2008 Conference on Volunteerism and Community Service
The Virginia Office on Volunteerism and Community Service will hold its annual conference in Virginia Beach, April 23-25. The conference is the largest and most comprehensive event of the year for individuals and organizations working to strengthen their communities through service. Details regarding the meeting location, session topics and speakers will be announced soon. Make plans now to attend!
Governor's Awards to Recognize Service Leaders
Nominations are being accepted for the 2008 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Awards. The awards highlight the efforts of outstanding Virginians who seek to enhance the lives of others in their communities. Honors are given each year to groups, individuals and families whose volunteer and community service efforts exemplify extraordinary volunteer service. Winners will be announced at the 2008 Conference on Volunteerism and Community Service (see above). See a complete list of criteria, submit a nomination online, or download a nomination packet.
Get to Know Hung Quoc Nguyen
Virginia Governor's Commission on Community and National Service
As a nationally respected community activist, Hung Quoc Nguyen urges more Asian Americans to get involved in community and national service. "I think a lot more Asian Pacific American groups should apply for (AmeriCorps) funding," says Nguyen. He adds, "I want them to have greater leadership roles in their respective communities." It is that kind of passion that earned Nguyen the "2007 Who's Who in Asian American Communities Award" in Atlanta last month. For two decades, he has tirelessly worked on community and legislative issues relating to at-risk youth, youth leadership development, economic self-sufficiency, redistricting, human rights, cultural identity, and voter education and empowerment. As a Senior Consultant at Primescape Solutions, Inc., a small business information technology company, Nguyen is able to serve as an officer and in leadership positions in many major Virginia state panels and community organizations. In addition to the Governor's Commission on Community and National Service, Nguyen is also involved with the Governor's Virginia Asian Advisory Board, the Virginia Service Foundation, and several other organizations. When asked how individuals can make a difference through service, Nguyen replies, "We often hear, 'one person cannot make a difference.' Well, one stopped car on the highway stops traffic. So, one person CAN make a difference positively or negatively."
Learn about AmeriCorps at Sessions Throughout Virginia
The Virginia Office on Volunteerism and Community Service is sponsoring a series of orientation sessions for organizations who are interested in acquiring AmeriCorps members and administering an AmeriCorps*State program. In-depth, informational sessions will be held the weeks of December 3 and 10 in several locations across the Commonwealth. The 2008-2009 AmeriCorps*State Request for Proposals (RFP) will be released in January 2008. Complete list of session locations and dates.
Plan Now for Martin Luther King Day
Nonprofits and community service organizations are encouraged to begin planning today for community service projects honoring next year's Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, Jan. 21. Because 2008 marks the 40th anniversary of Dr. King's death, officials have designated Martin Luther King Day with the theme "40 Days of Nonviolence: Building the Beloved Community." The federal holiday is not just a day off from work set aside to honor Dr. King. In 1994 Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, designating it as a national day of volunteer service. Participation in the King Day of Service has grown steadily over the past decade, with hundreds of thousands of Americans each year engaging in projects such as tutoring and mentoring children, painting schools and senior centers, delivering meals, building homes, and reflecting on Dr. King's life and teachings. Get information and ideas for projects.
Direct Mail Materials Available for National Mentoring Month
January Mentoring Month is a nationwide campaign designed to recruit new mentors and to recognize mentors for their commitment to children and youth. This year, through a partnership with the Harvard Mentoring Project, the Virginia Mentoring Partnership is able to provide free, promotional materials to assist in your recruitment and recognition efforts. These materials include three different postcards titled: "Thank You", "Who Mentored You?", and "We're looking for a Few Good Mentors." View these postcards and place your order.
DisabilityInfo.gov Now Includes Service Resources
The 50 million Americans living with disabilities will have an easier time learning about and participating in service and volunteer programs thanks to new initiatives from the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Corporation is the latest partner in DisabilityInfo.gov, a collaborative effort among 22 federal government agencies dedicated to making it the leading, one-stop federal source for disability-related information. The site provides information on benefits, civil rights, community life, education, employment, housing, health, technology, and other subjects. The Corporation will be providing content about service and volunteering opportunities, grants, special initiatives, and training resources geared to including people with disabilities in service. To read the full press release, visit http://www.DisabilityInfo.gov.
National Grants Awarded for Innovative Volunteer Practices
The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) will award nearly $700,000 in grants to four organizations for developing next-generation volunteer management tools and practices. The Girl Scouts of the USA, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, America SCORES, and the Maine Commission for Community Service will use these funds to develop their innovative volunteer programs. CNCS will share lessons learned from these grantees with the wider volunteer community, ultimately helping more organizations be more effective in recruiting and retaining volunteers. The grants support the agency's five-year strategic plan goal of 75 million volunteers serving their communities by 2010. Find out more about the grant winners' programs.
Holiday Fundraising Tips
NetworkforGood.org reports that they process 40 percent of online donations during the month of December - the majority between Christmas and New Year's Day. Here are seven actions you can take to make sure your organization is ready.
- Make your "Donate Now" Button larger and easier to find. - When NetworkforGood.org made their "Donate Now" button more prominent, their conversion rate went up 30 percent.
- Need donation processing help? - If your organization is unhappy with its online fundraising service or doesn't have online collection capability, NetworkforGood's Custom DonateNow service is free this holiday season.
- Make the gift real. - Build trust with your donors right on your Web site by being clear about exactly where donations go and how they impact the beneficiaries on an individual level. Here's a great example from Save the Children.
- Move them, then make it easy to act. - One of the great things about online advocacy is you can move someone emotionally and then give them an immediate way to act. Use this list of 10 tips for writing a great story.
- Send a holiday e-card. - Remember to keep your e-card short and simple, and do it in a fun and spirited way; that's what makes it an e-card, and not an e-newsletter.
- Send a fundraising e-mail on December 26. - Potential donors are thinking about tax deductions this week.
- Design your holiday fundraising campaign by beginning with the desired audience actions. - Here are seven tips for successful marketing campaigns.
- Looking for free training? - Free training for nonprofits is readily available. Check the vaservice.org Web site for local events. Also, visit NetworkforGood.org for free online training.