Deadline(s): 02/28/2005

Contact: Sue Benjamin, Program Specialist Address: 370 L’Enfant Promenade., SW 8th Floor West Washington, DC 20447 U.S.A. E-mail: SBenjamin@acf.hhs.gov

Program URL: <a href="http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/pdf/HHS-2004-ACF-ORR-RE-0004.pdf">http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/pdf/HHS-2004-ACF-ORR-RE-0004.pdf</a>

OBJECTIVES: The sponsor provides support in the following categories: The Preferred Communities program is designed to promote the increase of newly arrived refugees in preferred communities where they have ample opportunities for early employment and sustained economic independence and, to address special populations who need intensive case management, culturally and linguistically appropriate linkages and coordination with other service providers to improve their access to services. The objective is to support resettlement of newly arriving refugees with the best opportunities for their assimilation into new communities, and to support refugees with special needs that require more intensive case management.

The Unanticipated Arrivals program is designed to provide services to arriving refugees or sudden large secondary migration of refugees where communities are not sufficiently prepared in terms of linguistic or culturally appropriate services. The purpose that the sponsor seeks to achieve through this program is to provide additional resources to communities where the arrival of refugees is not anticipated and the refugee services are insufficient. Under these circumstances, resources are needed to provide additional service capacity to accommodate the additional refugees. The sponsor intends to offer to communities the resources to respond to the unanticipated arrivals with adequate and culturally and linguistically appropriate social services.

The Ethnic Communtiy Self Help program is designed to provide assistance to organized ethnic communities comprised and representative of refugee populations. Projects are specifically designed to: assist refugees in obtaining the skills which are necessary for economic self sufficiency, including projects for job training, employment services, day care, professional refresher training, and other recertification services; provide training in English where ncessary refugees are employed or receiving cash or other assistance; and to provide where specific needs have been shown and recognized by the Director, health (including mental health) services, social services, educational and other services.

2005 CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE, POLICY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
February 3 thru 4, 2005
Washington, DC
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

The conference will serve as a forum for more than 700 leading scientists engineers, policy makers, government officials, business executives, and educators to assess our ability to understand and forecast environmental changes and to identify opportunities for improving these capabilities. It will bring together researchers who study environmental conditions and trends with decision-makers who need that information. Sponsored by the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE)

DEADLINE FOR EARLY REGISTRATION: DECEMBER 3rd
For more information, go to http://www.ncseonline.org/ncseconference/2005conference/.

Bring a team from your own community to this national three-day forum to deepen your shared understanding of this work and to meet others who can help your planning. Registered community teams will receive one-on-one consultation from peers with expertise in the areas you identify. Gain skills, ideas, and strategies that can be implemented as soon as you return home. Discounts are offered for teams of four or more people.

For more information, go to http://www.communityschools.org/

Questions? Contact Meagan Lindsay, Coalition for Community Schools
202-822-8405 X156 or lindsaym@iel.org

The mission of the Coalition, an alliance of more than 170 organizations, is to mobilize the assets of schools, families and communities to create a united movement for community schools.

http://aep-arts.org

Click here to register:
http://www.idealist.org/ioc/conference/registration.html

Also, our workshop submission page is up and ready to go. If you are interested in presenting a workshop at the conference, you will find all the information you need on our website. You can find our workshop submission page at http://www.idealist.org/ioc/conference/workshops.html.

The COOL Idealist National Conference is the largest convening in the country of campus community members involved in service, activism, politics, and socially responsible work. For 21 years, this conference has brought together student leaders and activists, campus administrators, and community members for three days of networking, storytelling, and connection. As always, we look forward to an empowering and energizing weekend!

For more information about this year’s event, please visit our conference webpage at http://www.idealist.org/conference2005.

You can also us at campusconference@idealist.org if you have any questions.

Thanks and we look forward to seeing you in Berkeley!

The staff of Idealist On Campus, the Cal Corps Public Service Center, and the 2005 COOL Idealist National Conference Student Planning Committee

This year’s speakers and sessions will make braving the cold weather worth your while. Confirmed keynote speakers include Sally Berman, author of Service Learning for the Multiple Intelligences Classroom and Alex Kotlowitz, author of The Other Side of the River: A Story of Two Towns and There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America. A student track is again being offered for 9th grade-college students. The institute planning committee has selected nine dynamic preconference sessions which will take place February 17th, and more than 30 concurrent and roundtable sessions which will take place February 18th. A special reception sponsored by the Lenawee Community Foundation will be held Thursday evening to highlight this year’s Service-Learning award winners.

Registration information is now available online at http://www.micampuscompact.org/institute05.asp. Check out detailed information on the preconference sessions, schedule, and accommodations. Register by January 14, 2005 and receive the Early Bird Discounted Rate for both days! See you in February!

Grants to Expand Substance Abuse Treatment Capacity in Targeted Areas of Need – Deadline: Jan. 13, 2005

The purpose of the grants program is to expand and/or enhance the community’s ability to provide a comprehensive, integrated, and community-based response to a targeted, well-documented substance abuse treatment capacity problem and/or improve the quality and intensity of services.

<a href="http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/2005/nofa/ti05003_TCE.aspx">http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/2005/nofa/ti05003_TCE.aspx</a>

The ultimate goal of this PAR is to support research on health promotion, disease prevention, and health disparities that is jointly conducted by communities and researchers. For additional resources on CBPR, please visit <a href="http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/commbas.html">http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/commbas.html</a>. To stay on top of the latest CBPR news and announcements, subscribe to the CBPR listserv at <a href="https://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/cbpr">https://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/cbpr</a>.

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is defined in the PAR as scientific inquiry conducted in communities and in partnership with researchers. The process of scientific inquiry is such that community members, persons affected by the health condition, disability or issue under study, or other key stakeholders in the community’s health have the opportunity to be full participants in each phase of the work (from conception – design – conduct – analysis – interpretation – conclusions – communication of results). CBPR is characterized by substantial community input in the development of the grant application (<a href="http://www.niehs.nih.gov/translat/cbpr/cbpr.htm">http://www.niehs.nih.gov/translat/cbpr/cbpr.htm</a>).

Community-partnered approaches to research promise to deepen our scientific base of knowledge in the areas of health promotion, disease prevention, and health disparities. Community-partnered research processes offer the potential to generate better-informed hypotheses, develop more effective interventions, and enhance the translation of the research results into practice. Specifically, involving community and academic partners as research collaborators may improve the quality and impact of research by:
*More effectively focusing the research questions on health issues of greatest relevance to the communities at highest risk;
*Enhancing recruitment and retention efforts by increasing community buy-in and trust;
*Enhancing the reliability and validity of measurement instruments (particularly survey) through in-depth and honest feedback during pre-testing;
*Improving data collection through increased response rates and decreased social desirability response patterns;
*Increasing relevance of intervention approaches and thus likelihood for success;
*Targeting interventions to the identified needs of community members
*Developing intervention strategies that incorporate community norms and values into scientifically valid approaches;
*Increasing accurate and culturally sensitive interpretation of findings;
*Facilitating more effective dissemination of research findings to impact public health and policy;
*Increasing the potential for translation of evidence-based research into sustainable community change that can be disseminated more broadly.

For the purpose of this PAR, community refers to populations that may be defined by: geography; race; ethnicity; gender; sexual orientation; disability, illness, or other health condition; or to groups that have a common interest or cause, such as health or service agencies and organizations, health care or public health practitioners or providers, policy makers, or lay public groups with public health concerns.

Community-based organizations refer to organizations that may be involved in the research process as members or representatives of the community. While not an exhaustive list, organizations as varied as Tribal governments and colleges, state or local governments, independent living centers, other educational institutions such as junior colleges, advocacy organizations, health delivery organizations (e.g., hospitals), health professional associations, non-governmental organizations, and federally qualified health centers are possible community partners.

This PAR invites NIH research project grant (R01) and exploratory/developmental grant (R21) award mechanisms. The total amount to be awarded depends on the scientific merit of applications and the funds available at the participating NIH Institutes/Centers.

The anticipated number of awards is contingent on their scientific merit and the funds available in the general funding pool of the participating NIH Institutes/Centers.

Eligible organizations include for-profit and not-for-profit, public or private organizations, units of state and local governments, eligible agencies of the Federal Government, domestic or foreign institutions/organizations, faith-based or community-based organizations, and Native American tribal organizations.

Eligible principal investigators are any individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research. The number of applications each applicant may submit is unrestricted.

The PHS 398 application instructions are available at <a href="http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html">http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html</a> in an interactive format. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone (301) 435-0714,
Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.

The participating federal agencies are:
National Institutes of Health
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Components of the participating federal agencies are:
Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
National Cancer Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
National Institute of Mental Health
National Institute of Nursing Research
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

The NEA Foundation February Grant Review

The NEA Foundation’s next round of Innovation Grant and Learning & Leadership Grant applications will be reviewed beginning February 1, 2005, with award notification by June 15th. Applications for these grants are accepted on an ongoing, year-round basis, so it’s never too late to apply. Grants fund activities for 12 months from the award date. Innovation Grants and Learning & Leadership Grants are funded in part by Staples Recycle for Education. The NEA Foundation’s grants are available for all subjects, including the arts, literacy, science, and technology. Read about recent projects on the foundation’s website, then submit your own idea. All U.S. practicing K-12 public school teachers, education support professionals, and higher education faculty and staff at public colleges and universities are eligible to apply.

<a href="http://www.neafoundation.org">http://www.neafoundation.org</a>

Applications Invited for General Mills Champions Youth Nutrition and Fitness Grants
Deadline: February 1, 2005

The American Dietetic Association Foundation, the President’s Challenge, and the General Mills Foundation are partnering to improve youth nutrition and fitness through the General Mills Champions program. The initiative consists of grants to community-based groups as well as three additional components: sponsorship of the President’s Active Lifestyle Awards, developing nutrition and fitness mentoring models, and sharing best practices.

The goal of the program is to encourage communities in the United States to improve the eating and physical activity patterns of young people, ages 2-20.

The General Mills Foundation will award fifty $10,000 grants to not-for-profit organizations with innovative programs that help youth develop good nutrition and fitness habits. Grants will be awarded to 501(c)(3) and 509(a) not-for-profit organizations and agencies working with communities that demonstrate the greatest need and likelihood of sustainable impact on young people’s nutrition and activity levels.

See the General Mills Web site for complete program information and application guidelines.

RFP Link: <a href="http://generalmills.com/corporate/commitment/champions.aspx">http://generalmills.com/corporate/commitment/champions.aspx</a>

For additional RFPs in Children and Youth, visit: <a href="http://fdncenter.org/pnd/rfp/cat_children.jhtml">http://fdncenter.org/pnd/rfp/cat_children.jhtml</a>

Lokoff Child Care Foundation Accepting Grant Applications from Pennsylvania Child Care Centers
Deadline: December 31, 2004

The Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation (<a href="http://childcareabc.org/">http://childcareabc.org/</a>) is accepting grant applications from child care programs for the purpose of implementing specific changes to improve the quality of care provided to children. Nonprofit, nonsectarian child care facilities in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, Pennsylvania, are invited to apply.

Grants generally will be awarded for a period of not more than a year. Only individual child care centers can request a grant, up to a maximum of $4,000.

To be eligible, an applicant must be an operating, nonprofit, nonsectarian child care program that has been licensed for at least five years; have a current Child Care License from the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare for operating child care programs; serve preschool age children (infant to five years of age); be open for a minimum of ten hours a day, to accommodate working families; and be open twelve months a year.

Visit the TLLCCF Web site to download a grant application form.

RFP Link: <a href="http://childcareabc.org/">http://childcareabc.org/</a>

For additional RFPs in Children and Youth, visit: <a href="http://fdncenter.org/pnd/rfp/cat_children.jhtml">http://fdncenter.org/pnd/rfp/cat_children.jhtml</a>

National Vacant Properties Campaign Invites Proposals for Technical Assistance Program
Deadline: January 14, 2005

The National Vacant Properties Campaign (<a href="http://vacantproperties.org/">http://vacantproperties.org/</a>), a partnership of Smart Growth America, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and the International City/County Management Association, is offering a new service to localities to assist in defining practices, policies, and legislation that can help them address problems associated with vacant, blighted, and abandoned properties. The National Vacant Properties Campaign was founded in 2002 to create a national movement to support the reclamation of vacant and abandoned properties across the United States.

With funding from the New York City-based Surdna Foundation, the program will provide four to six selected communities with significant technical assistance from an experienced team of policy, legal, planning, and development professionals. Communities will be selected to receive technical assistance based on criteria such as the existence of a serious vacant properties problem and the presence of a local partnership of key stakeholders with significant financial and human resources who are committed to tackling the problem. The value of the program’s assistance in each selected city will range from about $30,000 to $70,000.

Applicants can include a partnership of one or more of the following: local governments, nonprofit organizations, foundations, corporations, and intermediaries.

For complete program information, eligibility requirements, and application procedures, see the LISC Web site.

RFP Link: <a href="http://lisc.org/">http://lisc.org/</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>

Community College of Philadelphia offers classes in Youth Work including day and evening courses, part-time and full time options, and certificate and degree programs ?including transfer to four-year colleges. Courses beginning in January, 2005 include Foundations of Youth Work, Family and Community Engagement, and Critical Issues in Youth Work. For more information contact Pete Watkins at 215-751-8523 or pwatkins@ccp.edu.

This edition focuses on "Adequate yearly progress" (AYP), which has become the most closely watched measure of school performance. Many are criticizing AYP as an inadequate tool for identifying which schools are most in need of help. We provide explanations of how AYP is measured and data on how Philadelphia schools are doing, as well as examining the criticisms. Pick one up today or check out the issue on the web at <a href="http://www.thenotebook.org">http://www.thenotebook.org</a>.

TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PRIMER FOR PARENTS & COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Teachers today are under growing pressure to perform. But most new teachers are not adequately prepared to meet the needs of their students, and many experienced teachers have yet to adapt to new standards. Just like practitioners in other professions, teachers need to deepen their knowledge and improve their skills over the course of their careers. Unfortunately, the need for quality professional development for those in the teaching profession all too often goes unmet. This publication suggests why this is so, proposes ways to rectify the situation, and offers resources for those who want to learn more. This new publication is a collaborative effort of The Finance Project and Public Education Network (PEN). The Finance Project — a nonprofit policy research organization with a focus on financing, education, family and children services, and community development — spearheads the Ford Foundation-funded Collaborative Initiative on Financing Professional Development in Education. This primer on the importance of professional development for teachers is designed to give parents and community members an overview of professional development, and identifies steps they can take to support quality professional development for teachers.

http://www.publiceducation.org/Teacher_Prof_Dev/home.asp