October 2011 – Volume IX, Number 9
Compiled and edited by Deb Miller Slipek and Ann Treacy
Across the Field is taking a break this month to enjoy the extended summer we seem to be having…but we’re also glad to be having some much needed rain!
FUNDING
–HUD has funding available for Energy Innovation Fund Multifamily Pilot Program grants for CDFIs, nonprofits, for-profits and special purpose financing entities. Deadline: 10/20/2011. Projects should demonstrate financing or applied research showing innovative approaches to increase energy efficiency at existing multifamily properties. http://tinyurl.com/66d4xfb
—HUD is offering funding for three programs for homeless individuals: 1. Supportive Housing Program; 2. Section 8 SRO Moderate Rehabilitation; and 3. Shelter Plus Care. Grants are available to nonprofits and public agencies for these programs. Deadline: 10/28/2011. http://tinyurl.com/67fcg9m
–The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is offering grants to rural nonprofits or health care entities working to plan a network to expand access to, coordinate and improve the quality of essential health care services and enhance the delivery of health care in rural areas through planning activities. Deadline: 10/31/2011. http://tinyurl.com/68gds5b
–Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant Program is online at: http://tinyurl.com/6y8ne6t State and local governments are eligible. Due date is 10/31/11.
— 2012 Organizational Partnership and Scenic Byway Grant Guidelines. With recommendations from the Partnership Grant Task Force and input from the Tourism Council, a new partnership and scenic byway grant program has been established. Deadline for applications will be November 1, 2011. Go to: http://industry.exploreminnesota.com/side1/grants/ for more information.
—Health care delivery system demonstration proposals are due to the Minnesota Department of Human Services by the revised and extended deadline of November 4. http://tinyurl.com/4xxfjdr
—Youth Service America is offering grants of up to $1,000 to students, teachers, and staff members of community-based organizations working within a public K-12 school, or service learning coordinators, for service-learning projects in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Deadline: 11/9/2011. http://tinyurl.com/6y7ynqn
—Eleven top foundations, seven federal agencies and The National Endowment for the Arts have collaborated to establish ArtPlace, a nationwide initiative to accelerate creative placemaking through investments in art, culture and creativity to create vibrant communities. To be considered for the next round of grants, a Letter of Inquiry is due by 11/15/2011. http://www.artplaceamerica.org/loi/
—USDA has funding available to nonprofits for grants to plan or implement community food projects that improve health and/or nutrition among disadvantaged and/or low-income populations and communities. Deadline: 11/17/2011. http://tinyurl.com/5t9vwuf
—HRSA is offering funds to rural nonprofit and public agencies for the development of new and innovative health care delivery systems in rural communities that lack essential health care services. Deadline to apply: 11/22/2011. http://tinyurl.com/3ok49r4
—The Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) is pleased to announce the release of the FY 2012 Rural Health Care Services Outreach Grant Program (announcement number: HRSA-12-083). ORHP’s Outreach Program supports projects that demonstrate effective models of outreach and service delivery through collaboration, adoption of an evidence-based or promising practice model, demonstration of health outcomes, replicability and sustainability. Proposed projects will have an outcomes-oriented approach that will enhance and sustain the delivery of effective health care in rural communities by tracking specific health indicators that will demonstrate the impact of their project at the end of their grant period. They will be based on evidence-based or promising practice models in order to avoid “reinventing the wheel” and demonstrate health status improvement in rural communities. Proposed Outreach projects can take the framework of an evidence-based or promising practice model and tailor it to their community’s need and organization. Applicants may propose funding for up to three (3) years from May 1, 2012 to April 30, 2015. The maximum award is up to $150,000 per year. We expect to fund approximately 80 grantees.
- Link for Funding Opportunity Synopsis : http://tinyurl.com/686qaal
- Link to apply for Funding Opportunity: http://tinyurl.com/6cy7q3w
The deadline to submit an application in grants.gov is November 22, 2011. ORHP strongly recommends that applicants submit their applications prior to the due date to avoid any technological problems. All applications have to be submitted electronically in www.grants.gov. For further questions on this funding opportunity, please contact the program coordinator, Kathryn Umali, 301-443-7444, kumali@hrsa.gov
—Farmers and ranchers with innovative ideas for producing or marketing their crops or products may find funding through the SARE Farmer-Rancher Grants program. Proposals are due December 2, 2011 for up to $22,000. Go to: http://www.cfra.org/node/3524 . The North-Central Region Sustainable Ag Research and Education (NCSARE) Program expects to fund 45 farmer-led projects in 2012. These projects can address production, marketing, processing, environmental impacts, and community effects of farming and ranching. Projects would test or demonstrate a new idea and include a way of telling other farmers about it. This year the grant has a new category for partner-applicants. Individuals may apply for up to $7500, partners may ask for $15,000, and groups may ask for $22,500. Interested applicants can find the call for proposals as well as useful information for completing a proposal at: http://www.northcentralsare.org/Grants/. Assistance is available from grant coordinator Joan Benjamin at benjaminj@lincolnu.edu, 573.681.5545 or 800.529.1342.
—Rural Hospital Capital Improvement Grant applications are available now and due December 16. http://tinyurl.com/5ruq5qx
—NIH is offering grants to nonprofit and public agencies for innovative research to identify mechanisms of influence and/or promote positive sustainable health behaviors in children and youth. Deadline: Rolling. http://tinyurl.com/5vloa6
TRAINING/MEETINGS
— Broadband Pre-Conference Webinars Coming Up. Leading up to the Fall Broadband Conference, the Blandin Foundation will be hosting a series of free webinars. In the past these sessions have been a great way to bone up on topics before the conference and/or a good taste of the type of topic that might come up at the conference. The first session starts next week. http://tinyurl.com/6a5cmma
Pre-Broadband Conference Webinar – Mobile Broadband – Is it enough? -Wednesday, October 19, 2011 – 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM. Please register at: https://blandinfoundation.ilinc.com/register/jjszfrm
Pre-Broadband Conference Webinar – Public-private partnerships in broadband – Wednesday, October 26, 2011 – 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM. Please register at: https://blandinfoundation.ilinc.com/register/wwvhkfv
Pre-Broadband Conference Webinar – Community Transformation via Technology- Wednesday, November 2, 2011 – 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM. Please register at: https://blandinfoundation.ilinc.com/register/rrychss
— The Governor’s Job Summit will be held Tuesday, October 25, 2011, at the Crowne Plaza Riverfront Hotel, St. Paul from 8 am – 5 pm, networking reception following from 5 – 7 pm. Attendees can look forward to:
- Hearing Governor Dayton’s remarks on the priorities for Minnesota’s economy
- Panel discussion on what is needed to make Minnesota more globally competitive
- Breakout working sessions covering timely issues/topics
- Keynote presentation from Michael Mandelbaum, co-author of Thomas Friedman’s new book, “That Used to Be Us: How America Fell Behind in the World It Invented and How We Can Come Back” (book released September 5, 2011).
Register now at www.PositivelyMinnesota.com/summit
— Zoom In, Zoom Out with MCN and IABC. Nonprofit communicators are asked to focus on details with the big picture in mind, while balancing long-term goals with here-and-now strategy. You are invited to attend the 2011 Nonprofit Communicators Workshop Series, presented by MCN and the Minnesota Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Zoom In, Zoom Out: Focus Your Communications is a four-part series dedicated to helping you improve your perspective on crafting creative communications. http://mn.iabc.com/
What Comes After Click, Like, Follow?, October 25 http://tinyurl.com/6xxluhd
Un-Risky Business: Protecting Your Organization in the Online World, November 8 http://tinyurl.com/6x42wml
Making Mobile Meaningful and Manageable, November 29 http://tinyurl.com/64ok7ec
Creativity Lab: The Art and Science of Innovation, December 13 http://tinyurl.com/68rw79u
— Webinar: Supporting Rural Economic Vitality through Campus-Community Partnerships will be October 27, 2011 from1:00 – 2:30 PM. For more information go to: http://ruraleconomies.eventbrite.com/
— Utilizing Data to Manage Neighborhood Change will be held Friday, October 28, 2011 from 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Join with fellow community development practitioners, researchers, and policymakers for a daylong exploration of using data to stabilize neighborhoods and serve them better. Featuring local and regional panelists discussing data collection and analysis efforts to better target neighborhood stabilization efforts; regional partnership efforts that use data to maximize and target scarce resources; and what you need to know about the perils, pitfalls, and costs of gathering and analyzing data. Registration link: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2286751736. Sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota Center for Urban and Regional Affairs. Questions? Contact Michael Grover, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Manager, at michael.grover@mpls.frb.org or 612-204-5172.
OPPORTUNITIES
–The East Central Regional Arts Council (East Central RAC) is hosting the 25th Annual IMAGE Regional Art Show. This is a judged art exhibition featuring the work of artists who live in Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine Counties.
Over 100 artists from these counties have entered the show! A variety of art work such as photography, sculpture, painting, drawing, ceramics, and mixed media will be on display. This exhibition is open to the public and is free of charge. The show will be open for viewing: Friday, October 14, from 7 to 9 pm (the opening of the show); Monday through Friday, October 17 – 21, from 10 am to 4 pm each day; and Saturday, October 22, from 10 am to noon. This will also be the open house for the new East Central RAC. The location is 112 Main Street South in Braham, MN. This event is made possible with funding provided by the East Central Arts Council and the East Central Regional Development Commission through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature and The McKnight Foundation. For more information contact the East Central RAC at 320-396-2337, by email at info@ecrac.org
–Bigger, Better Broadband: a Video retrospective produced by you!
As a reminder, the Fall Broadband Conference is happening November 16-17 in Duluth. We’re working with Connect Minnesota. The conference will focus on the ARRA Broadband funding efforts that have been underway in Minnesota. To help highlight the great activity in the state, we’re doing something kind of fun – a film fest! And we’re inviting folks around the state to submit videos… http://tinyurl.com/44qgnxg
The Blandin Foundation is looking for video shorts (less than 10 minutes) on bigger better broadband in Minnesota to showcase at a Broadband Film Festival!
The Film Festival will be part of the 2011 broadband conference: Policy and Progress: Border to Border Broadband, November 16-17. The Film Festival will take place on November 17 from 5:00-9:00 pm at the Zeitgeist small theater in Duluth, Minnesota. The Festival will feature video, food and fun.
We are looking for locally developed videos to showcase what’s happening in broadband adoption, deployment and/or policy in Minnesota. We leave the creativity up to you – we will be showing as many of the best videos intermingled with “broadband classics” as time allows at the Festival.
Here are the details:
- What: We seek videos shorter than 10 minutes that relate to broadband in Minnesota.
- How: Please upload your videos and send a note with your name, contact info, and link to the video to broadband@blandinfoundation.org. Email questions to kpeterson@kpgrants.com
- Where: Please upload to YouTube, Vimeo or other online video sharing site
- Who: Anyone in Minnesota is invited to submit a video
- Why: Because we want to learn about bigger, better broadband in Minnesota from the people who experience it and there are prizes!
- When: Submissions will be accepted until November 1.
Small print: Please do not submit videos that include adult content or language. Please respect copyright and do not include material that is not yours (that includes background music).
—Foundation for Rural Education and Development (FRED) Scholarships Scholarships to rural America’s most accomplished and intelligent students. Application deadline: February 13, 2012 http://tinyurl.com/3c3jxlt
MISCELLANEOUS
–RURAL AMERICA AT A GLANCE, 2011 EDITION. Rural America At A Glance, 2011 Edition highlights the most recent indicators of social and economic conditions in rural areas for use in developing policies and programs to assist rural areas. This year’s edition focuses on the U.S. rural economy, including employment trends, poverty, education, and population trends. See: http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/EIB85/
— Disturbing Trends for Minnesota in New Census Bureau Report. Poverty and income gaps between whites and communities of color in Minnesota are widening, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report released today. The Census’ American Community Survey showed that Minnesota’s poverty rate has increased significantly. The figures also showed that median incomes are dropping in Minnesota, and the decline is particularly dramatic for communities of color. http://tinyurl.com/4yk5j2k
— Rural Income, Poverty, and Welfare. This briefing room offers a synthesis of ERS research, analysis, and data on rural Americans’ income, poverty and welfare. See: http://tinyurl.com/3jrbdc6
—State Fact Sheets. The ERS State Fact Sheets provide information on population, income, poverty, education, employment, federal funds, organic agriculture, farm characteristics, farm financial indicators, top commodities, and exports, for each State in the United States. Links to county-level data are included when available. The State Fact Sheets have been updated with 2010 farm financial indicators and top agricultural commodities. See: http://wwwers.usda.gov/StateFacts/
— Need a Passport Soon? Minneapolis Passport Agency Can Help. For anyone experiencing an urgent passport need, the U.S. Department of State operates a passport agency in Minneapolis that can process an application in five business days or fewer. To make an appointment, call 1-877-4USAPPT (877-487-2778). There is a $60 expedite fee, which includes USPS Priority Mail. If your travel is more urgent, you may request Will Call service (you or your rep picking up the passport in person), but then you must show proof of departure, such as a reservation, itinerary, or ticket. Please share this information with your business community, schools and others that plan international travel. The Minneapolis Passport Agency is located at 212 3rd Ave S, Minneapolis 55401 (across the street from the Depot Hotel). The director is Foreign Service Officer Robert DeWitt.
— High-Speed Rail for the Midwest. The Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ Global Midwest Initiative has released a Global Midwest Policy Brief titled “High-Speed Rail for the Midwest.” Richard Harnish, executive director of the Midwest High Speed Rail Association and author of the Policy Brief, describes the proposals and funds for rail upgrades available today and outlines the benefits of a complete high-speed rail network in the Midwest. He argues that the decades-old transportation infrastructure of the Midwest puts the region at a disadvantage when competing in the global economy with other regions in Europe and Asia that have invested in more advanced rail systems.
Global Midwest Policy Briefs http://tinyurl.com/3qzn9kk frame and analyze pressing issues facing the Midwest in the global era and offer recommendations on how to best move forward. The briefs are concise documents that are released as part of the Global Midwest Initiative. This is the sixth brief in the series. View a PDF copy of High-Speed Rail for the Midwest. http://tinyurl.com/3pvc6cu
—TANF in Rural America: Informing Re-authorization Compares rural-urban differences in rates of poverty and welfare receipt. Suggests ways to improve TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) to reduce its limitations for rural families and help bring them out of poverty levels. http://tinyurl.com/3qj4t24
—Jobs and Economic Security for Rural America Highlights programs and policies the current administration has implemented in rural America to support economic growth and job creation. Discusses the White House Rural Council which was developed to accelerate the ongoing work of promoting economic growth in rural America and which focuses on spurring agricultural innovation, expanding infrastructure, increasing access to capital in rural areas for small businesses, and creating economic opportunities through conservation and outdoor recreation. http://tinyurl.com/3cw6y52
–HUD is seeking comments on a proposal to designate communities as Safe and Healthy Homes Investment Partnerships (SHHIP). SHHIP communities could receive bonus points in future HUD NOFAs. To read the Federal Register notice, control
Minnesota Rural Partners 