In preparation for the relaunch of the Virginia ROMA Professional peer group, the Office of Economic Opportunity is seeking your feedback. We are asking you to complete the ROMA Inventory Survey by October 10^th. Your input will aid us in assessing the current and future needs of the network concerning ROMA performance management practices, principles, and support for Virginia's ROMA Professionals.

This peer group is now open to all members of the network who wish to engage in discussions and share best practices related to agency program planning, implementing organizational change, assessing data performance, and gaining clarity on program outputs and outcomes that are relevant to both staff and the community we serve, among other topics. If you fall into this category, this group is for you!

In episode 2 of CAPLAWCast, Bridging Across Barriers: The Mother of States, Abby Hanks and Matt Fitzgerald of Virginia’s Office of Economic Development, and Erik Johnston of the Virginia Community Action Partnership (VACAP), discuss key aspects of the state office, state association relationship, including how they work together to provide maximum feasible deference to a diverse array of CAAs in Virginia, and how elements such as communication, trust, and flexibility have bolstered collaborative efforts and assisted CAAs across the Mother State. Click to listen to the full podcast.

The CSBG Office will be hosting a Reporting Webinar on November 9th at 2pm. This webinar will review some of the most common mistakes on the 4th quarter reporting. We will also look at items to review throughout the year to help ensure data quality on the 4th quarter report. This webinar is intended for anyone who completes the agencies CSBG reports. Please register for this webinar by November 2nd. Call in details will be sent after registration closes.

The Virginia Office of Economic Opportunity has created several new one-page factsheets, available now on LearnWorlds learning management system. The fact sheets can be downloaded and shared with board and staff members as well as community members who are looking to learn more about CSBG and Community Action. The fact sheets can be found in the Fact Sheet section of the resources tab on LearnWorlds. For the latest news and an archive of the Virginia CSBG newsletter, registered users can click on the News tab. You’ll also find client success stories updated regularly. For those who aren’t registered, they can still access this information by clicking on the About Us tab. Of course, LearnWorlds is where you’ll find countless online training opportunities on a wide range of subjects – from ROMA to working with boards. Be sure to bookmark LearnWorlds and stop by frequently to stay on top of the latest news on community action in Virginia!

Don't miss our upcoming session: "Unlocking the Power of ROMA: Navigating Best Practices, Logic Models, and Data Analysis for Transformative Impact”, at the VACAP October Summit.

Join us for an engaging exploration of three vital pillars:

A. Discover best practices in community action, learn why they work, and find innovative ways to apply them.

B. Share and enhance your agency’s logic model for better program design and outcomes.

C. Elevate your data analysis skills to make informed decisions at all levels.

Participants who register for this session will have pre-work to complete and bring with them to the October 10^th meeting. Together, we'll illuminate the path to better practices, logic-driven models, and data-driven excellence. Don't miss this opportunity to amplify your impact in the realm of community action!

As part of our ongoing commitment to promoting equitable practices within the localities where community action agencies are serving, we are excited to introduce two key areas for discussion and action in the month of October. These initiatives are aimed at fostering inclusivity, addressing disparities, and furthering our collective mission to empower and uplift our communities.

1. Community Input: Actively seek input from community members and clients when designing and implementing programs and services. Their insights are invaluable for tailoring solutions that meet specific needs. Allow community members to voice concerns, provide suggestions, and participate in decision-making processes.

2. Language Accessibility: Ensure that agency materials and communications are available in multiple languages to reach a broader audience.

What’s the Deal with Definitions? 

When I joined the VDSS team, there were a lot of things that I was expecting: complicated studies, long meetings, writing about poverty, and so on. For the most part, all of these expectations were realized. However, one thing that I didn’t expect was the importance of definitions. To be honest, if you had asked me before joining the VDSS team what “economic empowerment” means, I probably would have given you a basic definition. I wouldn’t have thought it was any different than just ending poverty. How wrong I was. 

To be fair, it’s not just “economic empowerment” that people have tried to define repeatedly. A few weeks ago, while working on my economic empowerment toolkit, was in a meeting with some community action agency leaders. When the term “self-sufficiency” was brought up, they took issue with it. They explained that “self-sufficiency” was popularized during the Clinton Administration’s welfare reforms. As a result, it overly emphasizes one’s individual actions at the expense of understating one’s larger socioeconomic surroundings. Because we are all products of our surroundings (which we are usually hapless to control), self-sufficiency should not be a goal. Besides, are we ever really self-sufficient? For pretty much all our lives we’re relying on someone, whether it be our parents, our employer, or our children.  

In my toolkit, there is a section devoted to definitions. Although it isn’t a large section, I still think it’s important. Definitions allow us to set the terms of our discourse; they are the map that lays out the terrain. That’s why the definitions section is the second part of the toolkit. (The introduction is the first part.) In this section, I not only come up with definitions, but also, I point out how terms of evolved. This is an underrated part of definitions, their history.  



As I’m writing this, I still don’t really have a firm grasp on what “economic empowerment” means. I certainly know more than I used to. The biggest difference now is my appreciation for definitions. However, they are only useful to an extent. Everyone in the VDSS has the same goal: ending poverty. So, at the end of the day, does it really matter what words we use to get there? Certainly, definitions have their place. I would like to see less individualistic terms marginalized. But definitions themselves cannot end poverty.