Action Alert: Arlington County

The residents of Arlington County need your help. The Board of Supervisors will finalize its Fiscal Year 2011 budget tomorrow. The vote is a crucial one. Help us tell Board of Supervisors members to protect critical services counted on by so many in our area.

Join other nonprofits by adding your name to our sign-on letter. Click here to access the online letter. After you have signed on, please spread the word!

Sign On to Support Arlington County Nonprofits!

Explore Creative Ways to Reduce Costs

In today's tough economic environment, we are all looking for ways to stretch the resources we have a little farther. By taking a good hard look at the costs your organization incurs, you will be surprised at how many opportunities there are to change the way you meet your mission and save money in the process.

If you are looking for ways to reduce costs and ultimately improve the financial health of your organization, join the Center for Nonprofit Advancement and Arlington Economic Development on Tuesday, April 13 to learn creative ways to reduce your variable costs and make fixed costs more variable.

Event Details:

• What: Creative Ways to Reduce Costs
• When: Tuesday, April 13,11:30 am to 1:00 pm
• Location: Arlington County Central Library, 1015 North Quincy Street, Main Auditorium, Arlington, VA
• Special Cost: Free for Arlington Residents and Non-profits; $49 for Center members; $89 for non-members

Click here to register.

Don't Miss This Arlington Workshop

If managing change has become central to your work, what specific steps do you need to do to ensure success? Join Arlington County Economic Development and the Center in Arlington for "Doing the Difficult Work: Effectively Making Changes in Your Organization."

We’ll discuss developing a vision and setting clear goals, increasing buy-in from staff and other stakeholders, recognizing resistance to change and managing that resistance. Come prepared with a change you would like to make.

This workshop takes place Tuesday, February 17 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm at the Arlington County Central Library.

Free to Arlington-based nonprofits and Arlington residents. Others are welcome for a fee ($49 for Center Members; $89 for all others).

Click here to register.

Special Opportunity for Arlington Nonprofits

Please join Arlington Economic Development and the Center for Nonprofit Advancement on Tuesday, December 8 for "Effective Boards that Work: How You Can Make it Happen." This workshop is free for Arlington Residents and nonprofits; $49 for Center members; $89 for all others.

Workshop description: Effective boards don’t just happen; they need thought, creativity, planning and even luck. If you’re feeling your board could be improved, you’re having trouble recruiting board members or you’re frustrated with the board you have, join us. Learn about the characteristics of well-functioning boards, setting an effective meeting strategy and the secrets to building strong staff-board relations.

Faculty: Sandra Renner, Principal, Renner Consulting

The workshop runs from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm on December 8 and is presented at the Arlington County Central Library (1015 North Quincy Street, Main Auditorium, Arlington, Va.). Click here to register.

New at the Center: Workshops through January

The Center for Nonprofit Advancement's Learning and Leadership Institute provides more than 100 workshops annually on a range of nonprofit management topics for all levels of nonprofit professionals.

New this week--explore course offerings through January! Whether you're looking for support in board goverance, fundraising, human resources or technology, the Center has an accessible and affordable workshop for you! In addition to courses at our offices in Washington, D.C. (convenient to the Farragut North and Farragut West metro stops), we're also offering workshops in Arlington and online Webinars.

Visit the Nonprofit Learning section on the Center's Web site to explore the complete schedule of upcoming courses by date or by subject.

Seeking Applicants: Community Development Block Grant Program

From the Arlington Nonprofit Assistance Network:

"Nonprofit organizations serving low-income Arlington residents are invited by the Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development to submit proposals for funding through Arlington County's Community Development Fund and the Affordable Housing Investment Fund (AHIF). This invitation is midway through a two year grant cycle and limited funding is available July 1, 2010 (Fiscal Year 2011). These funds are Community Development Block Grant, Community Services Block Grant, and County General Funds.

"Requests for one year grants between $10,000 and $50,000 will be considered for services to support households in affordable housing developments, activities aimed at assisting low income residents reduce housing costs, and services to assist low income families and individuals to obtain and keep housing.

"Proposals are due by September 14. Application materials are on the County Web site, or call (703) 228-3760 for more information."

Seeking Proposals: Nonprofit Organization Capacity Building Program

Arlington Economic Development invites proposals for its’ Nonprofit Organization Capacity Building Program to be submitted by Thursday, September 3.

Selected Executive Directors and Board Members of local nonprofits will be given a detailed assessment that will include the use of the Core Capacity Assessment Tool (CCAT) to identify the strengths and weaknesses in the nonprofit's capacity overall. Once its critical capacity needs have been identified, we will work with the nonprofit over the next 12 months to address them and enhance its sustainability and impact.

For more information, contact Tara Miles at (703) 228-0853 or visit the Arlington Economic Development Web site for application materials.

Grant Opportunity: 2009 Community Enhancement Grant

The Arlington Community Foundation is accepting applications for its 2009 Community Enhancement Grant Cycle.

Applications for the Community Enhancement Grants program will be reviewed in the following categories: Arts, Culture and Humanities; Children & Families; Health; Housing/Homeless & Hunger; Legal; Environment; Senior Enrichment; and other services to Arlington. Nonprofits serving Arlington may submit one application and must identify whether they are seeking support for a one year or multi-year program. Grants are awarded for new or continuing activities and may be a continuation of a project previously funded by the Arlington Community Foundation. The Community Enhancement Grants application includes specific proposals for programs that promote successful aging, to be funded by the Senior Adult Recreation Endowment Fund, and applicants to that fund are not restricted to one application.

Click here to learn more. The deadline for grant submissions is at 5:00pm on Wednesday, September 30.

Free Fundraising Seminar

Join Laura Fixler for a free seminar on creating sustainable funding in economically challenging times on Wednesday, April 29 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus in Arlington, Va. This seminar is being offered at no cost to nonprofits.

Click here to register. Questions? Contact Hayley Dale at 206-428-4354.