From: D Schoech <schoech@uta.edu>

Sponsor: Sparkplug Foundation
Title: Grants Program

SYNOPSIS:
The sponsor supports projects primarily in three areas of focus: music, education and grassroots organizing. In all areas of focus, the sponsor is interested in making one-time grants for activities which create sustainable organizing and communities. While recognizing the importance of developing individual cultures, the sponsor favors projects that promote diversity.

Deadline(s): 04/30/2004
Established Date: 03/25/2004
Follow-Up Date: 02/01/2005
Review Date: 03/25/2004

Address: P.O. Box 603
Tarrytown, NY 10591
U.S.A.
E-mail: info@sparkplugfoundation.org
Web Site: <a href="http://www.sparkplugfoundation.org/">http://www.sparkplugfoundation.org/</a>

Tel: 877-866-8285

Award Type(s): General Operating Funds
General Project
Seed Money/Start-Up Funds
Development-Program

OBJECTIVES:
The sponsor supports projects primarily in three areas of focus:

Music–The sponsor seeks to foster the expansion of musical ideas by supporting new projects which promote original programming and new performers.

Education–The sponsor seeks to promote living environments in which learning is a natural activity and a habit, rather than a periodic task. The Foundation values critical and investigative thinking, and supports projects which address class disparities in educational access.

Grassroots Organizing–The sponsor encourages individuals and grassroots groups to develop and enact activist strategies for addressing institutional injustices, and for envisioning and building a reasoned, just society.

ELIGIBILITY
Grants are available to 501c-3 organizations, projects with 501C-3 sponsoring organizations and individuals working on new, non-profit projects. Currently, grants are open to people and organizations everywhere. There are no requirements of citizenship, and no geographical limitations.

FUNDING
The sponsor makes grants only for seed money, or to launch new ideas within existing projects. (cmb)

KEYWORDS: Music
Social Change
EDUCATION

LISC’s National Community Safety Initiative National Conference will be May 24-27 in Toledo. This conference brings together LISC’s partners, community development corporations, and police departments from across the country. Learn from award-winning practitioners and experts in the field about enhancing community-police partnerships and their potential role in the issues regarding returning prisoners. For more information, visit CSI’s website (http://www.liscnet.org/whatwedo/programs/csi/) and/or contact Mark Conyers at mconyers@lisc.org or 212-455-9854.

Applications Due: April 30, 2004

This summer institute, sponsored by the Upper Midwest Campus Compact Consortium (a partnership between state Campus Compact networks in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin), is designed for academic departments in the social sciences and education interested in the department as a unit of engagement and change. Ten departments will be invited to participate. Social science and education departments from across the country are invited to apply; however, Campus Compact member institutions in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin will be given preference.

The purpose of the Institute is to help participating departments (1) develop strategies to include community-based work in both their teaching and their scholarship, (2) analyze various models for integrating service-learning, community-based research, and other kinds of civic engagement into undergraduate and graduate curricula, and (3) develop a level of unit coherence that will allow them to model civic engagement and progressive change at the department level. Teams will leave the Institute with an action plan for deepening or expanding partnerships and integrating civic engagement more coherently throughout their academic programs.

The Institute will be facilitated by two national experts:

Dr. John Saltmarsh
John Saltmarsh is the Project Director of Integrating Service with Academic Study at Campus Compact. He has been involved in the creation, design, and implementation of the Campus Compact Engaged Department Institute, acting as a facilitator for the Institute for over five years. He is a co-author of the Engaged Department Toolkit (Campus Compact, 2003) and has presented sessions on the engaged department at numerous national conferences. John holds a Ph.D. in American History from Boston University and taught for over a decade as a tenured professor at Northeastern University and as a Visiting Research Fellow at the Feinstein Institute for Public Service at Providence College. His essays on service-learning and experiential education have appeared in the Michigan Journal for Community Service Learning, the Journal of Experiential Education, the National Society for Experiential Education Quarterly and the Journal of Cooperative Education. He also has served as the guest editor for a special issue on service-learning and civic engagement of the Journal of Public Affairs (Sept. 2002) and serves on the editorial board of the Michigan Journal of Community Service-Learning.

Dr. Christine Cress
Christine M. Cress received the Ph.D. in Higher Education and Organizational Change from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and currently serves on the Portland State University faculty in the Postsecondary, Adult, and Continuing Education (PACE) Program. Dr. Cress? scholarship is focused on learning communities, community-based learning experiences, and the impact of campus climate on student development outcomes and faculty morale. She directed a comprehensive campus climate study of faculty work life at the University of Arizona (see http://www/u.arizona.edu/~millen) and has consulted on learning, leadership, and assessment projects at institutions across the country. Dr. Cress was a member of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Project on “Leadership Reconsidered: Engaging Higher Education in Social Change” and was selected by the Kellogg Foundation as a 2002 National Emerging Scholar on “?Higher Education for the Public Good.”

In addition to providing significant time devoted to team planning and discussion, the Institute will cover topics such as:

? The academic and civic effectiveness of community-based work
? Discipline-specific models of service-learning integration
? Supporting community-based work at the faculty and student levels
? Assessing community-based work at the faculty and student levels
? Community-based work as a vehicle of curricular integration
? The community partner as departmental resource; the department as community resource

Departmental teams will be chosen on the strength not only of their letter of application but also of their institution?s willingness to use Institute outcomes in a wider context. To this end we are especially interested in applications from departments in institutions where community-based work is already well established on an individual faculty basis and where moving to greater institutionalization at the department level could represent an important institutional step. Hence, all successful applications must include a letter from the institution?s chief academic officer describing his or her strategy for making use of the applicant?s Institute experiences.

Each departmental team should consist of the following: the department chair, three faculty members (or two faculty members and the institution’s service-learning coordinator), and a representative from a nonprofit or public-sector community partner with which members of the department have already worked or would like to work. Departments are also encouraged to include students as part of their team.

Each team will be expected to pay a $500 registration fee both to help defray Institute costs and to signify their seriousness of purpose. Campus Compact will cover meals during the Institute for all team members. Travel and accommodations are not included in the registration fee.

Upon completion of the Institute, participating teams must be willing to begin working the following fall to implement the plans they developed during the Institute. They must also agree to communicate their efforts to their relevant national disciplinary association and to be prepared to present on their experience in whatever forum the association deems appropriate. Campus Compact staff will conduct follow-up site visits with each campus team.

Timetable

April 30, 2004 Applications due
May 14, 2004 Applicants selected and notified
May 31, 2004 Attendees submit pre-Institute planning documents
June 7-8, 2004 Engaged Department Institute
Sept 2004-May 2005 Departments begin implementing initiatives
June 2005 Teams submit reports detailing previous year’s work

Application Guidelines

Departmental Application Letter and Materials
Each prospective team should submit an application letter that describes the department?s interest in and experience with community-based course work and/or research. In addition to specific academic initiatives, identify specific community partners with which department members have established working relationships. Finally, the application letter should describe what you think would be the benefits to (1) department members, (2) students taking departmental courses, (3) the larger institution, and (4) the off-campus community if the department were able to increase its effectiveness in working with the community through strategic alliances.

To be accepted for the Institute, each team must include the department’s present or incoming chair and a nonprofit or public-sector community partner. Please provide full contact information for all team members expecting to attend the Engaged Department Institute. While not required for the application, Campus Compact will expect to receive curricula vitae for all team members prior to the Engaged Department Institute.

Chief Academic Officer Endorsement Letter
The department?s application must also be accompanied by a letter of endorsement from the institution?s chief academic officer. This letter should not only signify the Chief Academic Officer?s willingness to cover the travel costs associated with this initiative but also indicate how he/she would utilize the applicant?s experiences in a wider institutional context. Please also indicate whether any team member, the institution’s academic VP or equivalent, or president has participated in any Campus Compact events (and which ones) over the past three years.

Please mail application materials to Thomas Schnaubelt at Wisconsin Campus Compact, UW-Parkside, 900 Wood Rd., Box 2000, Kenosha, WI 53141. All applications will be reviewed by Campus Compact staff in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Applications must be received by April 30, 2004. With questions or requests for additional information, please contact Thomas Schnaubelt (Wisconsin Campus Compact, Thomas.Schnaubelt@uwp.edu, 262-595-2002), Julie Plaut (Minnesota Campus Compact, julieplaut@mncampuscompact.org, 651-603-5084), or Sandra Hansen (Iowa Campus Compact, sandra.hansen@wartburg.edu, 319-352-8660).

The Engaged Department Institute is supported by a grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service Learn and Serve America program. Co-sponsors of the Engaged Department Institute include Campus Compact, the Morgridge Center for Public Service at UW-Madison, the Upper Midwest Campus Compact Consortium, and the UW-Madison School of Human Ecology.

We have the pleasure of announcing that DAVID EISNER, the CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, will serve as the keynote Speaker of our first annual Conference on Community-Driven Research in the National Capital Region, on Saturday, April 17th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Georgetown University?s Intercultural Center.

Please register soon to join us in welcoming Mr. Eisner and to explore how research has the power to advance social justice through this year?s conference theme of The Roles and Responsibilities of Faculty, Students, and Community Members in Effective Community-Based Research. Panel sessions will examine public education, affordable housing, health care services and poverty issues in DC. Breakfast and lunch are included ? and REGISTRATION IS FREE!

We encourage anyone engaged in community-based research to submit an abstract for poster or panel sessions. Attached please find our Call for Abstracts flyer. You may find more information about the conference, register, and submit your abstracts at http://www.coralnetwork.org.

Please feel free to forward this announcement to any interested parties. We look forward to having you join us on Saturday, April 17th!

Best,

S. Cristina Benitez
Network Coordinator
CoRAL Network for Community Research & Learning
128 M Street NW
Suite 200
Washington, DC 20001
Office: 202.371.9104
Fax: 202.371.9170
http://www.coralnetwork.org

Building Better Senior Projects with Service-Learning

Sponsored by the Evergreen School District in Vancouver, Washington, from June 30 – July 1, 2004. Registration deadline is June 14, 2004. Contact Lori Davis at 360-604-4089; lddavis@egreen.wednet.edu or Kate McPherson at 360-576-5070; mcphers@pacifier.com for more information.

The National Youth Summit Rocks Cleveland
July 22 through July 24

The Family & Youth Services Bureau of the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services is excited to announce the annual National Youth Summit: Youth Leadership in America’s Communities

Space Is Limited-Register NOW
http://www.ncfy.com

This Summit is for everyone who believes that young people and adults can and do form important partnerships that lead to real change. It’s for everyone who knows young people do make a difference and who wants to contribute to the lives of young people, including: faith based and community leaders; youth mentors; youth program workers and volunteers; and educators.

And most of all youth! Young people are helping plan and manage the Summit, and will be playing a prominent role. This is the event for youth who are active – or want to be – in their communities or schools.

* Youth with little or lots of community change experience will be guided on how to take that next (or first) step to a higher level of leadership and involvement;

* Adults will discover innovative ways to effectively engage youth in their communities or organizations;

* Youth and adults will learn how to build and maintain meaningful partnerships that strengthen communities;

* Young people and adults will share innovative practices and effective evaluation tools from their own programs and communities;

* Together, all youth will create a super-size art project – a Summit signature that’s fun and an easy way to get to know youth from all over the country;

* “You Write The Book” – At the closing session, all youth will contribute to creating The NYS Guide to Leadership, a compilation of real-life leadership experiences in their communities.

We’re on the Public Square in the heart of downtown Cleveland, in the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, Thursday, July 22 through Saturday 24 (registration begins Wednesday the 21st). Together, we’ll work hard to give youth the power to be leaders today and in the future. But we’ll also have time to check out the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum, the Great Lakes Science Center, or Jacobs Field (where the Cleveland Indians play). The Renaissance Cleveland Hotel is connected to Tower City Center, an indoor mall with great shopping, restaurants,
and food court.

An awesome National Youth Summit Agenda is in the works! We will update the website as details are confirmed…
Space Is Limited-Register NOW at http://www.ncfy.com

From: “Leah Kalinosky”

Save the Date: Wednesday, April 21, 3:00 to 6:00 pm, Charles Sumner School, Washington, DC

A Forum on Neighborhoods and Community Engagement sponsored by the National Neighborhood Coalition.

Dr. Felton Earls, Harvard University School of Public Health, will discuss his seminal research on the human and social dynamics that determine the health, safety and viability of our nation?s neighborhoods. The Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods provides important information for policy makers, community organizers, and other concerned advocates for low-income people and neighborhoods.

Exceptional neighborhood-based leaders, who are changing lives and neighborhoods through strategic innovations in community development, will join Dr. Earls. They will share examples of programs that reduce the incidence of neighborhood problems, such as those examined in the Project on Human Development, through greater community cohesion.

Neighborhood Voices, the National Neighborhood Coalition?s new program, explores innovative strategies for increasing community engagement in civic life. Please RSVP now to Janice Clark at 202.429.0790 or email janice@neighborhoodcoalition.org.

Register now for the Summer Institute at: http://www.synergyentinc.com/21stcentury/index.htm

This year, The U.S. Department of Education is sponsoring two Summer Institutes, one in Los Angeles, CA on July 22-23, and onein Washington, DC on August 5-6. The programs at the Institutes will be similar, so you may attend either one. There will be a preconference session for 21st CCLC Project Directors held the afternoon of the day prior to the Institutes (in Los Angeles on July21,and in Washington, DC on August 4). If you wish to attend the afternoon pre-conference session, please schedule your travel accordingly.

This year’s focus will be on ensuring that all programs provide exciting and effective content enrichment, and we’ll be featuring high-quality reading, mathematics, science, arts, technology, and homework/tutoring programs.

This year’s program is open to current grantees (including new state-administered grantees), former 21st CCLC grantees that are still operating after-school programs, and other interested after-school providers. For current grantees, it is suggested that you plan to have the Project Director and a site coordinator from your grant attend, though you have flexibility in deciding who should most appropriately attend the Summer Institute.

To register for the Summer Institute go to the following website:
http://www.synergyentinc.com/21stcentury/index.htm

Envisioning Partnership
The First Annual Conference of the
Virginia Tech Service-Learning Center
July 12th-14th
Donaldson Brown Hotel and Conference Center
Blacksburg, Virginia

HTTP://WWW.MAJBILL.VT.EDU/SL/PARTNERSHIPCONFERENCE.HTML

“Envisioning Partnership” is planned to be the first of an annual regional conference on university-community partnerships. Days one and two focus on negotiating and sustaining partnerships in the areas of community and economic development, environmental management and sustainability, and K-12 educational initiatives. Day three focuses on university-community research partnerships.

At this time, we are inviting proposals for:
90 minute workshops focusing on implementation, negotiation, or management of partnerships with an action-research or community-based research agenda;
Poster presentations featuring specific university-community research partnerships.

Presentation proposals may be sent electronically to Michele James-Deramo, deramo@vt.edu. Please include the following in the proposal:
Brief description (300 word maximum) of the presentation topic; Presentation format (Poster, small group discussion, powerpoint, other); Minimum / maximum number of participants (for workshop presentations); Contact information.

Proposals will be accepted through April 30th.

Inquiries can be directed to Michele James-Deramo, Director, Service-Learning Center Outreach and International Affairs, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 202 Major Williams (0168), Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, 540/231-6947 (phone) 540/231-6367 (fax) deramo@vt.edu
http://www.majbill.vt.edu/sl/index.html

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) has announced the availability of $12.9 million in grants for its FY2004 Grant Round. TOP is a highly competitive, merit-based matching grant program that promotes the use of advanced telecommunications and information technologies in the non-profit and public sectors. Applicants will be ranked on project purpose, innovation, community involvement, evaluation, project feasibility, and project budget. The application deadline is April 27. For more information, go to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration website.

<a href="http://www.ntia.doc.gov/top/">http://www.ntia.doc.gov/top/</a>

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is accepting applications for its 2005 Local Initiative Funding Partners (LIFP) program, which supports innovative, community-based projects designed to improve the health and healthcare of underserved and vulnerable populations. LIFP provides grants of $100,000 to $500,000 per project, which must be matched dollar-for-dollar by local grantmakers. The total award is paid out over a three- to four-year period. In 2005, up to $7.5 million will be awarded through LIFP. The application deadline is July 14. For more information, go to Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website.

<a href="http://www.rwjf.org/index.jsp">http://www.rwjf.org/index.jsp</a>

Smaller Learning Communities Grants

The Federal government continues to expand its role in addressing the needs of hundreds of thousands of high school students who can barely read on the eve of their high school graduation. In another example of this commitment, new awards through the Smaller Learning Communities program must focus on methods to improve reading and mathematics skills for students who enter high school significantly below grade level. Application deadline: April 29, 2004.

<a href="http://www.ed.gov/programs/slcp/applicant.html">http://www.ed.gov/programs/slcp/applicant.html</a>

(Washington D.C.) ? The Corporation for National and Community Service is encouraging nonprofit organizations and public agencies to apply for $4 million in grants for projects to engage volunteers in homeland security efforts in their communities.

The grants are for projects that engage volunteers, especially those age 55 and over, in helping communities prepare for and respond to all types of emergencies and disasters. The Corporation expects to make approximately 12 awards, ranging from $100,000 to $500,000 each. The grants will cover one year of program activity, but funding for a second and third year may be provided contingent on performance and availability of funds.

?Americans are eager to serve and can make an important contribution to homeland security,? said David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation. ?These grants will strengthen the volunteer infrastructure and engage thousands more Americans in disaster relief and preparedness. We encourage organizations to apply for these grants to support more Americans getting directly involved in protecting their communities.?

Examples of the kinds of activities that could be supported include engaging volunteers to assist fire or police departments; assisting in disaster response, search and rescue, first aid, coordination of emergency supplies, and establishing communication links for relief workers; organizing immunization programs; and educating the public on preparing for potential disasters or terrorist attacks.

Eligible applicants include both nonprofit organizations and public entities at the state and local levels. The Corporation encourages community groups, both faith-based and secular, and organizations that have never received Corporation funding, to apply or to become part of a community-wide initiative in response to this notice.

The new funding represents an expansion of the Corporation?s efforts in the area of homeland security. The Corporation?s AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs have worked closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross for the past decade to respond to natural disasters. After the September 11 terrorist attacks, President Bush asked the Corporation to devote more resources to homeland security, and the Corporation was the first federal agency to distribute grants after attacks to engage volunteers in homeland security. Those homeland security grants, announced in July 2002, included support for 17 organizations under the Corporation?s Special Volunteer Program. These 17 organizations have engaged nearly 37,000 volunteers in the past two years in emergency response planning and coordination, terrorism and bioterrorism response, and strategy development for wide emergency response. The $4 million in new funding for the Special Volunteer Program was included in the fiscal 2004 appropriation bill signed by the President in January.

The application deadline is 5 p.m., Friday, April 23. All applicants are asked to use eGrants, the Corporation?s web-based application system. To see an overview of ongoing grants and application instructions, visit <a href="http://www.nationalservice.org/whatshot/notices.html">http://www.nationalservice.org/whatshot/notices.html</a>. For further information, call the Senior Corps comments line at (202) 606-5000, x 554 or email seniorfeedback@cns.gov. The Corporation will announce award recipients this summer.

The Corporation for National and Community Service provides opportunities for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to serve their communities and country through three main programs: Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America. Working with national and community nonprofit organizations, faith-based groups, schools, and local agencies, the Corporation engages Americans in service to meet critical needs in education, the environment, public safety, homeland security, and other areas. Together with the USA Freedom Corps, the Corporation is working to build a culture of citizenship, service, and responsibility in America.For more information, visit <a href="http://www.nationalservice.org">http://www.nationalservice.org</a>.

Fannie Mae Foundation Accepting Applications for Competitive Grants Program
Deadline: April 13, 2004

The Washington, D.C.-based Fannie Mae Foundation (<a href="http://www.fanniemaefoundation.org/">http://www.fanniemaefoundation.org/</a>) works to create affordable home ownership and housing opportunities through partnerships and initiatives designed to build healthy, vibrant communities across the United States.

The foundation will award most of its 2004 grants by directly soliciting proposals from organizations. The foundation has also set aside a limited amount of grant funding for which nonprofit organizations may apply through a competitive application process. Most of these competitive grants will provide general operating support to nonprofit organizations to help build their capacity, increase their impact, and operate more efficiently and effectively.

The foundation will accept grant requests from national, regional, and local organizations working to achieve one or more of the following goals:

Increase the Affordable Housing Supply — Eligible organizations are those working city-, county-, region-, or nationwide to increase the supply of affordable housing.

Increase Sustainable Home ownership and Build Individual and Community Wealth — Eligible organizations are those with proven experience providing comprehensive pre- and post-purchase home ownership counseling and education resulting in sustainable home ownership that builds individual and community wealth.

Create Healthy and Vibrant Neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. — Eligible organizations are those working in the District of Columbia to preserve rental and home ownership units that are at risk of conversion to market-rate housing; or working to improve adult literacy or improve education by providing teacher professional development, curriculum content aligned with D.C. public school curriculum standards, or principal training in instructional leadership.

For complete eligibility criteria, funding priorities, and an online application form, see the Fannie Mae Foundation Web site.

RFP Link: <a href="http://www.fanniemaefoundation.org/grants/grants_for_organizations.shtml">http://www.fanniemaefoundation.org/grants/grants_for_organizations.shtml</a>

For additional RFPs in Community Improvement/Development, visit: <a href="http://fdncenter.org/pnd/rfp/cat_community.jhtml">http://fdncenter.org/pnd/rfp/cat_community.jhtml</a>

The 2004 ASHE Conference, Kansas City, Missouri, will take place on November 2-7, 2004. This year?s conference promises to be exciting and memorable.

2004 is the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court?s landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. This anniversary will provide the major theme for the conference. Gary Rhoades and I are planning a number of keynote, presidential, and invited sessions celebrating this landmark decision and its impact on higher education.

In addition, we are also planning sessions addressing other important concerns, such as the higher-education canon, accreditation, and for-profit institutions.

Furthermore, in order to bridge the boundaries between subjects traditionally addressed during the conference and those which are not, we are planning sessions addressing globalization, privatization, and the connections between K-12 and higher education.

The 2004 ASHE program committee asks you to submit your proposals to division chairs specializing in topic areas: students; organization and administration; teaching, learning, and curriculum; faculty; contexts and foundations; policy, finance, and economics; and methodology and assessment. We added an ?open? section this year in order to accommodate some concerns about the topic areas, and so authors who feel that their proposals do not fit into one of the existing areas may send theirs to this ?open? section.

We are also asking that you rank their preference for presentation formats, giving the program committee more flexibility in balancing the high demand for paper presentations with the need to accept a higher number of qualified proposals.

The Call for Proposals will be posted soon. So please check the website frequently. Thanks,

Benjamin Baez,
2004 ASHE Conference Program Chair

For more information, visit the ASHE Website at http://35.8.168.242/futureconf.htm

Grant applications are accepted and reviewd on a rolling basis. To be considered for technical assistance, nonprofits must submit completed applications by June 14, September 13, and December 13 for work in the following quarter. A Call for Volunteers to guage interest will be sent prior to final selection. Grant receipients will be announced in May, August, and November. To find out who is eligible for services, see profiles of Collaborative clients and projects, and download an application for services visit our new and improved web site:

<a href="http://cdesignc.org">http://cdesignc.org</a>

Weed and Seed Program

The Weed and Seed Program is administered by the Department’s Executive Office of Weed and Seed (EOWS). The Weed and Seed program strategy involves local law enforcement efforts to "weed out" criminal activity in neighborhoods and then, working with local community groups, to "seed" the local community with positive programs that will improve the lives of those living in the area.

Every local Weed and Seed program has a Steering Committee consisting of local law enforcement leadership along with various members of local communities. Faith-based and community-based organizations are encouraged to contact their local Police Chief, Sheriff, or District Attorney, to offer their help in serving on the Steering Committee and in becoming part of the solution to local problems.

To further encourage the involvement of faith-based and community-based organizations in these local programs, the Department of Justice is offering incentive grants of up to $50,000 each to continuing Weed and Seed sites for the purpose of expanding its program capacity. This added capability allows for faith-based and community-based organizations to become sub-grantees for this funding. The type of activities covered by this grant money include drug and alcohol treatment; anti-gang activities; offender re-entry mentoring; tutoring; job preparedness training; after-school recreational activities; homeless shelters; and anti-truancy activities.

This extra emphasis area is intended to provide resources to small groups that have not previously received Federal funding. Faith-based organizations interested in helping to provide these types of services should contact their local Weed and Seed officials to express their interest in a partnership. Local groups wishing to apply for these sub-grants will have to be certified by the local law enforcement officials that administer the grant program.

There will be two offerings of this special grant program in FY 2004. The Application Deadline for the first offering will be April 29, 2004 and the second will be May 27, 2004. Interested applicants should contact their local officials to determine if the program will be available in their area.

For further information on this grant opportunity, please contact Faith Baker, Executive Office of Weed and Seed, 810 Seventh Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20531, (202) 616-1152, Fax (202) 616-1159, E-mail: faith.baker@usdoj.gov.

WAVE?s Mission:
Women’s Anti-Violence Education builds the power of individuals, families, and communities in the greater Philadelphia area to respond effectively to sexual and gender-based violence. We teach safety, assertiveness, and self-defense; provide accurate information about harassment, assault, and abuse; and challenge the attitudes and systems that perpetuate violence. WAVE’s trainings are accessible to and inclusive of all women, girls, and other groups targeted for sexual and gender-based violence, regardless of age, physical ability, income, culture, or background.

Title: Executive Director
Responsibilities:
? Lead all aspects of a small non-profit organization to drive it toward realizing its mission.
? Oversee self-defense training program. Evaluate program effectiveness, identifying and acting on improvement opportunities as needed.
? Manage and develop Program Coordinator and office interns.
? Lead fundraising efforts, focusing efforts on expanding major and individual donor membership, including work on grants and fundraising events.
? Work closely with Board to address the concerns and needs of the organization and its community, and to develop the annual budget and operating plan, monitoring expenditures and income.
? Oversee marketing, publicity, and outreach functions.
? Manage office administration, maintaining bookkeeping, database and other office systems.
? Potentially teach WAVE?s safety, self-defense and assertiveness curriculum.

Qualifications:
Required Qualifications:
? At least two years of leadership experience within an organization.
? Understanding of issues relating to violence against women.
? Several years’ experience in managing staff and/or volunteers.
? Experience in fundraising, particularly in expanding individual donor membership.
? Strong organizational skills, oral and written communication skills.
? Budgeting and bookkeeping experience, including bookkeeping systems, financial reports and spreadsheets.

Preferred Qualifications:
? Grant-writing experience.
? Event-coordination experience
? Experience in training or teaching self-defense or other physical skills (i.e., exercise classes, dance, coaching, etc.)
? Experience working with a non-profit organization, particularly one focused on women?s issues
? Experience working with a Board of Directors

Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week.
Salary: $30k ? $34k depending on experience, plus medical and dental coverage. EOE.
Starting: May 2004
Contact: Becca Hover
Executive Director
Women?s Anti-Violence Education
1501 Cherry St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 241-5720
BeccaWave@afsc.org
Deadline: Resume and cover letter must be received by April 6, 2004; resumes will be reviewed on receipt.

Positions Available Immediately

1. Entrepreneurial Training Program Manager

The Program Manager is responsible for ASFSC?s business technical assistance (BTA) program. The Program Manager provides direct BTA services to clients, including helping entrepreneurs to develop business, financial and marketing plans; building client management capacity; setting up business accounting systems; addressing legal and insurance needs; creating loan packages; and guiding clients through the borrowing process. Responsibilities also include managing and maintaining the organization?s database, updating and processing raw data, and developing internal statistical reports. The job requires: (a) Computer expertise (Word, Excel, Power Point, Access Database, Publisher, Internet Skills), (b) English and Spanish verbal and written skills, ? Financial statement analysis, (d) Business plan development, and (e) Marketing/Advertising. Candidates should have a degree in Management or Business Administration or at least 2 years of experience in a similar position.

2. Lender

The primary function of the Lender is to originate, underwrite, close, and service small business loans. The Lender helps local entrepreneurs access business financing while maintaining prudent lending standards. The job includes preparing loan packages for clients, underwriting small loans, documenting closings, filing and servicing loans, and outreach to new clients. The job requires: (a) Financial statement and credit analysis, (b) Computer expertise (Word, Excel, Power Point, Access Database, Publisher, Internet Skills), ? English and Spanish verbal and written skills, (d) Experience with relationship management and TA provision, and (e) Close familiarity with extending credit to community-based entrepreneurs and small businesses. Candidates should have a degree in Business Administration, Accounting or Financial Analysis or at least 2 years of experience in a similar position.

Both positions require attention to detail and the ability to be flexible and creative. Friendly working environment and good benefits package, including retirement and health plans. Competitive salary based on qualifications and experience. For more information on ASFSC, see our website: <a href="http://www.asfsc.org">http://www.asfsc.org</a>.

Send or Fax Resume To:

American Street Financial Services Center
2530 North Second Street, 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19133
Att: Executive Director
Fax: 215-426-3775