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RAP Newsletter - Fall 2016
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Upcoming workshop topics:
- Professional development - Geared for nonprofits and businesses
- How to start a Nonprofit
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Grant writing
- Utilizing Financial Statements
- NPOs are businesses
- Marketing and Social Media
- Tax Workshop - State of California
- Human Resources
- Microsoft Office
- Constant Contact
- Media training
For information about dates, location and cost call (760) 674-9992 or email:
info@rapfoundation.org
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Supporting Nonprofits' Search for Grants
RAP provides two
free
online research services:
The
Foundation Center is the nation's leading authority on institutional philanthropy and serves grant seekers, grant makers, researchers, policy makers, the media and general public.
And
Grant Station provides additional funding sources including Federal, State and regional grants.
These online resource services are available to nonprofits and can be easily viewed at the RAP office. Email:
info@rapfoundation.org or call (760) 674-9992 to make a reservation.
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Grants Update:
We anticipate that the next Request for Proposal will be released in early December 2016.
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Fall is here and we are anticipating the "season" of activity for the next six months. However, RAP, like many other nonprofits, has remained busy throughout the summer. Since the last Newsletter in late July, we have released two Requests for Proposals for our Mental Health Initiative.
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The RAP Board of Directors was kept busy reviewing funding and technical assistance requests. Members also attended important community events:
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UCR Nonprofit Certificate Program Graduation in August,
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CVEP - Health CareerConnection Closing ceremony in early September
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Flying Doctors on October 1
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The RAP Team is looking forward to the Nonprofit Conference on October 26. The event provides a great opportunity for the nonprofit community to listen and ask questions of experts in the sector including: Jonathan Weedman, Wells Fargo Foundation; Jan Masaoka, Cal Association of Nonprofits; Belen Vargas, Weingart Foundation; Dom Betro, Family Services Association; David Greco, Moss Adams; Kim Sheppard, Digital Communications; and members of the Inland Empire Funders Alliance. This will also be a great opportunity to network with potential future collaborators. See the full
Act soon, and you might still be one of the first 150 to receive a free copy of the book "Reaching For The Stars, the Inspiring Story of a Migrant Farmworker Turned Astronaut" by former NASA Astronaut and nonprofit founder Jose Hernandez, one of our featured speakers.
We are happy to announce that due to our sponsors' generosity we are extending our early bird rate of $75 until the event on October 26th. We look forward to seeing you there!
Thank you to our 2016 Nonprofit Sponsors for their contributions! First Five Riverside, Desert Healthcare District, The California Endowment, Union Bank, Wells Fargo, Kaiser Permanente, KCVR/PBS, The Desert Community Foundation, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), Community Foundation, Clinicas de Salud Del Pueblo, Fourth District Supervisor John J. Benoit, Community Action Partnership, CalNonprofit Insurance, The Chandi Group, First Foundation Bank, Altura Credit Union, Integrated Wealth Management, Planned Parenthood and Desert Insurance.
Leticia De Lara, CEO
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Desert Fast Pitch Finalists Announced!
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And the Winners Are . . .
And you thought the
Final Four was exciting!
The "Final Six" in RAP's Desert Fast Pitch competition faced some stiff competition in the round completed October 5, but they emerged victorious and earned the right to garner even more financial help in serving their clients.
Even more? That's right. Because mere participation in the first round gave the selected participants valuable training through RAP's Technical Assistance Program, but also $1,500 for their efforts.
In winning a trip to the Finals, the six organizations chosen by a panel of expert volunteer judges earn not only an additional $1,500 each, but a chance to earn much more on the afternoon of the Desert Fast Pitch competition October 26. At that event, they'll have the chance to add thousands more . . . or merely go home a winner in every sense.
But enough digression. The six finalist organizations are, emerging after a contest with all very compelling statements of need, in no particular order:
Voices For Children, which provides abused children in the foster care system with volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) to advocate for them and to improve their lives by one-on-on interaction and by speaking on the child's behalf to authorities.
Galilee Center is a familiar name to Coachella Valley residents, and their battle to assist underprivileged and disadvantaged individuals and families go on. The Galilee Center provides food, clothing and other basic needs.
Desert Best Friends Closet meets a need most people don't even think about: how to properly clothe, not to mention prepare, a disadvantaged job applicant for an interview. It can be an overwhelming task for a talented but financially-challenged job seeker.
The LGBT Community Center enriches the lives of the LGBT community, young and old, offering a variety of programs and services including counseling, education and weekly food distribution.
Integrated Learning Institute has had a high rate of success in assisting struggling learners in making performing better in their educational opportunities and in their social behaviors.
Focus on Student Success, or "FOSS," is likewise "focused" on youths who are having difficulty making good choices in sometimes troubled family situations. An emphasis of FOSS is learning to play a musical instrument and helping to improve self-esteem, self-discipline and motivation.
Honorable mentions go out to
Desert Hot Springs Eagles, which teaches tackle football to kids. The emphasis here is teamwork, community involvement, good sportsmanship and safety;
ACT for MS, which provides resources, programs and services for Valley residents who have been diagnosed with MS;
All Things are Possible, which assists special needs kids with "Music and Motion Therapy," and
Desert Hot Springs Community Task Force, which coordinates, improves and increases programs and resources available to residents of the DHS area.
All participating organizations benefited. The Six Finalists have a chance for much more, and it's an opportunity for the community to come together for the excitement but also the learning experience of watching what amounts to a meaningful game show atmosphere on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 26.
You should mark your calendar. No, we mean it! Wednesday, October 26. Look, there's no football on TV (we've checked) and, besides, this is more important. You'll need tickets, of course, so call RAP at 760 674-9992 or visit the website at
www.RAPFoundation.org/rapconference2016
YOU can participate in the awarding of the program/show's big prize of Audience Favorite. So. Have you signed up to attend yet?
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Here's another great opportunity for nonprofit organizations: Mental Health First Aid.
You may know how to tell if someone is having a heart attack or a stroke, but what if a person is thinking about suicide or is having a panic attack?
Many of us are trained in first aid, and know how to administer CPR or the Heimlich maneuver, but we haven't had the same training for mental health issues which can be just as debilitating-and even life threatening.
A program called Mental Health First Aid, administered by the Riverside County's Parent Support & Training Program offers the kind of training that supports the other half-the mental half-of first aid. The program is available for parents, caregivers, school and medical staff, non-licensed para-professionals, support staff or anyone who works with or comes into contact with the public.
There is no charge for the MHFA training program, which lasts 8 hours and requires a minimum class size of 15-20 people. Books are included. More information is available online at
www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org
.
If you'd like to set up a class, contact Rachel Douglas at 951 358-5862.
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#Giving Tuesday and Give Where you Live
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#GivingTuesday
No doubt you're familiar with Thanksgiving Thursday. But what about
Giving Tuesday
?
Nonprofits who could use a little help especially during the holidays should bone up on the Giving Tuesday "holiday," usually referred to as #GivingTuesday in this era of Twitter and Facebook.
In fact, #GivingTuesday is a product of the Twitter age, having been born in 2012 as the child of the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation, and arising out of a need to contrast the rampant consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday with something more altruistic.
It's a great time for local nonprofits to seek additional funding by channeling the buzz created by this new "holiday" going nationwide and getting more and more attention.
#GivingTuesday falls on Nov. 29 this year. Visit
www.givingtuesday.org
for more information. RAP will be hosting a webinar presentation by the Give BIG Network Riverside County, a collaborative of nonprofits serving Riverside County. You are encouraged to attend on October 28 at 9 AM for the presentation and to get answers to your questions. A continental breakfast will be provided. Please RSVP. #GivingTuesday.
Give Where You Live
In addition, the Give BIG Network Riverside County is highlighting the "
Give Where You Live
"
campaign from November 21 through December 2. The plan is to hold nonprofit events throughout the county and bring greater public awareness to nonprofits during this two week period.
Events might include opportunities for the public to tour your facilities, learn about your programs and services, or to participate as a volunteer performing a task for you. Agencies may also choose to hold fundraiser events. Any event that allows the public to connect with your organization can be a part of the #Givewhereyoulive Riverside County campaign.
The Give BIG Network Riverside County committee will compile all the events and include them in social media marketing and other avenues to increase community participation. They will encourage local elected officials and county and city officials to operate their offices on a skeleton crew at least one day of the campaign, allowing their staff to get out into the community and learn about area nonprofit organizations.
If you have an activity already planned, it is easy to join this county wide campaign to bring attention to nonprofits. If you don't yet have an activity planned, this can be the incentive to plan one!
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| . . . And Speaking of a Nonprofit Participating in Give Where you Live |
United Cerebral Palsy of the Inland Empire will be launching their new campaign "Shop for a Cause," with all proceeds from the event going to support of after-school and summer programs for special-needs children.
"We decided to tie in with 'Small Business Saturday' on November 26, to sell our unique note cards with art from students with special needs," says Sofia Campos, Director of Program Services for UCP. "What I like about this year's campaign is that it's spread out over two weeks."
And that's a good thing, because it gives all kinds of nonprofits ample opportunity to latch onto something Big. And that can increase donations to organizations which can really use the funding.
In UCP's case, their effort will consist of selling note cards featuring artwork from special needs kids. They're ideal as thank you cards, birthdays, note cards . . . whatever it is that you can think of for a beautifully-designed card with a blank interior.
Cost of the cards is $10 for a pack of six uniquely-designed cards.
For more contact Sofia Campos, Director of Program Services at UCP (760) 321-8184 X105
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