Do you know someone who would be interested in receiving the Weekly Digest? Subscribe HERE.

Highlights from CCUSA

Final weeks to submit your proposal for the 2021 Annual Gathering!

Although the 2021 Annual Gathering will be in-person September 21-23 in San Diego, all workshop proposals will be considered for use as webinars rather than workshops at the live event. This decision was made to adapt to the current conditions of the pandemic and the uncertainty of participation from our local agencies. However, you should not hesitate to submit a proposal and share your experience and best practices to an even broader audience through a webinar platform. To access the website and form, click on 2021 Annual Gathering CFP and don’t miss this opportunity to present. Deadline to submit is Monday, April 12^th.

Events and Webinars

Webinar about the elderly after pandemic

You are invited to attend a free webinar series and learn about a groundbreaking release from the Vatican Pontifical Academy for Life: Old Age: Our Future – The elderly after pandemic. Co-sponsored by CHA, the Community of Sant'Egidio and Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), this series will open a conversation starting from this newest Vatican document and stretch thinking on possibilities for how partnerships and innovation must be created to meet the critical needs of the growing population of elders and the impact on them from the pandemic. This series is for all – and why it is complimentary. Learn more and access registration.

• Webinar III | April 21, 2021, Noon – 1 p.m. ET The Elderly – Our Future: Alternative Examples for Eldercare
• Webinar IV | May 26, 2021, Noon – 1 p.m. ET The Elderly – Our Future: Connecting for Greater Understanding and Action for Elders.

Effective Strategies to Promote Domestic Abuse Awareness in Parishes

Domestic abuse has risen during the pandemic. However, Catholic Charities agencies and parishes, working together, can offer hope, help, and healing by implementing practical strategies to address domestic abuse, ranging from increased parishioner awareness to organization of an in-depth ministry. This webinar, a joint presentation between the Catholics For Family Peace Education and Research Initiative and Catholic Charities USA, will feature speakers who will present methods that have worked in over 50 parishes and will answer questions about developing a local response. A brief overview of Catholic teaching as it relates to domestic abuse will be included. April 14, 2021 at 3 PM ET. Register here.

Resourcing the network for food and nutrition webinar

Join CCUSA for a webinar to explore Food Finder and CityServe organizations, two unique agencies that help connect families in their communities with the food they need. Food Finder is a nonprofit website and app with a directory of over 45,000 food pantries and school meal locations. City Serve is a collaborative network of churches and community leaders connected to helping feed people across several states. Leaders from both organizations will share information on their work in reducing food insecurity. Food Finder will demo their app which gives free information on food pantries across all fifty states and City Serve will review how they leverage partnerships to access fresh produce and food supplies and work through congregations as distribution hubs. Date: April 14, 2021. Time: 2 PM EDT. Register here.

Evaluating Programmatic Impact with Logic Models

Join us for a webinar on Apr 15, 2021 at 3:00 PM EDT. Register now! CCUSA's Research and Evaluation Team and Fr. Ragan Schriver, Director of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) Program invites you to learn about the logic model - a fundamental resource in monitoring and evaluating social service programs. This presentation will provide an overview of the logic model components, key considerations and examples of logic model development, and how to implement the tool as part of an agency-wide evaluation strategy. The Webinar is recommended for those with minimal experience or proficiency with logic models, as well as those looking to review logic model basics. Learn more and register. NOTE: This webinar offers 1.0 Continuing Education Credit. Course completion requirements - To earn CE credit, participants must log in at the scheduled time, attend the webinar and complete an online course evaluation and CEC post-test. The post-test survey will close 7 days after you receive the link to your email. CE Certificates will be emailed within 10 business days of course completion. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Grant Opportunities and Resources

Low Income Taxpayer Clinics Grant Announcement

The Taxpayer Advocate Service works with organizations across the country to offer Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs). LITCs assist low income individuals who have a tax dispute with the IRS, and provide education and outreach to individuals who speak English as a second language. Each year, TAS offers grants to organizations who are willing to establish LITCs. This year, a supplemental grant application period is available through April 16, 2021. LITCs can receive up to $100,000 per grant year. For more information and to apply, click here.

WIC 101 Webinar - A presentation for Catholic Charities agencies

The Foundation for Financial Planning is accepting grant applications (until April 30th, 2021) 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™ (CFP®) professionals and pro bono clients, and comply with COVID-19 safety guidelines. Grants are generally in the range of $5,000 to $40,000. For more information about eligibility and how to apply, please visit here. Nonprofits seeking to connect with CFP professionals who want to provide free, no-strings-attached financial planning and advice to underserved populations can register on FFP’s Pro Bono Planner Match website. On Pro Bono Planner Match, nonprofits can post volunteer opportunities that engage financial planners in one-on-one or interactive, small group (virtual) sessions with people in need. To access Pro Bono Planner Match, click here. For more information, please contact Rachel Roth.

How will you and your parish, school, or religious community celebrate the 51st anniversary of Earth Day this year?

We are happy to announce Catholic Climate Covenant’s new 2021 Earth Day program, “Restore Our Common Home” is now available to be part of your planning! With spiritual nourishment and practical activities, the free one-hour educational program can be easily downloaded. The program is intended for Earth Day (April 22), the 6th anniversary of Laudato Si’ (May 16-24), or whenever works for you. The interactive program includes prayers, readings, a short video, discussion questions, and suggested “restoration” activities. DOWNLOAD THE 2021 EARTH DAY PROGRAM. If you have questions about the Earth Day program, please contact Paz Artaza-Regan.

Grant Opportunity: CCUSA Financial Education AmeriCorps Program

CCUSA is currently looking for additional grantees for the Financial Education AmeriCorps program! The AmeriCorps members in this program will primarily use the FDIC Money Smart curriculum to teach clients how to enhance their financial skills and create positive banking relationships. AmeriCorps members can also provide other asset-development activities, including tax preparation, financial counseling, IDA enrollment, and much more. This program has a goal to help clients improve their financial literacy and navigate financial decisions more efficiently. If your agency is interested in learning more about this federal grant opportunity, please reach out to Abby Qualliotine.

Employment Opportunities

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. 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.