Tuesday, February 22, 2005: Volume #2, Issue #62
The VERB Weekly Email Digest
Edited by Sophy Pich, VERB Project Associate

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In This Week's Issue

1. Announcements
• Cha Lee Named Executive Director of HND
• Conference Call Series
• National Scenerio Planning Seminars
• Assessing Your Nonprofit's Revenue
2. Promising Practices
• Developing e-Relationships with Constituents
3. News
• Area Cambodians Face Health, Learning Challenges
• Efforts to Stop Human Trafficking in Vietnam Gains Momentum, Supporters
• One City One Book Returns... Kick-Off Is Monday at Library
• 'the Fall of Saigon' Filming Drops Into Houston
• Over 200,000 Overseas Vietnamese Return Home for Tet
• Kelly Supported Funding for Hmong Funeral Home
• Metro/State
• Buddhists Eye Church Property
• Slavery of Sexual Trafficking Finds Its Way Into Minnesota
• Neighbors Take a Leap Into Hmong Culture
4. Funding Opportunities
• F.B Heron Foundation
• Grantee Exchange Fund
• Rockwell Collins Community Partnership Fund
• The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement
• FY 2005 Food Stamp Program Participants Grants
• The Enterprise Foundation
5. Resources
• National Youth Service Day 2005 Planning Tool Kits

I. Announcements

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Cha Lee (202) 463-2118
February 16, 2005

Cha Lee Named Executive Director of Hnd

Washington, DC -- Hmong National Development (HND) is honored to announce the hiring of its new Executive Director, Cha Lee.

Mr. Lee brings a wealth of experience and a diverse background working with all communities in Minnesota. Before accepting the Executive Directorship at HND, Mr. Lee was the Executive Director of Southeast Asian Community Council (SEACC) in Minneapolis, Minnesota for seven years. One of his accomplishments while at SEACC was the Interpreter Card Program. He played an integral role in bringing together the community and law enforcement agencies to develop and adopt an assistance card for non-English speakers. The program is currently being considered for implementation by other Minnesota law enforcement agencies.

He has served as a board member on several organizations in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Area, including the Urban Coalition, The Voice, Legal Rights Center, Polite City Health Center, and Asian Policy Roundtable.

He holds a B.A. in Political Science and Minor in East Asian Studies from Hamline University and will be completing his M.A. in Nonprofit Management at Hamline University later this year.

"Cha will be a valuable asset to HND as he leads the organization into the future. His background with the community speaks volumes about his passion to help people and to work on cross-cultural issues that affect all communities. The Board is thrilled that Cha has joined HND and looks forward to working with a person of Cha's caliber," states Pao Lo, HND Board Chair.

Please join HND as we welcome Mr. Cha Lee as Executive Director of Hmong National Development.

# # #

Hmong National Development, Inc. (HND) works locally and nationally with private and public entities, as well as individuals to promote educational opportunities, to increase community capacity, and to develop resources for the well-being, growth, and full participation of the community. HND is also a resource, providing information about the status and concerns of Hmong Americans.

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Conference Call Series on Understanding Grants and Program Design for the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration Grants for Small Grassroots Organizations

Call 3: Program Design and Outcome Measures. This call will review components of sample program designs from previous DOL ETA grantees.

When: Tuesday, February 22, 2005, 2:00 p.m. EST

Please dial: 1-888-757-3036

Conference Leader: Dori Rutherford

Visit us on the web at www.dol.gov

***

National Scenario Planning Seminar for Nonprofits

Friday, April 1, 2005 - 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Raleigh, North Carolina

Nonprofit Leader and Caldwell & Associates, Inc. proudly present a cutting-edge seminar that challenges how nonprofit organizations strategically plan for the uncertainty of the future. This exciting seminar will prepare nonprofit and foundation leaders, government managers, and consultants from across the country to use scenario thinking. These techniques will help organizations remain relevant, effective, and competitive.

To download a brochure, go to: http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/716/caldwell

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Register now for our newest course!

Whether your nonprofit is considering an earned income opportunity or already pursuing one, this new course outlines the real potential and possible pitfalls of this revenue stream.

Through small-group exercises, you'll learn about the variety of earned income options; whether earned income is right for your nonprofit; implications for current programs, staff, and management; developing and pitching a new business model to funders and investors; and formulating a workable time/action plan.

Earned Income: Assessing Your Nonprofit's Revenue Options fee: $195. Call 800-424-9836.

This course will be held in:
New York, March 7, June 15
Washington, DC, April 27, June 24
San Francisco, May 6
Atlanta, June 3
Cleveland, June 22

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II. Promising Practices

Developing e-Relationships with Constituents

Posted by: brandiellerbee on Friday, February 11, 2005

From PNN Online

Most development professionals understand the value of strong constituent relationships for driving donations. However, the high-touch nature of relationship building typically makes it impractical to do with every constituent. The Internet can help.

Because it's a fast, cost-effective channel for ongoing constituent communications, nonprofit organizations can build online constituent relationships quickly and easily. Sending email newsletters, notifications of upcoming events and updates on the organization's progress, as well as creating an online community, all help to keep the organization "top-of-mind" and make constituents feel more connected. This, in turn, makes them more likely to support the organization when they receive an appeal. Following are a few ways a nonprofit organization can build strong online relationships with constituents.

Offer Better Services To Drive Online and Offline Donations The economics of direct mail fundraising, or the cost to produce and send a piece of mail, require an approach focused on solicitation. Through almost every piece of direct mail they send, nonprofits must solicit contributions to offset the cost. With this approach, however, there is little focus on treating a donor or prospect like a valued constituent.

Online fundraising turns this approach around. Through email, an organization can communicate with donors and prospects at close to zero cost, so acknowledgements and general updates no longer have to be cost-justified. In addition, online Constituent Relationship Management (eCRM) technology makes it easy to learn what is important to donors and then personalize updates and appeals according to their interests and giving history.

Read on: http://www.pnnonline.org/article.php?sid=5754

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III. News

Area Cambodians Face Health, Learning Challenges
The Daily Item of Lynn
January 26, 2005

***

Efforts to Stop Human Trafficking in Vietnam Gains Momentum, Supporters
Viet Weekly
January 28, 2005

***

One City One Book Returns... Kick-Off Is Monday at Library
Dunn County News
February 15, 2005

***

'the Fall of Saigon' Filming Drops Into Houston
Houston Chronicle
February 15, 2005

***

Over 200,000 Overseas Vietnamese Return Home for Tet
Thanh Nien Daily
February 16, 2005

***

Kelly Supported Funding for Hmong Funeral Home
Minneapolis Star Tribune
February 16, 2005

***

Metro/State
Birmingham Post Herald
February 16, 2005

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Buddhists Eye Church Property
Boston Globe
February 17, 2005

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Slavery of Sexual Trafficking Finds Its Way Into Minnesota
Pioneer Press
February 17, 2005

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Neighbors Take a Leap Into Hmong Culture
The Minneapolis
February 17, 2005

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IV. Grants

1. (National)
   F.B Heron Foundation

   The F.B. Heron Foundation supports nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S. that help low-income people to create wealth and take control of their lives. The Foundation makes grants to and investments in programs in urban and rural communities that engage in wealth-creation strategies including increasing access to capital, supporting enterprise development, advancing home ownership, reducing the barriers to full participation in the economy by providing quality child care, and employing comprehensive community development approaches with a strong focus on wealth-creation strategies.

   The Foundation prefers to support direct-service, community-based organizations and enterprises. Letters of inquiry are accepted throughout the year.

   Deadline: Open

2. (National)
   The Ms. Foundation for Women

   Grantee Exchange Fund (GXF), a program of the Common Counsel Foundation, provides discretionary small grants to build bridges between grassroots organizations throughout the United States. The purpose of these grants is to encourage social change organizations to seek technical assistance from one another, and to help build regional and national networks among organizations. The Fund typically makes grants to grassroots nonprofit groups whose low- and moderate-income members are organizing to affect policy change in areas of economic, environmental and social justice. Grants are not provided for direct service or education programs.

   Grants average $300-$800 and can be used to cover training, travel or conference expenses.

   Community-based, nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S. are eligible to apply. Applications are accepted year -round though funds run low each year in the fall and are renewed again in January. The application process is simple and quick with a turnaround time of two weeks.

   Deadline: Open

3. (California, District of Columbia, North Carolina)
   Rockwell Collins Community Partnership Fund

   Rockwell Collins Charitable Giving Programs support nonprofit organizations in communities where the company has a significant presence, including international locations. Rockwell Collins Community Partnership Fund supports organizations with fundraising, sponsorships, and other events/activities. These grants are generally less than $5,000.

   Deadline: Open

4. (National)
   Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement

   CIRCLE (Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement) has announced a new grant competition for community research conducted by young people.

   Teams of youth researchers working in affiliation with a community organization or institution are invited to apply. Research teams must include at least five young people under the age of eighteen. Teams may also include adult mentors working in an advisory capacity. In order to receive a grant, research teams must partner with an organization that has an operating fiscal agent.

   Research teams can investigate a community issue of their choice. Topics should be chosen by youth researchers and should be responsive to something they think is important and has implications for the community at large. Teams must have a plan for disseminating their findings and an audience (or audiences) they want to target.

   CIRCLE grant awards will range from $5,000-$10,000.

   Deadline: March 31, 2005

5. (National)
   FY 2005 Food Stamp Program Participation Grants

   On Jan. 26, 2005, Agriculture Under Secretary Eric Bost announced a competition for grants totaling $5 million to organizations to help simplify food stamp application and eligibility systems through the use of innovative strategies. This is the third in a series of five annual competitions authorized by the Farm Bill.

   Deadline: April 26, 2005

6. (National)
   The Enterprise Foundation

   The Enterprise Foundation is accepting applications for the 2005 Jim & Patty Rouse Award for excellence in community revitalization. The program is designed to broaden understanding of success in community development by disseminating best practices by nonprofit organizations and to provide unrestricted funds to deserving organizations.

   Community-based and regional nonprofit organizations as well as Tribes/Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHEs) that develop affordable housing and are engaged in comprehensive community revitalization efforts are eligible to apply. Applicants must be members of the Enterprise Foundation Network and must develop and provide housing to low- and very low-income individuals or families. In addition, applicants must have worked to restore the fabric of the communities in which they work and create a sense of place, with particular emphasis on life opportunities for residents.

   Each year, one or two winning organizations will receive a grant award of $5,000 in unrestricted funds. In addition to the grant, the award winner will receive one complimentary registration to the network's annual conference and support in publicizing their programs.

   Deadline: April 8, 2005

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V. Resources

Free Planning Materials Available for National Youth Service Day 2005

(APRIL 15-17, 2005)

National Youth Service Day 2005 Planning Tool Kits, Service-Learning Curriculum Guides, and posters are now available in print and online.

• The Planning Tool Kit is a comprehensive guide to help project planners identify their projects, recruit volunteers, generate media attention, raise funds, and more.
• The Service-Learning Curriculum Guide contains eight lessons to develop students' project management skills while planning projects for National Youth Service Day.
• The poster is a fun and colorful resource for recruiting volunteers. The back of the poster includes activity sheets for students and teachers which can be copied and distributed as planning guides.

Please visit the web site to download materials or order free printed copies.

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If you wish to contribute to the VERB Weekly e-Digest, please send all materials to sophy@searac.org