All Posts (13)
A new bill allowing cities to install intersection safety cameras, which issue tickets to vehicles that do not obey red light signals, has passed the Transportation Committee by a vote of 25 to 11. Text and other information about the bill, currently labeled S.B. 706, may be found here on the Connecticut General Assembly's website. There are many supporters of the bill this year, including Toni Walker and Roland Lemar, state representatives from New Haven. The bill is also supported by Bike Walk Connecticut, the state's largest bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organization.
The Hartford Courant reports at http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-red-light-cameras-0319-20110318,0,594323.story, and links to an online poll (shown here) which, with 1,072 votes recorded, indicates support for the devices. An excerpt from the Courant's coverage:
The legislature's transportation committee voted Friday to approve a bill that would enable any Connecticut municipality with a population of more than 60,000 to install cameras to take pictures of red-light violators at intersections, and to impose a fine of $124 for each violation.
The 25-11 committee vote sends the bill to the floor of the state Senate for debate and action. Approval also would be required in the House before the bill could be sent to the governor, who then would decide whether to sign it into law. Legislative approval isn't guaranteed. At least one such bill has cleared the committee in recent years, but none has been approved in the full House and Senate.
According to the Courant, the towns of more than 60,000 people in Connecticut are Bridgeport, New Haven, Hartford, Stamford, Waterbury, Norwalk, Danbury, New Britain, West Hartford, Greenwich, Hamden, Meriden and Bristol.
Click here for our coverage of previous years' legislation, and here for an earlier summary from the Tri State Transportation Campaign.
A group called CT Safe Roads has launched a website to help advocate for the devices. If you support the use of intersection safety cameras, which are currently deployed in more than 400 U.S. cities and have been shown to be extremely effective at reducing deaths caused by red light running, please visit the website and email, call or set up a visit with your state representatives. Several well-written op-eds supporting the cameras can be found in Connecticut's newspapers, including the Courant, Bristol Press, and New Haven Register.
NONPROFIT NOTEBOOK
Heinrich hopes to build bridge to nonprofits
03/14/11
Deb Heinrich is facing dual challenges as the recently appointed nonprofits liaison to Gov. Dannel Malloy, a new position in the governor’s cabinet. On one hand, she is looking to save dollars for a state confronted with a projected $3.7 billion deficit; on the other, she’s tasked with bolstering the health and efficiency of a nonprofit sector burdened by stagnant funding and increased demand for services.
Addressing both problems, Heinrich contends, will require changing the relationship between state government and non-profit organizations, leveraging private philanthropy, and supporting services models that are proven effective and efficient — two qualities not typically associated with state government.
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STATE OF CONNECTICUT
OFFICE OF POLICY AND MANAGEMENT
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
March 17, 2011
To: Connecticut’s Nonprofit Community
RE: Federal Aid Funding for January 11-12, 2011 Snowstorm for Nonprofit Organizations
Dear Colleagues,
Connecticut’s Department of Emergency Services and Homeland Security, under the leadership of Commissioner Boynton, has successfully applied to FEMA on behalf of Governor Malloy for disaster funding to help defray costs associated with the January 12, 2011 record-breaking snowstorm. Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, New Haven, New London, and Tolland Counties have been designated and approved (aid for Middlesex and Windham Counties is still pending). Aid is available to eligible nonprofit organizations.
A series of county-wide meetings with FEMA and DEMHS have been scheduled for the week of March 21. These meetings will give you an opportunity to learn about eligibility and the process for applying for funding. A schedule of these meetings is attached. If you experienced noninsured costs associated with the January 12 storm, I highly recommend that you send a representative from your agency to your designated meeting.
Attached, I have included some more information concerning eligibility. Even if it may look like you are not eligible, I still recommend that you attend the meeting and hear directly from FEMA and DEMHS.
Please note: Even if you were not a party to the initial application from Connecticut to FEMA, you may still be eligible for assistance.
Please note: Aid for individuals and businesses was not available from FEMA for this storm.
Please note: Eligible expenses will be covered at 75% of the documented costs.
Sincerely,
Deb Heinrich
Nonprofit Liaison to the Governor
(860) 418-6235
Attachments:
SUMMARY: Primary responsibility for raising operating funds for $900,000 annual budget. Research grant opportunities; conduct grant writing and reporting. Solicit, cultivate and maintain individual and corporate donors and investors. Organize and oversee fundraising and friendraising events. Conduct all marketing and communications to support fundraising activities including website, newsletters and annual report. Coordinate and prepare quarterly reports to donors, investors and grantors. Coordinate community development breakfast series and other events as required.
Director of Development and Administration works closely with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, Development Committee and other volunteers and will be responsible for all aspects of development and communications including:
- Grant research and writing
- Timely and accurate grant reporting
- Investor recruitment, renewal, relations
- Donor solicitation – direct mail annual appeal, special campaigns
- Special events coordination – Community Breakfast series, Good Egg Awards dinner, etc.
- Public relations including press, publications, newsletter, web site maintenance
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
- Successful track record in all aspects of fundraising
- Excellent writer
- Excellent relational and communication skills
- Experience with financial planning and income projections
- Excellent data maintenance
- Organized, self-directed and detail-driven and able to meet deadlines
The above is not intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities and requirements.
Salary is competitive with nonprofits of similar size.
To Apply
Please send resume, cover letter, and salary history to: Carla Weil, Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund, 171 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06510 or carla@gnhclf.org . For information about the Loan Fund please see our website at www.gnhclf.org.
The GNHCLF is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Thanks to Moses Boone for sharing this great list. Please forward this link to students that you know.
Actuary Scholarships for Minority Students
American Chemical Society Scholarships
American Geological Institute Minority Geoscience Student Scholarship
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
Higher One Scholarship (must attend meeting 4/13 in New Haven)
Engineering for Minorities
Gates Millennium Scholars
International Education Financial Aid
The Jackie Robinson Foundation (high school seniors only)
Jack Kent Cook Foundation Graduate Scholars Program
John L. Carey Accounting Scholarship
Kaiser Media Internships in Health Reporting
LGBT Scholarships
Microsoft Scholarships (for computer related degrees)
Morris K. Udall Undergraduate Scholarship (for environmental studies)
Unmet Need Scholarship
Scholarships for African -American Women
The Jackie Robinson Foundation (high school seniors only)
Ron Brown Scholarship (high school seniors)
Black Excel Scholarship Gateways
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
Dr. James M. Rosin Scholarship
Fisk Premedical Summer Institute / Minority Medical Education Program
General Mills Technology Scholars Award
Law School: MCCA Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program
NAACP Scholarships: Earl G. Graves Scholarship, Agnes Jones Scholarship, Lillian and Samuel Sutton Scholarship, Roy Wilkins Scholarship, and the Hubertus W.V. Williams Scholarship
National Association of Black Journalists
National Black Police Association
National Society of Black Engineers Scholarship List
Sallie Mae Fund American Dream Scholarship
Siemens Teacher Education Scholarship Program
Spieler, Rhea and Louis Scholarship Program
UNCF Merck Science Initiative
United Negro College Fund
Scholarships for Latina Women
Hispanic Scholarship Fund (also for college students)
Adelante US Education Leadership Fund
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (Congressional Internship)
First in My Family Scholarship Program
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
Hispanic College Fund
National Association of Hispanic Journalists
Salvadoran American Leadership and Education Fund
IRIS- Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (www.irisct.org), a nonprofit organization, is seeking an Office Coordinator to work full-time in our New Haven office. The Office Coordinator provides administrative and case management support to all staff and is responsible for planning and organizing the clerical aspects of IRIS.
Primary responsibilities include but are not limited to: Maintaining a neat and orderly office, greeting all visitors, answering phones, responding to email inquiries, data entry, processing invoices and mailing payments, ordering office supplies, filing, typing letters, and communicating with vendors. Position includes frequent interaction with IRIS clients- refugees from around the world seeking new lives of freedom and peace in the U.S.
Candidate must be a responsible, mature, and reliable person who can work independently but also in a team environment. Candidate must be proficient with MS Windows and MS Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook, Access, and PowerPoint. Experience with Quickbooks accounting software and Giftworks database software a plus. Minimum 3 years experience working in an office setting. Other requirements include pleasant phone manner, strict confidentiality, attention to detail, strong work ethic, and a stable work history.
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter by March 18th to Kelly Hebrank, Program Manager, at khebrank@irisct.org.
(Full job description available on http://irisct.org/work.html)
Common Ground is a center for environmental learning and leadership in New Haven, Connecticut where a diverse community of children, young people, and adults cultivate habits of healthy living and sustainable environmental practice. Farm meets forest meets city on Common Ground’s 20 acre campus at the base of West Rock Ridge. The site abuts the 1500 acre West Rock State Park, sharing hiking trails, wildlife, and diverse natural habitats with the surrounding forests. Common Ground’s Charter High School uses the site as an organizing principle of its curriculum which is guided by an ecological framework that recognizes the connection and interdependence of all living and non-living things. Each year, more than 6,000 community members participate in festivals, field trips, after-school programs, and other educational opportunities on site. Common Ground’s Green Job Corps program provides meaningful employment with a green focus to over 30 high school students from New Haven while immersing them in youth, leadership and career development activities. For more information on Common Ground, see www.commongroundct.org.
February 20, 2011
How a Small Nonprofit Made Simple Tech Tweaks and Saved $176,000
Like many nonprofits struggling in the economic downturn, my organization has tightened its belt. A year ago we reduced our work force from 10 to four staff members and cut our operating budget by almost two-thirds.
The Metanexus Institute works to promote interaction between religion and science through publications and symposia at universities around the world and has always prided itself on using cutting-edge computer technology. (We started in 1997 as a moderated e-mail discussion list.) As we looked to trim costs, we found ourselves taking a particularly hard look at the technology we use to run our organization.
We made a number of big changes and small tweaks, which not only resulted in greater cost savings but also made us more nimble as an organization. When the overhaul was complete, we had cut our information-technology expenses—including phone service—from $5,000 per month to $300 per month. We also no longer needed our own technology staff, which gave us additional savings of nearly $10,000 per month. All told, we’re saving about $176,000 a year on an annual budget that now stands at $385,000....
Here are some highlights of our transformation: http://philanthropy.com/article/How-a-Small-Group-Saved/126404/
CONTACT: Ashley Etienne
February 28, 2011 202.606.6944; aetienne@cns.gov
Washington, DC—The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) today released a Notice of Federal Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the 2011 grant competition of the Social Innovation Fund. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, April 12, 2011. “In its first year, the Social Innovation Fund has laid a sound foundation for improving the lives of thousands of people in low-income communities throughout the U.S.,” said Patrick Corvington, CEO of CNCS. “The second grant selection competition represents a critical next step toward demonstrating that the federal government – working in partnership with nonprofit organizations, private philanthropies, municipal governments and other key agents of change – can be an innovative and effective catalyst for tackling some of our most persistent social challenges.”
The Social Innovation Fund represents a new way of doing business for the federal government. Through an innovative public-private partnership, the Social Innovation Fund and selected local and national grantmakers co-invest in programs that increase the scale of community-based solutions that have evidence of real impact in three priority areas: youth development, economic opportunity or healthy futures. When the first round of grantmaking is completed in March, the Social Innovation Fund’s eleven 2010 grantees will have awarded nearly $100 million to approximately 150 innovative community-based non-profits organizations.
More information download PDF
In my role as a board member of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management, I would like to let you know about webinars that the Alliance is sponsoring. I think that you may find these useful and informative, especially if you are concerned about strengthening nonprofit capacity.
March 3: Helping Nonprofits Survive a Crisis with Kim Klein, widely regarded author of Reliable Fundraising in Unreliable Times, the 2010 McAdams Book Award Winner
March 24: Future Search Updated: Getting the Whole System in the Room for Vision, Commitment and Action-- A Webinar for Advanced Practitioners, with Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff
March 29: Creating Networked Nonprofits, with Beth Kanter and Allison Fine, co-authors of The Networked Nonprofit, the 2010 Honorable Mention, McAdams Book Award
For complete descriptions and to register, visit our website at www.allianceonline.org .
All webinars are 90 minutes and occur at 2:00-3:30 PM US Eastern Standard Time on the dates listed above. Attendance is limited to the first 150 registered. Cost is $39 for Alliance members and $59 for non-members per webinar. For more information and to register, visit www.allianceonline.org, call 415.704.5058 or email info@allianceonline.org.
Yours,
Mike Burns, Partner,
BWB Solutions