October 2007 – Volume V, Number 10

Compiled by Deb Miller Slipek

IN THIS ISSUE

--Notes from the Editorial Staff
--Funding
--Meetings & Training
--Opportunities
--Miscellaneous

NEWS & NOTES

Honorary State Capital for a Day: We are hoping that you won’t get tired of news and notes from the Minnesota Sesquicentennial but since we are helping out with that shindig, we wanted you to know that voting has begun to select five Honorary State Capitals for the Minnesota Sesquicentennial. The capitals will each represent five regions of the state designated by unique natural areas in Minnesota: the four biomes (three of which are major biomes in the North American Continent that somehow collide right here in Minnesota) and the driftless area of southeastern Minnesota – a special geological area that marks the only land in Minnesota not covered by a glacier.

So do your civic duty and vote for a Capital in each natural area, and during Statehood Week, May 11-18, 2008, each of the five communities will be the Honorary State Capital of Minnesota.  Voting ends Nov 26.

Go to http://www.mn150years.org/capital4aday2.html to learn about some wonderful places in this great state of ours and make some history today!

FUNDING

-- The Minnesota Sesquicentennial Round 2 Micro Grant Program is for communities and organizations to create Sesquicentennial activities. The deadline is December 7, 2007!   For information visit the website: www.mn150years.org/grants.html

--Regional Planning Grant Applications are now available through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The Framework for Integrated Regional Strategies (FIRST) grants are intended to help create new regional collaborations in the areas of workforce development, economic development and education. The goal is to develop integrated strategies that strengthen regional economies.  If your organization is interested in bringing leaders together to address your region's economic competitiveness and talent development needs, you are encouraged to apply. Applications are due November 30th.   For more information go to:  www.deed.state.mn.us/workforce/first/announce.pdf. 

-- Loan Forgiveness Programs for health professionals are now available.  Applications are open until December 1 for fiscal year 2009 from the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care. Information is online or contact Amy Vallery at (651) 201-3870 at amy.vallery@health.state.mn.us.

-- The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry is accepting proposals from health care facilities to acquire safe patient handling equipment and training. Proposals for grants up to $40,000 will be accepted until December 7.

--Changemakers, an initiative of Ashoka: Innovators for the Public and Nike have opened a world wide search for projects that use the transformative power of sport to achieve social change. The Changemakers Collaborative Competition winners will each receive $5,000. The deadline is December 12. For more information visit: http://www.changemakers.net/en-us/node.   

--U. S. HUD’s Brownfields Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) has $32.9 million available for grants to assist local governments in redeveloping environmentally contaminated properties. For more information, contact William Seedyke at 202 402-4612 or go to: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=15566. The deadline is Dec. 24.

--The BRICK Awards honor those under 25 working to address problems in their local community. More than $100,000 in cash and scholarships will be awarded in 2008. Nominations are due by Dec. 31. Go to http://www.dosomething.org/brick for more information.

--No interest six-year loans to help finance the installation or support of interoperable health record systems. Funding is available to community clinics, rural hospitals, physician clinics in towns with population under 50,000, nursing facilities, and other health care provider or services. The Interconnected Electronic Health Record System Revolving Loan Program is online or contact Karen Welle at (651) 201-3865 karen.welle@health.state.mn.us.

MEETINGS AND TRAINING

--Creating a Value-Added Community training is now available!  Renewing the Countryside has an exciting training opportunity available.  They will be conducting a community-based training called, Creating a Value-Added Community (CVAC) to communities across Minnesota.  Creating a Value-Added Community (CVAC) was designed to help communities develop strategies for poverty reduction, while planning for economic development. The CVAC training is also aimed at helping rural communities find practical ways to build capacity and fuel their economic engines toward a vibrant local economy. Contact Christy James at christy@rtcinfo.org or 612-963-0467 for more information about how your community can receive the Creating a Value-Added Community training

-- Two Basic Grant Writing courses will be held December 11, 2007 at the Initiative Foundation in Little Falls. For more information contact Jolene at 877-632-9255 or jhoward@ifound.org.

-- East Central Regional Arts Council (ECAC) Grant Information Session will be Tuesday, December 11, 2007, at 3 pm. from 3 to 4:30 pm at the East Central Arts Council offices at 100 Park Street South, Mora, MN.  ECAC grants for artists will be featured (grant range: $1,000 - $3,000) as well as ECAC project grants for organizations (grant range: $500 - $5,000).  Attendees will learn about the Arts Council's grant review process, and will get advice on how to prepare an ECAC grant application. Attendance is free, but we strongly recommend pre registration. To register E-mail  ecac@ecrdc.org or call (320) 679-4065 x 30. 

OPPORTUNITIES

--Oweesta announces a limited number of scholarships to bring Native practitioners to the 4th Annual Native CDFI Convening and Award Ceremony as part of the OFN Conference in Miami, FL, 11-14 December, 2007.  The application is posted on Our Native Circle – click here:  http://www.ournativecircle.org/node/244 for direct connect.   Applications must be returned by 16 November, 2007.   For questions please contact William Guevara at bill@oweesta.org or Tracey Fischer at tracey@oweesta.org

--The Rural Health Advisory Committee (RHAC) has openings for a consumer; a mid-level practitioner; a medical doctor; representatives from a hospital, higher education and a nursing home; and two state senators. Applicants must reside outside the seven-county metro area. Information and applications are available online under Open Appointments. Information on RHAC is online or call (651) 201-3856.

--Minnesota Conservation Corps Positions Available - If you or someone you know is 18-25 years of age and interested in outdoor work conserving and protecting Minnesota's natural resources, consider serving as a Crew Leader or Crew Member for the Minnesota Conservation Corps (MCC).  MCC's Young Adult Program is a 10.5 month commitment through our partnership with AmeriCorps, a national & community service program. Corps members serve throughout the state in regional crews (of 4 to 5 members) to improve and conserve natural resources by completing high priority projects and field work. MCC is currently accepting applications for 60 Crew Member & 16 Crew Leader positions for crews across the state of Minnesota.  All Corps members enroll in the program from early February through mid-December. Download a Crew Member / Crew Leader application from the MCC website http://www.conservationcorps.org/applymcc.htm or call 651-209-9900 to request one by mail. There is also a full-time NE Assistant District Manager position open. Apply by December 14!

--Summer 2008 Institute on Philanthropy and Voluntary Service - Scholarship applications are now being accepted for the Summer 2008 Institute on Philanthropy and Voluntary Service, a nonprofit internship and academic program for undergraduate students. The Institute is ideal for undergraduate student leaders who are engaged in service programs on and off their campuses. All majors and fields of study are welcome. This fast-paced Institute offers a combination of professional experience, academic courses and leadership development activities. As part of the Institute experience, students will attend exclusive events and participate in hands-on activities including developing a mission statement, planning service projects and organizing fundraising activities.  Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until February 25, 2008 with scholarship priority given to those who apply early. Students completing their application by the early deadline of November 30, 2007 will receive a 5% discount on their tuition balance as well as priority consideration. For more information and an online application, please visit: www.dcinternships.org/ipvs/about/index.asp

MISCELLANEOUS

--The Future of Biofuels: A Global Perspective - Global biofuel production tripled between 2000 and 2007, but still accounts for less than 3 percent of global transportation fuel supply. Increased demand for biofuels has contributed to higher world food and feed prices. Biofuels will likely be part of a portfolio of solutions to high energy prices that includes conservation, more efficient energy use, and use of other alternative fuels. See: http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/November07/Features/Biofuels.htm

--Integrating Conservation and Commodity Program Payments: A Look at the Tradeoffs – A payment program that integrates characteristics of conservation and commodity programs could simultaneously support working farms and ranches while improving environmental quality, with some tradeoffs. If policymakers structure payments to focus on environmental gain, income support benefits would be more broadly distributed across the U.S. agricultural sector. If policymakers seek to preserve the existing distribution of commodity program payments within an integrated program, environmental gain would be lower and its associated per-unit costs higher than under a similar program focused on conservation. See: http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/November07/Features/Integrating.htm

--The Orton Family Foundation enthusiastically announced its release of the Big Box Evaluator tool, designed to help communities and individuals learn about the impacts of big box retail stores.  The unbiased tool is designed not to take a stand on big box development, but to help citizens make informed decisions based on each community's specific characteristics and values.  Available free to the public at www.bigboxevaluator.org  the web-based interface allows users to learn about commercial and retail development in general, but also to input specific information from their communities and receive customized reports on economics, values, planning and municipal services, and ways to improve the development process.

--The Northwest Area Foundation and the Montana Community Development Corporation are pleased to announce the addition of new and upgraded features for the Wage and Benefits Metric.  New and upgraded features include a one-time simple calculator for jobs analysis and Living Wage Data scoring for 8 states (Minnesota, Iowa, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.)  Improvements included better user interface and navigation, expanded and improved reporting functions, and complete instructions on using the tool.  The Wage and Benefits Metric tool is available free upon simple registration and is designed to help your organization, company, community, or region evaluate the jobs created or retained through community and economic development or business expansion efforts.  Go to: http://jobmetric.nwaf.org/

--U.S. Census Bureau’s Local Employment Dynamics are free online tools to help economic planners, employers and jobseekers get a handle on the local job market.  This is a partnership between state labor market information agencies and the Census Bureau.  To use the tools go to: http://lehd.did.census.gov/led/led/led.html

--Free marketing opportunity:  MSAB Artist Registry – Artists are invited to register on the Minnesota State Arts Board Percent for Art site.  By doing so, you will enjoy the benefit of having your artwork viewed by individuals, architects, interior designers, nonprofit organizations, community organizers, and corporations that are looking for artwork for use in state building projects.  There is no fee to join, no deadlines, and no applications.  You can log on anytime to update your profile or to post new work samples.  Your profile remains active indefinitely as long as you log in at least once every four years.  Register at http://www.percentforart.us  For more information you can also contact Program Officer Nicole Simoneaux at the Minnesota State Arts Board 800-866-2787.

-- The Minnesota State Arts Board maintains a database for visual artists who want to locate new venues in which to exhibit and sell their work, and for art patrons and collectors who are interested in viewing or purchasing art in Minnesota. The database is available at www.mnarts.us/exhibit.cfm 

--The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announces “Rural Lender Advantage.” It is part of a broader SBA initiative to boost the economy in regions facing population loss or high unemployment rates. Part of the agency's 7(a) loan program, it enables smaller, rural lenders to require less paperwork and offer services online. Visit http://www.sba.gov/ for more information.

--Ten Search Engines You Don't Know About - We're all familiar with the Internet's most popular and widely used search engines, and many of us use them every day.  We use Google so often it's become a verb in our vernacular.  Entrepreneur magazine gives a peek at some of the less commonly known search engines that can actually bring you excellent results in finding information that pertains to you and your business.
http://www.entrepreneur.com/technology/article183770.html

--Free Online Courses from the SBA - The US Small Business Administration offers several self-paced online courses in a variety of different topic areas from business planning to marketing to government contracting, taxes and accounting to retirement.  All courses are free, simply register and get started!
http://www.sba.gov/services/training/onlinecourses/index.html

--Minnesota Council of Nonprofits - Nonprofit Yellow Pages provide free online resources such as a way to find local consultants and business, including training and professional development opportunities that specialize in working with nonprofit organizations. Go to: www.NonprofitYellowPages.org

--The “Connecting Students and Communities” (CSC) program provides a University of Minnesota, Morris undergraduate student to help local units of government, K-12 schools, or community-based organizations in the areas of research, project administration, or other support.  Students benefit from working with different organizations and learn ways to complete project goals.  Previously funded student projects have addressed issues of senior housing, storefront design, health care research, program evaluation, document design and newsletter creation, economic analysis, Internet and web training, analyzing water and wastewater data, downtown revitalization, analysis of census data, and more.
 
The program is offered by the Center for Small Towns (CST) at the University of Minnesota, Morris, and the University of Minnesota West Central Regional Sustainable Development Partnership to 12 west central Minnesota counties -- Big Stone, Chippewa, Douglas, Grant, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Pope, Renville, Stevens, Swift, Traverse, and Yellow Medicine -- are encouraged to apply.  The deadline to apply for this free assistance is December 14, 2007.  Priority is given to projects that include:
·            Community based renewable energy
·            Local and healthy foods
·            Healthy landscapes and water
·            Natural and cultural base tourism
·            Economic development
·            other project areas will also be considered

Minnesota Rural Partners is a nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible.

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