Workforce Innovation Fund

The Workforce Innovation Fund (“the Fund”) is one of several new Federal grant programs (including the Department of Education’s Investing in Education Fund (I3) and The Corporation for National and Community Service’s Social Innovation Fund) in which grantor agencies fund projects that seek to use evidence to design program strategies. Grants made under the Fund will provide funds to states, local workforce areas, and entities eligible to apply for WIA Section 166 grants to a) retool service delivery strategies and/or policy and administrative systems and processes to improve outcomes for workforce system customers and b) evaluate the effectiveness of such activities. Why are we interested in both service delivery innovation and systems reform? While employment and training outcomes rest on the effectiveness of service delivery strategies, the policy and administrative frameworks in which these strategies are developed and implemented also have an enormous effect. ETA believes that innovation at the systems level, where policies, organizational structures, planning processes, performance measurement, procurement, investment priorities, and information management systems reside, is necessary to support service delivery strategies that result in better outcomes and lower costs. In support of such goals, the Administration is seeking ways to remove administrative, statutory, and regulatory barriers to support greater coordination in the delivery of services, particularly among agencies and programs with overlapping missions and clients2. Through the Workforce Innovation Fund, ETA seeks to support changes in structures and policies that enable a closer alignment and integration of workforce development, education, human services, social insurance, and economic development programs.

By focusing on change at both the service delivery and the systems levels, and by requiring rigorous evaluation of each investment, ETA seeks to ensure that these investments form the basis for broader change and continuous improvement in the operation of the public workforce system. By adding new value for our customers, ETA seeks to contribute to the identification and documentation of evidence-based practice within the field of workforce development.

Anticipated number of awards: 20-30
Full guidance: http://www.doleta.gov/grants/pdf/SGA-DFA-PY-11-05.pdf

Ben Franklin Technology Partners’ $50,000 Business Plan Contest is Back!

State College, PA – The Ben Franklin Venture Investment Forum in partnership with the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern PA  announced today that the BIG IDEA Business Plan Contest is back!   A grand prize of $50,000 will be awarded to one tech-based startup company to further develop and grow a business in the 32-county footprint served by the program in Pennsylvania.

It’s easy to qualify for the contest.  An applicant must:

• Be located in the 32 counties served by the program (See http://www.cnp.benfranklin.orgfor a full listing of eligible counties)
• Have a new, marketable business idea that includes a commercialization plan
• Have no significant sales if a product has already been developed
• Have less than 50 employees if a company has been formed
• Not have received previous Ben Franklin funding. 

Preferred industry sectors include, but are not limited to, nanotechnology, green technologies, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, medical devices, information technology and software.

Entrepreneurs can visit http://bigidea.benfranklin.org for a complete description of the rules, entry forms, and FAQs. The deadline for applications is February 29, 2012.

Calling researchers, small businesses and innovators!

Bring us your shale gas oriented innovations, new product ideas and new service concepts. Win one of two cash prizes and gain exposure to industry sponsors, investors and partners.

Prize Categories

• Most Promising New Technology Category
• Best New Product or Service Category

Example Areas of Interest

• Vehicle conversion to natural gas
• Drilling and proppants products and technologies
• Natural gas utilization products and services
• Acid mine drainage water remediation for use in fracking operations
• Water storage and transport
• Remote site monitoring
• Almost anything that will enhance the discovery, access and utilization of natural gas in Pennsylvania

More here: http://cnp.benfranklin.org/programs-services/2011-shale-gas-contest/

Technology Training for incarcerated individuals

The Second Chance Act of 2007 provides a comprehensive response to the increasing number of incarcerated adults and juveniles who are released from prison, jail, and juvenile residential facilities and returning to communities. Section 115 of the Second Chance Act authorizes federal awards to states, units of local government, territories, and federally recognized Indian tribes to provide technology career training to persons confined in state prisons, local jails, and juvenile residential facilities.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has announced a Section 115 funding opportunity to provide technology career training to incarcerated individuals. Eligible applicants are states, units of local government, territories, and federally recognized Indian tribes. (BJA may elect to make awards for applications submitted under this solicitation in future fiscal years, dependent on the merit of the applications and on the availability of appropriations in future years.)

Some examples of technology-based fields include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Computer-assisted design in engineering and construction.
• Information technology development and design.
• "Green-technology"-related projects.
• Braille transcription training and certification.
• Wireless and broadband deployment.
• Computer science and programming.
• Other fields as justified by the eligible applicant.

Among other activities, the applicant must incorporate the following: address skills and competencies demanded by the targeted technology career; support participants' advancement along a defined career pathway; and, where applicable, result in a recognized certificate, degree, or license that indicates a level of mastery and competence in a given technology based on the type of training completed.

Click here for the full announcement and application requirements. Applications are due by March 2, 2012.

White House announces $2B for Job-Creating Startups

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

December 08, 2011

We Can’t Wait: Obama Administration Announces $2 Billion in Resources to Support Job-Creating Startups

Today, the White House announced administrative and private sector actions that will help entrepreneurs grow their businesses and create jobs by increasing their access to capital and resources. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is moving forward with launching a $1 billion Early Stage Innovation Fund, originally announced as part of Startup America, which will provide matching capital to Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs), targeting early-stage small businesses seeking private institutional capital. Today, the White House is also hosting the first board meeting of the Startup America Partnership, where board members will announce commitments from more than 50 private-sector partners to deliver over $1 billion in value – from free software to free consulting and legal services – to 100,000 startups over the next three years. The President also renewed his call for Congress to work on a bipartisan basis to develop ideas from his American Jobs Act plan that will help our small and growing businesses access capital while continuing to protect investors. Specifically, the President has called for increasing limits on “miniofferings,” allowing “crowdfunding,” and phasing in some requirements for small firms as they go public.

Additional commitments announced today include:

• Startup America Policy Challenge. In the spirit of open and participatory government, the White House will use online platforms to ask entrepreneurs and the broader public how to accelerate entrepreneurial innovation in three priority industries: healthcare, clean energy, and education. Students and other solvers will then compete to translate the best ideas into “Policy Business Plans,” which will be shared with relevant Cabinet Secretaries from the Depts. of Health and Human Services, Energy, and Education.
• Administration Commits to Advance Entrepreneurship Education. The Dept. of Education and the Dept. of Labor are advancing a youth entrepreneurship agenda that infuses entrepreneurship education into a range of existing programs involving K-12 education, career and technical education, community colleges, universities, and low-income youth. As part of this effort, the Dept. of Education is launching a new National Education Startup Challenge, inviting middle school, high school, and college students to develop an innovative solution to an education problem and prepare a business plan for a new company or non-profit organization to deliver that solution.
• NFTE Expands Entrepreneurship Education for Underserved Youth. The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) provides a first-class entrepreneurship education for at-risk high school students from low-income communities. Today, NFTE and the Pearson Foundation are launchingConnect, a free online community for teacher collaboration and training focused on entrepreneurship education, fulfilling a commitment made at the launch of Startup America earlier this year. The Connectcommunity is open to all educators who want to infuse entrepreneurship education best practices into their classroom, with a goal of at least 5,000 registered educators in the next 24 months. In addition, SuperCamp/Quantum Learning Network, one of the top academic summer camp providers in America, is partnering with NFTE to making its BizCamps widely available to young people across the country.
• Junior Achievement Announces Entrepreneurial Reinvention. Junior Achievement, the nation’s oldest and largest youth entrepreneurship program, is announcing a historic reinvention of its century-old JA Company Program to be more contemporary and relevant to today’s dynamic entrepreneurial landscape. Supported by global technology leader Emerson, this program is designed to reach at least 50,000 students over the next five years.
• Over 100 Community College Presidents Commit to Entrepreneurial Transformation. The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) is launching the Presidents for Entrepreneurship Forum, through which community college presidents make specific commitments to advance entrepreneurship and the impact these colleges have on the economic well-being of their communities. Over 100 community college presidents have signed on at launch, with the goal of at least 600 by the end of 2012, comprising around half of all community colleges in the U.S.

AmeriCorps VISTA After Hours

[from the Nonprofit Partnership website]

One Green World Cafe, 4th and Sassafras Streets @ Gannon University

VISTA is hosting a networking event to introduce and re-acquaint Erie nonprofits with VISTAresources for capacity-building and program development.

Monday, January 9, 2012 - 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Ag Education grants

The Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program provides support to promote and strengthen agriscience and agribusiness education. Grants will be awarded to promote secondary education and two-year postsecondary education in agriscience and agribusiness, and to promote linkages among secondary, two-year postsecondary, and higher education programs in the food and agricultural sciences. Preference will be given to projects that address the established programmatic goals and encourage study in areas that contribute to addressing global food security and hunger, climate change, sustainable energy, childhood obesity, and food safety. The application deadline is January 20, 2012.

American Association of University Women: Community Action Grants

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) Educational Foundation works to advance educational and professional opportunities for women in the United States. The AAUW Community Action Grants program provides funds to individuals, AAUW organizations, and local community-based nonprofit organizations throughout the country for innovative programs or non-degree research projects that promote education and equity for women and girls. Special consideration is given to projects focused on K-12 and community college girls' and women's achievements in science, technology, engineering, or math. One-year grants of up to $7,000 provide seed money for new projects; two-year grants of up to $10,000 provide start-up funds for longer-term programs that address the particular needs of the community and develop girls' sense of efficacy through leadership or advocacy opportunities. The application deadline for both types of grants is January 15, 2012. Visit the AAUW website to submit an online application.