U.S. Department of Labor Announced Availability of Nearly $98.5 Million in Workforce Innovation Fund Grants - Deadline, March 22, 2012 (January 6, 2012)

$98.5 million through the Workforce Innovation Fund (the Fund) will be available to support innovative approaches for the design and delivery of employment and training services. The fund invests in programs that support, evaluate and enhance workforce investment strategies, particularly for vulnerable populations. Approximately 20 to 30 grants ranging from $1 million to $12 million are expected to be funded. A solicitation for grant applications (SGA) was published in the Dec. 23, 2011 edition of the Federal Register. Applications under this announcement must be received by no later than 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on March 22, 2012.

For detailed application information, eligibility requirements, review and selection procedures and other program requirements governing this solicitation, please review the full SGA. Applicants are encouraged, but not required to view the pre-recorded webinar. Interested parties also may wish to register for the Administrative Flexibility Webinar, which details how applicants may explore the use of existing flexibilities that are embedded within several federal programs and explore waivers that may be needed to remove statutory and regulatory barriers that would enhance innovations applicants propose. Please continue to check the Workforce Innovation Fund site for news, information, and updates on the Fund.

Click here for more information: http://www.doleta.gov/grants/pdf/SGA-DFA-PY-11-05.pdf

Smart Chart: An Interactive Planning Tool (December 15, 2011)

One important aspect of successful partnerships is communication. Smart Chart provides programs with a free interactive planning tool that helps organizations hone their communications goals and craft a strategic plan for achieving them. This pdf document will take you step by step into making smart communication choices.

Click here: http://www.smartchart.org/content/smart_chart_3_0.pdf

Literacy Florida provides a checklist for how you can recognize an effective literacy program (November 8, 2011)

Pay attention to your reputation and program effectiveness. Document successes. Agencies with a track record of running a quality program of service are more likely to get funding.

Effective Program Management 

• Routinely evaluate all aspects of service (Daily, weekly, monthly) 
• Yearly hold a meeting to evaluate your organization’s effectiveness. 
• Measure: Tutor Effectiveness, Learner Progress, Organizational Effectiveness, Serving the “right” population etc. 
• Spend an equal amount of time maintaining your literacy program as you do on starting a new program. 

Click here to read more of the outline and to see the resources listed at the bottom of the web page: http://literacyflorida.wikispaces.com/Program+Management

For Virginia adult education and literacy practitioners and administrators (October 4, 2011)

At a recent conference, a speaker discussed how he had been successfully raising funds for his organization via Twitter. This article by the Fundraising Coach, Twitter for Nonprofits and Fundraising, will give you insights on how to use Social Media to your organization's advantage. Click here to read it: http://fundraisingcoach.com/free-articles/twitter-for-nonprofits-and-fundraising/

Civics and Citizenship Toolkit (August 15, 2011)

USCIS offers a free Civics and Citizenship Toolkit to community organizations that assist immigrants aspiring to become U.S. citizens. The toolkit provides educational materials that focus on both naturalization and civics. For a list of eligible organizations and to register for a Toolkit, visit www.citizenshiptoolkit.gov/Registration/. Interested individuals or organizations that do not qualify to receive a free toolkit may purchase a copy from the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) Online Bookstore. For additional citizenship information and educational materials, be sure to visit the Citizenship Resource Center.

Turning Board Members into Fundraisers (August 15, 2011)

The website, Movie Mondays for Professional Fundraisers, offers a free video on "Turning Board Members into Fundraisers" at this link: http://www.501videos.com/moviemondays.html

The video provides excellent suggestions on how to get reluctant board members engaged in fundraising.

Grant Writing Guide (February 3, 2011)

Virginia Literacy Foundation Grants due March 18, 2011 (January 26, 2011)

The Virginia Literacy Foundation is pleased to announce that applications for our 2011-2012 matching grants are now available. If you are a community-based literacy organization or a faith-based literacy organization in Virginia and are interested in applying for one of our grants, you may either request a packet of grant application forms by calling 804-237-8909, or download the required application forms at http://www.virginialiteracy.org/grants/about.php. If you are unsure about your program's eligibility, please contact Victoire Sanborn at vjsanbor@vuc.edu.

All applicants are required to fill out a 2009-2010 survey form (Note: this is a change from last year). Our matching grants are offered in tiered categories. The amount of funding for which an organization is eligible is tied to the numbers of adult literacy students the program served in the last full fiscal year.* Funding tiers are as follows:

• Programs that served 30-49 students* are eligible to apply for a $2,500 matching grant
• Programs that served 50+ students* are eligible to apply for a $5,000 matching grant

• Programs that served 200-399 students* are eligible to apply for $7,500 per year
• Programs that served 400 + students* are eligible to apply for $10,000 per year

* “Students served” is defined as permanently matched adult students who have received at least six hours of basic literacy instruction in 2009-2010 in one or more of these areas: one-on-one tutoring, small group classes, family literacy (adult literacy component), pre-GED instruction, computer literacy, jail program, etc.

NOTE: Programs in the second year of the Two-year grant are not required to submit an application.

Click here to find the documents: http://www.virginialiteracy.org/grants/about.php

Ida J. Hill Scholarship 2011 (January 20, 2011)

Altrusa International, Inc. of the Capital City of Virginia is pleased to announce continuation of its statewide annual award of the Ida J. Hill Scholarship. The two selection categories and scholarships are as follows:

• Selection 1: $1,000.00 (made payable to winner and school of her choice)
• Selection 2: $1,000.00 (made payable to winner and school of her choice)

The purpose is to provide scholarships to two qualifying women re-entering the workforce or advancing their employment skills. The nominating council or adult education program will be expected to observe progress throughout the year. The only requirements for participation in the scholarship program are the submission of a nomination letter from the organization or agency head, and a letter/statement from the potential recipient indicating interest, current status and career goals, training facility name, and a statement of need. Plans are to award two scholarships at the Altrusa meeting on March 9, 2011 in Richmond. The deadline for the applications is March 1, 2011.

The recipients’ council or adult education office will receive a commemorative plaque. The agency or organization head or designee is invited also to join the recipient at the dinner on March 9, 2011. Attendance at the dinner is required.

Please click here for the documents and more details. For questions contact: Joanne Cash at (804) 378-7000 or realtrcash@aol.com

Nearly $46,000 in Literacy Grants (October 15, 2010)

32 Virginia Nonprofits Receive Nearly $46,000 in Literacy Grants Through Convenient Verizon Program Landline Customers' Donations Through Verizon's 'Check Into Literacy' Program Support Literacy Across the Commonwealth.

Thanks to the generosity of Verizon customers in Virginia who participated in the company's Check Into Literacy program, 32 literacy-focused nonprofit organizations throughout the commonwealth received grants totaling $45,787.  Click here to see the list of recipients.

Virginia Employment Commission: Community Profiles (September 16, 2010)

The Virginia Employment Commission offers newly revamped Community Profiles on its site! These documents feature information for each county and region , including demographic, economic, and educational data. This includes poverty and unemployment statistics. Each report is automatically updated every time the VEC makes changes to its database, so they will always be up-to-date!

http://www.vawc.virginia.gov/gsipub/index.asp?docid=342

A fundraising idea from Guidestar (July 6, 2010)

YouTube video, entitled "Cope With Spelling" (June 30, 2010)

This YouTube video, entitled "Cope With Spelling," is an excellent example of how to teach common words to adults. Click on the link, and you will find other demonstrations for teaching reading to low level literacy adults from this company, Ozread, in the sidebar. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuM7oZsPW8A

Videos for ESOL Instruction with Heide Spruck Wrigley (May 26, 2010)

Heide Spruck Wrigley created four videos for Effective Teaching Strategies in an Adult ESOL Classroom. The four videos illustrate "effective teaching strategies in an adult ESL classroom. The teacher uses pictures and text, and real fruits and vegetables to teach basic vocabulary and language structures. She connects classroom and community by having students go on a site visit to a local farm to practice the language they are learning. Students later visit a grocery store where they ask questions. Back in the classroom they compare prices and do further language work. Heide Spruck Wrigley narrates and highlights effective instructional strategies and promising practices, including "bringing the outside in."

In The Reading Demonstration, a set of three videos, Heide "shows how to use materials from the everyday lives of learners to allow students to demonstrate what they can do with print. ""

To view the videos, click on this link and scroll down: http://tutoresol.wordpress.com/ There are many other videos pertaining to ESOL instruction on this site, including those that show techniques for one-on-one tutors.

ProLiteracy Has Three Free Online Courses that Can Be Adapted to Your Needs (May 18, 2010)

With support from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, ProLiteracy is offering field-tested strategies that can be adapted to a program's accountability needs. This is a three-part series of self-paced online courses. The courses are described below. You can access these courses here:

http://207.10.202.152/home/

Data Collection and Management
This course focuses on the foundation practices in data collection and management needed to ensure the availability of credible, high-quality student data.

Length: 3-4 hours

This course will help you:

• build a common language and approach to accountability
• organize collection and management efforts around key decision points and staff roles
• increase confidence in your program's data collection and management practices

Data Analysis for Program Decision-Making
This course helps administrators and staff learn why and how to institutionalize data-driven, decision-making practices.

Length: 3-4 hours

In this course you will:

• review and practice data analysis skills
• improve quality of decision-making through a team approach to data analysis and review
• streamline program improvement using practical planning tools and strategies

Communicating Success to Stakeholders
This course helps participants use data to highlight their program's success, positioning it as a vital, relevant community service and thus attracting more resources.

Length: 4-5 hours

In this course you will learn how to:

• assess the needs of your community
• develop tailored messages to diverse stakeholders
• deliver those messages in innovative and effective ways

CBO ABE Student Acceptance Guidelines (May 12, 2010)

On May 11, 2010, Rebeca Loli wrote this comments on the LD NIFL listserv, following a discussion in the thread, “CBO ABE Student Acceptance Guidelines”. She requested feedback on her program’s developing ATB Policy:

This brings me to more clearly defining the population we do and can serve. I know there has been much discussion lately on this list surrounding the “Ability to Benefit” forms & policies places use. Many feel these are used as a way to deny services to individuals who could benefit, if the tutors/teachers were only good enough at teaching. But I’ve also read where someone on this list explained that ABE programs are run more like businesses than public schools, and therefore have to demonstrate certain achievements in order to qualify for funding. In our case, since our tutors are volunteers, and we are held to achievement standards, I feel we may need to embrace an ATB policy of sorts.

I’ve pasted my ATB Policy-in-Progress below. Please give feedback as you have it. I appreciate any comments and/or guidance you can offer.

As an agency receiving funding from the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, the Literacy Council of Buncombe County is responsible for achieving continuous improvement of adult education and literacy skills of students in the Adult Education program.

The Adult Education Program Coordinator, the volunteer tutor, and the Adult Ed. student work together to improve the student’s abilities and/or achievements in any one or more of the following indicators of performance listed in the WIA:

• Objective, quantifiable & measurable improvements in literacy skill levels in reading and writing the English language, numeracy and problem solving. (Demonstrated on standardized CASAS test after at least 70 hours of instruction.)
• Placement in, retention in, or completion of, postsecondary education, training, unsubsidized employment or career advancement. (Reported quarterly by tutor in Weekly Tutor Logs.)
• Receipt of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent (e.g. GED). (Reported quarterly by tutor in Weekly Tutor Logs.)

Adult Ed. tutors are volunteers. They have completed 15 hours of training in teaching adult students of average IQ, and who can actively participate in age-appropriate English-language conversations, but who struggle with spelling, reading accurately and/or rapidly, or getting their thoughts on paper. The Adult Ed. tutor training includes instruction in multisensory teaching techniques and using the Wilson Reading System, which has been designed for individuals with specific language-based learning disabilities, such as dyslexia or dysgraphia.

The Literacy Council does NOT provide training for tutors in how to assist students with behavior modification, emotional regulation, or overcoming addiction. Neither does the Council provide training or resources for tutors to work with students who have mild, moderate, severe or profound mental retardation.

An Adult Ed. student who is able to demonstrate improvement in the WIA indicators of performance listed above, typically meets the following criteria:

• Able and willing to independently and consistently participate in tutoring sessions for at least two hours per week, over the course of at least nine months
• Moderate-to-high level of personal motivation
• Able to comprehend vocabulary and concepts appropriate for his/her age and prior educational experiences (generally indicated by an IQ of 70 or above)
• Not presently struggling with substance abuse
• Not presently experiencing medical conditions and/or taking medications that significantly influence his/her memory

Creating Authentic Materials and Activities for the Adult Literacy Classroom (April 27, 2010)

This handbook is based on the results of "The Literacy Practices of Adult Learners Study" which focused on the nature and impact of two dimensions of classroom practice in adult basic education. The authors see this book as a starting place for adult education teachers interested in changing their instructional practice, particularly as it relates to their learners' lives. This book will also be helpful to program administrators who are interested in leading change in their programs or who wish to know more about contextualized instruction in order to support teachers who are trying to implement it.

Based on their observations and interviews in 82 U.S. classrooms, the authors provide both concrete descriptions of what works and information and insight into how specific teachers make it work. The book provides illustrative examples from real classrooms as well as feedback from the teachers in those classrooms who use authentic materials for authentic purposes.

This book is appropriate for practitioners in adult basic education (ABE), adult literacy, family literacy and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). The authors recognize that issues with ESOL students are unique within adult education, so they attempt, throughout the book, to provide examples that address these specific needs.

To download the handbook, go to: http://www.ncsall.net/fileadmin/resources/teach/jacobson.pdf