Tuesday, April 26, 2004:
Volume #2, Issue #27
The VERB Weekly Email Digest
Edited by Sophy Pich, VERB Project Associate
Note: Documents on this page or in this section may be in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. In order to read them, you require Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is downloadable free from Adobe.
In This Week's Issue
- Announcements
- Promising Practices
- Performance Evaluations Can Help Workers Improve
- News
- Hmong Educators Take Classes on Hmong Culture
- Lao Community Brings in New Year
- Hmong Win U.S. Citizenship
- the Virtues of a New Year
- Laotians Grab Hold of Roots, Blossom
- Hmong New Year, American Style
- New Library Name Sought
- Protests by Vietnamese Stymie Sales of Victoria's Secret Buddha Bikinis
- Somali Action Alliance Is Born
- Agencies Prepare to Help Hmong Refugees
- Human Rights Group Alleges 'Huge Cover-Up' in Central Highlands Violence
- Judges, Hmong Meet in Advance of Resettlement
- Partnering with Faith Based Programs: Unique Challenges, Opportunities
- Global Campaign to Police Child Sex Tourism
- Pho Keeps
- Pot Raids Target Asian Growers
- Us, Vietnamese and Lao Scientists to Meet in Ha Noi
- Toddlers Died in Fire While Home Alone
- Dat Nguyen Awarded Vietnamese American National Gala Golden Torch Award
- Laotian Community Loses Longtime Leader
- Hmong Vital to Area, Speakers Tell Gathering
- Sights and Sounds of Cambodian Culture
- Funding Opportunities
- Peoplesoft
- the Lilly Endowment
- Microsoft
- Cash Assistance for Refugees
- Grants for Smaller Organizations
- Sbc Foundation
- Department of Labor's Center for Faith Based and Community Initiatives
- Services to Recently Arrived Refugees
- Resources
- the Centerpoint Institute
- Greater Chicago Nonprofit Gateway
I. Announcements
Just getting started in the voter outreach business? Looking for legal
advice about what kind of activities are permissible for 501c3 organizations?
National Voice will host an introductory legal clinic via conference call
on issues related to 501c3 non-partisan voter activities on Tuesday, May
11th, at 1pm Central Daylight Time. This will be a great opportunity to
learn more about what your group as a non-partisan organization can do to
mobilize voters. The call will include plenty of time for individual
questions.
Please RSVP to beth@nationalvoice.org if you plan to participate in the call.
Date: Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Time: 1:00-2:00p.m. Central Daylight Time (2pm Eastern)
Dial-in Number: 1-661-705-2000
Participant Access Code: 41595
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II. Promising Practices
Performance Evaluations Can Help Workers Improve — and Help Charities Reach Their Goals
By Peter Panepento
The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Before Carol B. Wittmeyer's arrival at Medaille College, fund raisers at
the Buffalo institution were evaluated by only the most rudimentary
standards: whether they arrived at work on time and how they carried out
basic office tasks.
But after Ms. Wittmeyer was hired in October as the college's vice
president for institutional advancement, she knew that system had to change
if Medaille was to effectively compete for donors' dollars. The
department's employees needed to be measured on their fund-raising
performance — not on their ability to work a full day.
As a result, she quickly began creating a new evaluation system that
measures whether employees are hitting specific targets. By June,
Medaille's fund raisers will know whether they are visiting enough
potential donors and if they are on track to meet their revenue goals.
Some workers, Ms. Wittmeyer says, find the new scrutiny uncomfortable, but
she believes that employees will come to appreciate the specific goals. "On
the one hand, I think they like knowing what's expected," she says. "On the
other hand, the expectations are very high. It's very stressful for them."
Some nonprofit employees and managers see annual performance reviews, on
which pay raises usually depend, as time-consuming exercises that neither
boost workers' productivity nor clearly measures their true value to the
organization. But human-resources consultants and nonprofit managers say
effective organizations need such evaluations to get the most from employees.
Read on: http://philanthropy.com/jobs/2004/04/29/20040429-299327.htm
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III. News
Hmong Educators Take Classes on Hmong Culture
April 19, 2004
Inforum Associated Press
***
Lao Community Brings in New Year
April 19, 2004
Tulare Advance Register
***
Hmong Win U.S. Citizenship
April 19, 2004
Los Angeles Times
***
The Virtues of a New Year
April 19, 2004
The Oregonian
***
Laotians Grab Hold of Roots, Blossom
April 20, 2004
Daily Herald
***
Hmong New Year, American Style
April 20, 2004
Mz Magazine
***
New Library Name Sought
April 20, 2004
The Mercury News
***
Protests by Vietnamese Stymie Sales of Victoria's Secret Buddha Bikinis
April 21, 2004
NCMOnline
***
Somali Action Alliance Is Born
April 21, 2004
Spokesman-Recorder
***
Agencies Prepare to Help Hmong Refugees
April 21, 2004
The Charlotte Observer
***
Human Rights Group Alleges 'Huge Cover-Up' in Central Highlands Violence
April 22, 2004
The Mercury News
***
Judges, Hmong Meet in Advance of Resettlement
April 22, 2004
Kare 11
***
Partnering with Faith Based Programs: Unique Challenges, Opportunities
April 22, 2004
Join Together Online
***
Global Campaign to Police Child Sex Tourism
April 22, 2004
The Christian Science Monitor
***
Pho Keeps
April 23, 2004
Star-Telegram
***
Pot Raids Target Asian Growers
April 23, 2004
The Fresno Bee
***
US, Vietnamese and Lao Scientists to Meet in Ha Noi
April 23, 2004
Vietnam News Agency
***
Toddlers Died in Fire While Home Alone
April 23, 2004
La Crosse Tribune
***
Dat Nguyen Awarded Vietnamese American National Gala Golden Torch Award
April 23, 2004
DallasCowboys.com
***
Laotian Community Loses Longtime Leader
April 24, 2004
The Grand Rapids Press
***
Hmong Vital to Area, Speakers Tell Gathering
Wausau Daily Herald
April 25, 2005
***
Sights and Sounds of Cambodian Culture
April 25, 2004
The Boston Globe
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IV. Grants
- (National)
PeopleSoft
PeopleSoft's Community Relations Program targets community service projects
that focus on technology. The program supports efforts that provide
underserved populations with computer technology training and education;
support creative and beneficial uses of the Internet in communities; use
computer technology to improve the quality of life for underserved
populations; educate the community about the benefits of technology; and
promote mathematics and science education. The company primarily directs
support to geographic areas where employees live and work, including
international locations; however, compelling projects outside of these
areas will be reviewed. Nonprofit organizations throughout the United
States, and select international locations are eligible to apply.
Deadline: June 1, 2004
- (National)
The Lilly Endowment
The Lilly Endowment seeks to strengthen Christian congregations by
providing an opportunity for pastors to step away briefly from the
persistent obligations of daily parish life and to engage in a period of
renewal and reflection. The National Clergy Renewal Program provides up to
$45,000 to Christian congregations throughout the country whose pastors
wish to take time for reflection and renewal. The program supports
congregations whose pastors and parishioners produce compelling plans for
an extended sabbatical time for the minister and a complementary set of
activities for congregational renewal. Christian congregations in all
states except Indiana, whose ordained pastors have a master of divinity
degree from an accredited theological school are eligible to apply. (The
Endowment administers a separate program for Indiana congregations.)
Deadline: June 25, 2004
- (National)
Microsoft
Microsoft Unlimited Potential is a global initiative that focuses on
improving lifelong learning for disadvantaged young people and adults by
providing technology skills through community technology and learning
centers (CTLCs). A community technology center is a free or low-cost,
friendly place (in a community center, school, library, housing facility,
or other convenient location) where people of all ages and abilities can
come to learn about computers, use the Internet, explore new careers,
further their education, participate in community activities, or develop
technology skills. Microsoft will provide funding to nonprofit or
non-governmental CTLC organizations that hold charitable status in their
country; school-based CTLCs (a nonprofit or governmental organization that
provides services to the community during non-school hours such as evenings
and weekends); and government funded and operated CTLCs. Microsoft accepts
funding proposals from eligible organizations through Microsoft subsidiary
offices located around the world.
To find out how and when proposals are accepted in each subsidiary, or to
apply for a grant, please contact the nearest Microsoft subsidiary.
- (National)
Cash Assistance for Refugees
The Department of Health & Human Services/Administration for Children and
Families announces funds for Wilson/Fish projects, which provide services
and cash assistance to refugees to increase their prospects for employment
and self-sufficiency, reduce their level of welfare dependence, and promote
coordination among voluntary resettlement organizations and service
providers.
Eligible applicants include state and county governments; and nonprofits,
other than institutions of higher education.
Approximately $22 million is available to make 11-13 awards.
For further information, contact:
Carl Rubenstein
ORR
370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW
8th Floor West
Aerospace Building
Washington, DC 20447-0002
crubenstein@acf.hhs.gov
202 205-5933
Deadline: April 30, 2004
- (National)
SBC Foundation
The SBC Foundation will award up to $5 million in grants to nonprofits that
want to integrate technology into their operations and community-outreach
efforts.
The foundation's Excelerator Grants will be awarded to nonprofits in the
areas of health and human services, community development, education, or
arts and culture. The money must be used to pay for data-communications
hardware, software, training, personnel, and/or application development.
For more information, see the 2004 Request for Proposals online or call
800-591-9663.
Deadline: August 13,2004
- (National)
Department of Labor's Center for Faith Based and Community Initiatives
is proud to announce the following grant opportunities:
- Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program (HVRP) Competitive Grants for PY 2004 (Intermediaries)
- Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program (HVRP) Urban CompetitiveGrants for PY 2004
- Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program (HVRP) Non-Urban Competitive Grants for PY 2004
Please contact us if you have any questions: contact-cfbci@dol.gov or
202-693-6450.
- (National)
Services to Recently Arrived Refugees: ORR Announces Grant Opportunity
The Department of Health and Human Services` Office of Refugee
Resettlement Standing Announcement for Services to Recently Arrived
Refugees(ORR) has invited the submission of applications for funding, on a
competitive basis, in three priority areas:
- Priority Area 1: Preferred Communities:
- to promote the increase of newly arrived refugees in preferred communities where they have ample opportunities for early employment and sustained economic independence and, to address special populations who need intensive case management, culturally and linguistically appropriate linkages and coordination with other service providers to improve their access to services
- Priority Area 2: Unanticipated Arrivals:
- to provide services to arriving refugees or sudden large secondary migration of refugees where communities are not sufficiently prepared in terms of linguistic or culturally appropriate services
- Priority Area 3: Ethnic Community Self-Help
- to connect newcomer refugees and their communities with community resources.
February 28, 2005, is the first closing date for applications.
Anticipated Total Priority Area Funding: $960,000 per 12 months
Anticipated Number of Awards: 10
Ceiling of Individual Awards: $320,000 per 12 months
The award amount is for planning purposes only
Floor on Amount of Individual Awards: $50,000 per 12 months
Average Anticipated Award Amount: $160,000 per 12 months
Project Periods for Awards: Up to 36 months
The April 23 FEDERAL REGISTER provides full background, describes eligible
applicants (including faith-based organizations), and outlines
instructions for the submission of applications.
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V. Resources
The CenterPoint Institute helps
nonprofit, foundation, and governmental organizations navigate the
management challenges posed by today's rapidly changing environment. The
Institute has experience in such areas as strategic planning, nonprofit
board/governance, conferences and meetings, communication, technology
services, training, research, financial assessment, and translation. The
Institute works across sectors and helps organizations with a variety of
different missions, scopes, and sizes, including national and international
organizations, as well as community-based organizations.
***
Greater Chicago Nonprofit Gateway
Gateway's goal is to create a central place where valuable offerings can be
viewed simultaneously. You will be able to use the calendar to:
Learn about Events and Training Opportunities in the Greater Chicago area.
Publicize your organization's Events and Training Opportunities.
Avoid scheduling conflicts with other organizations' Events and Trainings
Opportunities.
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If you wish to contribute to the VERB Weekly e-Digest, please send all
materials to sophy@searac.org
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