TJX Foundation Funding Opportunity for Nonprofit Organizations
The TJX Foundation supports nonprofit organizations in the communities where TJX Companies, Inc. divisions operate stores, including locations in every U.S. state except Alaska and Hawaii. The Foundation's primary focus is on programs that provide basic-need services to disadvantaged women, children, and families. Funded programs should promote strong families, provide emergency shelter, enhance education/job readiness, and or build community ties. Specific grant categories include: Civic/Community, Domestic Violence Prevention, Education, Health, and Social Services. Applications are reviewed quarterly; the final application deadline of 2009 is December 4. Please visit the TJX Foundation website for detailed funding guidelines.
"The Bush Faith-Based Initiative and What Lies Ahead"
The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy, a project funded by the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government has released a report entitled, "Taking Stock: The Bush Faith-Based Initiative and What Lies Ahead." The report provides an overview of the "faith-based initiative" under George W. Bush and provides insight into President Obama’s White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. The views expressed in the report do not necessarily reflect those of the Texas Workforce Commission.
Taking Stock: The Bush Faith-Based Initiative and What Lies Ahead (PDF)
Funding Opportunity for Programs Serving Disabled Veterans
The Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust supports nonprofit organizations located in the United States that provide long-term programs offering direct assistance to disabled veterans and their families. The Trust's grant making interests include ensuring quality health care for veterans, assistance to veterans suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and substance abuse, programs that meet the special needs of veterans with specific disabilities such as amputation or blindness, and shelters for homeless veterans. Requests are reviewed quarterly; the remaining application deadlines for 2009 are July 20 and October 20. Eligibility information and application forms may be downloaded from the Trust's website.
White House Office of Faith-based & Neighborhood Partnerships
President Obama has signed Executive Order 13498 establishing the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and the President's Advisory Council for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. The Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will focus on four key priorities, to be carried out by working closely with the President's Cabinet Secretaries and each of the eleven agency offices for faith-based and neighborhood partnerships:
- The Office's top priority will be making community groups an integral part of our economic recovery and poverty a burden fewer have to bear when recovery is complete.
- It will be one voice among several in the administration that will look at how we support women and children, address teenage pregnancy, and reduce the need for abortion.
- The Office will strive to support fathers who stand by their families, which involves working to get young men off the streets and into well-paying jobs, and encouraging responsible fatherhood.
- Finally, beyond American shores, this Office will work with the National Security Council to foster interfaith dialogue with leaders and scholars around the world.
Links:
- Federal Register posting: February 9 (PDF)
- White House Press Release: February 5
- Amendments to Executive Order 13199 and establishment of President Obama’s Advisory Council for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships
Release of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Final Report
On January 12, 2009, the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI) released Innovations in Compassion - The Faith-Based and Community Initiative: A Final Report to the Armies of Compassion. The report details the accomplishments of former President George W. Bush's FBCI and highlights the various initiatives in numerous federal agencies, including the Department of Labor.
For a copy of the report, go to:
The Faith-Based and Community Initiative: A Final Report to the Armies of Compassion (PDF)
Reentry Partnerships: A Guide for States & Faith-Based and Community Organizations
The U.S. Department of Labor, Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice, in conjunction with the Council of State Governments Justice Center, announce the release of Reentry Partnerships: A Guide for States & Faith-Based and Community Organizations.
Reentry Partnerships is written for state government officials and representatives of faith-based and community organizations who want to create and sustain collaborative efforts to reduce recidivism and to help people returning to the community from prisons or jails lead productive and law-abiding lives. Project staff is in the process of developing a concise companion tool as a checklist for guide implementation and to facilitate discussions between government agencies and community-based providers to overcome barriers to coordinated reentry efforts. The toolkit will also be posted once it becomes available.
New Publication: Intermediaries and Faith Based and Community Organizations Working Together
This new publication discusses how intermediaries can help faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) more effectively provide services to communities. Workforce intermediaries play an important role in connecting businesses to jobseekers and incumbent workers. Intermediaries are also able to help FBCOs develop deeper connections with area businesses. The report highlights the key characteristics and effective features of intermediary organizations, as well as strategies intermediaries use to connect FBCOs with businesses. The publication gives a broad overview on different types of intermediaries and how they can help, as well as specific examples of successful partnerships with FBCOs and can be accessed via the following link: http://www.dol.gov/cfbci/intermediaries.pdf
Directory of Foundation Workforce and Economic Development Grants
Organizations that focus on workforce development and job training are a significant asset to their communities. Many corporate and private foundations see the value in these community organizations reaching their neighbors and want to help. This new resource can help bridge the gap between funding and services for many community organizations.
The Directory of Foundation Workforce Development Grant Opportunities booklet is a resource for these organizations looking for funding opportunities for their workforce development or economic development programs. This directory provides a detailed list of private and corporate foundations that provide grant opportunities to Faith- and Community-based Organizations in order to give these organizations a clear and concise tool to pursue grants. The directory provides a detailed explanation of each grant and contact information to more easily determine eligibility.
Directory of Foundation Workforce Grant Opportunities (PDF)
Texas Legal Services Center Provides Assistance
The Texas Legal Services Center is a non-profit organization providing assistance to all Texans, especially those of modest means. One of their current projects is to inform Texans about the Earned Income Tax Credit and I Can E-file, a tax-filing website that can be accessed from any computer and is free to all. Additionally, the Texas Legal Services Center sponsors several programs that would directly benefit clients of charitable, faith-based, and community based organizations, such as the Legal Hotline for Older Texans; the Victims Initiative for Counseling, Advocacy and the Restoration of the Southwest (VICARS), which provides direct legal assistance to victims of identity theft and financial fraud in Texas; Texas Health Law, which provides assistance with healthcare access and payments; and the Texas Law Help, which provides free online resources and low-cost civil legal assistance.
Please contact the Texas Legal Services Center at 512-477-6000 with any questions.
Collaborating with Faith- and Community-Based Organizations: Lessons Learned from 12 Workforce Investment Boards
The Department of Labor (DOL) has posted online Mathematica's final report Collaborating with Faith- and Community-Based Organizations: Lessons Learned from 12 Workforce Investment Boards, by D. Paulsell, et al. (May 15, 2007) ETAOP 2007-16.
Lessons learned include:
- FBCOs can leverage other community resources to meet clients' needs.
- One-stop centers and FBCOs have different organizational cultures, which must be bridged before partnerships begin.
- Partnering with intermediary organizations - which have experience with both One-stop centers and FBCOs - will facilitate successful relationships.
- Designing a liaison for client referrals at the One-stop center or co-locating FBCO staff at the One-stop helped build strong relationships between the two.