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Census 2010: Resources and Information

Posted by Lee Cruz on February 24, 2010 at 3:30pm
New from Nonprofits Count

With only 35 days to go until April 1st, opportunities to access Census resources for nonprofits abound online. Some initiatives, like Nonprofits Count, offer an online form to order free materials designed to encourage participation of undercounted communities in the 2010 Census. Other groups make resources available for download or in interactive online formats, like Ya Es Hora's guide to the census questionnaire.
The following is a list of the top resources from Nonprofits Count.
Webinars
Nonprofits Count will be continuing its popular webinar series in March. We are still accepting registrations for tomorrow's webinar, "Countdown to the 2010 Census," a discussion of outreach strategies and effective messaging for reaching nonprofits' clients and constituents on the 2010 Census. The webinar will be hosted by Terri Ann Lowenthal of the Census Project and Bridgette Rongitsch, National Director of NVEN. To register, click here.

New Fact Sheets in Online Toolkit
Nonprofits Count is pleased to announce the addition of a new fact sheet series, "About the Census," to our online toolkit. Available in both English and Spanish, the "About the Census" one-page series focus on the issues around counting various constituency groups. Titles include "Counting Children," "Counting College Students," "Counting Group Quarters" and more. The fact sheets are in full color and are available for download or viewing here.

Posters and buttons
NVEN is pleased to make available two new posters promoting the 2010 Census. Hang one or both of these posters in your nonprofit's lobby, client intake area, or anywhere else constituents and community members will see them. To order a free poster, click here.
Constituency-based resources for Census 2010
The following organizations have launched constituency-specific resources, websites or campaigns on encouraging participation in Census 2010.
Ya Es Hora- The Hagase Contar website offers bilingual information on filling out the 2010 questionnaire, as well as a set of FAQs. Spanish-language posters are also available - see order form here.
Voto Latino - The "Be Counted" campaign from Voto Latino, co-founded by actress Rosario Dawson, offers site visitors a download of 25 free songs from top artists for pledging to participate in the 2010 Census, as well as a map of America showing locations and quotes from those who've already pledged, along with information on the Census form and operation itself.
NAACP- The "Yes We Count" campaign website hosts fact sheets and outreach resources, and allows you to sign up for mobile updates. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund has also launched their own Census campaign, "Count on Change 2010," which gives information on what the census is, why participation in the census is vital and how you can help.
Census Bureau - The 2010 Census website includes full toolkits for constituency-based organizations of multimedia and drop-in articles. Check out their interactive "Stories of America" feature, which highlights interviews with real Americans across the country.
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Best Practices are Flawed Because We Are Human by JAMIE NOTTER

Posted by Lee Cruz on February 23, 2010 at 9:10pm

Best Practices are Flawed Because We Are Human - JAMIE NOTTER http://www.getmejamienotter.com/getmejamienotter/2010/02/best-practices-are-flawed-because-we-are-human.html

I love the association community, but I don't like our obsession with "best practices." Having said that, I have to admit that I get some benefit from the obsession. Volunteer Boards I think get a lot of comfort out of the idea--that we, the somewhat-trusted staff, have access to this pool of "best practices" in association management that the volunteers could never know about coming from a d

ifferent industry. "The staff knows the best practices," the Board members tell each other, "so let them do their job. Let's not reinvent the wheel." I admit it: it makes my job easier.

But I have also written about the dangers of best practices, as have many, manysmart people. There are compelling arguments why best practices don't work, given the uniqueness of organizational cultures, the inability to track true cause and effect in organizations, and the power of coming up with your OWN solutions. The most recent argument comes from a blog post by Holly Green: best practices are flawed because we are human beings.

Best practices are developed by experts. Why is this a problem? Holly says:

Because experts are human, and as humans we don't believe what we see. Instead, we see what we already believe. We constantly seek to prove what we think is right, and as a result we miss critical data and limit our success by getting locked into ideas and assumptions that may no longer be true.

Best practices will never go away entirely, but we need to wake up to how they are robbing our organizations of the capacity to be successful. Pay attention to where your reliance on experts blocks your system's ability to learn. Be honest with yourself about the cost of choosing the comfortable, less contentious path in your Board conversations (these are association best practices; trust us). Challenge your own expertise, constantly.

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Representing Yourself at Your UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION APPEAL HEARING

Posted by Lee Cruz on February 22, 2010 at 5:10pm

FREE Pro Se Clinic:

Representing Yourself at Your UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION APPEAL HEARING

Learn about the unemployment laws, the appeals process and how to prepare and present your case.

WHEN: The FIRST THURSDAY of EACH MONTH

11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. (BY APPOINTMENT ONLY)

WHERE: New Haven Legal Assistance Association

426 State Street, New Haven, CT 06510

TO SIGN UP PLEASE CALL:

STATEWIDE LEGAL SERVICES

1-800-453-3320

SE HABLA ESPAÑOL

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NEW TOOL COMPARES FOOD ENVIRONMENTS OF U.S. COUNTIES

Posted by Lee Cruz on February 20, 2010 at 5:03pm
Your Food Environment Atlas is an online mapping tool that assembles
statistics on food environment indicators and provides a spatial
overview of a community's ability to access healthy food and its
success in doing so. The atlas was developed by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Economic Research Service, with support from federal
agencies, academia, and the private sector. The atlas assembles food
environment factors within three broad categories (food choices,
health and well-being, community characteristics) and currently
includes 90 indicators -- most at the county level. Users can create
maps showing the variation in a single indicator across the United
States, view all the county-level indicators for a selected county, or
use the advance query tool to identify counties sharing the same
degree of multiple indicators. The atlas is designed to stimulate
research on the determinants of food choices and diet quality and
inform policymakers as they address diet and public health. The atlas
is available at http://www.ers.usda.gov/FoodAtlas.
Read more…

Highly skilled professionals seeking volunteer work in Connecticut's nonprofits

Posted by Lee Cruz on February 18, 2010 at 3:00pm

Dear Connecticut Nonprofits and Friends,

Encore!Hartford has received 54 applications from highly skilled and highly passionate professionals from throughout Connecticut who seek to transition their seasoned professional skills and experience for work in Connecticut's nonprofits. There are only 20 seats available for Encore!Hartford’s pilot program. We are now vetting the candidates for their potential in managerial and professional positions in the nonprofit sector.

Encore Fellowship Host
Could you use a hand?

Beginning in April, seasoned human resource, accounting, program management, IT, sales and marketing professionals who have been vetted and trained for nonprofit employment will be seeking program fellowships at your nonprofit. Fellowships are for a two-month period, full-time. The Fellowship provides your nonprofit with a highly skilled, self-starter professional who can manage, jumpstart, or breathe life into a program vital to your organization.

Encore Fellows will be matched to the needs of your organization and will report to a member of your staff. Workspace will be provided by your organization. Dr. Doe Hentschel, Vice President of Leadership Greater Hartford, will manage the Encore Fellowship program and will work with you every step of the way. Fellows will not be just assigned to your organization; you will have the opportunity to interview them and determine whether they are a good fit for the experience you have described.

Encore Site Visits
Nonprofit teaching locations have been filled, but there are still opportunities for one day job shadowing site visits by our Encore professionals, for the week of March 25.

Site visits allow the Encore Fellow an opportunity to work with a professional in their field of interest for a day, and provide you with the opportunity to see the potential of these seasoned professionals seeking to enter your field of work.

Standards We Are Using to Choose Encore Fellows

Classroom Host Application

Job Shadowing Site Application

Encore Fellow Host Application



Our best,

Dave Garvey
University of Connecticut Nonprofit Leadership Program

Doe Hentschel
Leadership Greater Hartford

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FREE office furniture

Posted by Lee Cruz on February 18, 2010 at 2:32pm

Chamber of Commerce has free office furniture they would to donate to any nonprofit organization. First-come, first-served, and must be picked up by 3pm on Monday, February 22nd.

4 Wood Desks

1 Small Round Conference Table

10 Assorted Office Chairs 5

Metal Desks

2 Credenzas

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Temporary Part-time and Full-time positions available with the Census Bureau

Posted by Lee Cruz on February 16, 2010 at 3:07pm

Temporary part-time and full-time positions available in the evenings and on the weekends with the Census Bureau for between five and ten weeks, mostly in April and May. The pay rate is $16-24.25/hour.

To apply, the applicant must take an employment test, which can be scheduled through the office (203-404-0940), and pass a background check. If you are interested in hearing more about this or would like brochures/flyers to pass out, please contact: Jess Goehrke: jessgoehrke@gmail.com.

Jess is also avalible for presentations and to give practice tests.

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Katharine Matthies Foundation grants in Education; Health; Human Services, restricted for: Lower Naugatuck Valley: www.bankofamerica.com/grantmaking

Posted by Lee Cruz on February 16, 2010 at 2:30pm

www.bankofamerica.com/grantmaking and search: Katharine Matthies Foundation

Program Type: Education; Health; Human Services

Area Served: CT

Proposal Due: May 1

Restrictions: Lower Naugatuck Valley

Mission
The Katharine Matthies Foundation was established in 1987 to support and promote quality educational, human services, and health care programming for underserved populations. Special consideration is given to organizations that work to prevent cruelty to children and animals. The Matthies Foundation specifically serves the people of the Lower Naugatuck Valley.

Guidelines
The deadline for application to the Katherine Matthies Foundation is May 1. Applicants will be notified of grant decisions by letter within 3 to 4 months after the proposal deadline.

Applicant organizations must serve the people of the following Connecticut towns: Seymour, Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Shelton, or Beacon Falls. Special consideration will be given to organizations that serve the people of Seymour, Connecticut.

The majority of grants from the Matthies Foundation are 1 year in duration. On occasion, multi-year support is awarded.

www.bankofamerica.com/grantmaking.

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COTR Classes Open to the Public

Posted by Todd Foster on February 11, 2010 at 5:20pm

Winter Session 2010
Feb. 8th - Mar. 19st
Obviously, we're not doing it for the money!

First come, first serve; Space is limited.

Contact: Todd Foster cotr@snet.net

DRAMA
Instructor - Loretta Lawson
Group Lesson
Ages: 14 - 99
Monday Evenings starting at 7:00pm
Six Weeks - $50 (one time fee)
Description: Using theater games, Improv, warm ups and monologues each student will learn to think on your feet, learn to listen and respond in the moment. You will learn to express yourself creatively, improve your public speaking skills, and have fun all in a safe non-judgmental environment.
This class is for people who would like to:
* Socialize and Network with new interesting people
* * Build self-confidence and discover new talent
* * Explore and develop your creative side
* * Want to learn to be more outgoing
* * Decrease Stress

Visioneering - PUTTING YOUR BUSINESS PLAN ON PAPER AND INTO ACTION!
Instructor - Ann-Marie Brungard- Knight
Group Lesson - 10 Max.
Ages: High School Jrs/ Srs - Adults
Tuesday Evenings 6 - 8pm
Six Weeks - $60.00
Description: This course is designed to inspire participants to dream, provide lots of important information, and explore ideas and techniques that will broaden thinking and assist with developing a business plan. During this process participants will document what they have learned. We will be using spiritual applications to develop a business plan outline and lay the foundation for building a small business.

GET READY TO WORK; PREPARING TO GET YOUR DREAM JOB
Instructors - Lerone Holloway & Anne-Marie Brungard Knight
Group Lesson - 10 Max.
Ages: High School Jrs/ Srs - Adults
Friday Evenings 7 - 8pm
CLASS IS FREE!
Description: The course is designed to make job seeking more efficient by sharpening job searching, resume writing, and interviewing skills and introducing participant to resources available to them. Each skill area will have a session devoted to discussion and practical skills.

BRASS & WOODWIND INSTRUMENTS
Instructors - Arthur and Stefanie Boles
Individual & Group Lessons
Ages 12 & up
Thursday Evenings 6 - 8:00 pm
Six Weeks - $60.00
Description: Basic music theory,
instrument foundation and
personal instruction.
Instruments include: Trumpet,
Trombone, French horn, Baritone,
Flute, Clarinet and Saxophones.
Student must bring own instrument and purchase book.

SELF DEFENSE
Instructor - Eric Stevens
Lessons: Group & Individual
Ages: 5 & Up
Monday & Thursday evenings 6-7pm
One Month - $50.00
Description: Develop basic skills in Tae Kwon Do
to glorify God in the training of both mind and body and to promote a friendly relationship among all people.
Materials needed: Sweatpants and T-shirt
Read more…

Arts & Ideas Fellowship program for low income high school juniors and seniors from the Greater New Haven

Posted by Lee Cruz on February 11, 2010 at 3:07pm

IFAI Fellowship Program Application Form (2).doc

The International Festival of Arts & Ideas has launched an Arts & Ideas Fellowship program for low income high school juniors and seniors from the Greater New Haven region. The program, designed as a basic skills training program through the arts, has an after school component leading up to the Festival followed by two weeks of intensive activity during the Festival.

They still have 4 or 5 slots available for students who meet the income guidelines as outlined in the attachment. These are fully funded opportunities including full access to Festival events and artists. Festival Fellows receive a stipend upon completion of the program.

While there are a number of high school juniors and seniors who are interested in the program, the income guidelines are very stringent since the program is funded through Connecticut's Workforce Alliance. For example, gross annual income for a family of 2 cannot exceed $15,469 and for a family of five cannot exceed $30,932 (see Application).

In order to reach out to even more young people, the following situations typically waive income guidelines:

  • Family is on Food Stamps
  • Student has a certified special need
  • Student is living in a shelter

Let's identify students who can benefit from this program. Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated. Please forward any suggestions or contact information to me and I'll take it from there. Alternately, you can contact the Festival Fellows Program Director, Dawn Gibson-Brehon at dgibson-brehon@artidea.org or (203) 498-3739.

Read more…

Your Community and the U.S. Census: Combine to WIN

Posted by Lee Cruz on February 8, 2010 at 2:30pm

For every person that does not get counted in the 2010 Census your community loses thousands of dollars in federal funds. You can help:

1. Participate in the CENSUS: http://www.census.gov/

2. Educate yourself about the CENSUS -
http://2010.census.gov/partners/pdf/ConstituentFAQ.pdf and learn where your community has the lowest rates of participation: http://www.censushardtocountmaps.org/

3. Encourage your family, friends and acquaintance to participate in the census. This is a link to a packet that you can read, download and print. It contains lots of useful information: http://2010.census.gov/partners/pdf/Community_Overview.pdf

The Census slogan is on the mark, it really is in our hand!

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Painting Recycled Oil Drums: 2/6 12-4pm Erector Sq.

Posted by Lee Cruz on February 4, 2010 at 12:47pm
Come have fun painting recycled oil drums on: Sat. Feb. 6th noon to 4PM Erector Square 315 Peck Street, Fair Haven section of New Haven, CT Bldg. #6-West, Studio-D, ground floor First parking lot between Bldgs 2 & 3. Bring friends or just stop by and add your touch to a drum. It's a painting party with pizza, refreshments, and music. A permanent decal will include your name on the drum you painted. The 6 drums will be placed on the streets between Elm and Blatchley. It is a worthwhile environmental and artistic endeavor. Jack Lardis Oil Drum Art 203-510-5465 www.oildrumart.org
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Corporate philanthropy is first and foremost about employee morale...

Posted by Lee Cruz on February 4, 2010 at 12:03pm
source:http://causect.wordpress.com/2010/01/31/anatomy-of-a-tie-in-fundraising-opportunity-and-tribute-event/ When a local corporation does not have an office dedicated to corporate contributions, who is the go-to person? Human Resources? Even when there are full-time communications people dedicated to giving, HR is always at the giving table because corporate philanthropy is first and foremost about employee morale.
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Screening for benefits: EarnBenefits is live!

Posted by Roger Senserrich - CAHS on February 3, 2010 at 4:00pm
Remember EarnBenefits?It is a program that CAHS is implementing, in partnership with other organizations, to make benefits more readily available for people that need them. EBO is web-based application that helps case managers and intake workers screen clients for ten benefits simultaneously, allowing them to have quick access to more services. You can find more information on the software here, in a previous blog post.We have big new today, as the system is finally alive and running! This means that people that goes to one of our partner organizations to ask for help applying for some DSS or DCF program will be able to get screened and get the paperwork filled automatically, having everything ready to apply.Where can you refer your clients? Right now, these are our locations:Junta for Progressive Action (GNHC profile)Christian Community Action (GNHC Profile)Catholic Charities / Centro San JoséIf you give me a desk and a computer with an internet connection, I will be doing screenings furiously too; so call me a line if you need this service.Right now we can scan for eligibility (and fill most of the forms) for six benefits: WIC, Husky A, Husky B, SNAP, EITC and energy assistance - and more programs are coming soon. So if you need a place to refer a client to help him get Food Stamps, you know where to send them - or you can drop me a line so I come to help as needed.Join the GNH Community EarnBenefits group for updates if you want to know more.
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Third Sector Connector Forums: A useful resource for answers to you nonprofit org. questions

Posted by Lee Cruz on February 1, 2010 at 5:01pm
http://www.nonprofitlocal.com/modules/newbb/ Third Sector Connector Forums. Whether you're a finance manager with a question about audits, a program manager looking for new volunteer recruitment strategies, or an executive director or board member with questions about rotating board terms, you've come to the right place (and send the rest of your team here, too!). We've designed these forums so that you can connect with others, exchange information, and stay on top of changing trends and best practices. You can keep track of just a single thread, or you can monitor all of the posts and topics in a forum. Just change your notification options at the bottom of the page. Note: These forums are primarily community-moderated, so if you see a post that is inappropriate, please use the "report!" button displayed below each post to let us know. http://www.nonprofitlocal.com/modules/newbb/
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Afterschool programs don’t forget to let JC Penny know -- this fundraising methodology is replicable.

Posted by Lee Cruz on January 31, 2010 at 10:28am
Source: http://causect.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/collecting-change-for-your-cause/ Customers donated more than $4.7 million through the JCPenney Afterschool Round-up campaigns last year. During each 10-day event, shoppers were invited to “round-up” their JCPenney purchases to the nearest whole dollar and donate the difference to the JCPenney Afterschool Fund. JCPenney formalized its commitment to the afterschool issue by making it the Company’s signature cause since 1999. www.jcpenneyafterschool.org ... http://causect.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/collecting-change-for-your-cause/
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Found Money’ for Your Cause

Posted by Lee Cruz on January 29, 2010 at 4:49pm
Source: http://causect.wordpress.com/ Everything about fundraising is Relationship Fundraising. That is the theme of every post. That is the point of this post. Greenwich-based Atlantic-Pacific Capital (there are dozens of these in Fairfield County, the world’s capital of such firms) raises capital for private equity, real estate, energy, infrastructure, healthcare, technology and hedge fund placements, as well as private placement financings in support of acquisitions, buy-outs and growth capital transactions. Founded in 1995, Atlantic-Pacific has raised in excess of $35 billion for its clients and has developed strong and unique relationships with over 4,000 alternative investors worldwide. So, why this post? You think APC’s worldwide clients who owe their livelihoods at least in part to APC would pay attention if they received an invitation to send a greeting to APC in a Tribute Journal that is a key component of an event to honor one of APC’s principals? Is a Tribute Journal, even a $10,000 full-page greeting (remove the word AD from your vocabulary), a rather inexpensive way of keeping that relationship vital? Might APC notice if a key client were not front and center in such a Tribute Journal? You will find that if this is done correctly the people represented in the Tribute Journal will always far outnumber the people who actually attend the big gala. This is one way a Connecticut charity can raise money, serious money, from as far away as Hong Kong. Take Christian H. Voss for example. He just joined APC as a Partner to work alongside Founder and Chairman James Manley to head the Direct Private Placements Group. Prior to joining APC, Mr. Voss was Managing Director and Head of Private Capital Markets for Cantor Fitzgerald in New York and London (far more relationships there to tap into). He holds a B.S. in Finance and Economics from Villanova University and an MBA from Fordham University Graduate School of Business. He’s new to town, but his relationships are legion. Forgive the tactical thinking of causeCT, but a charity would do well to send him a greeting card congratulating him on his new position and invite him for a tour. Better if you can find a peer to extend that invitation (he probably has lived in CT all along anyway). Months later your charity has a relationship with Mr. Voss. Because your charity was the only CT charity (assuming he does not have his own causes) to engage him, you can develop a reason a honor him. If he says yes, the fun really starts if he also says Yes to your working with his secretary to make sure that everyone who is important to him has the opportunity to send him a greeting. You get the point. This example appears merely because the notice of his new post appeared today. But if you were to honor Mr. Voss (or anyone else of his stature) in this way? That’s a 6-figure Tribute Journal alone, let alone the gala itself. Money on the table. Your beneficiaries? That found money on the table is their money. Your charity has the moral authority to capture that money. causeCT cares about your beneficiaries and so it is all-in on offering you tactics that work to help you find and capture that money that they need. Only you can get it for them. This is not about raising money for the fun of raising money. CauseCT is focused on meeting the needs of your beneficiaries and it attempts to accomplish this by helping you find new money.
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