Youth Ambassadors Program

The Youth Ambassadors Program is a three-week exchange for high school youth (ages 15-18) and adult educators focused on civic education, community service, and leadership. Subthemes through which to explore those overarching themes may be added, such as the environment or business and entrepreneurship. Participants engage in a variety of activities, such as workshops on leadership and service, community site visits related to the program themes, interactive training, presentations, visits to high schools, local cultural activities, civic education programming, and other activities designed to achieve the program's stated goals. Multiple opportunities for participants to interact with peers while they are in the host country must be included. Follow-on activities with the participants are an integral part of the program, as the students apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired by planning service projects in their home communities.

The goals of the program are to:
(1) Promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of the Americas;
(2) Prepare youth leaders to become responsible citizens and contributing members of their communities;
(3) Influence the attitudes of the leaders of a new generation; and
(4) Foster relationships among youth from different ethnic, religious, and national groups and create hemispheric networks of youth leaders, both within the participating countries and internationally.

Comments invited on Teacher Incentive Fund

The Secretary of Education (Secretary) proposes priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria under the Teacher
Incentive Fund (TIF) program. These proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria are designed to be used in two
separate and distinct TIF grant competitions: The Main TIF competition, which will provide TIF funding to eligible entities to support their
implementation of performance-based compensation systems (PBCSs) in accordance with the priorities, the Main TIF requirements, the
definitions, and the selection criteria proposed in this document, and the TIF Evaluation competition, which will provide, in accordance with
the priorities, the Main TIF requirements, the definitions, and the selection criteria as well as the Evaluation requirements proposed in
this document, TIF funding to help pay for the costs of implementing these eligible entities' PBCS in exchange for an agreement to
participate in the national evaluation. The Secretary may use these proposed TIF priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection
criteria in fiscal year (FY) 2010 and subsequent years. We intend the proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria
to improve student achievement in high-need schools by creating incentives for effective teachers and principals in these schools.

DATES: We must receive your comments on or before March 29, 2010.

Under the program, grantees may only use TIF funds for expenses related to the development and implementation of their PBCS in high-
need schools identified in the applicant's proposal. However, in addition to the financial incentives given to teachers and principals
based on their effectiveness and their assumption of additional responsibilities or leadership roles (as defined in this notice), TIF
funds also may be used to support a variety of activities either for the entire LEA or only for high-need schools served under the grant,
that are related to the PCBS. These activities include professional development activities, evaluation and research analysis, costs of
developing or improving systems and tools that would enhance the quality and success of the PBCS, such as high-quality teacher
evaluations and tools to measure growth in student achievement, reasonable travel expenses related to the TIF program, data system
enhancement or development, and other reasonable and necessary costs.

Suder Scholars Program

[From Philanthropy News Digest:] The mission of the Suder Foundation is to dramatically improve the graduation rate of first-generation college students by providing financial, academic, emotional, and social assistance at selected public universities across the United States.

The foundation accomplishes its mission by engaging with selected four-year public universities to implement its Suder Scholars Program, which provides holistic support for first-generation students in on-campus Scholar Development Sites.

The foundation is expanding its Scholar Development Site network and will add two university partners as new sites during this grant cycle. The selected institutions will receive a one-year planning grant followed by multiyear grants for scholarships and program operation. The new partners will spend the 2010-11 academic year involved in further developing the program materials and model and securing campus collaborations to launch their site and first scholars cohort in August 2011.

The foundation will award planning grants of up to $60,000 each toward a planning coordinator, the planning process, and one visit to each of the two existing program sites. Funding for the first year of scholarships and program support will be disbursed in the spring of 2011. Co-investment by the institution is required. Complete funding responsibility is expected to transition to the university by the program's fifth year.

The program is open to public four-year institutions of higher education in the United States. Ideal grantees will have enrollments between 10,000 and 25,000 undergraduate students and a sizeable residential population.

Complete program information is available at the foundation's Web site

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Erma Byrd Scholarship Program

1. Eligible Applicants: Individuals who, at the time of application, are: (1) Enrolled or planning to enroll in an associate's, bachelor's, or graduate degree program at an accredited U.S. institution of higher education; (2) within two years of completing a degree in an eligible field of study under the Erma Byrd Scholarship Program; (3) a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States; and (4) eligible to receive Federal grants, loans, or work assistance pursuant to section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).

2. Program Requirements: (a) Satisfactory academic progress. Scholarship recipients must maintain satisfactory academic progress in accordance with 34 CFR 668.34 throughout the period of funding; additionally, they must submit a Student Activities Report to the Secretary at the end of each year of funding, with a certification from an authorized representative of the institution that the student is maintaining satisfactory academic progress. If an Erma Byrd Scholarship recipient does not maintain satisfactory academic progress throughout the period of funding or does not submit a Student Activities Report to the Secretary at the end of each year of funding, the recipient is not eligible for any additional funding and must repay the scholarship amount as a Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan with all the associated repayment conditions, including interest charges and fees as provided under title IV, part D of the HEA. (b) Service obligation. Scholarship recipients must be employed in a career position related to industrial health and safety, including mine safety, for a period of one year following the completion of their degree program. Scholarship recipients must begin such employment no more than six months after the completion of their degree program.

More information available at grants.gov.

ARRA - TRAINING IN PRIMARY CARE MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 signed into law on February 17, 2009 provides $500,000,000 to address health professions workforce shortages. Through the Recovery Act, HRSA is making funds available to increase the Nation's ability to address the shortages of health care practitioners. More information is available on the U.S. Health and Human Services website.

Erie Community Foundation Scholarships

Each year, The Erie Community Foundation awards between $350,000 to $500,000 in scholarships to an average of 250 deserving students. Most scholarships are intended for high school students seeking higher education, but The Foundation is also home to a grade school scholarship, as well as law and medical school scholarships. Most deadlines are in April and May.

“In today’s world, scholarships are increasingly important for students and quite popular with donors,” said Michael Batchelor, president of The Erie Community Foundation. There are now 51 different scholarship funds within The Erie Community Foundation, 20 in the Corry Community Foundation and 2 at the North East Community Foundation as well as 2 with the Union City Community Foundation, for a total of 75 scholarships.

Each scholarship is distinct. Recipients are selected in accordance with criteria established by the donor. The Erie Community Foundation publicizes the availability of scholarships through local high school guidance offices. To learn more, visit our website featuring the various scholarships.

Improving Literacy through School Libraries

The purpose of the Improving Literacy through School Libraries program is to improve student reading skills and academic achievement by providing students with increased access to up-to-date school library materials; well-equipped, technologically advanced school library media centers; and well-trained, professionally certified school library media specialists. Eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) may use funds for the following activities: Purchasing up-to-date school library media resources, including books; acquiring and using advanced technology that is integrated into the curricula of the school in order to develop and enhance the information literacy, information retrieval, and critical-thinking skills of students; facilitating Internet links and other resource-sharing networks; providing professional development for school library media specialists and providing activities that foster increased collaboration among library specialists, teachers, and administrators; and providing students with access to school libraries during non-school hours, including before and after school, weekends, and summer vacations.

Deadlines are April 20, 2010. An expected 53 awards will be made, averaging $350,000 each.

Race to the Top H.S. Commencement Challenge

The White House and the Department of Education have announced a new Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge and are inviting public schools across the country to compete to have President Obama speak at their graduation. At the beginning of the school year, the President encouraged students across the country to take responsibility for their education, study hard and graduate from high school. The Race to the Top High School Commencement challenge encourages schools to show how they are making great strides on personal responsibility, academic excellence and college readiness.

Applications must be completed by students and submitted by a high school’s Principal using the Commencement Challenge Application Form no later than Monday, March 15th at 11:59 pm EST. Each school may submit only one application and high schools must be public to apply. Following the application deadline, six finalists will be selected by the White House and Department of Education. These schools will then be featured on the White House website and the public will have an opportunity to vote for the three schools they think best meet the President’s goal. The President will select a national winner from these three finalists and visit the winning high school to deliver the commencement address to the class of 2010.

The application’s four essay questions focus on demonstrating how the school is helping prepare students to meet the President’s 2020 goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. Applications will be judged based on the school’s performance and dedication to providing students an excellent education that will prepare them to graduate ready for college and career choices. Each question must be answered in full to qualify and data that substantiates each answer is strongly encouraged.

Please use the Commencement Challenge Application Form to apply.

QuestBridge Scholarships

QuestBridge College Prep Scholarship

• The College Prep Scholarship provides more than 1,000 awards that equip outstanding low-income high school juniors with the knowledge necessary to compete for admission to top-ranked colleges.
• The 2010 College Prep Scholarship application is now open.

QuestBridge National College Match Program

• The National College Match connects high-achieving low-income students with admission and full scholarships to 27 partner colleges. Approximately 1,000 QuestBridge applicants enroll at these colleges every year, with financial aid worth over $100 million.
• QuestBridge welcomes Brown University and Washington and Lee University as our newest partner colleges.
• QuestBridge offers Quest for Excellence Awards as a complement to the National College Match program. Designed to enhance educational and career exploration for outstanding low-income high school students, these awards include laptop computers, all-expense-paid visits to QuestBridge partner colleges, and career mentoring opportunities with successful individuals and organizations.

Kohl's scholarships

[Philanthropy News Digest] The Kohl's Kids Who Care Scholarship Program recognizes and rewards young volunteers (ages 6 to 18) whose efforts have made a positive impact on their communities.

Nominees will be divided into two groups (ages 6 to 12, and 13 to 18). Awards will be given on three levels. More than 2,100 store winners will each be awarded a $50 Kohl's Gift Card. More than 200 regional winners will each be awarded $1,000 scholarships toward their postsecondary education. Finally, ten national winners will each be awarded $9,000 scholarships (for a total of $10,000 in scholarships each), and Kohl's will donate $1,000 to a nonprofit organization on each winner's behalf.

Nominees must not have graduated from high school as of March 15, 2010, and must be legal U.S. residents of a state in which a Kohl's store is located. The young volunteer's actions should be beyond what is normally expected of a child his or her age. Volunteer efforts should have made a positive impact on others and occurred in the last twelve months. The activity cannot be performed solely to benefit a family member.

Increase Your Green for teens

[Philanthropy News Digest] DoSomething.org and Hewlett-Packard have announced an initiative designed to challenge teens to find new and innovative ways of conserving energy while reducing waste in their schools.

More than a hundred thousand teens are expected to participate in the Increase Your Green campaign, which will run from February 15 through Earth Day on April 22. In addition to traditional "green" projects such as recycling programs and community gardens, teens will be encouraged to explore ways of using technology to save energy.

A panel of judges, including actor and campaign spokesman Nick Cannon, will evaluate the entries based on creativity, innovation, reduction in waste, energy saved, and number of students involved. Each winner will receive up to $5,000 in funding and an HP Artist Edition laptop computer. In addition, the National Grid Foundation will award $1,500 prizes to select students in their service area.

Advanced Technological Education

With an emphasis on two-year colleges, the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program focuses on the education of technicians for the high-technology fields that drive our nation's economy. The program involves partnerships between academic institutions and employers to promote improvement in the education of science and engineering technicians at the undergraduate and secondary school levels. The ATE program supports curriculum development; professional development of college faculty and secondary school teachers; career pathways to two-year colleges from secondary schools and from two-year colleges to four-year institutions; and other activities. Another goal is articulation between two-year and four-year programs for K-12 prospective teachers that focus on technological education. The program also invites proposals focusing on research to advance the knowledge base related to technician education.

Expected Number of Awards: 90
Estimated Total Program Funding: $64,000,000
Award Ceiling: $5,000,000
Award Floor: $70,000

WREN Community Watershed Education Grants

The Water Resources Education Network (WREN) has funding available up to $5,000 to help launch community projects. See the terrific projects we've already funded to get some creative ideas at http://wren.palwv.org/local.html. Use these ideas to develop your own project - No need to re-invent the wheel!

Eligible projects include watershed education projects that build awareness and educate Pennsylvania citizens about their role as environmental stewards to protect, improve, or remediate the watershed from the impacts of polluted runoff, or nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. We give priority to projects that incorporate social marketing concepts and encourage individual or public policy action that will protect and improve local water resources.

Eligible applicants are Pennsylvania partnerships comprised of watershed associations, civic groups, community/public water systems, educational entities such as schools or universities, government entities like cities, townships, boroughs, Environmental Advisory Councils, or municipal authorities, or other governmental or non-governmental organizations. To encourage local leaders to get involved, a municipality is required as a partner.

Grant Applications Due: March 26, 2010
Download Application at: http://wren.palwv.org/grants/local.html

Womans Club offers scholarships

According to a Warren Times Observer article, the Warren Woman's Club will offer scholarships this year. Four merit-based scholarships for students who will be enrolled in post-secondary education next year are available. Three $650 scholarships are offered through the Woman's Club, and the club is supervising a Bridge Club one-time memorial scholarship in the amount of $655 in honor of Marian King. Applications are available at the county's public high schools, the Warren-Forest Higher Education Council, the Woman's Club, and by visiting www.warrenwomansclub.org. Applications must be received by March 15. Contributions to the Marian King Scholarship or the Woman's Club Scholarship are welcome.

Dollar General Adult Literacy grants

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is accepting applications for its Family Literacy and Adult Literacy Grants Programs.

Family Literacy Grants provide funding to family literacy service providers. The foundation uses the federal government's definition of family literacy when reviewing grant applications. Organizations applying for funding must have the following four components: adult education instruction, Parent and Child Together Time (PACT), children's education, and parenting classes. The maximum grant amount is $20,000.

Adult Literacy Grants provide funding to nonprofit organizations that provide direct service to adults in need of literacy assistance. Organizations must provide direct literacy-based programs and services that focus on one or all of the following adult literacy issues: adult basic education, general education diploma preparation, or English as a second language. The maximum grant amount is $20,000.

Applicants must be a qualified 501(c)(3) organization, a K-12 private or public school, a college or university, or a public library. Organizations must reside in and provide direct service within Dollar General's 35-state market area and must be located within twenty miles of a Dollar General store.

Visit the Dollar General Web site for complete program guidelines, eligibility quiz, and store locator.

Entertainment Software Association Foundation Offers Grants for Youth Programs

[From Philanthropy News Digest] The Entertainment Software Association Foundation is dedicated to supporting positive programs and opportunities that make a difference in the lives of America's youth. The foundation seeks to harness the collective power of the interactive entertainment industry to create positive social impact in its communities. The foundation supports geographically diverse projects and programs that benefit American boys and girls of all races and religions.

To be eligible for funding, an applicant must be a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization; seek funding for a specific project or program that is or will be implemented or available nationwide or at a minimum in two or more states in the United States; serve American youth between the ages of 7 and 18; and provide programs and services that utilize technology and/or computer and video games to educate America's youth and young adults.

The grant application deadline is April 15, 2010, for projects to be implemented in 2011. Proposals received after April 15 will be considered for the subsequent funding cycle. Applications are accepted year-round and are reviewed annually in May/June. Final decisions are made in July/August for the following calendar year. First-time awardees can receive grants of up to $50,000 each.

For more information and application, visit the ESA Foundation Web site.

Recover Act Education jobs

On Jan. 30, the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board released job numbers showing that Recovery Act education funding played a significant role in stabilizing the nation's economy and in staving off a major fiscal crisis in 2009.

For the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2009, grant recipients reported over 300,000 education jobs, such as teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors. In total, the Department of Education funding supported approximately 400,000 positions including corrections officers, public health personnel, and construction workers. These numbers are consistent with the data submitted in October during the first round of Recovery Act reporting.

The consistency of these jobs numbers reflects the steady and profound impact of Recovery Act funding that is being used to fill over $40 billion in projected state education budget shortfalls for FY '09 and FY '10. State and local budgets remain strained, but the second round of ARRA reporting makes clear that most school systems throughout the country would be facing more severe fiscal situations without this funding.

President's Education Budget Signals Bold Changes for ESEA

President Obama's 2011 education budget signals a bold new direction for federal K-12 education policy with more competitive funding, more flexibility and a focus on the reforms likely to have the greatest impact on student success.

All told, the president's budget includes $49.7 billion for the Department of Education's discretionary programs, an increase of $3.5 billion over fiscal year 2010. The budget also includes $173 billion in loans, grants, tax credits and work-study programs to help students go to college.

The proposed budget includes a $3 billion increase in competitive funding for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the largest increase ever requested for programs under the 1965 law. This includes $1.35 billion to continue Race to the Top, $500 million for the Investing in Innovation Fund, more money for school turnarounds, charters, school safety and programs around preparing, retaining, and rewarding effective teachers and leaders. See the full story here.

Race to the Top: Phase I

Forty states, including Pennsylvania, submitted applications to compete in Phase 1 of Race to the Top. Those 41 applicants are listed here. (Today was the deadline for submitting those applications.)

Also today, President Obama announced plans to expand Race to the Top and requested $1.35 billion for the program in his FY 2011 budget. See the White House press release and blog post about the announcement. Listen to a conference call during which Secretary Duncan discussed Race to the Top with reporters, or read the transcript.

Disability Education grant comments sought

Public comment is invited regarding the Department of Education's (Department) proposed grant application under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA-B). The annual grant application provides assurances that the State's policies and procedures in effect are consistent with the Federal requirements to ensure that a free appropriate public education is made available to all children with a disability from age 3 to 21, including children who have been suspended or expelled from school. The current policies and procedures are available for viewing at http://www.education.state.pa.us (go to ''Programs,'' go to ''Special Education,'' go to ''Funding Sources,'' go to IDEA-B Policies and Procedures 2009). Written comments will be received until April 30, 2010.