Summer internships funded

[from Philanthropy News Digest] The Bank of America Charitable Foundation has announced grants totaling more than $1 million to support paid summer internships for high school students at nonprofits in forty-five cities across the United States and London.

Awarded through BofA's Student Leaders program, the grants will help the organizations meet increased demand for their services while addressing the national problem of teen unemployment.

Eight-week internships will be awarded to 230 high school juniors and seniors who have demonstrated a commitment to community service. The goals of the program include fostering the development of the next generation of leaders who will work to create positive change, strengthening the capacity of nonprofits in communities served by the bank, and expanding BofA's efforts to create a culture of service that strengthens local communities.

In addition to the internships, the students will participate in a weeklong Bank of America Student Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., where they will attend several Capitol Hill briefings and a series of interactive workshops on financial education, environmental sustainability, and nonprofit leadership.

"In communities across the country, teens are disproportionately affected by high unemployment rates," said Bank of America Charitable Foundation president Kerry Sullivan. "Our Student Leaders program helps civic-minded youth find paid employment while gaining valuable workforce skills that ultimately benefits the economic health of local communities. We view the Student Leaders program as an opportunity to engage young people in solving critical issues while also supporting nonprofits by providing valuable services to individuals and families in need."

“Bank of America Invests More Than $1 Million in Paid Summer Internships at Nonprofit Organizations.” Bank of America Charitable Foundation Press Release 7/11/11.

Walmart Foundation Awards $3.2 Million to Boost Young Adult Service

[From Philanthropy News Digest] The Walmart Foundation in Bentonville, Arkansas, has announced a $3.2 million grant to Boston-based City Year to provide training to young volunteers working with students in high-poverty schools across the nation.

The grant, which renews Walmart's corporate partnership with City Year, will fund training for more than four thousand City Year AmeriCorps members between the ages of 17 and 24 and their supervisors. The training is part of City Year's Whole School, Whole Child service model, which incorporates online learning options, school-based observation, and tutoring in math and literacy. In addition, the foundation announced grants totaling $505,000 to support City Year efforts in seven locations: San Jose, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Miami, Detroit, Columbia (South Carolina), and New York City.

“Walmart Foundation Makes $3.2 Million Grant to City Year.” PR Newswire 7/14/11.

Thompson Introduces Bill to Address Inequities in Federal Education Funding

From Glenn Thompson's website:
Washington, D.C. – Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA) today formally introduced H.R. 2485, the All Children are Equal (ACE) Act, to a standing-room-only audience of reporters, education reform advocates, and supporting organizations. The ACE Act fixes a gross inequity in the way formulas are calculated under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which provides funds to local school districts in order to improve the education of disadvantaged students.

The current formula has the perverse effect of diverting funding from higher poverty school districts to more populous school districts, regardless of the actual poverty rates. The ACE Act will be an equitable solution to ensure that all Title I eligible children will be treated equally under the law.

“The ACE Act levels the playing field for impoverished students and ensures that funding is equitable in accordance with the original intent of the law,” said Thompson. “No child should be put at a disadvantage because of their geographic location or the size of their school, and the ACE Act will ensure that all children are truly treated in an equal manner.”

The ACE Act would gradually phase out the current number weighting system used to calculate Title I amounts, to assure that school districts are treated based upon their percentages of poverty, rather than population.

"We must all recognize that a Title I eligible child should not be put at a disadvantage because of where he or she lives and how big or small their school district is – all children should be equal," added Thompson. “The ACE Act does not cost the taxpayer one dime and simply fixes a systemic flaw that keeps Title I funds from those most in need, including every single Title I eligible child in the 5th Congressional District.”

Representative Thompson formally introduced H.R. 2485 this morning with Representatives G. K. Butterfield (D-NC), Tom Petri (R-WI), Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX), Mike Kelly (R-PA), and Lou Barletta (R-PA). The bill has five additional original cosponsors, including Representatives Louise Slaughter (D-NY), Todd Russell Platts (R-PA), Dan Boren (D-OK), Richard Hanna (R-NY)and Mike Ross (D-AR). The ACE Act has the support of a diverse range of advocacy groups, which have rallied behind Thompson’s efforts.

Supporting Organizations:

Save the Children, American Association of School Administrators, National Alliance of Black School Educators, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Pennsylvania Association of Rural & Small Schools, Arkansas Rural Education Association, California Small School Districts’ Association, Center for Rural Affairs, Challenge West Virginia, Michigan Small & Rural Schools Association, Minnesota Rural Education Association, Missouri Association of Rural Education, Montana Small Schools Alliance, National Farmers Union, National Rural Education Advocacy Coalition, National Rural Education Association, North Carolina Rural Education Working Group, Organizations Concerned About Rural Education, Rural Community Alliance (AR), The Rural School and Community Trust, Save Alabama’s Small schools, South Carolina Rural Education Grassroots Group, Southern Echo, Tennessee School Systems for Equity, Texas Rural Education Association, Vermont Rural Partnership, YouthBuild, USA.

Original Cosponsors:

Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC)

Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA)

Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX)

Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI)

Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA)

Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY)

Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA)

Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR)

Rep. Todd Russell Platts (R-PA)

Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK)

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring

Funding Opportunity Number: 11-563

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) Program seeks to identify outstanding mentoring efforts that enhance the participation and retention of individuals (including persons with disabilities, women and minorities) who might not otherwise have considered or had access to opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The awardees serve as leaders in the national effort to develop fully the nation's human resources in STEM.IMPORTANT INFORMATION The PAESMEM program has changed from awarding grants for future efforts to awards bestowed for past work.Former recipients of the Individual PAESMEM award are not eligible. Former recipients of the Organizational PAESMEM award may apply for the Individual award 10 years or more after receiving the award.Eligibility has been expanded. Any U.S. citizen or permanent resident who has done exemplary, measurable mentoring is eligible, including federal employees (see Announcement) and individuals or organizations in the private sector.

Link to Full Announcement

NSF Publication 11-563

Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP)

The Department of Health (Department) has been awarded funding for the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP). PREP funding is mandatory formula funding for states and territories from the Administration for Children and Families. PREP funds are to be used for programs that educate adolescents on abstinence, contraception and adulthood preparation subjects including healthy relationships, adolescent development, healthy life skills, financial literacy, parent-child communication and educational and career success.

 The Department plans to issue a Request for Application (RFA) for institutions and organizations in this Commonwealth to support personal responsibility education programs that replicate evidence-based effective program models (Rikers Health Advocacy Program or Street Smart) to change behavior, which means delaying sexual activity, increasing condom or contraceptive use for sexually active youth or reducing pregnancy among youth. The RFA, along with any supporting documentation, will be posted at http://www.emarketplace.state.pa.us on June 24, 2011. No questions regarding this RFA will be answered outside the normal RFA process.

 Persons with a disability who require an alternative format of this document (for example, large print, audio tape or Braille) should contact Abigail Coleman, Public Health Program Administrator, Division of Child and Adult Health at (717) 772-2762, or for speech and/or hearing impaired persons contact V/T (717) 783-6514, or the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Services (800) 654-5984.