Monday, October 24, 2005: Volume #2, Issue #93
The VERB Weekly Email Digest
Edited by Sophy Pich, VERB Project Associate

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In This Week's Issue

1. Announcements
• House bill threatens nonprofit advocacy
• Conference Call Series on Apprenticeship Training
• 2006 AMA Nonprofit Marketing Conference
2. Promising Practices
• What Are Your Comparative Advantages?
3. News
• Vietnamese Americans Repay the Us with Military Service
• Former Dance Hall to Host Hmong Funerals Instead
• Refugees Settle in at Jobs
• Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Hmong Refugees Resettling from
• Indochina War Refugees Find Homes in US
• Kennedy Bill Would Grant Work Visas to Illegal Immigrants
• Victims Ignored and Then Brushed Aside
• Hmong Kin Get More Than $40g Over Burial
• Asian-Americans Must Speak Up
• Hard Floors, Hard Truths
• Ethnic Media Vote 'No' on Prop. 74
• Report: Hmong Parents and Children Lack Support for Early Learning
• Biloxi Moxie: Rebuilding It Better
4. Funding Opportunities
• LogoBee
• The U.S. Human Rights Fund
• Earth Island Institute
• Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights
• The Pew Partnership for Civic Change
• California HealthCare Foundation
• Taproot Foundation (CA)
• Learn and Serve America Community-Based Grant
5. Resources
• Build Donor Relationships and Boost Funds

I. Announcements

House Bill Threatens Nonprofit Advocacy and Voter Participation Activities

A precedent-setting bill that would curb advocacy and voter registration activities by nonprofits is scheduled for a vote on the House floor in the next two weeks. The Federal Housing Finance Reform Act (HR 1461) would have a direct impact on nonprofit housing programs, extending the ban on the use of federal funds for lobbying and certain electioneering activities under current law to the use of private funds as well. In addition, the proposed restrictions are so broadly worded that nonprofits could not apply for the grants if they assist with - or maintain any affiliation; with any organization that engages in - nonpartisan voter registration or get-out-the-vote efforts, including providing transportation to the polls for the elderly and disabled, helping shut-ins apply for absentee ballots, and similar efforts to increase participation in our democracy.

Independent Sector, OMB Watch, and National Housing Trust Fund Campaign and others are organizing nonprofits around the country to oppose HR 1461's attack on nonprofit advocacy and voter participation activities.

For more details and to send a letter to your Congress Member, visit demaction.org.

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Announcing the Conference Call Series on Apprenticeship Training

Sponsored by

The U.S. Department of Labor Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and The Office of Apprenticeship Training, Employer and Labor Services

Join us on Wednesday, October 26th at 2:00 PM EST as we kick off our five-call conference call series on apprenticeship training. Many faith-based and community organizations are unaware of employment and training opportunities in their own communities. There are many emerging industries in your local communities and businesses in these industries are eager to work with reliable partners to meet their workforce needs. Additionally, many businesses provide important training for these jobs. This series of toll-free conference calls is designed to help educate FBCOs about emerging apprenticeship occupations and training opportunities in their communities.

The first conference call will feature the construction industry. Mr. Bob Baird, Vice President of Apprenticeship and Training, Standards and Safety, at the Independent Electrical Contractors, Inc., and Mr. John Gaal, Director of Training and Workforce Development, at the Carpenters'; District Council of Greater St. Louis and Vicinity, will discuss several apprenticeship occupations in this growing industry and how you can connect those you serve with employment opportunities. Both individuals serve on the federal Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship, which provides input to the Registered Apprenticeship system, and are strong proponents of apprenticeship training programs for worker recruitment, retention, and advancement.

The call will last for an hour with each presenter speaking for about 15 minutes, and then we'll have about a half hour for Q and A. Please note, that we only have 125 lines for this call. Only the first 125 people to call in will have the opportunity to participate. Callers can dial in for the call 10 minutes prior to the 2:00 PM start.

We hope you can join us for this call!

When: Wednesday, October 26 at 2:00 PM, EST

Conference Call Line: 888-272-7337

Conference ID: 3120361, then the # sign.

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2006 AMA Nonprofit Marketing Conference - February 20, 2006

The Business of Growth - Mission, Message and Measures

Have you mastered the latest marketing tools and techniques to meet the challenge of growth? As a nonprofit marketer, you must stay ahead by anticipating the changing landscape and developing the newest marketing strategies to move your organization to the next level.

Today's nonprofit organizations face considerable challenges. With the number of nonprofit organizations increasing every year, there is enormous competition for donor dollars, time and attention. These days, there are a multitude of causes and organizations to choose from, so how do you maintain and grow your organization in this growing environment?

The 2006 AMA Nonprofit Marketing Conference will give nonprofit marketers an up-to-the-minute crash course in how to raise and earn critical funds in an environment rife with competition. Guided by a daily focus, this event will delve into the issues most critical to nonprofits challenged to grow and offer them the solutions they need.

Special focus on the importance of your mission, its clarity, value and message will be highlighted on Day One. Day Two will offer case studies of transformational strategies from leading nonprofit organizations. The final day will demonstrate how to prove success, with examples from outstanding nonprofit organizations of all sizes and types and the tools they've used to measure their success.

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II. Promising Practices

What Are Your Comparative Advantages?

by David La Piana and Michaela Hayes

In this article, we'll discuss how to assess your competitors and identify your advantages in comparison with those competitors. And in our third and final article, we'll explain how to determine what position you hold in your particular market vis-a-vis your competition (e.g., leader, small player, or one of many fairly strong organizations), as well as the various competitive strategies at your disposal to maintain or improve your position. The ultimate objective of these strategies is to help your nonprofit organization garner the resources it needs to enhance its effectiveness in achieving its mission. Your market

To identify your organization's competitors, you first need to identify your organization's market. Your market is defined by the customers you serve with your programs as well as the geographic area in which those customers are located. Sometimes the customers you serve are different from the customers you intend to serve - that is, your target customers or target market. We'll discuss that situation, too.

Who are your customers? Let's start with your customers. How would you describe them? One way to think about it is in terms of the needs your programs are designed to meet; your customers are the people with those needs. What are the characteristics of the people that are important to your programs? Characteristics to consider include age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual preference, religion, values and beliefs, health status, economic status, education, family status (e.g., whether they have children or not and the age of those children), and leisure-time activities. Narrow down the list of characteristics (and any others that are important to your mission) to those that are most relevant to your programs. The resulting list should be a pretty good description of the customers served by your organization.

Read on...

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III. News

Vietnamese Americans Repay the US with Military Service
Taipei Times
October 17, 2005

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Former Dance Hall to Host Hmong Funerals Instead
Duluth News Tribune
October 17, 2005

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Refugees Settle in at Jobs
Greensboro News Record
October 18, 2005

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Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Hmong Refugees Resettling From ...
Journal of American Medical Association
October 18, 2005

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Indochina War Refugees Find Homes in US
The Seoul Times
October 18, 2005

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Kennedy Bill Would Grant Work Visas to Illegal Immigrants
Lowell Sun
October 19, 2005

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Victims Ignored and Then Brushed Aside
Tufts Daily
October 19, 2005

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Hmong Kin Get More Than $40G Over Burial
Washington Post
October 19, 2005

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Asian-Americans Must Speak Up
Pioneer Press
October 20, 2005

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Hard Floors, Hard Truths
Marblehead Reporter
October 20, 2005

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Ethnic Media Vote 'No' on Prop. 74
Pacific News Service
October 21, 2005

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Report: Hmong Parents and Children Lack Support for Early Learning
St. Paul Asian American Press
October 21, 2005

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Biloxi Moxie: Rebuilding It Better
Hartford Courant
October 23, 2005

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IV. Grants

1. (National)
   LogoBee

   North American nonprofits can apply to get a new logo designed gratis by the Internet logo-design firm LogoBee.com.

   Philanthropy News Network reported Oct. 17 that LogoBee will donate design services worth about $425 each to three nonprofits. "By donating our services, more money is going to support individuals and communities in need," said LogoBee's Natalia Stoenko.

   Business-card and stationary design also is included. Groups don't need a current logo or a design to apply.

   Deadline: November 28, 2005

2. (National)
   The U.S. Human Rights Fund

   The U.S. Human Rights Fund is accepting Letters of Inquiry from domestic social justice organizations actively engaged in U.S.-based human rights work with relationships to the U.S. rights community more generally.

   The U.S. Human Rights Fund is housed at Public Interest Projects, a 501(c)(3) public charity that operates grantmaking, technical assistance, and strategic planning programs for institutional and individual donors interested in social justice and human rights issues. The fund, a field-building initiative dedicated to the full realization of human rights in the United States, seeks to strengthen the U.S. human rights movement as a whole by supporting four currently under-funded strategies: capacity-building, collaboration, communications, and applied legal and policy research.

   In this initial grantmaking cycle, the fund will place particular emphasis on capacity building and collaboration/networking. Organizations interested in applying for funding must have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, or have a tax-exempt fiscal sponsor.

   Grants will generally range from $50,000 to $75,000 per year, for up to three years, although exceptional grants of as much as $100,000 per year may be awarded. However, total grantmaking during the first grantmaking cycle will not exceed $1.5 million. The fund expects to award between ten and fifteen grants, some of which will be multi-year.

   Letters of Inquiry, which must be submitted online at the program's Web site, will be assessed both on their own merits and on their potential to contribute to the U.S. human rights movement overall.

   Deadline: November 7, 2005 (Letters of Inquiry)

3. (National)
   Earth Island Institute

   Earth Island Institute established the Brower Youth Awards to honor the organization's founder, environmental activist David R. Brower, and to recognize young people for their activism and achievements in the fields of environmental and social justice advocacy.

   The annual awards program recognizes the outstanding leadership efforts of six young people from across the United States who are working for Conservation, Preservation, and Restoration (CPR for the Earth and Community). The awards not only promote the accomplishments of these new leaders, but also invest in their continued success by providing ongoing access to resources, mentors, and opportunities to develop their leadership skills.

   The award winners each receive a $3,000 cash prize, a trip to California for the award ceremony and a Yosemite camping trip, and ongoing access to resources and opportunities to further their work at Earth Island Institute.

   The Brower Youth Awards recognize youth between the ages of 13 and 22 who have shown outstanding leadership on a project with positive environmental or social impact. Applicants must be residents of the United States or Puerto Rico.

   Deadline: April 15, 2006

4. (National)
   Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights

   The Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights was established to honor Dr. Jonathan Mann and highlight the vital link between health and human rights. Sponsored by three founding organizations, the Association Francois-Xavier Bagnoud, Doctors of the World, and the Global Health Council, the award is bestowed annually on a leading practitioner in health and human rights and comes with a substantial financial reward.

   In reviewing award nominees, the following criteria will be considered: practical work in the field and in difficult circumstances; actual relevance to the linkage of health with human rights; predominant activities in developing countries and with marginalized people; evidence of serious and long-term commitment; potential for the award to strengthen the nominee's work; potential for receipt of the award to raise the profile of the Mann Award itself; potential for the award to enhance the visibility and public awareness of the issue or project person/organization is addressing; and potential for attracting additional resources toward resolution of the issue.

   The award will be presented at the awards banquet during the Global Health Council's annual conference in Washington, D.C.

   Deadline: January 30, 2006

5. (National)
   The Pew Partnership for Civic Change

   The Pew Partnership for Civic Change is a civic research organization that provides consulting and program support to communities, governments, foundations, and nonprofit agencies working to make communities stronger.

   Since 1997, the Pew Partnership has given its Civic Change Award to an individual, organization, or community that has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to improving civic life.

   The award carries with it a cash prize to a nonprofit organization of the awardee's choice, a crystal memento, and attendance at an award event. Former winners include John Gardner, Paul Aicher, Alma Powell, William Winter, and the League of Women Voters of the United States.

   Deadline: December 31, 2005

6. (California)
   California HealthCare Foundation

   To help develop actionable approaches that improve the affordability of health care, the California HealthCare Foundation will award up to ten grants ranging from $25,000 to $75,000 to support initiatives that reduce rising costs in the short term. Instead of merely shifting costs from one part of the healthcare sector to another, the goal of these projects will be to achieve net cost savings for the overall system.

   Projects funded under this RFP may include efforts to reduce healthcare costs by streamlining information exchange, improving efficiency, and decreasing costs; collaborating to reduce duplication and achieve economies of scale; aligning incentives among players in the healthcare system; and increasing transparency and promoting informed decision making. Initial funding for up to one year will support grantees as they develop ideas, partnerships, and plans for implementing appropriate strategies. Based on the success of Phase I, CHCF anticipates a future funding phase that would support implementation of selected California-based interventions.

   Both not-for-profit and for-profit organizations are encouraged to apply. All proposals should make the case that proposed activities will yield sustainable savings to the healthcare system rather than one-time savings or savings that accrue to only one organization's bottom line.

   Deadline: December 1, 2005

7. (California)
   Taproot Foundation

   The Taproot Foundation, which connects America's business professionals with nonprofits who need their talents and experience, has announced a new Annual Report Service Grant. The program will provide a nonprofit organization with the processes and tools to produce an annual report each year, as well an initial version for the first year.

   The grant is designed to serve an organization that needs a professionally designed and written annual report and is committed to publishing annual reports regularly. The program is a good fit for a nonprofit that has a strong name and visual identity to use as the foundation for the positioning and design; the existing capacity to produce publish-ready financial statements; and a need for a finished annual report no sooner than twelve months after the application deadline for the grant.

   The Service Grant will result in a ten- to twelve-page print-ready and/or pdf electronic copy of an annual report that provides an annual-report template which remains relevant for at least five years. The grant will also provide a detailed project plan for updating the report each year. The estimated value of the award is $40,000.

   To be eligible for the grant, an organization must be tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or operate under the fiscal sponsorship of a 501(c)(3). Applicant organizations must also provide direct benefits primarily or entirely to residents in the foundation's service area: the five boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, and Brooklyn) and the six counties of the San Francisco Bay Area (Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Marin, and Contra Costa). Organizations must also have their headquarters within the foundation's service area.

   Deadline: December 1, 2005; March 1 and June 1, 2006

8. (National)
   2006 Learn and Serve America Community-Based Grant

   The Corporation for National and Community Service (hereinafter the "Corporation'') announces the anticipated availability—subject to Congressional appropriation—of approximately $40 million of Learn and Serve America funds to implement and support School-Based, Community-Based, and Higher Education service-learning programs in FY 2006. See the School-Based and Higher Education NOFOs for information about those competitions.

   The purpose of this grant competition is to promote the development and sustainability of high-quality community-based service-learning programs in youth-serving community organizations across the nation. Funds will be used by intermediary organizations to create curriculum materials; support training and technical assistance activities; make subgrants to local organizations that will implement service-learning programs for youth ages five to seventeen; and strengthen, expand, and anchor a network of youth-serving community-based organizations that implement service-learning programs.

   Applicants are encouraged to develop proposals that demonstrate their ability to engage significant numbers of youth ages five to seventeen, particularly youth in disadvantaged circumstances, in high-quality service-learning; create new, or strengthen existing, partnerships with a variety of youth-serving institutions (K-12 schools, colleges, volunteer centers, faith-based organizations, etc); engage youth in intensive service-learning through the summer and/or other school holidays; and develop programs that leverage additional resources, including volunteers, at the local level.

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V. Resources

Build Donor Relationships and Boost Funds—Online

Fundraising in today's Internet-driven world requires more than a "donate now" button on your Web site. You need the latest tools and techniques for fundraising success. Download our free fundraising guide and discover: How to create online fundraising campaigns that get results. How to measure online fundraising success. What other nonprofits are doing to achieve success online.

Download now!

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