Project Safe Neighborhoods National   Training & Technical Assistance Program

The U.S.   Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of   Justice Assistance (BJA) is seeking applications for funding under the   Project Safe Neighborhoods National Training and Technical Assistance   Program. This program furthers the Department’s mission by supporting the   national delivery of training and technical assistance to communities to   reduce the presence and impact of gun crime and criminal gangs throughout the   nation.

Funding: BJA   estimates that it will make one award for each of the three categories.   Funding for each category is as follows: Category 1 up to $250,000; Category   2 up to $150,000; and Category 3 up to $600,000 for an estimated total of   $1,000,000. Each award will be for a 36-month project period, beginning on   October 1, 2015.

Eligibility:   Applicants are limited to nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations   (including tribal nonprofit or for-profit organizations), institutions of   higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education), faith-based   organizations, and consortiums with demonstrated experience in addressing gun   crime and anti-gang violence strategies. This includes but is not limited to   prevention, enforcement, intervention, and reentry strategies.

Promise   Zone Benefits:  There are no Promise Zone specific benefits for   this opportunity.

Deadline for Applications:   April 9, 2015 by   11:59 p.m. EST

For more information: https://www.bja.gov/Funding/15PSNTTAsol.pdf.

Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation   Program FY 2015 Competitive Grant

The U.S.   Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of   Justice Assistance (BJA) is seeking applications from eligible entities to   plan and implement place-based, community-oriented strategies to address   targeted crime issues within a neighborhood as a part of a broader   neighborhood revitalization initiative. Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation   (BCJI) resources will target hot spots of crime where a significant proportion   of crime occurs as compared to the overall jurisdiction.

Funding: BJA   solicits applications in two categories: 1) Planning, and 2) Implementation.   Under Category 1, BJA estimates that it will make up to 15 awards of up to   $175,000 each for up to an 18-month project period, beginning on October 1,   2015. Under Category 2, BJA estimates that it will make up to 3 awards of up   $1,000,000 for up to a 36-month project period, beginning on October 1, 2015.   All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and to any   modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law.

Eligibility:   Eligible entities to serve as fiscal agent include states, units of local   governments, non-profit organizations (including tribal non-profit organizations),   and federally recognized Indian tribal governments as determined by the   Secretary of the Interior.

Promise   Zone Benefits:  Priority consideration is offered to Promise   Zones for this opportunity.

Deadline for Applications:   April 20, 2015 by   11:59p.m. EST

For more information: https://www.bja.gov/Funding/15BCJIsol.pdf.

View the BCJI   Fact Sheet posted on the Promise Zone website

USDA FNS Farm to School Grant   Program

The USDA, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), announced the   Request for Applications for the Farm To School Grant Program. Designed to   increase the availability of local foods in schools, grants can help new farm   to school programs get started or expand existing efforts. Funds support a   wide range of activities from training, planning, and developing partnerships   to creating new menu items, establishing supply chains, offering taste tests   to children, purchasing equipment, planting school gardens, and organizing   field trips to agricultural operations.

Funding: Estimated total program funding is   $6,000,000 with an expectation of 90 awards.

Eligibility: Schools; state and local   agencies; Indian tribal organizations; agricultural producers or groups of   agricultural producers; and, non-profit entities.

Promise Zones Benefits: Farm to School   (F2S) grants take into consideration “Agency priorities” and projects that   serve a high proportion of children who are eligible for free or reduced   price meals. Projects identified and deemed eligible under the proposed   Promise Zones Initiative may benefit from the consideration already afforded   to these types of projects.

Deadline for Applications: Letter of Intent   and required attachments due April 30, 2015. Support Service,   Implementation, and Planning Grants applications must be submitted by May   20, 2015.

For more information: http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school

View the Farm   to School Fact Sheet posted on the Promise Zone website

Training to Work 3- Adult Reentry   Grant Program

The   Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL,   or the Department, or we), announces the availability of approximately $27   million in grant funds authorized by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and   the Second Chance Act of 2007 for Training to Work 3 – Adult Reentry (T2W3).   This Training to Work 3 – Adult Reentry (T2W3) Funding Opportunity   Announcement (FOA) provides the opportunity for organizations to develop and   implement career pathways programs in demand sectors and occupations for men   and women, including veterans, and people with disabilities, who are at least   18 years old and who are enrolled in work release programs (WRP).   Additionally, grantees must provide a strategy to prioritize services to   veterans that are in these WRPs.

Funding:   Estimated total program funding is $27,000,000 with an expectation of 20   awards.

Eligibility:Nonprofit Organization with IRS 501(c)(3)   Status. Proof of 501(c)(3) status should be included as an attachment to the   application. Applicants must also be located in an urbanized area or urban   cluster, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Promise   Zones Benefits: Priority consideration is offered to Promise Zones   for this opportunity.

Deadline   for Applications: May 1, 2015

More   information here.    

Action for Healthy Kids’ School   Grants for Healthy Kids

Schools need resources   to implement health and wellness practices that get students to eat better   and be physically active. Thanks to its partners, Action for Healthy Kids has   provided $5.15 million in grants to schools since 2009. The School Grants for   Healthy Kids can help school health team achieve its goal to make Every Kid   Healthy and ready to learn.  Check out the available grant opportunities   for school districts and schools.

Funding: $1.4 million to   schools for the 2015-2016 academic year.

Eligibility: Varies with each grant   opportunity. Refer to link for more information.

Promise Zones   Benefits: There are no Promise Zone specific benefits for this   opportunity.

Deadline for   Applications: May 1, 2015

For more information: http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/tools-for-schools/apply-for-grants

HHS/SAMHSA "Now is the   Time" Project AWARE-Community Grants 

The U.S.   Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health   Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, is accepting   applications for fiscal year (FY) 2015 “Now is the Time” Project   AWARE-Community (Short Title: NITT-AWARE-C) grants. The purpose of this   program is to support the training of teachers and a broad array of actors   who interact with youth through their programs at the community level,   including parents, law enforcement, faith-based leaders, and other adults, in   Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) or Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA).   Implementation of the NITT-AWARE-C program is expected to increase the mental   health literacy among youth-serving adults, policy-makers, and administrators   of programs serving youth. 

Funding:   Up to 70 awards of up to $125,000 per year; anticipated total available   funding is $8,611,576.

Eligibility:Eligible   applicants are domestic public and private nonprofit entities.  For   example: State and local governments; Federally recognized American   Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribes and tribal organizations; Urban Indian   organizations; Public or private universities and colleges; and Non-profit   community- and faith-based organizations.

Promise   Zones Benefits: There are no Promise Zone specific benefits for this opportunity.

Deadline   for Applications: May 1, 2015

For more   information: http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/grant-announcements/sm-15-012

The CDC National Centers of   Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention: Building the Evidence for Community-   and Policy-Level Prevention

This FOA is a   program announcement with multiple receipt dates (Cycle 1 FY2015, Cycle 2   FY2016). The purpose of this announcement is to fund Youth Violence   Prevention Centers (YVPCs) to advance the science and practice of youth   violence prevention and to reduce youth violence in one or more   geographically defined, high-burden communities by implementing and   evaluating a community- or policy-level prevention strategy or combination of   such strategies.

Funding:   NCIPC intends to commit approximately $3,600,000 in FY 2015 to fund 3   applications.

Eligibility:Public and State controlled institutions of   higher education, private institutions of higher education, others.

Promise   Zones Benefits: There are no Promise Zone specific benefits for this opportunity.

Deadline   for Applications: May 4, 2015

More   information   here.

The Housing Affordability   Opportunity: Lowering Cost & Expanding Supply

April 7,   2015

10:00a.m.   to 1:00p.m. EST

Register here

Join HUD’s   Office of Policy Development and Research, in partnership with Habitat for   Humanity International and Enterprise Community Partners, for an   evidence-based discussion on the challenges and opportunities for expanding   housing affordability. This event will bring together a diverse group of   stakeholders including researchers; real estate professionals and developers;   financiers; planners; federal, state and local decision-makers; advocates and   other practitioners to discuss the barriers that exist and steps that can be   taken to address them. Register today to participate in this   thought-provoking, interactive dialogue on one of the most pressing issues   facing communities today.

Connecting Public Health and Food   Service Operators: Changing the Way America Eats

April 8,   2015

2:00p.m.   to 3:30p.m. EST

Register here

The CDC's   Division for Heart Disease and Stroke and the National Network of Public   Health Institutes, in collaboration with the Culinary Institute of America   are hosting an upcoming webinar "focusing on working with large food   service providers and independent restaurants to improve nutrition and reduce   sodium.

National   Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice

The National Initiative for Building   Community Trust and Justice is designed   to improve relationships and increase trust between minority communities and   the criminal justice system.  The site for the initiative offers   resources on the latest research, tools, guides, and best practices to   communities and law enforcement agencies interested in engaging in processes   to reduce implicit bias, enhance procedural justice, and promote   reconciliation.

Improving Engagement of TANF Families: Understanding Work Participation   and Families with Reported Zero Hours of Participation in Program Activities

This  report describes the   programmatic factors within the current TANF environment that may influence   the numbers of work-eligible individuals or families with reported zero hours   of participation, and promising strategies that state and local TANF agencies   are using to encourage client engagement.   View the full report here.

Resource Guide for Head Start   Programs: Moving Beyond a Culture of Compliance to a Culture of Continuous   Improvement

How can Head Start and Early Head Start programs best   use data to facilitate continuous quality improvement? This resource guide can   help leadership, management, and staff in Head Start and Early Head Start   programs (1) understand how data can help achieve program goals; (2) learn   techniques for fostering a culture of learning; and (3) increase their   ability to identify and address gaps and continuously improve their programs.

Study finds volunteers can raise reading proficiency and resources in   schools

MDRC, a nonprofit, nonpartisan education and social   policy research firm, conducted a randomized control trial of Reading Partners, which engages volunteers to deliver an evidence-based   curriculum through one-on-one tutoring to struggling readers in low-income   communities.  The study found that community volunteers and AmeriCorps   members can make a significant impact on student reading proficiency and are   a low cost option for schools.  Read the full report here.

West   Philadelphia Promise Zone:  “Stories from the Promise Zone” Documentary

This 33-minute film   documentary is a collaboration between the Mayor’s Office of Community   Empowerment and Opportunity & The Bridge. It is made by young residents   of Philadelphia’s Promise Zone neighborhood and produced in partnership with   Big Picture Alliance and The Bridge Intensive Prevention Services. The documentary provides real insight into the   perspectives of those in the Promise Zone, what the initiative means to them   and how they feel they will be impacted. Watch the short film here.