September 1, 2021 | Issue 64
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion resources now available in LearnWorlds, Virginia's new Learning Management System
This week we added a new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) category to our resources page in LearnWorlds, which you can find here (you must have created an account to access). There are videos, articles, books, podcasts, and websites linked covering a wide range of topics within DEI. If you have yet to make an account with VACSBG.LearnWorlds.com, we encourage you to do so to stay in the loop on important news and resources. 

Here are a few highlights to check out:

The Intersectionality Wars, an article by Jane Coaston
  • This Vox article delves into the term intersectionality, a word "that until several years ago was a legal term in relative obscurity outside academic circles," but has come into the spotlight and has been distorted by conservatives. Some view it as a new caste system that prioritizes minorities, "But Crenshaw isn’t seeking to build a racial hierarchy with black women at the top. Through her work, she’s attempting to demolish racial hierarchies altogether."
The New Jim Crow, a book by Michelle Alexander
  • From the book's website: "The New Jim Crow is a stunning account of the rebirth of a caste-like system in the United States, one that has resulted in millions of African Americans locked behind bars and then relegated to a permanent second-class status—denied the very rights supposedly won in the Civil Rights Movement."
  • From the website: "Racial inequality extends to all facets of life, and the nonprofit sector is no exception. This library of resources is designed to help nonprofit leaders establish and champion diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within their organizations."

If you have not created your LearnWorlds account to access courses and resources we encourage you to do so today! We have put together a user guide which contains information on how to create an account and access the courses and information. Also, a short pre-recorded webinar is available to learn more about LearnWorlds.

You can access LearnWorlds at: vacsbg.learnworlds.com.

If you have any questions or trouble accessing the site, please reach out to Abby Hanks at Abigail.Hanks@dss.virginia.gov.
2021 ACSI Survey Results Released
Every two years the Office of Community Services provides an opportunity for the network of Community Action Agencies to provide direct feedback to the State Offices through the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey. 

The most recent ACSI survey was conducted from Feb 23- April 1, 2021. Across the country 744 eligible entities completed the survey, which equates to a 70% participation rate. In Virginia, 19 eligible entities filled out the ACSI survey, which is a 67% response rate, slightly lower than the national average. 

There are seven categories in the ACSI Survey, Communication, Linkages, Monitoring & Corrective Action, Training & Technical Assistance, Use of Discretionary Funds, Distribution of Funds, and Development of the State Plan. In five of the seven categories Virginia was rated in the exceptional category which is a score of over 90 points. We had the highest score in the Communication category. We received a score of 88 which is considered excellent in the Use of Discretionary Funds category. The lowest score our state received was once again in the Development of CSBG State Plan Category. We received a score of 73 which is considered good in the rating system. We are entering our two-year state plan process this fall and will include additional opportunities for involvement in the process moving forward. 

Some additional data points that are part of the survey include: Overall Satisfaction, in which we received a score of 96, Confidence in Lead Agency, score of 96, and Trust in the CSBG State Office, score of 94. 

Across the country, we performed very well. As you can see in the chart below, we were in the top five states for five of the seven categories. We were the top state in the Linkages section. 

We want to thank you for completing the survey, we will continue to strive to provide excellent customer service, training and technical assistance to all agencies and will always welcome feedback on areas of improvement. 
Community Action Updates
Upcoming Events
  • September 6 - State Offices Closed
  • September 14,17, 21 - EmpowOR trainings - See below for details
  • September 16 - 2pm - Organizational Standards Webinar
  • October 7 - VACAP Board Meeting
  • October 11 - State Offices Closed
  • October 20 - 10am - ROMA Peer Group Meeting
Organizational Standards Review and Upcoming Webinar
Your CSBG Program Consultant will be conducting the annual Organizational Standards review in September 2021. Your agency will receive a list of all standards that need attention by September 30, 2021. The agency will have October and November to upload any outstanding information prior to a final review and update letter going to the Board President and Executive Director in January 2022.

The purpose of our annual review ensures that agencies are continuing to meet the standards and are updating required documentation as outlined by the due dates.

We will be hosting a webinar on Thursday, September 16th at 1pm. During this webinar we will discuss the history of the Organizational Standards, resources for documentation, and the Virginia CSBG office review process. Please save the date for the webinar, the log in details will be sent prior to the webinar.
Organizational Standards Webinar
Thursday, September 16th - 1pm
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86033619642

Meeting ID: 860 3361 9642
Passcode: CSBG2020!!
ROMA Peer Group - Community Needs Assessment Data Gathering: Tools and Resources
Join the ROMA Peer Group on October 20, 2021 at 10am via Zoom for a discussion on various tools your agency can use when gathering and collecting data for the Community Needs Assessment process. Participants are encouraged to bring and share any tools, resources, or ideas that would assist in this collaborative conversation. 

ROMA Peer Meeting - Oct 20, 2021 10:00 AM

Meeting ID: 846 4363 7273
Passcode: ROMA@2021!

Dial by your location
    +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
Meeting ID: 846 4363 7273
Passcode: 4965189609
EmpowOR User Training Opportunities
The empowOR User Group has been meeting monthly to discuss current topics relating to the database system and requirement. The user group has decided to expand and offer training for staff at agencies who use empowOR. Below you will find information for the next user group meeting along with two opportunities for staff training. Please join in these trainings and encourage staff using empowOR to also join.


Admin User Peer group agenda for 9/14 at 10am  
  • Introduction – Lil Dupree
  • Questions for EmpowOR staff (Please bring questions for Lil. End by 10:25 AM)
  • Internal admin discussion
  • New User training schedule and topics approval. (Admins, Please make sure new staff have EmpowOR logins before attending training.)
  • Quick internal Q&A
Admin User Group Zoom Link:
Meeting ID: 884 5777 4297
Passcode: Empow21!!!
______________________________________________

Session 1: 9/17/2021 10 – 11 AM
New user/staff training -Training 1:
Topic: Introduction to CSBG, EmpowOR, and Overview of basic data collection.
  • Short overview of CSBG
  • EmpowOR
  • Dashboard
  • Searching,
  • Support and Help files.
  • Entering data
  • Work Templates
  • Questions?
Session 1 Zoom link: 
Meeting ID: 876 5735 8920
Passcode: EmpowORS1
____________________________________________

Session 2: 9/21/2021 10 – 11 AM
Training 2:
Topic: Entering your first customer
  • A quick review of the previous session
  • Searching for existing customers
  • Entering your first household
  • Following a WorkTemplate
  • Entering Income and benefits (if applicable)
  • Uploading documents.
  • Enrolling customers in a program
  • Applying Services
Session 2 Zoom Link: 
Meeting ID: 834 8884 1489
Passcode: EmpowORS2
Community Action Resources
Intro to ROMA Training - Available in December
The Virginia Community Action Network is offering an Introduction to ROMA training on December 7-9, 2021. This virtual training will cover three days of content such as developing a comprehensive mission statement, needs assessment, identifying and implementing services, outcome measures, and measurement tools, all while building a ROMA Logic Model. The training is open to new staff, board members, or community partners interested in the work of community action agencies. Registration will open October 1 and close October 15. 
CAPLAW Training: Community Action Conversations with the Experts: Finishing Strong with Finances
CAAs received a historic influx of restricted funding in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting unique challenges in addition to exciting opportunities. Many of these challenges, from managing indirect cost rate rates and cost allocation plans to revisiting budgets with your board, relate to the financial administration of new or increased funding streams. For that reason, we have invited one of our most knowledgeable and engaging financial experts, Kay Sohl, to answer your questions about managing your agency’s finances. We want to hear from you about your most pressing questions related to finance and accounting; submit them at the registration link below or join us to ask them live in what is sure to be an interesting and practical session.

Date: Tuesday, September 21, 2021
Time: 2:00 pm - 2:45 pm ET
Expert: Kay Sohl, Kay Sohl Consulting

Virginia Community Services Block Grant Office