Dear Colleagues,

HUD is pleased to announce its Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Strong Cities Strong Communities National Resource Network (SC2 Network). As many of you may know, HUD has been an integral partner of the Obama Administration’s Strong Cities Strong Communities (SC2) Initiative, a federal interagency initiative focused on improving technical assistance and capacity support to cities facing long-term economic challenges. The SC2 Network is one of SC2’s four key components.

The NOFA competes out approximately $10 million in funding to be awarded to only one entity or a consortium to manage and implement the SC2 Network. Entities that are eligible to apply are nonprofit organizations, foundations, anchor institutions, for-profit companies, or a consortium of these entities with demonstrated ability to raise philanthropic support. Anchor institutions are defined as entities that represent educational institutions, or regional and national organizations that support economic drivers such as in housing, infrastructure, and/or economic and workforce development.

The SC2 Network is a capacity building program to assist the nation’s most distressed cities, and will function as a central portal to connect such places to national and local experts with wide-ranging expertise and skills. It will align federal resources as well as coordinate the separate and wide-ranging pools of technical experts and assistance programs with the needs of each community to help them make more effective investments at the local level. The objectives of the programs are as follows:

• Provide communities facing long-term economic challenges with easily accessible and comprehensive technical assistance that can help retool them for future economic growth;
• Build capacity in distressed communities by connecting them with philanthropic organizations, non profits, public and private sector entities to facilitate long-term partnerships and economic investments;
• Develop a set of best practices and policy recommendations that can be disseminated and shared across all communities facing similar economic challenges;
• Improve the alignment of federal resources as well as strengthen federal and local partnerships.

Applicants must apply by January 28, 2012. For more information on the SC2 Network, as well as how to apply, interested applicants should visit: https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms_apps_idx.html. At this website, applicants will be prompted to enter an identifier code for the SC2 Network. To get the SC2 Network NOFA, along with the application materials, applicants should enter 14.534 under the heading for “CFDA Number.”

Last year, HUD announced the competition of another SC2 component—the Strong Cities Strong Communities Fellowship Program which has deployed 17 fellows across seven SC2 pilot cites. Today, HUD is excited to announce this NOFA as part of its continued and expanding efforts in SC2, a critical initiative that supports our nation’s most distressed communities.

Please forward to your networks and let us know if you have any questions.

Stewart Sarkozy-Banoczy

Director

Office for International and Philanthropic Innovation (IPI)

Office of Policy Development & Research

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Dear Colleagues:

We are holding a follow-up call on the 2012 highest-rated Investing in Innovation (i3) applications tomorrow, November 20. Join Assistant Deputy Secretary Jim Shelton and special guest stars from the foundation community for a more in-depth discussion of this year’s portfolio.

We hope you will take time to read more about the applications, including the summary that provides an overview of the priorities represented within this amazing pool of highest-rated applications (HRAs).

Please remember the important role that the philanthropic community plays in driving the innovative work of the applicants, who will only receive the grants if they secure 10 to 15 percent of matching funds by December 7, 2012.

If you are not already participating in the Foundation Registry i3, hosted by the Foundation Center, please take the time to sign up now and collaborate with other funders across the country on this public-private partnership.

Date: Tuesday, November 20 

Time: 3:30–4:00 pm, ET

Dial: (888) 989-6483 

Participant Passcode: 23657

Note: You do not need to RSVP or pre-register for this call. Please feel free to forward to your funder colleagues.

And if you have not had the chance, spread the word about the just-launched Social Impact 100 (S&I 100), a new investment platform and index of high-impact nonprofits. Not surprisingly, a large percentage of this year’s i3 highest-rated applicants are listed in this index.

Thank you for all that you do to support education and scaling of the most effective practices and programs to help all children throughout the country obtain the high-quality education that they deserve.

Suzanne Immerman

Director of Strategic Partnerships

Office of the Secretary

U.S. Department of Education

WIA YOUTH CHAT

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Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration’s (ETA),

Division of Youth Services

Join ETA’s Youth Team in a LIVE CHAT discussing

The NEW “Credentials for Youth” Tool

Date: Thursday, November 15, 2012

Time: 12:00 - 1:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Where: Log-into Workforce3One, enter the Youth Community of Practice, https://youth.workforce3one.org/, click on the “Chat Button”

Would you like to share what you are doing to help youth obtain credentials? Would you like to learn about what other WIA youth programs are doing around the country? Are you interested in communicating directly with DOL youth staff?

Join us on Thursday, November 15^th at 12:00 pm EST for a WIA Youth Chat on helping youth attain occupational credentials, how programs can be structured, and what the essential program elements are to help youth attain occupational credentials and move into employment.

The chat will include a discussion of the recently launched Credentials for Youth Tool, https://youth.workforce3one.org/page/credentials, on the Youth Community of Practice. The site helps workforce professionals identify promising occupations for youth and the credentials to help youth attain them.

Login and enjoy an informative exchange of information on our LIVE CHAT discussion! You can submit questions in advance of the chat to: youth.services@dol.gov.

…“So what exactly is a live chat?”…

The LIVE CHAT is an online instant messaging format which captures typed conversation, or “chat,” between two or more people.  All comments typed into a message box immediately appear in the chat screen in the order in which they were entered. This is not a conference call. There is no dial-in number and no need to use the phone whatsoever.

…“How do I participate in the LIVE CHAT?”…

To participate, you must be a member of Workforce³One.  If you are not a member, you must register at: http://www.workforce3one.org/register.aspx.  There is no cost to register and once the account is established you can access the Youth Connections Community of Practice (CoP) as well as free webinars, tools, and documents available through Workforce³One.

Disclaimer:  DOL/ETA’s, Division of Youth Services may not answer all questions during the chat do to time constraints.  However, the team will do their best to answer questions in real time or post answers on the Youth Connections CoP at a later date.  Questions not answered should be sent to: youth.services@dol.gov.

With the drawn down of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, cities and towns will welcome home more than 1 million veterans. These men and women will join the more than 20 million veterans in the United States who have served our country since World War II who are already a part of our communities. Like everyone, veterans need accessible and affordable homes as foundations for success and reintegration.

To help cities meet the housing needs of all veterans, the National League of Cities is hosting a webinar focusing on the solutions to provide housing for disabled veterans across the “disability spectrum”.

Moderator:

• Elisha Harig-Blaine, Senior Housing Associate (Veterans & Special Needs), National League of Cities

Presenters:

• Majority Floor Leader Toni Atkins, CA State Assembly, San Diego, CA
• Mayor Richard Berry, Albuquerque, NM
• Becky Kanis, Director of the 100,000 Homes Campaign
• Vice-Mayor, Jan Vargo, Huber Heights, OH

Register here.

UTILIZING THE VILLAGE

Using Early Warning Indicators and Interventions to Help Rural Students Succeed in School

October 12, 2012 from 1:30 pm-3:00 pm EDT

FEATURED PRESENTERS:

• Robert Balfanz, Everyone Graduates Center
• Joseph Barrow Jr., Superintendent, Ware County, GA
• Mark Willoughby, Director of Schools, Dekalb County, TN
• Julie Turner, School Improvement Specialist, Dothan, AL

Join the U.S. Department of Education and Jobs for the Future for this exciting event. This webinar is the second in a series on rural dropout prevention and recovery sponsored by the Department.  Dr. Robert Balfanz of the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University will discuss the unique needs of rural communities in setting up Early Warning Systems to identify students who may fall off-track for promotion or graduation. Several district leaders will showcase effective interventions to help struggling middle and high school students get back on a path to school success.  These highlighted interventions will include whole-school approaches, targeted supports for struggling students, and more intensive interventions. Participants will also have an opportunity to pose questions and share prevention/intervention best practices with peers.

Participants will come away from the session with:

• New ideas and resources for setting up early warning systems in rural communities—such as how to select data proxies; aggregate and share information with school staff; and organize for intervention at the school level.
• Information and resources describing how to set up early intervention strategies that are cost sensitive and easily implemented in rural districts.
• Examples of practices that are working well to support students in rural communities across the country.

To register for this free event please visit: http://ruraldropoutprevention.weebly.com/webinar-two.html

Please contact Monica at mmelville@mahernet.com if you need technical assistance registering or if you do not receive a registration confirmation email within 24 hours.

Please note this is a first-come, first-serve event. The webinar room accommodates 200 on the day of the event so register early and log in on time to ensure your space. A recording will be available after the event for anyone who is unable to attend.

Monday, September 10

10:00 am – 11:30 am

Impact Investing through the Community Foundation Lens Meeting Room: Celestin Ballroom IV, Level Three

Panelists from rural and urban community foundations will share their experiences with impact investing and discuss risk-taking, intermediary relationships, donor engagement, and navigating organizational culture. Presenter(s): Michael Brown, Vice President, Community Leadership, The Seattle Foundation; Debra D. Rooney CPA, Finance Director, The Vermont Community Foundation; Jennifer Southard, Director, Philanthropic Services, Maine Community Foundation; Michael Wilson, CFO, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation; Session Designer(s): Ms. Ellen Remmer, Managing Partner, The Philanthropic Initiative

2:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Social Impact Bonds 101

Meeting Room: Bucktown Meeting Room, Level Two

Social Impact Bonds are making news across the country—but what are they? How do Social Impact Bonds work, and what do they mean for your organization? This session will explain the Social Impact Bond concept and answer common questions about their scope and function. Presenter(s): Kristina Costa, Research Assistant, Center for American Progress; Session Designer(s): Kristina Costa, Research Assistant, Center for American Progress

Tuesday, September 11

2:00 pm – 3:30 am

Leader to Leader: The Risks and Rewards of Impact Investing for CEOs and Trustees

Meeting Room: Johnson, Level Two

Open to CEOs and Board Members, Pre-registration required

Impact investing is an excellent way for community foundations to unleash more capital into their communities using assets such as debt and equity in addition to grants. Join us for a high-level overview of impact investing from both a governance and operational perspective using discretionary and donor-advised dollars. Presenter(s): Kathryn E. Merchant, President and CEO, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation; Session Designer(s): Kathryn E. Merchant, President and CEO, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation; Laura Tomasko, Council on Foundations

If you would like to learn more about what the Council on Foundations is doing to support the field, please contact Laura Tomasko to set up a time to talk.

Thursday, September 27

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT

Register for Free Today!

The Social Impact Exchange and Council on Foundations invite you to join an informative interactive panel discussion to hear the latest update on SIF’s strategy and new director, learn about matching capital opportunities and newly selected SIF subgrantees, and witness a live demonstration of the SIF Foundation Registry.

Even the largest foundations can’t go it alone when addressing our most difficult social problems. The Social Innovation Fund has been a catalyst in bringing together the funding community to partner with nonprofits and access federal matching dollars for evidence-based solutions. To help facilitate collaborative investment in high-impact SIF nonprofits and learning among foundations and SIF intermediaries, the Social Impact Exchange developed the SIF Foundation Registry. The Registry is a web-based platform that matches SIF subgrantees and intermediaries to foundations’ grantmaking criteria, and incorporates secure cutting edge communication features to enable online collaboration. The Registry is accessible at no charge to participating grantmaking foundations.

Speakers

• Paul Carttar, Director, Social Innovation Fund
• Idara Nickelson, Incoming Director, Social Innovation Fund
• Carol Thompson Cole, President & CEO, Venture Philanthropy Partners
• Rhett Mabry, Vice President, The Duke Endowment
• Stephanie Powers, Managing Director, Council on Foundations
• Alex Rossides, President, Social Impact Exchange

Who Should Attend

• Local foundations - SIF nonprofits are located in communities across the country
• Foundations interested in Poverty, Health, Youth, Economic Opportunity
• Foundations interested in:
  • Evidence based, high impact nonprofits
  • Co-funding opportunities
  • Matching capital opportunities
  • Joining a community of evidence-based grantmakers that share best practices
  • Accessing the due diligence conducted by SIF Intermediaries

Register for Free Today!

For more information contact Nicole Kindred 212-551-1148 or nkindred@growthphilanthropy.org

Dear Colleagues:

With the recent announcement of the 124 development grantees invited to apply for i3, the Department’s recently released “college shopping sheet” and the upcoming Race to the Top District competition, there is a great deal going on at the Department of Education – and we want to make sure that you are informed and engaged.

Please join U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan for our quarterly conference call for business and foundation leaders:

Wednesday, August 8, 1:15PM-1:45PM ET.

DIAL: (888) 946-4718 Participant Passcode: 12871

Many thanks for your continued interest in and commitment to improving public education.

We look forward to speaking with you on August 8^th,

The Strategic Partnerships Team

Note: No pre-registration required.  Please feel free to forward to your colleagues.

Suzanne Immerman

Director of Strategic Partnerships

Office of the Secretary

U.S. Department of Education

HUD would like to better understand how HUD dollars can or could be leveraged by foundations in their impact investment strategies, and how HUD can play a deeper role in removing barriers to better leverage and align cross-sector funding and resources.  This information will be used to inform HUD programs and policies. HUD plans to assemble a series of case studies detailing examples of how HUD money can or could align with foundation grants, program-related investments, or mission-related investments.

Please contact partnership@cof.org by August 10 if you would like to speak with HUD about your experience in the coming months. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the Council’s Public-Philanthropic Partnership department.

Are you interested in impact investing? Learn more about the Council’s new partnerships with Mission Investors Exchange and the Global Impact Investing Network.

Arlington, Va.––The Council on Foundations announced important partnerships with two leaders advancing social impact, the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) and the Mission Investors Exchange. The Council will add its complementary platform to amplify, convene, and connect around the good work of these two leaders.

Impact and mission investments, which include both below-market program-related investments (PRIs) and market-rate mission-related investments (MRIs), play a vital role in financing the ideas, organizations, people, and activities that create impact. Ultimately, the two partnerships will draw on decades of collective experience to catalyze thought leadership and increase the amount of financial capital invested in communities.

Reaching a wide array of impact investors from pension funds to foundations, GIIN is dedicated to increasing the scale and effectiveness of impact investing and serves as a forum for identifying and addressing the systemic barriers that hinder the impact investing industry’s efficiency and effectiveness. Mission Investors Exchange is a membership organization for foundations and mission investing organizations that use or are learning to use PRI and MRI investing as a strategy to accomplish their philanthropic goals.

The Council’s membership represents approximately $300 billion in assets as well as a network of knowledge and philanthropic leadership. By establishing partnerships with GIIN and the Mission Investors Exchange, the Council will be able to provide information and resources to its membership in the impact investing arena, expanding on existing programming around grants, partnerships, policy, thought-leadership, and impact.

“Foundations pioneered PRIs nearly 50 years ago and today many more are bringing larger amounts of below-market and market-rate investment capital to the table to create social impact. Taking note of the market opportunity, a growing number of private investors are entering the social impact domain, and our three organizations want to ensure that foundations continue to evolve their special role in the space.” said Jeff Clarke, interim president and CEO of the Council on Foundations. “Together we can increase awareness, create knowledge, build networks, and catalyze broad adoption of investing for social, environmental, and financial returns.”

“The Council’s support for increasing awareness of the value of program and mission-related investing is a tremendously important development for the philanthropic sector,” said Luther M. Ragin Jr., chief executive officer of GIIN. “We are thrilled to provide resources to Council members interested in mobilizing more of their assets and those of other institutional investors to fund social and environmental solutions.”

“The Council on Foundations’ membership base and broad reach make it an excellent partner in our work to facilitate mission investing in foundations of every type and size,” said Peter Berliner, managing director of Mission Investors Exchange. “By working with the Council, we can better help foundations cross traditional boundaries among sectors, investing, and philanthropy. Together we have the potential to drive new sources of capital into areas of need.”

The Council on Foundations (www.cof.org), formed in 1949, is a nonprofit membership association of grantmaking foundations and corporations. Members of the Council include more than 1,700 independent, operating, community, public and company-sponsored foundations, and corporate giving programs in the United States and abroad. The Council’s mission is to provide the opportunity, leadership, and tools needed by philanthropic organizations to expand, enhance, and sustain their ability to advance the common good.

Press Contact(s)

Lana Williams

lana.williams@cof.org 703-879-0644