. The intended effects of the rule are to make guaranteed loan programs more widely available and attractive to small farm operations and the lenders who work with those farm operations through a more flexible underwriting analysis process, reduced application requirements, and faster FSA approval. More information...  Deadlines: Comments on the Paperwork Reduction Act - December 20, 2016.  Comments on the regulatory changes - January 19, 2017. Allied Arts Spring Cycle Grants Allied Arts offers three grant programs to help ensure a dynamic, sustainable cultural community in central Oklahoma. To learn more about these grants click here. Application Deadline: January 13, 2017   Whitehall Foundation Invites LOIs for Bioscience Research Projects  This program is designed for researchers at the assistant professor level who experience difficulty in competing for research funds because they have not yet become firmly established. Grants-in-Aid can also be made to senior scientists. All applications will be judged on the scientific merit and innovative aspects of the proposal, as well as on past performance and evidence of the applicant's continued productivity. Grants-in-Aid are awarded for a one-year period and do not exceed $30,000. More information...  Location: Nationwide  Application Deadline: January 15, 2017 (Letters of Intent)  Sponsor: Whitehall Foundation    NEA Foundation Invites Applications for Learning and Leadership Grants  This program awards grants to individuals fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences, such as summer institutes, conferences, or action research. Also, grants to groups fund collegiate study, including study groups, action research, lesson plan development, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff. More information...  Application Deadline: February 1, 2017 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards Each of the 12 award-winning programs will receive $10,000 and an invitation to accept their award at a ceremony at the White House. In addition, all of the winners will receive an award plaque; will have the opportunity to attend the Annual Awardee Conference in Washington, DC, in the summer of 2017; and will be featured on the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program website, as a 2017 Awardee. More information... Application Deadline: February 8, 2017   Runnerclick Accepting Submissions for Scholarship Program Runnerclick feels that maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and remaining active in sports as well as other outdoor activities can be beneficial in building a strong mind and good charcacter sportsmanship. The Runnerclick scholarship is awarded to three winners with an amount of $2,000. More information... Location: Nationwide Application Deadline: April 20, 2017        Webinars   Bringing Life Downtown After Hours: Arts, Shopping, Culture After 5 Being open evening hours is not just a matter of extending store hours. It is more like opening a whole different store with different customers. Becky McCray and Deb Brown be sharing ideas and examples from real small towns. Deb will share from her experience as a Chamber of Commerce director, and Becky will share from her perspective as a business owner in a small town. More information... When: Webinar continually available.  Community Food Sovereignty Assessment Webinar Series (First Nations Development Institute) This is a series of educational webinars created and hosted by First Nations Development Institute. The series aims to educate those who work in Native nonprofit and tribal organizations, or in nonprofit or for-profit enterprises engaged in Native agriculture or food systems work. These are led by Vicky Karhu, who is a longtime First Nations consultant and national expert in planning for and conducting Food Sovereignty Assessments in Native communities. Dates: Moving forward/developing action plans (January 17, 2017). Register here     What is the Promise Zone? How does it benefit my community?  The Promise Zone offers preference points on many federal grant applications the Choctaw Nation and our partners seek. To gain these preference points, the Choctaw Nation Promise Zone must certify and verify applications. These preference points give applications a "leg up" as they head to federal agencies for review. HUD Form 50153 must be signed by a Promise Zone Official before it's submitted with any grant. Sara Jane Smallwood is the Promise Zone Official for Choctaw Nation. Please visit this link to obtain HUD Form 50153 and view the full list of grants with the Promise Zone preference points.     What are the Promise Zone's geographical boundaries?  The Promise Zone is a place-based initiative, and is confined to a set of Census tracts in southeastern Oklahoma. These areas were chosen because of their high need and opportunity for grants and programs to positively impact communities. Promise Zone preference is assigned to these areas. However, many of our school districts and communities in southeastern Oklahoma cross Census tract lines. Contact the Promise Zone team to help determine Promise Zone eligibility or for any questions on the boundaries. We have created an interactive map of the Promise Zone to help determine and highlight the Promise Zone boundaries. It's easy to use, and users can type in addresses to see if they're in the Zone. This is a helpful and effective tool for Choctaw Nation and our partners. Please visit this link to use the interactive Promise Zone map.     Contact the Choctaw Nation Promise Zone Team Sara Jane Smallwood, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma ssmallwood@choctawnation.com   Josh Riley, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma jriley@choctawnation.com   Amber Anderson, USDA Amber.Anderson@ok.usda.gov Choctaw Nation Promise Zone Initiative Vision: To work collaboratively with community partners at the local, state, and national level to eradicate poverty, increase educational attainment, reduce criminal activity, and pursue economic development in southeastern Oklahoma.   STAY CONNECTED: https://www.choctawnation.com/

 

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