Alief Covenant Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools

Can you run the (nonprofit) world?

Tue, 24 May 2011 13:00:14 +0000

Up until about 24 hours ago I did not like Beyonce’s new song, Run the World. I really thought it sounded the same as some other song I had heard before. You know the feeling when you listen to a song and the hook sounds really familiar. So familiar in fact, that you get the song titles confused.

The same can be said for many nonprofit organizations. Like urban communities overcrowded with churches and liquor stores, there are many areas that are over-saturated with nonprofit organizations said to be ‘serving youth and families.’

But many of these communities still look the same as they did before the organizations existed.

So what changed my mind about Run the World? Beyonce’s live performance at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards. That one performance took a seemingly boring song and changed my mind. I mean, that girl rocked it. The outfit. The moves. The technology. The entire performance was exciting to watch.

I believe YOU can bring that same energy to your organization and to your community.

I challenge you to take the opportunity that the summer months provide and try something new. Some groups have a light load of clients during the summers. Other organizations have a full load of a targeted population (i.e. youth out of school for the summer).

What would it mean to try ONE NEW THING?

Incorporate social media into your marketing
Develop a youth council to get their feedback on your programming
Hold a focus group of parents to identify some program gaps and service needs
Produce a newsletter
Hold a fundraiser
Conduct a survey

Don’t say you can’t before you’ve even tried!

After Beyonce finished performing, I was reminded of something very important. At 29 years old, this southern girl has changed her world and that of many others because she dared to step outside of what was normal or expected or even comfortable.

So can your organization.

Do you really want to run the world? Do you want your nonprofit to be ‘that nonprofit’ – the one that people all across the city want to emulate? If your answer is yes, put one foot in front of the other and step out of the box your organization has been in. Tell yourself that the only thing you have to lose is your dream of your organization creating lasting community change!

You can do it.

VCG

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To be or not to be (a nonprofit)? That is the question.

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 21:30:53 +0000

My husband and I have a really good friend who used to play professional baseball. Now that he has retired he is a private coach to other up and coming players. If you know anything about private coaching you know that it is largely available to those of financial means. Our friend doesn’t only want to coach players who come from families with financial resources. He wants to give back by offering private coaching to those who cannot typically afford such luxuries. Our friend said he wants to start a nonprofit organization to do just that.

Most people who form nonprofit organizations do so because they see a need that they would like to address. Do you need to be a nonprofit to fill a need? I told our friend no.

In this economy and given his busy coaching schedule, I gave him different advice. I suggested that he test the waters by reaching out to some existing nonprofit organizations to see if a community partnership can be formed. This would be the perfect place to learn about how to run a nonprofit organization and how to develop a community program.

As a person with a professional skill and well-to-do colleagues and clients, our friend has the opportunity to bring resources and expertise to young people already being served by an existing nonprofit organization. Starting a nonprofit organization takes time and money that quite honestly, our friend does not currently have.

After an initial conversation, my friend agreed to at least explore the partnership idea. He is going to take six months and try to partner. If my friend does not find the right partner or if he feels he will have greater impact by forming his own organization, then we will begin the nonprofit planning process.

Do I sound like a dream-killer or a community-builder? That my question!
VCG

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Collaborative Grant-Writing Tips

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 21:00:11 +0000

So, this week I hate writing. I mean, I really HATE it. I’m sure you can’t relate because you LOVE writing. NOT.

Writing is usually tolerable for me because I write with the same three people all the time – Me, Myself and I!

About a month ago I began working on a grant with a team of 5 people. The proposal was for a million dollars so needless to say we were serious about the work product. We had two months to plan, write and revise the grant — and it still ended up being a nightmare. Have you ever looked at a document that had track-changes from 5 different people?!?

Yesterday, while working on the grant I finally lost my mind.

Based on this experience, I came up with a step-by-step guide that I would use/recommend if I participate in another collaborative grant-writing process.

1. Have the entire team review the Request for Proposal (RFP) and come up with a list of questions and concerns.

2. Share initial thoughts about the RFP and the questions and concerns identified by the reviewers.

3. Have the team consider whether the grant builds upon an existing project/program area or if this will be a proposal for a new project/program.

4. Brainstorm ideas for this proposal and then organize the thoughts into a rough outline.

5. Divide the proposal sections up to the team members based on strengths (i.e. Who is good at finding data? Creating charts? Drafting letters of support? Writing an abstract/program summary? Drafting budgets?).

6. Set due dates and meeting times NOW so as to avoid meeting time conflicts as you get further into the process.

7. Pick an editor, one person whose sole responsibility is to organize the sections into a working draft.

8. Have the editor email the draft to the team and ask them to bring comments/edits to the next meeting.

9. Meet as a team to come to consensus and have the editor add the agreed upon changes to the draft.

10. Identify 1-3 people who are willing to review the updated draft and submit their comments to the editor.

11. The editor will share the reviewer comments with the team via email.

12. Meet as a team and make final decisions about the reviewers comments.

13. Have the editor make the final changes and prepare to submit the document.

Give yourself enough time to submit the proposal BEFORE the deadline. Double check the RFP for guidelines about postmark dates, online submission times and even submission via CD.

Have you ever written a grant with a team of people? If so, what do you think of the steps I outlined? What would you do differently?

VCG

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Potential is Energy Stored

alief — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 13:00:29 +0000

Do you believe in the potential of youth living in urban communities?

Honestly? Do you? I will admit that for a while I was jaded and did not believe. After years of community work, I hit a wall. I got frustrated that so many youth I encountered had seemingly given up. I was more frustrated that the adults in their lives had actually walked away.

Last summer, I visited a Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools site in the Sunnyside area of Houston. That one visit led to me commit to develop a Freedom Schools site in Alief for summer 2011. However, it was not until I attended a Freedom Schools training at the CDF Haley Farm last month that my life changed forever!

During the training, I realized that I, Mr. Over-Achiever, 22-year Army Veteran, have been sitting on my potential. At this revelation, I started to get frustrated with myself until I was reminded of something important:

Potential is simply energy stored. It is confined. But it has possibility.

For years, I have worked and served others but I did not feel like I was making a lasting impact. This ‘feeling’ caused me to hold back and to feel stuck. I gave just enough of my time, energy and money to be ‘involved’ but not enough to be ‘committed’.

I came back from Haley Farm a new man. All those years of storing my potential has led to an ADHD-type attitude about the opportunities I want for youth, and I’m starting in Alief.

As adults, we must ensure that our children understand their potential! The messages our children hear during these tough economic times are bleak. Now, more than ever we must remind our children that they are not limited by their surroundings. We must help our children realize their full potential, whether that is secondary school, trade school, entrepreneurship, seminary, or the military.

This means that as adults we must change our minds about our children. We must see them as energy stored…A.K.A. potential!

My experience last month reminded me that change begins when your heart is touched in such a way that you begin to believe in your own potential. That is the power of CDF Freedom Schools. Through this program, Alief Covenant is going to unleash potential into the community like never before.

Get ready,

JT Jackson

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Nonprofits, Budget Cuts and Your Voice

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:53:05 +0000

I recently gave an advocacy presentation for a women’s group I belong to, The Women’s Collaborative of Texas. It was a general overview of how to advocate and what advocacy looks like for folks here in Texas.

While I don’t always update the Verge Facebook page daily, I am regularly on Twitter. I have noticed that nonprofit organizations, outside of advocacy groups, are largely absent from posts and tweets about the proposed budget cuts here in our state.

What about where you live? Do you have nonprofit organizations talking about how the budget cuts will impact their services?

In Texas the proposed budget cuts are astounding. Health and Human Services is looking at a 24.6% cut. $7 billion cuts from public education. $1.7 billion cut from higher education, including scholarships to existing college students. And most alarmingly to me, $150 million cut to community-based mental health care services to adults and children and community mental hospitals. This only names a few!

And, these cuts do not completely account for the large cuts proposed to our federal budget will impact our most vulnerable citizens!

So, why isn’t the collective nonprofit voice being heard? Organizations like Texas Impact, Texas PTA, Texas Association of School Administrators, Texas Protects, Texas Forward, United Ways of Texas and others are leaders in the Texas advocacy world. They regularly speak up and speak out about community issues facing those populations nonprofit organizations serve.

Are local and regional groups in your state using their influence to educate about and fight against budget cuts? If not, there is still time.

Advocacy is simply speaking up about issues you care about. It’s making a phone call, posting on Facebook or Twitter, sending a letter or email, or even visiting with elected officials that represent your area. Your elected officials must hear from you in order to know what you care about!

I think most folks are clear that budget cuts are going to take place. Still, the voice of nonprofits serving local communities should be heard as discussions take place about what programs are eliminated or reduced.

Every nonprofit can teach their constituents to advocate for the services that are so desperately needed. If we don’t speak up, we will find ourselves in a crisis unlike any in recent memory. So, ask your supporters to make their voice heard and to say these three things:

1. State their name and zip code

2. Ask their elected official if they are supporting program cuts.

3. Say at least 1 way they/their family has benefited from a program being cut.

It’s a three minute task that can make a world of difference in local communities across our nation. Nonprofits, stand up!

VCG

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March is National Reading Month!

alief — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:29:07 +0000

March is National Reading Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of reading. I have made it my personal mission to bring more opportunities for children in Alief to read this summer through the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools program.

How will you recognize National Reading Month!

I want to challenge all of us as parents to set up our game when it comes to supporting our children’s reading skills. How often does your child spend reading each week? Does your child have a library card? If you are not a strong reader, you can have your child read aloud to you. You can also check out books on tape that will read to both you and your child. If you are a strong reader, read something you are enjoying aloud to your child – a poem, an article, a recipe, the bible, the list goes on.

But March is just the beginning!

For many children, the summer months are a time of significant learning loss. Parents are working, summer opportunities are hard to come by and many school districts do not offer free summer school. This is especially true as local communities experience budget cuts to essential programs. The CDF Freedom Schools Program helps to prevent this loss by engaging children in daily reading activities.

I am asking you to get involved by committing in March to support the Alief Covenant CDF Freedom Schools site this summer!

We need adults of all professions to volunteer to read to the children in the mornings.

We need college students from Houston to apply to serve as a paid intern.

We also need sponsors to help provide donations of cash and airline miles to make sure that our college interns can receive training to implement the program.

So, as you think of ways to recognize National Reading Month, consider supporting the Alief Covenant CDF Freedom Schools site.

In service,

JT Jackson

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Give the Gift of Reading

alief — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 15:37:52 +0000

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” — Frederick Douglass

Today, Valentine’s Day, is a day when our society celebrates love. Today we take a little extra time to let a significant other know just how much we care about them. We express our love in words more than any other day of the year as cards, text messgaes, Facebook posts and tweets flood our inboxes.

Can you imagine sharing your thoughts without words? What about being unable to read the words being expressed to you? According to the Texas Center for Advancement of Literacy & Learning, 19% of Adult Texans cannot read a newspaper. In Harris County that number is higher, with an alarming 21% of adults lacking basic literacy skills! We can and must do better for our children.

This summer we will bring the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools program to Alief. Our goal is to serve at least 50 children by providing them with high-quality literacy enrichment for six weeeks. We need your help to make this a reality! Join us for the next 14 days by making a financial or in-kind donation. You can donate online or by mailing a check. No amount is too small. Let’s do our part to make sure that youth from Alief have the opportunity to develop a love for reading this summer.

Sincerely,

JT Jackson

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Nonprofit News Highlights – Week of January 17, 2011

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 05:05:37 +0000

The highlights from last week come directly from the Texas Association of Nonprofit Organization’s weekly newsletter. The info they shared is spot on and includes critical issues facing nonprofits, especially those working in the arts community, need to pay close attention to this year. In addition to the TANO links, also consider the article on the top 10 words in the philanthropy world over the next several years. Don’t be caught off guard – be informed and stay in the ‘know’.
VCG

Republicans Propose Big Cuts in National Service and International Aid -http://www.tano.org/en/art/2148/

Congressional Republicans Seek to Eliminate Culture Grants – http://www.tano.org/en/art/2149/

Survival Strategies for the Arts – http://www.tano.org/en/art/1997/

In the Arts: Washington National Opera to Merge With Kennedy Center – http://www.tano.org/en/art/2150/

A Newly Powerful Grant-Making Force: Artist-Endowed Foundations – http://www.tano.org/en/art/2152/

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Nonprofit Leader Profile – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 18:09:08 +0000

How ironic that the second Monday in my new leader profile series would fall on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. I could not pass up this opportunity to share a bit about Dr. King’s nonprofit leadership for this weeks post. I am always amazed at how many people do not really know who Dr. King was beyond his famous ‘I Have A Dream‘ speech. Without the leadership of Dr. King and his peers, our nonprofit community and those we serve would look very different. Take time to learn and share about Dr. King’s leadership in the nonprofit world during the civil rights movement. Enjoy.

VCG

Who: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a religious and community leader.

What: Dr. King had some distinct leadership roles in the nonprofit sector with organizations (faith and community-based) such as National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and Southern Christian Leadership Conference. These two high profile organizations trained youth and young adults to register voters, engage in peaceful protest and promote policy changes during a critical time in our nation’s history. Dr. King also shared his leadership experiences by authoring several books.

When: Dr. King’s public leadership began in the early 1950s and ended with his assassination in 1968. This period of time marked Dr. King’s graduation from high school in segregated Atlanta and his graduate and undergraduate studies in the seemingly more liberal north. Dr. King’s leadership was recognized on a national scale in 1955 with the famous Bus Boycott.

Why: While Dr. King’s passion for justice for all people was shaped from his experiences living in a segregated community, one cannot overlook the role living in the north and even having children of his own played in shaping his worldview. Dr. King’s lead nonprofit organizations amidst community unrest, political pressure and high-profile media visibility.

How: Even though Dr. King has been deceased for more than 40 years his legacy of service is a permanent mark on our history. Every nonprofit leader has the opportunity to pursue justice and to engage community members of all ages in that pursuit. Visit the Corporation for National & Community Service to build your volunteer base, develop a service project or to highlight the role your nonprofit plays in honoring the legacy of Dr. King.

Recommended Reading:

The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. – Clayborne Carson
Letter from the Birmingham Jail – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Strength to Love – Martin Luther King, Jr.
A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. – Martin Luther King, Jr. and James M. Washington
Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community: – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Why We Can’t Wait – Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Nonprofit News Highlights – Week of January 10, 2011

Sun, 16 Jan 2011 21:41:52 +0000

Here are some articles and blog posts on the nonprofit world that caught my eye this week.

VCG

Impact of State Budget Cuts on Nonprofits:

Social Services Dread the Budget Ax

Welfare Cuts Could Challenge Nonprofits’ Capacity

Nonprofit Sector Trends in 2011:

Three Nonprofit Predictions for 2011

Managing a Nonprofit Boom

MobileCause Leads Mobile Giving Market With 40% of Nation’s Top Nonprofits Moving From Disaster Relief to Fundraising

Corruption in the Nonprofit Sector

Family Connections Changed Nonprofit Sector

New York Nonprofit Director Charged in Corruption Probe

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