Private Sector Advisory The U.S. Virgin Islands Qualifies to Receive Up to $371 Million in Community Disaster Loans November 7, 2017

  -Loans over grants?  Wait for the grant.  What about 2018 Hurricane Season?

      Will you be able to pay off any existing loans by the 2018 Season?

VIRGIN ISLANDS APPROVED FOR COMMUNITY LOANS…..

Federal Emergency Management Agency Private Sector Division/ National Business Emergency Operations Center FEMA-Private-Sector@fema.dhs.gov Private Sector Advisory The U.S. Virgin Islands Qualifies to Receive Up to $371 Million in Community Disaster Loans November 7, 2017 The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today the provision of additional resources and services to support ongoing operational needs for the U.S. Virgin Islands, in the form of federal loans. On Oct. 26, 2017, President Trump signed supplemental appropriations funding permitting the transfer of up to $4.6 billion to FEMA’s Community Disaster Loan (CDL) Program. CDLs help local governments continue to provide essential operating services after a major disaster. FEMA, in consultation with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, determined the U.S. Virgin Islands now qualifies to receive up to $371 million in CDLs. These funds will help the U.S. Virgin Islands continue to perform essential government functions as the territory recovers from Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The CDL package was presented today to the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Governor’s Authorized Representative for further review and consultation with FEMA in regard to the loan terms. Upon agreement, the loan funding will be transferred to budgetary accounts for dispersal to the U.S. Virgin Islands’ central government, the Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital & Medical Center, the Roy Lester Schneider Hospital-Schneider Regional Medical Center, and the U.S. Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority. Loan funds will be withdrawn in increments based on actual, immediate cash needs as necessary to maintain essential government operations supported by financial documentation. FEMA, in consultation with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, implemented additional reporting requirements (e.g., submissions of cash receipts, cash outlays, restricted and unrestricted cash balances, and other cash flows) to ensure CDL funds are being used appropriately. FEMA, in consultation with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, continues to work closely with states and territories affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, and Irma to determine eligibility and appropriate loan authority for their CDLs.

Webinar - Coaching and Mentoring in Humanitarian Response. November 2017

Webinar - Coaching and Mentoring in Humanitarian Response

Join us on the 29 November for this hour-long webinar to learn how coaching and mentoring can be effectively put into practice within a humanitarian context.

• Topic:
  New and featured courses , Management Essentials, Coaching and mentoring others
• Format:
  Individual modules, Event, Webinar
• Language:
  English
• Provider:
  Humanitarian Leadership Academy
• Region:
  Global
• Compatibility:
  Smartphone, Tablet
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• https://kayaconnect.org/course/info.php?id=754&utm_source=CMwebinar%20mailchimp&utm_campaign=CMwebinar%20mailchimphttps://kayaconnect.org/course/info.php?id=754&utm_source=CMwebinar%20mailchimp&utm_campaign=CMwebinar%20mailchimp
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Towards a culture of preparation in East Africa. November 2017

Cultural preparation & change will have to take place at all levels.  From top-down to bottom-up.

BEMA International.

Towards a culture of preparation in East Africa We are working in partnership with several universities in East Africa to provide students with free access to humanitarian learning via our digital platform Kaya. These collaborative efforts seek to increase resilience, response capacity, and ability to confront disasters in the region.

Read more Towards a culture of preparation: Engaging with university students to promote uptake of Kaya courses to enhance Disaster Risk Reduction Disasters and disaster risks have been on the rise in the last decade. Globally, the number of people affected has been increasing by an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 per decade since the early 1970s and is projected to continue to increase in many regions of the world due to the growing exposure from human activities and climate change. This projected increase in frequency and intensity of disasters is expected to be exacerbated by increased vulnerability due to poverty and increased population pressure in some risk-prone areas. http://www.humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/towards-culture-preparation-east-africa/?utm_source=Academy+List+January+2017&utm_campaign=8380e4b2d3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_OctNews&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_184305c7d3-8380e4b2d3-280667361

CERT Should Be Mandatory. Starting in Middle School?

What about your community?

BEMA International

Good Article in Emergency Managment News Letter - CERT Should Be Mandatory http://www.govtech.com/em/disaster/Fall-2017-EM-CERT-Should-Be-Mandatory.html CERT Should Be Mandatory All too often, businesses and organizations expect that first responders can get to them quickly in a major disaster. by Larissa Paschyn / October 30, 2017 Too often, businesses and organizations rely on the hope that first responders will be able to reach them in time during a major disaster.  However, the bigger the disaster, the more strain on limited resources, and the less likely the government will be able to respond.  As a result, it is imperative that everyone in an organization can use their own resources and skills to take care of each other. FEMA maintains the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program as an official emergency preparedness program. However, there is no obligation or requirement for schools and employers in high-hazard areas to implement or maintain such programs on site. The CERT concept was originally developed following a series of earthquakes in the U.S. and Puerto Rico that left hundreds dead, injured and without emergency services. CERT volunteers are educated about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area, and CERT trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations. Local responders can rely on CERTs during disaster situations, which allows them to focus on more complex tasks. Yet public education campaigns encouraging participation in CERTs have not been highly effective or visible.  For example, in California’s Bay Area, few residents are even aware that their neighborhoods offer CERT. Combine that with the fact that numerous IT companies in the Bay Area are basically small cities, and you are looking at a recipe for disaster.  With the limited man-power and resources local emergency response has, these IT villages are not likely to receive help for a long period of time. And let’s not forget the sheer density of downtown San Francisco and Oakland, where emergency response will also have a difficult time responding to all affected buildings. Without holding schools and businesses accountable, there is a greater likelihood of loss of life when a catastrophic disaster occurs, such as tornado, flood or earthquake.  In a catastrophic disaster, first responders will not be able to assist for a prolonged period of time.  By requiring businesses of more than 150 persons and schools to have a work or campus-based (C-CERT) team in place, local public safety can focus on other areas [during an emergency situation]; allowing the affected school/company to be self-sufficient for a time. In any disaster, you can find numerous accounts of neighbors and regular citizens assisting at the scene before response agencies could deploy.  After the Joplin, Mo., tornado in 2011, neighbors assisted in digging others out of the rubble.  During the 2016 Louisiana floods, instead of waiting for the government to come rescue them, the people of Louisiana used privately owned boats to save their neighbors. This “Cajun Navy” was responsible for saving the lives of thousands of Louisianans. In South San Francisco, biotech companies have been ahead of the game for years, maintaining on-site search and rescue, medical, hazmat teams, and incident command teams. In the event of an earthquake, they will be able to rescue and treat their own staff before help arrives. The fact is that our communities and our facilities are one of the most effective ways to ensure that we are prepared in the event of a future emergency response situation, and every business should be a part of that preparedness. Schools and companies need to be able to take care of their own people, and in earthquake territory, it is irresponsible not to require all corporations and educational institutions to have response programs in place. Larissa Paschyn is the emergency manager for Amgen in South San Francisco, where she trains the emergency response teams. Previously, she was the external affairs officer for the FEMA Region 9 Incident Management Assistance Team.

Grants. 2018 Lowes Charitable and Educational Foundation Grants. Let's rebuild OUR COMMUNITY

https://www.lowes.com/cd_Charitable+and+Educational+Foundation_936258779_

Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation

Founded in 1957, Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation has a long and proud history of improving the communities we serve. The foundation's support has grown to match the growing needs of our communities, going from $3 million in contributions in 2004 to nearly $19 million in 2010.

Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation funds nonprofit organizations and public agencies that support our charitable goals. The foundation's primary philanthropic focus centers on K–12 public education and community improvement. Within these areas, Lowe's Foundation is committed to supporting projects that have the greatest impact on our communities and align with our core business — home improvement.

We believe education is the cornerstone to building bright futures and stronger communities. Our long-established commitment to improving educational opportunities is best exemplified by our signature education grant program, Lowe's Toolbox for Education^®. Since its inception in 2006, Lowe's Toolbox for Education has contributed nearly $25 million to more than 5,400 schools in the United States. In 2010, with schools and community groups continuing to face financial challenges, Lowe's Foundation again focused on basic needs. The foundation gave more than $2.5 million in regional grants to fund a variety of improvements for schools and community gathering places.

With the foundation's support, we also continued to address the growing skilled worker shortage in the United States and Canada. Lowe's Foundation boosted its support of trades education with a new five-year, $1.5 million annual commitment to SkillsUSA^®. As we expand our store presence in Canada, we also are expanding our commitment to youth across the country. The foundation will contribute $1.25 million over five years to Skills / Compétences Canada. The contribution will support high school-based projects in the provinces of Alberta and Ontario, and will expand to other regions as Lowe's establishes retail locations in more communities.

Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation, which also supports partnerships with Rebuilding Together^®, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and The Nature Conservancy among others, is comprised of a nine-member board of directors. The board includes representatives from various departments within Lowe's, from store operations and human resources to the legal and tax teams, supplying a diversity of thought, leadership and experience to help shape the foundation's work. Larry Stone, Lowe's president and chief operating officer and a 41-year company veteran, is chairman of the foundation.

For more information about Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation, including application guidelines, visit Lowes.com/community.

Grants. 2018 HomeDepot Community Grants. Let's rebuild OUR COMMUNITY.

https://corporate.homedepot.com/grants/community-impact-grants

COMMUNITY IMPACT GRANTS

Thanks to the amazing number of non-profit organizations stepping up to help their neighbors, our community giving goals have been reached and the program is now CLOSED for 2017. The 2018 program will OPEN on February 1, 2018.  

While our program typically operates on a rolling 12-month cycle, grants are awarded on a first-come first-serve basis until funding is exhausted.  For non-profits who have submitted an application but have not received a response, your application will be reviewed and you will still receive a decision email within the 4-6 week processing window

The Home Depot Foundation offers grants, up to $5,000, to IRS-registered 501c designated organizations and tax-exempt public service agencies in the U.S. that are using the power of volunteers to improve the physical health of their community. Grants are given in the form of The Home Depot gift cards for the purchase of tools, materials, or services.

Our primary goal is to provide grants and volunteer opportunities to support the renovation, refurbishment, retrofitting, accessibility modifications, and/or weatherization of existing homes, centers, schools and other similar facilities.

Grant Guidelines

• Only IRS-registered 501c designated organizations and tax-exempt public service agencies (e.g. Police/Fire Departments) in the U.S. are eligible to apply. (Proof of this status will be required on the application in the form of an IRS Determination Letter, Form 990, or W9.)
• Grants must support work completed by community volunteers in the U.S.
• Projects must be completed within six months following notification that the grant has been awarded.
• Grants are solely given in the form of The Home Depot gift cards for the purchase of tools, materials, or services up to $5,000.
• Organizations who have received funding through The Home Depot Foundation’s Community Impact Grant Program must wait 12 months after notification of award before applying for additional grants through this program.
• Organizations must be in existence for at least one year.
• Organizations should be willing to submit stories and pictures of the project upon completion.
   

Proposals for the following community improvement activities will be considered:

• Repairs, refurbishments, and modifications specific to ADA compliance or safety regulations to low-income and/or transitional housing, or community facilities (schools, community centers, senior centers, etc.)
• Weatherizing or increasing energy efficiency of low-income and/or transitional housing, or community facilities
• Engage community members as volunteers to help other veterans in their community through service projects focusing on the renovation, repair and improvement of homes and other properties:
   

The Home Depot Foundation’s Community Impact Grant Program DOES NOT make grants to support the following:

• Nonprofit organizations that have been in existence for less than one year
• Churches and religious organizations whose improvement project primarily serves their congregation and not the overall community
• Scholarships or other direct support to individuals or families
• Fraternal, political, labor, athletic or social organizations, civic clubs, candidates or projects
• Fundraising sponsorship or prizes for events such as conferences, festivals, dinners, sports competitions, art exhibits, fundraisers (e.g. dinners, walks/runs/relays, golf tournaments and auctions)
• Requests for The Home Depot’s Kids Workshop kits and/or aprons
• Capital campaigns, endowments or endowed chairs
• Film, music, television, video or media production projects or broadcast underwriting
• Goodwill advertising or marketing
• Any other support that does not meet the IRS’s definition of a charitable purpose.

We are now accepting applications for the Community Impact Grants program.

This is a rolling application process. You will receive a decision on your application within six weeks of submission. The last day to submit applications in 2017 is December 31st.

PLEASE READ:

• If your organization is a school, park, community center or any organization being funded by local government, please use the link for "Government Funded Organizations."
• If this is a Team Depot project, DO NOT use links below. Please refer to the Team Depot Project Funding Request Form for the appropriate application link.

IDB Courses. THE GATEWAY TO OPEN LEARNING FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

THE GATEWAY TO OPEN LEARNING FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN IDB Courses Data for Effective Policy Making Take control of data and gain a better understanding of the tools used in public policy planning, management, and evaluation. By the end of this course, you will be able to: Understand the relationship between data analysis and decision-making in public management Define the research problem, starting hypothesis, analysis variables and methods to test the hypotheses Interpret and develop different types of visualizations, using concrete examples Identify how to use data analysis to propose solutions to public policy problems, to explain the assessment of a policy, and to carry out policy planning Browse the IDB’s Numbers for Development and Caribbean Data Portal and its different sections In this course, students will strengthen their ability to use, understand and interpret data. Using the “Numbers for Development" and “Caribbean Data Portal” platforms developed by the IDB - which presents data and socioeconomic indicators from the Latin American and Caribbean region - students will be able to understand how to improve the decision-making process in public management. At the end of the course, participants will have gained the tools to navigate data, perform and interpret visualizations, and understand the different types of data analysis according to the policy to be implemented. Format: massive open online course (MOOC) Start date: November 2, 2017 Duration: 6 weeks Prerequisites: None Cost:  Free Certificate: If you want to obtain a certificate, the cost is US$ 25.00 Questions about this course? Click on this link for a guide to register for the course or email idbx@iadb.org  Register     _______________________________________________________________________