NCVA eREPORTER
- March 21, 2006
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.
SPECIAL NOTE
HURRICANE RELIEF:
If
you are involved in Hurricane Relief efforts, please look at
this Voter Information for Louisiana – now is definitely not the
time to be disenfranchised.
FEMA will mail out, on behalf of the Secretary of State's
Office, a flyer informing applicants of their basic voting
rights with regard to participating in elections scheduled in
communities from which they are temporarily displaced.
http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/elections/elections-index.htm#voting
In this NCVA eReporter:
EVENTS
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
JOBS/INTERNSHIPS
TIPS/RESOURCES
NEWS
******************
EVENTS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2006
Shattering a Model Minority Myth: Increasing local leaders'
awareness of Asian Americans
PARTNERS FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES PREMIERES “A BLUEPRINT FOR
CHANGE: DIVERSITY AS A CIVIC ASSET”
* Tuesday, April 4
* 9:00-11:00 am
* National Press Club, Murrow Room
Panel discussion followed by press Q & A.
Moderator: Neal Peirce, nationally syndicated
columnist, Citistates
Speakers:
* Robert McNulty, President, Partners for Livable Communities
* Gordon Quan, Former Council Member At Large, City of Houston
* Stephen Klineberg, Professor of Sociology, Rice University
* Lisa Hasegawa, Executive Director, National Coalition for
Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD)
Few cities are prepared for the influx of minorities increasing
in numbers - particularly the Asian American population, the
second-fastest growing minority in the country. With
populations growing over 100% in places such as Raleigh, NC or
Delaware County, OH, local leaders need to become more aware -
and very quickly - as America becomes a minority-majority. "A
Blueprint for Change: Diversity as a Civic Asset" is report
aimed at local leaders who seek to understand Asian Americans
and their general concerns, and who need to know the most
important steps to take in order to integrate this diverse group
into their civic conversation.
Asian Americans are often mislabeled as the "model minority."
In fact, the term "Asian American" refers to groups that span
through the eastern portion of the globe, including India,
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, China,
Mongolia and Japan to name a few. Each of their needs is very
different and range from one side of the spectrum to the other.
For example:
* Asian Americans have the highest median income, yet they are
also at a higher risk of poverty than non-Hispanic whites.
* Asian Americans, particularly Filipinos and Indians, are one
of the most educated groups with a large majority having a
college degree or better. However, over 50% of Cambodian,
Laotian and Hmong students never receive a high school diploma.
* Many Asian Americans become entrepreneurs because that is
their only option. On the whole, Asian American-owned businesses
generate $100,000 less than the average business.
Over two years ago, Partners for Livable Communities joined with
the City of Houston and the Asian Pacific American Institute for
Congressional Studies to ask a how cities can prepare their
leadership and infrastructure for their changing communities.
Houston was selected to be a case study of a city that has taken
advantage of its civic and cultural assets to better race
relations. This initiative, called "Cities in Transition,"
brings these questions to a broader audience for collaboration
amongst local leaders and the growing communities of color.
For more information, please contact Laura Tan at 202-887-5990 x
103 or at
ltan@livable.com.
Copies of "A Blueprint for Change: Diversity as a Civic Asset"
will be distributed. Refreshments will be served.
(http://www.livable.com)
******************
VOLUNTEER FLORIDA FOUNDATION: SECURING FUNDS
AND RESOURCES FOR DISASTERS
The Volunteer Florida Foundation’s Florida Hurricane Relief Fund
is hosting an informational workshop, Securing Funds and
Resources for Disasters, as a pre-conference to the White House
Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives regional
conference. Relief Fund staff will address disaster fundraising
and implementation of local relief and recovery programs.
Attendees will learn from staff how to gain access to funding
and how to extend resources during disaster relief and long-term
recovery.
The pre-conference workshop will be held April 11, 2006 in
Jacksonville, FL.
Seating is limited.
(http://www.volunteerfloridafoundation.org)
******************
WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON FAITH-BASED
AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES – JACKSONVILLE, FL
When: Wednesday, April 12, 2006
8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Where: Hyatt Jacksonville
225 East Coast Line Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32202
On Wednesday, April 12, the White House and the Departments of
Justice, Commerce, Agriculture, Labor, Veterans Affairs, Health
& Human Services, Housing & Urban Development, and Education,
the Agency for International Development and the Small Business
Administration will host a conference in Jacksonville to help
faith-based and other community organizations learn more about
President Bush's Faith-Based and Community Initiative. The
federal government is working to make sure that faith-based and
community groups can compete on an equal footing for federal
dollars, receive greater private support, and face fewer
bureaucratic barriers.
This conference will provide participants with information about
federal programs that are suited to their needs, the federal
funding process, and the legal requirements that may apply to
recipients of federal funds. They will also offer practical
information on the grant-writing process and facilitate
opportunities to network with government officials.
The conference is free, but pre-registration is required.
Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit
http://www.fbci.gov to register online. We strongly
encourage you to register online.
Please register by Thursday, April 6.
If you must cancel your registration, please send an email to
mailto:fbci@dtihq.com or a fax to the number listed above so
we may accommodate as many people as possible.
For more information, please call 202-456-6718, send an email to
fbci@dtihq.com, or
http://www.fbci.gov.
(http://www.fbci.gov)
******************
WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF FAITH-BASED
AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES EQUAL TREATMENT PRESENTATION –
CINCINNATI, OHIO
When: May 11, 2006
2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Where: Hyatt Regency Cincinnati
151 West Fifth Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
State, regional and local administrators of U.S. Department of
Labor-funded programs are invited to an informational session
hosted by the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community
Initiatives in Cincinnati, OH on May 11, 2006.
To expand and strengthen services to people in need, the
President has advanced the Faith-Based and Community Initiative
to ensure that all effective non-profit organizations have equal
access to grants and other types of Federal financial
assistance.
The presentation will focus on how this Initiative affects
administration of federal block and formula grant funds.
In particular, it will highlight how federal law and
recently-established equal treatment regulations expand
opportunities for partnership and require a "level playing
field" for all non-profit organizations.
All desiring to attend should RSVP immediately to
Shortenhaus.scott@dol.gov
******************
WHITE HOUSE TARGETED WORKSHOP ON FAITH-BASED
AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES – CINCINNATI, OHIO
When: Friday, May 12, 2006
8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Where: Hyatt Regency Cincinnati
151 West Fifth Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
On Friday, May 12, 2006, the White House and the Departments of
Justice, Commerce, Agriculture, Labor, Veterans Affairs, Health
& Human Services, Housing & Urban Development, and Education,
the Agency for International Development, and the Small Business
Administration will host a targeted workshop in Cincinnati to
help faith-based and community organizations learn more about
President Bush's Faith-Based and Community Initiative. The event
is geared towards representatives from social service groups
that have a track record of applying for government funding,
especially those from groups that have not yet won grants.
The targeted workshops will offer grant writing tutorials for
certain federal grant programs that present some of the greatest
opportunities for faith-based and community organizations. They
will also provide the occasion for federal officials to meet
with state and local grant administrators about equal treatment
regulations and facilitate opportunities to network with
government officials.
The conference is free, but pre-registration is required.
Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit
http://www.fbci.gov to register online. *Please register by
Monday, May 8.* If you must cancel your registration, please
send an email to
fbci@dtihq.com or a fax to the number listed above so we may
accommodate as many people as possible.
(http://www.fbci.gov)
******************
SASC
SUMMER INSTITUTE: June 30 to July 4, 2006
The University of California, Berkeley Southeast Asian Student
Coalition (SASC) was formed in the year 2000 by an ambitious
group of college students who sought to empower the Southeast
Asian American community. One of the Coalition's major
developments is the formation of the annual Summer Institute.
The SASC Summer Institute is a five-day educational program,
which takes place in the summer and lasts from June 30 to July
4, 2006. The program caters specifically to youth who are tied
to the Southeast Asian refugee experience. Our intended regions
of outreach are, but not limited to, young adults from the Bay
Area and Central Valley regions of California. However, youth of
any locality demonstrating strong interest in the program are
highly encouraged to apply. Transportation is not included
outside of the Bay Area or Central Valley and accommodations
under special circumstances are not guaranteed.
The SASC Summer Institute's objective is to build a network
within the Southeast Asian American communities among youth of
14 – 18 years, college students, parents, and community members
to promote a greater access to higher education. Those selected
will participate in college workshops, lectures, and other
peer-bonding activities, while staying in one of the U.C.
Berkeley dormitories.
This is an all-expense paid summer program that provides a safe
and constructive learning environment. Participants will be
matched with a college mentor who can offer guidance specific to
a stude! nt's needs. This week provides an exciting experience
for students who are interested in pursuing higher education.
SASC is seeking motivated high school students with diverse
experiences and backgrounds, not necessarily those with highest
academic marks.
Applications are due (postmarked) by Friday, April 14, 2006 .
(Deadline has been extended from March, 27, 2006.) Applicants
will be contacted upon receipt of application and selected
attendees will be notified by the beginning of May.
If you would like to submit your application via email, please
email
sascsi_info@lists.berkeley.edu for an electronic application
and email your application to this address by Friday, April 14,
2006.
Co-Sponsored by:
ASUC
Ethnic Studies 5th Account
Asian American Studies Department
(sascsi_info@lists.berkeley.edu)
******************
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GRANTS IN SUPPORT OF COMMUNITIES
DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY HURRICANES KATRINA
AND RITA
The purpose of this Request for Proposals is to solicit
proposals from local non-profit community-based organizations
and local environmental justice networks (proof of non-profit
status designated by the state or IRS through 501 (c) (3)
status), local universities or colleges and local churches
located within Region 6. Funding is limited to projects
conducted within areas of the states of Louisiana and Texas that
were directly affected by hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita.
“Affected” is defined as being in the locale that has been
directly influenced or altered by hurricane Katrina and as
defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as
affected areas for Counties.
(http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6dra/ejtribal/ej/katrinafinalrfa.pdf)
(http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=8571)
******************
HOGG FOUNDATION
CULTURAL ADAPTATION
$4.5 million to be distributed over three years to organization
providing mental health services to population of color in
Texas, including organizations providing services to African
Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Latinos, and
Native American.
Proposals are due by April 17, 2006. Award notification will
begin May 15, 2006.
(http://www.hogg.utexas.edu)
******************
FUNDING
AWARDS FOR THE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE
Foundation for the Improvement of Justice
The Foundation for Improvement of Justice encourages improvement
in the various systems of justice in the United States through
its annual awards program. Individuals or groups can be
nominated in ten categories, and the winners are awarded $10,000
for innovative programs or actions that have been effective in
the pursuit of justice and can serve as models for others. These
are awards given for accomplishments, not for future projects.
The nomination deadline is June 1, annually.
(http://www.justiceawards.com)
******************
A.L. MAILMAN FAMILY FOUNDATION FUNDS EARLY CHILDHOOD PROJECTS
The A.L. Mailman Family Foundation's mission is to enhance the
ability of families and communities to nurture their children.
The Foundation believes that the most effective way to address
this mission is by focusing on early childhood, and therefore
funds projects of national import in the early childhood field.
The Foundation focuses on the following funding categories:
Early Childhood Care and Education, Family Support, and Moral
Education and Social Responsibility. The Foundation does not
support locally focused, direct service projects of
organizations such as child care centers, schools, and
professional education programs. The deadlines for letters of
inquiry are May 15 and December 1, annually.
(http://www.mailman.org)
******************
THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION: LOCAL INITIATIVE FUNDING
PARTNERS PROGRAM SUPPORTS COMMUNITY HEALTH COLLABORATIONS
The Local Initiative Funding Partners (LIFP) program is a
partnership between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)
and local grantmakers that supports innovative, community-based
projects to improve health and health care for vulnerable
populations. Through LIFP, a local grantmaker proposes a funding
partnership with RWJF by nominating a new project designed to
address the health problems of people who are not reached by
traditional health and social services, or for whom existing
services are insufficient. LIFP provides grants of $200,000 to
$500,000 per project, which must be matched dollar for dollar by
local grantmakers such as independent and private foundations,
community and family foundations, corporate foundations and
others. These matching grants may not be used for operation of
existing programs. The Stage 1 application deadline is July 6,
2006.
(http://www.lifp.org)
******************
USA TODAY:
ALL-USA TEACHER TEAM AWARDS FOR K-12 TEACHERS
The annual All-USA Teacher Team, sponsored by USA TODAY, honors
outstanding K-12 teachers in the U.S with awards of $2,500. All
team members, both individuals and members of instructional
teams, receive $500, and the balance of the $2,500 cash award
goes to the school. The All-USA Teacher Team program does not
provide grants based on what a teacher proposes to do; it is a
recognition with a cash award for what teachers have done. The
criteria include explanations of a nominees student needs, how
the teacher meets those needs, and the impact the teacher has on
students and student learning. The nomination deadline is April
29, 2006.
(http://allstars.usatoday.com)
******************
CPB/PBS OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS TO PRODUCERS’ ACADEMY
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Public Broadcasting
System are co-sponsoring a scholarship program for 20
station-based and independent producers to attend WGBH Boston's
seven-day seminar June 17- June 23, 2006. The scholarships cover
the cost of the workshop, as well as travel and accommodations.
Applications are due April 7.
(http://www.cpb.org/grants/06producersacademy)
******************
NORTHROP GRUMMAN OFFERS EDUCATIONAL PROJECT GRANTS
The Northrop Grumman Foundation is currently accepting
applications from public and accredited private school teachers
(grades 5-8) for grants through its special Connecting Educators
program. One thousand $250 grants will be awarded for math,
science, or engineering technology related projects that will
enhance classroom curriculum. The grants are part of the
Foundation’s commitment to improve students’ math and science
education, which is highlighted through the Foundation’s
co-sponsorship of National Engineers Week 2006. Applications are
available on the website listed above and must be submitted by
March 31.
(http://www.northropgrumman.com/com_rel/grant_info.html)
******************
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC AMERICA FOUNDATION SUPPORTS DISABLED YOUTH
The Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation is dedicated to
helping young people with disabilities maximize their potential
and full participation in society. The Foundation supports
organizations and projects within its mission that address
important needs, have broad scope and impact, and demonstrate
potential for replication at other sites. A major program
emphasis is inclusion: enabling young people with disabilities
to have full access to educational, vocational and recreational
opportunities and to participate alongside their non-disabled
peers. The Foundation provides national grants to projects and
organizations throughout the United States, giving preference to
areas where company facilities are located. Concept papers
should be submitted by June 1, annually to be considered for
funding the following year.
(http://www.meaf.org)
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FANNIE MAE FOUNDATION INVITES NOMINATIONS FOR JAMES A. JOHNSON
COMMUNITY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
An initiative of the Fannie Mae Foundation, the James A. Johnson
Community Fellowship Program recognizes and rewards urban and
rural affordable housing and community development professionals
in the nonprofit sector for their years of service to the field.
The program offers recipients an opportunity to pursue personal
and professional development goals that enable them to
contribute further to the housing and community development
fields.
Each year, up to six seasoned professionals are selected as
Johnson Fellows. These fellows design and pursue development
plans that may include research, travel, study, self-designed
internships, and other activities that enhance their skills and
knowledge. The foundation seeks to support individuals working
in multiple neighborhoods and/or on a citywide, countywide,
statewide, or regional basis.
The fellowship program provides each fellow with a $70,000 grant
and a stipend of up to $20,000 for travel and education-related
expenses. The nonprofit organization with which each fellow is
associated (through paid or volunteer employment) may apply for
a grant of up to $25,000 for transitional costs related to the
temporary absence of the employee or volunteer.
To be eligible for nomination, individuals must have a minimum
of eight years in the affordable housing and community
development field; current full-time (paid or volunteer) duties
in the field; and employment or affiliation with a nonprofit
organization or community-based nonprofit intermediary
organization focused on affordable housing or housing-related
community development.
(http://www.fanniemaefoundation.org)
******************
RESEARCH CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP IN ACTION ACCEPTING
APPLICATIONS FOR
NEW YORK CITY SOCIAL JUSTICE FELLOWSHIP
The Research Center for Leadership in Action at the Robert F.
Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University
has announced its newest program, the New York City Social
Justice Fellowship. The fellowship originates from the NYC
Community Fellows Program that was founded by the Open Society
Institute in 1998. At the end of last year, OSI chose RCLA to
carry on the legacy of this program.
In the tradition of the original OSI program, the New York City
Social Justice Fellowship will continue supporting innovative
public interest projects that address critical issues such as
immigrants' rights, environmental justice, health, the arts,
workers' rights, civic participation, education, and equitable
economic development.
The program provides support to social change agents who are
passionate, insightful, and resourceful about making concrete
improvements in disadvantaged and marginalized communities, with
an emphasis on addressing structural barriers and enhancing
social equity. The fellowship also seeks to encourage public and
community service careers; expand the number of role models
available to youth in inner-city neighborhoods; promote
initiatives and entrepreneurship that empower communities;
address not only direct needs but systemic barriers and policies
in need of change; and create vehicles for fellows to
effectively document, reflect, and share their learning.
The program provides each fellow with a stipend in the amount of
$42,500 over fifteen months and project support in the amount of
$2,000, as well as contributions toward health insurance and
tuition reimbursement up to $13,000. Each fellow participates in
a personal and professional development plan, attends technical
assistance workshops, receives support from RCLA staff and its
network of faculty and citywide partners, and participates in a
growing network of program alumni.
The fellowship program seeks applicants from diverse backgrounds
and at all stages of life who wish to employ their skills in
creating innovative public interest projects aimed at
transforming and empowering communities. The program takes a
special interest in supporting people from disadvantaged
communities and communities of color.
Guidelines and applications for the 2006-07 fellowship class are
available at the RCLA Web site.
(http://www.nyu.edu/wagner/leadership/sjf)
******************
JOBS/INTERNSHIPS
APIAVOTE
2006 SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
The Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) is a
national nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that encourages and
promotes civic participation of Asian Pacific Islander Americans
in the electoral and public policy processes at the national,
state and local levels.
APIAVote envisions a society in which all Asian Pacific Islander
Americans fully participate in and have access to the democratic
process.
The APIAVote Internship Program strives to encourage and
cultivate young Asian Pacific Islander student leaders to
explore a career in the public sector or the political area.
This summer internship program will also provide hands on
experience and training on how to organize and implement voter
activities to increase the participation of Asian and Pacific
Islanders in the electoral process.
Internships Are Available At The:
I. APIAVote National Headquarters - Washington, DC
-- Work under direction of the Executive Director and help
develop the infrastructure and tools needed for the 2006
elections. We are specifically interested in students with
strong writing skills and interest in the following areas:
* Communications/PR
* Public Policy
* Campaigns/Elections
* Web Design/Graphic Design
* Development and Fundraising
II. OCA Congressional or Government Internship --
Work for a congressional member focused on voting rights,
election reform and administration or for a government agency
such as the Voting Rights Division at the Department of Justice.
*** Please contact APIAVote if you are interested in
volunteering to serve as an intern for APIA nonprofits
coordinating local voting projects in other cities.
Requirements:
* College or graduate student
* Demonstrated interest in public policy issues and the
political process
* Leadership abilities
* Oral and written communication skills
* Dedicated to promoting civic participation of Asian
Pacific Islander Americans in the electoral and public policy
processes
* Commitment to work for a minimum of 10 weeks
Completed Application Package including:
A. Application Form (Download application at
http://apiavote.org/internship_2006.htm)
B. Resume Including Education, Work Experience,
Extracurricular Activities, Community Involvement, Awards/Honors
You Have Received
C. Most Current Academic Transcript
D. One-Page Essay (Typed) On Your Interest In Participating
In The Internship Program And Describe "WHAT DOES DEMOCRACY MEAN
TO YOU?
E. Exactly Two Letters Of Reference
Stipend: Since APIAVote is in its 1st year as an
incorporated nonprofit, it is currently fundraising.
Opportunities for a small stipend may be available at a later
date if sponsors and funding are secured.
Send your complete application to: APIAVote, Attn: Christine
Chen, 1215 N. Fort Myer Drive #301, Arlington, VA 22209
Deadlines: Postmarked by April 5 for the Summer Session
info@apiavote.org
202-223-9170
(http://www.apiavote.org)
******************
H STREET COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SUMMER TEACHER
POSITIONS
The H Street Community Development Corporation (HSCDC) is
interested in offering summer employment to two teachers for our
Summer Youth Initiative educational enrichment program for ten
high-achieving DC students.
HSCDC is a non-profit community development corporation with a
22-year record of accomplishments in completing commercial and
residential projects and delivering business and personal
educational and wealth-building services to lower-income
residents of the District of Columbia. This is the 18th year we
are offering the Summer Youth Initiative, providing an intensive
eight-week paid work/study program for ten students, selected in
a competitive process, with at least a “B” average in core
subjects. By paying students stipends slightly higher than the
D.C. minimum wage, our program makes it possible for these
students to spend their summers in an educationally-enriching
environment, rather than taking minimum-wage summer jobs with
little if any educational benefit.
Each year, we select a program theme and recruit the appropriate
personnel as paid consultants to manage the program and teach
the course. For the 2006 program, we have selected the theme of
“The China Challenge: Preparing DC Youth for Careers in the
Global Economy.” We chose this because we are alarmed that DC
students for the most part do not have access to serious studies
of China even though rapidly-moving globalization trends mean
that American students must be knowledgeable about China in
order to compete successfully in almost any career field in
their future.
TWO CONSULTANT POSITIONS AVAILABLE:
1. Lead Teacher/Project Director: An individual with experience
and expertise in teaching urban high-school students, with
sufficient substantive knowledge of Chinese history, culture,
government, and economics to serve as the principal teacher and
curriculum developer, and with the ability to manage an
eight-week enrichment program (including curriculum development,
testing and assessment of student progress, and assisting with
the scheduling and logistics of field trips. Chinese language
proficiency not required.
The position requires a commitment of teaching and project
management and evaluation work during the course hours from 9:00
a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Mondays through Fridays from Monday, June 26th
through Friday, August 18th (except for the Fourth of July
holiday). In addition, we would require project planning,
curriculum development, and student applicant screening
consultations and advice, beginning in late May or early June on
a flexible schedule.
2. Mandarin Chinese Language Instructor: Native Mandarin Chinese
speaker with some minimal high-school teaching experience and
with the skills to teach the reading, writing, speaking, and
understanding of simple, basic Chinese-language phrases to 10th-
and 11th–grade students, most of whom are native
English-speaking with no prior foreign-language studies or
skills. The students will be recruited from D.C. Schools.
The position requires a commitment of teaching our summer
students approximately six hours per week of instruction in the
reading, writing, speaking, and understanding of simple, basic
Chinese-language phrases. We contemplate providing language
lessons in two-hour increments on Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays during the June 26-August 18 program, though we are
flexible in adjusting the schedule to accommodate the language
instructor’s needs and recommendations.
Interested applicants should send their resume to Yulonda Queen,
H Street Community Development Corporation,
Project/Administrative Manager at
yulonda.queen@hstreetcdc.org. Salary is competitive. If
you have any questions, please call me at 202-487-8160. We are
trying to interview applicants in the next 2 weeks.
(http://www.hstreetcdc.org)
******************
TIPS/RESOURCES
URBAN INSTITUTE STUDY FOCUSES ON CULTURAL PARTICIPATION
The Urban Institute is an economic and social policy research
organization based in Washington, DC. The Institute publishes
studies, reports, and books on timely topics worthy of public
consideration. “Motivations Matter: Findings and Practical
Implications of a National Survey of Cultural Participation”
reports on findings from a national survey of cultural
participation commissioned by The Wallace Foundation and
conducted by the Urban Institute. The study found that those
seeking to enlarge arts/cultural participation successfully need
to clearly define and understand the type of "culture" in which
they wish to expand participation and target their strategies
accordingly.
(http://www.urban.org/publications/311238.html)
******************
TECHATLAS
Provided by NPower, TechAtlas is a suite of online tools that
help nonprofits assess, plan for and manage their technology
needs. Using TechAtlas’ technology planning tools, nonprofits
can guide themselves through technology planning by creating a
vision, assessing and prioritizing their needs, and ultimately
creating a plan to share with board and staff.
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=wnf5atbab.0.jvdevtbab.asjgqrn6.4083&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techatlas.org)
******************
MAKING A DIFFERENCE THROUGH STRATEGIC BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS
This booklet reveals and highlights effective strategies for
ways in which non-profit organizations can form fruitful
partnerships with businesses to provide jobs for their clients.
(http://www.dol.gov/cfbci/makingadifference.pdf)
Additional Resource Materials:
(http://www.dol.gov/cfbci/pubsmaterials.htm)
******************
MANAGEMENT:
SERVICE LEARNING FACTORS
One area of nonprofit endeavor that has been growing over the
past few years is service learning, a linking of education and
nonprofit mission. Through this setup, college students perform
volunteer work for organizations, sometimes for credit and other
times simply as a requirement of their undergraduate experience.
For example, Campus Compact, a national organization involved in
service learning, estimates that there was a value of $4.45
billion to communities provided by its member schools during the
2004-05 academic year. Eugene Tempel and William Plater of
Indiana University offer several factors in the increased
popularity of service learning programs over the past few years.
* Community organizations see the value of students working on
the organization's projects with the expert participation and
guidance of faculty, thus ensuring a higher level of quality
while expanding the organization's capacity.
* Community leaders are discovering that service learning and
other forms of community involvement may help retain talented
graduates in the local community because they have become
personally connected, to the community, the organization or
both.
* Service learning is an educational experience that relies on
students volunteering with specific learning objectives
determined by the purpose of the course or program. It allows
students to reflect on what they learn while serving and
applying their learning. It benefits the students, the
university, the specific organization and the community.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/management.html)
******************
BOARDS: EVALUATING THE CEO, OR ANY SENIOR MANAGER
One of the functions of a nonprofit board is evaluation of the
chief executive officer. In their book Building Better Boards,
David A. Nadler, Beverly A. Behan and Mark B. Nadler maintain
that assessing the CEO or any senior manager of an organization
is one of the most critical, and yet one of the most difficult,
board functions. Nevertheless, it is a necessary process, and it
is one that can be done. The authors outline the essential steps
every board should take as it designs its own CEO evaluation
process:
* Creating a shared understanding of the purpose of CEO
appraisal.
* Designing a sequenced process for identifying goals,
monitoring progress and assessing year-end performance, and then
agreeing on who should play which roles.
* Identifying the appropriate areas on which to rate the CEO’s
performance.
* Deciding the best way to gather data on the
difficult-to-measure nonfinancial performance dimensions.
* Communicating effectively with the CEO on performance-related
issues.
Further, this process can be complicated by a variety of human
factors. For example, a more senior executive may have had an
enormous effect on an organization, and a rigorous and objective
evaluation may be difficult to implement.
Also, in an organization with no history of evaluations, the
sudden imposition of one may cause difficulties throughout the
system.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/boards.html)
******************
MANAGEMENT:
POLITICS
AND THE TAX CODE
Any nonprofit executive is aware that compliance with federal
laws regarding tax exemption is crucial, even as those laws seem
to become more numerous and complicated.
At the same time, several high-profile politicians have found
that they can amass huge election capital by attacking either
the nonprofit sector or specific organizations within it.
With that in mind, Harvey Berger, a CPA, and Jocelyne C. Miller,
a tax attorney, suggest a tax-related analysis of an
organization in order to meet federal requirements and avoid any
embarrassing or costly investigations.
* Know your charitable purpose. This can start by looking at
organizing documents. Before the IRS granted a tax exemption,
there must have been an organizing document containing an
appropriate exempt purpose, limited to one or more guidelines
set out in IRC Section 501 )(3). That contains all of the goals
an organization must have and still be exempt.
* Look critically at your activities. Measure these activities
against the purpose or purposes listed in the organizing
document. Take special note of any activities that fall beyond
the scope of the stated purpose. Were these activities approved
by the board and communicated to the IRS?
* Compare your exempt activities and your nonexempt activities.
Once you have each of your activities categorized as either
inside or outside the scope of your exempt purpose, consider the
percentage of time and money committed to the activities and the
importance of each of the activities to your organization.
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/management.html)
******************
ON THE
COST OF VOLUNTEERS
By Linda Graff
Volunteer involvement begs to be viewed as a valuable resource
of the human service delivery system. The central concept is
that many voluntary organizations will find it useful to
carefully review their current volunteer positions to determine
whether they are returning good value.
In all likelihood, many organizations could identify more
productive and/or less costly volunteer positions which could
generate more satisfying involvement for volunteers, and greater
returns for the organizations and the people they serve.
Volunteers As A Means. Most volunteering is organized to
generate benefits beyond the persons engaged in it. That is,
most organizations do not exist to give volunteers a place to
volunteer. Rather, volunteers are invited to participate,
alongside paid staff, in the delivery of services that further
the organizational mission.
The underlying assumption is that volunteers return value to
individuals and communities as well as to the organizations
through which they serve. That volunteers themselves also
receive benefits from their volunteer work is undeniable, but
outside the scope of this workshop.
Haphazard Engagement. The voluntary sector has approached
the engagement of volunteer resources in a largely haphazard
manner. Volunteers and their enormous potential are rarely
considered early in service planning cycle. Volunteers are much
more likely to be “add ons” after plans have been finalized.
This is not intentional. It’s just that the full potential of
volunteers is rarely understood by senior executive and
administrators. Volunteers are most likely to be seen as part
time workers suited mostly to routine, low level work.
It is the rare organization that fully appreciates the potential
of volunteers to be solvers of organizational problem. And
volunteers are generally taken for granted. When we have needed
them they’ve been there, working away in roles largely invisibly
to senior administrators, planners, boards and funders. It is
widely acknowledged that organization leaders consistently fail
to fully understand, appreciate, and accurately assess the value
of volunteer involvement.
Volunteer Positions Fail To Maximize Volunteer Potential.
Because the volunteer resource is not considered throughout the
service planning cycle, volunteer involvement tends to be
“tacked on” later in what often develops into a patchwork of
volunteer roles added from time to time to shore up deficits and
shortfalls, or to undertake work that paid employees either do
not want to do or are willing to share with their unpaid
counterparts.
Many volunteer positions have existed, unchanged for years, and
sometimes decades. It is not uncommon to find volunteers still
doing the same work in the same way as volunteers did two or
three or four decades ago, and in some cases, it’s still the
same volunteers filling the same positions. No one bothers to
ask if the work is still useful or if the way in which the work
is being organized is the best way to produce desired outcomes.
Despite the fact that everything else in the nonprofit sector
and service delivery system has changed many times over in the
last two decades, that volunteers have always done a particular
function seems be reason enough for them to continue to do
exactly that same thing into the foreseeable future.
There are exceptions, of course, but they are among a small
minority of organizations that are open to creatively involve
volunteers in high level, non-traditional positions that fully
engage volunteers’ capacity.
The Costs of Volunteer Involvement Escalate. During the
past decade or so, the costs associated with engaging volunteers
have increased substantially. Because of changes in the wider
society, the legal system, increasing accountability demanded of
the nonprofit sector, and the alarmingly prevalent revelation of
abuse of vulnerable people, the sector has responded with more
effective administrative and risk management systems.
Targeted recruitment, more intensive screening, more thorough
training, and enhanced supervision and oversight have begun to
characterize volunteer management practices. And these require
more staff time and increased hard costs. Where the work of
volunteers is more complex, sophisticated, risky, or
direct-service in nature, the costs associated with its
coordination are usually higher.
At the same time that the standards of volunteer program
management have risen, volunteer tenure has decreased. The
prevailing trend towards episodic volunteering -- the propensity
of volunteers to volunteer in short, well-defined positions
measured in hours or days rather than in months, or years -
means that the output of volunteers, at least as measured in
units of time, is declining. It is important to note, however,
that some volunteers may return enormous value in a short
period, so tenure is not always an accurate measure.
In this confluence of increasing program management costs,
sector tardiness to involve volunteers in new positions that
could engage their full talents and influence, and shorter
volunteer retention periods, the cost effectiveness of volunteer
involvement cannot be assumed.
It is very likely that at least some volunteer positions are
returning less, or little more, than they cost to sustain. More
importantly, the sector continues to ignore a plethora of new
opportunities through which volunteers could be engaged as equal
partners in mission attainment. As the general population is
increasingly educated and skilled, and in particular, as baby
boomers seek increasingly meaningful positions through which
they can apply their experience and connections, volunteerism
almost surely represents the biggest repository of nearly
unlimited growth in the nonprofit sector. Inconceivably, it
continues to be virtually ignored.
The Concept of Profit Margin. Profit margin is a measure
of the net gain (or loss) of revenue minus expenses. The concept
of profit margin is suggested as a way of beginning to
conceptualize the relative costs and returns of volunteer
positions. While it may not apply in the strictest sense because
volunteering takes place outside of the formal money economy, it
effectively communicates the notion of return on investment in
volunteer involvement.
As input costs (the operating expenses of the volunteer
department, for example) rise, and/or as the amount of work done
by volunteers or the intrinsic value of that work declines, the
profit margin narrows. Consider these examples:
$$$ If position requirements no longer match the
interests and limitations of the contemporary volunteer labour
force, does it not make more sense to alter or retire the
position than to spend ever greater resources trying to talk
volunteers into doing that work, and then replacing those who
agree to volunteer but fail to stay because the position does
not meet their needs?
$$$ If the application of new technology can produce
results more effectively and/or efficiently than traditional
methods which engage significant numbers of volunteers, does it
not make more sense to invest in the technology and turn
volunteer resources to more “profitable” involvement?
$$$ If volunteers could be recruited to help solve high
level organizational problems, e.g., assist managers with senior
level strategic planning, conduct market research or needs
assessments, or accomplish any number of the dozens of other
things of which skilled volunteers are now capable, does it not
make more sense to invest limited resources in development of
those kinds of volunteer positions?
Cost-Benefit Review. Organizations are urged to undertake
a systematic review of where they engage volunteers, not because
volunteers might not be worth investing in, but precisely the
reverse. Because volunteers can accomplish so very much if
invited to do so, not taking a close look at costs and benefits
of volunteer involvement simply perpetuates confines volunteers
to a second class workforce.
If administrators, planners, and funders could get beyond their
outdated stereotypes about volunteers as envelope stuffers and
baby bootie knitters, and recognize the enormous human resource
asset latent in that workforce, volunteers could become valued
partners rather than doers of little jobs. Such recognition is
all that stands in the way of the sector benefiting from the
truly transformational capacity of twenty-first century
volunteers.
For more on this topic, the long version of this paper pending
publication, or a new way to conceptualize the value of
volunteering, readers can contact the author at
www.lindagraff.ca
(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/Mar06/news-032006_1.html)
******************
NEWS
March 8, 2006
BRIEFING ON THE STATE DEPARTMENT’S 2005 COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN
RIGHTS PRACTICES
Secretary Condoleezza Rice
Washington, DC
SECRETARY RICE: Good morning. I'm pleased today to join Under
Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula
Dobriansky and Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human
Rights and Labor Barry Lowenkron in announcing the publication
of The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2005. These
congressionally mandated annual reports attest to America's
continuing commitment to the advancement of what President Bush
calls "the nonnegotiable demands of human dignity."
Our promotion of human rights and democracy is in keeping with
America's most cherished principles and it helps to lay the
foundation for lasting peace in the world. How a country treats
its own people is a strong indication of how it will behave
toward its neighbors. The growing demand for democratic
governance reflects a recognition that the best guarantor of
human rights is a thriving democracy with transparent,
accountable institutions of government, equal rights under the
rule of law, a robust civil society, political pluralism and
independent media.
Today, there is a worldwide discussion of democratic ideas and
the universal principles that democratic governance protects.
This discussion is taking place from the halls of government in
newly democratic Iraq to internet cafes around the globe, in
numerous public squares and across countless kitchen tables.
Indeed, the promotion of human rights and democracy is a truly
global phenomenon.
The duty to defend human rights and to help spread democracies'
blessings is especially great for the United States and other
free nations. That is why we are working with other democracies
to develop the institutions that will ensure human rights are
respected over the long term. We must help struggling
democracies deliver on the high hopes of their citizens for a
better life. We must call countries to account when they retreat
from their human rights commitments and we must always stand in
solidarity with the courageous men and women across the globe
who live in fear, yet dream of freedom.
All men and women desire and deserve to live in dignity and
liberty. Fulfilling the promise of the United Nations Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and building vibrant democracies
worldwide is the work of generations, but it is urgent work that
cannot be delayed. As President Bush has said, "the advance of
freedom is the great story of our time." These reports chronicle
that great story. We hope that the reports will encourage
governments, organizations, the media and publics to address
human rights problems. We also hope that the reports will be a
source of information and inspiration to the noble men and women
across the globe who are working for peaceful democratic change.
And now I will turn the podium over to Under Secretary
Dobriansky, who will begin to take your questions. Thank you
very much.
Remarks by Under Secretary Dobriansky
(http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/spbr/62776.htm)
Full Report:
(http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/index.htm)
Vietnam Country Report:
(http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61632.htm)
(http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2006/62738.htm)
******************
March 15, 2006
Rally for religious duty
BILL
WOULD EXPAND DEFINITION OF `ALIEN SMUGGLING'
By Jessie Mangaliman
Mercury News
Dozens of Bay Area religious leaders -- priests, nuns, rabbis,
ministers and Buddhist monks -- gathered on the steps of Mission
Church at Santa Clara University on Tuesday morning to denounce
proposed federal legislation that they claim threatens to make
felons of millions of illegal immigrants and the clergy who help
them.
``There is a hue and a cry from the religious community on
this,'' said the Rev. Carol Been, a Lutheran minister and
director of the Interfaith Council on Religion, Race, Economic
and Social Justice.
“It's a moral issue,'' she said.
The immigration reform bill, which is under consideration by the
U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, includes tougher enforcement, a
guest worker program and a chance for illegal immigrants to
obtain legal status in the United States.
The religious leaders criticized provisions that would make it a
crime to be in the United States without proper documentation,
and that expand the definition of ``alien smuggling'' to include
those who assist illegal immigrants to enter or remain in the
United States. Been and others fear this means that religious
service workers helping immigrants find jobs, learn English and
fill out immigration forms -- would be subject to criminal
prosecution, too.
But this particular provision would only apply to ``churches
that have crossed the line'' by harboring illegal immigrants,
said Ira Mehlman, a California spokesman for the Federation for
American Immigration Reform, a national group that advocates for
tougher immigration controls and enforcement against illegal
immigrants. The group does not support the bill, which was
introduced by Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., because it believes its
guest worker program, which allows illegal immigrants to remain
in the United States on temporary work permits, is a kind of
amnesty program.
The religious groups' attempt to cast the immigration reform
debate as a moral issue, and their claim that the bill will
criminalize everyone working with illegal immigrants, ``is a
deliberate attempt to spread hysteria,'' Mehlman said.
The local protest comes on the heels of a Lenten week call to
his flock by Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles, to pray
for tolerant and humane immigration reform. A growing group of
national religious organizations, joining with labor, immigrant
and civil rights groups, have been campaigning for legislation
that will offer illegal immigrants a path to legalization.
The Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN), a
San Jose group, has collected about 3,400 postcards signed by
Bay Area opponents of the Specter bill, urging U.S. Sen. Diane
Feinstein, D-Calif., who is a member of the Judiciary Committee,
to reject provisions that would criminalize illegal immigrants
and religious workers who help them.
Martha Campos, an immigrant from Mexico and program director for
SIREN, said the support of the religious community and its
strong stance against the Senate bill was important.
When she immigrated to the United States in 1995, Campos said,
``the only place I felt safe was my church.''
Feinstein has advocated for tougher border security, but she has
not defined her position on the Senate bill.
Thich Giac Luong, a Buddhist monk with the Phap Duyen Tinh Xa, a
downtown San Jose Vietnamese Buddhist temple, said the effect of
the Specter bill is to restrict freedoms.
For refugees, who fled to the United States in search of freedom
and democracy, the legislation is not humane, Luong said.
``When the bill criminalizes -- by prosecution, fines and
possible imprisonment -- organizations and individuals who
assist undocumented persons,'' said the Rev. Paul Locatelli,
president of Santa Clara University, ``it strikes at the heart
of the mandate to feed the hungry and comfort the victims of
injustice.''
Locatelli said the bill is ``a revival of nativist sentiment
born of fear like the 19th century when `No Irish need apply'
for employment.''
Contact Jessie Mangaliman at
jmangaliman@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5794.
(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/religion/14102960.htm)
******************
March 15, 2006
GLOBAL VISION GUIDES
NEW MALL
By Lisa Fernandez
Mercury News
THEMED SHOPPING CENTER RISING IN FREMONT
The country's first internationally themed shopping mall,
reminiscent of a high-end Disney Epcot village, where visitors
dine in faux-France and snap up saris from India, is expected to
find a home in Fremont next year.
The mall is the brainchild of developer John Wynn, 51, of San
Jose, who fled Vietnam to build a better life. Now he's building
his most ambitious dream as a tribute to the country he says
allowed him to prosper beyond his expectations.
In this open-air mall just off Interstate 880, Wynn hopes not
only to make a profit, but also to build a community gathering
place reflecting the diversity of the Bay Area and Fremont,
where its 210,000 residents hail from 155 countries and speak
137 languages.
``I was a `poor boy,' a `bad luck' boy,'' said a cheerful Wynn,
who changed his surname from Nguyen to reflect his proud
assimilation despite a thick accent and intense memories of the
past. ``And with a lot of hard work I fulfilled my dream.''
He and his wife, Marie Le, raised four boys, built a flourishing
commercial real estate business, and now, he said, his ``dream
got bigger.''
``This country helped me,'' he said. ``It takes in anybody. I
want to send a message to the world that we are all one.''
And where better to showcase this harmony, Wynn figures, than at
the quintessential American shopping experience: a mall? In
Wynn's vision, the various regions of the globe will sit happily
next to each other in ``villages'' architecturally designed to
represent India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and countries in
Europe, Latin America and the United States. The shops are
expected to sell goods reflecting those countries. Wynn hopes
the 460,000-square-foot mall at 6000 Stevenson Blvd., called the
Globe, will be finished at the end of 2007.
Currently, the ``Saigon Village'' section of the mall is under
construction, in a space now inhabited by a hodgepodge of
drab-looking furniture stores, which must eventually move out so
the buildings can be torn down.
Wynn's team bristles at a comparison to Disney's Epcot theme
park in Florida, which features pavilions that look and feel
like miniature countries. As Fred Kim, one of Wynn's staff
members, puts it, the Globe won't be as ``cheesy'' as Disney.
Last week, the Fremont City Council unanimously approved a
crucial step in Wynn's plans, essentially giving him the
go-ahead for his project. They voted to rezone the property from
industrial use to high-volume retail.
Now, the 47-acre plot that Wynn bought for $68 million last
summer is ready for koi ponds, metal latticework and a Spanish
fountain.
In the heart of the mall, Wynn envisions visitors doing tai chi,
playing chess and Chinese checkers, sniffing cherry blossoms,
and watching fashion shows with the latest styles from France
and Italy, or Bollywood dancing on water fountains that convert
into community stages.
Inspired by marketplaces in Singapore, London and New York, Wynn
plans to spend about $130 million more on the project -- all
private money from his Milpitas firm, Imperial Investment &
Development. He wants to work quickly and more independently
than if he asked Fremont's redevelopment agency for help.
Wynn's business model is to buy blighted shopping centers and
fix them up. Wynn's family and partners own the
Vietnamese-oriented Grand Century Shopping Mall and Vietnam
Town, both in San Jose; Milpitas Plaza; Vallco Fashion Park in
Cupertino; and Santa Clara Square.
In paving the way for the new mall, council members lamented
that Fremont consumers spend $900 million annually in retail
dollars -- but in neighboring communities.
``This could be magic,'' said Fremont Councilwoman Anu Natarajan,
an architect born in India, who earlier suggested to Wynn's
staff that they add modern touches to the Little India section
of the mall.
But Natarajan warned that the mall must have a stable team of
tenants, be centrally managed and provide adequate parking.
Also, Natarajan said, the execution of the plan must be
sophisticated: ``There's a thin line between a great concept and
a Disneyfied mockery of cultures.''
Wynn remained unwaveringly upbeat. Choosing not to speak
publicly with his staccato-sounding English, Wynn hired a former
Fremont planning director to tell the council that the Globe has
letters of intent from retailers -- such as Jackie's Kitchen,
owned by Jackie Chan, and Miss Saigon fashions -- to fill
slightly more than half the mall space. Wynn also said he's
talking to Paolo's Italian restaurant, an Austrian winery and a
German brew pub.
No one, according to the International Council of Shopping
Centers in New York, has created an entire globe in one shopping
mall.
``This gentleman is thinking what `outside the box' could be.
He's pushing it to the next level,'' said ICSC spokeswoman
Patrice Duker. ``But will it work? We'll just have to wait and
see. It's ultimately the consumer who decides.''
Two big concerns for the Globe, Duker noted, are the kind of
anchor tenants it can attract and whether independent shops can
afford the mall rents. Even casual observers wonder whether
shoppers from around the bay will trek to Fremont, a
family-friendly but architecturally bland city.
If the Globe's shoppers are counting on DeAnn Martin, 65, of
Fremont, then there are challenges ahead.
``I'll stick with The Hub or NewPark Mall,'' Martin said
recently while loading her car trunk full of Target bags,
referring to two nearby traditional malls. ``I'm just basic.''
But if the mall's success hinges on shoppers such as Brenda
LaCosse, then Wynn has a good chance of realizing his dream.
LaCosse said she would ``definitely'' try it out because she's
``sick of driving to Palo Alto for nice restaurants.''
Wynn admits he's a man with big dreams. His father died when he
was 8, and he's worked ever since: delivering newspapers,
tutoring rich kids, doing menial jobs. Wynn came to the United
States in 1975, after a lieutenant scooped him aboard a
helicopter leaving Vietnam outside the American Embassy. Wynn's
first stop was Guam, then Arkansas, and finally California. He
signed up for welfare. But 15 days later, he landed a job at a
hospital moving dead bodies.
About 30 years ago, he took a real estate seminar as a way to
earn extra income, and began attending night school at San
Jose's Phoenix University, earning a degree in business
administration. He's been a developer since 1985.
Today, Wynn is acutely aware of his good fortune. He's proud
that his second-oldest, Joseph Nguyen, 27, is his director of
sales and acquisitions.
``I'm no more `bad luck' boy,'' Wynn said. ``Dreams like mine
only happen in America.''
Contact Lisa Fernandez at
lfernandez@mercurynews.com or (510) 790-7313.
(http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/14102919.htm)
******************
March 16, 2006
GAO: MILLIONS WASTED IN AWARD OF KATRINA CONTRACTS
WASHINGTON (AP) — The government wasted millions of dollars in
its award of post-Katrina contracts for disaster relief,
including at least $3 million for 4,000 beds that were never
used, federal auditors said Thursday.
The Government Accountability Office's review of 13 major
contracts — many of them awarded with limited or no competition
after the Aug. 29 storm — offers the first preliminary overview
of their soundness.
Waste and mismanagement were widespread due to poor planning and
miscommunication, according to the five-page briefing paper
released Thursday. That led to money being paid for services,
such as housing or ice, that were never used. (On Deadline: Read
the report)
"The government's response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
depended heavily on contractors to deliver ice, water and food
supplies; patch rooftops; and provide housing to displaced
residents," said the report by the GAO, Congress' auditing arm.
"FEMA did not adequately anticipate needs."
Nicol Andrews, a spokeswoman for the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, said the agency was working hard to improve
its awarding of billions of dollars of government contracts as
it prepares for the next hurricane season.
"We have been working with (Homeland) Secretary (Michael)
Chertoff to incorporate unprecedented levels of oversight in
FEMA contracting," she said. "However, in the event of a
disaster when minutes count, we have the authority to do what it
takes to move quickly."
By and large, the initial criticism of FEMA from members of
Congress and others was that the agency moved too slowly to
assist hurricane victims.
Of more than 700 contracts valued at $500,000 or greater, more
than half were awarded without full competition or with
open-ended terms, including politically connected companies such
as Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root, Bechtel Corp.
and AshBritt Inc.
Democrats, in particular, in recent weeks have called for limits
on no-bid agreements, which they say have been awarded to
politically influential companies at the expense of a slow Gulf
Coast rebuilding effort.
"Previous reports of waste in the aftermath of Katrina have been
bad, but this one is worse," said Rep. Henry Waxman of
California, the top Democrat on the House Government Reform
Committee.
"The Bush administration has learned nothing from its disastrous
contract management in Iraq," he said. "The administration seems
incapable of spending money in a way that actually meets the
needs of Gulf Coast residents."
Sen. Joseph Lieberman, the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said the GAO report
reveals "a serious, ongoing problem" in contracting that
requires more stringent oversight.
"Taxpayer dollars will be spent for years to come on Katrina
response and recovery, and investigations of corruption and
mismanagement are still in their early stages," said Lieberman,
D-Conn. "Government auditors and prosecutors must redouble their
efforts."
The GAO report released Thursday speaks broadly and does not
address the validity of no-bid contracts; those reviews are
underway by inspectors general at Homeland Security and other
agencies. But it found significant problems in its general
review of the 13 contracts, most of which were awarded without a
full competition.
According to the report, the GAO praised government agencies for
their "hard work" in securing contracts after the disaster, but
said millions could have been saved if they had adopted previous
GAO recommendations to hire more people, prearrange contracts
and improve staff training.
Among the findings:
* Non-existent communication with local officials led to
misjudgments on the need for temporary housing. They included $3
million that FEMA spent for 4,000 base camp beds that were never
used and $10 million to renovate and furnish 240 rooms in
Alabama that housed only six occupants before being closed.
* Poor coordination between FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers
contributed to waste in an Americold Logistics LLC's contract
for ice. "The local Corps personnel were not always aware of
where ice might be delivered and did not have authority ...
resulting in inefficient distribution," it said.
* Inadequate planning led to the award of a Mississippi contract
for classrooms without competition. "Information in the contract
files suggests the negotiated prices were inflated." A review of
that specific contract, with Akima Site Operations LLC, was
continuing.
* FEMA had only 17 of the 27 monitors it deemed necessary to
oversee the installation of temporary housing in four states,
leading to inadequate controls.
The 13 Katrina contracts reviewed involve the following 12
companies: C. Henderson Consulting; Americold Logistics;
Clearbrook LLC; CS&M Associates; Gulf Stream Coach Inc.; Morgan
Building & Spas Inc.; Bechtel National; Fluor Enterprises Inc.;
CH2M Hill Constructors Inc.; E.T.I. Inc.; Ceres Environmental
Services Inc.; and Thompson Engineering Inc.
Some of the firms, including Gulf Stream Coach and Bechtel, have
close ties to the Bush administration or have contributed
significantly to the GOP.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press.
GAO Report
(http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06461r.pdf)
(http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-03-16-gao-katrina_x.htm)
******************
March 17, 2006
THE LONG
‘MARCH’ OF THREE ASSEMBLYWOMEN
By Samson Wong
Literally, it’s been the long march. “The previous Asian
American woman elected to the California legislature — Did you
know who it was?” first-term Assemblyman Van Tran
(R-Westminster) quizzed the 350 gala attendees. “In 1966, March
Fong Eu. She was the only one for over 30 years before another
API woman would be elected.”
The three women were not the first, but “they’ve made more
history in their unprecedented leadership roles,” said Tran.
The legislature’s only three APA women — Carol Liu, Judy Chu and
Wilma Chan — were honored on Feb. 28 at a California Asian
Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus Institute dinner in
Sacramento.
The three Asian Americans legislators are terming out of office
after the November 2006 election following six years in the
State Assembly and holding the body’s major leadership
positions. Wilma Chan (D-Oakland) currently chairs the health
committee and was former majority leader. Judy Chu (D-Monterey
Park) chairs Appropriations, while Carol Liu (D-La
Canada-Flintridge) heads the higher education committee.
At the dinner, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, who represents
Little Tokyo and Chinatown in Los Angeles, said, “They reached
beyond the boundaries of race. They reached beyond the
boundaries of gender. These are three remarkable women who have
contributed immensely to the wealth of this state through the
policies they have advanced in their respective leadership
positions.”
Maeley Tom — president of California Asian Pacific Legislative
Caucus Institute — recalled that “Asians were an invisible
force” before the ascent of Chan, Liu and Chu. They symbolized
the growing force of Asian Americans in the State Capitol. In
2006, the community can look to nine APA state legislators, two
state constitutional officers and a statewide commission
dedicated to APA issues.
Sacramento now has a statewide advocacy office for Asian
Americans. “We even have a report card on all 120 legislators on
how they vote on issues that are critical to our community,”
said Tom, also an AsianWeek columnist and a longtime veteran of
the state and national political scene.
“Just being Asian is no longer good enough for this community.
This community is demanding that its candidates be among the
very best qualified to represent all interests of California,”
she said.
To help fill the shoes of the three women, Tom said that the
gala dinner would fund the institute’s launch of its first
“Capitol Academy 120” this May “to train the best and the
brightest local Asian Pacific Islander American elected
officials to help them develop the skills and understanding what
it takes to serve, especially in the state legislature.”
Academy students will study a long paper trail of Carol Liu,
Judy Chu and Wilma Chan, who are among only 17 APA legislators
in history.
Honoree Wilma Chan
Wilma Chan, also the former Majority Leader (the only Asian
American to hold the position). Currently, she is leading the
state ballot fight for preschool (Proposition 82) for every
child. She has been a leader on health care, child welfare and
hospital financing legislation. She is expected to seek the seat
of outgoing State Senator Don Peralta in 2008.
On being termed out: “Obviously don’t know what the papers [are
saying], but we still have nine months to go, so we’re not out
of office yet.”
Honoree Judy Chu
Judy Chu cited examples of APAs showing their clout — the
letter-writing campaign condemning Shaquille O’Neal’s “ching
chong” taunting of Yao Ming and protection of hate crime
victims. Chu is running for the State Board of Equalization.
“Let’s continue to make sure that APIs are not just at the
table, but are at the head of the table.”
Honoree Carol Liu
Carol Liu authored legislation on education, the regulation of
Korean rice cakes, fighting gang activity, asking the U.S.
Attorney General to review the deportation cases of Korean
immigrants.
Noting the high percentage of APAs eligible for state
universities, she said: “We cannot rest on our accomplishments.
I cannot stress enough, what Judy [Chu] just said, how important
it is for APIs to have a voice here at all levels of
government.”
(http://news.asianweek.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=635913b09d8a166630988c0bd3914ff4&this_category_id=170)
******************
March 17, 2006
U.S. HOME
PRICES HIGHER IN
APA AREAS
By Carla Williams-Namboodiri
The highest median home prices in the United States appear to
match areas with high concentrations of Asian Americans,
according to figures released by the National Association of
Realtors.
But these figures may not tell the whole story.
“One of the things that AREAA is fighting is the ‘Model Minority
myth,’” says Allen Okamoto, president of the Asian Real Estate
Association of America. “I don’t know if Asians have caused the
high median prices or have just moved to those areas. In fact,
for the greater part of recent immigrants, that statistic is not
true. Recent immigrants —Vietnamese, Cambodians, Hmong and
others from China — are having a difficult time actually buying
homes and getting into the market.”
Okamoto says that the Asian Pacific American community includes
several successful entrepreneurs and business people that have
done well and that APA families are often gregarious and
engaging, which may lead to upgrades to larger, more expensive
homes.
In addition, any links between Asian American concentrations and
home prices may not take into account the fact that multiple
families are buying into a home. This factor would distort
median income price figures per buyer.
The highest median prices were in San Jose ($747,000), San
Francisco-Oakland ($718,700), Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine
($699,800), Honolulu ($620,000) and San Diego ($607,400). In all
but San Diego, Asian Americans comprise at least 25% of the
population and range as high as 55% (Honolulu). Asian Americans
are an estimated 18% of San Diegans.
Asian Americans tend to live in large metropolitan areas, which
also tend to have higher median home values, says San Francisco
Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting. “It’s the metropolitan areas that
are probably driving the home values, not the Asian Americans,”
he adds. He said that housing demand growth and pricing are very
much linked to job growth.
Median prices for homes rose 13.6% during 2005, according to the
National Association of Realtors, but trends varied widely among
metropolitan areas.
“Houston has one of the lowest median prices among the
metropolitan areas across the nation. The median is about
$156,000, roughly a third of the West Coast’s median, up from
last year. We have a lot of newcomers,” said Kenneth Li, a
broker with Century 21 Southwest in Houston, Texas.
“Definitely there are higher numbers of Asian Pacific Americans,
especially from north and east, as well as California — we’re
seeing something of a boom.” Li attributed some of these changes
to a diversification of the infrastructure, services and culture
of the city. “It’s not happening overnight, but because of low
interest rates, it’s happened in the past couple of years.”
The National Association of Realtors said 72 areas had
double-digit increases in the median price — the price at which
half the houses sold went for more, and half sold for less. The
biggest run-ups, more than 40%, were in Phoenix; around Cape
Coral-Fort Myers, Fla., and in Orlando, Fla.
— Written and reported by Carla Williams-Namboodiri with
contributing reports from The Associated Press.
Metropolitan Areas, their 2005 median price and percentage
increase (or decrease)
Anaheim, Calif. $699,800 11.5%
Baltimore $265,100 20.2%
Chicago $265,600 11.2%
Dallas-Fort Worth $145,500 6.0%
Denver $247,500 4.4%
Detroit $156,200 0.4%
Honolulu $620,000 26.5%
Houston $146,300 8.0%
Indianapolis $122,000 7.6%
Kansas City, Mo. $156,500 4.8%
Las Vegas $315,900 12.3%
Los Angeles $568,400 20.7%
Miami-Fort Lauderdale $391,200 23.9%
Minneapolis-St. Paul $230,500 4.5%
Nashville $170,900 13.9%
New Orleans $181,200 29.2%
New York-Long Island-
Northern New Jersey $459,600 16.0%
New York-
Nassau-Suffolk $472,400 9.4%
Philadelphia $215,100 13.7%
Phoenix $268,400 48.9%
Portland $256,600 19.6%
Raleigh-Cary, N.C. $197,700 15.2%
Sacramento $380,900 10.8%
St. Louis $138,80 7.9%
San Antonio $136,800 11.7%
San Diego $607,400 6.6%
San Francisco-Oakland $718,700 9.4%
San Jose $747,000 3.7%
Tampa-St.Petersburg $223,000 32.3%
Washington-N. Va. $432,900 20.6%
(http://news.asianweek.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=967ece229bfa8f3ec17ceaadec08bbb4&this_category_id=169)
Other Resources – Freddie Mac Report on Asian Homebuyers in the
U.S.
(http://www.freddiemac.com/news/pdf/Asian_Homebuyers_in_the_US.pdf)
******************
March 20, 2006
HISPANIC
POPULATION GROWING, NOT VOTING
ILLINOIS Latino voter participation stagnant or decreasing
By Carlos Roig and Faith Okpotor
Medill News Service
A large, and growing, Hispanic population in Illinois might not
be flexing the electoral muscle that many might have expected.
While demographics show a surging Hispanic population, voter
participation has been stagnant or decreasing.
In off-year elections -- like the one this year, when a
presidential race doesn't draw extra voter interest -- turnout
has dropped. Four years ago, 57 percent of registered Hispanics
voted, after a 68 percent turnout in 1998, according to census
statistics compiled by the William C. Velasquez Institute, a
public policy analysis group in Texas.
And Hispanics vote at lower rates than other groups. Turnout in
2002 was 74 percent for registered black voters, and 70 percent
for registered white voters.
"It's very rare that Latinos are the deciding force in an
election," said Louis DeSipio, a former University of Illinois
professor now on the University of California at Irvine faculty.
DeSipio said his research, conducted with Rodolfo de la Garza of
Columbia University, has shown that the outcome of only one
election at a state level has been determined by a Latino voting
bloc. Higher-than-expected Latino turnout in Arizona in 1996
helped deliver the state's electoral votes to the
then-incumbent, Bill Clinton, DeSipio said.
The U.S. Hispanic population is expected to constitute nearly a
quarter of the nation's population by 2050, according to the
United States Census Bureau. That burgeoning Hispanic population
has not run equal to a corresponding rise in electoral
influence.
About 300,000 Hispanics registered to vote in Illinois in the
2002 election, according to the Velasquez Institute. This was
about 32 percent of the Hispanic voting-age population. More
than 65 percent of both black and white voting blocs were
registered prior to that election.
Hispanics now make up more than a quarter of Chicago's
population and about one-eighth of the statewide population, but
that voting bloc has not yet materialized as an electoral force,
researchers and policy analysts say.
"The reality of immigration status is that it's just a huge
roadblock in the way of higher numbers of voters," said Rob
Paral, a research fellow at Roosevelt University's Institute for
Metropolitan Affairs. "The issue is really getting people to
status and getting them registered to vote."
Paral argued in a 2004 policy analysis that newly naturalized
citizens constitute an ever-larger portion of the U.S.
electorate. Latinos, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
accounted for nearly a third of all new U.S. voters between 1996
and 2000, Paral said.
DeSipio said that new voters, though, need to go through an
adjustment period as they become familiar with the U.S.
electoral process. That adjustment might further delay the
impact of newly naturalized citizens on U.S. elections.
(http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2006/03/20/news/illiana/102de248532aa84b8625713700024543.txt)
******************
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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