By David V. Hunter 

January 14, 2016

Connecticut is undergoing a permanent and historic transformation in its demographics - it is aging. Between 2010 and 2040, Connecticut’s population of people age 65 and older is projected to grow by 57%, with less than 2% growth for people age 20 to 64 during the same period[1]. Moreover, residents born in Connecticut today can expect to live to be 80.8 years old—the third highest life expectancy in the nation[2]. This unequalled long life, combined with firm increases in the number of older adults, has profound implications for everyone in Connecticut. In addition, the State of Connecticut has been actively engaged in rebalancing their Medicaid long-term care services from institutional settings such as skilled nursing centers, toward more emphasis on home-and community-based services and settings, for example, home care and adult day centers. The State has invested a significant amount of resources toward creating an environment where Medicaid recipients with a skilled nursing center level of care designation are aware of their options, including the opportunity to receive home and community based services (HCBS). In 2013, 56.6% of CT Medicaid recipients were utilizing HCBS and with State intervention it is predicted that by 2025, 75.1% of these individuals will be utilizing HCBS[3].  

At the federal level, provisions in the Accountable Care Act are addressing the impending rise in the senior population and particularly focusing on the utilization of health care and controlling those costs. The influx of an older population and the need to fund services has been addressed in some provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care Education Reconciliation Act.  Together, this is known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) which strives to achieve three goals:  improving the experience of care for individuals, improving the health of populations, and lowering per capita costs. In order to accomplish those goals, the existing payment models and health care delivery system are in a state of being reformed which in part, focuses on reducing the number of times seniors are readmitted to hospitals.  This one aspect has completely changed the dynamics between hospitals, skilled nursing centers and home care agencies, in which relationship building is essential in providing cost effective and excellent care.  The post-acute providers are no longer merely the next place for seniors to move, but are seen as part of the care process with emphasis on cost reduction with improved services.  Skilled nursing centers endeavoring to remain vital and successful must commit to innovations in service delivery, be comfortable with measuring and being measured for performance and working in a changing environment. In an effort to play a strong role in this changing environment, health care providers are compelled to form new associations through networking and relationship building, which includes sharing of information and metrics.

Long term and post-acute care is a critical aspect of every community, providing necessary services to millions of Americans.  As mentioned in the opening paragraph, our state and nation is aging, more and more individuals will need rehabilitative, short-term and long term care as they age.  Skilled Nursing Facilities are challenged to lead the way through the launching of new clinical programs, for example, performing intravenous therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation programs, and hospice programs that supports pain management.  Innovative rehabilitation modalities are being introduced, such as the Accelerated Care Plus, (ACP) which allows for specialized treatment plans using an ultra-sound machine, electric stimulation, diathermy, and bicycle machines.  This long term care model is also being challenged with the requirement to be innovative in promoting life-long learning experiences with the introduction of computer systems, such as iN2L[4], that promote individualized social and recreational activities for residents and clients.  Person centered care and services are becoming the norm in a field that is choked with regulation, and health care providers accustomed more to following rules than customer service as measured by satisfaction surveys versus regulatory inspections. 

February is Black History Month!

We are excited to announce New Haven Healthy Start social media campaign, “29 Days of Celebrating Black Champions” to celebrate Black History Month in February 2016: #blackchampions4health

New Haven Healthy Start has identified 29 Black Champions for Health who have contributed their vast expertise, knowledge, power, and perseverance to improve health and wellbeing of the nation. We will begin by featuring champions who have made significant contributions to maternal and child and by the end of Black History Month you will have seen other outstanding Black Americans who have contributed to the health and wellbeing of the world.

Follow the campaign!!

Link to the New Haven Healthy Start Facebook page by clicking on the picture below and LIKE us so you can follow our posts.

Follow us on Twitter: @NHHealthyStart. Click on the picture below!

Please use #blackchampions4health AND #nhhealthystart when you post and retweet!

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and the Valley Community Foundation are offering several workshops to help nonprofits prepare effective grant applications.

These workshops are offered at this time to support preparation for the Responsive Grant Applications, due March 31st. The Nuts & Bolts sessions are specific to the application processes offered by the community foundations. The other workshops are general advice on preparing for any grant submission.

VCF Grants Orientation and Nuts & Bolts of Valley Community Foundation Applications

Participants will learn the criteria required for applications and the timelines for submission for VCF's Community Grants (due March 4), Sponsorships (open year-round), Responsive Grants (due March 31) and Needs & Opportunities Grants (open year-round) processes.

Nuts & Bolts Workshop offers practical advice on completing applications and required forms for Needs & Opportunities, Community and Responsive Grants. Includes review of Logic Model and Budget Forms. For all applicants.

Grant Writing 101

How to approach any grant application; for beginner and intermediate level grant writers

Three opportunities to attend!

Nuts & Bolts of the Responsive Grant Application

Practical advice on completing applications and required forms for Responsive Grants. Includes review of Logic Model and Budget Forms. For all applicants.

Grant Writing 201

Practical workshop on terminology and writing grant narrative; draft and analyze answers to sample grant application questions.

Finding Data for Grants

DataHaven will walk through its website and others to demonstrate how and where to find relevant data for grant applications

The New Haven Symphony Orchestra (NHSO) and Neighborhood Music School (NMS) have launched a collaborative orchestral fellowship program for their community’s most talented high school music students. The program will provide selected members of NMS’s Greater New Haven Youth Orchestra with specialized learning and performance opportunities from the NHSO. Eight students will also receive full scholarships to participate in the NMS Youth Orchestra.

NMS’s Greater New Haven Youth Orchestra is one of the top youth ensembles in Connecticut, focused on preparation of major symphonic works with several performances a year. The orchestra is for highly committed high school players who participate in special events and community performances each semester.

As part of this new collaboration, eight full scholarships to participate in the Youth Orchestra will be awarded to students who play French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, double bass, or percussion.

Interested students should call Patty Boczer, Manager, Greater New Haven Youth Orchestra, at 203.624.5189 x11 to schedule an audition time. 

These scholarship students will be automatically enrolled into the NHSO Orchestral Fellowship Program. Other members of the Youth Orchestra may apply to the Fellowship Program by submitting an essay outlining their passion for music and explaining why they would be an ideal candidate for the program.

The NHSO Orchestral Fellows will be given free tickets to NHSO concerts, attend open rehearsals, participate in workshops with NHSO New Generation Artists and Music Director William Boughton, and perform at pre-concert Student Showcases. They will be offered positions on the NHSO Junior Board, where they will receive hands on experience behind the scenes at NHSO concerts, assist with instrument discovery zones, and learn about orchestral management.

Click here to learn more.

From: https://truthabouteducation.wordpress.com/2014/03/06/the-disturbing-transformation-of-kindergarten/

One of the most distressing characteristics of education reformers is that they are hyper-focused on how students perform, but they ignore how students learn. Nowhere is this misplaced emphasis more apparent, and more damaging, than in kindergarten...

Continue reading at: https://truthabouteducation.wordpress.com/2014/03/06/the-disturbing-transformation-of-kindergarten/

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, the region’s permanent endowment and largest grantmaker to local nonprofits, announces several grant opportunities with various application deadlines in the coming weeks. For complete details, visit www.cfgnh.org/grants. 

The Neighborhood Leadership Program at The Community Foundation will accept applications through Tuesday, January 19, 2016 at Noon. The Neighborhood Leadership Program is an eight month training and grant program that supports community leaders in imagining, developing, testing and realizing projects which build community and provide positive outcomes in New Haven neighborhoods and contiguous towns. Learn more here.

The Community Fund for Women & Girls is also accepting applications for the 2016 grants cycle. Grants are awarded to gender-specific initiatives that are intentional, equitable and well-informed. An orientation session for interested applicants will take place on Friday, January 22, 2016 from 10:00 – 11:30 am. Learn more here.

The Community Foundation is also accepting grant applications from eligible nonprofit organizations through Thursday, March 31, 2016 for its Responsive Grants process, which is done in conjunction with its partner in philanthropy serving the Valley, the Valley Community Foundation. Responsive Grants are generally awarded to address operating, programmatic or capacity building needs. Amounts vary from $7,500 and up; eligibility restrictions apply, including adherence to The Community Foundation’s anti-discrimination policy. Applicants who are unfamiliar with the grant process are encouraged to register for an informational webinar to be held in mid- February. Learn more here.

The Community Foundation also accepts applications for event sponsorships year-round. Sponsorships are awarded only for events and may not exceed $2,500 per event. It is recommended that your organization submit a sponsorship application at least 60 days in advance of the event. Learn more here.

Thanks to the generosity of three generations of donors, The Community Foundation forGreater New Haven has awarded more than $20 million in grants and distributions annually for the past few years. The endowment is valued at more than $500 million and composed of hundreds of individually named funds. In addition to its grantmaking, The Community Foundation helps build a stronger community by taking measures to improve student achievement, create healthy families in New Haven, promote local philanthropy through www.giveGreater.org® and encourage better understanding of the region. The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s 20 town service area includes: Ansonia, Bethany, Branford, Cheshire, Derby, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton, Wallingford, West Haven, Woodbridge. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.org/cfgnhor follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cfgnh.

Nonprofit Board Liability

"Act in good faith." This is the expectation and standard used in the courts to assess the extent of liability and responsibility for actions taken by individual board members.

According to Legal Dictionary.com, acting in good faith is the "honest intent to act without taking an unfair advantage over another person or to fulfill a promise to act, even when some legal technicality is not fulfilled. The term is applied to all kinds of transactions." I should note that the Independent Sector offered a definition of ethical as "doing the unenforceable".

The following article from the Cleveland Jewish News offers some good thoughts on these matters, that is, the matters of nonprofit board liability, acting in good faith, and Directors and Officers insurance.

Safety from suits: Nonprofit board members usually in clear

Posted: Thursday, January 14, 2016 12:31 pm

Safety from suits: Nonprofit board members usually in clear ED WITTENBERG | STAFF REPORTER
ewittenberg@cjn.org Cleveland Jewish News

People who volunteer their time by serving on nonprofit boards at synagogues and other Jewish institutions are subject to legal liabilities, but there are laws in place to protect them in case they are sued.

“The law as drafted is intended to not put nonprofit directors in harm’s way, so there’s a pretty high standard that has to be met or not met for there to be personal liability for a board member,” said Ira Kaplan, partner and executive chairman of the Cleveland-based Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff law firm.

Kaplan, a corporate lawyer, said Ohio law states that board members are required to perform their duties in good faith and “in a manner they reasonably believe to be in the best interests” of the entity they serve and “with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would use.”

A board member shall not be found to have failed to perform his or her duties unless it is proved, “by clear and convincing evidence,” that he or she has not met that standard, Kaplan said.

By the same token, directors who approve of or agree to unlawful distribution of assets of an entity can be held personally liable for doing so, Kaplan said.

“But generally under law, board members are entitled to rely on advice and reports of the counsel offices of the entities’ accountants,” he said. “They are really protected, so even if there is an improper distribution of assets, if they have done their homework and the entities’ accountants have gone through this and have the documents, the board should not have a problem.”

Under not-for-profit law, institutions such as Menorah Park Center for Senior Living, Montefiore and Bellefaire JCB almost always have a provision in their charter documents that directors are indemnified by the entity if they have acted in good faith in a manner not opposed to the best interests of the entity, Kaplan said.

“So, if there is a lawsuit against a board member, generally what would happen is there would be an indemnification provision that would kick in and protect someone from individual liability as long as they have acted in good faith,” said Kaplan, whose three-year term as president of the board of directors at Menorah Park ended Dec. 31.

If a director of a nonprofit board has responsibility for books and records and there is “knowing false entry,” there could be personal liability for that, Kaplan said.

“But that is really unusual, for a board member to have that responsibility,” he said. “It’s usually a staff member, rather than a board member, who has that responsibility.”

Kaplan, a member of The Temple-Tifereth Israel in Beachwood and Cleveland who serves on its foundation board, said he doesn’t believe fear of being sued dissuades many people from serving on nonprofit boards.

“There are not a lot of reported cases (of such board members being sued), so I don’t think it happens very often,” said Kaplan, who also serves on the boards of United Way of Greater Cleveland and Bellefaire JCB. “It has to be something pretty egregious, and I don’t see a lot of it.”

Nonprofit claims more frequent

However, according to Towers and Watson’s 2012 Directors and Officers Liability Survey of Insurance Purchasing Trends, 63 percent of nonprofit respondents reported having had claims against their directors and officers liability policies in the past 10 years.

“Nonprofit claims are more numerous and frequent than for for-profit companies,” said Richard Myers, vice president of professional liability for Insurance Partners Agency Inc. in Solon.

Myers, a past president of B’nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike, said most nonprofit boards carry directors and officers liability insurance to protect their members.

But there are some issues that nonprofit directors and trustees need to be aware of, Myers said.

“If a nonprofit becomes insolvent, a director’s or officer’s personal assets are exposed,” he said. “Most nonprofits, such as synagogues, don’t have deep staff resources or human resource departments.”

Myers said some nonprofit boards become liable by voluntarily adopting all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, a U.S. federal law that set new or expanded requirements for all U.S. public company boards, management and public accounting firms.

The act requires nonprofits to “protect whistleblowers” and retain records of minutes and finances for future reference, Myers said.

“If either of these provisions in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act are violated, it puts directors and officers at risk,” he said.

Types of exposures facing nonprofit boards, Myers said, include employment claims; breach of fiduciary duties, such as care, loyalty or obedience; conflicts of interest; government actions and enforcement and allegations of misuse of funds.

Fellow directors and officers can sue one another, Myers said. Others who can sue a nonprofit board include the state attorney general; the Internal Revenue Service, which can threaten a nonprofit’s 501(c)(3) status; donors who don’t like how their funds are being used; employees; and recipients and beneficiaries of the nonprofit’s mission.

It’s important for nonprofit boards to have directors and officers liability insurance because it funds defense for all claims, even though most are groundless or fraudulent, Myers said.

“It also satisfies the organization’s obligation to indemnify board members, and it encourages qualified people to serve on the board,” he said.

Nonprofit board members don’t necessarily think about these things until something happens, Myers said.

“Then it’s, ‘Why am I being sued? I’m just a member of a board,’” he said. “But it doesn’t matter; they are personally liable. Without D and O insurance, they are relying on the organization to indemnify them, and if the (nonprofit) is small, it may not have the finances to do that.”

Myers believes fear of being sued is definitely a consideration when people think about serving on nonprofit boards.

“But having D and O insurance will mitigate that,” he said.

“Remember that regular general liability insurance only covers claims that allege bodily injury or property damage and will exclude most other claims against directors and officers,” he added.

Watch Margaret talk about the importance of legal services for veterans recovering from homelessness and mental illness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm3Xm6RO99I&feature=youtu.be

Happy 2016!

Now that the new year is upon us, it's a great time to look ahead at all of the upcoming events brought to you by Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven. If you have any questions about any of these events, please feel free to contact us at 203-562-0598.

Winter Garden Series

(January 23 - March 26)
Join Advanced Master Gardener, Rachel Ziesk, for a series of classes that will cover everything you need to be a successful gardener come Spring! Individual classes are just $20 or $100 for the entire 6-session series. Scroll below to see a full description of each class. 

Newhallville99

The Newhallville99 project is designed to celebrate the rich and vibrant history of New Haven's Newhallville neighborhood, and to highlight recent initiatives and accomplishments within this community. Newhallville99 is a way for everyone, whether they reside in Newhallville or not, to be inspired to engage with their communities, be proud of where they live, and look forward to a future of never ending possibilities.

NHS is current accepting submissions for the Newhallville99 project. Nominate your favorite person, place, or project in Newhallville! All we need is a photo and a short blurb. To nominate someone, simply email newhallville99@gmail.com

HomeBuyer Education Workshops

When it comes to deciding who to work with when you are in the market for a new home, NHS of New Haven knows that you have lots of options. So why work with us?

We use the information you provide to create a home purchase package that is unique to you. Our housing specialists understand that the process of purchasing a home can be stressful and confusing. When you work with us, you can rest assured that we will arm you with the resources and knowledge to make informed, unbiased decisions. We ensure that you are prepared for the responsibilities of homeownership and are more resistant to default and foreclosure. At NHS, it's our goal to make sure that you're purchasing a home that you can not only afford to buy, but afford to keep.

Click here to begin your journey to homeownership! 

Winter Garden Workshops (full descriptions)
January 23, 10am-12pm: Soil & Garden Planning
The most important component for a successful garden is soil health. Learn how to make and keep your soil healthy, as well as how to plan your garden for the most productive season.

January 30, 10am-12pm: Cool Weather Crops
Learn about starting your garden as soon as the snow is gone! Cool Weather crops don't mind the cold and give you a head start on the season. Most can be planted directly in the ground, saving any space you use for seedlings for other crops.

February 13, 10am-12pm: Warm Weather Crops
Everything you'll need to know about warm weather crops: which ones are best started indoors, or direct seeded into the ground. What fertilizers to use, what conditions each crop prefers, all the information for a productive growing season.

February 27, 10am-12pm: Container Gardening & Seed Starting
Some people have no access to garden space -- that doesn't mean you can't grow your own vegetables. Container gardening can be rewarding and supply you with more food than you thought! Learn the in's and out's of using containers for your growing needs. The class will also go through everything you need to know to start your own seedlings. Everyone attending will get to plant a six pack of seedlings to take home with them.

March 12, 10am-12pm: Edible Landscaping
Attractive plants or food? Why not have both? Lots of edible plants are beautiful additions to even an ornamental garden. Learn which plants will perform well in either a vegetable or ornamental garden, which ones not only produce food but create attractive areas in your garden. Also learn about weeds that are edible and nutritious, and invasive plants and how to get rid of them.

March 26, 10am-12pm: Pests, Diseases and Organic Controls
There are lots of pests and diseases that can affect your garden. Learn about the prevalent ones and what organic controls you can use to combat them for a healthy, productive garden.

From: https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2015/03/04/the-face-of-nonprofit-boards-a-network-problem/?

Within BoardSource’s 2014 Governance Index, “Leading with Intent,” there lies an interesting paradox when it comes to board diversity. Forty-five percent of the boards and 69 percent of the CEOs surveyed are dissatisfied with their board’s diversity. Not only that, but 71 percent of boards and 75 percent of CEOs think a more diverse board would make them better at fulfilling their mission. To continue...

From: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/01/04/what-money-can-buy-profiles-larissa-macfarquhar

The urge to change the world is normally thwarted by a near-insurmountable barricade of obstacles: failure of imagination, failure of courage, bad governments, bad planning, incompetence, corruption, fecklessness, the laws of nations, the laws of physics, the weight of history, inertia of all sorts, psychological unsuitability on the part of the would-be changer, the resistance of people who would lose from the change, the resistance of people who would benefit from it, the seduction of activities other than world-changing, lack of practical knowledge, lack of political skill, and lack of money. Lack of money is a stubborn obstacle, but not as hopelessly unyielding as some of the others, and so would-be world-changers often set out to overcome it. Some try to raise money, but that can be depressing and futile. Others try to make money, but it’s hard to make enough. There is a third, more reliable way to overcome this obstacle, however, and that is to give away money that has already been made by somebody else, and has already been allocated to world-changing purposes. This is the way of the grant-makers of the Ford Foundation... continues

Greetings To All,

Another New Year is upon us. I had a difficult time as to a great sentiment for this new year. So I settled upon  these three which I hope all will enjoy.

To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.

                                                                   Henri Bergson

“ ... above all things lose no occasion of exercising your dispositions to be grateful to be generous, to be charitable, to be humane, to be true... ”    

                                                                       THOMAS JEFFERSON

Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come.

                                                                   Alfred Lord Tennyson

All the very best to everyone in this New Year,

Patricia Illingworth

Applications are being accepted for The Community Foundation's 2016 Neighborhood Leadership Program.

The Neighborhood Leadership Program is an eight month training and grant program that supports community leaders in imagining, developing, testing and realizing projects which build community and provide positive outcomes in New Haven neighborhoods and contiguous towns.

If you are a resident of New Haven (or contiguous towns) who has demonstrated commitment to making a positive difference through resident engagement, and if you are eager to build skills, develop your capacity to increase your impact, and engage with other leaders in learning, practice, and project execution, you should apply to this program.

You will learn the skills and practices of:

• appreciating and using your personal strengths and core values
• building relational culture in your community and with other leaders
• understanding the resources and challenges involved in creating the community you want
• creating and using a group of allies to support you in your work
• designing and implementing a pilot project that will positively impact your community
• learning from your pilot how to modify or scale up your project
• developing and managing the human and material resources you need to produce effective positive impact

The Deadline to apply is Tuesday, January 19, 2016 at Noon. Visit http://ow.ly/Wc50i for more information and to apply.

The Quinnipiac River Fund, a component fund of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, makes grants for projects designed to benefit the environmental quality of the Quinnipiac River, the New Haven Harbor, and surrounding watersheds.

Applications are reviewed to verify:

• The need addressed in the proposal and other past or ongoing attempts to meet it;

• The degree of benefit to the Quinnipiac River;

• The expected results;

• The adequacy of the proposed action to the named problem.

Approximately $100,000 in grants is awarded each spring from the Fund.

The deadline to submit grant applications for the 2016 grants cycle is January 15, 2016. Click here to complete an online application.

Contact Denise Canning at dcanning@cfgnh.org or 203-777-7076 for more information.

More than forty years after Dr. King asked, “Where do we go from here?” American society is still grappling with the question.

From Chicago to Minneapolis to Baltimore, our nation is in the midst of a defining moment of racial, social, and economic change. For communities of color, this moment is particularly stark and has been magnified by the courageous #BlackLivesMatter movement, which emerged in response to a long history of police violence and criminal injustice against black men and women.

Social justice, racial equity, and systems change are critical for today's black men and boys, particularly given the barriers... more.

The Campaign for Black Male Achievement (CBMA) is a national membership network that seeks to ensure the growth, sustainability, and impact of leaders and organizations committed to improving the life outcomes of Black men and boys. CBMA is a growing network that currently includes more than 4,720 leaders representing nearly 2,577 organizations and programs across the country.For more information

You have some money and want to make more. Right?  Sure you do.  But you also care about the world around you and want to make a difference.  What to do?

Jean Case has an answer: impact investing. Case was an executive at AOL and today she leads the Case Foundation, which promotes the power of investing to drive social change.  Case explains how you can start impact investing — and change the world while you make money.

What is impact investing, and why is it important?...

In the US, there are three distinct structures that to a stronger or lessor degree serve the citizens: public, corporate, and nonprofit. Each can affect the other in a number of ways recognizing that the public and corporate may have, through money, more of, but not exclusively, an impact on the other.

There has become more recently a clear recognition that nonprofits, (501(c) 3s in particular could and should exert their own strengths to influence what happens in the public sector while recognizing that a good number of nonprofits also serve as extensions of the will of the public. These have grants or contracts sometimes which represent a majority of their income.

So, it is not surprising that there are moments when the public sector, or more specifically, public sector characters, may no like what a nonprofit sector entity has done and consequentially, take away the "people's" money. One might of course question the sense of a nonprofit whose sustainability strategy includes more than 1/3 of its money relying on public funds but let's not make that the focus of today's discussion.

No, the real focus of today''s discussion is the situation going-on in Maine whereby the Governor, according to the Portland Press Herald, has " threatened to pull state funding from Good Will-Hinckley – a social service agency that serves at-risk youth with programs that include a charter school – if it didn’t get rid of its new executive director, Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves." One legislator when asked about the situation states: “This stuff does happen, said Rep. Deb Sanderson, R-Chelsea, a member of the Government Oversight Committee. “There’s strong-arming that goes on. Politics is dirty. At least he has the guts to go out and say it.”

So...right or wrong? Should the cost of doing business with the state be that contract arrangements are always at political risk should the nonprofit "misbehave" according to the contractor? Note by-the-way that I'm not stating that the nonprofit in question did anything that should put its money in jeopardy. I believe that the only consideration as to go-no go funding should be ouputs and outcomes. Did the nonprofit do what it said it would do (and if not, why not) and did the nonprofit achieve the results it intended? These in my opinion SHOULD be the criteria for go-no go funding (aside from the typical public sector budget issues).

What we don't know in Maine and what should be the focus of the conversation is indeed the rate of performance by the nonprofit in question. And yes, at least according to the Governor, the nonprofit is not doing everything the way the Governor would like. But here's where the nonprofit's board could exert its own political strengths and ensure that the Governor is held back from doing what he's attempting to do - contract in the weeds versus outputs and outcomes. This is where a nonprofit board and its members should "step-up" and make its voices loud and clear at two levels. It must tell the story of outcomes and effectiveness and move other legislators and the public to ensure that contracting is not a political whimsy activity.

Nope, I'm not thinking the Governor is doing "right" in stepping into a contractural relationship and while I don't have enough information, I am hoping that the board is doing more right and stepping-up as advocates of good process as well as good information to ensure that their good work is continued.

CTC is seeking nominations for the 2016 class of Women of Innovation! Submit a nomination today.

Who is eligible?
Any woman who is a successful innovator or leader in science, technology, engineering or math. Also any woman who has shown leadership in her community. Students at the high school and collegiate levels are eligible as well. 

When to nominate?
The nomination deadline is January 29 so hurry and nominate today. 

Learn More

The human mind is crazy!  I went from sitting on my couch laughing internally over an old Martin Lawrence show to listening to a sales pitch from Tony Little (the fitness guru) on a live QVC pillow sale, and before I knew it I  had my phone in my hand with the number dialed.  Anyway, the Martin Lawrence show had a particular character that I took notice of, “Tommy”.  I am pretty sure throughout the entire length of the series you never knew what he did for a living. Tommy was always dressed nice, new clothes, accessories and was always the one with cash.  The rest of the cast would always try to find out where, when, and how he got what he had.  That entire piece of his character’s backstory remained a mystery, but everyone on the show agreed he was somehow “successful”. 

Success, what is success?  How is it measured? Who measures it?  This became my mind’s newest obsession.  Unlike other topics, I could not get my mind off these questions.  That being said, I did what any educated and modern American would do when faced with an instant craving for information…I GOOGLED it.  “Success  definition”

suc·cess-/səkˈses/-

noun: success; plural noun: successes

the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.

“the president had some success in restoring confidence”

synonyms: favorable outcome, successfulness, successful result, triumph; Hollywood ending

antonyms: failure

the attainment of popularity or profit.

“the success of his play”

synonyms: prosperity, affluence, wealth, riches, opulence

antonyms: poverty

a person or thing that achieves desired aims or attains prosperity.

“I must make a success of my business”

synonyms: triumph, bestseller, blockbuster, sellout; More

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=success+definition

Much like the majority of society, I scanned through the top three results.  I was left with lingering questions.  Success is defined as someone who achieves desired aims, popularity, or profit.  Still, who is the one to say that is the true definition of success?  I know I have a lot of questions and not many answers, but I can provide a personal view point towards these definitions as well as give input on how success is measured and who measures success.

See, in today’s day and age many feel like they’re living their life “under a microscope”. We feel constantly in front of the world and easily susceptible to judgment thanks to social media and mass marketing.  The measure of success is portrayed, publicized, and sold in very specific ways.  This is similar to an individual struggling with their body image, always comparing themselves to others or unrealistic photo-shopped versions of celebrities.  People are quick to over analyze their own level of “success” and compare their own accomplishments to others.  This mindset will never lead to overall fulfilment rather an individual will be stuck on a never ending ladder of disappointments, because even if one reaches a specific goal it is never good enough.  Now you may say that never settling and striving for better results is an excellent way to progress.  If we were speaking in general terms you are correct but I’m not.  See, if you are able to take a step back and realize where you were and how far you have come and celebrate your accomplishments, then that would be an acceptable manner in which one would continually strive for a goal.

Unfortunately, many people have a hard time recognizing and promoting all the achievements they have reached over time and instead harp on what they have not accomplished.  I am speaking from experience because at times I tend to struggle with this myself.  As an individual with a noticeable disability I found myself comparing my circumstances to others from the get-go.  From youth to adulthood I was always complaining internally “Why didn’t I this”,” Why don’t I that.”  Specifically when it came to school and not being up to par with my peers.  School never came easy.  It took me so long to graduate college that there should be the title Dr. or “Rocket Scientist” before my name.   For years I watched my friends and acquaintances graduating and landing jobs with money.  The kind of money that got you out of your parent’s house, which was, of course, where I was at that time and an obvious area that I consistently compared to my peers!

Society absolutely factors money as a measure of one’s “success” and if you refer back to my in depth investigative GOOGLE search, one of the definitions referred to the amount of profit that one attains as a direct driver of “success.”  My mind bought in to that definition and led me to obsess over the need for a more “successful job”.  This continued up until a few years ago, I was so preoccupied with not having the “successful job” that it hindered me from realizing yet again what I had.  This kept me from realizing the opportunities within my own employer.  A lot of people do this, we need instant gratification and when it’s not provided we look elsewhere for it.

A few years ago, while temporarily employed, I sat on my parents couch surfing the World Wide Web for a more “successful” job.  I applied for a position with Ability Beyond in Bethel, CT.  Ability Beyond is an Organization that provides resources for individuals of all levels of (dis) abilities so that they may attain personalized independence.  My initial role was within one of many of those resource groups known as Career Development.  This is where we worked with clients to build upon their personal strength’s and enhance their weaknesses so that they become better equipped to land a career position in a role they would enjoy excelling at.  My case load of clients loved me, my colleagues respected me, my manager was always there to provide constructive criticism and most importantly, I was getting my clients jobs.  You would think that finally one would be happy, but as a very short time passed I began to slip back to my negative outlook at where I was in my life.  I was not making enough money, and all I had in my head was that GOOGLE definition and how money is the driver towards ultimate “success.”

As I plugged along in my position, internally lost, I worked face to face with clients of all ages, status levels, education levels and abilities.  One day out of nowhere it just hit me.  It was like I had finally GOOGLED the definition and answer to my life!  For months I sat across from individuals who met with me for assistance and guidance on how to make personalized improvement and as I educated them, they were educating me. 

Success is not something that anyone can measure with definitive accuracy, because a true definition of success is personalized.  It is not something that is searched for and found, it is created.  In the past when I was harping over what others were doing in life. I was only focusing on tangible items that society marked as status symbols and not actually questioning if obtaining those things would truly make me feel fulfilled. When I was not satisfied with earlier jobs I was quick to think that the only logical solution was to search elsewhere for “success”.  You have to evaluate what you yourself view as a successful goal and create attainable milestones.  As you reach each milestone celebrate it and cherish your accomplishments.  This will provide momentum and help you to realize that you are much further from where you were and even that much closer to where you strive to be.  This is easy to write, but not easy to maintain.  I find myself slipping up from time to time, but with practice and redirection it could be the difference between a life of fruitless outcomes and a life of promise and progression.

I began to practice what I preached, and within less than three years I had three new roles within Ability Beyond.  I could not be more thankful for this organization assisting me in my personal and professional growth.  In my current role as Founder of Talk the Walk I provide strategic resources for school systems, companies, and communities to attain all-inclusive environments.  This ranges from enrichment programs to strategic initiative development.  These initiatives are customized, and implemented to complement the overall needs of our clients.  We shift company and community cultures while generating return-on-investment, and increasing efficiency throughout, resulting in a boost in employee/community morale.  Our overall goal for each client that we work with is for them to realize there is always Ability beyond disability.  As a result they can enjoy a self-sustaining disability and inclusion initiative that becomes engrained in their company and community culture.  Every capable and qualified individual willing to work should be provided an opportunity to showcase their ability.  Everyone deserves to create their own definition of success!

Blurb about the writer:  Richard James Luby, an individual with Cerebral Palsy, is a proud member of the (dis)abled community.  He began to recognize that a disability is not a disadvantage, it’s a gift.  He utilizes his gifts to advocate, educate, build and unite all individuals so that they have the tools to realize their potential, internally and externally.  He promotes personal growth through his loud, in your face, outgoing, yet comforting characteristics