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Archive for the ‘Resources’ Category

Take a Child Outside Week

Posted in Advocacy, Events, Resources on September 15, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Take a Child Outside Week

September 24—September 30, 2009

Take A Child Outside Week is a program designed to help break down obstacles that keep children from discovering the natural world. By arming parents, teachers and other caregivers with resources on outdoor activities, our goal is to help children across the country develop a better understanding and appreciation of the environment in which they live, and a burgeoning enthusiasm for its exploration.

Going outside:

  • connects children to the natural world
  • helps kids focus in school
  • reduces chances of obesity

So take a child outside!

You can:

Come, be a part of this national movement!

http://takeachildoutside.org/

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Raising the Bar: Quality Improvement Systems for Youth Programs

Posted in Research, Resources on September 9, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Out-of-school programs can help children improve their academic and social skills, but only if managers improve staff “point of service” interactions with children and youth. This Forum for Youth Investment commentary draws lessons from successful programs in Michigan and Chicago.

http://www.forumfyi.org/files/OSTPC15.pdf

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Health Care Reform: What’s in it for Kids & Families Fact Sheet

Posted in Advocacy, Resources on September 2, 2009| Leave a Comment »

With sections on how kids fit into the health care picture, why we can’t wait, and the problems the current system imposes on children and families, Connect for Kids offers some key facts and resources for your letters to the editor.

by: Jan Richter, Clare Krusing and the CFK Team

As Congress and the Obama administration work to reform our nation’s health care system, here are resources to understand what’s happening, what’s in it for kids and young people, and what you can do to help. Please note that the citations are not intended to be comprehensive – we link to one or two relevant studies for each. To suggest more resources, email submissions@connectforkids.org.

The basics:

  • One in every 10 children in the United States had no health insurance in 2007, and the cost of insurance to families and employers is rising, according to 2009 information cited in a Population Reference Bureau brief.

to continue reading more click this link: http://www.connectforkids.org/node/6976

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TASC Publication – “ELT: Expanding and Erniching Learning Time for All” and Call to Action

Posted in Advocacy, Research, Resources on September 2, 2009| Leave a Comment »

TASC is starting the new school year with a call to action. They’re calling for more schools to expand the learning day, for policymakers to support more time for enrichments as well as academics, and for Congress to pass the TIME (Time for Innovation Matters in Education) Act of 2009 to help kids whose learning is limited by outdated school schedules.

These recommendations (and more) are contained in a newly published policy brief from TASC, “ELT: Expanding and Enriching Learning Time for All.” In it, we share lessons for educators and community organizations from the first year of the Expanded Learning Time / New York City initiative. TASC partners with the New York City Department of Education and the  department of Youth and Community Development in this initiative to expand learning time by at least 30 percent in 10 pilot schools. We believe that the lessons learned from Year One of this project are applicable not only to New York City, but to schools, school systems,
and organizations across the nation.

We hope that you will take the time to read this new brief and share it with your members. Please visit the TASC Web site to download the report

http://www.tascorp.org/content/document/detail/2575/

and to learn more about the ELT / NYC initiative
http://www.tascorp.org/section/what_we_do/develop_program_models/elt_nyc .

Thank you for everything you do to support, educate and inspire kids.
Happy back to school!

All the best,
Jess Tonn
t. (646) 943-8709 | f. (646) 943-8800 | e. jtonn@tascorp.org
web. www.tascorp.org | twitter. @after_school

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Summer Workshops – Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits August 18 (Tucson)

Posted in Events, Professional Development and Training, Resources on August 12, 2009| Leave a Comment »

The Logic Behind the Logic Model: Essential Tools for a Rock-Solid Evaluation Plan
Inputs… Outputs… Outcomes… Goals… Logic Models: Everywhere you turn, grantseekers are talking about them. And more and more funders – private and public alike – are requiring them as part of your grant application package.

But what is a “Logic Model,” anyway? How does it work? What are the key elements, how do they fit together, and – most important – how can knowing how to construct a solid, makes-sense Logic Model support not only more successful grantseeking, but the success of your program itself?

In this workshop, the Alliance will strip back the myths and mysteries surrounding the Logic Model Process and give you the tools and concepts you need to put the Logic Model to work for you. You’ll discover:

  • A new, powerful way of looking at the underlying framework of your program or project plan
  • A no-jargon, easy-to-remember, real-life “roadmap” to the key elements of a Logic Model and how they fit together
  • How to use the Logic Model process to create knock-their-socks-off outcome statements and evaluation plans that funders will love
  • The Logic Model as a key tool for more successful, high-quality program management
  • The Logic Model in action: Samples from a variety of community organizations

Tucson
Date/Time: Tuesday, August 18, 8:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Location: Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, 2250 E. Broadway, Tucson, AZ 95719
Cost: $55, $46.75 Alliance Members and AZ Guide to Grants Online Subscribers
Learn more: http://www.arizonanonprofits.org/events/eventdetails.aspx ? id=196
To register: https://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Register/IdentityConfirmation.aspx ? e=3aaacb5c-3f53-44d9-80fc-f1b1bd9e0460

Building Blocks for a Winning Proposal Budget
Worthy grant proposals often don’t make it to the final cut because the proposal budget is poorly put together. However, crafting a budget that clearly and accurately reflects all the resources your program needs is not a complex or mysterious process!

In this workshop you’ll learn the principles of mission-driven budgeting, and practice applying those principles to a real-life scenario as you build a detailed proposal budget, step by step. You’ll learn how grantmakers evaluate budgets – and what your budget says about your organization. And you’ll work with simple but powerful tools to help you organize your financial information in the clearest, most powerful way.

Join the Alliance at this workshop and you will:

  • Understand the importance of a sound, detailed, mission-driven budget as both a key proposal component and a planning and management tool
  • Learn how the concept of “total-value budgeting” supports your project planning and management – and simplifies the process of building a proposal budget
  • Learn what you need to know about “in-kind,” match, valuing volunteer time, indirect or administrative costs, and much more.
  • Learn the easy-to-follow, step-by-step process guaranteed to result in an unbeatable proposal budget
  • Work with – and take home – planning tools that will guide you through the process start to finish – guaranteed!

Tucson
Date/Time: Tuesday, August 18, 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Community Foundation of Southern Arizona, 2250 E. Broadway, Tucson, 85719
Cost: $55, $46.75 Alliance Members and AZ Guide to Grants Online Subscribers
Learn more: http://www.arizonanonprofits.org/events/eventdetails.aspx ? id=195
To register: https://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Register/IdentityConfirmation.aspx ? e=c507bc55-a1b1-4d97-ba83-b160860606ca

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The Ultimate Homework Station

Posted in Activities, Resources, tagged , , on August 12, 2009| Leave a Comment »

In case you haven’t noticed, I love Family Fun Magazine Online. They have awesome (and fun to make) recipes and projects.

Just in time for back to school, their latest is an ingenious idea for creating private homework space and the kids can make them for the afterschool program AND make one for home too!

The Clever, Inspiring Solution: turn display boards (available at office supply stores) into study carrels that can be set up in a flash, with all the necessary supplies close at hand. Easily stowed in a corner or a closet, these customizable stations keep kids focused on learning by providing a fun home base for tackling their assignments. And a single display board makes two carrels, so each sibling can have his own.

home-made study carrel

home-made study carrel

Create the station:
You will need:

  • Tri-fold display board (48 by 36 inches; makes two stations)
  • Yardstick and pencil
  • Craft knife
  • Con-Tact paper or paint (optional)

    • 1. Cut the board in half horizontally. Set one half aside if you plan to make just one carrel. Lay the other half facedown. To make the carrel easy to fold even when stocked with hanging supplies, pencil a vertical line parallel to each existing fold, 2 inches closer to the center. Using the yardstick as a guide, score the lines, cutting through only the top layer of the cardboard.2. Fold along the scored lines. Cover the carrel’s back with Con-Tact paper or paint, if desired.</

  • Add the supplies:
    Use glue dots to affix clothespins to one side for holding important papers and notes.

    Adhere magnets with hot glue to scissors, the back of a stapler, and other frequently used supplies. Line them up along a ruler/magnet strip, with more magnets and a magnetic clip.

    Use adhesive-backed Velcro dots to attach supplies that need to be easily removed: the ruler/magnet strip, a clock, a calculator, a sticky-note dispenser, and a pencil box.

    Hang a zip-close binder pouch from an adhesive hook to hold small supplies.

    Affix a small cork square for displaying photos or notes, using hot glue or the adhesive supplied with the square.

    homework station folded

    homework station folded

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    2009 National Indicators of Child Well-Being

    Posted in Research, Resources on July 28, 2009| Leave a Comment »

    The Forum on Child and Family Statistic’s signature report, America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, provides annual updates on the well-being of children and families in the United States across a range of domains. A more detailed report alternates every other year with a condensed version that highlights selected indicators. This year, the Forum is publishing the full report and will produce a brief report in July 2010. View the 2009 report…

    For highlights from each section of America’s Children, 2009, please click here.

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    Neighborhood Factors Influence Youth Participation in Programs

    Posted in Research, Resources on July 28, 2009| Leave a Comment »

    A new Child Trends brief finds that youth who have not participated in out-of-school time programs are significantly more likely than are their participating peers to live in an unsupportive neighborhood; to spend more than two hours a day watching TV or playing video games; and to have parents who are in poor health, who don’t exercise, and who have less than a high school education.

    Click here for the report

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    Introducing BrainPOP…

    Posted in Resources on July 20, 2009| Leave a Comment »

    “An ideal resource for both classroom teachers and after-school program leaders, BrainPOP Educators is a free professional community offering innovative lesson plans, video tutorials, graphic organizers, best practices, and much more.  Launched in Fall 2008, the community is already 50,000 educators strong.  Access to BrainPOP Educators is open to anyone, with or without a BrainPOP subscription. Simply register at www.brainpop.com/educators/educators_registration”
    Webinar:  Implementing BrainPOP Into Your School or District Wednesday, July 22, 2009 3:00 pm EDT
    Duration: 1 hour

    To find out more:  http://www.brainpop.com/educators/blog/

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    The Big Green Help Grants Program

    Posted in Funding Opportunities, Resources on July 20, 2009| Leave a Comment »

    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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