[Philanthropy News Digest] Created by Enterprise Community Partners in partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council, Green Communities is a five-year, $555 million initiative to build more than 8,500 environmentally healthy homes for low-income families in the United States. The initiative provides grants, financing, tax-credit equity, and technical assistance to developers who meet Green Communities Criteria for affordable housing that promotes health, conserves energy and natural resources, and provides easy access to jobs, schools, and services.
Green Communities is now offering charrette grants of up to $5,000 each for green affordable housing developers who want to convene intense working sessions with the development team and others who share an interest in promoting health and livability.
A Green Communities charrette will involve an intense working session that brings together a diverse group of housing development professionals as well as funders, policy makers, and community stakeholders (where possible) to integrate sustainable green design principles into affordable housing developments. Enterprise will award grants to cover the cost of facilitating a charrette during pre-development and to cover the cost of facilitating a post-construction sustainability training session.
The charrette grant program is open to 501(c)(3) nonprofits, public housing authorities, and tribally designated housing entities; for-profit entities; and for-profit entities participating through joint ventures with qualified organizations.
Visit the Enterprise Web site for complete program information and application materials.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Bank of America Neighborhood Builders grants
[Philanthropy News Digest] The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Neighborhood Excellence Initiative is designed to recognize, nurture, and reward community organizations, local heroes, and student leaders who are helping their neighborhoods achieve excellence. The program makes grants and awards in forty-four U.S. markets and in London, United Kingdom.
The Neighborhood Excellence Initiative is accepting applications/nominations for the following programs:
Neighborhood Builders: Provides $200,000 in core operating support and leadership training over two years to two nonprofit organizations working in each eligible community to promote vibrant neighborhoods. Any 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating in an applicable Bank of America community is eligible for a grant under the foundation's guidelines. (Applicants must be registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales for the London market.) The program seeks organizations whose focus closely reflects local neighborhood priorities. Applicants should demonstrate how they have impacted their community and how grant funding and leadership development opportunities will help their organization further its work in the community.
Local Heroes: Recognizes and honors five heroes per year in each of the selected communities whose achievements and leadership on local issues contribute significantly to neighborhood vitality. Successful nominations will demonstrate how a nominee has made a special and significant impact on individuals, families, or the community at large; inspired others to community service; or been a catalyst for new visions, understanding, and change in a community. Recipients will each be able to direct a $5,000 contribution to an eligible nonprofit. Self-nominations are accepted.
Visit the Bank of America Web site for complete guidelines and list of eligible markets.
The Neighborhood Excellence Initiative is accepting applications/nominations for the following programs:
Neighborhood Builders: Provides $200,000 in core operating support and leadership training over two years to two nonprofit organizations working in each eligible community to promote vibrant neighborhoods. Any 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating in an applicable Bank of America community is eligible for a grant under the foundation's guidelines. (Applicants must be registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales for the London market.) The program seeks organizations whose focus closely reflects local neighborhood priorities. Applicants should demonstrate how they have impacted their community and how grant funding and leadership development opportunities will help their organization further its work in the community.
Local Heroes: Recognizes and honors five heroes per year in each of the selected communities whose achievements and leadership on local issues contribute significantly to neighborhood vitality. Successful nominations will demonstrate how a nominee has made a special and significant impact on individuals, families, or the community at large; inspired others to community service; or been a catalyst for new visions, understanding, and change in a community. Recipients will each be able to direct a $5,000 contribution to an eligible nonprofit. Self-nominations are accepted.
Visit the Bank of America Web site for complete guidelines and list of eligible markets.
Nearly $130 devoted to energy efficieny, workforce issues
The Obama Administration recently announced a multi-agency initiative to spur regional economic growth while making buildings more energy efficient. Seven federal agencies today issued a combined Funding Opportunity Announcement of up to $129.7 million over five years to create a regional research center that will develop new building efficiency technologies and work with local partners to implement the technologies in area buildings. The Department of Labor press release can be viewed here.
The agencies are working together to leverage funding and resources to promote regional growth through an Energy Regional Innovation Cluster (E-RIC) that is centered around an Energy Innovation Hub focused on developing new technologies to improve the design of energy-efficient building systems. This Energy Innovation Hub, one of three proposed by the Administration and funded by Congress in the FY10 budget, will bring together a multidisciplinary team of researchers, ideally working under one roof, to conduct research and work to solve priority technology challenges that span work from basic research to engineering development to commercialization readiness.
"The Department of Labor will engage local and regional networks of Workforce Investment Boards and One-Stop Career centers to ensure that workers reap the maximum benefit from this initiative," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "This alignment of federal agency resources will allow us to have an even greater positive impact along the full economic spectrum. It will also help reduce the energy costs of buildings while spurring the creation of new jobs in green and energy efficient industries."
"Regional innovation clusters create jobs and increase our global competitiveness. Through the Energy RIC, the SBA will help entrepreneurs and small business owners take the best research and commercialize it to grow the 'green building' industry into an economic powerhouse that will put people to work, save consumers money and help our environment," said U.S. Small Business Administrator Karen Mills.
The agencies are working together to leverage funding and resources to promote regional growth through an Energy Regional Innovation Cluster (E-RIC) that is centered around an Energy Innovation Hub focused on developing new technologies to improve the design of energy-efficient building systems. This Energy Innovation Hub, one of three proposed by the Administration and funded by Congress in the FY10 budget, will bring together a multidisciplinary team of researchers, ideally working under one roof, to conduct research and work to solve priority technology challenges that span work from basic research to engineering development to commercialization readiness.
"The Department of Labor will engage local and regional networks of Workforce Investment Boards and One-Stop Career centers to ensure that workers reap the maximum benefit from this initiative," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "This alignment of federal agency resources will allow us to have an even greater positive impact along the full economic spectrum. It will also help reduce the energy costs of buildings while spurring the creation of new jobs in green and energy efficient industries."
"Regional innovation clusters create jobs and increase our global competitiveness. Through the Energy RIC, the SBA will help entrepreneurs and small business owners take the best research and commercialize it to grow the 'green building' industry into an economic powerhouse that will put people to work, save consumers money and help our environment," said U.S. Small Business Administrator Karen Mills.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Construction and the recession
According to a February 6, 2010 Times report, "Nationally, unemployment fell to 9.7% in January, but in construction it jumped to 24.7% from 18.7% in October. In many regions, union officials report 30% of their members are unemployed or 'riding the bench.'" See the full story here.
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A nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, the RCWE’s mission is to connect people with jobs through collaborative workforce development efforts and strong partnerships with economic development, business, education, and government sectors in the Northwest Pennsylvania region.