Seven New Community-Friendly Grant Opps have been added to the Extension Community Resources Program webpage at:        http://extn.msu.montana.edu/CommRes/grantopps.asp

Grants for Community Development, Education, Human ServicesWells Fargo is proud to support organizations working to strengthen our communities. Through the efforts of our enthusiastic team member-volunteers and our contributions, we share our success within our communities by giving back to non-profits and educational institutions that address vital community needs and issues.  We direct our giving to areas that we believe are important to the future of our nation’s vitality and success: community development, education, and human services. 

Wells Fargo accepts grant proposals throughout the year and requires a minimum of four weeks for review and decision.

Grant Opportunity for Community-Based Nonprofit Organizations

 Applications available:  June 30, 2008 

Application deadline:   August 29, 2008 

Awardees notified:      January 2009 

The National Eye Institute (NEI) recognizes the importance of strengthening the capabilities of community-based organizations to develop innovative eye health education and promotion projects. The Healthy Vision Community Awards Program provides awards of up to $10,000 each and is intended to stimulate collaborative initiatives that support the vision objectives in Healthy People 2010. The objectives address examinations and prevention, eye diseases, injury and safety, and vision rehabilitation. 

Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to apply, including community-based organizations and agencies, minority-based organizations, schools, faith-based organizations, civic and fraternal groups, community clinics, local Agencies on Aging, and state and local health departments and agencies.

Recruiting, Tracking & Coordinating Volunteers

 Volunteering is a foundational cornerstone of rural community life.  Volunteers matter.  For those who lead volunteer programs there is a useful online system for recruiting, tracking and coordinating volunteers.

 Volunteers can interact online, check their schedules and even keep track of volunteer hours and mileage.  If you are leading a volunteer program, please note that the U.S. Congress is considering legislation that would increase the tax deduction for people who use their automobiles as part of their volunteer work for charities.  Under federal law, volunteers who drive their cars for charitable purposes may be reimbursed up to 14 cents per mile without the payments being subject to federal income tax.  Some members of Congress say that rate is too low, particularly as gas prices have reached more than $4 per gallon.  Bills currently pending in Congress would increase the reimbursement to reflect the business mileage rate, which was raised this week to 58.5 cents per mile.

Disney Minnie Grants

Agency: Youth Service America and Disney

Deadline: 08/30/2008

Description:Youth Service America and Disney are pleased to launch asecond round of Disney Minnie Grants to engage children and youth, ages5-14 as community volunteers. The selected applications will receive $500 to support their youth-led service projects. The deadline is August 30 and projects must take place October 15-November 15, 2008.

Important information for blogging

Attached is “THE GRID” for completing the Report Information for Action Phase document. If you have any questions about how to read this document feel free to call

Halsey at 994-6976 or Jamie at 994-1754

The Community Blogging Grid will be the guide to help you with meeting the foundation requirements:

• Ten entries for Grid Boxes 3, 7 & 11
• Three entries for Grid Boxes 4, 8 & 12 (these entries need to explain about additional resources they’ve sought out)
• Five entries for Grid Boxes 4, 8 & 12 (these entries need to explain about partnerships they’ve made with organizations/communities outside of Horizons)

REMEMBER this information is to be posted on your blog by June 30!!!!

Greetings!

As you may know, the Prevention Resource Center publishes a quarterly newsletter, “The Prevention Connection”, to highlight topics of interest in prevention theory and practice. The most recent issue of the Prevention Connection (Summer 2008) was on POVERTY PREVENTION and Dan Clark wrote an article about Horizons entitled “Addressing Poverty through Community Leadership”.

 The editor of “The Prevention Connection”, Sherrie Downing has posted the following announcement: Given the overwhelming response to have a second issue covering the School and Community domains, we are accepting articles from 500-700 words in length by July 8th. This is your opportunity to participate in a statewide conversation about prevention with the focus on prevention efforts, ideas, and opportunities happening in the School and Community Domains.

 Articles are due to Sherrie Downing by July 8th in Word format, downingsl@bresnan.net If you would prefer to be interviewed and would like Sherrie to aid with a draft for your article, she is available.

 Local Grants Program

The Allstate Foundation

Deadline: Rolling

Description:     The Allstate Foundation supports national and local programs that fit within three focus areas. Proposals for program support must address needs within one of the three focus areas to be considered for funding:

1. Safe and vital communities

• catastrophe response
• youth anti-violence
• neighborhood revitalization
• teen safe driving

2. Economic empowerment.

• financial and economic literacy
• insurance education
• empowerment for victims of domestic violence

3. Tolerance, inclusion and diversity

• teaching tolerance to youth
• ending hate crimes
• alleviating discrimination

    Focus on Cooperative Solutions for Seniors in Rural America

 Grant Opportunity for Rural Communities