Event to be held at the following time, date, and location:

Tuesday, July 22, 2014 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM (EDT)

PHENND Office
3624 Market St.
Suite 5W
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Attend Event
RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/phennd-vista-year-end-career-panel-tickets-12211477859

Join the inaugural PHENND *VISTA School-Community Partnerships Cohort for its Year-End Career Panel. This plenary will punctuate a year-long series of enriching professional development and peer networking events that embraced currently serving AmeriCorps members and alumni as well as service and social impact professionals from across the region. We will focus on “making more successful post-service career transitions” by asking our expert panelists to discuss better, more creative ways that we as *VISTAs can: 1) Find common career threads 2) Better tell our stories and 3) Translate potential into capacity.

Confirmed panelists include:

• Pennsylvania AmeriCorps State Program Director, Bernard Brown
• Director of Civic House and Civic Scholars Program at UPENN, Dr. David Grossman
• Managing Director of Spark Philadelphia, Jim Schroder

If you’re interested in learning more, join us at the Forum. Please feel free to distribute this invitation to current and potential food and beverage vendors who might be interested in contracting with the City.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014 from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
Friends Center, Cherry Street Room
1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102

For more details / RSVP visit here.

Please contact Kinnari Chandriani at kinnari.chandriani@phila.gov or 215-685-5251 with questions or comments.

In partnership with the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at Children’s National Medical Center, and with the George Washington University, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) developed a modulized toolkit to help academics and external researchers better understand the health center model and how health centers’ unique structure and context necessitate certain models of research engagement and participation that are community-based.

The toolkit entitled,Building Research Partnerships with Community Health Centers: A Toolkit for Academics, provides academics and researchers with guidance and steps to take to help build more equitable and sustainable partnerships with health centers. For more information or to view the toolkit, go to:
http://www.nachc.com/Challenges%20Facing%20Health%20Centers.cfm

Date: Friday, September 19, 2014

Time: 12:00-1:30pm

Location: Houston Hall, Bodek Lounge

Lunch reception following lecture

RSVP – space may be limited.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YAVn8YUfuaY-XetyDAO-NDMbUkeLbneYBLDOdyCwTNU/viewform

Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, MBA, is president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). As part of CPHI’s 2013/14 Seminar Series, Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey will discuss RWJF’s vision around building a culture of health, and discuss the role of academia and the broader public health community. Read more about Risa Lavizzo-Mourey here.

http://publichealthatpenn.wordpress.com/?p=275&preview=true

This event is co-sponsored with our wonderful partners: the Leonard Davis Institute, Penn Institute on Aging, the Center for Health Behavior Research, and the School of Nursing.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is pleased to announce the availability of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) 2014-17 Request for Applications and the 21st CCLC Cohort 7 Grant Paper Application and Instructions for 2014-17. The Cohort 7 application for the 21st CCLC grant will be created, submitted, collected and competed via a paper application process.

The purpose of the program is to establish or expand community learning centers that provide students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools with academic enrichment opportunities by Expanding Learning Opportunities (ELO) during non-school hours along with activities designed to complement the students’ regular academic program. Community learning centers must also offer families of these students’ literacy and related educational development. Centers, which can be located in elementary or secondary schools or other similarly accessible facilities, provide a range of high-quality services to support student learning and development, including tutoring and mentoring, homework help, academic enrichment (such as hands-on science or technology programs), and community service opportunities, as well as music, arts, sports and cultural activities. At the same time, centers help working parents by providing a safe environment for students during non-school hours or periods when school is not in session.

Application Process

The 21st CCLC Grant Request for Applications (RFA) and Guidance for Fiscal Years 2014-17 and the 21st CCLC Cohort 7 Grant Paper Application and Instructions for 2014-17 and all attachments for new grants will be available online beginning July 14, 2014, on the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s 21st CCLC website at http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/21st_century_community_learning_centers/7414.

Applicants are required to complete each section of the 21st CCLC paper application explained in the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Cohort 7 Grant Paper Application and Instructions for 2014-17 document and submit the completed application to Ms. Maribel Martinez at PDE’s Division of Student Services at the address listed below by 4 p.m. August 14, 2014. All sections must be completed in order to submit the application. No sections of the paper application are optional. Faxed and emailed copies will not be accepted. Originals, paper copies and attachments received after the deadline will not be reviewed. Failure to submit the required copies of the signatory documents by the deadline will result in the disqualification of the grant application and denial to proceed to the peer review.

Prior to Grant Award

All potential applicants must complete the following steps:

1. Notify PDE via email of the applicant’s intent to submit an application. Include the legal name of entity, and either the AUN (school districts/charter schools/intermediate units) or EIN (all other organizations) and Vendor number for the lead organization. Specify in the letter of intent to apply the target population to be served including grade levels, proposed site locations, district and school names, community based organization partners, etc. Email your letter of intent to Susan D’Annunzio at sdannunzio@pa.gov.  Due Date Monday, July 28, 2014. Please note this is due prior to the paper application submission deadline. No extensions will be granted.

2. If your agency is not a school district, charter school or intermediate unit, you will need to register for a vendor number. Non-Procurement Entities can apply for a brand new vendor number using the following link: http://www.vendorregistration.state.pa.us. Applicants must have a “vendor number” in order to do business with the commonwealth and so that they can eventually be paid by the commonwealth, if their application is selected for funding. Once you have a vendor number, you will provide your vendor number on the Title Page form and grant agreement document.

3. Consult with eligible nonpublic entities located within the attendance area of LEA regarding participation in the proposed 21st CCLC program. Complete, the Certification of Nonpublic Involvement Form located in Appendix A of the 21st CCLC Grant Request for Applications (RFA) and Guidance for Fiscal Years 2014-17.

4. Register for and attend one pre-proposal workshop.

Submission

All paper applications with attachments for 21st CCLC funding must be submitted by mail. Email, facsimile or any method other than the approved mailed paper submission will not be accepted. Applications submitted via overnight mail must be received at PDE’s Division of Student Services no later than 4 p.m. on Thursday, August 14, 2014. Please print a paper copy of your completed paper application with all attachments for your own records.

Please forward original signature documents signed in blue ink to PDE no later than 4 p.m. on August 14, 2014 to the attention of:

Ms. Maribel Martinez, Fiscal Technician
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Division of Student Services
333 Market Street, 5th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333

NOTE: Failure to submit the required copies of the signatory documents by the deadline will result in the disqualification of the grant application and denial to proceed to the peer review. A list of required signature documents is provided in the Cohort 7 Grant Application and Instructions.

Eligible entities may apply for funding on behalf of one or more public schools within the applicant district through a single paper application process. Each district is limited to one application per district.

Pre-Grant Workshops/Webinar

In order to assist eligible applicant entities in completing the paper application PDE will host a one-day 21st Century Community Learning Centers Pre-Grant workshop at the three regional PaTTAN offices located in Harrisburg, King of Prussia and Pittsburgh on Friday, July 18, 2014, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The presentation in Harrisburg will be a live presentation that will be live streamed to the other two PaTTAN locations.

Participation in a pre-grant workshop is required for all eligible community-based organizations, school districts or charter schools, intermediate units, faith-based organizations and nationally affiliated service organizations planning to submit an application for the 21st CCLC competitive funds for 2014-17. To register, please email Miriam Febles at mfebles@pa.gov. Please, no phone calls. Include the location where you will attend, your name, email address, telephone number and the name of the organization that is planning to apply. Please be aware that an access code will be required for entry at the Pittsburgh PaTTAN location.

Funding Availability

PDE will have approximately $21 million dollars available for Cohort 7 grants. Eligible applicants may select one of two paths for award consideration.

PATH A: Applicants may select to provide only out-of-school time programming (i.e. before school, afterschool, holidays weekends and summer school services) focused on improving Prekindergarten through grade 12 performance measures of school attendance, classroom performance and/or reduced disciplinary referrals and meeting state and local academic achievement standards in reading, math and science. In keeping with the 21st CCLC non-regulatory guidance that larger, more comprehensive grants are more likely to have a measurable impact on student achievement, applicants proposing services for traditional afterschool programming during the regular after school hours, weekends, evenings and summer, may request funds ranging from a minimum of $50,000 to a maximum of up to $400,000. Programs that propose to provide both school year and summer programming are more powerful for results and data; therefore, no funds will be available for summer-only applicants in this grant round.

PATH B: Applicants may select to provide both Expanded Learning Time during the school day with a focus on meeting state and local academic achievement standards in reading and math and on out-of-school time programming in Prekindergarten through grade 12 (i.e. before school, afterschool and summer school services) focused on improving performance measures of school attendance, classroom performance and/or reduced disciplinary referrals and meeting state and local academic achievement standards in reading, math and science. Quality applicants proposing to implement both expanded learning time and out-of-school programming will be eligible to receive funding amounts of up to $500,000 per year.

In order for an applicant to apply to use 21st CCLC funds for Expanded Learning Time, they must describe how it will extend its normal school day, week, month or year to meet the Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Flexibility Expanded Learning Time Optional Waiver requirements. All provisions of the 21st CCLC program remain unchanged. For example, the services proposed must be supplemental; they cannot supplant existing services or those services that are already paid by federal, state and/or local funds. The allowable activities under Expanded Learning Time do not change, only the time during which the allowable activities may be offered changes.

As per Section F-12 of United States Department of Education 21st CCLC Non Regulatory Guidance, communities that presently have a 21st CCLC grant from PDE are eligible to receive additional funds under the PDE administered program. The United States Department of Education Non-Regulatory Guidance document can be accessed at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/21stcclc/guidance2003.pdf. However, local applicants should be aware that new funds must be used in a manner consistent with all the requirements of the statute and must be used only to supplement, not supplant, any federal, state or local dollars available to support activities allowable under the 21st CCLC program.

Period of Availability

The grant period will range from October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2017.

Eligible Applicants

Federal law mandates, per Section 4203 (a) (3), “that any public or private organization may apply for 21st CCLC funding if it proposes to serve:

1. Students who primarily attend:

a. schools eligible for schoolwide programs under (Title I) Section 1114; or

b. schools that serve a high percentage of students (at least 40 percent) from low-income families; and

2. The families of those students described above.”

Preference for funding will be given to qualified applicants designated as “priority or focus” schools with school performance profile scores in the lowest five to 10 percent of Title I schools will receive the highest funding priority consideration for 21st CCLC funds. All Path A and Path B applicants must meet this Pennsylvania priority in order to receive highest funding priority consideration.

Additional Pennsylvania funding priorities can be found in the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Request for Applications (RFA) and Guidance for Fiscal Years 2014-17.

Application Information

Detailed information outlining grant terms and conditions, program eligibility, pertinent regulations including expenditure guidelines, evaluation and program accountability requirements and additional resources are contained in the complete 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Request for Applications (RFA) and Guidance for Fiscal Years 2014-17 and in the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Cohort 7 Grant Paper Application and Instructions for 2014-17 which can be accessed by:

Visiting PDE’s website: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/21st_century_community_learning_centers/7414
Email request: RA-21stCCLC@pa.gov

Applicants will receive priority points if they have a STEM component. For additional program information, please contact:

Pennsylvania Department of Education
Susan D’Annunzio, 21st CCLC Program Supervisor
333 Market Street, 5th floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
Phone: 717.346.3186 Fax: 717.783.4392
sdannunzio@pa.gov

• Provide supportive services to crime victims in Northwest Philadelphia
• NVS supports individuals impacted by crime, empowering them to effectively navigate the criminal justice system, while vigorously advocating for their rights. Through the provision of client support and the development of community relationships

NVS:

Addresses the emotional, safety and financial needs of crime victims, and
Increases awareness of crime prevention strategies to elevate community safety

Job Title: Courtroom Intern

Reports to: Executive Director

Location:
6301 Germantown Avenue, 2nd Floor, Suite 1
Philadelphia, PA 19144

Travel Required: Travel to Criminal Justice Center located at 1301 Filbert St., Philadelphia, PA

Level/Salary Range: Not Applicable

Position Type: Volunteer Victim Advocate

Job Description
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF CRIME IN NORTHWEST PHILADELPHIA. SERVICES PROVIDED INCLUDE:
 CRISIS SUPPORT TO CRIME VICTIMS, THEIR FAMILIES AND SIGNIFICANT OTHERS.
 INFORMATION ABOUT CRIMINAL JUSTICE/ POLICE PROCEDURES AND THE PROGRESS OF A CASE.
 SAFETY PLANNING
 ADVOCACY FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, POLICE, AND/ OR PROBATION DEPARTMENTS.
 REFERRALS TO HELP VICTIMS MEET IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY NEEDS THROUGH OTHER COMMUNITY AGENCIES.
 ACCOMPANIMENT TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE HEARINGS AND TRIALS.
 ASSISTANCE TO ELIGIBLE VICTIMS IN COMPLETING AND FILING VICTIMS COMPENSATION CLAIMS.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• MUST BE ENROLLED IN AN UNDERGRADUATE OR GRADUATE LEVEL PROGRAM AT A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY IN THE FIELDS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, SOCIAL WORK, COUNSELING OR RELATED FIELD.
• REQUIRED SKILLS
• COMMUNICATE IN WRITING AND ORALLY INCLUDING SPEAKING ON THE PHONE ORGANIZATION SELF-MOTIVATED COMPUTER SKILLS/ KNOWLEDGE PROBLEM SOLVING DISCOVER INFORMATION WORK WELL WITH OTHERS

TRAINING

• SPECIALIZED TRAINING ON WORKING WITH CRIME VICTIMS AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WILL BE PROVIDED DURING FIRST TWO WEEKS . TRAINING WILL INCLUDE IN-PERSON, ONLINE SESSIONS AS WELL AS READING ASSIGNMENTS.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CHILD ABUSE CLEARANCES ARE REQUIRED
• MUST BE WILLING TO PROVIDE AT LEAST 10 HOURS OF SERVICE PER WEEK TO NVS FOR 5 MONTHS.

The successful candidate will manage a recruitment territory and assist in all aspects of the admission and financial aid processes. as well as assist in the planning of both on and off campus events, and the review of admission applications. The candidate will be required to establish and cultivate relationships with high school guidance counselors and prospective students and families. The candidate will also be responsible for executing recruitment initiatives directed toward students from underrepresented populations. The Admissions Counselor for Multicultural Recruitment will assist in the development of recruitment strategies designed to attract and enroll a diverse population of qualified students. This is an exceptional opportunity for a motivated and energetic young professional to join a progressive enrollment management team.

For full announcement, qualifications & application instructions: Please visit https://jobs.sju.edu/ and click on “Full-time Administrative and Staff” postings to view the job detail information on the open position. The position will be posted externally on July 16, 2014 and may close within 3 days. All interested applicants must act quickly.

For confidential inquiries, additional information or to nominate an individual for this position, please contact:

Myra H. Singletary
Director, Multicultural Recruitment
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Saint Joseph’s University
5600 City Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19131
610-660-1310

In the 1980s, cocaine use by expectant mothers reached near epidemic proportions. In Philadelphia, one in six pregnant women had a history of cocaine use or had cocaine in her urine. Users were more likely than non-users to be African American, poor, and to have received scant prenatal care. Deleterious effects of cocaine use on pregnancy were documented, with animal studies suggesting adverse effects on uterine blood flow and fetal oxygenation.

Lay groups and professionals alike prepared for a generation of severely affected newborns. Mariah Blake of the Columbia Journalism Review chronicled some of these stories: including Charles Krauthammer declaring that these children would face a “life of certain suffering, of probable deviance, of permanent inferiority,” and a National Institute on Drug Abuse research psychologist suggesting that “crack was interfering with the central core of what it is to be human.” The public outcry against cocaine-using women was deafening, but little attention was paid to the socioeconomic challenges faced by many of these same women.

Read more: http://www.spotlightonpoverty.org/users/spotlight_on_poverty/documents/Hurt_spotlight_05192014.pdf

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Red Cross, and the Department of Education are proud to announce the publication of the National Strategy for Youth Preparedness Education: Empowering, Educating and Building Resilience. This document outlines a vision for a nation of prepared youth and provides nine priority steps that partners at the local, state, and national levels can take to help make that vision a reality. Find out how to start a youth preparedness education program in your community: http://www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness

The findings are consistent with the experiences of businesses that provide good wages, benefits, and other work supports. At the White House Summit on Working Families in June, executives from businesses ranging from large multinationals to small local restaurants testified that providing work supports like paid time off and flexible schedules increased productivity, improved morale, boosted returns, and helped business growth. The gains are particularly striking in highly competitive, low-wage industries with many part-time workers, such as retail and hospitality.

Study: http://www.cepr.net/documents/good-for-buisness-2014-02-21.pdf

More background: http://www.policylink.org/focus-areas/equitable-economy/building-a-worker-owned-innovation-economy#Paid_Sick_Days__What___s_Good_for_Workers_Is_Good_for_Business

In partnership with The Bonner Foundation, The Bonner Institute for Civic and Community Engagement at The College of New Jersey invites applicants for a Program Associate.

The Bonner Institute for Civic and Community Engagement is responsible for mobilizing faculty, students and staff to help sustain and advance the communities in which we live; in other words, to find mission-consistent ways to improve the quality of life for all. It cultivates the common ground that exists between the educational and civic missions of the College and the needs of non-profit organizations and neighborhoods. It does so by creating teaching and learning opportunities that simultaneously build the capacity of TCNJ students and these groups and communities. As a result, students become more knowledgeable, skilled and civic minded-while community partners gain additional resources to effectuate positive change.

The Bonner Program is a campus-based community service and service-based scholarship program currently at sixty-five colleges and universities nationwide. A program of the Bonner Foundation in partnership with The College of New Jersey, the Bonner Program provides more than 3,000 undergraduate students with an opportunity to engage in community service while in college, and to receive financial support for tuition, in the form of scholarships, Federal Work Study stipends, and AmeriCorps Education Awards. The program provides colleges with a replicable model through which to develop students through service, positively impact communities, and build an infrastructure for sustained campus-community partnerships. Through providing students with an access to education and an opportunity to serve, the Bonner Program also provides a higher education model that promotes colleges’ commitment to civic engagement, community building, diversity, international perspective, spiritual exploration, and social justice.

The Program Associate is a key member of the Bonner Foundation staff. The Program Associate also works directly with professional campus-based staff and student leaders. The Program Associate is responsible for supporting the quality and work of Bonner Programs nationally. The Program Associate is responsible for supporting student leaders by managing the student Bonner Advisory Board and Bonner Congress student representatives to strengthen their communities and campus. The Program Associate is responsible for assisting to plan and manage annual conferences through logistics and developing working sessions. The Program Associate is responsible for assisting campus programs to utilize AmeriCorps education award positions by providing guidance and oversight for AmeriCorps regulations and policies. Additional responsibilities include resource development for campus staff, disseminating weekly communications to campuses, providing training and technical assistance to staff and student leaders from programs, and traveling to visit campuses and provide consultation.

We offer this position in partnership with The College of New Jersey, but note that the position works out of the Bonner Foundation in located in Princeton, NJ.

https://jedi.tcnj.edu/webteam/employment/show_job.php?jobid=12750&category=Administrative/Staff%20Positions

UPDATED TIMELINE
Application period closes Friday, August 1, 2014

About FoodCorps
FoodCorps is a national service organization that seeks to give all children the opportunity to grow up in a vibrant, healthful food environment. Through our partnership with AmeriCorps, we recruit, train and place emerging leaders into limited-resource schools for a year of service implementing our three-ingredient recipe for healthy kids:
• Knowledge – We teach hands-on lessons about food and nutrition;
• Engagement – We build and tend school gardens and teach cooking lessons so kids can taste the fresh food they’ve grown;
• Access – We change what’s on children’s lunch trays, giving them healthy food from local farms.

FoodCorps envisions a future in which all our nation’s children know what healthy food is, care where it comes from, and have access to it every day. When our work is done, future generations will grow up enveloped in a healthy school food environment––and will go on to lead healthier, more productive, and longer lives. In each state where we operate, FoodCorps identifies a lead partner (host site) to coordinate our efforts across the state. In collaboration with those state partners, community organizations (service sites) within each of those states support and oversee one or more FoodCorps AmeriCorps members throughout their year of service.

Service sites may be local non-profit organizations, university extension programs, or schools/school districts themselves, for example. Throughout their one year term, FoodCorps service members partner primarily with local schools to provide indoor- and garden-based food education, build and tend school gardens, and work to promote healthy food for school lunch menus. Our 2014-2015 class of 180+ service members will be embedded in over 140 communities and 400+ schools in 17 states across the country.

Evaluation Purpose and Scope
FoodCorps seeks proposals from experienced researchers and evaluators for a two-year project to collaborate on instrument development as well as assess FoodCorps’ impact related to the key outcomes of our program: (1) The contractor will work with FoodCorps to hone our existing farm to school-focused school food environment assessment and implementation rubric. (2) The contractor will also assess the influence our school-based programming (from classes to school-wide environmental changes)
has on children’s consumption of healthy food during school meals. As a whole, we seek a study designed to assess impacts of a multi-component, holistic farm to school program.

Over the past two years, FoodCorps has developed and piloted an internal healthy school food environment rubric (currently called the “FoodCorps Landscape Assessment”), which captures change over time across FoodCorps’ three pillars of farm to school programming at participating schools. The instrument rates a school environment across 30 environmental and programmatic features that contribute to creating a healthy food environment. FoodCorps service members along with a group of key stakeholders conduct the pre/post assessment at each school site. As such, it has the ability to track program implementation and key changes at each school over time. FoodCorps is interested in partnering with evaluators or researchers that will provide expertise in environmental assessment, with an aim toward strengthening and validating the instrument. We seek researchers and evaluators to further develop this instrument and to subsequently analyze whether there is a relationship between the state of the school food environment and student food consumption at school.

The contractors will assess student food consumption behavior at FoodCorps schools that implement a full suite of farm to school programming (across all three pillars of FoodCorps: knowledge, engagement, and access, as described above). The evaluation will also assess and compare these findings to appropriately matched non-FoodCorps schools, with the purpose of comparing food consumption at intervention schools to school food consumption in the absence of the FoodCorps program.

Evaluation Questions
FoodCorps seeks to understand the impact of its programming on individual child behavior as well as on school food environments over time. The key evaluation topics are listed below, with the expectation that the applicant will refine the questions based on collaboration with a group of FoodCorps staff and stakeholders.

1. How can we best measure school food environment change through a farm to school lens, using FoodCorps’ Landscape Assessment tool as a starting point? What updates should be made to strengthen the tool and further ground it in best practice and research?

2. Do students who participate in the FoodCorps program consume more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; fewer saturated fats; and a greater overall variety of foods at school than students who not participate in the FoodCorps program (either from the same school or from non-FoodCorps schools)?

3. Does the extent of a school’s adoption of a healthy school food environment, as measured by the Landscape Assessment or a similar tool, play a role in student food consumption?

To answer these primary evaluation questions, the evaluation will measure (a) the type and amount of food consumed by students in a cafeteria setting (for example, through visual estimation plate waste analysis), and (b) the health of the school food environment.

Deliverables
Contract deliverables include:
● Engage with FoodCorps project committee, made up of staff and stakeholders, throughout the evaluation timeline
● Collaborate with FoodCorps to further develop and strengthen a farm to school food environment analysis instrument; advise FoodCorps on the data collection and analysis plan for the instrument
● Design an evaluation plan for the project outlining data collection methods, sampling technique, evaluation approach and instruments
● Determine feasible number of matched pair study sites given project timeline and budget
● Collaborate with FoodCorps staff to engage and coordinate with those sites that participate in the evaluation project, as well as provide necessary training for implementing the evaluation
● Collect and analyze data measuring school food consumption and school food environment
● Provide final written reports on both instrument development and use as well as evaluation findings
● Provide final presentation (in-person or virtual) to FoodCorps staff and key site partners
● Provide regular updates to FoodCorps staff lead and project advisory committee, as agreed upon by both parties
● Submit invoices for work performed quarterly
● Obtain Institutional Review Board approval for the project, as necessary

Request for Proposals (RFP) and Project Timeline—UPDATED
This study will unfold according to the following two-year timeline. Specific dates are subject to modification.
● Late August 2014: Contractors identified
● September 2014 through April 2015: Planning, design, and instrument development; identification of sites for consumption study the following school year
● May 2015: Instrument completed and available to be integrated into programming for the upcoming program year
● June through July 2015: Site training and preparation
● July 2015 through June 2016: Data collection and analysis
● Summer 2016 (negotiable): Final report and presentation
● Late summer and fall 2016 onward: Evaluation findings reviewed, distributed, and implemented

Activity Date
Release RFP Monday, June 30, 2014
Optional Q&A Call #1 Monday, July 7, 2014
Optional Q&A Call #2 Friday, July 11, 2014
RFP closes Friday, August 1, 2014
Respondents notified of outcome Week of August 18, 2014
Contract commencement Early September, 2014
Final report and presentation Summer 2016 (negotiable)

Contract Application Process and Timeline
To be considered for this contract, applicants must submit a succinct proposal that addresses the following topics, totaling no more than ten (10) single-spaced pages (excluding appendix materials). Upon review, applicants may receive a request for additional information or for a phone interview.

A. Executive Summary
The executive summary will consist of the proposal cover letter highlighting the contents of the proposal. Please include a description of your interest in performing this evaluation, including interest in specific elements.

B. Organizational Overview
This section will include background information on the applicant’s organization and should give details of organizational experience with similar projects. Provide an overview of the business or academic philosophy, values, practices, and areas of expertise and specialization that distinguish your organization from your competitors/colleagues. Include information about what your organization is best known for, the signature approach and strengths of your organization, and other information that describes your organization’s unique capacity to perform this project, including the method by which your clients’ needs are understood and integrated into project designs.

C. Project Staffing and Experience
This section will detail your organization’s professional expertise and experience as it relates to the staff working on this specific evaluation. This section must include the proposed staffing, deployment, and organization of personnel to be assigned to this project. Staffing changes may be made through the mutual consent of the selected contractor and FoodCorps after the contract award.

The applicant shall provide information as to the qualifications and experience of the project staff as well as the responsibilities to be assigned to each person as follows:
1. Lead Evaluator or Researcher: Identify one (1) individual who will lead and manage the contract work. Provide details of this person’s experience, education, affiliations, memberships, awards, and recognition received for similar services. Define the percent of this person’s time that will be devoted exclusively to managing the FoodCorps project. The lead evaluator or researcher’s resume should be included in the appendix.
2. Project Team: Identify by name, title and role each proposed project team member on the proposed FoodCorps project. Include relevant experience and responsibilities to be assigned for this project.
3. Other Staff: Identify other staff member(s) who will work on the FoodCorps evaluation, and how much time would be spent on the FoodCorps project.

D. Technical Proposal
This section shall include, in narrative, outline, and/or graph form, the strategic plan proposed to accomplish the scope of work and address the evaluation questions. This section must provide a comprehensive narrative that sets out the proposed evaluation plan and methodology intended as well as how the methodology meets the needs of the project. The applicant must present a thorough understanding of the goals of the program and scope of the project and demonstrate an adherence to the required timeline. Please include a detailed timeline that relates to the approach that you are proposing.

E. Budgetary Proposal
This section shall outline costs associated with the proposed project. Note that the contractor will be expected to provide its own space and equipment to conduct work on the project and may be expected to cover ordinary and necessary business expenses.
1. Personnel Costs: Identify the daily rates of propose team member, distinguishing between in-house and subcontracted personnel, and calculate the total costs required to execute the proposed evaluation within the required timeline.
2. Material Production Costs: Identify all costs related to the production of materials for the evaluation project.
3. Travel Expenses: Identify all reimbursable travel expenses.
4. Institutional Indirect Cost Rates: If the organization is an academic institution, please include the organization’s indirect cost rate, to which FoodCorps would apply its indirect cost rate policy.
5. Miscellaneous Expenses: Identify all miscellaneous expenses that will be incurred in performance of this contract, not previously covered in the items listed above. Submit rates for each miscellaneous expense identified. Any costs associated with the FoodCorps account outside the scope of this price proposal should also be listed. Detail how the expenses will be verified.

F. Appendix
As an appendix, please provide copies of up to three recent, related research projects or evaluation reports the lead contractor(s) have conducted/led, including: (A) relevant evaluation of school food consumption, and (B) projects including relevant environmental assessment or implementation rubrics. For highly relevant projects, full reports are preferred. Otherwise, executive summaries are acceptable. Please also include the resume or curriculum vitae for the lead contractor.

Have questions? There will be two optional Q&A phone calls leading up to the proposal submission deadline. They will take place at 1pm Pacific Time (4pm Eastern Time) on Monday, July 7 and Friday, July 11. To join the call, dial 917-962-0650, access code 916624. For those who cannot attend, a call recording will be made available upon request.

Submit proposals via email to Eva Ringstrom (eva.ringstrom@foodcorps.org), FoodCorps Director of Impact by Friday, August 1, 2014 at 5pm Eastern Time. Subject line should indicate “RFP – FoodCorps Environment and Consumption Evaluation – Contractor Name.” Late submissions will not be considered. Phone interviews or additional materials may be requested with applicants prior to final selection.

Selection Criteria
A contractor will be selected based on key criteria that include:
● Completeness of required proposal elements
● Demonstrated expertise in food environment research, analysis, and instrument development
● Demonstrated expertise in nutritional analysis, such as plate waste methods
● Demonstrated experience in farm to school or school garden research and evaluation
● Demonstrated experience conducting multiple successful school-based food consumption studies utilizing control schools
● Strong experience conducting multi-site evaluations from a distance
● Clarity, rigor, and feasibility of evaluation methodology and approach
● Capacity to manage data collection across all sites, including ability to travel where necessary and to inform and train service site supervisors, school staff, and FoodCorps AmeriCorps members who will be involved as a study sites
● Ability to complete the evaluation project within the required timeline, as evidenced in the proposal
● Ability to obtain and manage Institutional Review Board approval for all study sites as necessary

Contract Compensation
Total funds available for the two-year contract are up to $250,000 (all inclusive, payable quarterly over a period of September 2014 through September 2016 (negotiable)). Contractors from research organizations who are interested in applying existing funding to the project are welcome to include information about such opportunities in their application.

Position Classification
The position described is an independent contractor position. Employees of the contractor shall not be employees of FoodCorps.

Educators 4 Education (E4E) is looking to hire passionate and experienced individuals for the TCP after-school program to be held at the Common Place (1939 South 58th Street)   All positions will begin in fall 2014 (1) Program Coordinate, (1) Program Liaison, and (5) Support Staff. All candidates should have a minimum of 2 years experience working with youth in an urban education setting.

Description of duties is as follows:

Program Coordinator: The Program Coordinator will work Monday through Friday 2:00 to 6:30 pm. and is responsible for coordinating and implementing program objectives and will ensure program goals are met. The Program Coordinator will meet programmatic reporting requirements and other related administrative duties. Related work experience. Effective communication and organizational skills, conflict resolution abilities, and ability to coordinate with community resources are a plus. Bachelor’s degree in a related field required.

Program Liaison: The Program Liaison will work Monday through Friday 2:30 to 6:30 pm. This person must be well organized, outgoing, and possess the ability to manage an urban based after-school program for youth K through 8th grades. Duties consist of supporting the day-to-day operation of the after-school program including: scheduling, educational enrichment, activity planning, safety, and discipline. Serve as a visionary, mentor, and programmatic leader for staff, teens, and children. Build connections and maintain communication with the children’s families and local schools. Work closely with the after-school team to continuously improve department efforts. Bachelor’s degree in a related field required.

Support Staff: Work Monday through Friday, 2 to 6 pm, to provide daily instruction of up to approximately 15 children requiring assistance in homework help, reading, and math. Support Staff are also responsible for the coordination of paperwork, including pre-and post-student assessments. Must be able to create and implement classroom instruction according to student’s level of ability. Support Staff must also be able to effectively deal with challenging behaviors and utilize available supports including program directors and coordinator to address issues that may arise that will prevent students from obtaining maximum benefit from the program. Support Staff must attend scheduled team meetings in order to discuss any issues, report on student progress, and focus on student retention rate. Teachers must maintain a satisfactory level on quarterly performance evaluations. High school diploma or equivalent required.

The employer for this program is Educators 4 Education for which you will be a contracted employee once hired. As an E4E contracted employee, you will be required to attend a mandatory orientation. Preference is given to candidates who live or work in the Southwest Philadelphia community. If you are interested in any of the positions listed above, please submit a letter of interest and resume to hr@educators4education.org.

All E4E EMPLOYERS AND CONTRACTORS MUST BE ABLE TO OBTAIN A PA CHILD ABUSE CLEARANCE, PA CRIMINAL CLEARANCE, AND AN FBI FINGERPRINT CLEARANCE.

ImpactLives seeks to transform communities one life at a time through a unique, research-based, leadership development service-learning model for students and adults.

Presented by Cathy Bergland of ImpactLives.

Wednesday, August 20
12:00 p.m. CST

Register here

https://nylc.webex.com/mw0401l/mywebex/default.do?siteurl=nylc

Founded in 2008 by acclaimed chef Marc Vetri and restaurateur Jeff Benjamin, the Vetri Foundation for Children works to help kids experience the connection between healthy eating and healthy living. When they make that connection, children make better decisions about their own health, they influence their families, and they become a voice for better choices in their communities.

Where better to get started than in the school lunchroom? Eatiquette, the Vetri Method for school lunch, provides kids not only with fresh, nutritious food, but also with the social education that comes from sharing good food. The lunchroom doubles as a classroom where children learn the benefits of good nutrition, etiquette, team work, and respect.

Summary of Key Responsibilities:
-Aids and supports in planning and execution of Vetri Foundation for Children’s programs.
-Development and distribution of training materials for students, teachers, administration and adult volunteer base.
-Responsible for maintaining program standards in partner schools and maintaining relationships with key members of dining room.
-Develops and implements value-added programming for Eatiquette.
-Coordinates and schedules volunteer base and gives assignments based upon support needs among partner schools.
-Management of smallwares from inventory to delivery.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Culinary background as a cook or working chef required.
• Connect, collaborate with, lead and serve partner school staff, teachers and administrators.
• Work in conjunction with Foundation cooks, school kitchen staff, and school administration.
• Train and teach our program in partner schools.
• Translate hands on-experience with schools into training documents.
• Ability to identify challenges and recommend solutions to key leaders.
• Must have passion for kids nutrition and be able to connect with school age kids in relation to program.
• Must be willing to “roll up your sleeves” and do what it takes to get the job done.
• Leadership ability without formal authority is a must.
• Experience in managing key contacts and relationships professionally is required
• Must have all required state and federal clearances for working with children, or able to pass a criminal background check.
• Ability to work independently critical to this role.
• Experience with public speaking helpful.
• National School Lunch Program experience and knowledge is helpful but not required.

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/fbh/4558835247.html

A full job description is below. Thank you in advance for your assistance!

The Welcoming Center Team

Program Director

Immigrant Professionals Career Pathways Program

Our Immigrant Professionals Career Pathways Program is a new program designed to provide comprehensive assessment and guidance for immigrant professionals seeking to restart their careers in the Philadelphia region.

Under the supervision of the Deputy Director, the Program Director will oversee the implementation, coordination and administration of all aspects of the Immigrant Professionals Career Pathways Program including planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling program activities.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s preferred.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience related to:
• Implementing new programs
• Coordinating outcome-based adult education and/or training programs.
• Understanding and ensuring compliance with standards set by government and/or professional regulatory agencies
• Monitoring student progress, conducting student satisfaction surveys, and advising students, as needed.
• Establishing professional, collegial relationships with employees, healthcare providers, credentialing institutions, academic institutions, and the community.
• Supervising professional and administrative staff

Desirable:
Familiarity with basic eligibility criteria for professional licensure and certification in a range of professions; familiarity with international credential verification procedures, examination requirements, application processes and other profession-specific requirements

This position requires strong verbal and written communication as well as strong organizational skills. The Program Director must also have experience with Microsoft Office

Experience, Skills, & Abilities:

• Demonstrated success in program development
• Demonstrated success working in a diverse team serving a multicultural clientele
• Proven listening skills
• Proven coordination skills
• Ability to bring people together
• Ability to implement programs effectively
• Ability to identify and resolve problems in a timely manner

About the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians

The mission of the Welcoming Center is to serve as a centralized support and referral center for the Delaware Valley’s growing immigrant community by promoting immigrants’ participation in the area’s political, social and economic life. We understand that when the immigration experience is smooth and successful, families benefit, and so do neighborhoods, businesses, our economy in general, and society as a whole. Learn more at www.welcomingcenter.org

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians extends equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all qualified individuals, with regard to and all terms and conditions of employment.

How to Apply:

Send your resume and a brief cover letter explaining your interest in the position to Deputy Director Bahiya Cabral-Johnson, bahiya@welcomingcenter.org. No phone calls, please.

Duties and Responsibilities:
• Plan, lead and teach Junior College Prep Curriculum
• Support the College Advisor to meet all college initiatives team goals by assisting with college applications, application office hours, FAFSA completion, family meetings, college rep visits and college trips
• Promote college culture related initiatives throughout the school year by helping to develop signage throughout the building, meet with families, attend whole school events and push into Mastery Classes, SEL Classes and Community Meetings
• Manage the 9th and 11th grade college initiatives program that includes assisting with all college related orientation materials and orientation classes especially those related to 9th and 11th grade students, providing the 9th and 11th grade team with College Continuum goals for the year, managing the transcript review process with all 9th and 11th grade students, one on ones with each 11th grade student to provide guidance in both college and career planning, and participating in Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Plan and coordinate all college admission testing and prep including PSAT, SAT, Aspire, ACT and Mock ACT
• Manage the Ellis Trust program for girls in all grades
• Manage the Summer Opportunities program and goals for all grades
• Manage the dual enrollment application process for all programs and grades
• Meet with all interested families regarding the Mastery @ CCP program
• Track community service for all 9th and 11th grade students
• Assist College Team with graduation planning, college fair planning and College Signing Day preparation
• Attend Grade Level Mtngs. as necessary
• Participate in all College Initiative Team Professional Development

Qualifications:
• Familiarity with aspects of college counseling and college retention programs including financial aid, transfer processes, matriculation challenges and other barriers faced by low-income, first-generation college students;
• Exceptional organization skills – a detail-oriented approach to multi-task and meet deadlines under pressure;
• Strong proficiency with database systems – start-up and ongoing support/maintenance
• Ability to gather data, compile information and prepare reports as well as analyze data in order to make improvement recommendations
• Excellent communication, public relations, and interpersonal skills both orally and in writing with ability to effectively connect with broad range of constituents including alumni, their families, secondary and post-secondary school staff/leaders
• Comfort and demonstrated ability to successfully facilitate and engage various size groups;
• Track-record of high achievement (premium placed on experience in urban communities and schools);
• Personal drive and commitment to serve urban youth
• Deep belief in one’s own ability to significantly increase college going, persistence and graduation rates for Mastery alums
• Ability to effectively work alone and with a high-performing, mission-driven staff;
• Consistently evaluates progress, using data to drive changes in alumni support program;
• Demonstrated resilience to persevere and turn challenges into opportunities while meeting aggressive goals despite limited resources
• Ability to be a self-starter and creative problem solver while also being a quick learner who is willing to ask questions and seek feedback.

Education and Experience:
Bachelors degree required. Work with urban youth in educational settings in related college access and college retention fields.

Physical Requirements:
Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required such as maneuvering in classrooms and office space-reaching file cabinets, filing, faxing, scanning, coping, typing, mailing, and making phone calls; Must be able to sit for up to two (2) hours looking at a computer monitor, using a keyboard/mouse and typing.

The North Penn Community Health Foundation will sponsor a talk on storytelling by nationally recognized author, speaker and nonprofit communication consultant Andy Goodman on Wednesday, August 13th from 9am to noon at the Blue Bell Country Club, 1800 Tournament Drive in Blue Bell.

Registration and continental breakfast will be from 8:30-9am. Ample free parking is available.

With his highly engaging style, Goodman will explain why storytelling remains the single most powerful communication tool nonprofits possess, and he will offer specific ways organizations can use stories to advance their missions.

This workshop is open to board members and staff of health and human service nonprofits that serve Montgomery County. A maximum of two representatives per organization may attend.

Full details and registration information can be found here.

http://npchf.org/academy/workshops/change-story-change-world

The Thomas Scattergood Foundation and The Consultation Center at Yale University have announced the application period for the 2014-2016 Building Agency Capacity for Program Evaluation Initiative.

The initiative enables a minimum of four agencies in the Greater Philadelphia Area to receive evaluation training and consultation services for two years (July 2014 – June 2016) and participation in the newly established Greater Philadelphia Evaluation Learning Collaborative after June 2016.

Agencies selected to participate will receive training and consultation in practical program evaluation skills to track program processes and outcomes, and to communicate effectively about evaluation and quality assurance data.

Unique features of this initiative are to tailor capacity building for program evaluation to the needs of individual agencies and to provide ongoing training and consultation to support changes in capacity over several years.

To learn more and download the application, go here.

http://www.scattergoodfoundation.org/activity/general/application-building-agency-capacity-program-evaluation-2014-2016#.U7araLGmU1J

Application due: July 28, 2014.