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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.


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NCVA eREPORTER - January 25, 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.

In this NCVA eReporter:

EVENTS

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

TIPS/RESOURCES

NEWS

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 EVENTS

ECAASU 2006 – FOUNDATIONS: DEEP ROOTS, LASTING GROWTH

http://www.GWecaasu2006.org

*REGISTER NOW!! The 2006 ECAASU conference is in less than a month! Online registration is available on our conference website:* http://www.GWecaasu2006.org. Regular registration for the 2006 East Coast Asian American Student Union (ECAASU) conference will end on February 1, 2006. After the February 1 deadline, registration fees will increase to $65, and the on-site registration fee at the conference will be $75. Payments by credit card or check are accepted.

Please register now while prices are still low to reserve your spot at this national conference! ECAASU delegates are strongly encouraged to book rooms at our preferred hotel, which is listed on our website as well.

The conference will be held during President's Day Weekend, February 17-19, 2006 at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. This year's theme: Foundations: Deep Roots, Lasting Growth, strives to utilize Asian American history as a stepping stone to organize and shape current Asian American communities. GW, located in our nation's capital, is the perfect location for ECAASU since it is only a few blocks away from the White House and Capitol Hill, and is known for being one of the most politically active universities in the United States.

For further questions and inquiries, please contact the External Liaison at GW.ECAASU@gmail.com.

(http://www.GWecaasu2006.org)

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FORUM ADDRESSES ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS
Arizona State University Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Management: Forum on Nonprofit Effectiveness

The ASU Center for Nonprofit Leadership and Management’s 8th Annual Forum on Nonprofit Effectiveness will be focused on building nonprofit effectiveness through standards and best practice. The forum will provide an array of speakers who will provide ideas for how to improve your organization's operations while also increasing your accountability to your customers, your funders and your community. This forum is relevant for all nonprofit organizations aspiring to a greater level of organizational effectiveness, and a higher plane of community impact. The forum will be held March 3, 2006 in Glendale, AZ.

(http://www.asu.edu/copp/nonprofit/conf/con_ann_info.htm)

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vascon2
THE SECOND ANNUAL: Vietnamese American Students Conference

*Co-Hosted by VPS & VASCON*
*Austin, TX | Omni Hotel*
*March 24 - 26, 2006*

*What is VASCON?* confused much?
VASCON is the Vietnamese American Students Conference, an expected attendance of several hundreds undergraduate and graduate students from around the nation. Students discuss issues affecting the Vietnamese American community.

*What is VASCON's goal?*
VASCON seeks to inspire and empower its registrants so that they leave with the motivation to contribute to and advance the Vietnamese American community.

*How does VASCON accomplish its goal?*
VASCON brings together the most ardent leaders of the Vietnamese American community in fields ranging from politics to journalism. Through educational seminars and interactive workshops and discussions, participants are given a crash course on the issues affecting the Vietnamese American community today as well as ample time to network with fellow student leaders. Speakers, facilitators, and entertainers are also made accessible for participants to speak with on a more intimate level.

*Do I have to be Vietnamese to attend?*
Absolutely not. We welcome students of all ethnicities.

*What's the registration deadline?*
You can register anytime before the start of the conference, and on-site registration at the Omni Hotel will also be made available. However, the conference fee will change depending on the date of registration. *Early Registration* (January 31) - $40 / *Regular* (Until February 20) - $60 / * Late* (Until March 20) - $80 / *On Site* - $100

(http://www.vascon2.org)

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 FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

YOUTHACTIONNET TO HELP FUND YOUTH-LED SOCIAL CHANGE PROJECTS

Deadline: April 15, 2006

YouthActionNet (http://www.youthactionnet.org) will present awards to youth leaders and emerging projects that promote social change and connect youth with local communities. The YouthActionNet Awards are supported by Make a Connection, a global initiative of the International Youth Foundation (http://www.iyfnet.org/) and Nokia ( http://www.nokia.com/).

To be eligible for an award, youth-led projects should  have clearly defined goals and the potential for growth  or further replication. Final selections are made  following a peer-review process in which previous award  winners select the next round of awardees. Award recipients will receive $500 and are eligible to participate in an international capacity-building workshop.

The program is open to all young people between the ages of 18 and 29. Individuals applying must have a leadership role in a youth-led initiative that works to create positive change in their community, and applications must be written in English.

The YouthActionNet Awards will be held once a year. This year's deadline is April 15, 2006, with winners to be announced July 30, 2006.

(http://www.youthactionnet.org/yan_awards)

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JOHNSON & JOHNSON/ROSALYNN CARTER INSTITUTE CAREGIVERS PROGRAM ANNOUNCES GRANT PROGRAM

Deadline: March 31, 2006

The Johnson & Johnson/Rosalynn Carter Institute Caregivers Program, a partnership of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (http://RosalynnCarter.org) and Johnson & Johnson (http://www.jnj.com), has announced the availability of grant funding for communities to initiate, expand, or replicate collaborative community-based programs that address one or more of these top needs of family caregivers: respite care; skill development; information/education; and caregiver health and well-being.

Applications are being accepted from organizations in the following states only: Colorado; Georgia; New Jersey; Tennessee; and Texas.

Applicants may be public entities or organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Private foundations, as defined under Section 509(a), are not eligible to apply. Funding is available to support education, training, and support services; projects that are primarily research efforts are not eligible for funding under this Call for Proposals.

Organizations selected by the J&J/RCI Caregivers Program will receive a $40,000 one-year grant and will also receive both on- and off-site technical assistance provided by J&J/RCI Caregivers Program staff.

(http://www.rosalynncarter.org/)

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GRASSROOTS EXCHANGE FUND ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2006

Deadline: Open

The Common Counsel Foundation's (http://commoncounsel.org) Grassroots Exchange Fund (formerly the Grantee Exchange Fund) provides discretionary small grants to build bridges between grassroots organizations throughout the United States.

The fund was established to encourage social change organizations to seek technical assistance from one another, and to help build regional and national networks among organizations. GXF prioritizes grants to small community- based groups seeking to meet face-to-face with other grassroots organizations, to build collaborative campaigns, and to benefit from technical assistance opportunities.

GXF awards grants averaging $300-$800 to approximately sixty organizations per year to cover training, travel, or conference expenses. The fund typically makes grants to grassroots community-based organizations working on economic, environmental, and social-justice initiatives that give voice to the needs of low-income people, women, youth, and people of color.

Current criteria for GXF grants include the urgency of the action, strategy session, or conference to the overall work of the applicant organization; the extent to which a small grant from GXF would make a significant impact; the extent to which the applicant meets core Common Counsel criteria -- membership-led groups organizing for social, economic, or environmental change.

(http://www.commoncounsel.org/pages/gxf_application_procedure.html)

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STARBUCKS FOUNDATION GRANTS FOR YOUTH LITERACY PROGRAMS

The Starbucks Foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and Canada that work with underserved youth (ages 6-18) in the fields of arts and literacy (reading, writing and creative/media arts) and environmental literacy. Priority will be given to organizations that reach underserved communities and communities of color, and that represent models in non-traditional learning environments. In addition, emphasis will be placed on programs that provide opportunities to integrate Starbucks employees and stores in a meaningful way. Letters of inquiry are due March 1 and September 1, annually.

(http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/grantinfo.asp)

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DRAPER RICHARDS FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIPS FOR SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS

The Draper Richards Foundation provides selected social entrepreneurs with funding to start new nonprofit organizations through the Draper Richards Fellowships. The projects selected will demonstrate innovative ways to solve existing social problems. By delivering support at the critical start-up phase, the Fellowships help outstanding people create wide-reaching social change. Funded projects must have national or global reach. Experienced, dedicated social entrepreneurs with a developed idea for a nonprofit organization in the United States are invited to apply for up to $100,000 annually for three years. Applications are accepted throughout the year.

(http://www.draperrichards.org/)

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BALANCE BAR SUPPORTS AMATEUR INDIVIDUAL/TEAM ATHLETES

The BALANCE Bar Individual/Team Grants support amateur athletes (individuals and teams) who passionately pursue activities that enrich their lives while enhancing their physical health. Grants are available to sport enthusiasts and/or amateur athletes who participate in a wide variety of sports/activities. Past grant recipient activities have included adventure racing, archery, rock climbing, hiking, martial arts, paddling, cycling and snowboarding, running, and yoga. Individuals and teams can apply for grants ranging from a minimum of $500 to a maximum of $10,000. Applicants must be U.S. resident amateur athletes over the age of 18 or teams consisting of the same. The next application deadline is March 15, 2006.

(http://www.balance.com/grants/GrantTemplate.aspx?type=1&entryid=1&m=modules/rules)

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F.B. HERON FOUNDATION GRANTS FOR WEALTH-CREATION STRATEGIES

The F.B. Heron Foundation supports organizations that help low-income people to create wealth and take control of their lives. The Foundation makes grants to programs in urban and rural communities engaged in wealth-creation strategies, including home ownership, enterprise development, access to capital, quality child care, and community development. From 2005 forward, the Foundation will concentrate the majority of grants in the following geographic areas: Appalachia, California, Chicago, Kansas City, Michigan, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Mississippi Delta, New Jersey, New York City, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington, DC. The Foundation will also continue to support organizations with a national focus or regional focus where proposals have broad application for the Foundation’s wealth-creation strategies. Letters of inquiry are accepted throughout the year.

(http://www.fbheron.org)

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PAUL G. ALLEN FAMILY FOUNDATION FUNDS PACIFIC NORTHWEST ORGANIZATIONS

The mission of the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation is to transform lives and strengthen communities by fostering innovation, creating knowledge and promoting social progress. The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations located in, or serving populations of, the Pacific Northwest, which includes Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. The Foundation’s program areas that are open for application include: arts and culture, youth engagement, and community development and social change. Letters of inquiry are accepted throughout the year.

(http://www.pgafamilyfoundation.org)

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 JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

THE BANCROFT LIBRARY STUDY AWARD
Please apply for Academic Year 2006-2007 Fellowships
Application deadline is the first Monday in February

For each academic year, two or three fellowships are available to graduate students on all University of California campuses who are conducting research that would benefit from the use of source materials in The Bancroft Library. The holders of the fellowships, designated as Bancroft Fellows, will conduct their research in The Bancroft Library on the Berkeley campus during the one-year tenure of the fellowship and must therefore be registered during the academic year at Berkeley or their home campus under the inter-campus exchange program.

The Kenneth E. and Dorothy V. Hill Fellowship Fund will provide three Bancroft Study Awards, of either $10,000 or $7,000, depending on whether the recipient is from UC Berkeley or another UC campus. UCB recipients will also receive fees.

Students must be beyond the first year of graduate study; in the past, awards have generally gone to students who have passed their qualifying examinations and are engaged in dissertation research. Awards will be announced in April.

In addition, up to $3,000 will be awarded for research during the summer session, in the form of one $3,000 fellowship (six to eight weeks in residence), two $1,500 fellowships (four to six weeks), or three $1,000 fellowships (two to four weeks).

The applicant's statement of purpose must describe how the research project will make use of The Bancroft Library's collections, which include:

* Manuscripts, printed materials, and oral histories on the history of California and western North America, as well as on aspects of English and continental European history
* Writings of Mark Twain and other major American and European authors
* History of science and technology
* Rare books, and material on the history and art of the book
* Pictorial collections
* University archives

Completed applications must include: statement of purpose, 1000 words or less; official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework; three letters of recommendation from instructors, and, for summer fellowships, the estimated length of time that the applicant would be in residence. The selection committee will balance all of these factors in determining the recipients of the full year fellowships as well as the summer fellowships.

(http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/info/fellowships.html)

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USDA GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Basu Graduate Scholarship Program provides funding for graduate school as preparation for a career in government service.  The program is designed to recruit individuals to work for USDA after completion of graduate course work in particular disciplines, and will be administered under the Student Educational Employment Program.

The scholarships will be awarded to students enrolled in master?s or Ph.D. programs.  Generally, a maximum of two (2) years of funding will be provided for a master?s degree and four (4) years of funding will be provided for a Ph.D. degree.  Recipients of the scholarships enter into an agreement with USDA and receive full-tuition scholarships.  Prior to graduation, recipients intern at USDA for a minimum of 640 hours.  The internships are paid in addition to the scholarship funds.  After graduation, recipients are required to work for USDA one year for every year of financial assistance received from USDA.  The awards include the following:

Full-tuition scholarships: tuition, mandatory university fees and books. Paid internship (minimum of 640 hours) leading to permanent employment Employee benefits Mentoring, career development, and leadership training

Under this Program, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), an agency of USDA, will offer one (1) scholarship each year over three (3) years, starting in 2006.

Eligible Fields of Study for the 2006 scholarship
Economics or Agricultural Economics (Ph.D. or Master?s).  Specialties desired include agricultural and food marketing, livestock marketing, price analysis, and quantitative methods.

Internship and Permanent Employment
Internship and eventual permanent employment responsibilities for the 2006 scholarship include:

Conducting in-depth economic analyses of marketing issues pertaining to livestock, meat, fish, and other agricultural commodities as assigned Collecting and compiling economic, statistical, and commodity-specific data necessary to analyze the impact of various regulatory and program actions Preparing background, issue, briefing, and various topical economic papers relating to livestock, fish, grain and seed, their products, and other assigned commodities

Eligibility Criteria
Each applicant must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

Be a U.S. citizen.

Possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, or be a graduating senior, with at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average based on a 4.0 scale Be accepted into or enrolled in an accredited institution as a graduate student, seeking a master’s or Ph.D. degree in a field as defined above. Have a strong interest in a career in public service with the USDA Not a current USDA employee

Additionally, the recipient of the 2006 scholarship must be willing to work in Washington, D.C. as a permanent duty station.

Application Materials
To be considered for the program, the following materials must be submitted:

Resume: a current one-page resume.

Letter of Recommendation: ONE TYPED current letter of recommendation on an accredited college/university letterhead from applicant?s academic counselor, advisor, faculty member, or employer that addresses the Selection Committee specifically.  Letter of recommendation should be from someone who knows the applicant well and can speak to his/her abilities. The letter should discuss an applicant’s 1) Personal strengths; 2) Leadership qualities; 3) Academic and extracurricular achievements; and 4) Future academic and career aspirations.

Official Transcript: an OFFICIAL accredited college/university transcript indicating undergraduate and graduate (if any) academic work. Transcripts MUST include a cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale. Letter of acceptance into an accredited institution as a graduate student.

Application Deadline and Mailing Information
Application deadline is January 31, 2006
Application materials should be sent to:

Dr. Ruihong Guo
USDA - AMS
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 1095
Washington, DC 20250

Additional Information
For additional information, please contact Dr. Guo at ruihong.guo@usda.gov or (202) 720-0583.

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OCAPICA/UNITED WAY AAPI SCHOLARSHIP FUND

The OCAPICA/United Way AAPI Scholarship Fund offers scholarships to Asian American & Pacific Islander college students who demonstrate significant merit in academics, workplace, and/or community involvement. Multiple students will be selected to receive a $1,000 scholarship to offset their expenses at the two- or four-year accredited institution that they are currently attending. The scholarship is funded by Orange County United Way and is administered by the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA) in partnership with the Cambodian Family, Community Action Partnership of Orange County, Japanese American Citizens League - SELANOCO Chapter, Kababayan Alumni of UC Irvine, Korean American Coalition - OC, Organization of Chinese Americans - OC, Pacific Islander Health Partnership, Project MotiVATe/Vietnamese American Mentoring Project, Taiwanese American Citizens League - OC, and the Vietnamese American Public Affairs Committee - Southern California.

Deadline, Friday, March 10, 2006

More info can be found on the application.

(http://www.ocapica.org/documents/UWAAPIScholarshipApplication2006.pdf)

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 VIA VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN VIETNAM

Interested folks can read more about our history, programs, selection process, training, participation fees and other post availabilities at our website: http://www.viaprograms.org.  Our application deadline is February 24 and volunteers depart late-June to mid-July 2006.


Can Tho University (CTU), Can Tho - New Post!

Established in 1966, Can Tho University is the top university in the Mekong Delta serving students from every province of the Delta. CTU is comprised of 9 colleges and schools and offers 57 fields of study for undergraduates, 15 for Master's, and 5 for Doctoral degrees.

Role: The volunteer will split their time teaching English courses at a university department to be determined and the Center for Foreign Languages (CFL). At the CFL, the volunteer will help develop/improve TOEFL and IELTS curriculum and teach classes to the Mekong 1000, a provincial project to prepare high-level officials for study abroad.  Volunteers with a Master's degree or related education background may be asked to teach Master's students in the English program.

Place: Can Tho is the largest city in the Delta and the fifth largest city in Vietnam. It is modern and bustling but offers many rich cultural sights and experiences unique to the Delta due to its central location.


VN Plus in Long My District and Hau Giang Province, Long My, Hau Giang Province - New Post!

VN Plus is a small Belgian-French NGO running several community development programs in Vietnam, including in the very poor and rural Long My district. Collaboration with local partners is critical to VN Plus' mission and thus, so is the need to improve human resources capacity among local, high-level Vietnamese officials in the district and province.

Role: The volunteer will split their time teaching English to government officials at the district and province levels. Most of these officials are at beginning to low-intermediate English level. This post requires an extremely independent, motivated, and mature candidate. The volunteer is expected to evaluate the needs of  different constituents, assess their levels, recommend a schedule/structure, and design course curriculum. The volunteer will also have the opportunity to learn more about VN Plus projects and accompany the staff on field visits.

Place: Long My is a small district, population of approximately 100,000, in the newly formed Hau Giang province. Long My is an underpopulated and rural area where most Vietnamese rely on fishing for their livelihoods. Long My's center consists of a few small streets, a market, and some shops. There are no other foreigners living in this area and practically no foreign tourists visiting. This post will allow for a complete immersion experience. On some weekends, the volunteer may take trips to nearby Can Tho (2 hours away) or HCMC (6 hours away) paid for by VN Plus.


Nha Trang University of Fisheries (UoF), Nha Trang - New Post!

Nha Trang University of Fisheries is the only university in Vietnam which offers undergraduate and post-graduate programs in the fisheries industry. Most students are children of local farmers and fisherman and many are from low-income rural areas. UoF's goals are to develop into a multi-disciplinary university. It has just created an English major program which is now only in its first year.

Role: The volunteer will teach first- and second-year English majors (there are only two classes as of Fall 2006), young English department staff, and team-teach non-English majors with Vietnamese teachers. As the English major is brand new, the volunteer is expected to have some background in education, prererably a Master's, so that he/she can help with capacity building. This will include designing materials and tests, teacher observation and feedback, and conducting teacher workshops. The volunteer will also coordinate the campus English club.

Place: Nha Trang is a scenic beach city and the capital of Khanh Hoa province. While a tourist destination for Vietnamese and foreign tourists, the city is small and maintains a slow pace. The campus of UoF overlooks the beach and is a short 4 km bike ride away from the central area.

Christine Tran
Vietnam Program Director
VIA (formerly Volunteers in Asia)
P.O. Box 20266
Stanford, CA 94309
650.723.3228

(http://www.viaprograms.org)

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APAPA CEF INTERNSHIP & SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Community Education Foundation (APAPA CEF) is pleased to announce two programs for the 2006-07 academic year. The first program is the Internship Program. The purpose of the internship is to help the students better understand California state and local government and to develop future leaders in the API community.  Each intern will work for a state legislator or constitutional officer at the Capitol during the summer of 2006.

The second program is a scholarship program where $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to undergraduate college students who are interested in leadership and API issues at the different levels of government.

APAPA CEF is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a purpose to educate API Americans and the public on the public affairs, issues, concerns, and government processes while developing future leaders. 

The awards dinner will be held on May 17, 2006 at the Holiday Villa Restaurant in Sacramento, California

Applications & Requirements
Visit our website: http://www.APAPA.org

Deadlines
March 15, 2006 - Internship application
March 31, 2006 - Scholarship application

Contact Information
For any questions, please send email to info@apapa.org or Lucy Oback@comcast.net

(http://www.apapa.org)

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 TIPS/RESOURCES

OFFICE ON WOMEN’S HEALTH: NEW HEART HEALTH WEBSITES FOR WOMEN AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS

For Your Heart (www.womenshealth.gov/ForYourHeart) - For Your Heart is a simple, interactive Web site that provides women with personalized information and tips on preventing heart disease.  Following a brief survey, each woman receives stories on exercise, nutrition, weight loss, smoking, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure, menopause, and stroke.  These stories are tailored specifically to each woman's race/ethnicity, age, and heart disease risk factors. Please visit For Your Heart at http://www.womenshealth.gov/ForYourHeart or call 1-800-994-WOMAN (1-800-994-9662) or 1-888-220-5446 for the hearing impaired.

(http://www.womenshealth.gov/ForYourHeart)

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HEART HEALTHY WOMEN

Heart Healthy Women (www.hearthealthywomen.org) -- Heart Healthy Women is the online source for the most up-to-date information on diagnosis and treatment of heart disease in women. The website features separate educational sections for women with heart disease and their healthcare providers. Information offered includes: 1) the most important signs and symptoms of cardiovascular disease in women; 2) the accuracy of diagnostic tests for women; and 3) the safety and effectiveness of treatments and surgical procedures that are appropriate for women. For online information on the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease, please visit Heart Healthy Women at http://www.hearthealthywomen.org.

(http://www.hearthealthywomen.org)

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ADVERTISING: MULTIPLE CHANNELS CAN MAKE AN IMPACT

The combination of radio and print advertising can be a power one-two punch for reaching potential planned giving donors.

For many organizations, radio advertising is as essential as brochures and direct marketing, according to Karen L. Jackson, a principal of Beechwood, Ohio-based Results in Giving, Ltd., who presented "Radio Advertising Marketing Not to Be Missed" at the National Conference on Planned Giving in Kissimmee, Fla., recently.

"Radio builds institution awareness and draws attention to planned initiatives," she said, adding that, in some cases, radio advertising can be less expensive than print ads, with better results. Radio spots, combined with magazine inserts, bought more closed gift annuities than print advertising alone.

Radio advertising can be cheaper and more productive than newspaper or magazine advertising but, with any decision, Jackson presented some pros and cons

Pros
* Large number of people reached.
* Identify new donors of all levels.
* Less expensive than some print advertising.
* Direct message to specific group.
* Market segments easily identified.
* Able to adjust message to market segment.
* Ability to quickly change time slots and message content.
* Promotes organization in a general sense.

Cons
* Requires understanding radio lingo.
* Requires negotiating price.
* Need to understand a stations market reach.
* Research into local stations and markets necessary.
* Can be expensive, depending on location.
* Testing of times and sequence of ads needed.
* Best results from long-term commitment.
* Content must be tightly written.

(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/marketing.html)

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RISK MANAGEMENT: DISASTER PLANNING FOR YOUR TECHNOLOGY

Taming the technology beast can be a daunting prospect for many nonprofits, particularly when it comes to emergency preparedness. Taming that beast involves a detailed assessment of your organization's current processes and systems.

Dennis Bagley, manager, and Michael Harnish CPA, Associate, technology, consulting and solutions at Plante & Moran provided an assessment questionnaire during the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' Not-For-Profit Financial Executive Forum. Scoring is on a basis of 0 to 5 with no being 0 and 1, sort of and 5 for yes.

1. Within the past 12 months, has your organization made a detailed assessment of all its computer applications and identified which ones are of top priority in supporting routine business operations?

2. Based on the results of study and analysis, do you know the estimated dollar losses your organization would suffer if it had a computer or network outage for a week, two weeks, a month?

3. Do you think the quality and completeness of your organization's documentation and operating instructions for information systems would enable otherwise qualified strangers to understand and operate your systems without undue delay, research and guesswork?

4. Does your organization back up computer tapes (or diskettes) off-premises, so that at least minor recovery operations might be performed?

5. When was the last time you inventoried your organization's computer backups to ensure that all needed files are being kept? (Be sure to consider your newer applications and changes to older ones)

6. Within the past 18 months, have you formally surveyed or interviewed key representatives from departments that use and rely on your computers or network to obtain their views on what kind of manual or semi-automated processing could be accomplished if all services were suddenly cut off for periods ranging up to one month?

7. Does your organization have an up-to-date, detailed, written set of procedures on what to do in an emergency and on exactly how recovery operations would go forward if your computer facilities were destroyed or made inaccessible?

8. Has your organization performed tests under simulated disaster conditions in order to help verify that its computer processing can be accomplished at an alternate computer site under whatever provisions your organization has for backup and recovery operations?

A score of 40 indicates a good state of emergency preparedness; 30-39 shows a need for additional attention in some areas. Consider strengthening your disaster recovery plan in areas of relative weakness; 20-29 indicates you are unprepared for potential difficulties that could have been foreseen and avoided. Address the indicated weaknesses in your recovery plan; 10-19 shows very spotty attention to a number of key areas. Significant difficulties and delays in data recovery can be expected. Prompt corrective action is advised; 1-9 shows little attention has been given to a disaster recovery plan. A system disaster is sure to be very costly. A task force should be chartered immediately to address the development of a plan;

0 - Indicates the need for divine intervention to preclude major dollar losses and delays should you experience a disaster.

(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/risk.html)

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 NEWS

January 12, 2006

REBUILDING PROPOSAL GETS MIXED RECEPTION
Critics vocal, but many prefer to watch and wait

By Gordon Russell and Frank Donze
Staff writers

Tempers flared as expected Wednesday with the unveiling of a bold plan to temporarily halt the issuance of building permits in flood-ravaged parts of New Orleans -- a four-month timeout proposed by Mayor Ray Nagin's rebuilding commission to allow for a planning process that would chart the future of those neighborhoods.

The message to Nagin's Bring New Orleans Back commission from many of the roughly 20 audience members who spoke out at the presentation of its land use plan was direct and simple: Don't tell me what I can do with my property. Fueling the anger was the plan's call for using eminent domain, as a "last resort," to buy out homeowners in areas that show few signs of rebirth.

The proposal also drew a pre-emptive Bronx cheer from City Council members, who held a news conference minutes before the unveiling to assail it.

While the mayor appears to be in favor of the four-month planning process, he indicated after the meeting that he is uncomfortable with preventing people from renovating their homes and is unlikely to support the building moratorium.

The chorus of opposition also included groups like the NAACP and Louisiana ACORN, though not all the plan's opponents shared the same objections and some seemed to contradict one another. While representatives of some neighborhoods called the four-month planning process too long, for example, Louisiana ACORN said the time frame was too short to gather enough public input.

After the commitee presented its plan in a Sheraton Hotel ballroom packed to the brim, a number of speakers argued that temporarily barring them from getting permits would choke the progress that is starting to show in their neighborhoods.

"We don't want to wait four months," said Jeb Bruneau, president of the Lakeview Civic Association. "We want to be able to go down to City Hall and get permits. We have the means to help ourselves, so don't get in our way."

Others called the plan a "land grab" cooked up by greedy developers. Carolyn Parker of the Lower 9th Ward warned the group that her home would be taken "over my dead body." Rodney Craft, also of the 9th Ward, warned: "If you come to take our property, you better come ready."

Though most of those who spoke strongly opposed the plan, the crowd of about 500 applauded at several points during the presentation and many seemed willing to listen and consider the proposal.

Even some of those who attacked parts of the plan seemed to welcome its promise of civic participation. Former state Rep. Sherman Copelin, who spoke for the New Orleans East Business Association, criticized the proposed building moratorium but said his Eastover subdivision, one of the wealthiest in the area, welcomed the chance to plan its own rebirth.

"We want to accept your challenge that we come up with a plan. But we want a commitment that you will work with us on that plan," Copelin told commissioners.

Outcry expected

The outcry was hardly surprising. Since the mayor's commission began its work, by far its most controversial question has been whether the city's footprint should be made smaller to reflect a population expected to reach only half its pre-Katrina number by 2008.

Nagin himself didn't comment publicly after the presentation ended, but said via e-mail afterward that he has "serious reservations" about the permit moratorium. He said that he is especially concerned that those rebuilding in the flattened Lower 9th Ward may be putting themselves in harm's way -- particularly as long as the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet remains open. But he indicated that, even there, he is inclined to allow residents to rebuild.

"I just do not recommend it (rebuilding there) at this time," Nagin said.

Those objections aside, the mayor said the land use plan is a good starting point from which a shattered city can rebuild itself. "I like the plan," Nagin said. "It was well presented and is well thought out. The committee chairs, commissioners and citizens who contributed should feel proud for a job well done."

In remarks before the plan was presented, Nagin said he realized that many in the audience would object strongly to it.

"This report is controversial," he said. "It pushes the edge of the envelope."

But he reminded the crowd that the proposals are far from final.

"Let's take the time to discuss it, debate it, analyze it and tweak it," he said. "This is a recommendation from the commission. We as a community have the ultimate say in how we move forward."

Joe Canizaro, the banker and developer who chairs the land use panel, said after the meeting that he does not believe the plan requires a halt to permitting for it to succeed.

While some residents interpreted the proposed moratorium as a signal that city leaders don't want them to come back, Canizaro said, the panel's intent was to protect homeowners from investing heavily in renovations and later facing the possibility of a forced buyout.

"I don't have any problem at all if the mayor chooses otherwise," he said of the moratorium, adding that he realizes some flooded sections are already bouncing back. "I hope that the people in this community, when they make those investments, make sure that they're going to have neighbors and they're going to have services provided. The city may not be able to provide services if they're stuck out there by themselves. There are a lot of things that people emotionally in today's environment aren't thinking about."

The plan, which has been subject to numerous revisions over the past few weeks and even late into the night Tuesday, contained a few changes from a draft published Wednesday by The Times-Picayune.

The most significant change was the suggestion that, for neighborhoods to be considered viable, at least half their pre-Katrina population must commit within the next four months to return.

The report also recommended that the buyout legislation proposed by U.S. Rep. Richard Baker, R-Baton Rouge, be modified to give homeowners forced to sell in devastated areas 100 percent of their equity. The bill that stalled last month in Congress guaranteed only 60 percent to homeowners.

However, Canizaro also said that even without the Baker bill, he thinks enough federal money will be available -- in the form of Federal Emergency Management Agency grants and other sources -- to make homeowners whole.

The panel estimates it will cost $12 billion to buy out every home that received at least 2 feet of water, but Canizaro said he expects only half of the flooded homes will be bought out in the end.

The commission also recommended that a new public authority be created by the Legislature, tentatively called the Crescent City Recovery Corp., to oversee the expenditure of federal money and in particular the buying, selling and, in some cases, seizure of homes.

Giving the recovery agency the powers the panel wants will require voters to amend the City Charter. Voters would also have to approve the panel's recommendation to take away the City Council's power to overrule decisions of the City Planning Commission. Instead, those seeking to appeal would go directly to the courts.

Canizaro said he hopes both matters will be placed on the ballot at the time of the next election, which may be held in April. Gov. Kathleen Blanco has indicated she plans to call for a special session next month.

No legal force yet

For the time being, none of the panel's recommendations has any legal force. On Wednesday, the mayor's committee voted unanimously to accept its report, but it will be up to Nagin to decide how to tweak the proposal, along with those of six other committees scheduled to be heard next week: education, infrastructure, government efficiency, health care, culture and economic development. The White House and a state commission appointed by Blanco that will disburse billions in federal money would also have to OK the plan.

Canizaro said the committee will nonetheless begin to lay the groundwork for the next phase of planning called for in its report. The report calls for planners to begin holding meetings, starting March 20, for residents of each of the city's 13 planning districts. By May 20, those plans would be finalized. The process will be quarterbacked by New Orleans architect Ray Manning and Tulane University's school of architecture dean, Reed Kroloff.

Manning and Kroloff said Wednesday they will begin immediately to assemble data about different neighborhoods. They will also start to formulate a strategy for including displaced residents scattered across the country who may not be able to attend meetings in New Orleans. They said their efforts may include teleconferencing meetings.

The two men acknowledged that they are about to enter uncharted waters.

"This is an evolutionary process," Kroloff said. "We're learning as we go. This is a problem of unprecedented scope and dimension. Answers aren't immediately available. We've got to gather as much as we can from the best minds everywhere to help us come to terms with this."

Manning said the tight timeline is daunting, but not impossible.

"Some of what we have to do is tantamount to doing a study that would normally take, in some places, a year and a half," rather than four months, he said.

Like Canizaro, Kroloff tried to assuage the fears of residents who believe that because they live in a flooded area, their property rights are threatened.

The planning process and the proposed moratorium, he said, should be seen as "a breather, a moment in time to assess these neighborhoods with their residents -- and under the direction of their residents -- to determine what is the best for protecting their long-term future in the city. It doesn't mean they won't be able to rebuild, it doesn't mean they won't be able to come home."

Canizaro said he believes the planning process will help bring clarity to residents and officials alike, and the end result will be a smaller footprint, though he declined to speculate on its shape.

"Nature and people's own emotions will cause them to want to consolidate," he said. "Maybe I'm looking for too much out of this process, but I'm hopeful that it will bring people together to understand what is best for them."

Perceived as the driving force behind the proposal, Canizaro took much of the heat Wednesday. During roll call, scattered boos broke out when his name was announced. More than one speaker mentioned him by name.

"Mr. Joe Canizaro, I don't know you, but I hate you," eastern New Orleans resident Harvey Bender said. "You've been in the background trying to scheme to get our land."

Canizaro buttonholed Bender in the hallway afterward and encouraged him to attend the planning sessions to make himself heard. He also told Bender he does not have any financial interest in any panel recommendations.

Individual residents were not the only ones to attack the plan. In a news release, ACORN leaders said the four-month window was far too narrow for neighborhoods to prove their sustainability. Dorothy Stukes, spokeswoman for the agency's Katrina Survivors Association, said: "They are just changing the rules around to justify a land grab."

NAACP branch President Danatus King, meanwhile, suggested that the plan was designed to help "fat cats" and a "chosen few," pointing in particular to sections of town that the land use panel described as "infill areas" where large commercial, industrial and residential development might occur.

The local chapter of the Sierra Club, meanwhile, weighed in with a cautious endorsement of the plan, calling it a "thoughtful step forward" but expressing concerns about the accelerated time period for the planning process and the possibility that there is lingering toxicity in the soils of flooded areas.

First to attack the plan was a group of City Council members who held a hastily called news conference a few minutes before the mayor's commission unveiled its report, just one floor below the ballroom where it was presented. The opposition was not unexpected; the council in December passed a resolution calling for aid and city services to be distributed equally across the entire city, and trashed the notion of a "reduced footprint." Council members, who have been at increasing odds with the Nagin administration in recent months, also complained that they were not briefed on the plan.

Councilwoman Cynthia Willard-Lewis, whose eastern New Orleans district was among the hardest-hit by the storm, told reporters that the council had come out with a "strong, forceful declaration of the right of everyone to return."

Councilwoman Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson, whose district includes Algiers and the French Quarter, which were lightly touched by the storm, went further, calling the panel recommendations "a blatant violation of private property rights that is unprecedented in America."

Also present were Jay Batt and Renee Gill Pratt.

Mel Lagarde, the usually diplomatic health care executive who co-chairs the mayor's panel, promised to do a better job at communicating with other elected officials, but said he refused to let the debate become a political sideshow.

"The tolerance in this community for any kind of political foolishness is over," said Lagarde, who up till Wednesday has declined to speak publicly about the process. Lagarde said the situation is too dire to worry about making everyone happy.

"The size of the problem always dictates the size of the decision," he said. "And there's no way you're going to be able to finesse a decision around a problem of this magnitude that everybody's going to feel comfortable with. There is no way that is going to happen."

Lynn Jensen contributed to his report. Gordon Russell can be reached at grussell@timespicayune.com or at (504) 826-3347. Frank Donze can be reached at fdonze@timespicayune.com or at (504) 826-3328.

(http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1137052078313930.xml)

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January 13, 2006

 IRS REVOKING EXEMPTIONS OF CREDIT COUNSELORS
Firms Make Up Most of Industry

By Caroline E. Mayer
Washington Post Staff Writer

The Internal Revenue Service has concluded that more than 30 credit-counseling firms -- accounting for more than half of the industry's revenue -- are not entitled to tax-exempt status.

Five firms, mostly small ones, have already had their tax-exempt status revoked, while the rest have been notified of the agency's intention, according to the agency.

The proposed and final revocations are the results so far of 60 audits the IRS has been conducting for more than two years into credit-counseling organizations. The audits were prompted by hundreds of consumer complaints of deceptive business practices, including high fees, high-pressure tactics and inadequate educational services. The IRS has been trying to determine if credit-counseling agencies were misusing their tax-exempt status to take advantage of financially strapped consumers.

Steven T. Miller, commissioner of the IRS's tax-exempt and government entities division, said the agency is seeking revocations for a combination of reasons. In some cases, "we do not believe they are providing sufficient education to the debtor," he said. "Or regardless of what they are providing, too much money is being siphoned out of these organizations and going into the pocketbooks of the CEOs and for-profit affiliates."

To date, none of the credit-counseling agencies under review has been given a clean bill of health. However, Miller said, "I think some of them, as we continue, will pass muster."

The firms can appeal the proposed revocations, but, if they do take effect, "that doesn't mean we're closing their doors," Miller said. It means "they are a taxable entity and are responsible for income tax like any other corporation."

However, in eight states, including Maryland, credit-counseling groups are required to be tax-exempt to be able to offer their services.

Industry officials say the revocations could affect the economic viability of many entities because much of their funding is dependent on their tax-exempt status. About half of the industry's funding comes from banks and credit card issuers that pay the counseling firms a percentage of money recovered through repayment plans drawn up by counselors. Up to now, most banks have insisted that the counselors be tax-exempt to receive the funds, called "fair share" in the industry.

"The basis by which we survive are grants and fair-share contributions," said John C. Gormley III, head of Consumer Credit Management Services. "To the extent they are not available, they will have to be offset by the consumer," said Gormley, whose firm was notified Friday that it was about to be audited.

The IRS action comes at a critical time for the credit-counseling industry, which has been given a new, central role in the nation's bankruptcy system under changes that went into effect last October. The new bankruptcy law, designed to make it harder for consumers to wipe out their debts, requires consumers to consult with an approved credit-counselor course before they may seek protection from creditors in bankruptcy court.

The proposed revocations raise concerns about whether there will be enough counseling firms to provide that service. No one knows for sure because the IRS, under law, may not identify firms it is auditing, even to another government agency. The Justice Department's U.S. Trustee Program, which oversees the nation's bankruptcy courts, decides which credit-counseling agencies can give pre-bankruptcy advice.

It is unclear whether the large national credit-counseling firms that are currently advising thousands of debtors a month could be affected.

"Hopefully, there's no overlap, because it's going to get messy," said Samuel J. Gerdano, executive director of the American Bankruptcy Institute, a nonprofit education and research group.

Washington attorney Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum, who represents about 50 credit-counseling agencies, said he was not surprised at the number of proposed revocations and predicted more to come. But, he said, it was frustrating that the IRS has not yet given any counseling group a green light or issued guidelines on what groups must do to retain their tax-exempt status. "At a time when credit counseling has been endorsed by Congress and is now mandatory prior to filing for bankruptcy, the industry is operating in the dark as to what the IRS's tax-exemption standards are. This has created great instability in the industry."

Unless a firm announces that its tax exemption has been revoked, the only way for the public to know is through the revocation listings that the agency periodically posts. Last year, the agency revoked tax exemptions for A Better Way Credit Counseling Inc. and Gibson Trust Inc., both of Florida; National Consumer Council Inc. of California; National Credit Education and Review of Michigan; and the National Center for Debt Elimination of Pennsylvania. Most of these have closed their operations or sold their accounts to other firms. One of the agencies, the National Center for Debt Elimination, is no longer accepting new customers. President David Leuthold said the company was mistakenly set up as a nonprofit, so "we welcomed the revocation of tax-exempt status."

(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/12/AR2006011202085.html)

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January 13, 2006

RENEWED TULANE UNIVERSITY REOPENS FOR CLASSES

New Wave staff writers 
newwave@tulane.edu

Five months after Hurricane Katrina caused at least $200 million in damages and closed its doors for a semester, Tulane University gladly welcomed back first-year students yesterday (Jan. 12) for move-in to residence halls in preparation for the spring semester.

Tulane rolled out the red carpet with "Welcome Back" banners and flags on buildings and light poles, as well as numerous signs promoting its "Orientation Déjà Vu" activities for the entering class. While students and their parents moved boxes and luggage out of car trunks and down sidewalks, members of the news media photographed and videotaped the festivities.

On hand to report on Tulane's renewal were the Christian Science Monitor, the Chronicle of Higher Education, the Associated Press, NBC, National Public Radio, the Los Angeles Times and Fast Company magazine, in addition to local television stations.

Tulane will reopen for classes on Tuesday (Jan. 17). Approximately 88 percent of Tulane students are expected to return for the spring semester.

"We have always taught history at Tulane; now we are going to make it," Tulane President Scott Cowen said. "As the largest private employer in Orleans Parish as well as the largest importer of brainpower, our students, faculty and staff will take the lead in rebuilding our great city."

Cowen, who is also a member of Mayor Ray Nagin's Bring New Orleans Back Commission, estimates that the population of New Orleans will increase by 10 percent as the Tulane community of students, faculty and staff return.

After moving into residence halls yesterday, first-year students and their parents gathered in McAlister Auditorium for a convocation ceremony to be officially welcomed back to campus by Cowen.

Returning students will be able to take advantage of a full slate of orientation activities through Monday (Jan. 16), including tours of the campus and city, a jazz brunch, receptions, concerts, sporting events, a job fair, religious services and more. Additional orientation information can be found at http://www2.tulane.edu/orientation_0106.cfm.

Students also will be given plenty of volunteer opportunities to help rebuild New Orleans and learn more about the hurricane disaster through approximately 30 Katrina-related courses.

In addition to its own students, Tulane will also welcome Xavier and Dillard students, whose universities were severely damaged by Katrina. A number of Xavier and Dillard students will attend classes at Tulane and share Tulane's libraries and recreational facilities. The arrangement is part of a consortium formed between Tulane, Dillard, Loyola and Xavier universities in the wake of Katrina.

Grammy-winning jazz great Wynton Marsalis, with help from his father Ellis Marsalis, will help kick off the reopening of Tulane with a special talk and performance at 7 p.m. on Monday (Jan. 16) at Tulane's McAlister Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public but seating is limited. Doors open at 6:15 p.m.

The semester will culminate with the university's commencement on May 13.

(http://www2.tulane.edu/article_news_details.cfm?ArticleID=6146)

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January 18, 2006

ASIAN ADOPTIONS ON THE RISE

Asian Nation, C.N. Le, Jan 18, 2006

In the last several decades, the adoption of children born in Asia to new parents in the U.S. has become increasingly common. As these adopted Asian children grow up in predominantly White families, they frequently encounter adjustment and ethnic identities issues and conflicts about their "place" in American society.

HISTORICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Various economic, cultural, and demographic factors have contributed to this phenomenon. On the "push" side, an oversupply of children from impoverished areas in Asia combined with a cultural devaluation of girls frequently leads many birth parents to give their children up for adoption. "Pull" factors in the U.S. and other western countries include large numbers of couples who are unable or unwilling to conceive children themselves have created a demand for overseas adoptees.

The practice of Asian-born children being adopted by primarily American (and predominantly White) parents became increasingly common beginning in the 1970s. During this time, several Asian countries experienced political and/or economic upheavals that resulted in the worsening of living conditions for many of their citizens, particularly poor, working class, or rural families. These events led many families in vulnerable circumstances to be more willing to give up their infants and young children to be adopted.

One of the most visible examples of this situation were the events surrounding the end of the Viet Nam War in 1975. One month before the South Vietnamese government fell to advancing North Vietnamese communist forces, "Operation Babylift" was approved by President Gerald Ford that would airlift 2,700 orphans out of Viet Nam to be adopted by families in the U.S.

Many of these children were those who had lost their parents, were children of American GIs whose Vietnamese mothers had put them up for adoption, and/or were malnourished, sick, or disabled. After a disastrous first flight that crashed shortly after takeoff and killed 154 children and adults on board, several planeloads of Vietnamese children eventually landed in the U.S. and were adopted into predominantly White families.

Also during the 1970s, adoptions from other Asian countries such as China, South Korea, the Philippines, and India began accelerating. In addition to worsening conditions within each Asian country, many of these governments began to streamline their adoption procedures to make it easier for overseas families to adopt children in their countries.

While comprehensive statistics on Asian adoptees are very difficult to find, the most accurate information comes from the U.S. Department of State, who keeps track of all immigration visas issued to orphans, which are required for international adoptions. The table above shows the number of such visas issued by years(s) and country of origin.

The results show that from 1989-2003, China sent the most numbers of adoptees to the U.S. (and continued to do so in 2003), followed closely by Russia and South Korea a distant third. Other Asian countries that have sent significant numbers of adoptees include India, Viet Nam, the Philippines, and Cambodia. Although adoptions from the top four countries continues to be strong, the data also show that in recent years, notable numbers of adoptees have come from the former Soviet Union countries of Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH ASIAN ADOPTIONS

The vast majority of these Asian adoptees have been and continue to be girls and this has led to one of the criticisms surrounding such Asian adoptions. Specifically, many people (not just Asian Americans) feel that because of centuries of deeply-ingrained patriarchy and discrimination against women, these Asian countries continue to systematically value the life of a girl much less than that of a boy. Boys are valued more because they can supposedly contribute more labor and have more legal rights.

As critics argue, the result is that when there are too many girls being born, they are too quickly considered "excess property" that needs to be disposed. Many claim that's the reason why so many Asian girls are adopted each year. Although these criticisms are directed toward the cultural, political, and social systems of the Asian country and not at the adoptees themselves or their American adoptive parents, this gender imbalance continues to be a point of controversy for all parties involved in the adoption process.

In recent years, many critics of Asian adoptions have argued that in many cases, the status of these Asian children as orphans may not be valid. Specifically, there have been documented instances in which mothers have been coerced or tricked into giving up their children for adoption or where mothers have been paid money (or given non-monetary incentives) to relinquish custody of their children for adoption.

In extreme cases, some children may have been kidnapped from their mothers in order to be "sold" to adoptive parents overseas, who in most cases had no knowledge of these suspicious and/or illegal activities. In fact, several adoption agencies have been charged with fraud and suspicions of improper adoptive activities had led the U.S. State Department to impose significant restrictions on or even suspend adoptions from certain countries until investigations are completed.

On the other side of the adoption process, another concern that has been raised in regard to such Asian adoptions is that since the vast majority of these orphans are adopted into White families, these children may be socialized into ignoring or even abandoning their Asian culture. Specifically, many critics feel that non-Asian adoptive parents will "whitewash" these Asian children into White society so that they quickly and perhaps permanently lose their Asian identity and sense of ancestry.

As described in many books written by Asian adoptees that have emerged in recent years, their experiences confirm that because they tended to grow up in an almost all-White environment, they never had to think about their ethnic identity -- they just assumed they were like everyone else. That is, until they experienced some form of racial prejudice or discrimination from schoolmates, strangers, or even relatives of their adopted family.

Because their adoptive families and parents either could not shield them from this almost inevitable process or could not adequately understand or support their feelings, many of these adopted Asians experienced an "identity crisis." It become clear to them that they were not White but they had little if any connection to their Asian ancestry. To complicate matters, the Asian community often shunned their attempts to connect with their "roots" because they had lost the ability to speak their "native" language and/or had little knowledge of their ancestral culture.

POSITIVES OUTWEIGHING THE NEGATIVES

While many Asian adoptees have faced this dilemma, this has not been the experience of all Asian adoptees. Rather, many others have enjoyed extraordinary levels of love and understanding from their non-Asian adoptive parents, who have made concerted efforts to help their adopted children retain their Asian identity by teaching them about Asian history, culture, and sometimes even language. These parents have also sympathized and comforted their children when racial discrimination has happened. They have also supported their children's attempts to find their birth parents back in Asia.

At the same time, while many well-meaning parents make sincere efforts at educating their child about his/her Asian roots, observers again point out that these parents frequently forget to educate the child about Asian American issues. That is, many adoptive parents implicitly assume that being Asian is the same as being Asian American. To the contrary, critics note that it can be just as important for the adopted child to learn about and understand the historical and contemporary issues that Asian Americans face because ultimately, that will be the child's social and cultural environment as long as s/he lives in the U.S.

Many support groups have also formed across the country for both adoptive parents of Asian children and for the adopted children themselves. These groups allow parents and children to share experiences, support each other, and to learn together about both sides of their racial/ethnic identity. Ultimately, the fact remains that while the criticisms about the devaluation of girls in Asia ring true, that should not take away from the happiness and love that most Asian adoptees share with their adopted family who have given them a much better life than what they would have had otherwise.

Ultimately, many adopted Asian Americans have gained the ability to incorporate two cultures into their own identity. As many of them point out, their experiences do not make them half of one culture or another. Instead, their experiences have doubled the richness of their lives and personal identity. Further, as Asian adoptions continue to occur, adopted Asian Americans are likely to be an increasingly prominent feature of the Asian American population. As such, the collective experience of the Asian American community is likely to be influenced by the contributions of adopted Asian Americans for years and decades to come.

Immigration Visas Issued to Orphans by Country of Origin and Year(s)

China
Avg. per Year 1989-2004 2,233
Total between 1989-2004 35,730
2004 7,044

Russia
Avg. per Year 1989-2004 2,168
Total between 1989-2004 34,688
2004 5,865

S. Korea
Avg. per Year 1989-2004 1,710
Total between 1989-2004 27,361
2004 1,716

Guatemala
Avg. per year 1989-2004 801
Total between 1989-2004 12,823
2004 3,264

Romania
Avg. per year 1989-2004 439
Total between 1989-2004 7,029
2004 57

India
Avg. per year 1989-2004 353
Total between 1989-2004 5,645
2004 406

Colombia
Avg. per year 1989-2004 345
Total between 1989-2004 5,526
2004 287

Viet Nam
Avg. per year 1989-2004 268
Total between  1989-2004 4,290
2004 <50

Philippines
Avg. per year 1989-2004 252
Total between 1989-2004 4,034
2004 196

Ukraine
Avg. per year 1989-2004 224
Total between 1989-2004 3,587
2004 732

Kazakhstan
Avg. per year 1989-2004 170
Total between 1989-2004 2,716
2004 826

Bulgaria
Avg. per year 1989-2004 111
Total between 1989-2004 1,781
2004 110

Cambodia
Total between 1989-2004 71
Total between 1989-2004 1,128
2004 <50

Source: U.S. Department of State

(http://www.asian-nation.org/adopted.shtml)

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MAGIC ACT: FUNDRAISING EXPENSES CONTINUE TO BE HIDDEN IN 990S

For Joe and Judy Regular Public, attempting to compute fundraising expense ratios from the Form 990 can confuse even savvy donors. Form 990s have many backdoors and yes, the occasional folding of fundraising expenses into the more socially acceptable program expenses. In other instances, the numbers conceal a more simple explanation.

In reviewing Form 990s for the most recent NPT 100 list of the nation’s 100 largest nonprofit, many interpretation for fundraising accounting were found.

In reviewing the FY04 Form 990 for Berlin, Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries ( CAM), the eye is immediately pulled toward two figures -- a robust $211.4 million in public support followed by a diminutive fundraising expense of $472,081. “Of the $211 million, approximately $17 million was in cash and the balance was gifts in kind,” explained Roman Mullet, corporate secretary at CAM. “We have one individual here who spends a lot of his time in procurement of gifts in kind. Other than that, we don’t have a lot of expense in procurement.”

Of its fundraising expenses, Mullet said that it includes the procurement individual’s salary, some direct mail and travel expenses. CAM ’s fundraising expense number has come in consistently at that level, he added.

Such explanations are not always so easy to ascertain since the 990 suffers fundamental faults, according to Julie Floch, CPA, director of nonprofit services at Eisner LLP in New York City .

“Everyone says that the 990s are flawed and need to be redone -- the IRS recognizes it, the Senate Finance Committee recognizes it,” Floch said. “If I want to look at the fundraising of one organization and compare it to another organization am I really making a like comparison? The answer is probably not. That’s why some are saying that the audited financial statement should be attached to the 990 because maybe that would make things a little more clear.”

That lack of clarity extends to the reporting process as well. The rules regarding how numbers are to be recorded are not as evident to nonprofits as they should be, according to Floch. She cited the oft-apparent scenario of volunteer efforts being improperly reported on the 990 as one example.

In a pure reporting sense, and not the “real world” as Floch put it, all of the costs that go along with trying to secure government money are not fundraising costs according to how a tax filing is prepared. Those costs are measured in general costs. Government money can easily distort the picture in the 990 world, she added.

Then there is the question of special event revenue. How do you define direct special event expenses? Typically, that would include hotel and food costs -- cost associated directly with putting on that event. Those costs are not being shown on the face of the return as fundraising expenses, which is appropriate, even though one might argue that if you’re paying for hotels and meals for a fundraising event that you are indeed fundraising, Floch said.

Allocations provide nonprofits with yet another avenue to confuse the casual 990 peruser. If an organization sends out an educational mailing that includes an ask, how much of that mailing is a fundraising expense? It becomes a game of subjective mathematics.

Think about your basic bills. One family might receive invoices for a mortgage, credit cards, cable television and utilities. A nonprofit could be getting hundreds or thousands of invoices during the course of a year. Rather than tie up staff and volunteers in trying to figure out the programming and fundraising ratios for each bill, it utilizes some form of handy dandy allocation method. It may be a method based on salaries. An organization knows its payroll, it knows people’s job descriptions, and so it can calculate what percentage of payroll is going to fundraising. It can take that ratio and allocate its costs in a similar manner. It’s an imprecise estimate at best and one that can be manipulated.

“There’s a perception in the real world that programmatic activities are terrific and other activities are not so terrific,” Floch explained. “So when one is doing an allocation … consciously or unconsciously people tend to be very liberal in the allocation for programs and a little less liberal toward other categories. The question becomes, should we really be measuring organizations by programmatic percentages? Is that really an indication of efficiency and effectiveness? Because the perception is that a high programmatic percentage is a good thing, organizations could err on throwing as much as possible into programs.”

It begs the simple question: From where is the revenue coming? Prior to investigation, the Public Broadcasting Service’s (PBS) FY’04 numbers raised an eyebrow or two. The nonprofit realized $235.3 million in public support through a meager $201,134 in fundraising expenses.

According to Jan McNamara, director of corporate communications at PBS, Form 990 Line 1a, direct public support, is calculated from two main sources. The first source, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, is not considered federal money because it doesn’t come directly from the federal government even though Congress appropriates it and passes it to PBS. The second part of the money comes in from program underwriting. In most cases, it is not PBS executives who are going out and getting the programming underwriting money. The producers do the vast majority themselves, like Ken Burns for example, or the producing station. That’s why its fundraising costs are so low. It’s not as if its raising funds through the well-publicized pledge drives like its stations conduct.

“A lot of it is undertaken by the producers of the various programs,” McNamara detailed. “For example, if the Acme Mouse Trap Company decided to fund an American Masters program, that check would go to American Masters. It shows up on our 990 for obvious reasons but it goes into PBS funding. It’s considered a donation because the program underwriters don’t receive a good or service in return for that funding. In a way, the expenses aren’t showing up on our 990 because we do not incur those expenditures.”

In-kind organizations also tend to be on the lower tier of nonprofits that spend money to raise revenue. The National Association for the Exchange of Industrial Resources (NAEIR) receives significant o