Other News
Total: 11
Serve DC Receives $57,203 in AmeriCorps Recovery Funds for Community Service Projects
The District has been allocated $57,203 of recovery funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service to sponsor AmeriCorps*State projects through current AmeriCorps*State sub-grantees. Serve DC will administer these funds to garner more volunteers in the areas of:
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Environment and Greening,
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Seniors and Baby Boomer Population,
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Veteran and Military Affairs, and
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Education and Disadvantaged Populations.
In addition, the federal government has $39,263,340 available in Competitive Funds for AmeriCorps*State programs nationally. Serve DC, the District agency leading the city’s volunteer efforts, is encouraging applicable groups (limited to current Serve DC AmeriCorps*State sub-grantees) to submit applications for projects.
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District Launches New Website for Stimulus Procurements
The District's Office of Contracting and Procurement recently launched a
public website for stimulus related procurements. The website offers real-time information to vendors and District residents about the stimulus. The website was designed to provide transparency from the beginning of each procurement to the delivery phase. The site is developed and managed by OCP employees. For more information about this topic, please contact
Briant Coleman.
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Serve DC Holds Grant Competition for ARRA Funding
Serve DC-The Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism has announced a plan to distribute AmeriCorps funds granted to the agency through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA.) The funds, which are available to current AmeriCorps sub-grantees, will assist programs in the process of helping individuals and communities cope with the economic downturn, and provide necessary services that will support the rebuilding process. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama on February 17, 2009.
The Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that houses AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America, and Senior Corps was awarded $200 million in Recovery Act funding; $89 million of those funds were designated for current AmeriCorps*State sub-grantees.
To allocate funds, Serve DC–The Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism, held a grant competition for current AmeriCorps sub-grantees, providing them with the opportunity to apply for $57,203 in formula funding (set aside for Washington, DC programs only,) and $39 million in competitive funding (available for competition nationwide). Formula funding decisions were made by Serve DC and competitive applications were forwarded to the Corporation for National and Community Service for final decision after being vetted for eligibility.
One current sub-grantee applied for formula funding, requesting $55,827.00, to supplement funds that the agency was unable to raise due to the ailing economy. The funds will ensure that the program is able to successfully implement 2008-2009 services without interruption or cutback.
Six current sub-grantees presented applications for competitive funding; the request totaled $1.06 million. The applications that were sent forward for final approval covered subject-matter including:
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Expansion of work force development and academic enrichment programs for high school students
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Expansion of programming in District of Columbia Public Schools
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Expansion of programmatic capacity
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Matching funds for current and pending programs
Partnerships and Grants Annual Conference for Nonprofit Community
The 10th annual conference will be convening at the Washington Convention Center on May 7 from 8 am-4:30 pm. The conference will focus on the impact of the current economic downturn on the nonprofit community and what can be done to sustain programs. Experts from the foundation community, federal government, local government, nonprofit organizations and others will share their insights and suggestions on what you can do to stay in business. Learn more.
District Holds Public Hearing on Use of Recovery Act Homelessness Prevention Funds, April 29
The District of Columbia will receive approximately $7.5 million in federal Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
The District’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is planning to hold a public hearing to give residents and others an opportunity to comment on how they think it should use these ARRA funds and the agency’s Emergency Shelter Grant.
When: Wednesday, April 29, 2009, 6:30 pm
Where: 441 4th Street, NW (Old Council Chambers)
Public comments will be included in DHCD’s “Draft Substantial Amendment to The Consolidated Plan for the District of Columbia-Fiscal Year 2009 Action Plan,” which is the strategic plan that guides the District’s use of funds under a number of Federal housing programs. The plan amendment will be submitted to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
If you would like to testify at the hearing, call Pamela Hillsman, community development resource specialist, at (202) 442-7251, not later than close of business Monday, April 27, 2009 or email
dhcdevents@dc.gov. Please provide your name, address, telephone number, and organizational affiliation, if any.
If you would like to submit a written statement for the record, you may do so at the hearing or until close of business on Friday, May 1, 2009. Written statements may be mailed to: Leila Finucane Edmonds, Director, DHCD, Attention: Office of Strategy and Communications, 1800 Martin Luther King Jr Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20020.
Sign language and language interpretation (i.e., Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese-Mandarin/Cantonese, Amharic or French) assistance for the purposes of this hearing should call (202) 442-7251. Interpretation services will be provided to pre-registered persons only. The deadline for requesting interpretation services is Thursday, April 23, 2009. Bilingual staff (English-Spanish) will provide services on an availability basis to walk-ins without registration.
Federal Office of Personnel Management Announces Recovery Act Job Fair in DC
As part of our effort to help agencies build the talent capacity to successfully enact provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing to hold a Hiring Fair
May 13, 2009, at the Washington Convention Center limited to applicants for the following occupations: human resources, contracting and grants management.
Read more
District Receives $16.4 Million in Community Services Block Grant Funds From Recovery Act
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced April 10, 2009 plans to make $1 billion available for the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program. Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the new resources will be allocated to states across the country. The District will receive $16,427,550 that will be distributed to community groups that help Americans through tough economic times.
Under the Recovery Act, organizations receiving CSBG funding must use the resources to help get our economy back on track. Funds must be used to reduce poverty, revitalize low-income communities, and assist low-income families to become self-sufficient. Eligible entities use funds to provide services and activities addressing employment, education, housing, nutrition, and emergency services to combat the central causes of poverty.
Services currently provided by community organizations that receive CSBG funds include:
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Job training and placement assistance.
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Financial literacy programs such as credit counseling.
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Housing assistance programs that help keep Americans in their homes.
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Nutrition programs that provide meals for vulnerable families.
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Community agencies that bring public and private resources together to assist families in need.
The United Planning Organization, which is the District's federally-recognized community action agency, is responsible for determining how these funds are distributed. Interested parties should contact Harvey Johnson, III, UPO's Director of Public Awareness, for more information. He can be reached at (202) 238-4696 or by email at hjohnson@upo.org or info@upo.org.
Learn More About New Benefits for Veterans Under the Recovery Act
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will spend more than $1.4 billion as part of President Obama’s economic recovery plan to improve services to America’s Veterans. VA’s website provides current information about VA’s work to deliver its portion of Recovery Act funds into the economy to benefit Veterans.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) enables the VA to improve medical facilities and national cemeteries, provide grants to assist states in acquiring or constructing state nursing homes and extended care facilities, and to modify or alter existing facilities to care for Veterans.
VA will dedicate ARRA funds to hire and train 1,500 temporary claims processors to speed benefits delivery to Veterans and pursue needed information technology initiatives for improved benefits and services. Funds will also be used to oversee and audit programs, grants, and projects funded under ARRA.
As part of the President’s Recovery plan, VA will also make one-time payments of $250 to eligible Veterans and survivors to mitigate the effects of the current economy. These payments will be issued as early as June 2009. VA estimates $700 million in payments will be made to eligible beneficiaries as part of this measure.
To be eligible for the $250 payment, VA beneficiaries must have received compensation, pension, dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC), or spina bifida benefits at any time between November 2008 and January 2009. Also, beneficiaries must reside within the United States or Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa or the US Virgin Islands. No application is necessary. VA will use its existing payment records to determine eligibility for the $250 payment.
Beneficiaries will receive their payments the same way they receive their monthly VA benefits (either by direct deposit or mail). VA will inform beneficiaries and the public when releasing the payments. This payment is not countable in determining eligibility for VA pension or Parents’ DIC. The law allows one $250 payment per individual. The payment is tax-free. VA beneficiaries who also receive benefits from the Social Security Administration or Railroad Retirement Board will be paid through those agencies, and will therefore not receive the payment from VA.
More details, including VA stimulus project timelines, will be available May 1, 2009.
The District’s Office of Veterans Affairs is located at 441 4th Street, NW, Suite 570 South, Washington, DC 20001. Agency staff can be reached at (202) 724-5454.
National Park Service to Invest $38 Million of Stimulus in National Mall
The National Park Service (NPS) announced April 22, nearly 800 projects totaling $750 million that can be completed across the country with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This major effort includes $38 million in projects with the National Mall located in the District of Columbia.
Read more at the US Department of the Interior’s website.
GSA to Invest $1.2 Billion of Stimulus Into Federal Buildings in Washington, DC
The federal government’s General Services Administration plans to expend $5.55 billion in Recovery Act funds around the country to convert federal buildings into high-performance green buildings, renovate and construct federal buildings and courthouses, and renovate and construct land ports of entry (LPOE). Federal buildings located within the District of Columbia will get $1.2 billion in their plan.
GAO Releases First Report on District Recovery Act Activity
The General Accounting Office released its first report on Recovery Act activity on a sample of 16 states and the District of Columbia. View the abstract and full text at the
GAO website.