With so many people job hunting I thought it would be helpful to look for opportunities for skills development and support services. As I come across them I will be sure to post them on Grant Gazing. Here’s my first find.

This week’s pick: The Wal-Mart Foundation has a number of supports for underserved communities through their State Giving Program. One such support is for Workforce Development and Economic Opportunity. These grants “target job skill training and support services for unemployed and displaced workers.” The Foundation says they are looking to support programs from 501©3 nonprofits that have a long-lasting and positive impact.

You can apply though an online application form. Other areas of giving are educations, health & wellness and environmental sustainability. The application submission deadlines are: Spring Cycle: April 17 and Fall Cycle: September 18.
For information on all of the grants please click here.

Posted by admin at 09:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

At the Improve Group we feel that the arts and a strong education go hand in hand. It is very personal for co-worker Samantha Hagel and me. We are both 5-year veteran volunteers of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts’ Art Adventure program. This unique, fun and highly effective program exposes children in K-6 classrooms all over the State of Minnesota to the great variety of art presented at the Institute.

Susan Murphy & Samantha Hagel with Art Adventures training booklet

To become a school docent you will attend a Picture Person training that gives you tips on how to present the works of art to the students. After learning how to teach the art, you get a marvelous education in the pieces you will be presenting by a very knowledgeable MIA docent. After doing this for a few years it feel like you are getting your own art appreciation degree. Picture People are led around the museum to hear about the artists, their lives, the genres and to questioning the instructor in the same way you may be questioned when you reach the classroom.

The final step is to take eight, large, beautiful poster reproductions of the art theme your school selected and bring them into the classrooms. The students have an amazing ability to see a myriad of things going on in each piece. With so many themed sets of art available each year the experience stays fresh. Picture People also have a great web resource on the MIA site allowing them to look for activities they can do with the students.

Lucky classes will follow up with a field trip to the MIA to see the artwork in all its glory. To learn more about this great volunteer opportunity please click here, and watch for a follow-up from our 2009 classroom visits here on the IG blog.

Posted by admin at 04:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Those who know me know that my oldest son is in his 4th week with a cast up to his thigh in hopes of healing two broken leg bones. It is possible that he could still be in some kind of brace until the next school year starts. We have endured broken toes and even broken arms in our family but nothing has opened our eyes to the need for accessibility like the leg injury. My son uses crutches for short distances and a wheelchair in larger venues like school. Just learning to get him up and down steps and into the car was an education. Although what has happened to my son is unfortunate, and luckily temporary, it has taught my whole family a new level of respect for people who live every day with these kinds of challenges. I was happy to find today’s funding opportunity - and I hope it helps make life a little easier for some.

This week’s pick: The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF) is currently taking applications for a variety of National Grants to Support Young People with Disabilities. Grants are for areas such as:

Inclusiveness in after school math
Summer school programs
Internships
Leadership and more

U.S.-based 501©3 organizations are eligible. Preference is given to organizations that reflect collaborations among groups. The deadline to apply via concept paper is June 1, 2009. Click here for further grant and application details.

Posted by admin at 01:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

On Friday the 13th, a day of infamous reputation, I was present at a gathering of nonprofit board members, funders and community leaders to hear what could only be described as infamous news. The gathering was called UNITED FRONT: Engaging Nonprofit Boards and Executive Leadership Facing Unprecedented Challenges.

A packed ballroom at the Minneapolis Hilton heard the economic forecast from Minnesota State Economist Tom Stinson. News was not good. If things look tough financially for nonprofits in 2009, they will look just as bad or worse by 2011.
Mr. Stinson also noted that the recession will be deeper and longer than expected. Side effects coming from the available stimulus money will be:

1. Policy makers will not have as much freedom in making budget choices.
2. Funds given will be for one time only and gone by 2011.

Indications of a turn around in the economic situation may be evident if we see improvements in both the payroll employment number and consumer spending.

Christina Wessel, Deputy Director of the Minnesota Budget Project followed with a look at the Governor’s expected spending cuts . She noted that health and human services and education will take the biggest hit. Federal stimulus money will help prevent some cuts, but health insurance for some Minnesotans will be vulnerable.

John Pratt, Executive Director of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits spoke on what all of this means for MN nonprofits. His message - everyone must have a shared sense of sacrifice. There will be continuing decline in revenue and some needed staff reductions. MCN is conducting a quarterly survey to keep on top of the changes.

What to do?
A panel of leaders in government, nonprofits, and funding made suggestions and gave challenges to those in attendance; they included:

• Be proactive, this is not the time to be timid
• Now more than ever be a leader
• Form strategic partnerships
• Be creative - feel comfortable “shaking things up” when there is an opportunity to build optimism
• Be open to giving up turf
• Revisit the philosophy of your organization
• Do not manage people’s lives in perpetuity with your services – give them the skills to move on
• Focus on your mission – ask what services are mission critical
• Forecast your budget out to 2013
• Be prepared to tell funders your budget plans
• Pay attention to your spiritual and physical needs
• Use volunteers – especially look to those who may be currently unemployed

Posted by admin at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Top ‘o’ the afternoon to ya on this St. Patrick’s week. ‘Tis a fine sunny day here in Minnesota and since we have been celebrating the ethnic heritage of some of our citizens by eating many green items I though it would be a wee bit special if the funder I am highlighting also celebrated good food and full stomachs. (Okay, I admit that introduction is a stretch but a little blarney seems appropriate).

This week’s pick: If you are working on projects addressing hunger in your community Quaker Oats is providing grant money to help. On St. Patrick’s Day the company announced a new Quaker Go Grants program which provides $500 grants to individuals with projects that:
• Are unique
• Fight hunger
• Impact a community or individuals

To be considered for each month's grants, submissions must be received by March 31, 2009; April 30, 2009; May 31, 2009; June 30, 2009; and July 31, 2009. As a very nice bonus to their giving, all applications not selected as winners will be considered in the next month's round of judging. To apply, click here.

Posted by admin at 12:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Improve Group actually has an Improve You Committee. Staff members Danielle Assy, Samantha Hagel and Liz Radel Freeman are charged with helping to keep the Improve Group staff healthy and happy. This small group of adventurous co-workers plans our yearly retreat, suggests healthy lifestyle ideas and arranges staff events like our recent birthday and potluck Irish-themed luncheon on Saint Patrick’s Day (see plate of yummy food above). We also recently held a lunchtime Wii bowling tournament. Liz serves as our own personal lifestyle coach using her public health background to assist us in making healthy choices. Now that the good weather is returning our “Footnotes” walking group will be starting up again too. IG not only performs top rate evaluation services but it is a great place to work as well.

Posted by admin at 09:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Educational data systems, long relegated to as a low priority in school districts and states, are now set to receive $250 million in federal stimulus funding.

Educational experts and President Barack Obama’s new emphasis on data systems say that the increased funding means that it is time for states and districts to take the next step: figuring out how to use the information they collect on student performance to improve student achievement.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes $250 million to the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences for competitive grants for statewide data systems, not just for K-12 information, but also for higher education and workforce information. The department plans to award half that money in June or July, with the remainder in September and October.

Additionally, the stimulus legislation requires states to establish a statewide longitudinal data system and take steps to improve the collection of data as one of the four “assurances” governors must make when they apply for their share of the $53.6 billion State Fiscal Stabilization Fund. The U.S. Education Department has recently issued guidelines that a state will not receive 33 percent of its full share until the department approves the state’s plan to meet the four assurances.

As noted in my previous posts on educational data systems, many states have much work to do to be able to track individual students’ educational progress in a way that can improve student achievement. There appears to be significant opportunities for collecting and analyzing data in developing strategic plans and evaluating current criteria in order to meet that goal. The Improve Group has worked with multiple clients on measuring student outcomes over time and I can see the demand for such work increasing in the future. Nevertheless, what criteria and methods should be considered? I would appreciate hearing from you on this subject.

Posted by admin at 02:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Improve Group is once again in the midst of travelling Minnesota to conduct our review of Home and Community-Based Service Waivers for the MN Department of Human Services. One of the findings that come from this evaluation is how counties have come up with good communication and collaboration ideas with others who support the waiver constituency. Collaboration seems to be the key word for 2009 and my funder today is rewarding those organizations who improve health for others through inventive collaboration.

This week’s pick: Changemakers – “Designing for Better Health” collaborative competition is a catalyst for communities with innovative ideas on health that are “unique models of change, demonstrate impact on the target population they address, target a specific underserved community or the society at large, and that have a long-term plan for securing financial backing and community support.”

Three cash prizes of $5,000 will be awarded. Deadline to enter is April 1, 2009 and public, private and charitable organizations of all kinds may submit. For more details click here.

Posted by admin at 09:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

My 12 year old fell at school and broke two bones in his right leg and has had to stay home for several days. He will return to school, with assistance, next week. I tell you this because a week of being stuck inside is torture for a 12 year old. He has managed to pass time through his old friends the Wii and the Nintendo DS. Watching him use a small arsenal of video games to keep him entertained has kept entertainment software on my brain. My highlighted funder this week is a foundation connected to companies that produce video and computer games and they are looking to give our kids more than just high game scores.

This week’s pick: The Entertainment Software Association Foundation has nonprofit grants that fund projects for youth 7 to 18 years of age. Their grants are aimed at supporting “supporting positive programs and opportunities that make a difference in the quality of life, health and welfare of America’s youth.”

Nonprofits thinking of applying for grants must have a specific project or program that is or will be in two or more states in the United States. Areas of interest include:
o Skills & Personal Development
o General Health & Welfare
o Risk Behavior Prevention
o Education
o Multimedia arts/ technology related or applied

To apply, fill in the Foundation’s online application. Grant applications must be received by April 15 for projects to be implemented during the following calendar year.

Posted by admin at 03:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

President Barack Obama has now signed into law the $787 billion economic stimulus package that includes $115 billion to public education. This amount is nearly double the U.S. Department of Education’s entire $59.2 billion discretionary budget for fiscal 2009. The $115 billion appropriation to education includes $5 billion that is under the control of the U.S. Secretary of Education to give to states as bonus grants for meeting key performance measures in education.

The $5 billion incentive fund, which is within the $53.6 billion state fiscal stabilization fund that is part of the education appropriation, would include $650 million for innovation grants to school districts that could be models for best practices. The innovation money would go to local districts, nonprofit organizations, or consortiums of school districts.

The incentive fund money won't be available until 2010, after states are able to put their stabilization funds (which, depending on the state, have included early-childhood education, after-school programs, professional-development money, and actual school staff) in place. To get a grant, a state has to show how it is in compliance with a few measures under the No Child Left Behind Act already required under the law. They also have to put in place a statewide data system to measure student progress and make sure their standards lead students to college or other postsecondary training.

However, there are no clear criteria on how states qualify to receive the incentive money and what states need to do once they receive the money. The Administration argues that the incentive funds will encourage schools to find ways to have students be more competitive globally, while critics state that the lack of explicit criteria does not encourage significant educational reform.

It is probable that specific criteria will need to be developed to maintain transparency and accountability in the distribution and use of these funds. This seems to be a great opportunity for evaluators, nonprofits, government and the education community to come together to develop and implement such criteria for both the short and long term. I would really be interested in your opinions and ideas on how those criteria can be developed.

NOTE: On March 10, 2009, at 1pm eastern time the U.S. Department of Education will present a webinar on the Economic Stimulus & Powering Through the Recession. Discussion will center around what the stimulus package will mean for K-12 budgets. Click here to register for this event.

Posted by admin at 03:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)