The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The Lord is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid? Ps 27:1

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Highlights from CCUSA

CCUSA COVID-19 Resource Center

Check out the CCUSA COVID-19 Resource Center on the CCUSA website. The resource provides the latest news, advocacy efforts and stories from the Catholic Charities ministry in the United States. Also included is general guidance from the federal government.

2019 CCUSA Annual Survey

The 2019 Annual Survey is live! Be sure to review the 2019 Annual Survey Preparation Webinar on the Annual Survey Resources section of the Member's Portal and complete your agency's submission before the survey closes on May 1, 2020. Please note that all staff who will contribute to your agency's submission must have access to a personalized link. If you need to request links for any staff at your agency, contact Ashley Rininger. In addition, please don't hesitate to contact Ashley via email if you have any questions or need any technical assistance.

Save the Date! Join us in Cleveland for the 2020 Annual Gathering for "Innovation Now"

When: October 27-30, 2020. Where: Hilton Cleveland. Plan ahead, mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details! Still need convincing? See what your colleagues said about the 2019 Annual Gathering: "Workshops/topics and presentations were great – wonderful diversity." "Learning from sister agencies – getting ideas that we could bring back to our agency." "Connections I made, people I met, bonding with colleagues." Questions? Send an email here.

CCUSA's O'Grady Leadership Institutes - Cancelled for 2020

In view of the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic, Catholic Charities USA has decided to cancel the 2020 O'Grady Leadership Institutes. All persons who are currently registered are eligible for a full refund. Refund information may be found on the event website at the "Fees and Policies" tab. However, please do save the dates for next year's institutes, which will be held from May 17-21, 2021, again at the beautiful Bethany Center outside Tampa. For any questions and concerns, please contact Scott Hurd, Vice President for Leadership Development.

Events and Webinars

Effective Staff Supervision

Effective staff management is a powerful tool that should be added to every supervisor's toolbelt - and the Effective Staff Supervision course will do just that. This 8-week course begins by introducing you to the art and science behind effective supervision. The course will dive into more tactical issues such as effective hiring, monitoring and feedback strategies. It will also push you to flex your leadership capacity, understanding your unique style and how to use your strengths to build a cohesive, high-performing team. By the end of the eight weeks, you will have the strategies and knowledge needed to be a highly effective manager. Length of Course: Eight weeks. Type of Course: Self-paced (during eight-week course run); Instructor-led. Dates: April 19 - June 14, 2020. Price: $600 (Alliance partners and CNPs receive a 20% discount. Use code: NONPROFITPARTNER). Register and learn more here. 

Connections - Openness in Adoption webinar

Join us for a webinar on Apr 28, 2020 at 2:00 PM EDT. An open adoption is a form of adoption in which the biological and adoptive families have access to varying degrees of each other's personal information and it usually benefits all members of the adoption triad. Openness can vary greatly from family to family and may change over time. It has grown over the years due to the evolution of social media and adoption agencies providing education to all members of the triad. Join our experts to discuss ways to navigate the open adoption system. At the same time, we will explore how adoption policy has evolved and its effects on the members of the adoption triad. Register here.

Grant Opportunities and Resources

The 2020 Earth Day educational program might be exactly what you need!

Pre-Register for Earth Day 2020 Program. The free one-hour educational program, "Earth Day at 50/Laudato Si' at 5: An Urgent Appeal for Action," is designed for parishes, schools, and religious communities facing the growing calls for urgent action on climate change. The program is perfect for commemorating the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day (April 22nd or another date of your choosing) and/or the fifth anniversary of Laudato Si' which spans from the week of May 16th-24th (i.e., the global Laudato Si' week) through June 18th (the day Laudato Si' was released to the world). The program could also be used by anyone looking for ways to participate in the new U.S. Catholic Climate Project. This year's hour-long program includes prayers, readings, a short video, discussion questions, and suggested actions. Pre-register now and you will automatically receive the program in your inbox in mid-February. Questions? Contact Paz Artaza-Regan. 

Foundation for Financial Planning grant application

The Foundation for Financial Planning is accepting grant applications from nonprofit organizations whose programs link pro bono financial planners to people in need. Programs should include one-on-one engagements between Certified Financial Planner(TM) (CFP®) professionals and pro bono clients, and help people who are underserved by the market and could not ordinarily access quality, ethical financial advice. Grants are generally in the range of $5,000 to $40,000, and will be accepted until April 30, 2020. For more information about eligibility and how to apply, click here.

Seed Grants Available for the Creation or Expansion of Supportive Services to Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children

The Brookdale Foundation Group has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the creation or expansion of supportive services to grandparents and other relatives raising children. Up to 15 programs will be selected to receive a seed grant of $15,000 ($10,000 and $5,000 respectively), contingent upon progress made during year one and potential for continuity in the future. On-going technical assistance will also be provided. Any 501 (c)(3) or equivalent not-for-profit organizations can apply. The RFP proposal and guidelines can be downloaded by visiting our website. Proposals are due at the Brookdale Foundation Group office in New Jersey on Wednesday, June 10, 2020. Selected applicants will be required to attend an Orientation and Training Conference, as our guests, to be held October 22-24, 2020 in Teaneck, NJ.
Questions? Contact: Melinda Perez-Porter, Director, Relatives As Parents Program (RAPP), The Brookdale Foundation Group.

Catalyst Kitchens (by FareStart) in collaboration with CCUSA to offer "Train the Trainer Workshop"

The Catalyst Kitchens Train the Trainer workshop brings together members working directly with students in the kitchen, classroom, and as case managers to discuss how to coach students to reach their fullest potential. Topics include: Strategies to establish a culture of learning; classroom and kitchen instruction skills for diverse learners; and writing techniques for productive student evaluations. Take advantage of your CCUSA partnership discount and receive $125 off the workshop fee. Use discount code CKPARTNER at checkout to redeem. Upcoming workshops: Seattle, Wash., hosted by FareStart, July 30-31; Phoenix, Ariz., hosted by UMOM New Day Centers, Oct. 15-16. Click here to learn more.

Correctional Adult Reentry Education, Employment, and Recidivism Reduction Strategies (CAREERRS) Program FY 2020 competitive grant solicitation

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is seeking applications for funding under the Second Chance Act to develop a strategic plan for integrating correctional and employment programming and systems in order to help facilitate the successful reintegration of offenders returning to communities after a prison or jail sentence. For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035, at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html, or at [email protected]. The Grants.gov Support Hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except on federal holidays. Applicants must register with Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html prior to submitting an application. All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on April 27, 2020. OJP encourages all applicants to read this Important Notice: Applying for Grants in Grants.gov. For additional information, see the How to Apply (Grants.gov) section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

HHS Announces Grants to Provide Meals for Older Adults

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is announcing $250 million in grants from the Administration for Community Living (ACL) to help communities provide meals for older adults. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, signed into law by President Trump on March 18, 2020, provided the additional funding for the nutrition services programs authorized by the Older Americans Act (OAA) of 1965. These programs provide meals to more than 2.4 million older adults each year, both through home delivery and in places like community centers. In addition to meals, Older Americans Act programs provide a wide range of services, such as help with bathing and dressing, rides to doctors’ offices, etc. Funding has been provided to states, territories, and tribes for subsequent allocation to local meal providers. Grant amounts are determined based on the population-based formulas defined in the Older Americans Act. Older adults who need assistance can contact the Eldercare Locator to find services available in their community. The Eldercare Locator can be reached at 1-800-677-1116 or eldercare.acl.gov. For more information about COVID-19, please visit CDC’s website. For more information about the Older Americans Act nutrition programs, please visit ACL.gov.

Catholic Climate Covenant adjusts new plans to celebrate Earth Day at 50/Laudato Si at 5

We invite you to download the revised “Earth Day at 50?Laudato Si at 5: An urgent appeal for action” program. Even if you already downloaded the original Earth Day 2020 program, by filling out the form you will have access to the revised version. The new version offers prayers, readings, a short video, reflection questions, and suggested actions. If you have questions, please contact Paz Artaza-Regan.

Grant opportunity from No Kid Hungry

Our emergency grants portal is up and running here. The need is devastating; we received more than four thousand requests for grants in the first week and a half. To date, we deployed over $2 million in funds to 78 organizations across 30 states. As a reminder, in the next few weeks, we will release a total of $5 million in grants, as the first phase of a multi-million dollar effort. Stay tuned for more. We’re keeping NoKidHungry.org/Coronavirus updated with our response and ways folks can help.

Network Notes

Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg sets up tent city in Tampa for people experiencing homelessness during Covid19 pandemic. Read more here.

Catholic Charities West Virginia continues to serve amid the coronavirus outbreak. Read more here.

Employment Opportunities

Catholic Charities job opportunities now listed on CCUSA website 

Anyone can view the job opportunities by clicking on the "Careers" tag on the footer of the CCUSA webpage. To post a job opportunity, one must be a member and have access to the members' portal in order to fill out the submission form (click on "Careers" tag on members only portal homepage). If you have any questions about the new job opportunities submission form, please contact David Werning or Lily Stewart. Please click here to access job opportunities.

CCUSA Photo Gallery

Did you know that one of the benefits CCUSA provides to member agencies is access to a professional photo gallery? Visit our Flickr photo pages to explore our albums and photos. If you would like a high-resolution version for your agency's use, please email CCUSA with photo number.