Weekly Newsletter

For the week of  March 9, 2010

 

 

Upcoming Workshops

Performance Measurements for Nonprofits
March 18, 2010
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Huntington Bank Room - Main Library
Course Description:  In this interactive workshop we will discuss:

  • Why Measure - Discuss major trends and drivers for performance measurement, as well as benefits and challenges
  • What to Measure - Review core concepts including contribution vs. attribution, evaluation vs. measurement, and activities vs. outcomes. We will also walk through guidance on developing practical and relevant performance indicators
  • How To Measure - Review and apply tools for organizations to begin implementing performance measurement in-house including Readiness Checklist, Success Equations and Measurement Frameworks
  • Next steps - Focused discussion on building organizational buy-in, implementing measurement and how to apply performance data to strategy, communications and resource allocation.

Materials in this workshop are geared to any senior level staff or Board Member.  Click here for details and registration.

 

Selling Your Impact:  Succeeding in an Era of Outcomes
March 18, 2010
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Huntington Bank Room - Main Library
Course Description:  This interactive workshop will discuss:

  • What do funders want to know - Discuss the changing landscape of fundraising, particularly from foundations and corporate funders
  • How to Implement Measurement - Discuss organizational considerations, technical considerations, capacity considerations and budget considerations, and the implementation process including metrics definitions, data sourcing and data validation
  • How to Get the Data - Launching data collection through simplified tools including existing systems, Excel spreadsheets and online options
  • Packaging Results - Developing performance reports for funders, internal and external stakeholders.

Click here for details and registration.

 

Developing Annual Sustainability - Registration Closes TODAY
March 23-24, 2010
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Huntington Bank Room - Main Library
Course Description:  You'll Learn How To

  • Determine which strategies to use and when to use them
  • Manage your time effectively
  • Make a convincing case for support
  • Create gift range charts for planning
  • Get volunteers actively involved with your fundraising
  • Use the annual fund to support a total development program
  • Put together an annual fund by using worksheets
  • Assess the cost efficiency and effectiveness of your annual fund

What You'll Receive:

  • An easy-to-use, comprehensive Study Guide to use for future reference
  • Check lists for organizing special events
  • Training exercises to use in your workplace
  • Planning tools for your direct mail program
  • Tips from annual fund specialists

The maximum number of participants is 40.  If the maximum number is reached, an application process will be implemented.   Click here for details and registration.

 

Click here to see the full list of 2010 workshops.  Our workshops are offered free of charge to nonprofit staff, volunteers and board members; however, we request 48 hours notice if you need to cancel your registration.  Individuals who fail to cancel a registration twice will be charged $35 for future workshops. 

 



Upcoming Events 

You do not need to be a member of the sponsoring organization to attend these events. For more information about a particular event, click on the link; or for a complete listing of events, visit The Center for Nonprofit Resources website at www.c4npr.org.



 

Tips & Tidbits 

National Volunteer Week Volunteer Nominations Needed - United Way Volunteer Center will be sending out media releases each day of National Volunteer Week focusing on agencies around Toledo that utilize volunteers in 5 different issue areas: Education, Income, Health/Disabilities, Environment/Disaster Preparedness (Earth Day), and Animal Services.  The media releases will highlight a volunteer and volunteer opportunities focusing on the above issue areas.  If you would like to nominate a volunteer at your agency to be highlighted or if you have a volunteer opportunity that the media can cover the week of April 19th, please click here to complete the survey no later than Friday, March 19th.  

Philanthropy 3.0 - What happens when the next generation of philanthropists take over? Will the same groups be funded and to the same degree or will their interests be different than their parents or grandparents? Charles Bronfman and Jeffrey Solomon, president of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies convened a group of eight philanthropists in their 20s and 30s to "discuss their current or future roles in family foundations, their philanthropic aspirations and what today's charities could do differently for them."   Click here to read the entire article.

 

2009 Form 990: Significant Changes - Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax, is the IRS's primary tool for gathering information about tax-exempt organizations, for educating organizations about tax law requirements, and for promoting compliance with tax law. The 2009 Form 990, schedules, and instructions have been revised to modify and clarify certain reporting requirements.  Click here to read the entire article.

 

Understanding your Mission and Vision (by Rosemary Bayer and Lee Gorman) -  vision: ...2 a : the act of power of imagination b (1) : mode of seeing or conceiving mission: ...4 c : a pre-established and often self-imposed objective or purpose <statement of the company's mission>.

What does it mean for an organization to have a "vision?" What constitutes a good mission statement? What's the difference between vision and mission, and how do they affect an organization's operations?  This month we'll explore the difference between mission and vision. Why? This will help you establish achievable goals, strategies, and (ideally) collaboration to get you to the outcomes you desire faster.

Mission Statement

Your Mission Statement is a public pronouncement of what you do and for whom, often prominently displayed at your organization's place of business. Your Mission defines your daily work - your programs, clients or customers and the outcomes for which you strive.  Some great examples of Mission Statements are:

  • The Michigan Nonprofit Association increases the capacity of Michigan's nonprofits to serve, strengthen and transform communities.
  • Médecins Sans Frontières is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, healthcare exclusion and natural or man-made disasters.
  • The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.
  • We like to make a distinction between a true mission statement and a "tagline," often mistaken for a mission. Taglines (which are typically succinct summations, in marketing terms, of a concept, a company or a brand) help provide key information. But, generally, taglines are too short to include the full purpose of an organization and an adequate description of its desired audience. Some taglines you may have seen are:
  • Live United
  • Where minds and means connect.
  • Transforming lives for the benefit of society.

The mission statement is a critical communication tool, internally and externally. It provides constant guidance on every-day decisions and operations.  You can calibrate everything you do against your mission to ensure the most effective use of your resources. Most importantly, every proposal for new projects or programs shouId be evaluated in terms of alignment with the mission. "Mission creep'' can be costly financially, and always results in decreased focus on your goals, and loss of credibility with donors.

Vision

Your vision is not specific and operational like your mission. Instead, it is a statement of the ideal of what your organization will be, in the future. This "future" does not have a specific timeframe. (We often suggest ten years, which is outside the immediate planning horizon). There also may not be agreement that the vision is even feasible. The vision is something toward which the organization strives, but without a given timeline or ability to measure it.


You may have a vision for your organization, but perhaps it's not clearly articulated. Part of the strategic planning process is to articulate your vision and ensure it is shared among stakeholders. One caveat: although the vision reflects aspirations beyond where the organization is today, it should still be consistent with the mission. If your mission is to provide studio space to local artists, your vision shouldn't have to do with providing health care in foreign countries!  Some really great vision statements include:

  • The Michigan Nonprofit Association will be the premier organization advancing the nonprofit sector in Michigan.
  • We will build a stronger America by mobilizing our communities to improve people's lives.
  • TechTown seeks to become the world's foremost business incubator, leading to an economic renaissance in the city, state and region.

So, now you have your mission and vision - so what?  Is there a big gap between your vision and where you are today? Is there a gap between your mission and the programs you are actually working on today? Ask yourself - if we do this, will we serve our mission and move forward on our vision?  Check your current programs: do they align with your mission? If not, take a look at what your mission truly is - or look at how to make decisions that align tactics (and resources) with that mission. This will reduce your mission creep and increase your focus, which will ultimately increase your successful outcomes.


Now, take another look at your mission and your strategic goals. Do you have written objectives or outcomes that are specific and measurable, that are consistent with both? If so, you will be moving toward realization of your vision.  Once you have a clear understanding of your vision and mission, you are in a great position to collaborate with other organizations. Are there areas peripheral to your mission that are central to another organization's mission? You could turn over non-core programs to another organization, and potentially take over some of theirs. Or, you could combine resources or efforts for a synergistic, positive effect. For example, perhaps there's another organization with which you could combine some back office operations (IT, payroll, etc.).  Mission and vision statements are important tools to keep organizations focused on what they do best and where they want to go. When you communicate them well, they can enhance the effectiveness of your operations, fundraising, and outreach.

 

 

Job Postings

Items in red are new for this week...

Funding Opportunities

Local Opportunities

Bill Rowles Youth Foundation Fund - The Toledo Community Foundation seeks proposals requesting support for programs in Northwest Ohio that enhance the lives of young people under the age of 18.  Preference will be given to Wood County organizations.  Click here for grant guidelines.  Apply online at www.GrantRequest.com/SID_1086?SA=SNA&FID=35010.


The Fran and Dick Anderson Community Support Fund was recently established at Toledo Community Foundation for the sole purpose of supporting the operations of eligible charitable organizations that may be suffering from the recent economic downturn or other special circumstances.  The Foundation is currently accepting grant requests.  Please click on the following link for more information: http://www.toledocf.org/grants/overview/.  Questions regarding the Fund can be directed to Sarah Harrison at sarah@toledocf.org or 419.241.5049 or Sarah@toledocf.org.

 

 

From Philanthropy News Digest
Dollar General Literacy Foundation Accepting Applications for Back to School Library Grants - The Dollar General Literacy Foundation Back to School Grants provide funding to school libraries or media centers working to implement new or expand existing literacy programs, looking to purchase new technology or equipment to support literacy initiatives, and/or looking to purchase materials or software for literacy programs.  Applicants must be a K-12 public, private, or charter school. Applicant organizations must provide direct service within Dollar General's 35-state market area and must be located within twenty miles of a Dollar General store.  The maximum grant award amount is $5,000 per school.  Visit the Dollar General Literacy Foundation website for guidelines and application.  Link to Complete RFP.


Got Breakfast? Foundation Announces Silent Hero Grants for Summer Food Programs - The got breakfast? Foundation, whose mission is to ensure that every child, regardless of background, starts the school day with a nutritious breakfast in order to learn, grow, and develop to his or her fullest potential, has announced the expansion of its Silent Hero Grant Program to participants in the federal Summer Nutrition Program.  The Silent Hero Grant Program is designed to encourage schools and nonprofit organizations to expand the reach of underutilized child nutrition programs, including the School Breakfast Program and, with this expansion, the Summer Nutrition Program.  Grants ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 will be awarded to public schools, nonprofit private schools, local governments, national youth sports programs, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations participating in the Summer Nutrition Program. Grant funds can be used for such needs as serving equipment, program staffing, and nutrition education materials.  To be considered for the summer grant program, projects must be centered around creating, continuing or expanding federal Summer Nutrition Programs. Priority will be given to organizations creating a summer program where one did not previously exist.  Visit the got breakfast? Foundation website for the Request for Applications.  Link to Complete RFP.

 



From grantstation.com

Mini-Grants Focus on Children's Safety (National Center for Safe Routes to School Mini-Grant Program) - The National Center for Safe Routes to School assists communities throughout the U.S. in enabling and encouraging children to safely walk and bike to school. The Center's Mini-Grant Program will provide up to 35 grants of $1,000 to community nonprofit organizations, K-12 schools, and local government agencies for projects that focus on increasing safe walking and/or bicycling to school. Funded activities may also explore a variety of issues related to Safe Routes to School programs, including physical activity and environmental benefits, distracted driving, personal safety, integrating children with disabilities, and community building. Online applications must be submitted by April 7, 2010. Visit the Center's website to review the Mini-Grant guidelines.

 


Wildlife Preservation Programs Supported (Wildlife Conservation Society: Wildlife Action Opportunities Fund) - The mission of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is to save wildlife and wild places across the globe. The WCS Wildlife Action Opportunities Fund grants program provides funding to nonprofit conservation organizations, state wildlife agencies, and tribal governments throughout the United States and U.S. territories for projects focused on implementing priority conservation actions. The funding interests for the current Request for Proposals include: promoting wildlife resilience to climate change, protecting wildlife movement linkages and habitat connectivity, mitigating threats to wildlife from new renewable and extractive energy development, reintroducing state and federally designated threatened and endangered species, and coordinating existing planning efforts to benefit the needs of wildlife and wildlife habitat. The deadline for pre-proposals is March 26, 2010. Visit the WCS website to download the RFP and pre-proposal application form.


Funds for University Student Support Programs (The Suder Foundation) - The mission of the Suder Foundation is to dramatically improve the graduation rate of first-generation college-bound students by providing them with financial, academic, emotional, and social assistance at selected state universities throughout the United States. The Foundation accomplishes its mission by partnering with four-year public universities to implement its Suder Scholars Program, which provides holistic support for first generation students in on-campus Scholar Development Sites. The Foundation is expanding its network and will add two University Partners as new sites during 2010. This Request for Proposal (RFP) is open to public four-year institutions of higher education in the United States. Ideal grantees have enrollments between 10,000 and 25,000 undergraduate students with a sizeable residential population. The application deadline is April 15, 2010. Visit the Foundation's website to download the RFP.


Grants Promote Puppet Theater (Jim Henson Foundation) - The Jim Henson Foundation awards grants for the creation and development of innovative works of puppet theater in the United States. Project grants of $5,000 are awarded for the production of new works ready to be presented in the coming year. Seed grants of $2,000 are available for the development and workshopping of pieces in earlier stages of creation. The Foundation also offers grants of $3,000 for new and innovative work specifically for children and families. Grants are provided to nonprofit organizations only; individual artists must apply through a fiscal sponsor. The deadline for letters of intent is April 16, 2010. Visit the Foundation's website to review the funding guidelines and download the application form.

 

State Grant Opportunities - Items in red are new postings.
OVW FY 2010 Enhanced Training and Services to End Violence Against and Abuse of Women Later in Life Program
Office of Violence Against Women  
SUMMARY:  The Enhanced Training and Services to End Violence Against and Abuse of Women Later in Life Program provides or enhances training and services to address elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking involving victims who are 50 years of age or older.
ELIGIBILITY: State, county and local governments, and nonprofits with 501(c)(3).
AWARD: 8 awards for up to $400,000
DEADLINE: March 10, 2010
ANNOUNCEMENT: http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/docs/fy10-abuse-later-life.pdf


Youth Science (YS) Cooperative Outreach Agreement (COA)
Department of Army  
SUMMARY:  The purpose of the Youth Science (YS) Cooperative Outreach Agreement (COA) is to solicit offers to carry out the public purpose of support and stimulation of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and outreach in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of the Army. The Army envisions the YS COA will bring together government and a consortium of organizations working collaboratively to further STEM education and outreach efforts nationwide.
ELIGIBILITY:  Small businesses, industrial, nonprofits and academic institutions.
DEADLINE: March 11, 2010
ANNOUNCEMENT: http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=51337


Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities-Stepping Stones of Technology Innovation for Children With Disabilities CFDA 84.327A
Department of Education  
SUMMARY:  The purpose of the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities program are to: (1) Improve results for children with disabilities by promoting the development, demonstration, and use of technology; (2) support educational media services activities designed to be of educational value in the classroom setting to children with disabilities; and (3) provide support for captioning and video description that are appropriate for use in the classroom setting.
ELIGIBILITY:  State educational agencies (SEAs); local educational agencies (LEAs); public charter schools that are LEAs under State law; IHEs; other public agencies; private nonprofit organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations.
AWARD: 4 awards for $300,000
DEADLINE: March 19, 2010
ANNOUNCEMENT:  http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-2182.pdf


Child Survival Health Grants
USAID  
SUMMARY: The Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Request for Applications (RFA) for the Child Survival and Health Grants Program (CSHGP) focuses on innovation and operations research (OR) in delivery strategies for high impact maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) interventions. In addition, the RFA is seeking to attract new partners to contribute to innovation and expand and improve the capacity of partners to contribute to the Stop Tuberculosis (TB) strategy interventions in targeted countries to meet global TB targets. The CSHGP's focus on innovation continues to strengthen a major shift in the program and in the criteria for selecting grantees and is closely aligned with the GH Bureau's mandate for innovation and technical leadership.
ELIGIBILITY: County and local governments, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, and others.
AWARD: 8 for a total of $13,500,000
DEADLINE: March 22, 2010
ANNOUNCEMENT: http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=51450


The Eldercare Locator
Administration on Aging  
SUMMARY: The Locator assists older adults, their families and caregivers in finding their way through the maze of services for seniors by identifying trustworthy local support resources. The goal is to provide users with the information and resources they need that will help older persons live independently and safely in their homes and communities for as long as possible.
ELIGIBILITY: public or private and nonprofit entities including state and local governments, faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, hospitals, and institutions of higher education.
AWARD: 1 for $1,450,000
DEADLINE: March 29, 2010
ANNOUNCEMENT: http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/Grants/Funding/index.aspx


National Aging I&R Support Center
Administration on Aging  
SUMMARY: The cooperative agreement continues operation of the Support Center which provides technical assistance and training to the aging network to assist these entities and enhance the quality and professionalism of their information and assistance systems.
ELIGIBILITY: State, county and local governments, nonprofits with 501(c)(3).
AWARD: $ 1,450,000
DEADLINE: March 29, 2010
ANNOUNCEMENT:  http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/Grants/Funding/index.aspx


VA Grant/Per Diem, 2010 Per Diem Only
Homeless Providers  
SUMMARY:  VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program is offered annually (as funding permits) by the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Programs to fund community agencies providing services to homeless Veterans. The purpose is to promote the development and provision of supportive housing and/or supportive services with the goal of helping homeless Veterans achieve residential stability, increase their skill levels and/or income, and obtain greater self-determination.
ELIGIBILITY: State, county and local governments, nonprofits with 501(c)(3), and others.
AWARD: 45 awards
DEADLINE: March 31, 2010
ANNOUNCEMENT: http://www1.va.gov/homeless/page.cfm?pg=3


2010 Healthy Communities Grant Program
Environmental Protection Agency  
SUMMARY: The Healthy Communities Grant Program is seeking projects that:

  • Target resources to benefit communities at risk (environmental justice areas of potential concern, places with high risk from toxic air pollution, urban areas) and sensitive populations (e.g. children, elderly, others at increased risk). Assess, understand, and reduce environmental and human health risks. Increase collaboration through community-based projects. Build institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environment and human health problems. Achieve measurable environmental and human health benefits.

ELIGIBILITY: State and local governments, nonprofit organizations, K-12 schools and school districts, and others.
AWARD: 20 for up to $35,000 each.
DEADLINE: April 5, 2010
ANNOUNCEMENT: http://epa.gov/region1/eco/uep/pdfs/2010-HC-Application-Guidance.pdf  


USDA
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program  
SUMMARY: The U.S. agricultural population is poised to make a dramatic change - half of all current farmers are likely to retire in the next decade. According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture, the average age of farm operators was 57 years. Farmers over the age of 55 own more than half the farmland in the U.S. But the number of new farmers and ranchers over the age of 35 is increasing, as does the number of smaller farms and ranches nationwide. To address the needs of this changing generation, Section 7410 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub .L. No. 110-234) amended Section 7405 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 and made available in Fiscal Year 2009, $17.2 million to fund a Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). According to these legislations, a beginning farm is considered to be one that is operated by one or more operators who have 10 years or less of experience operating a farm or ranch.
ELIGIBILITY: Collaborative, State, tribal, local, or regionally-based network or partnership of public or private entities, which may include: state cooperative extension service; community-based and nongovernmental organization; college or university (including institutions awarding associate degrees); or any other appropriate partner.
DEADLINE: April 6, 2010
ANNOUNCEMENT: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/beginningfarmerandrancher.cfm   

Environmental Literacy Grants for Informal/Non-formal Science Education
Department of Commerce  
SUMMARY: The goal of this funding opportunity is to support projects that engage the public in educational activities that utilize emerging and/or advanced technologies and leverage NOAA assets to improve understanding, and stewardship of the local and global environment. There is specific interest in projects that use emerging and/or advanced technologies to (1) facilitate outdoor experiences involving scientific inquiry and exploration of the natural world apart from formal K-12 curricula and (2) visualize, display, and interpret data to improve understanding and provide a systems perspective of Earth's dynamic processes. This program has two priorities. Priority 1 is for large-scale projects that occur over a longer duration with regional to national implementation. Priority 2 is for small-scale projects that occur over a shorter duration with local to regional implementation.
ELIGIBILITY: Institutions of higher education, nonprofits, and state, local, and tribal governments.
AWARD: 10 awards for up to $1,250,000
DEADLINE: April 6, 2010
ANNOUNCEMENT:  http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=51333  


Senior Corps RSVP Grants Competition
Corporation for National and Community Service  
SUMMARY: RSVP engages people age 55 and older in a diverse range of volunteer activities that deliver valuable services to meet community needs while providing an enriching experience to those who serve. RSVP volunteers choose how, where, and how often they want to serve, with commitments ranging from a few hours to 40 hours per week. The purpose of this RSVP grant funding is two-fold: (1) to establish new RSVP projects in geographic areas that are currently underserved by existing Corporation-funded RSVP projects; and (2) to expand the number of RSVP volunteers serving in existing RSVP projects who will engage in new programmatic activities.
ELIGIBILITY: State and local governments, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and others.
DEADLINE: Concept Paper February 22, 2010 and application April 6, 2010
ANNOUNCEMENT: http://www.nationalservice.gov/for_organizations/funding/nofa_detail.asp?tbl_nofa_id=78

 



Federal Deadlines
Department of Health and Human Services: Pension Counseling and Information Projects - This program provides support for efforts to protect financial security in retirement by promoting increased choice and greater independence among older adults.

Department of Justice: OVC FY10 Helping Organizations and Programs Expand (HOPE III) Grant - This program provides support to collectively undertake a comprehensive analysis of the current state of the crime victims' field in the U.S., with each grantee conducting a critical portion of the analysis.

Department of Agriculture: Resident Instruction Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas and Distance Education Grants for Insular Areas - This program provides support to promote and strengthen the ability of insular area institutions to carry out teaching and education programs within a broadly defined arena of food and agricultural sciences-related disciplines.

Department of Education: Evaluation of State and Local Education Programs and Policies - This program provides support to research activities that will result in the provision of high quality education for all children, improvement in student academic achievement, reduction in the achievement gap between high-performing and low-performing students, and increased access to and opportunity for postsecondary education.

Environmental Protection Agency: Fiscal Year 2010 Pollution Prevention Grant Program - This program provides support to state and tribal technical assistance programs which help businesses identify better environmental strategies and solutions for reducing or eliminating waste at the source.

 

 

 

Recovery Updates
Secretary Chu Announces $8 Million for Local Energy Assurance Planning; Ohio to Receive $130,000

Governor Applauds Rural Broadband Investments in Ohio

Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Announces $10 Million to Enhance Hospital Patient Data

Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Announces $12 Million for Heath Care Improvements Research

Ohio Chosen as Race to the Top Finalist, to Present Application in Washington

 

Ohio Receives $11.7 Million to Expand Broadband Access to 14,000 Ohioans

Ohio EPA Awards Stimulus Funds for Home Septic System Improvements

Ohio Beats Recovery Act Deadline on Transportation Investments

Lisa Patt-McDaniel Announces Launch Date for Ohio Energy Efficiency Appliance Rebate Program