After eight years with Allegany Franciscan Ministries, Lise Landry Alives, our Vice President of Operations has decided to retire. Throughout her time with us, Lise has been a culture leader, ensuring that each member of our staff team is engaged and connected to our culture, mission and values. Lise has a leadership role in all of our administrative functions, including financial management, operational planning and priority setting, human resources management, communications, and events management. She has always made sure that our i’s are dotted and t’s crossed, and done so in a way that is person-centered and true to our values. Lise is a trusted, admired, and caring colleague to our staff team.

Lise is looking forward to spending more time with her husband, who lives in their mountainside cabin in North Carolina, and her children and grandchildren, who are on the east coast of Florida.

Allegany Franciscan Ministries is thrilled to announce our full launch for ACH electronic payments for our partners which began on April 4th. Now, partners have the choice to either receive payment(s) via ACH or with a paper check – organization and business partners who opt in for ACH will receive a request to submit banking information via our secure DocuSign platform. FY22 ACOR Grant recipients (for current spring cycle) and Tau Grant recipients (for current cycle 3) will also be offered this opportunity as an alternative to paper checks. We are grateful for your patience as our team worked diligently to fully implement our ACH process and hope that you find value in this additional payment method.

We are currently accepting applications for our Fellowship for the Common Good Program!

Be the light! The Fellowship for the Common Good can change your life and your community. It is a 12-month program designed to develop your leadership as a resident or a community supporter/civic leader of Overtown, Lincoln Park, or Wimauma.

Because leadership shows up in different ways, we seek Fellows who hold traditional leadership roles and have traditional leadership experience, as well as those who lead in quieter or non-traditional ways. You must have a passion to advocate and to serve.

For more information, visit: https://afmfl.org/index.php/common-good-initiative/fellowship-for-the-common-good or contact Brittney Frazier at bfrazier@afmfl.org.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) recently produced a series of short videos featuring the exceptional programming and advocacy being done by Allegany's grant partner, University of Miami and their IDEA Exchange program. This Harm Reduction program was the first legal syringe program in Florida, and is already paving the way for similar programs and laws to be adopted throughout our state. Allegany’s support helps connect HIV and Hepatitis C patients to care, reduces the transmission of diseases traditionally transferred through shared needles, and reduces patients’ use of IV drugs. Services are provided in a compassionate and respectful manner and are personalized. Program successes include creation of a barrier-free pathway for IDEA Exchange participants to enter behavioral health and treatment for substance abuse disorder, HIV, or Hepatitis C with the same day of linkage to first provider appointment. View What is Harm Reduction and At the Intersection: HIV & Substance Use Research videos.

In the summer of 2017, the Council for the Common Good established a workgroup with Indian River State College to dream up the Lincoln Park Career Pathways Initiative to recruit, support, and direct motivated individuals from the Lincoln Park community. The Initiative engaged additional partners with St. Lucie County Economic Development Council, Treasure Coast Manufacturers Association, and CareerSource Research Coast. Each partner brought their experience and expertise to the table as it relates to specific preparation and training, expedited processes, and leveraging of government funding and employer relationships. Lincoln Park residents are offered certificate training and the opportunity for employment with targeted industry sectors including manufacturing, distribution, and healthcare. Participants benefit from barrier-reduction supports (i.e., transportation, childcare). In addition, these short-term training programs offer employability training with the opportunity for continued career pathway training and career advancement. To date, the Initiative has resulted in 176 students that have received a certificate of completion and 124 program completers securing employment in their area of study. The Initiative is now expanding to include other additional certification programs.

Indian River State College has made a commitment to continue to support Lincoln Park residents by establishing a $1 million Endowment devoted to the financial support and growth of the Initiative. This is a win/win for Lincoln Park residents as the Common Good Initiative transitions out of the community in 2023.

People use the internet to meet basic needs, to learn, to connect with others, to access essential services and resources, and more. Public schools expect students and parents to access the internet for studying, submitting homework, and communicating. Children with home internet access enter kindergarten already digitally proficient.

Research has repeatedly shown that people who do not have internet access at home are more likely to be economically poor, elderly, people of color, or living in rural areas. In a community, access to broadband can improve the delivery of government, social and health services, and increase community and civic engagement. Communities with widespread internet access have the potential to be more inclusive. And, fast, affordable broadband helps a community attract businesses, promoting economic vitality and growth.

As a result, Allegany Franciscan Ministries identified improving digital equity as a strategy to work toward our vision for equitable and just communities. All three Common Good Communities have prioritized jobs and economic stability. Without adequate quality internet access, the strategies to improve economic stability in each community cannot be fully realized and sustained. Read full article

The Tau Grant program is currently accepting applications for its last grant cycle in FY22. Unlike before, the Tau Grant program now has three cycles, with a final application deadline of Friday, April 8. Our goal for this fiscal year is to increase funding and support more grassroots organizations across our three regions. The Tau Grant program currently aims to support capacity building efforts for organizations or programs that provide services to the following marginalized populations: Black, Indigenous, People of Color [BIPOC], LGBTQ+ community, and/or persons with disabilities. View application information here.

Over the summer, the staff team will take time to strategically plan for next year’s funding priorities and eligibility requirements. More information will be released in late July or early August.

Tampa Bay Equity Incubator - This is a collaboration between Pinellas Community Foundation and Inclusivity, LLC to educate staff and prepare leaders and boards to be more equitable, competent, and inclusive and increase nonprofit organizations' capacity to reflect the communities they serve more closely. This program is for Pinellas nonprofits. The deadline to apply is April 11, 2022. For more information, visit, https://pinellascf.org/grants/tampa-bay-equity-incubator/.

Nonprofit Chamber of Palm Beach County Scholarships - Interested in joining The Nonprofit Chamber of Palm Beach County? There are scholarships available for small, health and human services nonpRofits led by people of color. Contact Marlene Passell at npcpbc@gmail.com or visit https://nonprofitchamberpbc.org for information.

Every nonprofit is unique and so are their capacity needs, yet they find it difficult to access capacity building solutions that meet them where they are.

Allegany Franciscan Ministries wants to learn more about your organization’s capacity building needs. We are conducting a brief survey, which should take no more than 6 minutes to better understand your organization’s needs.

The results from this survey will help us focus current conversations on possible support in these areas. We understand that healthy and resilient nonprofit organizations are critical for a vibrant social good sector.

Complete survey, here. Survey Deadline: Friday, April 22, 2022

Have you applied for a grant with us recently? If so, visit www.grantadvisor.org and share an anonymous review of Allegany Franciscan Ministries. Click on "write a review". You do not need to create an account.