News & Media

Subscribe to our news feed. Learn about news syndication.

Page 1 of 15 pages 1 2 3 > Last »

Act Quickly to Nominate a Military Dad for the 2012 Military Fatherhood Award!

Nominations are rushing in every day - and we can only accept the first 600 we receive! The opportunity to nominate a military father ends on Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 11:59p.m. EST.

National Fatherhood Initiative's Military Fatherhood Award™ annually recognizes a father who goes above and beyond his duties as both serviceman and dad to make sure he and his family stay connected and strong. Your dad, or a military dad you know, could win this award!

Nomination Information: http://www.fatherhood.org/military-fatherhood-award

Published on Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Eisner Prize for Intergenerational Excellence

The Eisner Prize for Intergenerational Excellence is a $100,000 cash award given annually by the Eisner Foundations. The Eisner Prize is designed to recognize excellence by an individual or nonprofit organization in uniting multiple generations, especially seniors and youth, to bring about positive and lasting changes in their community. Deadline for application is March 16. For more information, visit http://www.eisnerfoundation.org/eisnerprize/ or call them at (310) 228-6808

Published on Tuesday, January 31, 2012

2012 MLK Day of Service in Virginia

"Everybody can be great,
because everybody can serve."
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thousands of service projects took place across the country in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, Jan. 16. Communities across the U.S. declared themselves "drum majors for service" by delivering meals, refurbishing schools, reading to children, and much more. In Virginia, service projects and special events were held in every part of the state and included efforts concerning education, the environment, children's issues, and mentoring.

See photos of AmeriCorps MLK Day events held in Virginia.

Virginia AmeriCorps MLK Day Service Projects

Arlington County Public Schools - Arlington Works!
Two AmeriCorps Programs -- Arlington Works! and the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia -- provided services to A-SPAN (Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network) through a deep cleaning service at Arlington's Emergency Winter Shelter.

City of Richmond - ACES (Action for Community Enhancement Services)
Registered through Hands On Greater Richmond to help Homeward prepare for the Winter Point-in-Time count, members prepared survey kits for volunteers to collect data during the event and organize care packages to be distributed to the homeless population.

Virginia Commonwealth University - AmeriCorps and America Reads
The VCU AmeriCorps Program collaborated with 2nd Presbyterian Church to host a MLK Day Celebration. The church hosted a celebration service for community members that included individuals that utilize the weekly soup kitchen. After the service, soup kitchen users were treated to a special homestyle meal of fried chicken, green beans, and potatoes served by VCU AmeriCorps members and community volunteers. In addition to a hot meal, the soup kitchen guests also received toiletry items that were collected by AmeriCorps members prior to the event.

Occupational Enterprises, Inc. - AmeriCorps Community Care
Community Care members brought MLK awareness to Lee County school children with activities expressing the importance of MLK Day. In other areas of Southwest Virginia, members made substance abuse awareness presentations to middle school students.

DCR Division of State Parks - AmeriCorps Interpretive Project
Through service with park maintenance projects, new and returning volunteers provided much-needed help and enjoyment of the day in some of Virginia's most beautiful parks. In District 6, parks hosted a booth at the Heartwood Artisan Center featuring the AmeriCorps Interpretive Project. Members also presented a Virginia State Parks radio program solely dedicated to MLK day which was broadcast live on WSVS 800 AM from Crewe and streamed over the internet at WSVS AM.com. Virginia State Parks staff were interviewed discussing the Virginia State Parks 2012 AmeriCorps project and the commitment to community outreach efforts such as MLK Day.

Charlottesville Abundant Life Ministries, Inc. - CALM AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps leaders and volunteers led children through the Prospect neighborhood picking up trash and tidying yards. AmeriCorps members and community volunteers led children in craft projects making banners, noise makers and lanterns for a march through the neighborhood.

Carroll County Public Schools - Carroll County Public Schools--Reading for Life
AmeriCorps members and community volunteers performed clean-up and painting projects, as well as weather stripping, at the Galax Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #7568.

Alexandria Department of Human Services - ChildThrive!
A MLK Youth Summit was held at the Nannie J. Lee Memorial Recreation Center with activities such as a youth job fair, oratory competition, cooking for a purpose, dance and poetry for a purpose, and service projects. Members also collected food, clothing and personal products for homeless individuals and families in Alexandria and Washington, D.C. The children of Brent Place also presented a MLK Day Celebration at Tucker Elementary School. This events was produced in collaboration with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia - Virginia College Advising Corps
Members and community volunteers helped Quest Institute move their book warehouse to a larger facility. Members will be helping Quest Institute prepare to expand their literacy program with inmates across the Commonwealth. Also, in a collaborative effort with the Boys and Girls Club and the University of Virginia Batten School of Public Policy, members participated in a two-day event around college planning for 50 students ranging in ages from 9 to 17.

City of Roanoke Libraries - Computer Literacy Program
Members and volunteers served at Ronald McDonald House in Roanoke, cooking and serving food for the parents/families with children in the hospital. Members and volunteers also assisted with general clean-up of the house and other activities.

Literacy Council of Northern Virginia - ESOL and Family Learning Programs
Two AmeriCorps programs -- Arlington Works! and the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia -- provided services to A-SPAN (Arlington Street People's Assistance Network) through a deep cleaning service at Arlington's Emergency Winter Shelter.

Greenbrier Learning Center - Learning Links
Greenbrier Learning Center’s staff and AmeriCorps team participated in a community service project coordinated by Greater DC Cares. The project took place at Glen Echo Park in Maryland to clean/reorganize a site of the Living Classrooms Foundation.

Mountain Empire Community College - MECC AmeriCorps
Community members participated and helped with a free dinner at the First Church of God in Wise. Members and volunteers also were part of a candlelight march from the church through downtown Wise. Northrop Grumman provided sponsorship for the event. Members also participated in a food drive for local food banks.

New River Community Action - NRCA AmeriCorps
Members assisted three soup kitchens with cooking, serving, and delivering meals in the New River Valley. In Giles County, members prepared a feast with food and entertainment at the Senior Center.

Alternatives, Inc. - PASS (Peninsula AmeriCorps Serve and Support)
Members attended workshops and viewed films, as well as led discussions in order to give teens a chance to talk about racism, homophobia, cliques, and other issues effecting our lives. Through the "Awareness into Action" service project, members took their message to the street.

Pathways, Inc. - Pathways AmeriCorps
Members were out in force in Petersburg with a variety of community revitalization efforts as well as spreading the message of unity championed by Dr. King. Members conducted a vacant lot clean up, accepted and processed clothing and household item donations for community members, and visited elderly community members and sick children.

Community Housing Partners Corporation - Project RISE!
Project RISE! members partnered with Beans and Rice to host a service project for MLK Day. Pulaski Middle School students and other volunteers gathered to serve 10 local organizations helping with a variety of service projects. Members also partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Yorktown and the Volunteer Center of the Peninsula participating in various mini-service projects stationed at various tables at a special event featuring guest speakers Miss Virginia and Miss Teen Virginia.

Ms. Wheelchair Virginia - Serving Virginians with Disabilities
Members and volunteers cleared ground for a community rest stop along the Roanoke River, inviting travelers along the river a place to rest and revitalize their spiritual and recreational journey.

Beans and Rice, Inc. - Beans and Rice, Inc. – U Serv
Beans and Rice members partnered with Project RISE! to host a service project for MLK Day. Pulaski Middle School students and other volunteers gathered to serve 10 local organizations helping with a variety of service projects.

Virginia Department of Veterans Services - Virginia Veterans Corps
Members assisted Catholic Charities who provide various services to grandparents that are legal guardians for their grandchildren.

Published on Wednesday, January 25, 2012

White House Summer Jobs+ Program

The White House Summer Jobs+ Program is a new call-to-action initiative for businesses, non-profits, and government to provide pathways to employment for low-income and disconnected youth in the summer of 2012. Many nonprofit organizations are joining with businesses and governments in committing to create 180,000 to 250,000 jobs this summer for low-income and disconnected youth. The commitments are part of the White House program designed to provide pathways to employment by giving young people needed work-related soft skills, such as communication, time management and teamwork, through coursework and/or experience, as well as “insight into the world of work to prepare for employment for information visit http://www.dol.gov/summerjobs

Published on Monday, January 23, 2012

Searching for New AmeriCorps*VISTA Projects

The Virginia State Office State Office of the Corporation for National and Community Service announces an opportunity to develop new AmeriCorps*VISTA projects in Virginia. This Request for Concept Papers (RFCP) is open to organizations that are NOT current VISTA sponsors. AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) is a full-time, national service program for individuals interested in developing lasting solutions to the problems of poverty in the United States.

Public organizations such as state and local governments, Indian Tribes, and nonprofit private organizations can apply to be VISTA sponsors. Please note that eligible nonprofit private organizations are not limited to those with IRS 501(c) (3) status, but rather all organizations with IRS 501(c) status that focus on anti-poverty community development; organizations that focus solely on advocacy and lobbying are not eligible.

Concept Papers should ddress the following priority areas from the Corporation’s 2011-2015 Strategic Plan:

Economic Opportunity - Safe and affordable housing for vulnerable families and employment access and training
Education - Increasing graduation rates in low-income communities, improving grade level performance, Turnaround School activities
Veterans and Military Families - Engaging Veterans in service, service to Veterans and military families
Healthy Futures - Reducing obesity rates, increasing health and wellness for all Americans, access to food and nutrition, access to health care

VISTA projects must need no less than three (3) and not to exceed ten (10) AmeriCorps VISTA members. Applicants are invited to submit a Concept Paper through e-Grants by February 24. (If you are interested but do not require at least three members, please contact the Virginia State Office at 804-771-2197 ext 24 to discuss other potential development or site placements.)

Subject to availability of resources, 25 AmeriCorps*VISTA members will be awarded on a full-time basis for one year of service to 4-6 new VISTA sponsoring organizations. The Corporation will make an award covering a period not to exceed one year with the potential for continuation. Members will begin service in July or August 2012.

Programming should be primarily based on addressing local needs, and the Corporation Field Office will be guided by locally-driven programming that addresses the Key Principles:

Anti-Poverty Focus - The goal of every project must be to help individuals and communities out of poverty, not to simply make poverty more tolerable. The project should focus on long-term solutions rather than short-term services.
Community Empowerment - Projects should engage residents of the low-income community in planning, developing, implementing and evaluating the project. The project must be responsive and relevant to the lives of the community residents, and should tap into inherent community assets, strengths and resources.
Capacity Building - One way to achieve sustainable solutions is to strengthen the ability of local organizations to fight poverty. Through activities such as fundraising, establishment of volunteer recruitment and management systems, community outreach, and partnership development, VISTAs help sponsors to achieve lasting solutions to poverty. However, projects should focus their performance measures on achieving outcomes and impact on the community and/or beneficiary population, and not outcomes on capacity building for the sponsoring organization or its partners, affiliates or intermediary organizations.
Sustainable Solutions - As originally designated in the Domestic Volunteer Service Act and reinforced in the Serve America Act, VISTA members represent a short-term resource and work to build the long-term sustainability of anti-poverty programs. All VISTA projects should be developed with a goal of an eventual phase-out of the need for VISTA members and the ability of the project to continue without them.

Concept Papers addressing one or more of the following priority areas will be given special consideration:

Economic Opportunity - All VISTA projects should be encouraged to recruit veterans, particularly those projects serving veterans and military families.
Veterans - VISTA resources should be used to increase economic opportunity for veterans and military families. All projects developed to serve veterans and military families should be developed under the Opportunity category, with special priority given to support the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness efforts to end homelessness among veterans.
Housing - VISTA supports programming dedicated to connecting families and individuals to emergency housing and transitional services, providing affordable permanent housing, and encouraging advocacy with populations in need.
Employment - VISTA supports programming that enables individuals to obtain or train for employment that is sufficient to avoid or exit poverty, provide necessities, and allow individuals to save for the future, particularly veterans and the spouses of deployed, enlisted military personnel.
Education/Educational Advancement - VISTAs continue to play a role in developing programs that promote education among at-risk children through early childhood education; educational access and assistance to youth; and connecting youth with the resources that will lead them to college or vocational education. The completion of high school greatly affects the chances of one’s ability to provide sufficiently for him or herself and to gain a future of prosperity. Particular Interest is being placed on new project development with communities and schools who are participating in the Department of Education’s Title I School Improvement Grants (Turnaround Schools).
Veterans and Military Families - VISTAs provide critical support to veterans by connecting them to jobs, housing, health care, and other services; visiting wounded veterans in hospitals; driving veterans to VA medical facilities; building or repairing veterans, housing; and providing shelter and services to homeless veterans. CNCS seeks to develop new VISTA projects that increase the number of veterans and military family members engaged in providing services through VISTA and VISTA-supported programs. CNCS also seeks to develop new VISTA projects that increase the percentage of veterans and military families who report having an experience that expands educational, employment or civic opportunities.

To apply, submit a Concept Paper in e-Grants using the instructions in the following link as a guide: AmeriCorps VISTA Concept Paper Instructions. When applying in e-Grants, select "AmeriCorps VISTA State FY 2012 NOFA." To apply, go to: http://www.nationalservice.gov/egrants/index.asp.

For additional information and guidance on the program, you can use the links below or send an email to va@cns.gov requesting the following documents to aid in your submission:

Published on Monday, January 23, 2012

Nominations for 2012 Governor’s Volunteerism & Community Service Awards Now Being Accepted

Nominations for the Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Awards are now being accepted. These prestigious awards have been honoring exemplary Virginians for more than 20 years and recognize excellence in community service and volunteering. The awards include Individual Achievement Awards in Youth, Adult and Senior categories and Group Achievement Awards in the following categories: Family, Faith-Based Volunteer Service, Educational Institution, Community Organization and Business or Corporation. A nomination narrative and two letters of support are required.

Visit http://www.vaservice.org/go/volunteer/award/ to download the nomination form or submit an online nomination through the Web site. The nomination period ends at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, February 6, 2012. The awards ceremony will be held during the month of April.

Please share this message with appropriate constituents, partners and colleagues.

Published on Friday, January 6, 2012

Virginia Council on the Status of Women (VCSW) Announces 2012 STEM Essay Contest

The Council on the Status of Women in collaboration with the Science Museum of Virginia announces the 2012 STEM Essay Contest. First Lady Maureen McDonnell serves as Honorary Chairwoman for the contest. The purpose of the Council on the Status of Women (Council) is to help women reach their potential and maximize their contribution to society and the Commonwealth as wage earners and citizens. The Council has initiated several projects to meet this goal, one being the annual essay contest for young women in high school. We believe opportunities offered to women early in life will help lead to their success as productive and resourceful citizens.

The awardee will receive a $5,000 scholarship to an institution of higher education provided through generous donations by SKANSKA, MeadWestvaco, and NewMarket. Other winners are an option and will be announced by the panel of judges. The winning essay will be selected and announced by a panel of judges who have degrees in or work in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields. This essay contest is being supported by the Science Museum of Virginia Foundation. Awards will be presented at the 2012 Annual Up & Atom Women’s Leadership Breakfast on May 16, 2012 at the Science Museum of Virginia.

To enter, young women should be in their junior or senior year in high school and hold at least a 2.5 GPA. Entries should follow the guidelines and be submitted via e-mail (council.women@dss.virginia.gov). The deadline for entries is 3 p.m. on February 20, 2012. Any entries received after that time will not be considered.

Essay Guidelines

Write about your vision for a future STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) career and why you are considering the field for an area of study or possible career path.
Write an original 700 to 1,000-word essay created exclusively for the 2012 VCSW Essay Contest.
Essays should be written using your word processor of choice and written in English. The minimum font to be accepted is 12 point.
Do NOT put your name, school name or any other personal information in the body of your essay. Enter your name and other personal information only on the designated areas of the form or in the designated fields in the online Official Entry Form. Include the word count at the end of your essay.
Be sure to attribute quotes and any ideas that are not your own within the body of the essay. Do not use footnotes or endnotes. Your essay must include a bibliography of your source material. Do not include the bibliography in your word count. Essays are carefully reviewed by multiple judges and checked for plagiarism.
Proofread your essay carefully. Your essay will be judged topic content, creativity, spelling, punctuation and grammar. Do not include illustrations, graphics, or diagrams.
Fill out the Official Entry Form completely. Incomplete entry forms will not be accepted.
Winners will be notified by April 1, 2012.

Published on Wednesday, January 4, 2012

IdeaEncore Network Announces Top Ten Free Resources Downloaded

Top Ten Free Resources Downloaded in 2011 (through Nov)

10. Top 20 Items For A Successful Grant (https://www.ideaencore.com/item/top-20-items-successful-grant/?utm_source=EoY&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=2011-12-20)
Shared by Mission Possible Nonprofit Solutions, Ltd. (160 downloads)

9. Ten Steps for Building an Effective Nonprofit Board A Checklist for Action (https://www.ideaencore.com/item/ten-steps-building-effective-nonprofit-board-checklist-action/?utm_source=EoY&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=2011-12-20 Shared by Facilitation and Process, LLC (163 downloads)

8. Board of Directors Recruitment Grid (https://www.ideaencore.com/item/board-directors-recruitment-grid/?utm_source=EoY&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=2011-12-20)
Shared by Union Square Main Streets (172 downloads)

7. If You Evaluate It, They Will Fund: Program Evaluations Essentials - (https://www.ideaencore.com/item/if-you-evaluate-it-they-will-fund-program-evaluation-essentials-video/?utm_source=EoY&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=2011-12-20)
Shared by Nonprofit Webinars (225 downloads)

6. The Community Tool Box's Guide for Writing a Grant (https://www.ideaencore.com/item/community-tool-boxs-guide-writing-grant/?utm_source=EoY&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=2011-12-20)
Shared by Urban Institute (309 downloads)

5. GRANTWRITING - Program Development (https://www.ideaencore.com/item/grantwriting-program-development-002/?utm_source=EoY&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=2011-12-20)
Shared by by Carol Geisbauer Grantwriting (333 downloads)

4. Grant writing Toolkit - Program Plan ( https://www.ideaencore.com/item/grant-writing-toolkit-program-plan/?utm_source=EoY&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=2011-12-20)
Shared by Center for Nonprofit Excellence - United Way of Central New Mexico (384 downloads)

3. Grantwriting: Basics for Beginners (https://www.ideaencore.com/item/grantwriting-basics-beginners-001/?utm_source=EoY&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=2011-12-20)
Shared by Carol Geisbauer Grantwriting (488 downloads)

2. Grant writing toolkit - Needs Statement (https://www.ideaencore.com/item/grant-writing-toolkit-needs-statement/?utm_source=EoY&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=2011-12-20)
Shared by Center for Nonprofit Excellence - United Way of Central New Mexico (502 downloads)

1. Basic Grant Writing (https://www.ideaencore.com/item/basic-grant-writing/?utm_source=EoY&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=2011-12-20)
Shared by Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Inc. (648 downloads)

Published on Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Filing Deadline Extended to March 30 for Some Tax-Exempt Organizations

Tax-exempt organizations with January and February filing due dates will have until March 30, 2012, to file their annual returns, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.
The IRS is granting this extension of time to file because the part of the e-file system that processes electronically filed returns of tax-exempt organizations will be off-line during January and February. The agency stressed that the rest of the e-file system will continue to operate normally and urged all individuals and businesses to choose the accuracy, speed and convenience of electronic filing.
In general, the extension applies to tax-exempt organizations whose normal filing deadline is either Jan. 17 or Feb. 15, 2012. Ordinarily, these deadlines would apply to organizations with a fiscal year that ended on Aug. 31 or Sept. 30, 2011, respectively. The extension also applies to organizations that already obtained an initial three-month filing extension and now have an extended filing deadline that falls on Jan. 17 or Feb. 15, 2012. The majority of tax-exempt organizations will be unaffected by this extension because they operate on a calendar-year basis and have a May 15 filing deadline.

The extension applies to affected organizations filing Forms 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, or 1120-POL. Form 990-N filers will not be affected. No form needs to be filed to get the March 30 extension.
In order to avoid receiving a late filing penalty notice, a reasonable cause statement should be attached to the tax return. If organizations receive late-filing penalty notices, they should contact the IRS so that these penalties can be abated. The IRS encouraged these organizations to consider either e-filing early — before the end of December — or waiting until March to file electronically.

Further details are in Notice 2012-4, posted today on the IRS.gov website.

Published on Friday, December 16, 2011

Applications Due for VCU CreateAthon

If your organization is in need of pro bono marketing assistance, apply today for the 5th annual CreateAthon at VCU. Your organization may be selected to receive strategic and creative work for free. VCU student teams mentored by local professionals will create a wide variety of projects at no cost to the nonprofit organizations. Any 501(c)3 organization that needs help telling their story is eligible to apply and be considered as a CreateAthon client. Organizations are selected in December by a review committee that focuses on how well the project will fit with the students' skills, the limited resources available for marketing within the organization, and the impact on the local community (extended Richmond area).The deadline for applications is Mon., Nov. 21, by 12 p.m. Visit www.createathononcampus.org or email Peyton Rowe, prowe@vcu.edu.

Published on Wednesday, November 9, 2011