When: Wednesday, February 18th, 5:30-7:30
Where: United Way Building (Lobby 3 [on the first floor])
7 Benjamin Franklin Parkway (between 17th and 18th)

Who: This event is open to all AmeriCorps or year-of-service members; young professionals in the non-profit sector; and anyone considering a career in health or social services.

PANELISTS
Sherisse Allen, Associate Director of Admissions and Recruitment at the Penn School of Social Policy & Practice
Cyndi Dinger, Director of Nutrition and Client Services at MANNA
Joshua Romalis, Regional Program Manager for National Student Partnerships
Susan Villari, Director of the Office of Health Education at the University of Pennsylvania

Join us at this informal event to learn about a variety of education and career options in the field of health and social services. In addition to their career paths, these four successful panelists can share information about their previous volunteer experiences, non-profit knowledge, and graduate degree programs (including MSW and MPH programs). Attendees will be encouraged to ask questions and will have a chance to meet with the panelists at the end of the event.

Please RSVP to Jenn Rineer, Coordinator of the Philly Service Network at jrineer@phillyfellows.org. Please share this invitation with your coworkers and friends. We hope to see you there!

For more information about the Philly Service Network, please visit http://www.phillyservice.org. (You do not need to be affiliated with the group to attend).

Conference Registration
Conference registration will be available online at http://www.PAHigherEdConference.com starting February 2, 2009. You may register online or by mailing the printable registration form found on the Conference website. Registrations must be received no later than 5:00 PM EST on March 6, 2009. There is no registration fee for this conference.

Accommodations
A limited number of rooms have been set aside at the conference location, The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in State College, PA. Please call The Penn Stater to make your room reservation. Be sure to identify yourself as a participant in the Governor’s Conference on Higher Education. Reservations should be made at least 30 days prior to the start of the conference.

To reserve a room or for additional information, contact The Penn Stater at 800-233-7505 or 814-863-
5000 or go to http://www.pennstatehotels.com.

This play will be at Villanova University  from February 18-21 in St. Mary’s Hall.  See this web site for details. http://www.students.villanova.edu/VST/

Date: Monday, February 23rd at 3 PM – 4 PM EST (2pm-3pm Central, 1pm-2pm Mountain, 12pm-1pm Pacific).

Description:
This session is designed to familiarize participants with Universal Design and the practical application to the preschool environment, curriculum, instructional practices, assessment, and family involvement. This webinar is primarily designed to engage national service programs that serve as teachers’ aids or tutors in pre-school environments.

Presenters:
Mary Lu Love is a Lecturer/Program Director of Boston Ready at Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston. Boston Ready is an early childhood professional development research grant, in collaboration with Boston Public Schools and other early childhood settings, and the Wellesley Center for Women. Ms. Love holds a masters degree in Child Care Administration and has 36 years experience teaching and administering in private, non-profits, and Head Start early childhood programs. She has taught in higher education part-time for twenty-years, and helped to develop the early childhood program of study at UMass Boston. She is a parent of two adult-children with learning disabilities.

Su Theriault is the Mentor Coordinator for the Boston Ready Project at the Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts, Boston. In this capacity, she facilitates professional development experiences, develops and teaches courses, and supports the project’s Boston Public School literacy coaches. Ms. Theriault has been in the field of early education for over thirty years. She began as a Head Start classroom aide and moved on to other positions within the agency. After several years as a private consultant and trainer, she spent nine years with the Head Start Bureau’s National Training and Technical Assistance Network, followed by a brief period working to support the cause of homeless young children. Ms. Theriault is committed to ensuring that all young children have access to high level and caring teachers and rich curriculum experiences.

Please email nsip@umb.edu to RSVP by Thursday, February 19th with the following info:
– Name
– Organization
– Email
– Phone
– If you require CART* to participate, please also indicate so in your email
– Feel free to add questions/comments you would like the presenter to touch on.

Elesheva Soloff will send out a confirmation email, to those who RSVP, by Friday, February 20th with webinar connection instructions.

*CART service provides instantaneous translation of the speech text using real-time software. Teleconference/webinar participants receive caption services over the web. This is an accommodation we provide to participants who are Deaf or hard of hearing.

What:  Arts, Community and Economic Development is a one day workshop that will explore asset-based approaches to the arts in community and economic development. Beginning with economic power, contributions to the region’s economy and cultural development in the past decade, presenters will provide practical steps and models for assessing the needs and assets of the community, building collaborations, out of the box development, and the basics of organizational best practices.

Registration: $10 Students/Community Workers
$25 Institutions
Limited to 40 participants only. Light continental breakfast provided.  LUNCH IS NOT PROVIDED (BYOL)
RSVP required by February 10, 2009.

Contact: urbanma@eastern.edu

Who: A collaboration of the the School for Social Change at Eastern University, Philadelphia Cultural Alliance and BuildaBridge Institute

Where: School for Social Change/Eastern University
990 Buttonwood St, 6th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 769-3121

Presenters include:
Nancy DeLucia, County Outreach Manager, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
Julie Hawkins, Vice President of Public Policy, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
Robert V. Peters, RVP Consulting
Coz Crosscombe, Director of Network Partnerships, CityNet Ministries, Common Grace

Schedule:
9:00am: The Big Picture: Professional and Community Arts in the Philadelphia Region. Economic growth, creative economy and community development.  (Julie Hawkins)
9:45am: Round table discussion
10:15am: How Collaborations Work.  How are artists and arts organizations collaborating and working with community organizations for change? (Nancy DeLucia)
11:00am: Round Table Discussion
11:30am: Creative Strategies for Development.  Find out what a successful entrepreneur does for economic development.  (Robert Peters)
12:00-1:30pm: Lunch and Round Table Discussion.  BYOL (Bring your own lunch)
1:30pm:  Assessing Community Needs.   Discover a quick and dirty way of assessing community needs before doing formal assessments.  (Coz Crosscombe)
2:15pm: Round Table Discussion
3:00pm:  Organizational Best Practices.  Learn about basic budgeting, accountability, and grant/board reporting.  (J. Nathan Corbitt)
3:45pm: Wrap Up
4:00pm: Graduate Student Discussion (closed to workshop participants.)
6:00pm: END

All participants will receive certification in professional grant writing from the Institute. For more information call (888) 824 – 4424 or visit The Grant Institute at http://www.thegrantinstitute.com.

Please find the program description below:

The Grant Institute

Grants 101: Professional Grant Proposal Writing Workshop

will be held in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
April 8 – 10, 2009
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

The Grant Institute’s Grants 101 course is an intensive and detailed introduction to the process, structure, and skill of professional proposal writing. This course is characterized by its ability to act as a thorough overview, introduction, and refresher at the same time. In this course, participants will learn the entire proposal writing process and complete the course with a solid understanding of not only the ideal proposal structure, but a holistic understanding of the essential factors, which determine whether or not a program gets funded. Through the completion of interactive exercises and activities, participants will complement expert lectures by putting proven techniques into practice. This course is designed for both the beginner looking for a thorough introduction and the intermediate looking for a refresher course that will strengthen their grant acquisition skills. This class, simply put, is designed to get results by creating professional grant proposal writers.

Participants will become competent program planning and proposal writing professionals after successful completion of the Grants 101 course. In three active and informative days, students will be exposed to the art of successful grant writing practices, and led on a journey that ends with a masterful grant proposal.

Grants 101 consists of three (3) courses that will be completed during the three-day workshop.

(1) Fundamentals of Program Planning
This course is centered on the belief that “it’s all about the program.” This intensive course will teach professional program development essentials and program evaluation. While most grant writing “workshops” treat program development and evaluation as separate from the writing of a proposal, this class will teach students the relationship between overall program planning and grant writing.

(2) Professional Grant Writing
Designed for both the novice and experienced grant writer, this course will make each student an overall proposal writing specialist. In addition to teaching the basic components of a grant proposal, successful approaches, and the do’s and don’ts of grant writing, this course is infused with expert principles that will lead to a mastery of the process. Strategy resides at the forefront of this course’s intent to illustrate grant writing as an integrated, multidimensional, and dynamic endeavor. Each student will learn to stop writing the grant and to start writing the story. Ultimately, this class will illustrate how each component of the grant proposal represents an opportunity to use proven techniques for generating support.

(3) Grant Research
At its foundation, this course will address the basics of foundation, corporation, and government grant research. However, this course will teach a strategic funding research approach that encourages students to see research not as something they do before they write a proposal, but as an integrated part of the grant seeking process. Students will be exposed to online and database research tools, as well as publications and directories that contain information about foundation, corporation, and government grant opportunities. Focusing on funding sources and basic social science research, this course teaches students how to use research as part of a strategic grant acquisition effort.

Registration
$597.00 tuition includes all materials and certificates.

Each student will receive:
*The Grant Institute Certificate in Professional Grant Writing
*The Grant Institute’s Guide to Successful Grant Writing
*The Grant Institute Grant Writer’s Workbook with sample proposals, forms, and outlines

Registration Methods
1) On-Line – Complete the online registration form at http://www.thegrantinstitute.com under Register Now. We’ll send your confirmation by e-mail.

2) By Phone – Call (888) 824 – 4424 to register by phone. Our friendly Program Coordinators will be happy to assist you and answer your questions.

3) By E-mail – Send an e-mail with your name, organization, and basic contact information to info@thegrantinstitute.com and we will reserve your slot and send your Confirmation Packet.

You have received this invitation due to specific educational affiliation. We respect your privacy and want to ensure that interested parties are made aware of The Grant Institute programs and schedules. This is intended to be a one-time announcement. In any event, you should not receive any more announcements unless there is a program next year in your area. To be unlisted from next year’s announcement, send a blank e-mail to unlist@thegrantinstitute.com and write “Unlist” in the subject line.

Presented by: Shelburne Farms’ Sustainable Schools Project
INFORMATION: Matt Dubel, 802-985-0331, mdubel@shelburnefarms.org

What is EFS? Education for Sustainability calls on us to help students understand the connection between the environmental integrity, economic vitality, and social well-being of the planet now and into the future. Join educators from all disciplines and levels to delve into EFS topics, issues, and concepts, using the lens of sustainability to investigate local human and natural communities. Uncover various strategies, themes, and techniques to provide students with place-based, standards-based, meaningful experiences that engage them as decision-makers creating sustainable communities. Learn from and share with EFS practitioners who have successfully incorporated sustainability into their curriculum, school, and communities. Participants will develop an integrated EFS unit or project using the big ideas of sustainability and their local community.

July 27-29, 2009

This three-day institute, at Islandwood, a sustainably-designed campus, Bainbridge Island, Washington, for K-12 teachers, administrators, and college of education faculty, will provide strategies and models for integrating sustainability into schools and college of education programs. National and Washington State leaders in sustainability education will offer engaging workshops that are relevant and transferable to a wide variety of school environments. For more information and to register for this powerful learning opportunity visit: http://www.wce.wwu.edu/Resources/TFPF/Summer%20Institute.shtml.

In response to the harsh winter weather, Project H.O.M.E. is operating an emergency respite for women in our building at 1515 Fairmount Avenue. This initiative, made possible by funding from a generous donor, is in honor of our 20th Anniversary and is part of our effort to deepen our mission as we reflect on 20 years of progress (see below for information on our anniversary). Project H.O.M.E.’s Outreach Team will pick up women living on the streets in Center City each evening and will provide overnight shelter with cots, dinner, breakfast and critically needed support services.

Four to six volunteers are needed nightly to serve dinner from 6:30 until approximately 8:30. Volunteers may provide the meal in addition to serving it, or they can prepare the meal and drop it off at 1515 Fairmount Avenue. Typical dinners will consist of soup, sandwiches, tea, hot chocolate and coffee. Individual, group, one-time and ongoing volunteers are all welcome to assist with this opportunity.

Also, one volunteer is needed each Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday through the end of April to assist with outreach efforts while the respite is in operation. A once-per-week commitment from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. is preferred. Contact Erin O’Brien at 215-232-7272, ext. 3015 or erinobrien@projecthome.org if you are interested in volunteering.

Title: From Computers to Classrooms:  Tackling Bullying in Today’s Schools

When: March 20, 2009

Location:
PaTTAN-Pittsburgh
PaTTAN-Harrisburg
PaTTAN-King of Prussia
Various downlink sites across the state

Time: 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Description:
In today’s school climate, bullying has moved outside the classroom and the playground into cyberspace. With all students at risk, learn about the social and educational impact of bullying and the programs and policies in place to combat them.

Presenter:
Ted Feinberg, Former Assistant Executive Director, National Association of School Psychologists Dr. Ted Feinberg, has over 30 years of broad-based human services experience in the mental health field. He has extensive background in consultation and counseling with children, adolescents, adults and families. He has worked in both the public and private sectors. Dr. Feinberg has been the Director of Albany Counseling and Crisis Intervention Services and the Senior School Psychologist for the North Colonie Schools near Albany, N.Y. He has been a member of the Graduate School faculties at Russell Sage College, University of New York at Albany, University of Maryland and George Mason University. Dr. Feinberg completed his doctoral and postdoctoral training at the University of New York at Albany. In October 1995, the New York State Association of School Psychologists selected Dr. Feinberg as Practitioner of the Year. Dr. Feinberg completed his second trip to Panama where he assisted the United States Department of Defense with their reduction in force efforts. He was one of the founding members and Chairman for the NASP National Emergency Assistance team. Dr. Feinberg has volunteered his time to do crisis intervention training and disaster mental health work for the American Red Cross and the National Organization for Victim Assistance, working on many cases including tragedies in Spotsylvania, Virginia and Littleton, Colorado. In August 2000, Dr. Feinberg assumed the position of Assistant Executive Director for Professional Development for the National Association of School Psychologists. His professional interests focus on school safety, behavioral interventions, program development, oversight of advocacy, government and public relations, public policy initiatives, interagency networking as well as professional standards and ethics.

Target Audience:
Special educators, regular educators, administrators, guidance counselors, parents, and others interested in learning about cyberbullying.

You may register directly on-line by visiting http://www.pattan.net and entering the Registration On-line page.

General Registration Information and Questions:
Kristen Olszyk at 412-826-6848 or kolszyk@pattan.net

Directions to:

PaTTAN Harrisburg:  http://www.pattan.k12.pa.us/about/Harrisburg.aspx
PaTTAN King of Prussia:  http://www.pattan.k12.pa.us/about/KOPDirectionsandAccomodations.aspx
PaTTAN Pittsburgh:  http://www.pattan.k12.pa.us/about/PittsburgDirectionsandAccommodations.aspx

We are holding 5 grant information sessions throughout Philadelphia and in Camden. To get more information, and to sign up to attend a session go to http://www.breadrosesfund.org/go/infosession.

Making sustainable, long-term change possible is what social change philanthropy and Bread & Roses are all about. Through our grantmaking and technical assistance programs, Bread & Roses gives wings to progressive grassroots organizations that are working for social and economic justice. We raise money throughout the year to provide financial and technical resources to groups that are making real change in the Delaware Valley.

Click here to review the fund descriptions, grant guidelines and deadlines, and to download the grant applications available on our website.

http://breadrosesfund.org/go.cfm?t=59570&d=JSUpWD4yT1wgCg==

First time applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a grant information session or talk to a staff member before submitting a proposal. To get more information about our grant information sessions go to http://www.breadrosesfund.org/go/infosession.

Learn more at http://www.sparkthewave.org

In 2008, the initiative launched its first MABD team. Partnering with The Benefit Bank, team members worked from January to April to assist lower income families in applying for nearly $100,000 in tax refunds and credits.

Coming of Age is now seeking to expand the impact of the MABD program by working with area organizations to launch new teams in 2009.

The host organization for each team will receive a $2,500 grant, provided by United Way, to implement and manage the organization’s MABD project.

How do MABD teams work?
Each team will be a collaborative effort between Coming of Age and the host organization.

Coming of Age will:

* Evaluate applications and select organizations to receive the $2,500 grants.
* Collaborate with project staff to ensure a quality volunteer experience. (This may include site visits, phone surveys with team members, etc.)
* Assist in recruiting team members by promoting the opportunity in its weekly email blast, “Inspiring Opportunities” and in the United Way’s weekly email blast “What Matters.”
* Provide training to the host agency, if needed, in capturing the energy and expertise of people 50+.
* Distribute the funding. ($2,000 awarded at the outset and $500 on completion of the project.)

Host organizations will:

* Develop and implement projects for their MABD teams that last approximately four to nine months, either by initiating new projects or enhancing existing ones.
* Identify a staff member to manage the team.
* Recruit, within three months after the grant is awarded, an adequate number of people 50+ to accomplish the project’s objectives. (We anticipate that most teams will consist of four to seven members, but there can be fewer or more based on the nature of the project.)
* Provide orientation and support for team members to successfully meet the project’s objectives.
* Work collaboratively with Coming of Age to ensure a high performing team.
* At the project’s conclusion, document its outcomes in a two-page report including a summary of expenses.

What criteria will be used to evaluate proposals?

In order to maximize the value of the project for both organizations and team members, Coming of Age will pay special attention to the following two criteria in evaluating applications:

1. The project’s potential to help the organization meet its mission.
2. The degree to which the proposed opportunities incorporate at least three of the following key features that have been shown to be what people 50+ want when they volunteer:
1. Having an impact on the community
2. Contributing in a meaningful way
3. Providing input into the roles they play
4. Connecting and forming new and purposeful relationships
5. Building skills
6. Flexibility

How do you apply?

Please click here to complete and submit an application no later than February 25, 2009.

http://organizations.comingofage.org/node/add/mabd

Coming of Age staff will review the applications and notify area nonprofits whether they have received awards on or about March 27, 2009.

Questions? Email Andrea Leerman , Director of Special Projects, Coming of Age, at Aleerman@comingofage.org or call her at 215-204-0312.

We hope you will apply to be part of this unique opportunity to benefit your organization and provide a substantive volunteer experience for those people 50+ committed to making a real difference in our community.

Sincerely,

Jill Michal, President and CEO
United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania

Dick Goldberg, Director
Coming of Age

What is Environmental Justice (EJ)?

EJ is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

Who Should Attend This Conference?

* Residents of Environmental Justice Communities
* Grass Roots and Community Organizations in or serving residents of environmental justice communities
* Government officials at the federal, state, county, city and township levels who are interested in learning more about environmental justice
* Members of non-governmental agencies, academia, public health, and private sector.

http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/environadvocate/cwp/view.asp?a=1538&q=542615

The US Department of Education, through the Carol M. White Physical Education Program, is offering grants to initiate, expand or enhance physical education programs, including after-school programs, for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Local educational agencies and community-based organizations are eligible to apply.  The department expects to offer make 95 grants ranging from $100,000 to $500,000 each.

For more information, click here.
http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=44785

Grants due March 6, 2009.

The Kristin Mitchell Foundation is currently accepting funding proposals for projects that help to raise awareness among college students about the potential dangers of unhealthy dating relationships.

Two awards will be made during this funding cycle. The Foundation will award up to $2,000 per project. Applications must be received by March 4th. Funding decisions will be announced on or about March 31st.

Projects must serve college students within Philadelphia and/or Montgomery counties.  For a copy of full application guidelines, email kristinskrusade@gmail.com.  For more information about the foundation, click here.

http://www.kristinskrusade.org/

PolicyMap offers subscriptions deals

PolicyMap is a gateway to thousands of datasets that have been carefully gathered, scrubbed and prepared by data analysts at The Reinvestment Fund. Whether you are a novice or someone who is familiar with the intricacies of data, PolicyMap is a powerful, easy-to-use tool.

Registration to use PolicyMap is free, but some datasets are only available by subscription. Subscribers can also access reports and more advanced functionality such as drawing a customized region for analysis. Premium subscribers have the ability to send TRF their own data points to incorporate into the tool and view against all of PolicyMap’s existing datasets.

The goal of PolicyMap is to provide accurate and current data to help users make smart decisions about the allocation of resources. To help users become familiar with PolicyMap, TRF has created several short online training modules available for viewing at anytime, which are also available at the website.

PolicyMap is currently to subscribe for one month and get a second month free, to introduce social service agencies and others to its capabilities.  Over 150,000 people have already registered on the cite.

To check out PolicyMap, click here.

http://www.policymap.com/

Keystone Hospice, which provides comfort through physical, emotional and spiritual care to terminally ill patients and their loved ones, will present a two-day volunteer training session on Saturday, February 21st and Saturday, February 28th.  Keystone Hospice volunteers visit patients in their own homes and assisted living facilities throughout Montgomery, Philadelphia, Bucks and Delaware counties, as well as at Keystone House in Wyndmoor.

Topics covered in the training include the history and philosophy of hospice care, duties and responsibilities of the hospice volunteer, effective listening and communication skills, family dynamics and maintaining boundaries, psychosocial aspects of the dying process, hospice from the nurse’s perspective, patient care, comfort measures and ethics, death, spirituality and related issues, and understanding grief and the bereavement process.

The free training sessions will take place from 9am-5pm at Keystone House, 8765 Stenton Avenue, Wyndmoor.  Pre-registration is required as is attendance at both classes.  The registration deadline is Friday, February 13th.  For more information, email Remy Jones at rjones@keystonecare.com, Director of Volunteers, or call him at 215-836-2440, ext. 320.

Campus Philly’s Online Internship Fairs provide an opportunity for employers and college students in the Greater Philadelphia region to connect quickly and conveniently to fill open positions.

The event will showcase internship opportunities at for-profit, non-profit, and public-sector organizations, along with co-op, volunteer, and entry level post-graduate job opportunities.

The fair is free to both employers and students.  It will take place online February 16-27th.   Don’t miss this opportunity to effectively connect your company with the region’s top talent, free of charge! To register online go here

http://careers.campusphilly.org/

Get set for the clean energy event of the year. Now in its ninth year, Penn Future’s Clean Energy Conference has become a key venue for government officials, public interest organizations and the energy industry to network and learn about the most up-to-date clean energy markets and policies in Pennsylvania.

This conference sells out early each year, so register now and look for speaker information in early 2009.

Pre-Conference Solar Workshop and Networking Session
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 – 1:00 PM to 6:00PM

Annual Clean Energy Conference
Thursday, June 4, 2009 – 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Radisson Penn Harris Hotel & Convention Center
1150 Camp Hill Bypass, Camp Hill, PA 17011
Register by Monday, April 27 to receive a discount. Click here to register online.

http://my.pennfuture.org/site/R?i=KzRuKJTg2imuY1alEvzE4A..