Monday, May 2, 2005: Volume #2, Issue #72
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

1. Announcements
• Lao American Women Association
• Compassion Capital Fund
• APA Roundtable
2. Promising Practices
• Cash Flow Primer for Nonprofit Organizations
3. News
• Vietnamese Families Gather on Island for Saigon Remembrance
• Diary of Inquirer Photographer Laurence Kesterson
• Asian-Americans Step Up to Ballot Box
• Vietnam After Three Decades of Change
• Hmong Cooking Demonstration Is Part of Museum Exhibit
• Vietnam Pushes on 30 Years After War
• Carnival Czar Quits Post
• Vietnamese Economy Booming After Us Opens Investment Floodgates
• Vietnamese-Americans Who Have Grown Wearisome of Repeated
• War Vet Goes Back
• Legends of the Fall
• Vietnamese Refugees Have Forged New Lives in Us
• Cultural Identity Hard to Retain
• Vietnamese-Americans Prosper by Serving Houston's Diversity
• Asian Americans Pay Tribute to Their Rich Culture in May
• Battles Still Fresh for Vets
• Vietnamese in Triangle Remember Fall of Saigon
• 30 Years After Fleeing Vietnam Conflict, Refugees Face Hardship in ...
• Vietnamese-Americans, in Search of Work, Transforming the Face of ...
• Thousands of Vietnamese-Americans Rally at Freedom March for Civil
• Lorraine Ahearn: After Vietnam, the Faces in a Waking Dream
• DC Everest Students' Book Covers Hmong Assimilation
• Bloc-Vote Talk Dismissed
• Cambodian-American Voters on Rise
• Vietnamese Americans Reflect on Fall of Saigon
4. Funding Opportunities
• SEARAC
• NAVASA
• DisneyHand and Youth Service America
• The Common Counsel Foundation
• Join Hands Day
• Bank One (MD, WI)
• Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation
• Alcoa Foundation (DC-metro, NC)
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
• Compassion Capital Fund
• Compassion Capital Fund
• The U.S. Department of Labor
• The Jim Henson Foundation
• The WHO (Women Helping Others) Foundation
5. Resources
• The Midwest Academy

I. Announcements

LAO AMERICAN WOMEN ASSOCIATION of Washington, D.C. (VERB sub-grantee)

When: Friday, May 6, 2005
Time: 7:00 P.M. to 12:30 A.M
Where: Harvest Moon Restaurant, 7260 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, VA 22042
Tel: 703 573 6000

An evening of fun and entertaining with small gifts for all attending mothers; Sit down dinner at $ 30.00 per person (Cash bar available)

All proceeds will go to support the Lao American Women Association of Washington, D.C.

For details and table reservation, please contact:

VA: Bounchanh—703 913 1768, Phouangphaka—703 569 1846, Maly—703 491 9694, Dara—703 451 9052, Phenchit: 703 569 2557, Siphoum—703 642 3785, Khoune—703 534 0453, Bouakhay—703 266 0370.

MD: Bounheng—301 306 0345, Viengmone—301 946 5378

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Compassion Capital Fund Free Training Conference Calls

$50,000 GRANTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE to build the capacity of faith-based and community organizations. Priority areas for the Targeted Capacity-Building Program (Mini-Grants) include: at-risk youth, the homeless, healthy marriage, and rural communities. 300 Mini-grants will be available. Register online now to participate in free training conference calls on the Mini-Grant Program. Each conference call will cover one aspect of the program announcement:

12:00 noon EST, Thursday, May 5, 2005 Conference Call #1: Getting it Right: Compliance and Requirements.

12:00 noon EST, Friday, May 6, 2005 Conference Call #2: Strategy for Capacity Building.

12:00 noon EST, Monday, May 9, 2005 Conference Call #3: Building an Effective Grant Narrative.

12:00 noon EST, Tuesday, May 10, 2005 Conference Call #4: Building a Grant Budget.

TRAINERS:
Lisa Trevino Cummins
David Mills
Helen Tygret

Each call will last approximately 60 minutes. Registration will be limited to 500 people per call on a first come, first served basis. Power Point presentations with audio and transcriptions will be available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccf following each call. View Frequently Asked Questions about the Compassion Capital Fund.

***

APA ROUNDTABLE

Korean American Coalition—DC Area Chapter, Organization of Chinese Americans—DC Chapter, and Organization of Chinese Americans-Northern VA Chapter invites you to 2005 APA Roundtable

APA Roundtable is an opportunity for the Asian Pacific Islander American organizations in the greater DC area to come together to get to know one another and share information about upcoming programs and events. APA Roundtable is a great opportunity to kick off DC area celebrations around May's Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Attending APIA organizations will be provided with DC area APIA organization contact list.

Tuesday, May 3, 2005

6:30PM - 8:30PM
Ground Floor Conference Center
Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP
1776 K St., NW
Washington, DC 20006

RSVP to Julie Park at julie@linkuskorea.com by Friday, April 29th

• Light refreshment will be available
• Bring handouts about your organization for distribution

If you have any questions feel free to contact Julie Park at (703) 205-2002 or David Yao at (202) 333-9095

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II. Promising Practices

Cash Flow Primer for Nonprofit Organizations

From The Meyer Foundation

Strong programs and sound business practices are not separate parts of an organization, or at least they shouldn't be. Your ability to help people and your understanding of your financial situation contribute equally to your organization's success.

In our experience, nonprofits excel at providing excellent programs that bring critical services to people in need. Because of the extraordinary demands on their time and energy, they don't always give their business practices and systems the attention they deserve. A significant number of nonprofits, for example, do not take advantage of a valuable tool that can help them better understand and manage their finances -- the cash flow forecast.

What is a Cash Flow Forecast?

A cash flow forecast is a realistic projection of your organization's cash situation -- just one aspect of complete financial health -- at any given time, based on what you know about how much money is coming in and how much is going out. Basically, a cash flow forecast is an early warning system for months in which your organization might spend more money than it has. Preparing the forecast at the start of your fiscal year, and then updating it as often as necessary, will show you the potential problems with your cash flow and allow you time to address them. When you foresee a month where cash will be tight, you will have time to think about how to lower costs or raise income during or prior to that month.

Here's a story of a nonprofit that did a cash flow forecast. Boysenberries for Kids (BFK) is an organization dedicated to promoting the health benefits of boysenberries for children all over the world. To start the year off right, BFK decided to do a cash flow forecast in January. We've simplified an actual cash flow forecast to give you a sense of what one looks like and how it works.

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III. News

Vietnamese Families Gather on Island for Saigon Remembrance
Port Arthur News
April 25, 2005

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Diary of Inquirer Photographer Laurence Kesterson
Philadelphia Inquirer
April 25, 2005

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Asian-Americans Step Up to Ballot Box
Boston Globe
April 27, 2005

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Vietnam After Three Decades of Change
Asia Pacific Media Network
April 27, 2005

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Hmong Cooking Demonstration Is Part of Museum Exhibit
Enterprise-Record
April 27, 2005

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Vietnam Pushes on 30 Years After War
Asia Times Online
April 28, 2005

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Carnival Czar Quits Post
Pioneer Press
April 28, 2005

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Vietnamese Economy Booming After US Opens Investment Floodgates
Kansas City Star
April 28, 2005

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Vietnamese-Americans Who Have Grown Wearisome of Repeated
http://www.vietweekly.com
Viet Weekly
April 28, 2005

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War Vet Goes Back
Quad City Times
April 29, 2005

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Legends of the Fall
Australian
April 29, 2005

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Vietnamese Refugees Have Forged New Lives in US
Washington Observer Reporter
April 29, 2005

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Cultural Identity Hard to Retain
Wausau Daily Herald
April 29, 2005

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Vietnamese-Americans Prosper by Serving Houston's Diversity
Houston Chronicle
April 29, 2005

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Asian Americans Pay Tribute to Their Rich Culture in May
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
April 29, 2005

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Battles Still Fresh for Vets
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
April 30, 2005

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Vietnamese in Triangle Remember Fall of Saigon
Durham Herald Sun
April 30, 2005

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30 Years After Fleeing Vietnam Conflict, Refugees Face Hardship in…
Alameda Times-Star
April 30, 2005

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Vietnamese-Americans, in Search of Work, Transforming the Face of…
San Jose Mercury News
April 30, 2005

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Thousands of Vietnamese-Americans Rally at Freedom March for Civil
Viet Weekly
April 30, 2005

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Lorraine Ahearn: After Vietnam, the Faces in a Waking Dream
Greensboro News Record
May 1, 2005

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Dc Everest Students' Book Covers Hmong Assimilation
Wausau Daily Herald
May 1, 2005

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Bloc-Vote Talk Dismissed
New Brunswick Home News Tribune
May 1, 2005

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Cambodian-American Voters on Rise
Lowell Sun
May 1, 2005

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Vietnamese Americans Reflect on Fall of Saigon
KOMO
May 1, 2005

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IV. Grants

1. (California)
   The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)

   The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC), in partnership with California Health Advocates (CHA) and the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA), is pleased to announce the availability of funding under its new Healthy Elders Leadership Project (HELP). HELP will assist Southeast Asian American mutual assistance associations (MAAs) and faith-based organizations (FBOs) that serve the Southeast Asian American (SEA) elders in California. During the first project year (from April 2005 to March 2006) eligible MAAs and FBOs will be based in Northern California only.

   With initial major funding from The California Endowment (TCE), HELP is a three-year, statewide project, that will offer capacity-building stipends in the amount of $10,000 a year for a total of three (3) years to six (6) eligible MAAs/FBOs in Northern California. MAA/FBO partners will also receive training and technical assistance focused on advocacy, best practices, and other areas. MAAs/FBOs in Central and Southern California will become eligible for this level of participation in the second and third project years.

   HELP's goals are to bring attention and services to underserved elderly SEAs in California by building the capacity of SEA community organizations; opening access to public and publicly funded services to SEA elders and their families; and creating new cadres and networks of public policy advocates, including elders and family members, to ensure that California state legislators and other policymakers attend to the needs of SEA elders and communities. More details can be found at http://www.searac.org/help.html.

   Participating MAAs and FBOs will be expected to work with SEARAC, CHA, and NAPCA to improve their service delivery and advocacy focused on senior citizens in their communities. They will be expected to use the $10,000 annual stipends, the training, and the technical assistance in order to pursue the following goals:

   • Capacity-Building: Build the capacity of the organization to provide effective services to senior citizens - for example, by implementing "best practices" in the field, and obtaining funding for structured programs;
   • Access to Health and Aging Services: Open the doors of publicly funded agencies such as hospitals, elder-care providers, and long-term care facilities - for example, through sustained participation in the activities of local Area Agencies on Aging (AAA); and
   • Health and Public-Policy Advocacy: Educate state legislators and other decision-makers about elder and health care access issues important to SEA elders.

   In this first year of the project, we are extending invitations to MAAs and FBOs in Northern California. In 2006 and 2007, MAAs and FBOs in Central and Southern California, respectively, will become eligible. Eligible applicants are MAAs/FBOs that:

   • Are primarily managed by, and for, people whose families are from Cambodia, Laos, and/or Vietnam;
   • Serve low-income communities;
   • Are 501(c)3 tax exempt organizations, or have a history of working through such organizations as fiscal agents;
   • Have provided social services for at least three (3) years;
   • Are actively engaged in, or interested in, serving SEAs 55 years of age and older;
   • Are responsive to learning new skills, and will set aside time to participate in training and technical assistance activities; and
   • Are able to submit regular financial and activity reports.

   The application must be submitted by June 30, 2005. We will inform applicants of decisions regarding participation by July 29, 2005. If you have questions or need more information, please contact Doua Thor, SEARAC's Deputy Director, at (202) 667-4690 or doua@searac.org.

2. (National)
   NAVASA

   NAVASA calls on friends, members, and supporters of the Vietnamese American community to encourage and support individuals whom they know have worked or have been working, in the community to apply for NAVASA 2005 National Young Community Leaders Recognition Award.

   Since 1995, the National Alliance of Vietnamese American Service Agencies (NAVASA) holds the tradition of being the first independent and only national consortium of Vietnamese American service agencies that provides support and technical assistance to its affiliate members by strengthening its national advocacy capability and promoting the integration of the younger and older members of the Vietnamese American community into mainstream American society.

   NAVASA annually confers national community service awards to individuals from ages 18 to 35. NAVASA aims to nationally recognize young Vietnamese Americans who take part in empowering and developing their community in many different ways.

   An award recipient will have his/her travel and accommodation expenses paid by NAVASA to attend the National Recognition Ceremony held at NAVASA Annual Conference. During the conference, recipients will receive leadership training and have opportunities to meet and network with distinguished leaders from across the country. This year, NAVASA will hold its 2005 National Conference in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area from July 15-16, 2005.

   Selected recipients will become members of NAVASA Leadership Institute. NAVASA extends an invitation for recipients to attend future development, training, and mentorship and networking sessions. Past recipients have worked closely with NAVASA creating future award recognitions, conferences, and national programs to continue empowering and developing young Vietnamese American lives and communities across the United States.

   Please e-mail karen.willard@navasa.org if there are questions prior to submitting the application. If faxing or e-mailing your application, please request a confirmation that your application has been fully received.

   Send your application to:

   NAVASA
   National Award Review Committee
   1010 Wayne Avenue, Suite 310
   Silver Spring, MD 20910

   Fax: (301) 587-2783; Email: karen.willard@navasa.org

   The Award Recognition is made possible and generously funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) in Washington D.C through the National Ethnic Community Self Help Project.

   Deadline: May 13, 2005

3. (National)
   DisneyHand and Youth Service America

   DisneyHand, worldwide outreach for the Walt Disney Company, and Youth Service America (http://www.ysa.org/) are offering grants to support community service projects following National Youth Service Day (NYSD) and Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) 2005 (April 15-17).

   Post-NYSD DisneyHand Minnie Grant: DisneyHand and Youth Service America are offering follow-up grants of $500 to continue community service that began on NYSD 2005. Children and youth ages of 5-14, teachers, and organizations that engage youth 5-14 are eligible for this grant if they participated in National Youth Service Day 2005. Applicants may choose to continue work they began on NYSD or create a new service project. This follow-up grant is conditional on the satisfactory completion of an online NYSD project evaluation.

   Post-GYSD DisneyHand Minnie Grant for Service Projects Outside of the United States: DisneyHand and Youth Service America are offering grants of $500 to organize a community service project outside of the United States. Children and youth ages 5-14, teachers, and organizations that engage youth 5-14 are eligible for this grant. Groups and organizations that have participated in Global Youth Service Day 2005 who engage children within that age group are especially encouraged to apply to continue their service throughout the year. Applicants will be expected to develop a service project that responds to a need in their community. Projects should engage youth in service that is age-appropriate and addresses their concerns, skills, and level of understanding.

   Deadline: June 1, 2005

4. (National)
   The Common Counsel Foundation

   The Common Counsel Foundation is a public charity that offers strategic philanthropic advisory services to donors and family foundations whose philanthropic interests include a broad range of progressive social change activities.

   Common Counsel member funds the Acorn Foundation and the Abelard Foundation West are currently accepting funding proposals.

   The Acorn Foundation supports projects dedicated to building a sustainable future for the planet and to restoring a healthy global environment. The Acorn Foundation is particularly interested in small and innovative community-based projects which: preserve and restore habitats supporting biological diversity and wildlife; advocate for environmental justice, particularly in low-income and indigenous communities; and prevent or remedy toxic pollution. Most Acorn Foundation grants are made in North America, though occasional grants are made in Latin America. The Acorn Foundation makes grants in the $5,000 to $10,000 range to grassroots organizations.

   The Abelard Foundation West is committed to supporting social change organizations which: reflect, through membership or grassroots participation, the communities in which they are based; expand community control over economic, social, and environmental decisions affecting the community's well-being; and build a strong informed voice on public policy issues. Abelard offers general support grants in the $6,000 to $12,000 range. Common Counsel reviews proposals to the Abelard Foundation West from groups located in the Northern Rockies, the Great Basin, the Northwest, the Southwest, and California. (Organizations based east of the Mississippi should contact the Abelard Foundation East office, which accepts proposals on a year-around basis.)

   Deadline: June 15, 2005

5. (National)
   Join Hands Day

   On May 7, 2005, youths and adults across America will come together for Join Hands Day, a day of volunteering designed to build relationships and increase respect between generations, while they work together on local projects that improve their communities. To create partnerships, adult groups invite youth organizations and youth groups invite adult organizations to work together to plan and implement worthwhile projects, with people from both generations sharing responsibilities equally.

   As part of the event, program organizers offer the Excellence Awards for outstanding event projects. Twenty awardees are selected from volunteer projects that develop youth and adult partnerships on Join Hands Day. Each award-winning project receives $1,000 and an engraved glass award. Coordinating groups choose how the funds are used. An additional number of honorable mention projects, up to thirty, will receive honorable mention status and a Certificate of Distinction.

   In selecting Excellence Award recipients, the most important consideration is the quality of the youth and adult partnership in planning and executing the event. Other criteria include the quality of the project to the neighborhood or persons in need and the effectiveness of the mobilization group.

   To be considered for the 2005 Join Hands Day Excellence Awards, project organizers must post-event register their project with Join Hands Day by June 7 (postmark deadline for mailed entries).

   Deadline: June 7, 2005

6. (Maryland, Wisconsin)
   Bank One

   The Bank One Corporate Contributions Program supports nonprofit organizations that improve the lives of people in the communities served by Bank One in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Funding is provided for programs that focus on community asset development, youth education, and arts and cultural enrichment.

   Deadline: Open

7. (National)
   Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation

   The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation focuses on projects with national scope that cultivate a renewed, healthier, and more vigorous sense of citizenship among the American people. The Foundation seeks to reinvigorate churches, families, schools and neighborhoods, and encourage decentralization of power and accountability away from centralized, bureaucratic, national institutions. Projects may address any arena of public life -- economics, politics, culture, or civil society -- where citizenship is an important issue. Community and state projects that improve the life in Milwaukee and Wisconsin will also be considered for support.

   Letters of inquiry are accepted throughout the year. The deadlines for invited proposals are March 1, July 1, September 1, and December 1, annually.

8. (DC-Metro, North Carolina)
   Alcoa Foundation

   The Alcoa Foundation invests in improving the quality of life in communities around the world where Alcoa operates. The Foundation primarily concentrates its grantmaking on community-based giving in locations where Alcoa has a presence, and secondarily on direct grants to U.S.-based or international organizations with a regional or multi-community/organization focus. The majority of the Foundation's grants fit within one of the following areas:

   Conservation and Sustainability, Safe and Healthy Children and Families, Global Education and Workforce Skills, or Business and Community Partnerships.

   Deadlines vary by location for community-based giving. For direct grants, the deadline is July 31, 2005.

9. (National)
   U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

   Summary: (April 29, 2005) The Administration for Children and Families announces that applications will be accepted for new grants pursuant to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Compassion Capital Fund (CCF).

   Purpose: The purpose of the CCF Targeted Capacity-Building grants is to help build the capacity of grassroots faith-based and community organizations that address the needs of distressed communities. The CCF Targeted Capacity Building Program funds capacity-building activities that produce measurable impact resulting in more sustainable organizations.

   Award Information: The funding instrument is a Grant:

   • Anticipated Total Priority Funding: $15,000,000
   • Anticipated Number of Awards: Up to 300
   • Ceiling Amount of Individual Awards per Budget Period: $50,000
   • Length of Project Period: 12-month project and budget period

   Organization Annual Budget Amount: ACF encourages and will grant preference to organizations whose annual operational budget is less than $500,000, or whose tribal membership is less than 5,000.

   Program Purpose and Objectives: Organizations selected for funding will help build the capacity of faith-based and community organizations that address the needs of distressed communities. A "distressed community" is defined as a neighborhood or geographic community with an unemployment rate and/or poverty rate equal to or greater than the state or national rate. Priority areas of need include:

   • the homeless,
   • at-risk youth,
   • couples who choose marriage for themselves, to develop the skills and knowledge to form and sustain healthy marriages, or
   • social services to those living in rural communities.

   Scope of Services: Based on the four priority areas of need, organizations must use funds to build their organizational capacity in at least one of these five critical areas:

   • Leadership development,
   • organizational development,
   • programs and services,
   • funding, and
   • community engagement.

   Areas Not Funded: Grantees must use these awards to increase efficiency and capacity. Therefore, these awards cannot be used to augment or supplant direct service delivery funds.

   Questions? For further information call the National Resource Center at 1-866-CCF-5129.

   Deadline: All grant proposals are due May 31, 2005 at 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time).

10. (National)
    Compassion Capital Fund

    Who: Faith-based and community organizations; county, city, township or special district governments; state controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; non-profits other than institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses.

    What: The goal of the Compassion Capital Fund (CCF) Demonstration Program is to help grassroots faith-based and community organizations maximize their social impact. The CCF Demonstration Program provides funding for intermediary organizations in well-defined geographic locations with a proven track record of community involvement and experience in providing training and technical assistance to smaller faith- and community-based organizations in their communities. Intermediary organizations will assist faith-based and community organizations with capacity-building activities in five critical areas: (1) Leadership development, (2) organizational development, (3) programs and services, (4) funding, and (5) community engagement.

    Award Amount: Up to 17 awards of approximately $1,000,000 totaling $16,900,000.

    Deadline: June 13, 2005

11. (National)
    Compassion Capital Fund Who: Faith-based and community organizations; tribal and Native American organizations; non-profits other than institutions of higher education. What: The purpose of the CCF Targeted Capacity Building program is to help build the capacity of grassroots faith-based and community organizations that address the needs of distressed communities. The goal of the CCF Targeted Capacity-Building Program is to help promising organizations bolster their sustainability and ultimately be able to serve more people more effectively and/or more efficiently, or expand/enhance services to distressed communities on a continuing basis. Priority areas of need include at-risk youth; the homeless; marriage education and preparation services to help couples who choose marriage for themselves develop the skills and knowledge to form and sustain healthy marriages; or social services to those living in rural communities. Award Amount: 300 awards of approximately $50,000 totaling $15,000,000. Deadline: May 31, 2005
12. (National)
    U.S. Department of Labor

    WHO: Faith-based and community organizations and others

    WHAT: The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced dollars to fund faith-based and community organizations that can help transition released prisoners into employment. This program, which involves several federal agencies, is designed to reduce recidivism by helping inmates find work when they return to their communities, as part of an effort to build a life in the community for everyone. If your organization is interested in applying, your organization can attend one of three informational conferences about the Prisoner Reentry Initiative as outlined on the website http://www.pri-conference.com/

    AWARD AMOUNT: $19.8 million

    CONTACT: For an overview of the program go to http://www.dol.gov/cfbci/funding.htm - reentry

    For registration and logistical information on the informational conferences go to http://www.pri-conference.com/

    Deadline: July 13, 2005

13. (National)
    The Jim Henson Foundation

    The Jim Henson Foundation awards grants each year for the creation and development of innovative works of puppet theater.

    Project grants of $5,000 are awarded for the development of new works, and seed grants of $2,000 are made for pieces in the earliest stages of creation. While the foundation's primary focus is contemporary puppet theater for adult audiences, the organization also encourage applications for new works for families and children.

    Grants are made only for the development of new works of live puppet theater. The foundation does not award funds for the presentation or remounting of existing work.

    Awards can be made only to IRS tax-exempt organizations. Applicants without 501(c)(3) status must apply through a fiscal sponsor. Applications for international collaborations are accepted, but the primary artist and fiscal sponsor must be American. Projects that will only take place outside of the Unites States are not eligible for funding.

    The foundation has instituted a new policy in order to more evenly distribute its funds among the many artists worthy of support. Artists who received a project grant in the previous year are no longer eligible to submit a proposal in the current year. Artists who received a seed grant in the previous year are eligible to apply in the current year, but only for a project grant to further develop the previously funded piece.

    Deadline: June 1, 2005 (Letters of Intent)

14. (National)
    The WHO (Women Helping Others) Foundation

    The WHO (Women Helping Others) Foundation (http://whofoundation.org/) supports grassroots charities around the country and in Puerto Rico serving the overlooked needs of women and children.

    Specific projects and programs addressing health, education, and social service needs are the foundation's priority. The foundation recognizes the value of new programs created to respond to changing needs and will consider funding projects of an original or pioneering nature within an existing organization.

    In order to qualify for funding, an organization must have 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and be qualified to receive deductible charitable contributions. In addition, organizations must have been incorporated for a minimum of three years prior to application. Preference will be given to organizations with an operating budget of $2 million or less, those not dependent on government grants, and those with greater organizational program costs than personnel costs.

    Deadline: September 13, 2005

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V. Resources

The Midwest Academy

The Midwest Academy offers on site training and consulting as well as five day training sessions for leaders and staff of citizen and community groups. We specialize in Board and Leadership Development, Strategic Planning and Coalition Building. The Academy is one of the nation's oldest and best known schools for community organizations, citizen organizations and individuals committed to progressive social change. offers on site training and consulting as well as five day training sessions for leaders and staff of citizen and community groups. We specialize in Board and Leadership Development, Strategic Planning and Coalition Building. The Academy is one of the nation's oldest and best known schools for community organizations, citizen organizations and individuals committed to progressive social change.

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