Second Chance Act Re-Entry Grant

Description

The Second Chance Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-199) provides a comprehensive response to the increasing number of people who are released from prison and jail into communities, including the subsequent challenges communities face as ex-offenders attempt to reintegrate into society. A combination of trends in sentencing, incarceration, and post-release supervision has brought prisoner reentry to the forefront of discussion among policy makers, practitioners, and researchers. Section 111 of the Second Chance Act was created to help break the cycle of criminal recidivism, increase public safety, ensure accountability, and help better address the growing population of ex-offenders who return to their communities. More specifically, Section 111 authorizes awards to be made to monitor ex-offenders reentering the community as well as provide ex-offenders with coordinated and comprehensive reentry services and programs such as drug and alcohol testing and assessment for treatment; assessment and treatment for substance abuse from a licensed substance abuse provider approved by the state/tribe; health (including mental health) services and assessment; aftercare and case management services that facilitate access to and coordinate with clinical care; and any other services needed for reentry. Funds are also authorized to convene community impact panels, victim impact panels, or victim impact educational classes as well as provide and coordinate the delivery of community services to ex-offenders including housing assistance, education, job training, conflict resolution skills training, batterer intervention programs and other appropriate social services. Last, authorized activities also include the establishment and implementation of graduated sanctions and incentives. Reentry courts represent a relatively new form of jurisprudence. Focused on the back-end of the criminal justice system, the reentry court is designed to leverage partnerships between courts, social services and the community to facilitate successful ex-offender reintegration. Reentry courts also necessitate considerable cooperation between corrections and local judiciaries, since it requires the active involvement of community corrections agencies or parole boards in transitioning offenders back into the community through active judicial or executive branch oversight.

Link to Full Announcement

Full Announcement

PANO "Pass to Excellence" Seminar

Tuesday, May 17, 2011
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

The "Pass to Excellence" provides organizations with an opportunity to learn about the specific elements of the Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector® and assess themselves against its benchmarks.

The Program Includes:
--One full-day training (Including breakfast and lunch)
--One recently updated Standards for Excellence® Educational Resource Packet Binder/organization (23 “Ed Packets”)

Who Should Attend?
Executive Directors, Board Members and Nonprofit Administrators
Learning Objectives:
--Understand the Standards for Excellence® criteria as listed in the Self-Study Application Checklist
--Assess your organization’s current compliance with the Standards
--Utilize the Standards to develop outline for improvements

More information and registration available here.

Deloitte Survey: Two Out of Three Employees at Large Companies Looking for the Exit Sign

[reposted from Be Spacific]

"Rising employee turnover intentions mirror employer concerns over retaining critical talent: A stronger economy may actually be fueling a growing concern among employers about retaining top talent, according to the results of a new Deloitte study. With the economy improving, nearly two out of three (65 percent) employees surveyed are actively testing the job market, according to the Deloitte study, Talent Edge 2020: Building the Recovery Together—What Talent Expects and How Leaders Are Responding. Despite the sobering news, dissatisfied employees are transparent about their leading turnover drivers, providing executives and talent managers with a clear picture of the most effective employee retention strategies. When asked to list their top three retention incentives, 53 percent of the respondents ranked promotion/job advancement first, followed by increased compensation at 39 percent, and additional bonuses or other financial incentives at 34 percent. Boosting employee support/recognition from their managers, a non-financial incentive, was also ranked as an effective retention tactic by a strong 30 percent of the surveyed employees."

Preservation and Access Training

The Preservation and Access Education and Training program is central to NEH’s efforts to preserve and establish access to cultural heritage collections. Thousands of libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations across the country maintain important collections of books and manuscripts, photographs, sound recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, art and material culture collections, electronic records, and digital objects. The challenge of preserving and making accessible such large and diverse holdings is enormous and the need for knowledgeable staff is significant and ongoing.

Preservation and Access Education and Training grants help the staff of cultural institutions, large and small, obtain the knowledge and skills needed to serve as effective stewards of humanities collections. Grants also support educational programs that prepare the next generation of conservators and preservation professionals, as well as projects that introduce the staff of cultural institutions to new information and advances in preservation and access practices.

Preservation and Access Education and Training grants support activities such as these:

* regional preservation field services that provide a wide range of education and training (for example, through surveys, workshops, consultations, reference services, and informational materials about the care of humanities collections), especially for staff at smaller libraries, museums, archives, and other cultural organizations;
* master’s degree programs in preservation and conservation; and
* workshops that address preservation and access topics of national significance and broad impact, such as

* collections care training for staff members who are responsible for the day-to-day care and management of humanities collections;
* preventive conservation and sustainable preservation strategies;
* disaster preparedness, response, and recovery;
* the preservation of and provision of access to recorded sound and moving image collections;
* digital preservation; and
* best practices for enhancing and integrating access to collections in libraries, archives, and museums.

Jefferson Educational Society Seminar

The Jefferson Educational Society will host "Achieving Regionalism Through Shared Governmental Services," presented by A. Joseph Weindorf, M.S. on May 6 at an 11:30am luncheon. More details and registration available here: http://www.jeserie.org/registration_form

PA CareerLink Warren to offer several workshops

PA CareerLink Warren County at 24 Market St. will offer five workshops in May:

A Careers in Northwestern Pennsylvania Orientation is planned for 11 a.m. to noon Monday, May 9, that will help participants explore career opportunities in manufacturing, health care and construction industries.

CareerLink Orientation is planned for 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, May 13, that will provide job seekers an introduction to the CWDS (Commonwealth Workforce Development System) and services provided by PA CareerLink.

A Social Networking Workshop is planned for 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday, May 19, that will provide individuals guidelines when using social media, and the impression of their profile and sharing of information to potential employers or clients.

A Resume Writing Workshop is planned for 11 a.m. to noon Monday, May 23, that will provide job seekers the fundamental skills to write an effective resume to assist in job search activities.

An Interview Skills Workshop is planned for 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, May 27, and will provide job seekers the fundamentals in preparing for a job interview in today's job market.

All workshops will be held at CareerLink. For more information or to register, call 723-2350 (TTY (814) 584-2819).

Sector Skills Academy applications open

To support the next generation of innovative leaders in sectoral workforce development, P/PV and the Aspen Institute have announced the 2011-2012 Sector Skills Academy, a unique opportunity for peer learning, skills development and professional growth.

Designed for leaders from community-based organizations, community colleges, labor-management partnerships and business associations, the Academy is a year-long program involving workshops, mentoring, technical assistance and peer support. During three 3-day workshops, participants will hear from leading sectoral practitioners; share ideas and experiences; and gain exposure to innovative ideas, creative leaders and sound practices.

The Academy's class of approximately 25 participants will begin in September 2011. Applicants should be involved in a current sector initiative or developing a new initiative and have the authority within their organization to lead such an effort.

Applications will be accepted through May 20. An informational webinar for prospective applicants will be held on Monday, May 2 at 2:00 PM EST; to RSVP, click here.

To learn more about the Academy and access the application, please visit: www.sectorskillsacademy.org.

The Black Family Foundation announces regional database

The Black Family Foundation in Erie, Pennsylvania, has announced the launch of a regional database that will include programs, services, calendars, and staff contact information for all area nonprofits, the Erie Times-News reports.

The foundation partnered with the Mercyhurst College Institute for Intelligence Studies to develop the two-year, $1 million project, which will link users to the information through a Web site scheduled to launch in June. The idea for the database emerged after foundation officials learned that 70 percent of Erie County's 475 nonprofit groups had not updated their Web sites in the past eighteen months because of cost. Local nonprofit leaders, including United Way of Erie County president Bill Jackson, believe the comprehensive database and Web site will provide a significant boost to communication between nonprofits and those who utilize their services.

Moving forward, the Black Foundation will match all donations from organizations and individuals interested in supporting the initiative. To that end, the United Way has pledged $50,000 over two years.

"You can see who offers what, where it is, how much it costs, who qualifies for which programs, and I believe a whole lot more," Jackson told the Erie Times-News. "One of the basic pillars of Erie Together [a local poverty initiative] is to align existing resources with community desired outcomes. This project will help us see where there are gaps in social services, and where we're missing the boat in terms of addressing and aligning those needs."

Weiss, Gerry. “Erie Philanthropic Group to Unveil Nonprofit Project Today.” Erie Times-News 4/29/11.

Erie Community Foundation announces awards

The Erie Community Foundation in Pennsylvania has announced 265 grants totaling more than $1.4 million to support nonprofit organizations working in the region, the Erie Times-News reports.

The grants will support local arts and cultural groups, community development programs, and organizations that provide emergency services. Grant recipients include the Erie Art Museum, which was awarded $50,000 for its capital campaign and a number of facility expansion projects; Grace Church, which received $17,491 for a neighborhood beautification project; CelebrateErie, which received $15,000 for its annual community event; the Erie Neighborhood Watch Council, which was awarded $7,500 for urban-development citizen training; and Penn State Behrend, which received $5,000 to provide scholarships to the Young People's Chorus of Erie.

In addition, five grants totaling $50,000 were awarded to organizations that provide emergency services to residents of the region, including $6,000 to the YMCA of Greater Erie. Area nonprofits are bracing for the possibility of sharp cuts in state funding as lawmakers work to close a $4 billion budget shortfall.

"We support the work that our nonprofits do in improving the quality of life in Erie," Erie Community Foundation president Mike Batchelor told the Times-News. "We are excited to continue to provide this vital funding during these tough economic times, when our nonprofits need it the most."

Weiss, Gerry. “Erie Community Foundation to Give $1.4 Million in Grants.” Erie Times-News 4/19/11.

Startup America

[from Philanthropy News Digest] Launched earlier this year in response to President Obama's call to celebrate, inspire, and accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship, the Startup America Partnership has announced commitments from more than fifteen companies and nonprofits to provide resources valued at approximately $400 million to U.S. entrepreneurs.

Building on existing pledges of support from some two dozen companies, new corporate commitments include products and services valued at over $125 million from American Express; training worth more than $3 million from Cisco; $100 million from Google to help entrepreneurs promote their companies through Google advertising programs; discounts on HP products valued at $100 million; and free access for all qualified startups to Microsoft software and support through the company's BizSpark program.

In addition, new nonprofit partners include Palindrome Advisors, which pledged to connect a thousand first-time entrepreneurs with top industry advisors; the National Venture Capital Association, which will provide access to its more than four hundred venture capital firms, four thousand investors, and thousands of venture-backed company CEOs; the National Center for Women & Information Technology, which will help high-tech startups capitalize on the increased innovation and business benefits of gender diversity; and the Angel Capital Association and Angel Resource Institute, which together will work to increase access to investment capital by doubling the number of high-caliber investors in angel groups across the country.

"We're gratified by the response we've seen from the private sector since launching the Startup America Partnership less than ninety days ago," said Startup America Partnership chair Steve Case. "Today's announcement of new commitments highlights the progress we're making to provide entrepreneurs with resources to grow and scale. We're grateful for the companies that have stepped up to help celebrate and accelerate entrepreneurs and we look forward to adding additional partners in the near future."

“New Startup America Partnership Commitments From Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, American Express, Intuit and others to Support Tens of Thousands of U.S. Startups.” Startup America Press Release 4/20/11.

Partnership with Child Support Services to Develop Workforce Strategies and Economic Sustainability

Description

This funding opportunity is offered to enable State child support agencies to develop workforce-related partnerships that would provide for job search, transitional and subsidized jobs, support services, job placement and job advancement assistance for noncustodial parents. Strategies should be well-supported by state-specific data analyses. Because the emphasis in this strategies grant is to break through programmatic silos, while also encouraging partners to maintain distinct roles that target each partner's core competencies, applicants should propose strategy teams to be developed under these grants. This funding opportunity is offered to support collaborations between IV-D agencies and any or all of the following: the State Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program; workforce development program; community colleges; responsible fatherhood and other faith and/or community-based service providers; employers; and courts.

Link to Full Announcement

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/foa/view/HHS-2011-ACF-OCSE-FD-0152