Task Force Hearing in Austin Rescheduled
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has postponed the Task Force for Strengthening Nonprofit Capacity's Austin hearing that was originally scheduled for March 15, 2010. The rescheduled date is forthcoming.
The Houston and Dallas public hearings are still scheduled for Monday, March 29, and Wednesday, March 31, respectively.
Faith-Based and Community Leaders Invited to Provide Input at Task Force Hearings
The Task Force for Strengthening Nonprofit Capacity will facilitate public hearings throughout Texas to gather recommendations on strengthening the capacity of faith and community-based organizations providing services to Texans in need. The hearings will address what is working well for these organizations, what challenges exist and what suggestions they have to improve their capacity to serve the citizens of Texas. The hearings will be held at the following locations:
- Austin Public Hearing:: Postponed, new date forthcoming.
- Houston Public Hearing:: Monday, March 29, 2010 10 a.m. - noon United Way of Greater Houston, Community Resource Center, Auditorium at 50 Waugh Drive, Houston
- Dallas Public Hearing:: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 10 a.m. - noon Center for Community Cooperation, Oak Corner at 2900 Live Oak Street, Dallas
Task Force members invite oral testimony from faith- and community-based organizations during the public hearings. Time will be limited to five minutes per speaker. Due to the time limit on oral testimony, participants are also encouraged to provide written testimony. There will also be a question and answer session with Task Force members. Those unable to attend any of the public hearings may submit written testimony until mid-April through HHSC. For information on how to submit written testimony and other public hearing questions, please contact Anna McElearney at amac@onestarfoundation.org or (512) 287-2026.
Funding Opportunity AmeriCorps*Texas Planning Grant 2010-2011
AmeriCorps, a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), engages more than 80,000 members annually in a one to two-year term of service during which AmeriCorps members seek to meet the most pressing needs of Communities. OneStar Foundation is proud to administer AmeriCorps*Texas. This notice is for AmeriCorps*Texas Planning Grant programs. The purpose of planning grants is to support the development of AmeriCorps programs so applicants are better prepared to compete for an AmeriCorps program operating grant in the following AmeriCorps*State operating grant cycle. The length of the planning grant period is no longer that 12 months. Applicants may request up to $50,000 for a one-year planning grant.
Eligibility Criteria can be found on page five (5) of the posted AmeriCorps Planning Grant 2010-2011 Application Instructions.
OneStar may fund up to four (4) planning grants under this funding opportunity for 2010-11. Planning grants may not be used to support AmeriCorps members. Applications must be submitted online through eGrants (the Corporation for National and Community Service's online application, reporting and award system). Additional application components must be submitted via email to grants@onestarfoundation.org. The deadline for submitting an application is Wednesday, March 24, 2010, at 11:59 p.m. CST. Late applications will not be accepted.
Please submit questions about this RFP to Elisa Gleeson at elisa@onestarfoundation.org or by calling (512) 287-2029.
Bank of America's Neighborhood Excellence Initiative
Bank of America's Neighborhood Excellence Initiative recognizes nonprofit organizations and individuals working to improve their communities. It focuses on areas such as education, community development/neighborhood preservation, arts and culture, and health and human services. Applications are due by June 1, 2010 and cover the following two categories:.
- Neighborhood Builders: Grants of $200,000 each to two nonprofit organizations that are focused on local neighborhood priorities in each of the Bank's 45 markets . In Texas these are Austin, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Houston and San Antonio.
- Local Heroes: Grants of $5,000 each to nonprofit organizations selected by five recognized individuals in the targeted markets.
"The Bush Faith-Based Initiative and What Lies Ahead"
The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy, a project funded by the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government has released a report entitled, "Taking Stock: The Bush Faith-Based Initiative and What Lies Ahead." The report provides an overview of the "faith-based initiative" under George W. Bush and provides insight into President Obama’s White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. The views expressed in the report do not necessarily reflect those of the Texas Workforce Commission.
Taking Stock: The Bush Faith-Based Initiative and What Lies Ahead (PDF)
White House Office of Faith-based & Neighborhood Partnerships
President Obama has signed Executive Order 13498 establishing the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and the President's Advisory Council for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. The Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will focus on four key priorities, to be carried out by working closely with the President's Cabinet Secretaries and each of the eleven agency offices for faith-based and neighborhood partnerships:
- The Office's top priority will be making community groups an integral part of our economic recovery and poverty a burden fewer have to bear when recovery is complete.
- It will be one voice among several in the administration that will look at how we support women and children, address teenage pregnancy, and reduce the need for abortion.
- The Office will strive to support fathers who stand by their families, which involves working to get young men off the streets and into well-paying jobs, and encouraging responsible fatherhood.
- Finally, beyond American shores, this Office will work with the National Security Council to foster interfaith dialogue with leaders and scholars around the world.
Links:
- Federal Register posting: February 9 (PDF)
- White House Press Release: February 5
- Amendments to Executive Order 13199 and establishment of President Obama's Advisory Council for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships
Release of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Final Report
On January 12, 2009, the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI) released Innovations in Compassion - The Faith-Based and Community Initiative: A Final Report to the Armies of Compassion. The report details the accomplishments of former President George W. Bush's FBCI and highlights the various initiatives in numerous federal agencies, including the Department of Labor.
For a copy of the report, go to:
The Faith-Based and Community Initiative: A Final Report to the Armies of Compassion (PDF)
Reentry Partnerships: A Guide for States & Faith-Based and Community Organizations
The U.S. Department of Labor, Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice, in conjunction with the Council of State Governments Justice Center, announce the release of Reentry Partnerships: A Guide for States & Faith-Based and Community Organizations.
Reentry Partnerships is written for state government officials and representatives of faith-based and community organizations who want to create and sustain collaborative efforts to reduce recidivism and to help people returning to the community from prisons or jails lead productive and law-abiding lives. Project staff is in the process of developing a concise companion tool as a checklist for guide implementation and to facilitate discussions between government agencies and community-based providers to overcome barriers to coordinated reentry efforts. The toolkit will also be posted once it becomes available.
New Publication: Intermediaries and Faith Based and Community Organizations Working Together
This new publication discusses how intermediaries can help faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) more effectively provide services to communities. Workforce intermediaries play an important role in connecting businesses to jobseekers and incumbent workers. Intermediaries are also able to help FBCOs develop deeper connections with area businesses. The report highlights the key characteristics and effective features of intermediary organizations, as well as strategies intermediaries use to connect FBCOs with businesses. The publication gives a broad overview on different types of intermediaries and how they can help, as well as specific examples of successful partnerships with FBCOs and can be accessed via the following link: http://www.dol.gov/cfbci/intermediaries.pdf
Directory of Foundation Workforce and Economic Development Grants
Organizations that focus on workforce development and job training are a significant asset to their communities. Many corporate and private foundations see the value in these community organizations reaching their neighbors and want to help. This new resource can help bridge the gap between funding and services for many community organizations.
The Directory of Foundation Workforce Development Grant Opportunities booklet is a resource for these organizations looking for funding opportunities for their workforce development or economic development programs. This directory provides a detailed list of private and corporate foundations that provide grant opportunities to Faith- and Community-based Organizations in order to give these organizations a clear and concise tool to pursue grants. The directory provides a detailed explanation of each grant and contact information to more easily determine eligibility.
Directory of Foundation Workforce Grant Opportunities (PDF)
Texas Legal Services Center Provides Assistance
The Texas Legal Services Center is a non-profit organization providing assistance to all Texans, especially those of modest means. One of their current projects is to inform Texans about the Earned Income Tax Credit and I Can E-file, a tax-filing website that can be accessed from any computer and is free to all. Additionally, the Texas Legal Services Center sponsors several programs that would directly benefit clients of charitable, faith-based, and community based organizations, such as the Legal Hotline for Older Texans; the Victims Initiative for Counseling, Advocacy and the Restoration of the Southwest (VICARS), which provides direct legal assistance to victims of identity theft and financial fraud in Texas; Texas Health Law, which provides assistance with healthcare access and payments; and the Texas Law Help, which provides free online resources and low-cost civil legal assistance.
Please contact the Texas Legal Services Center at 512-477-6000 with any questions.
Collaborating with Faith- and Community-Based Organizations: Lessons Learned from 12 Workforce Investment Boards
The Department of Labor (DOL) has posted online Mathematica's final report Collaborating with Faith- and Community-Based Organizations: Lessons Learned from 12 Workforce Investment Boards, by D. Paulsell, et al. (May 15, 2007) ETAOP 2007-16.
Lessons learned include:
- FBCOs can leverage other community resources to meet clients' needs.
- One-stop centers and FBCOs have different organizational cultures, which must be bridged before partnerships begin.
- Partnering with intermediary organizations - which have experience with both One-stop centers and FBCOs - will facilitate successful relationships.
- Designing a liaison for client referrals at the One-stop center or co-locating FBCO staff at the One-stop helped build strong relationships between the two.