I am reaching looking for nonprofit community partners for MakeHaven.

We are launching a new initiative called "Guided Exploration of Makerspace Skills" which coaches participants to achieve goals for gaining new career relevant maker skills at MakeHaven. We have developed 93 micro-credentials that people can earn at MakeHaven.

We have received funding that allows us to hire a part time coach/coordinator for the program.

We are also fortunate to have funding to provide scholarships to participants who have limited income.

We are asking to:

1. Share the Coordinator job description (makehaven.org/gems/coordinator) with anyone you think may be interested.

2. Share the participant interest form to help us recruit participation. (makehaven.org/gems)

Another possibility is that you directly nominate individual clients that would benefit from job skills and scholarship support. If this is of interest to you let me know and we can discuss.

Thank you for helping us in our mission to "Equip people with tools to design, invent, and create."

Looking for Spanish-speaking adults living with diabetes to participate in a 1-hour interview. Participants will receive a $20 gift card.

Do you know a student who has found a distinctive solution to a problem faced by his/her family, school, community, or the world?  Who has solved an artistic, scientific, or technical problem in a new or unusual way?  The Milton Fisher Scholarship for Innovation and Creativity provides scholarships to high school and college students who are innovative and creative problem solvers.   

The Milton Fisher Scholarship is a 4 year scholarship for up to $20,000 (up to $5,000 per year for four years) and is open to high school juniors and seniors and college freshmen in the CT or NYC metropolitan area, as well as students from outside the region going to college in NYC or Connecticut.  In 2021, eight scholarships and four honorable mentions were awarded.  More information and the online application can be found at mfscholarship.org.  Interested applicants must complete the online application on or before May 3, 2022.  

Please encourage any qualified students you know to apply for this unique opportunity.   For additional information please contact info@mfscholarship.org or call Jorie Cogguillo at (203) 777-7098.

MFS-2022.pdf

Residential households in the U.S. can order one set of 4 free at-home tests from USPS.com. Here’s what you need to know about your order:

New Haven, CT (January 7, 2022) - The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, the region’s permanent endowment and largest grantmaker to local nonprofits, and its partner in philanthropy, the Valley Community Foundation, announce the opening of their 2022 grant application processes.

On January 14, the foundations will co-host a webinar that provides an overview of the various competitive grant opportunities, deadlines, and capacity building workshop sessions available to nonprofits serving Greater New Haven. Applications are subject to eligibility criteria, including adherence to The Community Foundation’s anti-discrimination policy. Applicants who are unfamiliar with the grant process are encouraged to attend. CONTINUE READING

Nonprofits serving Greater New Haven are encouraged to attend an upcoming webinar on January, 14, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Review responsive grant opportunities and learn all about 2022 deadlines, capacity building training sessions and more.

Topics covered include:

• All of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and the Valley Community Foundation's grant processes.
• How to apply for a Responsive Grant.
• Timeline from start to finish.
• Responsive Grant application types.
• Upcoming technical assistance opportunities to support your application preparation.

REGISTER HERE

The Office of Workforce Strategy (OWS) has launched CareerConneCT. CareerConneCT, OWS’s flagship initiative.

Career ConneCT will begin with a $62M investment aimed at getting people back to work in high-quality, in-demand, careers. For more information, please visit the CareerConneCT website linked here.  

Additionally, please visit the CareerConneCT website to:

• Download all of the detailed guidance documents and presentations on the “Workforce Training Grants” page,
• Sign up for office hours (one-on-one or open) with the CareerConneCT Technical Assistance Team on the bottom of the home page
• Learn how to apply through the CareerConneCT application portal

Grant applications will be accepted for the first round of funding consideration between Feb. 14-20, 2022. 

The Office of Workforce Strategy will hold two general information sessions on CareerConneCT this week. Zoom meeting links and times are included below.  

• General Information Session, this Wednesday, January 5^th at 11am
• General Information Session, this Friday, January 7^th at 2pm

Please feel free to forward this information to any additional networks. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to OWS staff at OWS.CareerConneCT@ct.gov.

City Gallery members Meg Bloom, Phyllis Crowley, Roberta Friedman, and Kathy Kane come together in January to present CONFLUENCE, individual works created over the past many months in isolation. The show will run from January 7 - January 30, with a chance to Meet the Artists on Sunday, January 9, 1pm - 4 pm

“It is a convergence of our separate visual imagery, presented in one small space, without attempting to come together to make a singular statement,” says artist Meg Bloom. Bloom is a sculptor, installation and mixed media artist currently making handmade paper and working with abaca and kozo fibers. Her abstract art references nature, whether human or otherwise, often addressing broader social and environmental issues. But it is finding beauty in the imperfect, acknowledging moments of change and engaging with the process of transformation that form the basis of her work.

For photographer Phyllis Crowley, confluence is about combining images, collaging ideas and associations, and considering distortions to help her bring together an emotional experience. “Combining images has been an interest of mine for a long time,” she says. “In the darkroom days, I cut out prints and collaged them, hoping to find a way to join them successfully. Now with digital tools, I am free to combine in any way I can imagine, creating a more powerful image, allowing for the development of new ideas and associations. Another major feature of my work is an interest in the distortions that water, weather or any obscuring interface can provide. I use methods like abstraction, multiple images, and change of format to create new relationships that bring myself and the viewer closer to the original emotional experience.”

Artist Roberta Friedman’s recent work focuses on process and how working in a confined or limited space changes how we create. “With the intention of exploring the paths that a long narrow surface would take me on, I set out to delve into the confluence of that shape and the encaustic mono prints that emerged on rolls of Asian papers, or on thin tissue papers. The spontaneity of the printing process on a hot surface, the vibrancy of encaustic wax paints, and the richness of oil pigments and cold wax have resulted in a cacophony of color and expression.  Exposing or obliterating aspects of design and pigments are a challenge that complement and enhance the vision: a confluence.”

“The power of the paint and its randomness is what most intrigues me,” says artist Kathy Kane. “Watching how it reacts as I manipulate it with whatever comes to hand: fingers, squeegees, chopsticks, any unconventional tool and occasionally brushes. ” Her series of Kimonos — painted and collaged, assembled and completed in situ — represent a visceral process. “It was instinctive, unreasoning and most enjoyable,” she says of her immersion into the creation and culture of this traditional garment during the past two years.

The exhibit is free and open to the public, and runs January 7 - January 30, with a chance to Meet the Artists on Sunday, January 9, 1pm - 4 pm. City Gallery is located at 994 State Street, New Haven, CT 06511. Gallery hours are Friday - Sunday, 1pm - 4 pm, or by appointment. During regular hours, visitors are required to wear a mask and observe social distancing protocols. For the reception, proof of vaccination will be required for entry, and masks are required. For further information please contact City Gallery, info@city-gallery.org, www.city-gallery.org.

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of Investment Officer. The application deadline is December 31, 2021. 

For more information and to apply, please click here.

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of Finance Officer. The application deadline is December 31, 2021. 

For more information and to apply, please click here.

Hey GNH Community! The State of CT's Office of Workforce Strategy has received approval to launch CareerConneCT. The preliminary initiative is designed to directly support individuals affected by COVID-19 in returning to work through training programs that provide reskilling, upskilling, or next-skilling opportunities through industry-recognized credentials that create pathways to employment in high-quality in-demand careers. There is a $62 million available pool of funding, and the initial application window will be open during the third week of February 2022.

OWS will be inviting applicants to focus on engaging traditionally underserved populations that include:

*BIPOC populations
*Opportunity youth
*Formerly incarcerated individuals
*People with disabilities
*Veterans

OWS will offer two informational calls on Wednesday, January 5 at 11am-12pm (EST) and Friday, January 7 at 2-3pm (EST) to provide a detailed introduction to CareerConneCT and to answer questions.

Eligible Applicants:
*Regional workforce boards
*Nonprofit organizations
*Individual or a consortium of institutions of higher education
*Institutions that offer post-secondary education
*Business/industry partners and associations
*Individual training partners listed on CT's eligible training providers list (ETPL)
*Local governments
*Adult education providers
*Public K-12 schools/consortium of school districts
*State agency partners

To attend the your preferred informational session, use the links below:

• January 5^th at 11am - General Information Session
• January 7^th at 2pm - General Information Session

Please spread the word! 

#workforcedevelopment #careerpathways #racialequity

We are searching for a results-oriented leader who will spearhead our Sound-wide healthy waters initiative and serve as our New York network-builder and office director.

The Regional Director proactively manages the Sound-wide efforts of the water quality team to restore rivers, lakes, and harbors in the Long Island Sound watershed. This includes guiding our extensive bi-state, science-based “find it/fix it” watch-dog, pollution testing, and solutions program; translating science into advocacy and then into results; and developing the interactive, public-friendly communications products that exemplify our data to action philosophy, like the Sound Health Explorer, Long Island Sound Report Card, and Long Island Sound Beach Report.

This full-time exempt position reports to the Vice President of Programs, and collaborates regularly with the ecological restoration, legal, development, and communications teams. The Regional Director has a team of approximately 6 full-time staff and 2 seasonal staff.

How to Apply

Please email the following to waterquality@savethesound.org with “Regional Director, Water Protection” in the subject line:

• Cover letter
• Resume
• List of references

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and will be accepted until the position is filled

For more information visit 

https://www.savethesound.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Regional-Director-Water-Protection-Job-Description-11_29_21.pdf ;

 Photo Credit: Emily Hays, New Haven Independent

When the pandemic hit in early 2020, homeless services providers in New Haven and around the state suddenly had to figure out an alternative to existing emergency shelters. The communal sleeping spaces of shelters could not comply with social distancing requirements.

Working together with city and state officials, providers secured funding through FEMA to pay for local hotel rooms. FEMA renewed the funding in 2021, and for many people caught in a cycle of homelessness, it has been a lifesaver. CONTINUE READING

SCOPE Study

If you are 60 years of age or older and healthy, you may be eligible to participate in a

free and confidential study to help researchers learn about the normal presence of bacteria

in the respiratory tract and how they are transmitted between adults. There may not

be a direct benefit to you if you take part, but the information learned from the study

may help other people in the future. Compensation up to $125 for 6 visits, as well as

reimbursement for parking.

To learn more or to see if you are eligible to participate, please contact us at

1-877-978-8343 or email helpusdiscover@yale.edu.

Did you know that the words journal and journey are derived from the same root, the French word, “jour,” which means day? And while the original function of a journal was to record one's day-to-day journey, you'll find that modern-day journaling elaborates with elements of writing, drawing, painting, collage, and even printmaking. Take, for example, the 25-year practice of artist Susan Newbold, whose illuminated journal work will be on display in REVERIES: JOURNALING IN PLACE at City Gallery from December 3 - January 2. Newbold will be signing copies of her new book, Reveries: Journaling in Place — a compilation of favorite images and text from her journals — at an opening reception on Saturday, December 4 from 1-4pm.

“When I look back on my illuminated journaling, I realize my focus has been on four subjects I visited — trees, plants, water, and landscape.” Newbold explains. “Water — ocean/lakes/rivers — offers an infinite resource of line, patterns, organic movement, serenity and joy. While landscape’s changing condition of cold, heat, wind, fog and sunshine inspire an artistic snapshot of place and moment.”

Her illuminated journals interpret those impressions with watercolor, ink and many other mixed media. Her work is a journey in organic line and color — often confronting the rooted and the displaced, the spiritual and the material. Drawing, painting, bookmaking and printmaking are the vocabulary used to describe this artistic journey. Color and black and white are equally interesting to the artist, sometimes in combination. The result is always one of surprises.

Newbold received a BA in Studio Art from Principia College and an MFA in Visual Art from Vermont College. Her final project, an artist book, was acquired by The Chicago Institute of Art. She is also a graduate of the Post Bac program of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA. She has been awarded four fellowships to work in France by the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and The MD Institute of Art. Additional residencies have been at the New Pacific Studios in New Zealand, VT Studio Center and the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, ME. She is a member of and shows regularly at City Gallery, New Haven, CT and Silvermine Art Guild, New Canaan, CT.

Of her work in this show, she says, “after spending time in a location — attempting to capture it and make it one’s own — it belongs to you. You are the interpreter. Viewers see your unique vision, images that transport them to a place you experienced through its smells, texture, colors, light and energy. Both the exhibit and the book REVERIES: JOURNALING IN PLACE share some of my favorite journaling reveries. I hope that you enjoy the journey.”

The exhibit is free and open to the public, and runs December 3 - January 2, with a Book Signing and Reception on Saturday, December 4 from 1pm - 4pm. City Gallery is located at 994 State Street, New Haven, CT 06511. Modified gallery hours are Friday - Sunday, 1pm - 4 pm, or by appointment. During regular hours, visitors are required to wear a mask and observe social distancing protocols. For the reception, proof of vaccination will be required for entry, and masks are required. For further information please contact City Gallery, info@city-gallery.org, www.city-gallery.org.

The mission of Save the Sound is to protect and improve the land, air, and water of Connecticut and Long Island Sound. We use legal and scientific expertise and bring people together to achieve results that benefit our environment for current and future generations.

Save the Sound currently has multiple full-time positions open, see below for a short summary on each position or visit https://www.savethesound.org/about-us/jobs-rfps/ for complete job descriptions. 

Director of Finance (New Haven, CT)

Combine your superior business skills with your passion for nature by joining Save the Sound as the Director of Finance. We are seeking a highly-organized individual with broad experience and knowledge of accounting, financial, and business principles to drive financial strategy and planning and assist with other aspects of finance. The Director of Finance will report directly to our Chief Finance and Administration Officer. (https://www.savethesound.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Director-of-Finance-Job-Description-05.21.pdf)

Lands Communications Specialist (New Haven, CT)

Our land conservation team is seeking a multi-faceted team player who brings top-notch communications and organization skills together with the drive to protect critical habitat. Through compelling writing and visuals across a broad array of media channels, the Lands Communications Specialist will tell stories and motivate action to advance conservation campaigns across Connecticut, Long Island, and the whole Long Island Sound region. As a core member of the Communications team, they will also support the department with analytics, reports, and responding to public inquiries—and help to grow Save the Sound’s emerging Marketing program! (https://www.savethesound.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Lands-Communications-Specialist_final_2021-11-10.pdf)

Clean Water Communications Specialist (Larchmont, NY)

Save the Sound’s water quality team is seeking an experienced, highly collaborative communications professional to join our team of talented and committed professionals from a variety of backgrounds—science, community-organizing, law, communications—working in a collaborative and nimble team to address challenges facing the Long Island Sound estuary and the communities that surround it. The ideal candidate is a natural storyteller with a proven ability to write persuasively across multiple mediums—digital, social, and print. They have a knack for turning sometimes mundane numbers and facts of environmental work into engaging stories that captivate the public and raise awareness. They will have proficiency with design and video editing software. They will be a tech-savvy self-starter who works well with a variety of people and who is comfortable both behind a computer and in the field. (https://www.savethesound.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Clean_Water_Communications_Specialist_10_20_2021.pdf)

Ecological Communications Specialist (New Haven, CT)

Save the Sound’s ecological restoration team is seeking an experienced, creative communications professional to share and elevate the stories of our team’s work to remove dams, construct living shorelines, install green infrastructure, and engage local communities in the collaborative and intersectional work of resilience. In this role, you would develop press releases, blog posts, and other written content, in addition to putting on some waders and joining your teammates in the field across CT and NY to capture our work in action. We are looking for a tech-savvy self-starter who works well with a variety of people and who is comfortable both behind a computer and in the field. If that mix of print, relational, and digital communications sounds like you, please apply! (https://www.savethesound.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Ecological-Communications-Specialist_FINAL.pdf)