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The Big Green Help Grants Program

July 20, 2009 by Lisa Rice

The Big Green Help is an initiative that connects kids to environmentally-friendly activities in their everyday lives. Nickelodeon is offering The Big Green Help Grants Program, which is a funding opportunity that gives $2,500-$5,000 grants to support environmentally friendly projects that inspire kids to take care the environment, be active, live healthy and engage in community service. Nickelodeon is asking for your organization’s help in spreading the word about this Grant opportunity.

Eligibility period: April 1 – December 31, 2009
Who is Eligible?
– Elementary and middle schools including grades K–9 (public and private not-for-profit) and after-school community based organization with 501(c)(3) status serving kids age 5-15.  Applicants must host an Earth Day event in April or a Worldwide Day of Play event in September. These events must be registered and include a project description, a recaps and photos from event
– Within the parameters of guidelines, projects of all non-profit organizations are considered for funding without regard to race, gender, disability, religion, ethnicity, age, or sexual orientation
– In addition to the criteria above, please note grant applications will not be considered unless the applicant hosts a Big Green Help environmental project or participates in Worldwide Day of Play in 2009
and provides tangible documentation of the activities. Documentation must come in the form of video, photographs or drawings. Supporting documentation, such as press clippings, letters/proclamation from
mayors, administrators or other elected officials are welcome!

If you would like more information about the Grants Program applications can be found at: http://bghevent.com/

 For any questions you may have, please direct to Tiffany.Curtis@mtvnmix.com.

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Submit Info for AZ Daily Star Afterschool Program List

July 13, 2009 by Lisa Rice

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 07.12.2009 http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/300449

There goes time — flying again.

Which is another way of telling schools and organizations that provide activities for kids that it’s time to submit their information to the Star’s Kids’ Afterschool Programs listings.

The Star will provide those listings to the public beginning July 20. Submissions should be made by Wednesday.

This year, the listings will be carried online only, but they also will be available throughout the school year. And schools and sponsoring organizations may update their listings on azstarnet.com at any time.

Azstarnet’s software now allows anyone submitting information to view what they’ve written and to edit it.

The Star will do no editing. So the responsibility for listings’ accuracy lies with those who submit the information.

The really good news, however, is that new submissions may be added throughout the school year.

To make a submission, go to programs.azstarnet.com. (Note: there is no “www” in the Web address.) We’ll cue you from there.

For more information, contact Linda Velazquez, 573-4133, or Rosalie Crowe, 573-4105.

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Yuma District One After-School Activities In Jeopardy

July 9, 2009 by Lisa Rice

District One After-School Activities In Jeopardy – KSWT: Local News, Weather, Sports Yuma, AZ El Centro Imperial Valley, CA |

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Happy Summer Learning Day – July 9‏

July 8, 2009 by Lisa Rice

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release July 6, 2009
NATIONAL SUMMER LEARNING DAY, 2009
– – – – – – –
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Like an athlete out of practice, a child who takes long
breaks from learning can face academic setbacks. This problem
is especially prominent during the summer, when students may
lose more than two months of progress. Children must remain
engaged to maintain and build upon their current academic
achievement.

Learning loss can be especially pronounced among low-income
children. Recent research suggests that unequal access to
summer learning opportunities helps explain the achievement gap
between low-income and affluent students. This gap ultimately
means that low-income students may be less likely to graduate
from high school or enroll in college.

High-quality summer learning programs help children
catch up, keep up, and work ahead. These activities provide
students with hours of focused time for hands-on learning
and creative projects. Participation can result in gains
in writing, reading, and math skills. Through the arts,
sports, and other extracurricular activities, summer learning
opportunities also promote innovation and physical fitness.
These health benefits are especially important because childhood
obesity is at an all-time high and children typically gain
weight two to three times faster during the summer.
Sustained public service can also dramatically impact
summer learning loss. Students can challenge themselves and
others through mentoring, environmental projects, and other
meaningful volunteer work. Youth and their communities both
benefit from these activities. Local opportunities for service
can be found at: Serve.gov.

Families and community members play the most important role
in the lives of their children. Demands at work and home mean
that many parents have less time to spend with their children,
but this time, care, and instruction is critical to children’s
academic success. Especially during the summer, parents should
try to find time to read interactively with children. When
possible, families should visit public libraries, tour museums
and science centers, and explore the great outdoors. Parents
can also encourage youth to keep a journal and to practice math
skills through cooking and games.

Even though summer has arrived, student learning needs do
not take a vacation. On Summer Learning Day, we highlight the
need for more young people to be challenged during their time
off from school. We also express support for local programs,
communities, and families that help children grow through
learning initiatives. Working together, we can help students
remain engaged and return to school with lithe and limber minds.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in
me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby
proclaim July 9, 2009, as National Summer Learning Day. I call
upon all Americans to support students as they participate in
summer learning. I encourage students, parents, educators, and
the non-profit community to engage in summer learning activities
so that youth return to school poised for academic advancement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine,
and of the Independence of the United States of America the
two hundred and thirty-fourth.
BARACK OBAMA
# # #

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Snacktivities

July 8, 2009 by Lisa Rice

School’s out, so to feed kids’ hunger for knowledge and keep math and reading skills from getting too rusty, try these fun ideas for snack time.

This is No. 10 of Family Fun’s 10 Ways to Make Summer More Fun. Be sure to check out the others!

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
0607_snacktivitiesEDIBLE HANGMAN:
Crackers 
Squirtable cheese or similar condiment 
Celery 
Cherry tomatoes 
Carrots 
Bell peppers

 
MAKE-A-SHAPE: 
Mini marshmallows or raisins 
Toothpicks 
1. Edible Hangman: Make this classic game delicious by having kids write their letter guesses on crackers using squirtable cheese or a similar condiment. Veggies make up the hangman — a celery body, cherry tomato head, carrot arms, and bell-pepper legs. After each round, players eat their words — and their veggies.

2. Make-a-Shape: Turn mini marshmallows or raisins into building materials. Using toothpicks as connectors, kids can create shapes such as hexagons and pyramids before they gobble their snack.

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UPDATED: Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona

July 3, 2009 by Lisa Rice

CORRECTION: The RFP for The Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona is not accurate. They have not published their grants calendar at this time and the deadline in the Funding Alert email is incorrect. Please refer to their website below for the most current information regarding funding opportunities. We apologize for the confusion.

Website: http://www.womengiving.org/grantmaking/

Original Post:

Name: Health, Safety, and Well-Being for Women and Girls

Amount: $15,000

Type: Health, Public Safety

Description: The Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona is committed to social change grantmaking that focuses on long-term solutions to societal problems. The Women’s Foundation recognizes and values direct service work aimed at addressing immediate needs and will consider supporting that work when clear evidence of the social change it brings about has been demonstrated by the applicant.

The foundation funds programs that – address the root causes of social problems facing women and girls; >- challenge societal attitudes, promote public policy change, and encourage institutional reform to eliminate barriers that prevent women and girls from full participation in society; – have the capacity for impact that extends substantially beyond the women and girls immediately involved in the project; – promote the unique contributions or needs of girls and women through the education of boys and men; and – develop collaboration between the applicant organization and other organizations in the community.

To be considered, a grant proposal must fall into one of the three categories: Health, Safety, and Well-being for Women and Girls; Economic Justice for Women and Girls; or Social Justice and Human Rights.

The list of Health, Safety, and Well-being for Women and Girls projects below is for illustrative purposes, and is not intended to be exhaustive.

– Increase access to affordable health care
– Healthy choices about reproductive rights
– Violence against women and girls
– Unhealthy body images and eating disorders
– Education re: sexual health
– Involve women and girls in sports
– Reduce sexual harassment in the workplace
– Prevent cardiovascular disease in women

Website: Link to RFP

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Comerica Grants

July 3, 2009 by Lisa Rice

Sponsor: Comerica Charitable Foundation

Deadline: 09/30/2009

Amount: varies

Type: Social & Economic, Education, Health

Description: The foundation funding priorities support community needs in its primary markets within Michigan, California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida. The foundation accepts applications for cash grants to support program and capital expenses of nonprofit organizations whose mission meets the foundation’s priorities for giving. Giving priorities include the following: 1. Economic self-sufficiency for low- and moderate-income individuals and families including – financial literacy, – job readiness, – job creation and retention, – small business training and development, and – transitional and supportive housing. 2. Neighborhood revitalization including affordable housing and neighborhood business development. 3. Education including financial literacy programs (K-12 and adult) and scholarships for students with income needs for studies in business, finance, and growth industries. 4. Access to health care including preventive care for the uninsured and under-insured 5. Programs supporting diversity and inclusion

Website: Link to RFP

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Armstrong McDonald Foundation Grants

July 3, 2009 by Lisa Rice

Sponsor: Armstrong McDonald Foundation

Deadline: 09/30/2009

Amount: varies

Type: Arts & Culture, Education, Health, Social & Economic

Description: The mission of the Armstrong McDonald Foundation is to continue the philanthropic ideals and goals of James M. McDonald, Sr. through prudent and impartial review of all qualifying grant requests received annually to insure that awards are made to soundly conceived and operated nonprofit organizations.

Grant categories include the following: 1. Animal Welfare: The foundation will consider only requests for assistance with endangered species reproduction research; for training of guide dogs for the visually impaired; and for training of dogs to be companions for the physically challenged or for mobility-restricted seniors 2. Children and Youth: This category is for projects submitted by BSA, GSA, Boys and Girls Clubs and Teen Challenge type organizations that are related to their mission or for improvement to their facilities and equipment, such as games, computers and renovations. 3. Education: The foundation supports institutions of higher learning (universities and colleges, both private and public) and special projects related to education. 4. Special Needs: The foundation has sent disabled kids to camp; made playgrounds handicapped accessible and friendly; purchased specialized equipment for licensed care facilities for the disabled and mentally retarded; contributed toward the training of dogs for the visually impaired and restricted-mobility seniors/adults/youth; assisted with purchase of equipment to be used by or for the disabled (wheelchairs, ramps, shower facilities); funded publication of new books and distribution of Braille textbooks; underwrote sport recreation meets for the disabled and mentally retarded; assisted with the costs of providing media services for the blind; and contributed to the costs of providing multiple services to the hearing impaired. 5. Health: The foundation supports a great variety of projects related to health issues ranging from lab supplies for teaching hospitals to multi-drug resistance research. 6. Relief and Social: This is the category where the foundation places qualifying projects that do not fit into the other categories. The foundation continues to support community outreach programs, shelters for the homeless, shelters for abused women and children, veteran related projects, services to seniors, purchase of vans for various transportation needs and transitional living programs.

Website: Link to RFP

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Lexington: The underworked American | The Economist

June 30, 2009 by Lisa Rice

Lexington: The underworked American | The Economist

Shared via AddThis
the Economist notes that American schools have one of the shortest school years (180) compared to OECD countries that have an average of 195, an 200 days for East Asian countries. And because of our 6 ½ hour school days, American kids are only getting about 32 hours of school a week compared to 37 hours in Luxembourg, 44 in Belgium, 53 in Denmark and 60 in Sweden.

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Measurement Tools for Evaluating Out-of-School Time Programs: An Evaluation Resource

June 27, 2009 by Lisa Rice

Originally released in 2005 and updated last year, this is one of our most popular resources for out-of-school time practitioners seeking help conducting evaluations. It describes instruments and tools that practitioners can obtain and use for on-the-ground program evaluation.

http://www.hfrp.org/publications-resources/browse-our-publications/measurement-tools-for-evaluating-out-of-school-time-programs-an-evaluation-resource for downloadable .pdf

Harvard Family Research Project
http://www.hfrp.org/

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