For the week of December 15, 2008

 

Industry News

 

New Online Clearinghouse Addresses Economic Issues

National Council of Nonprofits: Nonprofit Economic Vitality Center
The National Council of Nonprofits advances the vital role and the capacity of the nonprofit sector in civil society. The Council has recently launched the Nonprofit Economic Vitality Center, a free online clearinghouse of resources designed to help nonprofits cope with the multiple challenges created by the faltering economy. The Center consists of three focus areas: Basic Facts & Analysis, Impact on Nonprofits, and Proactive Positioning—Action Steps for Nonprofits. These sections help nonprofits, as well as grantmakers, journalists, policymakers, and the general public, understand the scope of the economic downturn, how it affects nonprofits in various subsectors and regions across the country, and what nonprofits can do to weather these turbulent times. Visit the website listed above to learn more about the Center.

 

Conferences and Trainings

 

Training for Native CDFIs

First Nations Development Institute: Expanding Native Opportunity: Native IDA Initiative
Expanding Native Opportunity: Native IDA Initiative, administered by the First Nations Development Institute and funded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, is a comprehensive training and technical assistance program to help Native organizations start, implement, and sustain Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) in their communities. The training is designed with an emphasis on Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), but is open to applications from other institutions serving Native communities. The cost for the trainings is only $25; however, participants are responsible for their own travel and lodging costs. The training program will be held in Albuquerque, NM, on February 24-26, 2009; applications to participate in the training are due January 16, 2009. Visit the First Nations Development Institute website to download the application information.

 

Conference Addresses Health Care Advocacy

Families USA: Health Action 2009
Health Action 2009, sponsored by Families USA in conjunction with a wide range of national organizations, is a grassroots health advocacy conference that will bring together health care professionals from across the country to discuss critical issues in the health care field. The conference will include speakers from Capitol Hill, the Administration, and national organizations, as well as over 30 workshops led by policy and advocacy experts. The conference will be held in Washington, DC, on January 29-31, 2009. Visit the website listed above for registration information.

 

GrantStation Announcements

 

Funding Opportunities

 

Funds for Affordable Housing Programs in the U.S. and Canada

Home Depot Foundation
The Home Depot Foundation supports nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada located in communities served by the company. Through the Affordable Housing Built Responsibly grant program, the Foundation funds organizations whose missions align with the Foundation's interests in supporting the production and preservation of affordable, efficient, and healthy housing. Preference is given to proposals that result in the production, preservation, or financing of housing units for low- to moderate-income families. The most promising proposals incorporate a number of "green" building design practices. Also, in 2009 preference will be given to proposals that demonstrate how urban forestry strategies will be utilized to create healthier, more vibrant communities. Requests are reviewed three times per year; the next deadline for letters of inquiry is March 1, 2009. Visit the Foundation's website to review the grant criteria and take the eligibility test.

 

Campus Alcohol Education Programs Supported

National Collegiate Athletic Association: CHOICES
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) assists in educating student athletes and creating an environment that promotes healthy choices about alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. The CHOICES grant program provides funding for NCAA member institutions and conferences to integrate athletics into efforts to reduce alcohol abuse on college campuses. CHOICES projects must partner athletics with other campus organizations in the development and implementation of effective alcohol education projects. Grants range up to $15,000 for the first year, $10,000 for the second year, and $5,000 for the third and final year. The application deadline is February 16, 2009. Visit the website listed above to download the call for proposals.

 

Grants Encourage Wilderness Area Protection

National Forest Foundation: Wilderness Stewardship Challenge
The National Forest Foundation was established by Congress in 1990 to support the USDA Forest Service in its management of the nation's forests and grasslands. The Foundation's Wilderness Stewardship Challenge provides matching grants of up to $50,000 to nonprofit partners to implement on-the-ground conservation projects that directly benefit Wilderness Areas within the National Forest System. Funded projects should include a high level of community involvement or participation, and support for the project. Priority is given to projects that best advance Forest Service Wilderness stewardship goals and are applicable to other Wilderness Areas through the sharing of lessons learned. The application deadline is February 3, 2009. Visit the National Forest Foundation website for program details and application information.

 

Social Change Projects Funded

Norman Foundation: Economic Justice Grants
The Norman Foundation supports efforts that strengthen the ability of communities to determine their own economic, environmental, and social well-being, and that help people control those forces that affect their lives. The Foundation's Economic Justice grants provide funding to social change organizations throughout the United States that promote economic development through community organizing. Priority is given to projects that arise from the hopes and efforts of those whose survival, well-being, and liberation are directly at stake. In addition, organizations with annual budgets of under $1 million are preferred. The next letter of inquiry deadline for Economic Justice grants is March 2, 2009. Visit the website listed above the review the funding guidelines.

 

Support for Research on Childhood Obesity

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Salud America!
Salud America! is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that supports research on environmental and policy solutions to the epidemic of obesity among Latino children. The objectives of the current call for proposals are to increase the skills and experience of researchers who are working to reduce and prevent obesity among Latino children and to identify the most promising policy-relevant strategies to address the problem. Investigators must propose a project in one of two general areas: 1) research that has strong potential to inform policy, or 2) the evaluation of an existing policy or program, its implementation, or its impact. A maximum of 20 grants of up to $75,000 each will be awarded. Applications must be submitted online through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website by February 6, 2009. Visit the website listed above for program details.

 

Grants Promote Native Cultural Traditions

Ringing Rocks Foundation
Ringing Rocks Foundation believes that it is critically important to help protect and conserve cultural and healing practices, as well as to facilitate learning about diverse wisdom ways. The Foundation's Discretionary Fund Grants Program provides support to grassroots nonprofit organizations around the world that work to promote indigenous healing practices and cultural traditions. Grants of $500 to $5,000 are provided for start-up costs and program development. Funded projects must have support from the indigenous community served. Letters of intent are due by February 2, 2009. Application guidelines and forms are available on the Foundation's website listed above.

 

Grantmaker Updates

National and Regional Awards, Fellowships, and Requests for Proposals

 

PILF Supports Communities in Need
The Public Interest Law Foundation at Columbia Law School (PILF) offers the Community Grants Program annually.

Career Development Opportunity for Theatre Professionals
The National Endowment for the Arts and Theatre Communications Group continue their partnership in 2009 by offering the Career Development Program for Designers and the Career Development Program for Directors.

RWJF Supports New Nursing Careers
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has issued a second call for applications for New Careers in Nursing, a program of the Foundation’s Building Human Capital initiative.

Vermont Foundation Accepts Inquiry Letters
The Canaday Family Charitable Trust accepts letters of inquiry from nonprofit organizations throughout Vermont once a year.

Dirksen Center Invites Research Applications
Dirksen Congressional Center is accepting applications for the Congressional Research Awards.

 

Federal Deadlines

Excerpts from GrantStation's Listings of Federal Notices

 

Health and Human Services: National Maternal and Child Health Data Resource Center
This program seeks to demonstrate the value of a data resource center that delivers user friendly access to national, state, and regional data from surveys and other data resources supported by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

Department of State: Youth Leadership Program with Algeria, the Philippines, or Serbia
This program seeks to support youth and adult participants from Algeria, the Philippines, and Serbia in a U.S.-based exchange program that explores civic education, leadership development, respect for diversity, and community activism.

National Endowment for the Humanities: America's Historical and Cultural Organizations: Implementation Grants
This program supports traveling or long-term museum exhibitions, library-based projects, interpretation of historic places or areas, interpretive websites, or other project formats that creatively engage the audience in exploring humanities ideas and questions.

Homeland Security: The National Center of Excellence for Food Security
This program seeks applicants to become a lead or a partner institution for The National Center of Excellence for Food Security.

Department of Justice: OVC FY09 National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims
This program is designed to fund the development of a national public awareness and educational forum focusing on the rights of and issues faced by the families of homicide victims.