Updated Version of Promise Zone: Grants and Updates

City of Minneapolis and Promise Zone

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November 28, 2017

Minneapolis Promise Zone Workmark





In this edition of Minneapolis Promise Zone Updates:

  • Economic Development Group Strategizes to Increase Capital Investment
  • Affect Change by Attending a City Council Meeting 
  • Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Request for Proposals
  • How to Practice Self-Care After Trauma 
  • Compete in the Community College Innovation Challenge 
  • Attend a Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America Workshop 
  • Stipends Available to Attend PolicyLink 2018 Equity Summit
  • News and Events
  • Recent Federal Grant and Partnership Opportunities 
  • About the Minneapolis Promise Zone

Economic Development Working Group Strategizes How to Increase Capital Investment on the Northside 

The Minneapolis Promise Zone Economic Development Working Group reconvened for the first time in almost eight months. Among those in attendance were staff from the City of Minneapolis, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentFederal Reserve Bank of Minnesota, five Northside nonprofits, and two local entrepreneurs. Partners and stakeholders discussed innovative  ways to facilitate increased investment on the Northside.  

One of the methods discussed was the establishment of a revolving loan fund (RLF) for Northside entrepreneurs and small business ownersA RLF is a self-sustaining funding pool that uses payments on previous loans to offer new ones, often at lower interest rates than other lenders. They offer an alternative source of financing for people who are generally not eligible for traditional loans. A successful RLF protects the borrower versus the lender unlike bigger banksThe Working Group established a subcommittee to focus on the RLF, which will seek seed funding from the US Economic Development Administration, the City of Minneapolis, and local donors. 

The EDWG also strategized on how to apply for federal funding to bring Economic Recovery Coordinators to North Minneapolis. These would be experienced specialists in economic development who would compile information already gathered about the area (things like community-driven planning documents, labor and emerging market data, etc.and develop a strategy for the Northside to maximize the impact of local development efforts. 

Finally, the group has decided to raise their voice at the November 29th public hearing for the City of Minneapolis 2018 Levy and Budget. To make requests of the City Council as to how federal funding for low-and-moderate-income areas is allocated. Anyone is welcome to speak, and may call (612) 673-2219 to add your name to the Public Hearing Speakers List. The Working Group has collaborated on a list of requests, and will be looking for other Northside residents to speak for themselves as well. Please contact Sam Calahan for more information. Details on location and time of public hearing are listed below. 


Affect Change by Attending a City Council Meeting  

1. Public Hearing to Finalize 2018 Budget Nov. 29 

The Council will receive comments on needs and proposed use of funds for the City's FY 2018 Consolidated Plan application to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for their Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). The estimated amount of money to be considered for the CDBG is $10,248,621. This will be a good opportunity for partners working on community and/or economic development to advocate for more capital investment on the Northside. The public hearing will begin at 6:05 p.m. in the City Council Chambers (Room 317)  at City Hall 350 S. Fifth St.                                        

2. Racial Equity Ordinance Hearing Dec. 6  

There will be a public hearing on the new racial equity ordinance on Dec. 6 during the Committee of Whole meeting. This ordinance proposes the creation of a Race and Equity division in the City Coordinator's Department and declares the City's intent to purposefully integrate a racial equity framework into all of the work the City does to advance racial equity. The public hearing will begin at 10 a.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall. 

LIMS is the one place you need to go to find and track council agenda and actions

The City’s new system for looking up City Council records and videos is now online. The legislative information management system (LIMS) is available at lims.minneapolismn.gov.


    Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Request for Proposals 

    The Minnesota Job Skills Partnership (MJSP) Board is soliciting applications for grant funding for incumbent worker and new worker training programs. MJSP will accept applications for the Partnership and Pathways Short Forms. Short Form applications are available for grants of up to $50,000. 

    Request for Proposal

    Submission Deadline

    The deadline for the submission of Short Form applications is 4:30 p.m. on Monday, November 20, 2017. No late proposals will be considered.

    •  Regular applications due by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, January 29, 2018.
    •  Considered at March 12 MJSP Board Meeting
    •  Short Form applications due by 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 20, 2018.
    •  Considered at March 12 MJSP Board Meeting

    Proposals must be submitted to:

    Department of Employment and Economic Development 
    Business and Community Development Division 
    Minnesota Job Skills Partnership 
    1st National Bank Building 
    332 Minnesota Street, Suite E200 
    St. Paul, MN 55101-1351.

    More Information


      #Healing#BlackJoy#Resistance

      How to Practice Self-Care After Trauma

      November 15, 2017 marks the two year anniversary of the death of Jamar Clark. ReCAST Minneapolis recognizes this anniversary may bring up complex trauma for community members, especially those from the Black and African American communities. Below is a link of the first of three videos produced through ReCAST Minneapolis in collaboration with Resmaa Menakem, Dr. Joi Lewis, and SwayHeavy Productions. The video offers several ways to care for yourself through times of stress and trauma. A printable document is also linked below, that offers other methods of self-care as well as community organizations and mental health resources.

      #BLACKJOY Video

      Understanding Trauma in the Black Body (PDF)


      community college innovation challenge graphic timeline

      Compete in the Community College Innovation Challenge

      The Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) is a prestigious, two-stage competition where community college teams use science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to innovate solutions to real-world problems, compete for cash awards, and earn full travel support (students and faculty) to attend an Innovation Boot Camp in Washington, D.C.

      The CCIC is an annual event in its fourth year. It is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).

      This website contains everything teams need to get started. You can see CCIC past winners at this link.

      What the Challenge Does

      • Strengthens and develops STEM thinking by applying it to solving real-world problems.
      • Creates deeper engagement and      interactions between students and faculty mentors, and with the industry community, in a focused activity.
      • Expands horizons for faculty mentors and students.
      • Promotes the larger ecosystem that carries invention from idea to beneficial innovation.
      • Establishes productive relationships with NSF, AACC and industry.

      More Information 


      Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America logo




      Attend a Home Ownership Workshop Hosted by Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America 

      The first step in NACA’s "Ten Steps To Home Ownership" is to sign up for a free NACA workshop near you. At the four-hour workshop you will learn the details about the NACA program and the home buying or refinancing process. 

      NACA provides at least two workshops a month for each office. Unlike other programs, NACA’s workshops and individual counseling are free. These workshops typically address between 100 and 600 people. The workshops usually take place on a Saturday for four hours. They provide detailed information for a participant to become NACA Qualified or mortgage-ready. 

      A highlight of the workshop is the testimony of NACA homeowners. They are the best at explaining the program and the fact that it is actually as good as it sounds and even better. Many have interest rates at three percent or less by using the NACA interest rate buy-down. 

      The NACA staff utilize a power point presentation at the workshop. This provides an outline for the presentation, which is supplemented by the staff and the questions of the participants. 

      You must attend a workshop before you can participate in the NACA program.

      The next upcoming workshop in North Minneapolis is on: 
      Sat, December 2: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. 
      River Lutheran Church, 2200 N. Fremont Avenue, Minneapolis

      To Register


      Stipends Available to Attend PolicyLink 2018 Equity Summit 

      The Alliance has recently announced the availability of stipend funds for Twin Cities leaders to attend PolicyLink's upcoming Equity Summit: Our Power. Our Future. Our Nation. This summit will take place Wednesday, April 11-Friday, April 13 and is located in Chicago, IL.

      The application period will be open until Monday, December 11. At that time, a community-led committee will review the applications and award stipends to help broaden the Minnesota Delegation attending the conference. Final announcement will be made sometime after Wednesday, December 20.

      Individuals interested in receiving a stipend should fill out an application and turn it into Margo Fritz at margo@thealliancetc.org no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, December 11. The Alliance is looking forward to putting together a delegation of over 100 Equity Summit attendees who represent a cross section of the movement to advance equity in the Twin Cities region: community leaders and staff who are currently sitting at an active campaign table focused on equity issues, public sector staff or officials who are implementing equitable policies and practices within their institution, and private sector leaders who are interested in leading with an equity lens. The Alliance is also looking for a mix of applicants who have both attended and have not attended Equity Summits in the past.

      Questions? Please contact Russ Adams (612-332-4471; russ@thealliancetc.org) or Margo Fritz (612-332-4471; margo@thealliancetc.org).

      Application


      News 


      Events 

      Lunch & Learn: Home Buying 101 
      Tues, November 28: 12-1 p.m. 
      Industrious Minneapolis Downtown, 60 S 6th St. #2800

      Upper Harbor Terminal Meeting 
      Thu, November 30: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
      MPRB headquarters, 2117 W. River Road N., second floor board room 

      West Broadway Area Business Committee Meeting 
      Thu, November 30: 8:30- 10 a.m. 
      Cookie Cart, 1119 W. Broadway Ave., Minneapolis 

      Holiday on 44th 
      Fri, December 1: 6-9 p.m. 
      44th Ave N. will be closed between Morgan and Upton Ave. 

      Engage in Person At Minneapolis 2040 Community Meeting 
      Sat, December 5: 5:30-7:30 p.m. 
      Fairview Park Gym, 621 29th Ave. N., Minneapolis  

      When Arts, Place and Race Intersect with Development
      Thu, December 7: 5:30-8 p.m. 
      Northeast Bank, 77 Broadway St. N.E., Minneapolis 

      Your Voice Makes a Difference- Serve on a MN State Board or Commission 
      Mon, December 13: 6-8 p.m. 
      Brookdale Library, 6125 Shingle Creek Pkwy, Brooklyn Center 


      Jobs  

      Best Buy Teen Tech Center
      Mentorship Program
      More Information   

      Uponor North America 
      Three-year Apprenticeship Program 
      More Information   

      Step Up- Achieve 
      Internship Program Information Session Dec. 5 
      More Information 

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      Recent Federal Grant and Partnership Opportunities

      The following content is for informational purposes only. For additional details on the opportunities below, and to find additional opportunities, please visit www.grants.gov.


      Promise Zone Preference Points

      If a discretionary funding opportunity indicates Promise Zone (PZ) preference points are available, please visit http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/promisezone/WCMSP-190631 for additional information on forms and contacts to request preference point certification from the City of Minneapolis Promise Zone. Please submit your preference point request at least two weeks prior to the application deadline for Promise Zone certification approval consideration. 

      If a funding opportunity does not indicate PZ preference points, you are still encouraged to contact the Promise Zone Manager, Julianne Leerssen (612-225-7721), about potential partnership opportunities to strengthen your application.

      EDUCATION & STEM: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATH 

      NSF: National Science Foundation

      The National Science Foundation (NSF) seeks to develop and nurture a national innovation ecosystem that builds upon fundamental research to guide the output to facilitate the application of scientific discoveries closer to the development of technologies, products and processes that benefit society. In order to maintain, strengthen and grow a national innovation ecosystem, NSF has established the Innovation Corps - National Innovation Network Teams Program (I-Corps Teams). The NSF I-Corps Teams Program purpose is to identify NSF-funded researchers who will receive additional support in the form of entrepreneurial education, mentoring and funding to accelerate innovation that can attract subsequent third-party funding. The purpose of the NSF I-Corps Teams grant is to give the project team access to resources to help determine the readiness to transition technology developed by previously-funded or currently funded NSF projects. The outcomes of I-Corps Teams projects will be threefold: 1) a clear go /or no go decision regarding viability of products and services, 2) should the decision be to move the effort forward, a transition plan for those projects to move forward, and 3) a definition of a compelling technology demonstration for potential partners. WEBINAR: A webinar will be held monthly to answer questions about this program. Details will be posted on the I-Corps website (see http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/i-corps/program.jsp) as they become available.)

      DOD: Department of Defense

      The ONR seeks a broad range of applications for augmenting existing or developing innovative solutions that directly maintain, or cultivate a diverse, world-class STEM workforce in order to maintain the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps’ technological superiority. The goal of any proposed effort must provide solutions that will establish and maintain pathways of diverse U.S. citizens who are interested in uniformed or civilian DoN (or Navy and Marine Corps) STEM workforce opportunities. As the capacity of the DoN Science and Technology (S&T) workforce is interconnected with the basic research enterprise and STEM education system, ONR recognizes the need to support efforts that can jointly improve STEM student outcomes and align educational efforts with Naval S&T current and future workforce needs. This announcement explicitly encourages projects that improve the capacity of education systems and communities to create impactful STEM educational experiences for students and workers. Submissions are encouraged to consider including active learning approaches and incorporating 21st century skill development. Projects must aim to increase student and worker engagement in STEM and enhance people with needed Naval STEM capabilities.

      HHS: Department of Health and Human Services

      Health Resources and Services Administration

      This notice solicits applications for the Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention (NEPQR) – Registered Nurses in Primary Care (RNPC) Training Program.  The purpose of this four-year training program is to recruit and train nursing students and current registered nurses (RNs) to practice to the full scope of their license in community-based primary care teams to increase access to care, with an emphasis on chronic disease prevention and control, including mental health and substance use conditions.  The program aims to achieve a sustainable primary care nursing workforce equipped with the competencies necessary to address pressing national public health issues, even the distribution of the nursing workforce, improve access to care and improve population health outcomes by strengthening the capacity for basic nurse education and practice and addressing national nursing needs under three priority areas: education, practice and retention, as authorized by PHS Act sections 831(a)-(c) and 831A(a)-(c).

      ARTS & HUMANITIES 

      NEA: National Endowment for the Arts

      You may submit only one application for FY 2019 funding. You may not apply for both a Literature Fellowship under this deadline and a Translation Project under the December 5, 2017 deadline. Grant Program Description The National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowships program offers $25,000 grants in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) and poetry to published creative writers that enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Applications are reviewed through an anonymous process in which the only criteria for review are artistic excellence and artistic merit. To review the applications, the National Endowment for the Arts assembles a different advisory panel every year, each diverse with regard to geography, race and ethnicity, and artistic points of view. The National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowships program operates on a two-year cycle with fellowships in prose and poetry available in alternating years. For FY 2019, which is covered by these guidelines, fellowships in poetry are available. Fellowships in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) will be offered in FY 2020 and guidelines will be available in January 2019. You may apply only once each year. Competition for fellowships is extremely rigorous. We typically receive more than 1,000 applications each year in this category and award fellowships to fewer than 5% of applicants. You should consider carefully whether your work will be competitive at the national level.

      NEH: National Endowment for the Humanities

      Digital Humanities Advancement Grants (DHAG) support digital projects throughout their lifecycles, from early start-up phases through implementation and long-term sustainability. Experimentation, reuse, and extensibility are hallmarks of this grant category, leading to innovative work that can scale to enhance research, teaching, and public programming in the humanities. You can find a discussion of the forms that experimentation can take in the Frequently Asked Questions document, which is available on the program resource page. This program is offered twice per year. Proposals are welcome for digital initiatives in any area of the humanities. Through a special partnership, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) anticipates providing additional funding to this program to encourage innovative collaborations between museum or library professionals and humanities professionals to advance preservation of, access to, use of, and engagement with digital collections and services. Through this partnership, IMLS and NEH may jointly fund some DHAG projects that involve collaborations with museums and/or libraries. Digital Humanities Advancement Grants may involve • creating or enhancing experimental, computationally-based methods, techniques, or infrastructure that contribute to the humanities; • pursuing scholarship that examines the history, criticism, and philosophy of digital culture and its impact on society, or explores the philosophical or practical implications and impact of digital humanities in specific fields or disciplines; or • revitalizing and/or recovering existing digital projects that promise to contribute substantively to scholarship, teaching, or public knowledge of the humanities.

      The Media Projects program supports film, television, and radio projects that engage public audiences with humanities ideas in creative and appealing ways. All projects must be grounded in humanities scholarship in disciplines such as history, art history, film studies, literature, drama, religious studies, philosophy, or anthropology. Projects must also demonstrate an approach that is thoughtful, balanced, and analytical (rather than celebratory). The approach to the subject matter must go beyond the mere presentation of factual information to explore its larger significance and stimulate critical thinking. NEH is a national funding agency, so the projects that we support must demonstrate the potential to attract a broad general audience. Film and television projects may be single programs or a series addressing significant figures, events, or ideas. Programs must be intended for national distribution, via traditional carriage or online distribution. The Division of Public Programs welcomes projects that range in length from short-form to broadcast-length video. The Division of Public Programs also encourages film and television projects that examine international themes and subjects in the humanities, in order to spark Americans’ engagement with the broader world beyond the United States. These projects should demonstrate international collaboration by enlisting scholars based both in the United States and abroad, and/or by working with an international media team. The collaborations should bring broad cross-cultural perspectives to the proposed topics and should be intended primarily for U.S. public audiences. Radio projects, including podcasts, may involve single programs, limited series, or segments within an ongoing program. They may also develop new humanities content to augment existing radio programming or add greater historical background or humanities analysis to the subjects of existing programs. They may be intended for regional or national distribution. NEH encourages projects that engage public audiences through multiple formats in the exploration of humanities ideas. Proposed projects might include complementary components to a film, television, or radio project. These components should deepen the audience’s understanding of the subject in a supplementary manner: for example, book/film discussion programs, supplementary educational websites, or museum exhibitions. Development grants enable media producers to collaborate with scholars to develop humanities content and to prepare programs for production. Grants should result in a script (for a film or television project) or a detailed treatment (for a radio or podcast project) and may also yield a plan for outreach and public engagement. Production grants support the production and distribution of films, television programs, and radio programs or podcasts that promise to engage a broad public audience.

      Public Humanities Projects grants support projects that bring the ideas and insights of the humanities to life for general audiences. Projects must engage humanities scholarship to analyze significant themes in disciplines such as history, literature, ethics, and art history. NEH encourages projects that involve members of the public in collaboration with humanities scholars or that invite contributions from the community in the development and delivery of humanities programming. This grant program supports a variety of forms of audience engagement. Applications should follow the parameters set out below for one of the following three formats: • Community Conversations: This format supports one- to two-year-long series of community-wide in-person public programs that are centered on one or more significant humanities resources, such as historic artifacts, artworks, literature, musical compositions, or films. These resources should be chosen to engage a diverse public audience. The programs must be anchored through perspectives drawn from humanities disciplines. Applicants must demonstrate prior experience conducting public dialogues. • Exhibitions: This format supports the creation of permanent exhibitions (on view for at least three years) and single-site temporary exhibitions (open to the public for a minimum of four to six months), as well as travelling exhibitions that will be available to public audiences in at least two venues in the United States (including the originating location). • Historic Places: This format supports long-term interpretive programs for historic sites, houses, neighborhoods, and regions that are intended to be presented to the public for at least three years. Such programs might include living history presentations, guided tours, exhibitions, and public programs. NEH encourages projects that explore humanities ideas through multiple formats. Proposed projects may include complementary components: for example, a museum exhibition might be accompanied by a website, mobile app, or discussion programs. Your application must identify one primary format for your project and follow the application instructions for that format.

      The National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP) is a partnership between NEH and the Library of Congress to create a national digital resource of historically significant newspapers published between 1690 and 1963, from all the states and U.S. territories. This searchable database will be permanently maintained at the Library of Congress (LC) and will be freely accessible via the Internet. (See the Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers website.) An accompanying national newspaper directory of bibliographic and holdings information on the website directs users to newspaper titles available in all types of formats. During the course of its partnership with NEH, LC will also digitize and contribute to the NDNP database a significant number of newspaper pages drawn from its own collections. Forty-five states and one territory have joined the NDNP so far.

      COMMUNITY HEALTH & PUBLIC SAFETY 

      HHS: Department of Health and Human Services 

      This funding opportunity seeks to support the Comprehensive Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity (CPACHE) Program. The CPACHE Program develops and maintains comprehensive, long-term, and mutually beneficial partnerships between institutions serving underserved health disparity population and underrepresented students (ISUPSs) and NCI-designated Cancer Centers (CCs). The program aims to achieve a stronger national cancer program and address challenges in cancer and cancer disparities research, education and outreach, as well as their impact on underserved populations. The institutions in each partnership are expected to work collaboratively to: 1) increase the cancer research and cancer research education capacity of the ISUPSs; 2) increase the number of students and investigators from underrepresented populations engaged in cancer research; 3) improve the effectiveness of CCs in developing and sustaining research programs focused on cancer health disparities and increase the number of investigators and students conducting cancer health disparities research; and 4) develop and implement cancer-related activities that benefit the surrounding underserved communities.

      This initiative encourages research that targets the reduction of health disparities among children. Investing in early childhood development is essential. Specific targeted areas of research include bio-behavioral studies that incorporate multiple factors that influence child health disparities such as biological (e.g., genetics, cellular, organ systems), lifestyle factors, environmental (e.g., physical and family environments) social (e.g., peers), economic, institutional, and cultural and family influences; studies that target the specific health promotion needs of children with a known health condition and/or disability; and studies that test, evaluate, translate, and disseminate health promotion prevention and interventions conducted in traditional and non -traditional settings. 

      This initiative seeks applications that propose to stimulate and expand research in the health of minority men. Specifically, this initiative is intended to: 1) enhance our understanding of the numerous factors (e.g., sociodemographic, community, societal, personal) influencing the health promoting behaviors of racial and ethnic minority males across the life cycle, and 2) encourage applications focusing on the development and testing of culturally and linguistically appropriate health-promoting interventions designed to reduce health disparities among racially and ethnically diverse males age 18 and older. 

      The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) is soliciting applications for Child Care Research Scholars grants to support dissertation research on child care policy issues. These grants are meant to build capacity in the research field to focus research on questions that have direct implications for child care policy decision-making and program administration, and to foster mentoring relationships between faculty members and high-quality doctoral students. For further information about prior awards made to Child Care Research Scholars, see (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/research/project/child-care-research-scholars.)

      The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is soliciting applications for the Head Start Graduate Student Research Grants to support dissertation research by advanced graduate students who are working in partnership with Head Start programs and with faculty mentors. Competitive applicants will 1) demonstrate a collaborative partnership with their program partners, and 2) pursue research questions that directly inform local, state, or federal policy relevant to multiple early care and education practices. 

      The dissertation mentor who will serve as principal investigator, must have a Ph.D. or equivalent in their respective field and conduct research as a primary professional responsibility. Faculty members with doctoral training and research expertise will be able to provide proper supervision and quality control over the research project to help ensure an ethical approach and a quality end product. The graduate student is expected to have an approved dissertation proposal by the application due date and must submit evidence with the application submission, if available. The applicant organization must have a history of research and budget oversight and must have appropriate resources to support the student's work. The proposal must be confirmed as dissertation-level research. The faculty mentor who will serve as principal investigator must have a Ph.D. or equivalent in the respective field and conduct research as a primary professional responsibility. Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity announcement. Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from competitive review and from funding under this announcement.

      The Regional PHTC Program seeks to increase the number of individuals in the public health workforce, enhance the quality of this workforce, and improve the ability of this workforce to meet national, state, and local health care needs.  Specifically this program aims to strengthen the public health workforce through tailored training and technical assistance involving collaborative, community-based projects.  Training curricula will provide skill-based, interactive instruction and quality education using multiple modalities (i.e., synchronous, asynchronous, distance-based, bi-directional video), underscoring the following eight cross-cutting core public health competency domains in the primary areas of  (1) systems thinking, (2) change management, and (3) persuasive communication; and secondary areas of (4) data analytics, (5) problem solving, (6) training a “health work force [sic] that reflects and responds to the cultural diversity of populations served” as supported by section 766(b)(1),[1] (7) resource management, and (8) policy engagement.

      The purpose of the Federal SBIR program is to stimulate technological innovation in the private sector, strengthen the role of small business in meeting Federal research or research and development (R/R&D) needs, and improve the return on investment from Federally-funded research for economic and social benefits to the Nation. The specific purpose of NIDILRR's SBIR program is to improve the lives of people with disabilities through R/R&D products generated by small businesses, and to increase the commercial application of NIDILRR-supported research results and development products.

      The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to encourage research to improve self-management and quality of life in children and adolescents with chronic conditions. Managing a chronic condition is an unremitting responsibility for children and their families. Children with a chronic condition and their families have a long-term responsibility for self-management. This FOA encourages research that takes into consideration various factors that influence self-management such as individual differences, biological and psychological factors, family/caregivers and sociocultural context, family-community dynamics, healthcare system factors, technological advances, and the role of the environment.

      The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), announces that it will award up to four cooperative agreements to provide innovative technical assistance (TA) to ORR-funded refugee service providers, State Refugee Coordinators, State Refugee Health Coordinators, and others working with refugees to fill a gap where no other such TA exists. The Refugee TA Program will respond to refugees' unique challenges and needs, and leverage the strengths, talents, and capabilities of refugees and their resettlement communities. The overall goal of the Refugee TA Program is to equip refugee service providers and other professionals working with refugees the specialized TA and training needed to appropriately address, through a strengths-based approach, any barriers that refugees may encounter while trying to access community-based services, education, employment, and specialized care. The Refugee TA Program is also intended to provide the necessary training and TA needed for refugee-serving organizations and agencies to measure the effectiveness of their programs and services, and to communicate that to refugee resettlement stakeholders and the broader American public. The Refugee TA Program will focus on the following areas: early economic self-sufficiency through employment, including a focus on skilled and highly skilled individuals; trauma-informed integrated refugee healthcare; refugee child and family wellbeing, including youth mentoring; and evaluation, focusing on the collection, management, analysis, and communication of data. 

      This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will support pilot, feasibility or exploratory research in 5 priority areas in substance use epidemiology and health services, including: 1) responses to sudden and severe emerging drug issues (e.g. the ability to look into a large and sudden spike in synthetic cannabinoid use/overdoses in a particular community); 2) responses to emerging marijuana trends and topics related to the shifting policy landscape; 3) responses to unexpected and time-sensitive prescription drug abuse research opportunities (e.g.,new state or local efforts); 4) responses to unexpected and time-sensitive medical system issues (e.g. opportunities to understand addiction services in the evolving health care system); and 5) responses to unexpected and time-sensitive criminal or juvenile justice opportunities (e.g. new system and/or structural level changes) that relate to drug abuse and access and provision of health care service. It should be clear that the knowledge gained from the proposed study is time-sensitive and that an expedited rapid review and funding are required in order for the scientific question to be answered.

      The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2018 Grants to Expand Substance Abuse Treatment Capacity in Family Treatment Drug Courts [Short Title: Family Treatment Drug Courts (FTDC)]. The purpose of this program is to expand substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services in existing family treatment drug courts, which use the family treatment drug court model in order to provide alcohol and drug treatment (including recovery support services, screening, assessment, case management, and program coordination) to parents with a SUD and/or co-occurring SUD and mental disorders who have had a dependency petition filed against them or are at risk of such filing. Services must address the needs of the family as a whole and include direct service provision to children (18 and under) of individuals served by this project. Recipients will be expected to provide a coordinated, multi-system approach designed to combine the sanctioning power of treatment drug courts with effective treatment services promoting successful family preservation and reunification. Priority funding should address gaps in the treatment continuum for court involved individuals who need treatment for a SUD and/or co-occurring SUD and mental disorders while simultaneously addressing the needs of their children. The expectations of the grant are to provide funding for FTDCs to assist participants in reducing the rates of substance misuse, the severity of SUDs and co-occurring disorders, and decreasing out of home placements for children through family reunification and preservation. This, in turn, should also decrease the number of parents or guardians whose parental rights have been or will be terminated.  

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      About the Minneapolis Promise Zone

      Promise Zones are federally designated, high poverty communities where the federal government partners with local leaders to increase economic activity, improve educational opportunities, and leverage private investment. The Minneapolis Promise Zone (MPZ) plan is a comprehensive, community-driven revitalization strategy that builds on and aligns numerous initiatives to address the persistent unemployment, crime, housing blight, and poor educational outcomes that affect that area.

      Contact information: Juli Leerssen, (612) 225-7721

      For more information, please visit www.minneapolismn.gov/promisezone


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      For reasonable accommodations, alternative formats, or to add content please contact Jennifer Melin at Jennifer.Melin@minneapolismn.gov or by phone: 612-597-3406. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000. 

      TTY users can call 612-673-2157 or 612-673-2626.

      Para asistencia 612-673-2700, Yog xav tau kev pab, hu 612-673-2800, Hadii aad Caawimaad u baahantahay 612-673-3500.

      "Welcome to North Minneapolis" mural by youth artists from Juxtaposition Arts and TATS CRU