Strengthening Communities Fund Opportunities in Alabama May 13, 2010

1. Strengthening Communities FundOpportunities in AlabamaMay 13, 2010 Shirley Worthington, Vice President United Way of Central Alabama

2. Financial Stability Partnership™of Alabama

3. LEARN • Personal money management information and skills • Budgeting, credit and debt management • Banking products and services • How to identify predatory financial practices

4. EARN • Maximize income with benefits and services • Access public and employer benefits • Credit repair and debt reduction • Career development • Access to free income tax assistance

5. SAVE • Acquire financial assets • Savings and checking accounts • Individual Development Accounts • Split refunds • Investments

6. Benefits Enrollment • Millions of eligible Americans are not utilizing public and employer-provided benefits including Food Stamps, health insurance, and retirement savings plans—many of which can significantly increase household income and improve overall health and well-being. There are multiple factors that prevent individuals from utilizing available public and employer-provided benefits, including the lack of knowledge about the eligibility requirements, long and cumbersome application processes, and fear of non-acceptance.

7. Individual Development Accounts IDA’s offer opportunities for first-time homeownership, post-secondary education and/or micro-enterprise development through public/private funding partnerships including the Assets for Independence program administered by the Office of Community Services of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

8. SCF Purpose To build the capacity of nonprofit organizations to address the broad economic recovery issues present in their communities, including helping low-income individuals secure and retain employment, earn higher wages, obtain better-quality jobs, and gain greater access to state and Federal benefits and tax credits, including ARRA benefits.

9. What is Capacity Building? Implementing activities critical to long-term viability • Increases organization’s sustainability and effectiveness • Enhances organization’s ability to provide social services • Creates collaborations to serve those most in need

10. Organizational Development • Strengthening Board Governance • Developing Systems: Management, Human Resources, Financial, Information Technology, Planning • Training Job/Benefits Counselors for ARRA Benefits and Other Federal Assistance • Developing Comprehensive Communications Strategy

11. Program Development • Creating Information Systems (e.g., ARRA Benefits/Programs, Financial Benefits/Tax Credits, Social Service Benefits)   • Translating Program Information into Spanish or Other Languages • Developing Curriculum (e.g., job retraining, new job skills) • Making Program Improvements

12. Collaboration and Community Engagement • Disseminating Information Regarding State/Local ARRA Benefits • Developing Referral Systems Related to ARRA Benefits • Forging Collaborations/Strategic Partnerships with Community Colleges or Vocational Schools • Conducting Research on Local Sector Workforce Needs • Developing Collaborations/Strategic Partnerships with Industry-Specific Training Programs • Utilizing AmeriCorps*VISTA Volunteers to Address Needs of Those Seeking Employment • Assessing Green Needs of Community and Skills Needed for Green Workers

13. Leadership Development • Specifying Board Composition and Function • Contributing to Staff Professional and Career Development • Training and Development of Volunteers • Developing Succession Planning

14. Evaluating Effectiveness • Launching a Formal Program Evaluation • Developing and Incorporating New Program Measures • Incorporating Best Practices • Assessing Program Outcomes • Replicating Effective Program Models

15. Eligiblity Applicants must be secular or faith-based non-profit organizations that contribute to the economic recovery by providing community development services and help Federal, State, and local governments ensure that the information and services described in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act reach disadvantaged and hard-to-serve populations.

16. Community Development Community development activities may include any constellation of financial education, tax assistance, benefits enrollment, housing counseling, foreclosure prevention, career/workforce development, community planning, homelessness prevention, microenterprise,

17. Highly Competitive Organizations (a) proven history of community development services to persons residing in distressed communities (b) proven history of programs that cover broad economic recovery issues. (c) proven history of services and/or collaboratively working relationship with Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (“TANF”) agencies (d) annual budget of less than $500,000

18. Key Program Components The SCF Nonprofit Capacity BuildingProgram • Technical Assistance • Needs Assessment/Training • Competitive Financial Assistance

19. Technical Assistance • Organizational Coach • Financial Education Coach • Tax Assistance Coach • Beehive Alabama Coach

20. For audio call 866-794-4960 PIN: 692 031

21. Training • 1-2 hour training offered by UWCA • Available to regional organizations free-of-charge on space-available basis • Topics related to organizational capacity-building areas

22. Competitive Fund Assistance • Open and competitive procurement (RFP) • Geographically dispersed throughout the state (six regional solicitations) • Up to $45,000 available to awardees

23. Needs Assessment and Training Options • Identifies organizational strengths and challenges • Analyzes risks and provides improvement strategies • Assists sponsors in determining how to target resources

24. Needs Assessment and Training Options

25. Needs Assessment and Training Options • Experienced reviewers with strong credentials • Off-site analysis: • Extensive review of documents • Preliminary telephone interviews • On-site analysis (2-3 days): • In-depth interviews • Further document & procedures review • Site review of properties & programs • End product: review report • Summarizes findings and offers recommendations

26. Needs Assessment and Training Options • “Place-based” training courses conducted by on-site by request. • “Place-based” trainings are currently available for any course offered through the NTI, CLI and specialized topics. • Provides an opportunity to work as a collaborative to offer training for the entire region.

27. Q&A • Visit www.uwca.org for updated Frequently Asked Questions • DeForrest Brown dbrown@uwca.org • Judy Woods jwoods@uwca.org • Judy Allen jallen@uwca.org • Marshall Crawford mcrawford@nw.org

28. Thank You! Shirley Worthington United Way of Central Alabama (205) 458-2073 shirleyw@uwca.org