Hello, All-

Here are some NYSCAA News and Updates and other items you may find of interest:

 NYSCAA News and Updates

 Tech Day.  Another reminder for our free online tech training to be held in late January.  Disaster Recovery: Safeguarding Your Community Action Agency’s Technology Investment, will run Wednesday, January 31st 9:30-10:30 with additional time available if needed, and will feature Joel Lord a Sr. System Architect at Information Management Group.  The focus of the event will be on disaster preparedness as it applies to technology.  To register go to:  http://hq.nyscaaonline.org/priweb/events.aspx

 Poverty Symposium: New York’s Response to Poverty and Economic Security.  As you know, registration is open for NYSCAA’s First Annual Poverty Symposium.  A full brochure will be out in late January/early February.  You may register online at http://hq.nyscaaonline.org/priweb/events.aspx or by calling Kristine Speth, NYSCAA’s Program Assistant at 518-690-0941, ext. 27.

 Public Policy Committee Call.  The NYSCAA Public Policy Committee is meeting via teleconference on Thursday, January 11th at 10:00.  Call in information will follow.

 NCAF Conference.  Hold March 7-9th for the NCAF Conference in Washington DCPlease let Denise Harlow know at dharlow@nyscaaonline.org if you are planning on attending.  NYSCAA is looking to organize congressional visits in partnership with members, and knowing who is planning on attending will be a big help.  Please note that NYSCAA does not want to duplicate your efforts.  We know many of you will be scheduling your visits with House members and we ask that you keep us in the loop. 

 Governor Spitzer’s State of the State.  In case you missed Governor Spitzer’s State of the State Address, I have attached NYSCAA’s summary/highlights of the speech as they relate to Community Action and you may access the full speech at http://www.ny.gov/governor/keydocs/NYS-SoS-2007.pdf

 FDANYS and NYSWDA Information

 FDANYS Conference.  Mark you calendar now for the Family Development Association of NYS’ Annual Conference and National Dialogue.   The event will be held May 23-24th at the Desmond in Albany.

 FDANYS Board Meeting.  The FDANYS Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 9, 2007.  The meeting will be held at 11:30 at the Dutchess County Community Action Agency, 77 Cannon St. in Poughkeepsie.  If you have questions, please contact Lindy Glennon at lglennon@twcny.rr.com  or Jen Forster-Green at 518-690-0491, ext. 21, or jfg@nyscallonline.org.   

 HEAP Hearings. As you may have read from an earlier email, the 2007 HEAP hearings have been scheduled to occur around the state in January and early February.  NYSWDA appreciated the strong turnout last year and hope to build on it for this year.  Please contact NYSWDA Executive Director James McGarvey at mcgarvey@nyswda.org for more details.  The schedule of hearings is as follows:

Ø       Syracuse, NY Thursday, January 11, 2007 from 6:30P.M.-8:30P.M. and Friday, January 12, 2007 from 10:00A.M.-12:00P.M., Holiday Inn Syracuse/Liverpool, 441 Electronics Parkway, Liverpool, New York  13088.

Ø       Buffalo, NY, Thursday, January 18, 2007 from 6:30P.M.-8:30P.M. and Friday, January 19, 2007 from 10:00A.M-12:00P.M., Holiday Inn Buffalo Airport 4600 Genesee Street, Cheektowaga, New York  14225.

Ø       New York, NY, Friday, February 2, 2007 from 11:30 A.M.-1:30 P.M., 6th floor Training Center, Room 603, 317 Lenox Avenue, New York, New York 10027.

Ø       Albany, NY, Monday, February 5, 2007, from 6:30P.M.-8:30P.M. and Tuesday, February 6, 2007 from 1:30P.M.-3:30P.M., Courtyard by Marriott, 168 Wolf Road, Albany, New York  12205.

 Funding Opportunities

 Bid Profile Name: Healthy Families New York 2006

NYS Office of Children and Family Services

Application Due Date: 2/28/2007

Estimated Funds Available: $3,000,000

Objective: Start up or expansion of target service areas of Healthy Families New York Program sites to provide intensive home visiting services to expectant and new parents who reside in areas at highest risk for poor birth outcomes.  The purpose of the services is to promote positive parenting skills, better birth outcomes and optimal child health and development.

Eligible Applicants: Local Government, Non Profit 501(c)(3) (Not Higher Ed.)

Announcement Notes: A complete application must be received no later than 5:00 PM on 2/28/2007.  The closing of the RFP queries will be 1/16/2007.  A letter of intent to file an application is due at 5:00 PM on  1/31/2007.  Failure to file a Letter of Intent does not preclude bidders from applying.

More Information: To view the complete Bid Profile and the solicitation document for this Bid Solicitation, if you have Internet access, go to https://ocfsws.ocfs.state.ny.us/obl/index.asp?menu=28&grantid=237  .If you do not have Internet access you may instead contact Tina  Williams at (518) 402-6784 or Tina.Williams@ocfs.state.ny.us.   (If anyone would like to get together to talk about a regional proposal across CAPs, NYSCAA would be happy to host a meeting or conference call-just let Denise know.)

Cittgroup Micro enterprise Researchers Program.  Apply by January 31, 2007 for the Citi group Micro enterprise Researchers Program. Twenty-five nonprofits across the country engaged in small businesses development will be selected to participate in the program and will receive assistance in collecting information about their clients' needs, experiences, and accomplishments as it relates to micro-enterprise.   To request a Citigroup researcher, micro enterprise development programs must formally apply by the deadline to FIELD, which will make its final selection decisions by March 1, 2007. Each organization chosen to participate in the program will then be responsible for recruiting and selecting one intern, who should be pursuing a graduate degree in public policy, planning, business, or a related field. The internships will run from late May to mid- August. Each intern will receive a stipend of $5,760. Program eligibility requirements and details about the application process are posted on the FIELD Web site.

Trainings and Other Events


NYS Society of CPAs Holds Nonprofit Conference
Looking for advanced fiscal training and updates on fiscal issues facing nonprofits?  The New York State Society of CPAs brings their annual Nonprofit Conference to Rochester (Jan. 10th) and New York City (Jan. 17th) again in 2007. This day-long conference is designed for CPAs, staff accountants, nonprofit executives, board members, and financial employees of nonprofit organizations. Highlights from the conference will include: Nonprofit Accounting & Auditing Updates, Legal Update: Issues Affecting Nonprofits, Selected Advanced Accounting and Reporting Topics, and Two Experts Panel Discussions: Accounting & Auditing and Governance Issues.  Click here for a registration form. Please Register by phone at: (212) 719-8383 or (800) 537-3635.   For those NYSCAA members who are also members of the Council of Community Services of NYS, Inc., make sure to mention you are a CCSNYS Member to receive the NYSSCPA Discount (discount of $100).

Articles of Interest

Low-Income Children Participating in Food Stamps and WIC Have Lower Levels of Health Problems, Study Finds“Effects of WIC and Food Stamp Program Participation on Child Outcomes,” ers.usda.gov, December 2006).  Both joint or separate participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Food Stamp Program (FSP) reduces the risk of child abuse or neglect and multiple nutrition-related health problems, according to a study conducted by the University of Chicago with the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The study showed that low-income, young children participating in WIC and (or) FSP had lower levels of anemia, failure to thrive and nutritional deficiency than those who received no services. This finding indicates significant benefits of WIC and FSP participation among those children. http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/CCR27/

One in 20 Hispanics Regularly Goes Hungry, Study Says. (“Study Warns of Hunger Among Hispanics,” washingtonpost.com, December 20, 2006)  Nearly one in five Hispanics lacks sufficient access to nutritious food and one in 20 regularly goes hungry, according to a new study by the National Council of La Raza. Poverty is the main factor that contributes to the problem. About 22 percent of Latinos are poor, compared to 25 percent of non-Hispanic blacks and 8 percent of non-Hispanic whites. Many Latinos, 40 percent of whom are foreign-born, face linguistic, cultural and legal barriers to enrolling in food assistance programs. Slightly more than half of eligible Latinos participate in the Food Stamp Program. The program’s complex requirements and paperwork are daunting to many immigrant Latinos. In comparison, the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children has a simpler enrollment process and a high rate of Latino participation. Study co-author Jennifer Ng’andu said government food programs need to undertake an aggressive outreach in the Latino community and train their staff to better understand the eligibility rules affecting immigrants. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/19/AR2006121901318.html.  Also see http://www.nclr.org/content/publications/detail/43410/ (report, “Sin Provecho: Latinos and Food Insecurity”)

Media Tool

Working Press: An Analysis of Media Coverage on Low Wage WorkWorking Press this latest media analysis by Douglas Gould and Company looks at the coverage of key issues and policies associated with low wage work, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, health insurance, minimum and living wage, job training, child care, family leave and Wal-Mart, whose practices have been challenged by several advocacy organizations and broadcast news personalities over the past few years. As a result, several motivating and useful conclusions were drawn. To view the Executive Summary, please click here.

Thanks!

Denise

 Denise Harlow
Chief Executive Officer
New York State Community Action Association
2 Charles Blvd.
Guilderland, NY  12084
(518) 690-0491, ext. 24
Fax: (518) 690-0498
www.nyscaaonline.org
 
A Member of the Community Action Partnership-Helping People.  Changing Lives
 

Check out http://hq.nyscaaonline.org/priweb/events.aspx   for infomation on upcoming NYSCAA events such as our Online Tech Day on January 31, 2007 and the New York State Symposium on Poverty and Economic Security on March 12-13, 2007.