Monday Mailing
Year 20 • Issue 28 07 April 2014 1. Study: Suburban Sprawl Hurts Social Mobility 2. Portland's Reputation for Fighting Sprawl, But Closer Look Tells a Different Story 3. New Hazards Related Web Resources 4. WEBINAR: Rural Social Media Champions: Development of Models of Diffusion & Best Business Practices, April 17, 2014, 5:30 PM 5. Building the Facebook of Neighborhood 6. Advancing Sustainable Communities: People, Pollinators and Practices The 32nd National Pesticide Forum-April 11-12, 2014-Portland, Oregon 7. Know How to Get Know-how (and a Free Online Training) from NTEN 8. Three-Wheeled Car Costs Just $6,800 And Goes 672 Miles On A Tank Of Gas 9. Oregon Future Energy Conference-April 22, 2014-Portland Oregon Convention Center 10. WEBINAR: Science, Democracy, and a Healthy Food Policy: How Citizens, Scientists, and Public Health Advocates Can Partner to Forge a Better Future, May 6, 2014, 2:30 PM 11. Funding Opportunities 1. Study: Suburban Sprawl Hurts Social Mobility Living in sprawling metropolitan areas hurts a poor child’s chances of moving up the economic ladder as an adult, according to new research published on Wednesday.
Quote of the Week: "You will never find time for anything. If you want time, you must make it."
Oregon Fast Fact: The state of Oregon is approximately 350 miles from east to west. Also, from north to south, which is from Washington to California, it is between 250 and 300 miles.
Despite the fact that urban sprawl has been linked to many social ills — obesity, shorter life spans and more car accidents — many U.S. metropolitan areas continue to spread out, the figures reveal. Smart Growth America and the University of Utah’s Metropolitan Urban Center today released their second detailed sprawl ranking of metro areas and counties. Unlike an earlier 2002 report, this one factors in not just population density, transportation options and public health but also impact on income, life expectancy and housing and transportation costs. To access the full story, click here. To access the report, click here. 2. Portland's Reputation for Fighting Sprawl, But Closer Look Tells a Different Story At first blush, a new study of urban sprawl seems to suggest the Portland region's pride in its land-use planning might be misplaced. The report ranked the Portland area at a middle-of-the-road 80 out of 221 metros, where a lower rank indicates less sprawl. But a closer look at the study shows that perhaps the back-patting can continue. The Portland area may have gotten short shrift in part due to its urban growth area, which limits development to preserve rural land.
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"It might be more appropriate to look at the individual counties' scores in your area," said Ilana Preuss, vice president and chief of staff at Smart Growth America. The land-use advocacy group and the University of Utah's Metropolitan Research Center compared development in 221 metro areas, looking for compact development, a mix of land uses, proximity between homes and employment centers and street accessibility To access the full story, click here. 3. New Hazards Related Web Resources Report Card for America’s Infrastructure Events like the gas explosion in Harlem or the collision in the Houston Ship Chanel serve as good reminders of the importance of infrastructure in the United States, and the fact that the American Society of Civil Engineers issues a report card on vital systems every four years. The report card provides a quick overview of infrastructure by category or state, and you can drill down to more detailed information. Equipped with information on everything from aviation to wastewater, you can keep an eye on whether or not America is making the grade (spoiler: it’s not). Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network Sometimes it helps to start small before you go big. That’s the concept behind the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network, which implements strategies for wildfire resilience in pilot communities and uses hub organizations to spread the word about how they worked. Whether you want to be a participant or just check out what they’ve learned, visit the Web site for more information, resources, and updates. Text-to-911 With 911 call centers beginning to catch up with the texting revolution, the Federal Communication Commission has created a Web site to help share best practices and lessons learned. The site will answer frequently asked questions, allow text providers and call centers to share information, and offer a checklist for centers to consider when integrating texting into their operations. Beyond the Basics: Best Practices in Local Mitigation Planning If you’ve been procrastinating on putting together a hazard mitigation plan, there’s no time like the present—especially since this new Web site will walk you through it step by step. The site, which was created by the DHS Science and Technology Coastal Hazard Center of Excellence and the of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, also contains a self-assessment tool, sample community plans and place to share experiences and lessons learned. National Tsunami Preparedness Week Just to be clear, National Tsunami Preparedness Week was last week, but this list of resources is just too useful to parade out for a mere seven days. Check out what the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation has put together on topics such as the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake and Tsunami, the SAFRR tsunami scenario, tsunami resources by state, and a wealth of other great information on tsunami awareness. 4. WEBINAR: Rural Social Media Champions: Development of Models of Diffusion & Best Business Practices, April 17, 2014, 5:30 PM This webinar focuses on innovative rural entrepreneurs who use social media in highly effective ways to manage, promote, and grow their businesses. These entrepreneurs, called social media champions, also serve as exemplars and facilitate the diffusion of social media technologies for small rural businesses and communities in need of competitive options. This webinar presents findings from a Page 2 of 8
three-state study that examined how small firms innovate and develop new capabilities through social media to address challenges faced in rural markets. Webinar content specifically focuses on: Identification of rural business owners who are social media champions, assessing factors that facilitated knowledge, diffusion, and adoption of social media in rural communities based on established models (Rogers Diffusion of Innovations and TAM), and profiling of social media champions’ best practices with implications for researchers, Extension specialists, business consultants, and practitioners. About the Speakers: Linda Niehm is an associate professor at Iowa State University in the Department of Apparel, Events, and Hospitality Management. Her research interests include retailer competitive strategies, rural retailing, consumer-retailer relationships, entrepreneurship, and family business. Barbara Frazier is a Professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at Western Michigan University. Her research interests include rural community business development, and social processes and entrepreneurial activity of rural retailers. Leslie Stoel is a Professor in the Department of Human Sciences at The Ohio State University. Research interests include competitive behaviors of retailers, consumer responses to various retail environments, technology acceptance in the retail context, and the role of retailers in their communities. There is no registration and no fee for attending this webinar. To register for the webinar, click here. 5. Building the Facebook of Neighborhood Having her bike yanked from the utility closet of her San Francisco apartment building reminded Sarah Leary why she had spent the last three years building an online social network for neighbors. "I put out a message saying, ‘Here’s what my bike looks like,’” says Leary, co-creator of Nextdoor, “and I had three or four people chime in with just, like, ‘I’m so sorry that that happened.’” (She added that those few posted words alone “made her feel known and loved and supported.”) Other neighbors were more practical. One insisted that she file a report so that the police might add it to the stats used to track local bicycle thievery. Oh right, Leary, a Massachusetts native and tech world veteran who now lives in the Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood, recalls thinking. I’m supposed to do something about this for my neighborhood in real life, not just gripe about it online. To access the full story, click here. 6. Advancing Sustainable Communities: People, Pollinators and Practices - The 32nd National Pesticide Forum-April 11-12, 2014-Portland, Oregon This year's 32nd National Pesticide Forum will be held at the University Place Hotel and Conference Center at Portland State University. The Forum provides an opportunity for grassroots advocates, scientists, and policy makers to interact and strategize on solutions that are protective of health and the environment. Keynote presentations, workshops, and plenary panels will focus on solutions to the decline of pollinators and other beneficials; strengthening organic agriculture; improving farm worker protection and Page 3 of 8
agricultural justice; and creating healthy buildings, schools and homes. By working with a range environmental, health, consumer, and farm organizations, we expect to bring together a diverse crowd in order to share our efforts to build local, state and national strategies for strength, growth and health—in line with our conference theme, Advancing Sustainable Communities. Registration is Now Open! Registration fee includes access to all forum sessions, including workshops and tour (separate RSVP is required for tour!). Take a look at the full program! If our program isn't enough to entice you, come for the food! Organic food and beverages will be provided for breakfast, lunch and dinner Saturday, and we will have organic hors d'oeuvres, beer and wine for receptions on Friday and Saturday night. • • • •
General Admission/Non-Members: $75 (includes 1-year membership and 100% organic totebag); Members/Grassroots Activist Rate: $45; Students (with current ID): $25; Business Rate: $175 (includes 1-year subscription to Pesticides and You). Register online today or call 202-543-5450 to register by phone. Walk-in registration begins at 5:00 pm, although we encourage you to sign up in advance to ensure an adequate amount of food is ordered. Local information: Click here for information on lodging, and here for information on parking and directions to the conference. For more information, click here.
7. Know How to Get Know-how (and a Free Online Training) from NTEN Technology: intimidating and ever-changing. It’s also an incredible tool for meeting your mission. Let the Nonprofit Technology Network help you harness its power. Tell us what you want to focus on this year and we’ll give you some simple pointers on how technology can help you succeed. Because we believe that every nonprofit should use technology to its utmost effectiveness, we'll also give you access to one of our upcoming webinars, free. We want to help you do your job better, so you can make the world a better place. Learn more today! For more information, click here 8. Three-Wheeled Car Costs Just $6,800 And Goes 672 Miles On A Tank Of Gas Most Americans--about 93%--drive to work alone. So why use a car that’s big enough for four? A new vehicle that’s half-motorcycle and half-car is designed to replace sedans and SUVs on morning commutes and help save money and emissions in the process: The Eliocosts $6,800 and gets 84 miles to the gallon. It’s possible to drive 672 miles on a single tank of gas. That's the distance from New York City to Detroit. “The premise behind the concept is that most households have at least one vehicle that’s single occupant,” says Paul Elio, founder of Elio Motors. “Even if you have kids, you probably have an SUV or minivan, and then a small sedan with dust on the backseat. We can be that car.” The Elio actually has two seats, set front to back for ideal aerodynamics, in case the driver needs to give someone a ride. Inside, it looks and acts pretty much like a car; it’s fully enclosed and has car Page 4 of 8
seats and seatbelts, air bags, and options for manual or automatic transmission. It's more like a car than this somewhat similar vehicle from Lit Motors. But because it has three wheels, it’s classified under law as a motorcycle. The motorcycle classification leads to some strange consequences--in a few states, under current law, you’d have to wear a helmet even though the vehicle is enclosed. But it also has benefits. “As a motorcycle, you can go in the HOV lane by yourself,” Elio says. It also meant the vehicle can come to market more quickly, since there’s less red tape involved in manufacturing a motorcycle. To access the full story, click here. 9. Oregon Future Energy Conference-April 22, 2014-Portland Oregon Convention Center Oregon's must-attend conference for all those working to build a clean energy economy, including members of the energy industry, energy end-users, policy makers, project developers, financiers, and technology and service providers - creating an exceptional opportunity for learning, networking, and business development. Returning for its eighth year, this is the event addressing the business side of clean energy, with content covering: - Policy & Regulation - The Business of Renewable Energy - The Business of Energy Efficiency - Energy Sector Insights For more information, click here. 10. WEBINAR: Science, Democracy, and a Healthy Food Policy: How Citizens, Scientists, and
Public Health Advocates Can Partner to Forge a Better Future, May 6, 2014, 2:30 PM While we work to help shape the national movement towards a healthier, safer, and more sustainable food system, some states and localities have already started to lead the charge. It is time for effective local efforts to be recognized and replicated, and for scientists and other experts to become more active and valued partners in advancing the movement toward a healthier food system. Through preceding expert working groups and the May 6 public forum, we seek to ask: What policy approaches, based on scientific evidence from fields such as public health, economics, sociology and others, are needed to create a healthy food environment? Attend this dynamic discussion in person or via webcast to learn about the latest science-informed policy solutions and share public engagement strategies and tools for improving our food system from distinguished experts and knowledgeable attendees alike. Issue Background Incidence of diet-related chronic disease in the United States has grown at an unprecedented rate over the past half century—by six times for diabetes and nearly three times for obesity. Two-thirds of the population is overweight or obese, to the point where associated costs to individuals, business and the government have become prohibitive, and the smaller pool of fit individuals constricts the viability of institutions such as the military. This epidemic threatens to reverse the prior century’s public health gains, which reduced or eliminated infectious diseases and increased lifespan and quality of life. These outcomes do not result from market dynamics alone, but from government and industries investing in programs that produce abundant calories, but with little regard for health consequences. Our policies must reflect today’s scientific evidence concerning the “food environments” we create Page 5 of 8
and the relationship between Americans’ diet and our health. In essence, the nation’s food policy is its de facto health policy, and it should invest in programs that will yield improved public health and well-being. To register for this forum, click here. 11. Funding Opportunities THE G. UNGER VETLESEN FOUNDATION is offering general support grants to nonprofit organizations for general support for religious, charitable, scientific, literary and education causes. Deadline: letters of inquiry may be submitted at any time. Click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-d/> to visit the website for application guidelines. THE HOME DEPOT COMMUNITY IMPACT GRANTS PROGRAM provides support to nonprofit organizations and public service agencies in the U.S. that are using volunteers to improve the physical health of their communities. Priority is given to projects for veterans that include housing repairs, modifications, and weatherization work. Grants of up to $5,000 are made in the form of The Home Depot gift cards for the purchase of tools, materials, or services. Deadline: requests will be accepted from February 1 through August 15, 2014. Visit the Home Depot website here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-h/> to submit an online application. HUD is offering funds to nonprofits for providing counseling and advice to tenants and homeowners, both current and prospective, with respect to property maintenance, financial management/ literacy, and such other matters as may be appropriate to assist them in improving their housing conditions, meeting their financial needs, and fulfilling the responsibilities of tenancy or homeownership. Deadline: 4/7/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkidjrdkjkitkj-k/> for funding eligibility and to apply. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE is offering funds through the Food Research Initiative’s Childhood Obesity Prevention Program for efforts to reduce the prevalence of excess weight and obesity among children and adolescents, ages 2-19. Deadlines: Letters of intent 4/17/2014; applications due 6/19/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkidjrdkjkitkj-u/> for an application and guidelines. THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY is offering grants to authorized nonprofit and public agencies to provide environmental job training and research projects to train low-income workers for environmental improvement careers to facilitate the assessment, remediation, or preparation of brownfields sites. Deadline: 4/18/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-lpdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-o/> for an application. THE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION is offering grants to nonprofits to ensure that prisoners re-entering society have job skills and recognized job credentials. Deadline: 4/18/2014. For an application, click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-p/>. THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR’s YouthBuild program offers support to provide education, occupational skills training, and employment services to disadvantaged youth as they perform meaningful work and service to their communities. Deadline to apply: 4/22/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-x/> for an application. THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR is offering grants of up to $5,000,000 to Indian tribes and Native American organizations to provide employment and training services to Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians under Section 166 of the Workforce Investment Act for Program Page 6 of 8
Years 2008 and 2009. Deadline: 4/23/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkidjrdkjkitkj-m/> for guidelines and an application. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES is offering grants to nonprofits that are integrating treatment and services for veterans and other individuals who experience homelessness, including those with substance abuse and mental health issues. Deadline: 4/25/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-c/> for an application. THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE is offering grants through The Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields Program for research and extension projects to increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields that are relevant to USDA priorities. Deadline: 4/28/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-q/> to learn more about this program and to apply. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE is offering funding through the Farm to School Grant Program for initiatives that seek to improve access to local foods in schools. Deadline: 4/30/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-a/> for an application. THE CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE is offering funding to federally recognized Indian Tribes to address the issues of economic opportunity, education, veterans and military families, and disaster services in Native American communities. Deadline: 4/30/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-f/> to visit the website for more information. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES is offering funding through the Rural Access to Emergency Devices Grant Program. Support is provided to develop community partnerships to purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs), provide training in their use, and placement of AEDs with local organizations rural communities. Deadline to apply: 4/30/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-z/> for an application package. TARGET STORE EDUCATION GRANTS support nonprofit organizations in the communities where the company's stores are located. (There are currently stores in every state with the exception of Vermont.) Arts, Culture, and Design in Schools grants support programs that enhance studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; classroom curriculum by bringing the arts and cultural experiences to schools, such as in-school performances, artist in residency programs, and workshops in schools. Early Childhood Reading grants support programs that foster a love of reading and encourage young children, preschool through third grade, to read together with their families. Deadline: 4/30/2014. Funding guidelines are available on the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkjv/>. THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR is offering funds through the Face Forward 2: Intermediary and Community Grants program which provides support to address the employment barriers of courtinvolved youth while helping these youth develop the employment skills needed to obtain good jobs. Deadline: 5/2/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-e/> for details on these grants. THE STATE FARM YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD NATIONAL GRANT PROGRAM funds student-led service-learning projects throughout the United States and in the provinces of Alberta, New Brunswick, and Ontario in Canada. Grant requests must fall under one of the following issue areas: community safety and natural disaster preparedness, environmental responsibility, accessing higher education/closing the achievement gap, social health and wellness issues, financial literacy and Page 7 of 8
economic inclusion, or arts and culture. Deadline: 5/2/2014. For application guidelines, click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-s/>. HUD is offering grants to housing agencies and state housing or community development agencies for the Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Program. This program seeks to identify, stimulate, and support sustaining innovative approaches that will transform the provision of housing for persons with disabilities while providing access to appropriate support and services. Deadline: 5/5/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-g/> for an application. CITIZENS' INSTITUTE ON RURAL DESIGN (CIRD) is offering funding to small towns or rural communities to host an intensive, two-and-a-half day community workshop. Application deadline: 5/6/2014. Visit the CIRD website here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-w/> to learn more about the program. THE BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE, a division of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, is seeking applications for the FY 2014 Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program (BCJI). BCJI supports data-driven, research-informed, community-oriented strategies to address targeted crime issues in neighborhoods. Deadline to apply: 5/6/2014. A webinar will be held on Wednesday, April 2, 3:00-4:30pm PM ET that will cover background on the core elements of BCJI and an overview of the FY 2014 solicitation, with time for participants to ask questions. Register for the webinar here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-yd/>. LISC is the national technical assistance provider for BCJI. For more information and to download an application, please visit LISCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkjyh/>. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES is offering support to provide individual development accounts and related services to individuals and families with low incomes. The 2014 application deadlines are 5/7/2014 and 7/14/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-yk/> to learn more about the Assets for Independence Demonstration Program. THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES is offering grants to nonprofit and public agencies to conduct outreach services designed to build relationships between grantee staff and runaway, homeless, and street youth. Deadline: 5/12/2014. Click here<http://rurallisc.cmail1.com/t/r-l-pdudkid-jrdkjkitkj-yu/> to learn more and to apply. PATAGONIA Accepting Applications for Grassroots Environmental Campaigns<http://e.foundationcenter.org/a/hBTNb7EB8ixfdB85IEHAACSSka7/rfpb20> DEADLINE: AUGUST 31, 2014 Grants of up to $12,000 will be awarded to grassroots organizations with provocative direct-action agendas to preserve and protect the environment....
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