The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority

September 15, 2004

Welcome to this List Serv sponsored by the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority’s Rural Funding Coordination Project. These messages provide information about current government and private grants, conference and training opportunities, publications, and potential funding sources, with an emphasis on rural Alaska.

The State Department of Health and Social Services is accepting proposals for its Treatment Based Special Needs Housing Capital Grant Program. The goal is to provide affordable therapeutic residential housing for children and youth with Severe Emotional Disturbance. The grant allows for the acquisition, development or rehabilitation of facilities that provide new residential beds. The deadline is December 2. For more information, contact Pamela Wilmoth-Schaf at 907-465-1873 or visit www.hss.state.ak.us.

The U.S. Division of Tribal Services provides temporary assistance for needy families with children to promote self-sufficiency. Services include providing assistance so that children can be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives, and to end the dependence on government benefits by promoting job preparation. Tribes have the flexibility to determine eligibility, benefits and services, and to develop their own strategies for achieving program goals. There is no deadline. For more information, call 202-401-2418 or visit www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/dts/index.htm.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is accepting applications for its Scholars in Health Policy Research Program. The program is intended to develop a new generation of creative thinkers in health policy research within the disciplines of economics, political science and sociology. Each year, the program selects up to 12 highly qualified individuals for two-year fellowships at one of three nationally prominent universities. The deadline is October 22. For more information, contact Kathy Araujo at 617-353-9220 or visit www.healthpolicyscholars.org.

The Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation is accepting applications for its Quality of Life Grants. These grants are designed to help improve access and the day-to-day quality of life for individuals and their families living with disabilities, primarily paralysis. The deadline is October 1. For more information, call 800-225-0292 or visit www.christopherreeve.org.

Microsoft Corporate Contributions Program is interested in partnering with nonprofit organizations that work with underserved people and communities to share resources and innovative technology. Microsoft Unlimited Potential is a global initiative that focuses on improving lifelong learning for disadvantaged youth and adults by providing technology skills through community technology and learning centers. There is no deadline. For more information, call 425-882-8080 or visit www.microsoft.com/giving.

GCI provides support to nonprofit organizations that contribute to the quality of life for all Alaskans, with an emphasis on youth. There is no deadline. For more information, contact Pebbles Athanasiou-Harris at 907-265-5553 or visit http://www.gci.com/about/givegide.htm.

Proof Positive: Developing Significant Volunteer Recordkeeping Systems gives advice on how to collect and maintain information about volunteers. The guide includes a sample questionnaire that can be used to gather information from volunteers, and offers suggestions on how to set up a database to store the information. The cost is $15. For more information, call 800-395-9800 or visit www.energizeinc.com.

The Foraker Group is dedicated to assisting nonprofits strengthen their organizations in a variety of ways, including board and staff trainings. Foraker is offering the following workshops:

September 16 – 8:30-5:30 – Business Planning – Juneau

September 17 – 9:00-11:00 – Effective Board Leadership – Anchorage

September 20 – 9:00-11:00 – Cultivating Donors – Anchorage

September 22 – 11:00-1:00 – Board Roles and Responsibilities – Juneau

September 22 – 1:30-3:30 – High Performing Boards – Juneau

September 22 – 4:00-6:00 – Effective Board Leadership – Juneau

September 27 – 9:00-11:00 – Board Roles and Responsibilities – Kodiak

September 27 – 12:00-2:00 – High Performing Boards – Kodiak

September 27 – 3:30-5:30 – Effective Board Leadership – Kodiak

September 30 – 8:30-12:30 – The Rules of Advocacy – Juneau

September 30 – 6:00-8:00 – Nonprofit Marketing - Anchorage

For more information or to register, contact Karma Tomlinson at 907-743-1205 or visit www.forakergroup.org.

The beneficiaries of the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority include those Alaskans experiencing mental illness; developmental disabilities; chronic alcoholism; or Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders. You can learn more about the Trust at www.mhtrust.org.

The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority's Small Projects Funding program is designed to create new services of direct benefit to Trust beneficiaries. These services are not normally funded by another part of government. They can be

innovative, new program ideas, or substantially improve and supplement existing activities. They can also significantly increase the quality of ongoing projects. Each small project is limited to a maximum of $10,000. The intent is to spend one-half of the Small Projects Fund ($250,000 yearly) on high quality rural projects. The deadlines are February 1, June 1 and October 1. For more information, call 907-269-7960 or visit www.mhtrust.org.

The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority funds The Foraker Group to offer free technical assistance to those organizations that provide services for Trust beneficiaries in rural areas. For more information, contact Thea Agnew at 907-222-5424 or thea@agnewbeck.com.

If you wish to be removed from the List Serv, please send a “REMOVE FROM LIST” message to amhta@nexusnw.com. Comments or contributions may also be submitted to the same address.