AnnouncEments

Connecting with the Community

On Monday, February 16, 2009 representatives from the John Brown House/Museum of Work and Culture, Southside Community Land Trust, Slater Mill, and The Holocaust Education and Resource Center arrived on campus to share stories, information, and resources about their sites with sixteen secondary education teacher candidates enrolled in Rudolph Kraus’s SED 406 course. The panel of presenters functioned as part of an assignment asking candidates to design a fieldtrip relevant to their major for their future students.  Candidates then selected from seven additional site representatives to interview as an additional fieldtrip location. 

FSEHD Pre-Program Candidates participate in RI Student Service Summitt

On Friday, February 20th, 2009 four Rhode Island College undergraduates showcased their service work at the first annual Rhode Island Student Service Summit. Lisa Fonseca (pre-program elementary education), Jennifer Ferguson, Bryan Diggle (physical education) and Anjum Hava were selected by Rhode Island Campus Compact to present their service projects during a poster presentation session. The RIC students shared their experiences and networked with over 70 college students from across the state. Higher education professionals, non-profit leaders, and higher education administrators including Rhode Island College president, Nancy Carriuolo were on hand to support the students and personally thank them for their work.
The Summit, convened by Rhode Island Campus Compact, was a statewide effort to bring college students from ten Rhode Island Higher Education institutions to share models of service, engage in dialogue around service, and learn about careers in the non-profit and public sectors.

Funding Opportunities

Innovating Worthy Projects Foundation
The mission of the Innovating Worthy Projects Foundation is to provide support for quality special-needs children's programs throughout the United States. The Foundation's focus is on nonprofit organizations dedicated to developing innovative programs, disseminating ideas, or providing direct care or services for children with special needs, acute illnesses, or chronic disabilities. Grant requests of up to $5,000 are considered. Preference is given to small organizations that might not otherwise be helped. Requests are accepted from January 1 through August 31 of each year. Visit the Foundation's website for application guidelines.



Funds for Math Mentoring Programs in the U.S. and Canada Grants Target Environmental and Social Justice Programs

Actuarial Foundation: Advancing Student Achievement
Advancing Student Achievement, an initiative of the Actuarial Foundation, provides grants to K-12 schools and groups throughout the United States and Canada for programs that involve actuaries in the teaching of mathematics. The focus is on mentoring programs that bring together actuaries and educators in private and public schools, with an emphasis on grades 4-8. The Foundation can provide a local network of actuaries ready to participate, as well as suggestions on how to integrate math concepts from the workplace into the classroom. Groups applying for grants will be given wide latitude in designing programs that enhance learning and create a "love of math" in each student. Applications may be submitted throughout the year. Funding guidelines and application procedures are available on the Actuarial Foundation website.

Support for Math and Science Education Programs

HP Innovations in Education

The 2009 HP Innovations in Education grant program provides support to educational institutions in the United States through two initiatives. Grants for Secondary School Districts help eligible districts launch innovative pilot programs that support the administrators and teachers responsible for student success in math and science in middle schools and/or high schools. HP plans to award approximately 25 grants valued at more than $270,000 each in HP technology, cash, and professional development to public or qualified private school districts. Grants for Colleges and Universities are targeted at administrators and faculty who are enhancing undergraduate degree programs in engineering, computer science, information systems, and information technology. HP plans to award approximately ten grants valued at more than $240,000 each in HP technology, cash, and professional development to public or qualified private colleges or universities. The online web-based proposal submission system will open in early March 2009. Proposals must be submitted by 5 p.m. Pacific Time on March 30, 2009. Visit the HP website listed above for detailed program guidelines.

Grants Target Environmental and Social Justice Programs

Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation
The mission of the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation is to promote a sustainable and just social and natural system. The Foundation provides support to grassroots nonprofit organizations nationwide through the following grantmaking programs. The Foundation's Protect the Health and Environment of Communities Threatened by Toxics program supports state and regional organizations that address toxics exposure and contamination. The Advance Environmental Justice program supports organizations that work to counter environmental degradation in low-income communities and communities of color. The Promote a Sustainable Agricultural and Food System program supports rural and urban organizations that focus on issues involving sustainable agriculture and community food security. The Ensure Quality Reproductive Health Care as a Human Right program supports organizations that advocate for public policies to safeguard reproductive freedom. Letters of inquiry may be submitted throughout the year. Visit the website listed above for details on each of the Foundation's grantmaking programs.

Spenser Foundation Research Grants

http://www.spencer.org/content.cfm/civic-learning-and-civic-action-more-info

The Spencer Foundation announces a grants program to support research about how and why individuals and groups become committed to civic action. The Initiative on Civic Learning and Civic Action highlights the Foundation’s interest in learning and action and in the relationships between them.

The Foundation is prepared to invest in research and other activities in this initiative for a significant period of time. Grants will range from less than $40,000 to $500,000, extending over periods of one to four years or more. They are looking for the collaboration of researchers from many disciplines and a range of methods and techniques from historical and case studies, to quasi-experimental designs, experiments, secondary analyses of existing datasets, and the like. Complementary activities, including conferences, grantee meetings, working groups, and other methods to learn from one another are also encouraged.

For a complete description of the grant initiative and all of the details please visit,  http://www.spencer.org/content.cfm/civic-learning-and-civic-action-more-info

If you are interested in pursuing this opportunity you are encouraged to contact:
Emily Ustach
Program Coordinator
Rhode Island Campus Compact
ph. 401-427-4841
fax. 401-427-6958
www.compact.org/ricompact

Support for Music Education Programs

Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation: Music Matters Grant Program

The Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation's mission is to redefine and support music education. Through the Foundation's Music Matters Grant Program, grants are provided to K-12 public schools and music programs throughout the United States. The focus of the grant program is on educational reform in school music programs and independent music programs. Public school programs (qualifying for Title I federal funding and serving a minimum of 70% low-income students) as well as nonprofit organizations with music education programs that serve students regardless of their ability to pay are eligible to apply. The application deadline is February 4, 2009. Program details and application guidelines are available on the Foundations website.

Grants Address Tolerance Education

Southern Poverty Law Center: Teaching Tolerance Grants

The Teaching Tolerance Grants Program, administered by the Southern Poverty Law Center, offers grants to pre-K-12 educators throughout the U.S. for rigorous innovative projects designed to reduce prejudice among youth, improve intergroup relations and equitable school experiences, and/or support educator professional development in these areas. Proposals from community organizations and houses of worship will be considered on the basis of direct student impact. Projects funded by Teaching Tolerance tend to be focused on character/moral education, conflict resolution, multiculturalism, community service, and other aspects of tolerance education. Requests may be submitted throughout the year. Visit the Southern Poverty Law Center website to download the application form.

Funds for Company Communities in the U.S. and Canada

State Farm Companies Grants Program

The State Farm Companies Grants Program is committed to meeting the needs of company communities in the U.S. and Canada. Grants are provided in the following three distinct priority areas. The Safe Neighbors category focuses on driving safety, home protection, disaster preparedness, and personal financial security. The emphasis of the Strong Neighborhoods category is on affordable housing, homeownership issues, and sustainable communities. The K-12 Public Schools category targets teacher quality, service-learning programs, and educational reform. Requests may be submitted throughout the year. Application guidelines and local contact information are available on the State Farm website listed above.

Conferences

Reexamining the Engaged Campus: New England Regional Campus Compact Conference

Join faculty, administrators, and staff from New England higher education institutions at Campus Compact’s annual conference being held at UMASS Amherst March 30th and 31st. The conference is an excellent opportunity to learn the many exciting and effective ways campuses can engage students in meaningful service. Attendees can select from forty-four workshops and nine institutes that present models for service learning, co-curricular activities, and approaches to institutionalization.  Many disciplines will be represented including visual arts, women’s studies, history, health and wellness, communications, education, anthropology, physical therapy and more. Rhode Island College’s Mustafa Ozcan, Educational Studies, will be presenting, Service Learning in Teacher Education: Design, Implementation and Assessment.

Conference Registration Deadline is March 20, 2009
For Conference details and online registration visit http://www.ase.tufts.edu/macc/events.htm
If you plan on attending please contact Liz Garofalo at mgarofalo@ric.edu

Additional Announcements

 Rhode Island Campus Compacts' (RICC) Request for Faculty Consultations

Two years ago, RICC and Massachusetts Campus Compacts were awarded highly competitive Learn and Serve America funding.  During the past two years they have worked closely with a cohort of faculty in the area of course construction and campus organizing for underserved youth populations.  From this cohort they have developed a Faculty Fellowship Consulting Corps.  During their third and final year of funding they are offering low priced consultations in the area of curriculum design and revision, partnership development, and campus organizing for underserved youth.

See the attached information and request form for more information and for short bios on each of the Faculty Fellows participating in this program.  Information can also be found on the RI Campus Compact website at www.compact.org/ricompact .

Special Projects and Community Service Going Paperless

In an effort to save on costs related to paper and printing as well to help the environment, hardcopies of the Community Service Handbook and reporting forms will not be available after the current supply runs out.  Students and faculty can access the Handbook and forms by Selecting Requirement for Teacher Candidates on this web page.

Support for Organization in Company Communities

Target Local Store Grants
The Target Local Store Grants support nonprofit organizations in the communities where the company's stores are located. (There are currently stores in every state with the exception of Hawaii and Vermont.) Arts grants support programs that bring the arts to schools or make it affordable for families to participate in cultural experiences. Family Violence Prevention grants support programs that strengthen families and communities by keeping them safe, such as parenting classes, family counseling, and domestic abuse shelters. Early Childhood Reading grants support programs that foster a love of reading and encourage children, from birth through age nine, to read together with their families. Grants generally range between $1,000 and $3,000. Applications will be accepted between March 1 and May 31, 2009 through the company's website listed above.

Collaboration Grants Preserve Local History

The History Channel: Save Our History Grant Program
The Save Our History Grant Program, developed by the History Channel, provides funding to support collaboration between history organizations and schools or youth groups on projects that teach children about their local heritage and actively engage them in its preservation. Projects must focus on a significant aspect of community heritage, such as the history and/or preservation of a building, historic site, historic collection, or an historic event that is important to the local community. Grants of up to $10,000 will be provided; a total of $100,000 in grants will be available in 2009. Eligible applicants include history museums, historical societies, preservation organizations, historic sites, libraries, archives, government agencies, and other historical organizations that partner with K-12 schools, or organizations that provide educational programming for children of similar ages. Online applications must be submitted through the website listed above by June 5, 2009.

Positive Youth Programs Supported

Entertainment Software Association Foundation
The Entertainment Software Association Foundation is dedicated to supporting positive programs and opportunities that make a difference in the quality of life, health, and welfare of today's youth. Grants are provided to nonprofit organizations nationwide that are seeking funding for a specific project or program that reaches two or more states and serves youths ages 7-18. Specific areas of interest include skills and personal development, general health and welfare, risk behavior prevention, education, and multimedia arts/technology. The application deadline is April 15, 2009. Visit the website listed above to review the application guidelines.

Innovative Educational Projects Supported

Jordan Fundamentals Grant Program
The Jordan Fundamentals Grant Program recognizes outstanding teaching and instructional creativity in public elementary and secondary schools in the United States that serve economically disadvantaged students. Innovation Grants, averaging $2,500, are awarded to individual teachers for projects that engage students in school using either experimental or traditional strategies effectively. Inspiration Grants of up to $10,000 are awarded to teams of teachers to support scaling-up the implementation of approaches originally developed with Innovation Grants. Applicants should create and implement an educational approach that supports improved student academic achievement and/or social/emotional/behavioral interventions. Applicants must be employed by a public school where at least 50% of the school's student population is eligible for the free or reduced school lunch program. Online applications must be submitted by April 15, 2009. Visit the website listed above for program details.

Programs for Special-Needs Children Funded

On Friday, February 20th, 2009 four Rhode Island College undergraduates showcased their service work at the first annual Rhode Island Student Service Summit. Lisa Fonseca (pre-program elementary education), Jennifer Ferguson, Bryan Diggle (physical education) and Anjum Hava were selected by Rhode Island Campus Compact to present their service projects during a poster presentation session. The RIC students shared their experiences and networked with over 70 college students from across the state. Higher education professionals, non-profit leaders, and higher education administrators including Rhode Island College president, Nancy Carriuolo were on hand to support the students and personally thank them for their work.
The Summit, convened by Rhode Island Campus Compact, was a statewide effort to bring college students from ten Rhode Island Higher Education institutions to share models of service, engage in dialogue around service, and learn about careers in the non-profit and public sectors.