FW: Publications, Tools, Learning and Funding

From our colleagues at USDA-Rural Development. Particular emphasis on health and/or food access.

 

From: Agans, Suzette - RD, Washington, DC [mailto:Suzette.Agans@wdc.usda.gov]
Sent: Friday, August 21, 2015 9:30 AM
Subject: Publications, Tools, Learning and Funding

 

PUBLICATIONS

 

Children accounted for 44 percent of SNAP participants in 2013

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is USDA’s largest food and nutrition assistance program. In an average month in fiscal 2014, the program provided 46.5 million low-income Americans with benefits to purchase food at authorized food stores. In fiscal 2013 (the latest year for which demographic data are available), adults age 18-59 accounted for 46.4 percent of participants, young children (birth to age 4) accounted for 14.3 percent of participants, school-age children (5-17 years) accounted for 30.1 percent of participants, and the elderly accounted for 9.3 percent of participants. The composition of SNAP participants has shifted over the past decade, particularly after the 2007-09 recession, as more working-age adults became eligible for the program and applied for benefits. Adults’ share of the SNAP caseload increased from 42.1 percent of participants in 2006, while young children’s share of the SNAP caseload fell from 16.6 percent in 2006, and school-age children’s share fell from 32.7 percent. Elderly participants’ share of the SNAP caseload increased slightly from 8.7 percent in fiscal 2006. A chart is available at Ag and Food Statistics: Charting the Essentials.

 

 

TOOLS

 

Organizations Serving Cooperatives – a directory of sorts on types of cooperative associations involved in agriculture, consumer credit, utilities, housing, and other sectors.  Contact information provided.

http://www.rd.usda.gov/files/RuralCoop_JulyAug.pdf

 

Leadership compass activity - Teamwork begins with self-awareness and awareness of other people’s leadership styles. We can’t be good at everything so we need to bring together people with different styles and talents. This worksheet will help you and your team figure out how you can work collaboratively across leadership styles.

 

Finding Statistics and Data Related to Rural Health - Find rural and local-level statistics and data, and learn how to fairly and accurately use the information in this newly updated topic guide. The guide was developed by RAC Information Resources Manager Maren Niemeier, with guidance from Kimberly Davis, U.S. Census Bureau; Tim Parker, USDA Economic Research Service; Mandi Peterson, University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health; Jan Probst, South Carolina Rural Health Research Center; and Fred Ullrich, University of Iowa College of Public Health.

 

Community Vitality and Rural Healthcare - Focuses on the linkage between rural healthcare and the economic strength and overall vitality of the community. This recently updated guide was developed by Kathleen Spencer, RAC Information Specialist with assistance from Gerald Doeksen, Cheryl St. Clair, and Fred Eilrich, National Center for Rural Health Works; and Jo Anne Preston, Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative.

 

Rural Migrant Health - Visit this updated guide to learn about the challenges and health disparities that migrant and seasonal farmworkers face, and find solutions for your community to assist them with accessing healthcare services and gaining health insurance coverage. The guide was developed by Kathleen Spencer, RAC Information Specialist with assistance from Colleen Reinert and Genoveva Martinez, MHP Salud.

 

 

LEARNING

 

The Small Business Administration and the Kauffman Foundation have announced an August 25 discussion of how Millennial entrepreneurs can find — and harness the power of — their startup communities within their own respective cities.  http://www.entrepreneurship.org/en/Founders-School/Blog/2015/August/How-Do-You-Find-Your-Startup-Community.aspx

The one-hour chat begins at 12:00 p.m. CDT. Questions will be tweeted out from @SBAgov and retweeted by @KauffmanFS. Participate in the chat by following @KauffmanFS, @SBAgov and the hashtag #MillennialTreps on Twitter.

 

Rural Gateway Peer-To-Peer Conference Call: The State of Infrastructure in Rural America: A Discussion of Best Practices - September 3, 2015 - 2 PM EDT

The Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development (ORHED) invites you to take part in our next Peer-to-Peer conference call. Scheduled for September 3, 2015, this call will offer participants the opportunity to learn more about available programs through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

Topics to be discussed:

• Planning Transportation Infrastructure in Rural America (FHWA)
• Transit to Meet the Needs of Rural Americans (FTA)
• Transportation Safety (FHWA/NHTSA)
• Practices and Technical Assistance Across the Department (all)

Format of the call - Call-in instructions and additional materials will be emailed to participants on September 2, 2015. The 60-minute call will include presentations and a Q&A session.  Please RSVP by email to rhed@hud.gov no later than close of business on September 1, 2015. Please include your name and organization. If you have any questions, please call 1-877-RURAL-26 (1-877-787-2526).

          

Why Local Food Matters - September 10^th at 11 AM – Eastern Time.  No advance registration is required.  Simply click on the link on the day to join.  Enter as Guest with just your name. https://msues.adobeconnect.com/_a828402417/srdc/.  Speaker: Debra Tropp, USDA Agricultural Marketing Service

 

Winning Technology-friendly Grants for K-12 - Sponsored by NetApp - Tue, Sep 22, 2015 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT  Show in My Time Zone

From elementary literacy initiatives to college and career readiness programs, grants can enable school districts to transform the technology they use in the classroom, in the office, and even in the home. But in order to get the benefit of all this funding, you have to know where to look and how to effectively pursue the right opportunities for your…Read more

 

Where did all the people go? One reason you’re getting a low turnout and 10 things you can do about it - f you’ve ever organized or attended a community event like a town hall meeting, a meet and greet with your lawmaker or a public forum and were surprised that not many people showed up, you’re not alone. See why you might be encountering this problem, and what you can do about it.

 

 

FUNDING

 

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker has announced the launch of the Economic Development Administration's (EDA) $10 million funding opportunity for the 2015 Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) Program competition. Under this program, the EDA is soliciting applications for two funding opportunities: the i6 Challenge, which funds organizations that help innovators and entrepreneurs turn ideas and research into viable, sustainable companies, and Seed Fund Support Grants, which funds regionally-focused seed capital funds that provide early-stage capital to innovation-based startups with a potential for high growth.  Read more.  Applications due:  Oct 5, 2015

 

Rural Health Fellows Program - Application deadline: Aug 31, 2015
A year-long, intensive program designed to develop a community of rural health leaders. Sponsor: National Rural Health Association

 

Rural Integration Models for Parents and Children to Thrive (IMPACT) Demonstration - Application deadline: Aug 31, 2015
Provides technical assistance and other support for up to 10 rural and tribal communities to develop innovative, two-generation strategies to reducing child poverty. Sponsor: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

 

Grant Announcement: Small Grants Program for Transporting Healthy Food - Application Deadline: September 18th

CSX and The Conservation Fund (The Fund) have joined forces to help combat food insecurity for a second year!  Specifically, CSX and The Fund will provide small grants to support our country's local food distributors transport and distribute fresh, healthy food to communities in need. More than 23 million Americans across the country have limited or no access to fresh produce, dairy, meats, and seafood.  One of the contributing factors to these "food deserts" is the lack of local infrastructure to distribute fresh food to markets.  We need to connect people to food, and food to people! >>Learn more and download an application!

 

Loving Support Makes Breastfeeding Work WIC Breastfeeding Curriculum and Training solicitation is posted on   http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=278466. This solicitation is open to non-profit organizations and closes on September 28, 2015.  Only non-profit organizations, for-profit educational institutions and WIC State agencies with extensive experience in the provision of breastfeeding education and training and breastfeeding course development may apply.  http://origin.drupal.fns.usda.gov/wic/wic-breastfeeding-curricula-and-training-request-application

 

Funding for youth-based environmental programs - The deadline for spring and summer projects is Sept. 30.  The Captain Planet Foundation funds projects that give the next generation of environmental stewards an active understanding and love for the natural world in which they live.

 

Safe Places to Play Grant - Deadline: Oct 2, 2015. Funder: US Soccer Foundation

 

Developing Healthy Places - Deadline: Ongoing. Funder: The Kresge Foundation

 

National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Students to Service Loan Repayment Program (S2S LRP) - Application deadline: Oct 22, 2015
Provides loan repayment assistance to medical students (MD and DO) who agree to provide primary care health services in eligible Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) of greatest need. Sponsor: National Health Service Corps

 

Community HealthCorps - Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Offers monetary sums for education or loan repayment in exchange for full-time service in a rural or underserved community. Community HealthCorps Members perform a variety of activities associated with health services and programs for patients and communities, often by functioning as community health workers. Sponsor: National Association of Community Health Centers

 

Community Response Fund - Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Supports organizations, activities, and events that offer short-term, immediate solutions to oral healthcare challenges in underserved communities. Sponsor: DentaQuest Foundation

 

SBA 7a Loans - Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Provides loans to small businesses (including small healthcare practices) for working capital; equipment purchase; real estate purchase; building construction or renovation; business acquisition; and debt refinancing. Sponsor: Small Business Administration

 

USDA Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program - Application deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Funding to construct, enlarge, or improve essential community facilities for healthcare, public safety, education, and public services in rural areas. Sponsor: USDA Rural Development

 

AAUW Invites Applications for Career Development Grants - DEADLINE: December 15, 2015

Grants of up to $12,000 will be awarded to women who hold a bachelor's degree and are preparing to advance or change careers or re-enter the workforce....

 

Applications Invited for Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children's Tylenol National Child Care Teacher Awards - DEADLINE: January 4, 2016

Fifty pre-K teachers will be selected to receive grants of $1,000 in honor of their dedication to providing high-quality child care....

 

Humane Society of the United States Foundation Invites Nominations for 2016 National Kind Teacher Award - DEADLINE: February 15, 2016

One winner will receive a framed certificate and a scholarship to the Humane Society University's Certified Humane Education Specialist program....

 

BusinessUSA's Access Financing Wizard

To help you identify what government financing programs may be available to help you start or expand your business, check out the "Access Financing" Wizard from BusinessUSA. In a few quick steps, this wizard will guide you to government resources to access financing for your business! Learn more

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: Monday, August 17, 2015 11:09 AM
Subject: Publications, Tools, Learning and Funding

 

PUBLICATIONS

WIC households favor supercenters for their primary grocery shopping

Data from a new USDA-funded survey, National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS), show that households that participate in USDA’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) are more likely to use supercenters for their primary food shopping than non-WIC comparison households (non-participating households that contain either a pregnant woman or a child under the age of 5). Over half of WIC households (52 percent) used a supercenter for their main food shopping, compared with 45 percent of non-WIC comparison households with incomes below 185 percent of the poverty threshold and 41 percent of higher-income non-WIC comparison households. Because WIC households are larger and more likely to contain multiple young children compared with non-WIC comparison households, WIC households may be more enticed to shop at supercenters in order to purchase larger-sized products or take advantage of one-stop shopping. A chart appears in “Most U.S. Households Do Their Main Grocery Shopping at Supermarkets and Supercenters Regardless of Income” in the August 2015 issue of ERS’s Amber Waves magazine.

Number of U.S. farmers markets has nearly tripled over the last 15 years - A farmers’ market is a common area where several farmers gather on a recurring basis to sell fresh produce and other farm products directly to consumers. The number of farmers’ markets rose to 8,476 in 2014, up from 2,863 in 2000 and 1,755 in 1994, according to USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. Farmers’ markets tend to be concentrated in densely populated areas of the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast. Generally, farmers’ markets feature items from local food systems, although depending on the definition of “local,” some vendors may come from outside the local region, and some local vendors may not sell locally produced products. The growing number of farmers’ markets could reflect increased demand for local and regional food products based on consumer perceptions of their freshness and quality, support for the local economy, environmental benefits, or other perceived attributes relative to food from traditional marketing channels. A chart can be found in the ERS report, Local Food Systems: Concepts, Impacts, and Issues, ERR-97, May 2010.

 

 

TOOLS

 

Racial Equity Tools
The recently re-launched Racial Equity Tools compiles resources and curricula for communities and organizations working to advance racial justice. The site features learning modules, films, and discussion guides designed to build understanding of how structural racism and other forms of inequity affect employment, food justice, and other human development issues. The site also includes concrete planning tools for practitioners to launch social media campaigns, create popular education and training strategies, evaluate progress, and advocate for policy and system change. Find Out More»

 

Entrepreneurial Accelerators.

Funding stakeholders often want to see you make real progress quickly with entrepreneurial development. To address this challenge, the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship field research, conducted over 15 years, has identified five accelerators that make a real difference:  (1) targeting entrepreneurial talent, (2) deploying business coaching, (3) developing an area resource network, (4) partnering with high value "go to" resources that serve targeted talent, and (5) launching a youth entrepreneurship effort to energize your community. This is the kind of work that we walk you through in our e2 University online resource. Learn more about crafting your optimal entrepreneurship strategy with our Creating an Entrepreneurial Strategy guide. 

 

Tools You Can Use... A key to NetWork Kansas' success is its preparatory work with communities. This month, the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship is sharing an e2 University resource - our guide on Energizing Your Community. This resource provides insights and tools that you can use to engage your community in support of entrepreneur-focused economic development.

 

Rural Hunger and Access to Healthy Food A nutritious diet is important for maintaining good health, but accessing fresh and affordable food can be a challenge for some rural residents. This RAC topic guide provides information on how to address food security issues in your community, including funding and assistance programs, model programs, strategies, and more. Thank you to Laura Griffin and Danielle Berman, USDA Food and Nutrition Service for their assistance in the review and development of this guide.

 

 

LEARNING

 

One Page Cost Benefit Analysis Tool, Thursday, August 20, 3:30 - 4:45pm ET (12:30 - 1:45 PT) - Free! Register Now

“Pencil it out” is shorthand for making good farm investment and purchasing decisions. This session provides a straightforward financial tool for making informed decisions and budgeting for the future. 
Making decisions that make good financial sense is difficult. But difficult decisions become a whole lot easier when you have the right tool to walk you through the financial implications of your decision. This session simplifies the concepts of Partial Budget Analysis so that you can “use the parts you’re comfortable with.” The idea is to grow your financial skill set at a pace that makes sense for you, to provide a pathway to improve your abilities rather than terrorize you with details, ratios, and secret formulas intelligible only to accountants. 
Join us to learn how this powerfully simple tool can help your business today... and trainers and technical assistance providers who work with farmers or other businesses, learn how you can add this to your toolbox you can provide to your students or clients. Reserve your spot - click here

 

NADO Research Foundation Co-sponsoring Upcoming Webinar Showcasing Planning Resources Available from Non-Profit Partners

The NADO Research Foundation is pleased to co-sponsor an upcoming webinar, Building Strong Communities:  Resources and Assistance from Non-Profit Partner on September 2.  The webinar will feature resources, technical assistance opportunities, and other programs available from Audubon International, Community Builders, Project for Public Spaces, and SCOTie to promote better planning, community engagement, and effective results in your communities and regions.  Click here to register

 

 

FUNDING

 

TOM'S OF MAINE's 50 States for Good initiative supports grassroots organizations throughout the country working to do good in their communities. In 2015, the program will provide grants of $20,000 each to one grassroots nonprofit organization in every state and the District of Columbia. Any individual 18 years of age or older is eligible to nominate a nonprofit organization for consideration. Eligible organizations must be valid 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations in good standing that are community-based. (National organizations are not eligible.) Deadline for nominations: 8/26/2015. Visit the 50 States for Good website here to review the official rules and to submit a nomination via the website, Twitter, or Instagram.

 

Bush Foundation Accepting Applications for Native Nation Rebuilders Program - DEADLINE: August 27, 2015

The program will provide emerging or existing leaders in the twenty-three Native nations served by the foundation with access to ideas and information, peer networks, leadership training, and other resources....

 

HUD is offering grant funding to institutions of higher education, public housing authorities or Indian housing authorities, and nonprofit organizations to hire service coordinators to assess the needs of public and Indian housing residents and link them to supportive services that enable participants to increase earned income, reduce or eliminate the need for welfare assistance, and make progress toward achieving economic independence and housing self-sufficiency. Deadline: 8/31/2015. Click here to review application guidelines.

 

HUD is offering funding to national nonprofit organizations with ongoing experience in rural housing, including experience working with rural housing organizations, local governments, and Indian tribes, as evidenced by past and continuing work in one or more states in five or more of the federal regions through the Rural Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing Grants program. Deadline: 9/14/2015. This U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development program will provide funds to help communities develop the skills and technical capabilities necessary to undertake effective community development activities. For more information and to apply, click here.

 

Family Travel Forum Seeks Submissions for Teen Travel Writing Scholarships - DEADLINE: September 14, 2015

Scholarship grants of up to $1,000 will be awarded for blogs by teens that share their travel experiences in words and images....

 

NEA Invites Creative Placemaking Proposals for Our Town Grant Program - DEADLINE: September 21, 2015

Grants of up to $200,000 will be awarded for creative placemaking projects that contribute toward the livability of communities....

 

Nominations Invited for I Love My Librarian Award - DEADLINE: September 28, 2015

Up to ten winners will be selected to receive a $5,000 cash award, a plaque, and a $500 travel stipend to attend the awards reception in New York City....

Service Area Competition Funding for Health Center Program (Areas Served with a Project Period Start Date of March 1, 2016) - Application deadline: Sep 28, 2015
Funding to provide comprehensive primary health care services to an underserved area or population. Sponsor: Bureau of Primary Health Care

Substance Abuse Service Expansion - Application deadline: Sep 28, 2015
Supplemental funds to improve and expand substance abuse services at existing Health Centers, with a focus on Medication-assisted Treatment (MAT) in opioid use disorders. Sponsor: Bureau of Primary Health Care

Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program - Application deadline: Sep 30, 2015
This program furnishes loans and loan guarantees to provide funds for the construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service in eligible rural areas.
Sponsor: USDA Rural Development

Target Accepting Applications for K-12 Field Trip Grants Program - DEADLINE: September 30, 2015

More than 3,600 grants of up to $700 each will be awarded to fund visits to art, science, and cultural museums; community service or civic projects; career enrichment opportunities; and other events or activities for K-12 students in the United States....

 

THE BBVA COMPASS FOUNDATION is offering grant support to nonprofit organizations that are making a positive impact in the communities the bank serves in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, New York, and Texas. The Foundation gives priority to requests that best reflect the following focus areas: community development/financial literacy, education, health and human services, arts and culture, environment and natural resources, and diversity and inclusion. Deadline: Online applications are due 9/30/2015. (Prior to submitting a grant request, organizations interested in applying are invited to join one of the Charitable Contributions Process Conference Calls/Webinar Presentations to be held on August 21 and September 11.) Visit the bank’s website here to learn more about the Foundation’s guidelines and application process.

Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) - Application deadline: Oct 7, 2015
Awards funding to Native American/Alaska Native tribes and tribal organizations to implement activities and services aimed at reducing the risk of diabetes, providing high quality care to those with diagnosed diabetes, and/or reducing the complications of diabetes. Sponsor: Indian Health Service

Ben & Jerry's Foundation Seeks Proposals for Social and Environmental Justice Projects - DEADLINE: October 15, 2015 (Pre-applications)

Grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded to nonprofit community-organizing groups in the United States working to further social and environmental justice and support sustainable and just-food systems....

 

THE INSTITUTE FOR RURAL AMERICA has issued a request for proposals for a $5,000 Leadership Training Grant. The competitive grant is awarded for creative and educationally focused proposals targeted at groups desiring to develop and foster leadership within their member base. Successful applications will clearly outline a leadership training plan. Proposals that include cooperators who can assist with project planning, evaluation, or information dissemination will be viewed favorably. Deadline: 10/15/2015. Click here to learn more about the program and to apply.  

 

NCTM Accepting Applications for Pre-K-5 Teacher Development Grants - DEADLINE: November 6, 2015

Grants of up to $2,000 will be awarded for professional development plans aimed at improving teacher competency and student learning....

 

Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Accepting Applications for USArtists International Grant Program - DEADLINE: Various

Grants of up to $15,000 are available to American dance, music, and theater ensembles that have been invited to perform at international festivals anywhere in the world outside the United States....

 

NCTM Accepting Applications for Classroom Research Grants for Teachers of Grades 7-12 - DEADLINE: November 6, 2015

Grants of up to $6,000 will be awarded to support and encourage classroom-based research in precollege mathematics education....

 

NCTM Accepting Applications From Music Projects to Teach Pre-K-2 Mathematics  - DEADLINE: November 6, 2015

Grants of up to $3,000 will be awarded to individual classroom teachers or small groups of teachers collaborating on the single grade level or across grade levels....

 

FW: Publications, Learning, Tools, Funding, and Feedback Requested

Sorry for duplicate emails!  Various grant and learning opportunities below.

 

Of particular interest to SET communities is the USDA-RD Interim Rule on Strategic Economic and Community Development at the very bottom – it potentially provides funding to support implementation of regional strategic plans, like SET’s high quality plan.

 

From: Agans, Suzette - RD, Washington, DC [mailto:Suzette.Agans@wdc.usda.gov]
Sent: Friday, July 31, 2015 10:56 AM
Subject: Publications, Learning, Tools, Funding, and Feedback Requested

 

Next week there will be no email.  Take care everyone

 

PUBLICATIONS

 

Imports used by the U.S. food system totaled $76.6 billion in 2013

In 2013, U.S. consumers spent $1.5 trillion on food and beverages, including both grocery store and eating-out purchases. Imported food and beverages that were purchased directly by U.S. consumers (such as farm-raised shrimp from Thailand, fresh avocados from Mexico, and wines from Spain) accounted for $186.9 billion—13 percent of this total. The remaining 87 percent ($1.3 trillion) was spent on domestically-produced food and beverages. Food and beverages produced in the United States rely not only on domestic inputs, but also on embedded imports. Embedded imports are food ingredients and non-food inputs that are imported and used throughout the U.S. food system. For example, cranberries are imported from Canada and then used as an ingredient in U.S. fruit juice production. Likewise, foreign-produced cookware and refrigerators are purchased by U.S. restaurant owners and are examples of embedded imports in the U.S. food system. In 2013, $76.6 billion of embedded imports were used, accounting for 5 percent of total U.S. food spending. A chart appears in “Accounting for Direct and Embedded Imports in the U.S. Food and Beverage Dollar” in ERS’s July 2015 Amber Waves magazine.

One in five rural counties had child poverty rates over 33 percent

Child poverty rates varied considerably across nonmetropolitan (rural) counties according to 2009-13 county averages (data on poverty for all U.S. counties are available from the American Community Survey only for 5-year averages). According to the official poverty measure, one in five rural counties had child poverty rates over 33 percent. Child poverty has increased since the 2000 Census (which measured poverty in 1999) and the number of rural counties with child poverty rates of over 33 percent has more than doubled. Improving young adult education levels tended to lower child poverty rates over the period, but increases in single-parent households and economic recession were associated with rising child poverty. Metropolitan counties had average child poverty rates of 21 percent in 2009-13. A map appears in the July 2015 Amber Waves feature, "Understanding the Geography of Growth in Rural Child Poverty."

 

 

LEARNING

 

The Orton Family Foundation invites you to a free Heart & Soul Talk: Out of the Box Ways to Boost Public Engagement.  You’ll hear great ideas for how to get creative and get results with public engagement that involves everyone. On the call are Meagan Picard, Orton senior associate; Meaghan Carlson, past Heart & Soul project coordinator in Gardiner, Maine; and Robby Henes, Heart & Soul Team member, from Cortez, Colorado. Thursday, August 13, 3-4 p.m. Eastern. Register today for this FREE talk. http://bit.ly/1CV9aEN

 

 

TOOLS

Activity to explore community demographics - Use this exercise to help your coalition make a list of the diverse people and groups in your community. This list is helpful for recruitment and communications purposes, to help your efforts be inclusive.

 

Creative Placemaking - Volume 10, Issue 2, December 2014,

Topics of interest to this group include: Five Roles for Arts, Culture, and Design in Economic Development, Creative Placemaking: How to Do It Well, Measuring the Economic and Social Impacts of Cultural Organizations

In measuring the impact of cultural organizations, there are at least three possible types of impact that should be the focus of our efforts: their economic impact, their impact on wellbeing, and their impact on local social networks, Assessing a Set of Indicators for Creative Placemaking: Reflections From the Field, and Financing Creative Places.  Source: San Francisco Federal Reserve

 

 

FUNDING

 

National Endowment for the Humanities Accepting Applications for Bridging Cultures Grant -DEADLINE: August 24, 2015

Grants of up to $100,000 will be awarded to projects that aim to strengthen and enrich humanities education and scholarship at community colleges....

 

The Rural Child Poverty Nutrition Center (RCPNC) at the University of Kentucky announces the availability of funding for projects that use creative strategies to increase coordination among United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) Child Nutrition programs and other nutrition assistance programs. The project is aimed at families with children who live in 324 persistently poor counties in 15 states. Its goal is to increase those families' participation in USDA-FNS Child Nutrition Programs and other nutrition assistance programs. Through the grant funding, communities will improve program coordination among various nutrition assistance programs, which is expected to result in improved rates of program participation. Government or non-profit organizations at the state or local (city or county) level located in the eligible counties  in the 15 states with the highest number of persistently poor counties may apply for up to $100,000 to implement their project. While the maximum amount that can be requested for consideration under an individual grant application is $100,000, the minimum amount that can be requested is $50,000. Up to 25 grantees will be selected. Special consideration will be given to areas with large Native American populations and Tribal districts.  A list of eligible counties and application is available at www.rcpnc.org. Application deadline is September 30, 2015.  Letter of intent is recommended and due by September 1, 2015

TD Charitable Foundation Invites Applications for 2015 Housing for Everyone Grants  - DEADLINE: September 4, 2015

Grants of $100,000 will be awarded in support of neighborhood revitalization and stabilization projects and initiatives....

 

Funding for engaging communities on the issue of immigration – October 5, 2015

The American Immigration Council will award grants nationwide, in the amount of $100 to $500, to fund a limited number of projects that provide education about immigrants and immigration.

American Century Investments Foundation Invites Applications From Health and Human Services Organizations  - DEADLINE: October 6, 2015

Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded to nonprofit health and human service organizations based in the communities where American Century Investments employees live and work....

 

National Alliance for Accessible Golf Invites Grant Applications - DEADLINE: Rolling

Grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded to nonprofit organizations for golf-related programs serving people with disabilities....

 

Applications Invited for Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children's Tylenol National Child Care Teacher Awards  - DEADLINE: January 4, 2016

Fifty pre-K teachers will be selected to receive grants of $1,000 in recognition of their efforts to provide high-quality child care....

 

Funding to build strong communities – Rolling deadlines

The Surdna Foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations in the priority areas of Sustainable Environments, Strong Local Economies, and Thriving Cultures.

 

 

FEEDBACK REQUESTED

 

Comments Due August 18 for USDA-RD Interim Rule on Strategic Economic and Community Development
In May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA-RD) published the “Strategic Economic and Community Development” Interim Rule for public comment.  The Interim Rule implements the “Strategic Economic and Community Development” provision (Section 6025) of the Agricultural Act of 2014.  USDA-RD will reserve 10 percent of the funds appropriated to certain Rural Development programs each fiscal year to fund projects that support the implementation of strategic economic and community development plans across multi-jurisdictional areas.  The Interim Rules goes into effect on June 19 and funds will be accessible during fiscal year (FY) 2016.  Written comments must be received on or before August 18.  Click here to view a full copy of the Interim Rule.