May 2005 Volume III, Number 5

Compiled by Deb Miller Slipek, News Finder Extraordinary &
Jane Leonard, MRP President & Editor

IN THIS ISSUE:

- Across the Field: Moving Beyond Ideology & Partisan Paralysis
- Policy
- Funding
- Meetings & Conferences
- Tools & Miscellaneous
- Jobs

ACROSS THE FIELD, by Jane Leonard
Moving Beyond Ideology & Partisan Paralysis

I have a dog at my feet as I write this, sitting at my sister's desk in her home high above Winona, the bluffs of the Mississippi greening out all around me. It's a great place to write after getting the kids off to school this morning. My sister and brother-in-law haven't had a vacation alone in 20 years of marriage so this month they finally took off to England for 10 days and Aunt Jane is caring for children, dog, fish and gerbil while they are away.

The daily demands of such a busy household make me wonder how we have time in this world for the extreme partisanship and ideology I see play out again and again at the state legislature and at national levels. It's to the degree now where we are truly paralyzed. Some of our elected officials spend hours posturing on social issues that should really be left to personal, family decisions. Meantime, our public infrastructure investments remain woefully inadequate and certainly not enough to even keep up with the growing economic competitiveness of places once third-world, such as China and India.

These thoughts came home to me last week by two events. One event was Congressman Collin Peterson's listening session in Alexandria. The meeting dwelt on the budget cuts being proposed by the Bush Administration to core programs such as small business assistance and innovation, housing, and rural development, including such basics as water and sewer systems. To a person, there was concern that we're going too far, cutting too much marrow out of the bone. Liberal and conservative alike wonder how much more sacrifice rural Minnesota or rural anywhere can survive while billions go to national security, some of it misused and wasted.

The second event was earlier in the week, the Humphrey Institute's Leadership Awards - the main award going to former Indiana Congressman Lee Hamilton and former Illinois Governor James Thompson. Both accepted the award on behalf of their colleagues at the 9-11 Commission, more obscurely known as the "National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States." I was cheered to hear from the Honorable Hamilton (a Democrat) and Honorable Thompson (a Republican) how seriously and with clear attention to non-partisanship the commission members took their charge.

The Commission held hearings and researched in great detail the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, circumstances that in so many ways have led us to the economic and emotional point we are at today as a state and nation. We're paying a great deal of money, through the national budget, to try to alleviate our national anxiety. Nearly four years after the 9-11 tragedy, we've twisted what was a shared response in 2001 -- a time of great national unity -- into dangerous, ideology-based decision-making, veiled hatred, greed and partisanship to the point of ridiculous.

In short, we've gone way overboard. We've lost all balance and perspective in regard to our social and economic contracts with one another. And perhaps just as the terrorists suspected we would do, we have shifted all of our resources into attempting to protect ourselves (which only isolates us from the world and limits our freedoms). In doing so we are helping them accomplish what they could not do immediately on September 11, 2001: send us into long-term economic oblivion.

POLICY

--The Center for Rural Affairs Rural Action Brief on the proposed national budget cuts is available at http://www.cfra.org/briefs/rab_saci.htm.
The current issue provides a summary of the "Strengthening America's Communities Initiative," the Administration's proposal to eliminate 18 economic and community programs and consolidate their activities.

-- Community Development - Main Street Economist. The May 2005 issue of The Main Street Economist is now available on the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank's Web site. Jason Henderson of the Center for the Study of Rural America and Bridget Abraham discuss "Rural America's Emerging Knowledge Economy" in this issue. The authors present an overview of the knowledge economy and strategies for building a knowledge economy in rural America. The article can be found on the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's Web site at:
www.kansascityfed.org/RuralCenter/mainstreet/MainStMain.htm

FUNDING

--Applications are available for the Universal Services Rural Health Care Funding Program. Universal Services, a function of the Federal Communications Commission, has earmarked $400 million a year to help support health care telecommunications services in rural areas. This funding is intended to provide public and nonprofit rural health care providers with access to advanced telecommunications services at rates equivalent to those in urban areas. Applications must be received by June 1, 2005. For information, visit http://www.aimpros.com/pages/688665/index.htm

--The Kodak American Greenways Awards Program, a partnership involving the Eastman Kodak Company, The Conservation Fund, and National Geographic Society, provides grants up to $2,500 to stimulate the planning and design of greenways. Applications will only be accepted online until June 1. Visit http://www.conservationfund.org/?article=2106 for more information

--The Administration for Children and Families (HHS) invites applications for the Community Services Block Grant program. This program provides technical and financial assistance to support development activities addressing the economic needs of low-income individuals and families. Approximately $16 million is expected to be committed for 50-55 awards with a 3-5 year term. Applications are due June 17. For more information visit the web site.

--The Laura Jane Musser Fund seeks to assist public or not-for-profit entities in initiating or implementing projects in rural areas to undertake consensus-based activities in environmental stewardship or dispute resolution. The Musser Fund encourages communities, whether represented by local governments, state agencies, or grassroots nonprofit organizations, to use a consensus-based approach to environmental decision-making. This a collaborative process, involving a neutral facilitator where appropriate, that strives to involve all key stakeholders as well as local citizens in developing environmental programs and policies that satisfy common interests. The program is most interested in new programs; willing to fund the planning or implementation phase; and willing to fund projects already in progress if the proposal is compelling. Most grants will be made for domestic projects, but occasionally grants are made to U.S. agencies or organizations for environmental work elsewhere. Grants will be for amounts up to $35,000. The deadline for proposals is October 1, 2005. For more information, see www.musserfund.org/environmental.htm

CONFERENCES & MEETINGS

--5th Annual Grant Writing Bootcamp, May 16-20. Minnesota State University Moorhead and The Cass-Clay United Way are again sponsoring a Grant Writing Bootcamp at the Comstock Memorial Union, Sixth Avenue South at 14 Street, Moorhead, MN. This workshop is intended for a diverse audience including human service professionals, undergraduate and graduate students of social work, sociology, counseling, criminal justice, gerontology, public administration, health care management and anthropology and university staff. Presenters are Dr. Shawn Ginther and Dr. Susan Humphers-Ginther of the MSUM faculty. Both presenters have more than a decade of experience with grant writing and administration. Non-credit fee for the course is $260. Questions: 218-477-5862 or e-mail www.contstdy@mn.state.edu.

--Faith in Communities Conference, May 17th, 9:30 - 5:30. Author and Speaker Luther Snow on Asset Mapping for Faith Communities. These principles can also apply to other nonprofits and communities. St. Cloud Civic Center. For registration information call Leah Posterick toll free at 877/632-9255 or lposterick@ifound.org.

--Early-Early Bird Registration for 2005 Minnesota Rural Summit (July 28-29 at St. John's University) available until May 18. $75 discount off regular rate. Check website at http://www.minnesotaruralpartners.org/2005_summit/index.htm. Registration continues through July, but register early to receive timely discounts.

--Beyond the Basics, Land Use Planning Workshop, May 18th, 9:00 - 4:30 Initiative Foundation, Little Falls. To register, view their web site at www.mngts.org or call Carol Schoeneck at Government Training Services toll free 800/569-6880 ext. 205

--Advanced Zoning Applications, Land Use Planning Workshop, May 19th, 9:00 - 4:30, Initiative Foundation, Little Falls. To register, view their web site at www.mngts.org or call Carol Schoeneck at Government Training Services toll free 800/569-6880 ext. 205

--The Third Annual Symposium on Small Towns is now accepting registration for the June 7-8 event. The theme this year is "Shaping our Future" and the atmosphere will be creative, visionary, and participatory. You can register at: http://www.centerforsmalltowns.org/symposium

--E2 Energizing Entrepreneurship in Rural America is a conference presented by the RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship and the Heartland Center for Leadership Development. It will be held June 7-10 in Nebraska City. Call 800-927-1115 or visit www.heartlandcenter.info/E2Registration2005.pdf

--The Power of Place - Rural Communities, Global Reach, The Rural Network Conference in partnership with The Rural Policy and Research Institute, will be held on June 19 - 24, in Abingdon, Virginia. For more information, go to http://irn.rupriconvene.org/.

--EDAM 2005 Summer Conference - June 22-24 at Ruttger's Bay Lodge Resort in Deerwood, MN. You can register online at: www.edam.org or call 651-290-6296 for further information.

--Grantseeking for Beginners Seminar , June 23, 2005, 8:45 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. (registration opens at 8:15 a.m.) Bemidji Hampton Inn & Suites, Bemidji. At this event sponsored by the Minnesota Council on Foundations, participants will learn the basics of effective grantwriting and grantseeking from the state's leading experts and hear about the proposal review and decision-making process from a grantmaker's point of view during a Minnesota grantmaker panel discussion. Registration is $95 per person, $125 after June 16. For more information, see www.mcf.org/MCF/grant/beginners.htm, call 612-338-1989, or email info@mcf.org.

--Meth Treatment Options Workshop, July 13th, 9:00 - 3:00, First Baptist Church, Cambridge. For more information, call Leah Posterick toll free at 877/632-9255 or lposterick@ifound.org.

--Grants Management: Planning, Implementing, Monitoring, and Evaluating Grant-Funded Programs. September 12-15 in Onamia sponsored by the MN Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils. For information call the 3 Rivers RC&D at 507-345-7418 extension 5.

MISCELLANEOUS

--The Directory of Nonprofit Organizations of Color in Minnesota is a listing of not-for-profit associations, organizations, and mutual assistance and fraternal groups in the state of Minnesota that primarily serve communities of color. The online version is a searchable database that contains all of the information in the latest print edition (5th edition, January 2005). Information in the database is periodically updated to include new organizations and changes to listings for existing organizations. To conduct a search, submit new or updated listings, or download a PDF version of the directory, see www.cura.umn.edu/publications/npoc.html.

--The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and selected federal incentives promoting renewable energy. It is an ongoing project of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and managed by the North Carolina Solar Center. Visit http://www.dsireusa.org/index.cfm.

--The McKnight Foundation invites nominations for the 2005 Virginia McKnight Binger Awards in Human Service. Each year, the foundation recognizes ten Minnesotans who have demonstrated an exceptional personal commitment to helping others in their communities but who have received little or no public recognition. Each awardee receives $7,500 and is honored at a ceremony in the fall. Nominees may be volunteers or service staff working directly with the community and may be adults or young people. Senior administrators and program managers are not eligible. Nominees (and the work for which they are being nominated) do not have to be associated with any organization to be eligible. Individuals may not nominate themselves. Nominees must be current residents of Minnesota. The nomination deadline is July 11. For more information, see www.mcknight.org/awards/.

POSITIONS / OPPORTUNITIES

--Through a partnership with the AmeriCorps*VISTA program, the Initiative Foundation will offer a total of 19 paid community service opportunities in faith-based organizations in central Minnesota. VISTAs will recruit and match volunteers with those needing minor home repairs, respite care, friendly visitation, telephone reassurance and transportation. Other positions focus on developing financial literacy and entrepreneurial opportunities, expanding services for refugees, and coordinating services for combating homelessness. The foundation is also seeking to fill a VISTA Leader position, which requires prior VISTA or Peace Corps experience. Compensation for the one-year positions includes training, a monthly living stipend of $840, health insurance, and a $4,725 education award or end-of-service stipend of $1,200. Applications are due June 1. For more information, see www.ifound.org or contact Chris Fastner at 877-632-9255 or cfastner@ifound.org.

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