NCVA eREPORTER
- April 5, 2005
The National
Congress of Vietnamese Americans' NCVA eReporter is a regular email
newsletter containing information on
grant/funding
opportunities, events/forums/conferences, available
internships
and news items pertinent to the Vietnamese American and Asian
Pacific American communities.
In this NCVA eReporter:
EVENTS
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
JOBS/INTERNSHIPS
TIPS/RESOURCES
NEWS
******************
EVENTS
HOPE FOR TOMORROW BENEFIT
The Katrina Hurricane has devastated town after town along the
coast of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Several hundred
thousand of people have been displaced and several thousand
could be dead. In the wake of its path, the Katrina Hurricane
left behind devastated town, broken lives and broken dreams.
However, there is HOPE FOR TOMORROW. An unprecedented out
pouring of generosity can be witness across this great nation of
ours. Strangers helping strangers. Children in various
neighborhoods are putting up lemonade stands to raise funds for
the relief efforts. Churches, schools, civic groups, etc. are
pitching in record number. Corporate America is opening up its
doors and showing its cares.
As member, supporters and friends of the World Health Ambassador
Program, I urge you to come out and support the HOPE FOR
TOMORROW BENEFIT sponsored by WHA on Friday September, 23, 2005
at CAFÉ
ASIA in ROSSLYN, Virginia.
World Health Ambassador Program Hope for Tomorrow Benefit for
the Katrina Hurricane Victims of the Biloxi, Gulfport and
coastal Mississippi Area.
Friday, September 23, 2005
6:30 PM -
12:00 AM
Café Asia (Rosslyn)
1550
Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA
703.741.0870
Benefit program includes:
Art Auction
50/50 Raffle
Vietnamese Jazz by Mr. Tri Ngo & Friends
Debut of WHA Cambodia Medical Mission Documentary
Please help spread the word by passing the information along to
your friends. If you have any questions, please email
benefit@whausa.org
******************
Korean American Coalition - DC Area Chapter presents
BONE MARROW
REGISTRATION DRIVE
Sunday, September 25th
To increase Asian American donor registration and to raise
awareness of the need for more Asian Americans to register, the
National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), Korean Focus,
ASIA-CHSFS,
Korean American Coalition-DC Area Chapter (KAC-DC), and Verizon
APEX (Asian Pacific Employees for eXcellence) are co-sponsoring
a bone marrow donor registration drive on Sunday, September
25th,
noon
to
5 PM, at
ASIA-CHSFS's
offices at 8555 16th St.,
Silver Spring,
MD.
NMDP Bone Marrow Donor Registration Drive
Sunday, September 25th, 12 Noon -
5 PM
Did you know . . . ?
* Tissue types are inherited - patients are most likely
to find a match within their own racial or ethnic group.
* People of color represent only about one quarter of the
total volunteer donors on the NMDP Registry.
* Therefore, those communities of people are less likely
than Caucasians to find potentially matched donors.
This drive seeks to increase the number of registered volunteer
donors of Asian ancestry. Please consider becoming a donor:
registration is fast and easy - and may save a life!
Here are things you must know before you register to donate:
* You must be 18-60 years old and in good health
* You must give consent to be entered on the NMDP
registry which is searched nationally
* Please bring your social security number and driver's
license with you
* You will be asked to provide names, addresses and phone
numbers of two close contacts who do not live with you
* You will give a small sample of blood
For more information, visit the NMDP website at
http://www.marrow.org/
Pre-registration isn't necessary, but your RSVP will help us
plan.
Email or call either of the following if you plan on
participating, for additional information, or to volunteer:
Margie Perscheid:
703-799-4945,
mperscheid@cox.net
Kevin Ost-Vollmers:
301-587-7068,
kvollmers@chsfs.org
Details
Date: Sunday, September 25
Time: 12 noon -
5 PM
Location:
ASIA-CHSFS, 8555 16th St., Silver Spring, MD
Directions:
8555 16th St. is near East-West Highway in Silver Spring, a .5
mile walk from Silver Spring Metro.
* Start from Metro going southwest on
Colesville Rd
(MD-384) toward East-West Highway (MD-410).
* Turn right onto East-West Highway.
* Turn right again onto 16th St. - 8555 will be on the
right.
Co-sponsors
* National Marrow Donor Program
http://www.marrow.org/
* Korean Focus
http://www.koreanfocus.org/
* Adoption Service Information Agency of Children's Home
Society & Family Services
http://www.asia-adopt.org/
* Korean American Coalition - DC Chapter
http://www.kacdc.org/
* Verizon APEX Mid-Atlantic Chapter (Asian American
Employees for eXcellence) Email:
mperscheid@verizon.com
Please join us on September 25th, and spread the word to Asian
American friends, family and organizations.
EDUCATE, ORGANIZE, EMPOWER
KOREAN AMERICAN COALITION, WASHINGTON DC AREA CHAPTER
1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 730,
Washington, DC 20036 | o.
202.296.9560
| f.
202.296.9568
|
www.kacdc.org
KAC is a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) community advocacy
organization. Established in 1983, KAC's mission is to
facilitate the Korean American community's participation in
civic, legislative, and community affairs, encouraging the
community to contribute to and become an integral part of
American society. For more information, or to unsubscribe,
please contact
kacdc@kacdc.org.
******************
CONFERENCE
FOCUSES ON HOUSING ISSUES
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Official
National Conference
The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Official (NAHRO)
National Conference provides a unique educational opportunity
for housing and community development policy makers and
practitioners to network with experts in the industry and to
learn how public, private, and nonprofit groups, working
together, can create effective affordable housing. The
conference sessions, training seminars and study tours offer
critical information for these rapidly changing times.
Concurrent sessions focus on housing, Section 8, international,
finance, commissioner's issues, organizational management and
community development. The conference will be held October 9-11
in Chicago, IL.
(http://www.nahro.org/conferences/nat.cfm)
******************
APIAVOTE TASTING
DEMOCRACY BENEFIT
APIA Vote Cordially Invites You to Attend
Tasting Democracy
A Wine Tasting Benefit
Wiley Rein & Fielding, LLP
1776 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
October 18, 2005
7:00 PM to
9:00 PM
Featured Speaker:
Honorable Michael Honda (CA –15)
Chair of Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
Help us achieve another successful campaign to mobilize and
empower the APIA community. Thank you for your interest and we
look forward to seeing you at “Tasting Democracy!”
Giving Levels
$2,500 Benefactor 10 Tickets
$1,000 Chair 8 Tickets
$500 Host 6 Tickets
$250 Friend 3 Tickets
$50 Guest 1 Ticket
RSVP
PLEASE CONTACT BOUAPHA TOOMMALY
(202) 233-9170
INFO@APIAVOTE.ORG
BY OCTOBER 18, 2005
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT APIA VOTE PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT
WWW.APIAVOTE.ORG
******************
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
FLORIDA HURRICANE RELIEF FUND INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS
Grants Will Assist Long-Term Recovery Organizations Working
With Katrina Evacuees in Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The Florida
Hurricane Relief
Fund today issued a request for applications for operational
grants to long- term recovery organizations that are working to
help Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Florida and that have a
continuing mission of recovery for past and future disasters
affecting Florida and/or its neighbors. For application
guidelines and submission, go to
http://www.FLAHurricaneFund.org, or call the Fund manager,
nonprofit Volunteer Florida Foundation, at
850-410-0696.
Initial evacuee support grants up to $4,000 will be provided for
a period of no less than 30 days to successful applicants. These
grantees may be eligible for subsequent funding for a project
period of no less than four months under Part II "Continuation
of Evacuee Support Grants" for expenses involved in coordination
and/or services provided by the LTRO to evacuees. Permissible
use of funds includes payment for services of a community-wide
coordinator to coordinate the services provided to evacuees and
for any program costs (for example, travel for coordinator,
evacuee child care, etc.).
Long-term recovery organizations are defined as organizations
whose primary mission is to support the ongoing recovery efforts
of their communities. To be eligible for grants from the Fund,
organizations must meet 501 (c)(3) requirements of the Internal
Revenue Service, or have a named fiscal agent with the required
certification. There is no deadline for concept paper
submission, however, acceptable project proposals will be funded
in the order in which they are received.
The Florida Hurricane Relief Fund was established by Gov. Bush
last year to assist during the devastating 2004 hurricane season
and now is serving survivors of the 2005 season that are coming
to Florida. To make a donation securely online, go to
http://www.FLAHurricaneFund.org. Checks, made payable to the
Florida Hurricane Relief Fund, should be mailed to Volunteer
Florida Foundation, 401 S. Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL
32301. Call
1-800-825-3786.
All donations are tax-deductible.
Contact: Fonda Anderson
727/821-2056
SOURCE Florida Hurricane Relief Fund
Web Site:
http://www.FLAHurricaneFund.org
http://www.volunteerfloridafoundation.org
******************
YOUTH VENTURE: HOPE VENTURE GRANTS SUPPORT FOR KATRINA DISASTER
PROGRAMS
Youth Venture and MTV are offering Hope Venture Grants of up to
$1,000 to support young people who want to launch a venture – an
organization, club, or business - that will aid those affected
by Hurricane Katrina. First priority will be given to proposals
that support the creation of sustainable ventures that aid the
citizens and communities who have lost so much from this
disaster. A second priority will be proposals to start
organizations solely for the purpose of raising and distributing
funds for those in need. Hope Venture Grants will be offered
every week for the next six months to groups of two or more
young people (ages 13-20) with the most compelling venture ideas
to assist the people and communities affected. Applications for
one-time projects will not be considered.
(http://www.mtv.com/thinkmtv/features/take_action/disaster_relief/help4.jhtml)
******************
USA FUNDS COMMITS $1 MILLION TO HELP COLLEGE STUDENTS AFFECTED
BY HURRICANES
Deadline: January 2, 2006
USA Funds (http://www.usafunds.org/),
a leading education-loan guarantor, has announced a commitment
of $1 million to provide financial assistance to college
students in parts of four states that have been affected by
recent hurricanes. USA Funds' financial support will provide
assistance to low-income students attending schools in Alabama,
Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi counties designated as
federal disaster areas by the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (
http://fema.gov/) following hurricanes Dennis and Katrina.
Awards of up to $35,000 will be made to eligible post-secondary
institutions that apply. Financial-aid offices at institutions
awarded grants will then distribute the funds to eligible
students affected by the disaster to supplement students'
financial-aid packages. Assistance of up to $750 may be given to
each eligible low-income student who already is receiving a Pell
grant or other need-based aid. The assistance may be used for
immediate education-related needs or for second-term education
expenses, including tuition, fees, books, room and board, or
other education-related expenses.
Institutions that wish to be considered for grants must meet the
following conditions: 1) be a post-secondary institution that is
eligible to participate in federal student financial aid
programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act
of 1965, as amended; 2) be physically located and serving
students in counties listed by FEMA in the "Individual
Assistance" section of Major Disaster Declarations (see
http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema for a list of active
disasters and eligible counties); and 3) submit a completed
application by January 2, 2006. No guarantee is given that a college will receive funds.
Applications will be accepted until all funds are allocated.
(http://www.disasterrelief.scholarshipamerica.org/)
******************
COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION OF CALIFORNIA ANNOUNCES UPCOMING
DEADLINE FOR PROGRAM GRANTS
Deadline: November 1, 2005
The Community Technology Foundation of California (http://zerodivide.org/)
is a public foundation that seeks to foster social justice,
equity, and access for underserved communities in California
through the use of information and communications technologies (ICT).
Since its inception, CTFC has invested more than $20 million in
grants and ZeroDivide initiatives to nonprofit organizations
serving low-income, disabled, minority, rural, and inner-city
communities.
With an overall focus on content and technology literacy, CTFC's
current grantmaking for programs focuses upon the development
and maintenance of, as well as the removal of barriers to,
digital media, communications, and outreach for underserved
Californians. Successful grantees will be those who effectively
utilize ICT in a manner that enables their target communities to
become more active and engaged participants in civic action.
CTFC is soliciting proposals in the range of $10,000 to $50,000
that satisfy any of the program's organizational themes.
In this round, CTFC will specifically not fund projects in the
following areas: general operating expenses (unless an applicant
organization's sole mission and purpose is to conduct work that
falls within the grantmaking guidelines); grants to individuals;
grants to non-501(c) (3) organizations (unless such
organizations have a commitment in writing from a 501(c)(3)
sponsoring fiscal agent); requests for only distribution or
dissemination of completed media projects; media projects used
solely for distribution at agency special events, memorials,
annual fundraisers, anniversary celebrations, etc.; requests
that are solely for equipment or software purchases without a
corresponding content-based component; ICT projects that are
only for organizational internal infrastructure upgrades or
administrative/operational support; and any project that does
not have a media, information, or communications technology
component.
Unlike previous years, CTFC will no longer conduct two discrete
annual funding cycles. Applications for proposals will be
accepted on a rolling basis, with funding decisions made at each
of CTFC's quarterly board meetings (usually held in January,
April, July, and October). Check CTFC's Web site for updated
funding deadlines; in general, grant proposals are due six to
ten weeks prior to the next scheduled board meeting, and
decisions are made at that board meeting or the one immediately
following.
(http://zerodivide.org/grants/apply)
******************
FOUNDATION SOLICITS ‘MAKE A DIFFERENCE
DAY’
PROJECTS
Participants in the 2005 Make A Difference Day, a national
community-awareness event sponsored by USA Weekend Magazine (http://www.usaweekend.com/)
and the Points of Light Foundation (http://www.pointsoflight.org/),
could be eligible for one of 10 cash awards.
Through his Newman's Own (http://www.newmansown.com/)
charitable product line, Paul Newman will award $10,000 each to
10 selected projects carried out on Make A Difference Day,
Saturday,
Oct. 22, 2005.
Recipients of the award will also be featured in USA Weekend
Magazine's April 2006 issue and the program's website.
To apply, volunteers must first engage in a service project on
Make A Difference Day -- either one-day stand-alone projects or
ongoing efforts in their community. Participants may then send
in an entry form to USA Weekend magazine. For more information,
visit the periodical's website.
(http://usaweekend.com/diffday/aboutmadd.html#awards)
******************
YOUTH VISIONS GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY
TECH
PROGRAMS
Up to eight grants will be awarded by the Community Tech
Centers' Network (http://www.ctcnet.org/)
via its Youth Visions program, which supports community
technology projects.
Youth Visions grantees will be expected to run a five- to
six-month program integrating community-based activities and
multi-media training for at-risk youth aged 14-18, as well as
holding a capacity-building workshop for other youth-serving
organizations to help strengthen engagement of young people
through the use of media tools.
Community-oriented and partnered organizations with multi-media
training experience are eligible to apply for Youth Visions,
which includes a $20,000 grant, with the expectation of $8,000
in non-federal matching grants from the grantee.
The deadline for application is Sept. 30, with orientation and
preparation beginning in December. For more information, read
the full release at CTCN online.
(http://www.ctcnet.org/youthvisions/)
******************
TOYOTA TAPESTRY GRANT PROGRAM SUPPORTS K-12 SCIENCE PROJECTS
The Toyota TAPESTRY grant program, administered by the National
Science Teachers Association, supports K-12 teachers of science
in the United States and U.S. Territories. Grants will be
awarded in three categories: Environmental Science Education;
Physical Science Applications; and Literacy and Science
Education. Projects should involve hands-on activities, have an
interdisciplinary approach, and relate science to students
lives. This year, 50 grants of up to $10,000 each and a minimum
of 20 "mini-grants" of $2,500 each are available. All middle and
high school science teachers and elementary teachers who teach
some science in the classroom are eligible. The application
deadline is January 19, 2006.
(http://www.nsta.org/programs/tapestry/program.htm)
******************
CATHOLIC CAMPAIGN FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT GRANTS ADDRESS POVERTY
ISSUES
The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is the
domestic anti-poverty, social justice program of the U.S.
Catholic bishops. CCHD's mission is to address the root causes
of poverty in the United States through promotion and support of
community-controlled, self-help organizations and through
transformative education. CCHD is committed to supporting groups
of low-income individuals as they work to break the cycle of
poverty and improve their communities. CCHD provides two
distinct grant opportunities to community- and faith-based
organizations. Community Organizing Grants focus on projects in
which people work together to address the needs of their
community and find ways to improve their lives and
neighborhoods. Economic Development Grants support Economic
Development Institutions that develop assets for low-income
people that are owned by families and communities. Both grant
applications are due February 1, annually.
(http://www.usccb.org/cchd/grant.shtml)
******************
SHOPKO FOUNDATION FUNDS EDUCATION, HEALTH
AND WELLNESS
The ShopKo Foundation supports nonprofit organizations located
in ShopKo communities that focus on education, health and
wellness. (For information on ShopKo locations visit the ShopKo
website at
www.shopko.com and look under "Find a ShopKo Store Near
You.) Support is provided for programs focusing on the
following: at-risk students; people with learning disabilities;
literacy programs and activities recognizing educational
achievement; and activities promoting healthy lifestyles and
raising awareness of health-related concerns. Applications must
be received by the first week of February, May, August and
November, annually.
(http://www.shopko.com/corporate/community/foundation/index.jsp)
******************
WOMEN’S SPORTS FOUNDATION SUPPORTS GIRLS SPORTS PROGRAMS
The GoGirlGo! Grant Program provides funding for girls'
sports/physical activity programs that combine athletic
instruction and programming with the delivery of educational
information aimed at reducing risk behaviors that threaten the
health and social advancement of girls in third to eighth grade.
Of particular interest are programs that serve economically
disadvantaged girls and/or girls from populations with high
incidences of health-risk behaviors. Funded organizations must
deliver a minimum 8-week sports/physical activity program and
commit to implementing the GoGirlGo! Educational curriculum,
available free of charge by calling 800-227-3988. The
application deadline is November 30, 2005.
(http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/cgi-bin/iowa/funding/featured.html?record=30)
******************
NEW
YORK
LIFE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES AWARD PROGRAM FOR NY NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS SERVING YOUTH
Deadline: December 1, 2005
The New York Life Foundation (http://www.newyorklife.com/foundation/)
has announced its 2006 Award Program for nonprofit organizations
that serve youth.
The foundation will award six grants of $25,000 -- one in each
of New York City's five boroughs and one in Westchester County
-- to innovative programs that support the foundation's
Educational Enhancement category as part of its Nurturing the
Children initiative. Applications will be reviewed and awarded
on a competitive basis.
Educational Enhancement programs include those that prepare
young people for higher education or the workplace and equip
them to be responsible citizens.
Applications will be accepted online only from October 17 to
December 1, 2005.
(http://www.newyorklife.com/foundationawards/)
******************
BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR MARYLAND FAMILY
LITERACY INITIATIVE
Deadline: November 18, 2005
The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy (http://www.barbarabushfoundation.com/)
has announced its second annual Maryland Family Literacy
Initiative Grant Competition.
The Maryland Initiative's grant program seeks to develop or
expand projects that are designed to support the development of
literacy skills for adult primary care givers and their
children. A total of approximately $500,000 will be awarded; no
grant request may exceed $50,000.
To be considered eligible for a grant, an organization must have
current nonprofit or public status and have been in existence
for two or more years as of the date of the application; have
maintained fiscal accountability; and operate an instructional
literacy program that has been in existence for at least two
years and includes one or more of the following components:
literacy instruction for adults, parent education, pre-literacy
or literacy instruction for children, or intergenerational
literacy activities.
Visit the Maryland Initiative's Web site for complete
application information. The online application will be
available on
September 19, 2005.
Applications will only be accepted from organizations in the
state of Maryland.
(http://www.marylandfamilyliteracyinitiative.org/)
******************
MICROSOFT RESEARCH INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR NEW FACULTY
FELLOWSHIP AWARDS PROGRAM
Deadline: October 10, 2005
The University Relations (http://research.microsoft.com/)
group at Microsoft Research established the New Faculty
Fellowship Awards program to identify and support exceptional
first-, second-, and third-year professors who are advancing the
state of the art of computer science research.
The program seeks nominees who are advancing computing research
in novel directions with the potential for high impact and who
demonstrate the likelihood of becoming thought leaders of the
field.
Each fellowship award includes a cash gift of $200,000, issued
in two $100,000 yearly installments. The fellow also receives
other Microsoft resources, such as software, conferences, and
engagements with Microsoft Research. Microsoft will award five
fellowships in Spring 2006.
The program is designed to give recipients considerable freedom
in planning the focus of their academic research. The funds can
be applied to a wide variety of uses to pursue novel research.
Examples of research areas may include, but are not limited to:
security, interdisciplinary research, scientific computing,
bioinformatics, computational biology, software engineering,
and other areas in which computing transforms the discipline
and advances the state of the art.
Nominations of women faculty in computing fields are encouraged.
A goal of the program is to make at least two of the Microsoft
Research New Faculty Fellowship awards in a year to qualified
women applicants.
The potential fellow must be nominated by the University
Provost's office. Direct applications are not accepted from a
new faculty candidate. The new faculty member must hold a
tenure-track faculty position in a U.S. or Canadian Research
University. They may be no more than six years from the
completion of their most recent Ph.D., Sc.D., or M.D.
Applications will be accepted starting
September 12, 2005. Applications will be accepted in electronic
form only. Visit the Microsoft Research Web site for program
information and application procedures.
(http://research.microsoft.com/ur/us/nff/)
******************
JOBS/INTERNSHIPS
FAA
AIR
TRAFFIC CONTROLLER POSITIONS
More information can be found at:
(http://www.faa.gov/jobs/job_opportunities/airtraffic_controllers/media/RB_Indianapolis.doc)
******************
ASPIRE IS
NOW
ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS TO ITS 2005-2006 YOUTH LEADERSHIP
PROGRAM!
We are inviting junior Asian American high school women in the
greater Boston area to apply for ASPIRE's competitive leadership
development program during the 2005-2006 school year. Five
juniors will be selected as Youth Leadership Program Scholars.
Eligibility requirements:
• Asian American high school junior women (Class of 2007)
• Must demonstrate strong leadership capabilities and/or
potential
• Must have GPA of 3.5 or higher (on a 4.0 scale)
• Preference will be given to students from less privileged
backgrounds
YLP Scholars will receive:
• Leadership training
• Mentorship by Asian American female role models
• Direct leadership experience and opportunities to work on
ASPIRE programs such as the Asian American Women in Leadership
Conference, The ASPIRE Connection newsletter, and the Road to
College program
• Stipends to attend all ASPIRE events
Please see
www.girlsaspire.org/ylp for more information about the Youth
Leadership program and to obtain an application.
Applications must be postmarked by October 14, 2005.
(http://www.girlsaspire.org/ylp)
******************
TIPS/RESOURCES
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS REGARDING FEMA
ASSISTANCE
For questions and answers in Vietnamese, Spanish or English,
visit
(http://www.ncvaonline.org/archive/prj_HurricaneKatrina_Undocumented.shtml)
******************
VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA CAN FIND HELP AT GOVBENEFITS.GOV
Since Hurricane Katrina has descended on the Gulf Coast,
http://www.govbenefits.gov/ wants to let victims and
disaster relief workers know about the many disaster relief
programs available. Perhaps you have suffered damage to a home
or business, lost your job, or experienced crop damage due to a
natural disaster. GovBenefits.gov has a variety of national
benefit and assistance programs geared toward disaster recovery,
such as:
Information available in Vietnamese:
(http://www.ncvaonline.org/archive/prj_HurricaneKatrina_GovBenefits.shtml)
******************
DATABASES
– YOU
GET
OUT, WHAT YOU PUT IN
A fundraising database, if used correctly, is a vital resource
for any nonprofit. A database that is bad or is not used
properly, however, can be a huge obstacle to fundraising,
according to Barbara L. Ciconte, Alden F. Briscoe and Amy Lit,
speaking at an international fundraising conference.
The key concepts for utilization of a database are organization,
consistency and correctness.
* Data organization:
Includes donor/volunteer type, gift type and cause, source of
donor/volunteer and multiple designations, such as board, staff,
volunteer or other.
* Data Consistency:
Includes coding consistency, format consistency, reviewing the
coding structure based on what you wish to report and updating
information such as addresses, telephone numbers and
board/volunteer status.
* Data Correctness:
Includes testing for accuracy and currency of information using
contact with donors/volunteers and determining if errors were
caused by data entry or out-of-date information; reviewing gifts
and comparing with financial records.
Putting these concepts into play usually means cleaning up the
database, and this involves periodically reviewing coding
structure and determining what is to be reported as well as
assuring that unique codes are unique, developing consistent
data standards, correcting inaccurate data where possible and
deleting where necessary; having clearly documented data entry
procedures that are periodically reviewed and involving board,
staff and volunteers in updating.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/database.html)
******************
ONLINE
– MAKE SURE YOUR MESSAGE IS FORWARDED
Everything you need to know about email marketing can be learned
from a 1970s shampoo commercial. A successful product simply
comes after, "I told two friends and they told two friends and
so on and so on...."
It's not an ancient secret that your message is more likely to
be heard if it is passed along by a friend or acquaintance of
the recipient. With careful planning your nonprofit's email
marketing can go from deleted spam to bringing home the bacon
with a few modifications.
* Clearly spell out the message so that the originator of the
email was the nonprofit and the subject line expressed an
immediate need for action.
* Pay attention to avoid any form of deception that is prevalent
in other Internet solicitations in order to separate the serious
from the spam.
* Convince your support base to take up the role of recruiters
in order to mobilize support for the cause.
* Take advantage of time-sensitive hooks, such as proposed
legislation, upcoming elections or holidays. If it's in the news
or the public arena all the better.
* This type of marketing has a shelf life. Identify your window
of opportunity and be prepared for it. Consider allowing the
donor to add a personal message to their gift. It can add a
level of accountability to the numbers that are accumulated and
reported.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/onlinefund.html)
******************
DONORS -
THEY WILL TELL YOU WHAT TO DO
Although communication is an important part of fundraising,
communication begins with listening to donors. That is the
message from Bruce Campbell in his book Listening To Your Donors
(the Jossey-Bass Nonprofit and Management Series).
Campbell said that feedback is a primary part of communication
and that nonprofits can obtain meaningful, accurate and
representative feedback from constituents.
The chief form is verbal feedback, which Campbell breaks into
constituent-initiated feedback, organization-initiated
quantitative feedback and organization-initiated qualitative
feedback.
Constituent-initiated feedback occurs whenever constituents take
it upon themselves to communicate something to the organization.
The most common form of organization-initiated quantitative
feedback is the survey, and it may contain such questions as:
* How many of our constituents think our organization is doing
an outstanding job?
* Is our organization's job rating significantly better among
major donors than among other donors?
* Has our organization's job rating changed significantly since
last year?
Organization-initiated qualitative feedback can be helpful when
an organization wants to know what donors think the issues are.
It can address such questions as:
* How do our constituents decide which organizations to support?
* How would our constituents describe our organization if it
were a person; that is, what is our image or personality in
their eyes?
* How do our constituents sort through their mail?
In addition, there is nonverbal feedback, which includes areas
such as whether constituents give, how much, how often and to
what, as well as seeing how these factors come into play over
time.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/donors.html)
******************
ONLINE – WHEN DISASTER STRIKES – HAVING THE RIGHT
TOOLS IN PLACE
Online donations have been a boon for organizations needing
funds during the tsunami this past December and now the Gulf
Coast disaster. That is not to say that there are no problems.
The collecting of money online takes preparation and
organization. Also, there are costs to the organization.
In the chapter Introduction to Building a Fundraising Strategy
in the book Nonprofit Internet Strategies, Stephen Love and
Shelby Reardon offer five things that organizations must look
for in their online donation tools.
* Is the online transaction processing occurring on a secure
server? No one will give his or her credit card information
online if it is not an identifiable secure server.
* Is it easy for the potential donor to use? A donor is more
likely to not give online if the process is confusing and takes
too long.
* Compare the up-front costs and the transaction fees. Often, a
tool that has a low implementation cost can have excessively
high per-transaction fees. Expect to pay to develop and
implement an online donation processing system, but monthly
costs and transaction fees do vary by service provider.
* How quickly does your organization receive the online
donations? The most time-effective service providers have online
donation tools that will automatically deposit donations into
your organization's merchant account.
* If the donation tool is from a different vendor than your Web
site tools, how seamlessly can they integrate? The information
and donation sections of your site should look and feel the same
to the donor
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/onlinefund.html)
******************
FUNDRAISING – DEVELOPING A CRISIS FUNDRAISING TASK FORCE
Considering the troubled times in which we live, it is not
inconceivable that an organization can have a crisis on its
hands. In her book Fundraising in Times of Crisis, Kim Klein
wrote that any organization finding itself in a crisis situation
must move immediately to establish a Crisis Task Force that will
act as mission control for about two months.
The task force must develop answers to nine questions. If the
information is not available immediately, it must be obtained as
soon as possible.
The questions are:
* Are people committed to keeping the organization going?
* If the answer is yes to that question, does everyone have the
same understanding and information on what happened?
* What is the cash-flow projection for the next six months?
* What fundraising plans are already in place?
* What, if any, financial reserves are there, and what are the
terms of using them?
* What is the immediate financial need?
* What are the other immediate needs (e.g., reassure staff or
make a layoff plan, hire an interim director, negotiate paying
bills, deal with the media)?
* What do the funders and donors know about what happened, and
what do they think about it?
* How, how often and to whom does the task force communicate
what it is doing?
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/fundraise.html)
******************
NEWS
For Immediate Release
August 30, 2005
CONTACT:
corprel@freddiemac.com or
(703)
903-3933
FREDDIE
MAC
EXTENDS MORTGAGE RELIEF POLICY TO BORROWERS AFFECTED BY
HURRICANE KATRINA, COMPANY ALSO MAKES CONTRIBUTION TO RED CROSS
RELIEF EFFORTS
McLean, VA – Freddie Mac (NYSE:
FRE)
has extended its mortgage relief policies for borrowers affected
by Hurricane Katrina in locations declared Major Disaster Areas
by President Bush. Freddie Mac also announced today that it is
donating $50,000 to the American Red Cross to support hurricane
relief efforts. In addition, the Freddie Mac Foundation is
matching Freddie Mac employee donations to relief efforts and
will double the match if donations support Habitat for
Humanity's hurricane relief efforts.
“Our goal is to help families affected by Hurricane Katrina to
keep their homes,” said Richard F. Syron, Freddie Mac Chairman
and CEO. “We also want to ensure that families who are displaced
from their homes receive the assistance they need.”
Freddie Mac’s disaster relief policies provide a number of ways
for mortgage servicers to provide borrowers with relief that can
help protect their credit ratings and financial interests in
their homes. A mortgage servicer is the company to which
borrowers send their monthly mortgage payments.
Freddie Mac’s disaster relief policies also strongly encourage
servicers to extend several other measures to help affected
borrowers with Freddie Mac-owned loans. These include:
* Expediting the release of insurance proceeds to help borrowers
secure materials, labor and other resources to repair their
homes;
* Waiving assessments of penalties or late fees against
borrowers with disaster-damaged homes; and,
* Not reporting forbearance or delinquencies caused by the
disaster to the nation's credit bureaus.
Freddie Mac allows servicers additional discretion to reduce or
suspend mortgage payments for up to 12 months for borrowers with
Freddie Mac-owned mortgages in the declared major-disaster
areas. Each case must be individually assessed to determine
which alternative will best fit the homeowner's circumstances.
“Freddie Mac and the nation’s mortgage servicers are working
together to help families affected by Hurricane Katrina receive
mortgage relief so they can focus their energies on putting
their lives and homes back together,” Syron added. “These
mortgage relief provisions are intended to expedite the release
of insurance proceeds to help borrowers secure materials, labor
and other resources to get the home repair process underway.”
Mortgage servicers working with Freddie Mac have helped an
estimated 100,000 families over the past two years from losing
their homes due to financial difficulties.
For more information on mortgage payment relief, homeowners
should contact their mortgage servicer – the company to which
they send their monthly mortgage payment – or call Freddie Mac
at (800) FREDDIE. Freddie Mac’s general disaster relief policies
are posted online at
www.freddiemac.com/singlefamily/relief.html.
Freddie Mac is a stockholder-owned corporation chartered by
Congress in 1970 to create a continuous flow of funds to
mortgage lenders. By supplying lenders with the money to make
mortgages and packaging the mortgages into marketable
securities, Freddie Mac sustains a stable mortgage credit system
and reduces the mortgage rates paid by homebuyers. Over the
years, Freddie Mac has opened the doors for one in six
homebuyers in America and two million renters.
(http://www.freddiemac.com/news/archives/corporate/2005/20050830_hurricanekatrina.html)
******************
September 9, 2005
HOUSE
PANEL MOVES TO END IMMIGRATION LOTTERY
A House Judiciary subcommittee today voted to scrap a
15-year-old program that awards thousands of immigration visas
by a lottery each year.
The measure (HR 1219), which would eliminate the immigration
lottery effective Oct. 1, was approved by voice vote.
Created in 1990, the “diversity visa” program offers 55,000
visas each year to applicants from countries that have sent
fewer than 50,000 immigrants to the United States over the
preceding five years.
Rep. Robert W. Goodlatte, R-Va., the bill’s sponsor and a former
immigration lawyer, called the program wrong and unfair. He and
others said the lottery has attracted immigrants who have no
personal or professional ties to the United States and has
raised national security concerns.
Subcommittee Chairman John Hostettler, R-Ind., also said the
program generates a “staggering administrative burden,” with
millions of applications for thousands of visas. “This is the
least justifiable immigration program,” he said.
(http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR01219:@@@L&summ2=m&)
******************
September 13, 2005
MADISON NGUYEN CRUISES TO VICTORY IN DISTRICT 7 ELECTION
By Rodney Foo and Truong Phuoc Khánh
Mercury News
Madison Nguyen steamrolled to victory Tuesday in the District 7
election, ending a bruising and historic campaign with her
opponent Linda Nguyen to become the first Vietnamese-American to
win a seat on the San Jose City Council.
Nguyen, a Franklin-McKinley School District board member who
already held the distinction of being the first Vietnamese woman
to hold public office in California, received 62.7 percent of
the vote while her opponent Linda Nguyen garnered 37.8 percent
with all the precincts reporting.
Hundreds of mostly Vietnamese-Americans chanted Madison Nguyen's
name as they amassed at avictory party at a Burdette Road cafe,
cheering vote counts as the numbers rolled in.
``This accomplishment is so huge for me because it embodies for
me the American Dream,'' she said above the din.
``Obviously, I'm overwhelmed right now,'' she added. The
victory, she said, was ``not just for the Vietnamese-American
community but for the rest of District 7.''
Because of her role on the school board, voters appeared to be
far more comfortable with Madison Nguyen than with Linda Nguyen,
an attorney who was making her first run for office.
Said Danny Nim, a 38-year-old father of three, as he left the
Los Hechos Iglesia polling station Tuesday: ``Experience is the
most important quality. I heard schools were important to
Madison. Linda Nguyen is OK, but she just doesn't have any
experience.''
Madison Nguyen's experience coupled with endorsements of the
influential South Bay Labor Council and the local Democratic
Party played well in the blue-collar district. She also received
endorsements from Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez, popular former
District 7 councilman George Shirakawa Jr., and her fellow
members on the Franklin-McKinley board.
At Linda Nguyen's campaign headquarters on Tully Road, the
atmosphere was subdued. Volunteers hugged Linda and told her to
maintain her political vision.
``No matter what,'' she said, ``we all worked for something we
believed in.''
Both women jumped into the race shortly after then-Councilman
Terry Gregory resigned in disgrace in January. Gregory, facing
11 misdemeanor counts of failing to report gifts and using his
influence for personal gain, pled no contest in exchange for
avoiding a jail sentence.
Though the Nguyens share the same ethnicity and youth, their
styles and background presented a divergent contrast for voters
in a district where more than 80 percent of the population is
either Latino or Vietnamese.
Madison Nguyen, 30, the daughter of immigrants, was carving a
niche in local politics when Linda Nguyen, whose parents run a
successful real estate development firm in the district,
suddenly entered the race.
Many in the Vietnamese community knew Linda Nguyen, 28, as an
organizer for the popular Tet parade. Many, however, knew
Madison Nguyen as the outspoken critic of San Jose police
following the fatal shooting of a distraught Vietnamese mother
in her kitchen by an officer who mistook a vegetable peeler in
her hand as a weapon.
In June, Madison Nguyen finished far ahead of her opponent,
quickly establishing herself as the run-off favorite.
But Linda Nguyen retooled her campaign. She parted ways with
campaign consultant Richie Ross and hired another consultant,
Van Parish.
She invested heavily in her candidacy: $64,000 -- money she
raised by selling two homes she had purchased from her parents.
She acquired the houses long before Terry Gregory's troubles
became public, records showed.
And she continued an intensive precinct walking campaign while
religiously attending neighborhood meetings, impressing
residents.
``You can tell she's more involved,'' said Louis Mendoza, 39, a
member of the Senter Road Creekside neighborhood association,
who cast a ballot for Linda Nguyen at the Saint Maria Goretti
polling place. ``It means she's going to get her hands dirty and
help out.''
But there were others who echoed a sentiment pounded by Madison
Nguyen's campaign -- her governing experience.
Thuy Quang Nguyen, 33, a handyman who had just cast the first
ballot in his life, said he backed Madison Nguyen ``because she
has had more experience and has served the community.''
The race between the Nguyens was bitter. Within the Vietnamese
community and media, both candidates had to fend off stunningly
personal attacks. According to Madison Nguyen, fliers accused
her of affairs with married men.
``It is sad and annoying,'' Nguyen remarked last week as the
campaigns ramped up for the final stages of the race.
Meanwhile, Linda Nguyen was dogged by questions of her parents
influence on her campaign and allegations they were financing
it.
The issues came to a boil last week when the city's elections
commission examined complaints lodged against both candidates.
The commission dismissed accusations against Linda Nguyen but
found Madison Nguyen had failed to report two contributions --
each $250 -- in a timely manner.
Commission investigators also said Madison Nguyen and her
political consultant had ``orchestrated'' the complaint against
her opponent.
On Tuesday, absentee ballots accounted for more than half of all
votes cast. There 4,292 absentee votes -- 60 percent of which
went to Madison Nguyen -- versus 4,190 votes cast at the polls.
Contact Rodney Foo at
rfoo@mercurynews.com or (408)
975-9346.
Contact Truong Phuoc Khánh at
tkhanh@mercurynews.com or
(408)
920-2729.
(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/12639191.htm)
******************
September 14, 2005
DEMOCRAT ELECTED TO CALIFORNIA’S 53RD ASSEMBLY
DISTRICT
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - Democrat Ted W. Lieu handily defeated three
Republican opponents to win election to California's 53rd
Assembly district in a special election called after the June
death of incumbent Mike Gordon.
With all of the district's 110 precincts reporting, Lieu, a
member of the Torrance City Council, had 24,119 votes or 60
percent in unofficial results from Tuesday's balloting.
Dr. Mary Jo Ford, a Manhattan Beach anesthesiologist, was second
with 7,733 votes or 19 percent. Ford was the choice of the
California Republican party leadership.
Another Republican, Torrance Councilman Paul Nowatka, was third
with 4,711 votes or 12 percent. Republican Paul Whitehead had
862 votes or 2 percent.
He finished behind former Redondo Beach Mayor Greg Hill, who
dropped out of the race last month but whose name remained on
the ballot. Hill, a Republican, lost to the Democrat Gordon in
last year's election, in which both sides and their supporters
spent more than $3 million. He had 2,040 votes or 5 percent.
Peace and Freedom party candidate James R. Smith had 810 votes
or 2 percent.
Lieu's victory gives Democrats a 48-32 edge over Republicans in
the Assembly.
If no one had gotten more than 50 percent of the vote, the top
two candidates would have faced each other in a Nov. 8 runoff.
Last year's race between Gordon and Hill had attracted interest
because the 53rd district was one of only a handful in
California that both parties had considered competitive.
This year's campaign attracted less interest, and it may have
been overshadowed by the special election Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger called for Nov. 8 for voters to consider ballot
initiatives that would curb state spending and rein in the
influence of legislators and union officials. considered one of
only a handful in California that are competitive.
Democrats hold a 6-percentage point edge in voter registration
in the district, which runs along the California coastline from
Los Angeles' Venice Beach neighborhood to Lomita. Gordon
defeated Hill last year by 8 percentage points.
(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/12639470.htm)
******************
September 18, 2005
VIETNAMESE LOSE
ALL,
THIS TIME TO KATRINA
By Aimee Phan
After years spent working and sacrificing to build a home and
community in the USA, many Vietnamese-Americans have become
refugees again. For these Vietnamese, this is the second major
displacement within their lifetimes. For older people who
escaped in the 1954 flight from the north to the south in the
war against the French, this is their third mass evacuation.
While most Americans are still grappling with the chaos in the
wake of Hurricane Katrina, Vietnamese-Americans have firsthand
experience with such catastrophic loss. The almost unbearable
prospect of being uprooted to an unfamiliar place, living in
detainment camps, starting over from nothing, is all too
familiar.
In the early '80s, Vietnamese refugees started settling into
enclaves around New Orleans, Biloxi and Mobile, attracted by the
familiar humid climate and seeking to earn livings as fishermen
and shrimpers. They learned English and passed citizenship
requirements. They worked multiple jobs, put children through
school and saved money to buy homes. They established
businesses, temples and churches. According to the 2000 Census,
more than 25,000 Vietnamese lived in Louisiana, nearly 6,000 in
Mississippi and about 5,000 in Alabama. They considered these
places home when Katrina destroyed everything.
One advantage in being a former refugee is understanding when
help is needed. As news of Katrina's devastation spread,
Vietnamese-Americans across the country rallied to contribute to
relief efforts. With the help of Vietnamese-language radio
stations, newspapers and religious organizations, they donated
money, food, supplies and even their homes to evacuees.
About 15,000 Vietnamese have fled to Houston, but instead of
heading to the Astrodome, many have sought refuge in
Asian-American community centers, churches and temples,
straining their resources. Thousands more are expected. There is
concern the community might be trying to do too much on its own
and that evacuees need government help.
The news media coverage and critique of Katrina response have
largely been a black-and-white issue. But the recovery of the
Vietnamese-Americans is important too, given their long history
of displacement. Their experiences and successes should not be
forgotten just because they need to be repeated.
The destruction of 20-30 years of work and progress is still
devastating. Starting over from scratch takes time, patience and
energy, which right now seems impossible to those still
exhausted from Katrina. Still, in the following years, it will
happen. Vietnamese-Americans have already proven it's possible.
Aimee Phan is author of We Should Never Meet and an assistant
English professor at Washington State University in Pullman,
Wash.
(http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-09-15-phan-edit_x.htm)
******************
September 18, 2005
NGUYEN
FOLLOWING THE
PATH
OF SELECT GROUP
COUNCIL MEMBER CAN LEARN FROM OTHERS
By Truong Phuoc Khánh
Mercury News
Madison Nguyen may be the first Vietnamese-American to break
open the gates of San Jose City Hall when she takes her seat on
the city council on Tuesday.
But the experiences and lessons learned by her compatriots in
Southern California who have gone before her could be a great
resource for Nguyen, who at 30 is following the path of a small,
select group.
The political emergence of the Vietnamese-American community
began in 1992 with Tony Lam, who became the first
Vietnamese-American in the United States to hold an elected city
council office, in Westminster. Twelve years later,
Vietnamese-Americans rejoiced at another political first when
Van Tran, R-Costa Mesa, was elected in November to the state
Legislature, representing the 68th Assembly District.
Because they were the first, and because there are still so few
of them -- their number can be counted on two hands -- they are
seen to carry the weight of the hopes and dreams of all 1.2
million Vietnamese-Americans.
``The expectations from your ethnic community will be
tremendous, sometimes, unrealistic,'' said Tran, 40. ``They
think you can move mountain and earth and ocean.''
The reality is someone may be an ethnic candidate when
campaigning, but once elected, that person must become a leader
of a much broader community, said Tran, who drove from
Sacramento to be with Madison Nguyen on Tuesday night when she
captured 62 percent of the District 7 vote. Her competitor,
Linda Nguyen, garnered 37 percent.
Lam said people used to ask him: ``Are you the Vietnamese
councilman?'' To which he would reply: ``I'm a councilman,
period.''
``Those who say, `The Vietnamese elected her. She should be
serving the Vietnamese,' that's baloney,'' said Lam on Madison
Nguyen's new role.
In 2002, Lam, 69, stepped down after a decade on the council; he
was replaced by Andy Quach, 33, who wrote a resolution in 2003
making Westminster the first U.S. city to adopt the flag of
pre-communist Vietnam as the symbol representing overseas
Vietnamese-Americans. Since then, about 85 cities have copied
the resolution, including San Jose, which did so in May.
Even so, Quach's loyalty to his core base was questioned earlier
this year after a Westminster police officer shot at Hoang Tan
Bui, a suspect fleeing from a hit-and-run. Bui was killed when
he was pinned under the patrol car of police officer Charles
Shinn
III.
``The community was accusing me of protecting the police
officer,'' Quach said, ``and not siding with the Vietnamese
community.''
Many in the Vietnamese community were outraged, denouncing what
they deemed as excessive force used against an unarmed suspect.
After reviewing the facts gathered by the district attorney, who
decided not to press charges against Shinn, Quach didn't agree
with those calling for the officer's head.
``We vow to protect the rights of the Vietnamese people,'' Quach
said, ``but we don't protect criminals.''
It's not just the ethnic community that sometimes erroneously
assumes a candidate to be exclusively ``their'' candidate.
Mainstream perception also is a big hurdle to overcome.
``The assumption of the non-Asian members of the community is
you only represent the
API (Asian and Pacific Islander) community, which is
not true,'' said Assemblyman Tran, whose district includes
Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Newport
Beach, Stanton and Westminster. ``You represent the entire
constituency.''
How do you prove you are there for everybody?
``By attending mainstream community events,'' said Tran, ``by
being there, by having an open door policy for everybody.''
In Westminster, former City Councilman Lam, for example, made
sure to stay in touch with clubs like the local Kiwanis and Boys
& Girls Club, as well as the county homeless shelter.
``I got involved with them all,'' Lam said. ``Otherwise, you
isolate and disintegrate yourself.''
Kim Oanh Nguyen-Lam is one of three Vietnamese-Americans serving
on the Garden Grove Unified School District board, the only
elected board in the country where Vietnamese are in the
majority.
A professor in teacher-education at California State
University-Long Beach, Nguyen-Lam said because she could speak
Spanish, she could reach out to the Latino community. And
because she was involved in parent-teacher conferences, she had
an intimate sense about what concerned parents, whether they
were white, black or Asian.
For Madison Nguyen and others sure to follow her, the challenge
will always be one of balance. Madison's victory is greatly owed
to the Vietnamese-American voting bloc. But she will be serving
a district of more than 92,000 residents, where the plurality of
residents -- 47 percent -- are Hispanic.
``Remember who your base is,'' said Tran. ``If your base is the
API
community and you take them for granted, they will come back and
sting you the next time around at the polls.''
Lam offers another caution: ``The exclusive Viet votes will
never be enough to bring you into office,'' he said. ``Or keep
you there.''
Contact Truong Phuoc Khánh at
tkhanh@mercurynews.com or (408)
920-2729.
(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/12678299.htm)
******************
About NCVA
Founded in 1986, the National Congress of Vietnamese
Americans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community advocacy
organization working to advance the cause of Vietnamese
Americans in a plural but united America – e pluribus unum –
by participating actively and fully as civic minded citizens
engaged in the areas of education, culture and civil
liberties.
Copyright material is distributed without profit or payment for
research and educational purposes only, in accordance with Title
17 U.S.C. section 107
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