Monday, June 20, 2005: Volume #2, Issue #79
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
• Forming a Nonprofit
• Funding Opportunities
2. Promising Practices
• Making the Best Use of the Auditing Process
3. News
• Study provides first look at effects of suffering on Cambodian-Americans
• Asian-American Melting Pot
• Last Refugees Due Soon
• Hmong Refugee Exhibit Debuts in Wis. Rapids
• Old Foe in Charm Offensive
• If You Go
• WDH 0616 Briefs
• Vietnam's Human-Rights Abuses in Spotlight
• Mutual Enemies Bind Old Enemies
• Home Ownership Center
• 'Angels of Mercy' Tell Tale of War
• Vietnam Leader Plans Microsoft, Boeing Visits, But Faces Protests
• Forum: Green Berets Fight on for Viet Allies
• Vietnamese Americans Set Aside Cultural Differences to Protest ...
• New Research Shows Alzheimer's Disease Research Recruitment ...
4. Funding Opportunities
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Nominate A Business for the Corporate Citizenship Awards
• Department of Labor
• Alston/Bannerman Fellowship
• U.S. Department of Human Health Services
• U.S. Department of Human Health Services
5. Resources
• National Seminars Group

I. Announcements

06/22/2005 Forming a Nonprofit. Open to the Public. Afternoon. Location: Greensboro, NC. Registration: Required. Host: CJH Education Grant Services, Inc. Contact: Jim Ullman. Phone: 919-832-1004 Ext. 29. Email: ccnctraining@odconsortium.org

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06/29/2005 Funding Opportunities. Open to the Public. All Day. Location: Racine, WI. Registration: Required. Host: Holy Redeemer Institutional Church of God in Christ. Contact: Dr. William Rogers. Phone: 414-466-1800 Ext. 5161. Email: wrogers@hrcogic.org

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II. Promising Practices

Making the Best Use of the Auditing Process

From The Nonprofit Quarterly

Relationships with auditors have been a central issue in corporate scandals such as Enron and WorldCom. It was addressed by the Sarbanes-Oxley reform for public companies and has rightly been a nonprofit sector concern. The Senate Finance Committee proposals have focused on whether audits should be mandated for nonprofits (and if so, at what threshold level) whether rotation of auditors should be required, and what other accountability and reporting measures should be established. Before either embracing or rejecting these proposals, it is critical to understand what an audit does and does not provide. This article addresses what boards (and management) should expect from the audit process, as well as ways to evaluate whether the best services are being provided.

How are financial statement audits related to accountability? What does an audit really tell the reader of financial statements? Simply stated, an audit tells the reader whether the financial information that management has reported to the auditors properly portrays the financial health of the organization as of a given date (typically it's year-end, although audits should also report substantial subsequent events). So, assuming an "unqualified" audit opinion, the reader can take some comfort that financial information presented by management can be relied upon.

The audit opinion itself does not address the systems or procedures at an organization that helped to create these figures, nor does it provide any form of assurance on these systems or procedures. No one outside the organization and its board should rely on an organization's financial statement audit opinion to gauge the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization's internal reporting mechanisms.

Read on: http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/section/713.html

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III. News

Study Provides First Look at Effects of Suffering on Cambodian-Americans
Lowell Sun
June 9, 2005

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Asian-American Melting Pot
Asia Times Online
June 13, 2005

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Last Refugees Due Soon
Fresno Bee
June 15, 2005

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Hmong Refugee Exhibit Debuts in Wis. Rapids
Wausau Daily Herald
June 15, 2005

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Old Foe in Charm Offensive
The Standard
June 15, 2005

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If You Go
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
June 16, 2005

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WDH 0616 Briefs
Wausau Daily Herald
June 16, 2005

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Vietnam's Human-Rights Abuses in Spotlight
Family News In Focus
June 17, 2005

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Mutual Enemies Bind Old Enemies
SunHerald.com
June 17, 2005

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Home Ownership Center
Minneapolis Star Tribune
June 17, 2005

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'Angels of Mercy' Tell Tale of War
Branson Daily News
June 17, 2005

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Vietnam Leader Plans Microsoft, Boeing Visits, But Faces Protests
Seattle Post Intelligencer
June 18, 2005

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Forum: Green Berets Fight on for Viet Allies
Washington Times
June 18, 2005

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Vietnamese Americans Set Aside Cultural Differences to Protest ...
Charlotte Observer
June 19, 2005

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New Research Shows Alzheimer's Disease Research Recruitment ...
RedNova.com
June 19, 2005

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A Test for President Bush on Democracy, Human Rights
Augusta Free Press
June 19, 2005

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IV. Grants

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

   The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is offering five grants in the area of family violence prevention and services.

   The program is designed to foster programs that will provide much-needed prevention, treatment, and shelter for domestic-abuse victims and their dependents. Five awards of $135,000 will be distributed.

   All nonprofit and public agencies capable of fulfilling the grant requirements are welcome to apply. For more information, contact William Riley; 202-401-5529.

   Deadline: The letter of intent is due June 29; the full application, July 27, 2005

2. (National)
   Nominate a Business for the Corporate Citizenship Awards

   Got Citizenship?

   Then Nominate A Business For The Corporate Citizenship Awards

   The Corporate Citizenship Awards include six categories:

   • The Citizenship in Action Award
   • The U.S. Community Service Award
   • The International Community Service Award
   • The Small Business Corporate Stewardship Award
   • The Midsize Business Corporate Stewardship Award
   • The Large Business Corporate Stewardship Award

   If you know a company that has behaved heroically, like Home Depot did last year in response to the four hurricanes that devastated Florida, then nominate them for the Citizenship in Action Award.

   If you know a company, chamber of commerce or business association that has a stellar community service program like Pfizer's Diflucan vaccination program in Africa, then nominate them for one of the Community Service Awards.

   If you admire a company for everything it does and everything it stands for, then nominate it for a Corporate Stewardship Award. For more information, call 202-463-3133.

   Deadline: July 15, 2005

3. (National)
   U.S. Department of Labor

   More information is also available at DOL's Employment and Training Administration's website.

   DOL's Employment and Training Administration Announces Grant Funds to Test Innovative Training Strategies for Individuals with Limited English Proficiency and Hispanic Americans

   The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has announced the availability of approximately $5 million in demonstration grant funds to test unique and innovative training strategies for services to individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) (those who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English and Hispanic Americans, specifically, those who lack basic and occupational skills needed by high-growth occupations. This demonstration program is targeted to incumbent workers, new job entrants or youth who lack the language, basic skills, and occupational skills necessary to succeed in the 21st century workplace. This demonstration program emphasizes the use of innovative contextualized learning strategies which simultaneously provide language and occupational skills training that open career opportunities and pathways for LEP and Hispanic Americans.

   The Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and Hispanic Worker Initiative is a strategic effort to improve access to employment and training services for LEP persons and to better serve Hispanic Americans through workforce investment programs that address the specific workforce challenges facing these individuals. Grant funds awarded should be used to develop unique and innovative strategies that specifically address the workforce challenges of LEP individuals and Hispanic Americans. Applications must reflect a strategic partnership between the public workforce investment system, the employer community, the education and training community, and, if applicable, community-based or faith-based organizations.

   It is anticipated that individual awards will fall within the range of $500,000 to $1 million. The Department reserves the right to award grants at either lower or higher amounts.

   Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants include any organization meeting the requirements of this Part and capable of fulfilling the terms and conditions of this solicitation such as public, private for-profit, and private non-profit organizations including community and faith-based organizations. Any applicant that is not a Workforce Investment Board or One-Stop Career Center will be required to demonstrate evidence of an active partnership or coordination with the public workforce investment system in the proposed service area for the delivery of services to participants of that area. Such evidence may include a memorandum of agreement, a memorandum of understanding, or letters of commitment from partners. Applicants are also encouraged to work with other local partners. The application must clearly identify the applicant and describe its capacity to administer this project. The applicant must also identify whether the fiscal agent is an organization other than the applicant.

   Deadline: August 15, 2005

4. (National)
   Alston/Bannerman Fellowship

   The Alston/Bannerman Fellowship Program is committed to advancing progressive social change by helping to sustain long-time activists of color. The program is designed to give these activists the financial support and freedom to "take a break and recharge."

   Each year, ten organizers of color working for social change on a broad range of issues are awarded the Alston/Bannerman Fellowship. Fellows receive $15,000 to take sabbaticals of three months or more. Previous fellows have worked on issues from environmental justice to fair wages, from immigrant rights to native sovereignty, from political empowerment to economic revitalization. Fellows have the freedom to use their sabbaticals however they think will best re-energize them for the work ahead.

   To qualify for an Alston/Bannerman Fellowship, an applicant must be a person of color; have more than ten years of community organizing experience; be committed to continuing to work for social change; and live in the United States or its territories. Both individuals for whom organizing is a full-time job and those for whom it is voluntary work done outside of their employment are eligible to apply.

   Deadline: December 1, 2005

5. (National)
   U.S. Department of Human Health Services

   Demonstration Projects That Improve Child Well-Being by Fostering Healthy Marriages within Underserved Communities

   Who: Faith-Based and Community Organizations; State County City, township or Special district governments; Independent school districts; and Nonprofit organizations other than institutions of higher education. Applicants, and their partner organizations (if any), must have experience and background in working with children and families in the targeted minority community.

   What: This funding announcement seeks proposals that improve child well-being by removing barriers to and strengthening family formation and healthy marriage in underserved communities. Projects will explore and remove barriers to forming lasting families and healthy marriages as a means to promote the well-being of children and families who are at risk of entering, or are already in the child welfare system.

   Award Amount: 10 awards of up to $150,000 totaling $1,500,000

   Deadline: August 08, 2005

6. (National)
   U.S. Department of Human Health Services

   Demonstration of Enhanced Services to Children and Youth Who Have Been Exposed to Domestic Violence

   Who: Faith-based and community organizations, State governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), and Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education are eligible to apply under this announcement.

   What: The purpose of these demonstration grants is to provide enhanced services and support to the children and youth who have been exposed to domestic violence in order to mitigate the impact of that exposure and increase the opportunity for these children and youth to lead healthy, non-violent, and safe lives as adults. The proposed demonstrations require the collaboration of the State agency that administers the family violence prevention and services programs and the State domestic violence coalition within that state.

   Award Amount: 5 awards of up to $130,000 totaling $650,000

   When: July 25, 2005

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V. Resources

National Seminars Group

Rockhurst University Continuing Education Center, Inc., is focused on meeting the ever-expanding continuing education needs of adult professionals in all industries and professions. Our sole mission is to provide the results-producing training you need, when and where you need it, and at a price that is cost-effective for you and your organization. RUCEC is a nonprofit organization that consists of four main divisions that address specific training areas.

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