Upcoming Non-Profit Events

News from the Southern Cross Astronomical Society:

LIGHTS OUT AMERICA-SATURDAY, MARCH 29th, 8-9 pm EDT, a global event urging residents to turn off outdoor non-essential lights (shade lights on sensors) and dim commercial displays to save money, energy, and our dark skies. This volunteer project has been successful in major cities world-wide. Information: www.earthhour.org, lightsoutamerica.org and http://www.darksky.org/

FIU SPRING STAR PARTY & GUITAR CONCERT-FRIDAY, APRIL 11th, 8 pm, come to the Spring Star Party hosted by FIU astronomers, at their telescope deck near the FIU Physics Bldg., University Park. Guitar concert by world-renowned Muriel Anderson and FIU faculty in CP-145 of the FIU Astronomy Center. Celebrate the end of the semester with food, music, and views of the Spring sky in hi-tech FIU equipment. FREE. Park on campus SW 109 Ave./SW 8 St. Call: 305-348-3964.

WALK FOR LIFE-FRIDAY, 11th- SCAS will participate in the Cancer Society's Walk For Life, Baptist Hospital, Homestead.SCAS PROGRAM- "REMOTE OBSERVING"FRIDAY, APRIL 18th, 8 pm, SCAS public program will feature REMOTE OBSERVING with FIU research astronomer, Dr. James R. Webb, FIU Astronomy Center, CP-145, Physics Building, University Park, Sw 109th Ave./SW 8th Street. FREE. Call: 305-661-1375.

Grant Announcement

Staples Foundation for Learning Offers Support for Education
and Job Skills Programs
Deadline: March 14, 2008; and June 16, 2008
The mission of the Staples Foundation for Learning, Inc.
( http://www.staplesfoundation.org/ ) is "to teach, train, and inspire." The foundation contributes funds to national and local charities that provide educational opportunities and job skills for all people, with a special emphasis on disadvantaged youth.
To be eligible for consideration, the applicant organizations must have tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and align with the Staples Foundation for Learning's mission and focus on job skills and education.
The requested amount of each grant can be up to $25,000. Most grants awarded by the foundation are in the $5,000 to $25,000 range.
Grant decisions will be made three times a year. The proposal deadlines currently scheduled are May 2008 Decision -- proposals must be submitted between February 29 and March 14, 2008; September 2008 Decision -- proposals must be submitted between June 2 and June 16, 2008. Organizations are eligible to apply for a grant once every twelve months.
Visit the foundation's Web site for complete program information and instructions on submitting an online application.
RFP Link:
http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/10011825/staplesfdn
For additional RFPs in Education, visit:
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/cat_education.jhtml

Upcoming Grants

http://www.theesa.com/foundation/grant.php
Entertainment Software Association Foundation
The Entertainment Software Association Foundation (ESA) is dedicated to supporting positive programs and opportunities that make a difference in the quality of life, health, and welfare of youth. The foundation seeks to harness the collective power of the interactive entertainment industry to create positive social impact in America's communities. The interactive entertainment industry supports geographically diverse projects and programs that benefit American youth of all races and denominations and both genders. To receive funding, an organization making a grant request must meet the following criteria: be tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code; seek funding for a specific project or program that is or will be in two or more states and serves youth between the ages of 7 and 18; and provide youth programs in one or more of the following areas: skills & personal development; general health & welfare; risk behavior prevention; education; and multimedia arts/technology related or applied. Application deadline: April 15, 2008.

http://www.filmyourissue.com/index.shtml
Film Your Issue (FYI) Global Competition
USA Today, the United Nations, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other organizations and media leaders have joined forces to engage young adults (14-24) in contributing to the public dialogue on pressing social issues using the power of the Internet and user-generated content. In its 4th year, FYI - Film Your Issue has grown into a global Internet-based competition that invites high school and college students in the United States and around the world to express themselves on pressing contemporary issues by creating and up-loading short two-minute films on issues that impact them and their generation. Beginning February 15, films can be uploaded to multiple participating platforms, including MTV, YouTube, and American Film Institute Screen Nation, as well as promoted on MySpace TV. Awards and prizes include internships at USA Today, the UN, the award-winning PBS Series "P.O.V.", and the Humane Society of the United States; a $5,000 college scholarship from the Gates Foundation; having your film broadcast on Starz; having entries distributed by the Associated Press to its 1,800 Online Video Network media outlets; being profiled on MTV News and presented at the NAACP annual conference; VIP Pass/film presentation at AFI Silverdocs; the Walter Cronkite Civic Engagement Leadership Award and Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award; and many more. Application deadline: April 14, 2008.

http://www.moyerfoundation.org/events/erin.aspx
Moyer Foundation - 2008 Camp Erin Program
The Moyer Foundation has as its mission to offer encouragement, comfort, and support to children enduring a time of profound distress whether physical, emotional, or financial and to provide opportunities for enhancing their overall wellness, stability, and quality of life. In 2002, the Moyer Foundation created Camp Erin, a bereavement camp for grieving children. The foundation is now working to establish Camp Erin bereavement camps in every Major League Baseball city. To date eighteen camps have been established in twelve states. The Moyer Foundation invites proposals for the 2008 Camp Erin Program. The foundation will fund ten organizations across the United States with $100,000 each to establish and run a Camp Erin bereavement camp. Camp Erin, a bereavement camp for children between the ages of 6 and 17 who have experienced the death of a loved one, is a weekend-long experience filled with traditional camp activities combined with grief education and emotional support facilitated by grief professionals and trained volunteers. The Moyer Foundation partners with expert local hospice and grief counseling organizations in the communities where the camps are implemented and funds the camp partner over a ten-year period, ensuring that the program becomes an important part of community healing and growth. The foundation will provide $100,000 grants to organizations in the following cities: Atlanta, Cleveland, Detroit, Miami, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Toronto, and Washington, D.C. Application deadline: June 1, 2008.


Farmers Market Promotion Program
The Agricultural Marketing Service provides competitive grant funds for direct producer-to-consumer marketing opportunity projects that address issues related to farmers markets roadside stands, community supported agriculture programs, and other direct producer-to consumer marketing channels. Proposals may involve any of the following: Improving Access to Relevant Marketing and Financial Information – projects that provide opportunities and promote training, education, networking, technical assistance, and information sharing for farmers, vendors, market management, and market sponsors; Consumer-Based Education and Market Access – projects that address ways to improve consumers’ access to and utilization of direct farm markets/marketing outlets; and Innovative Approaches to Market Operations and Management – projects that address operational or market management issues, with the aim of enhancing product value and sales, increasing revenue and efficiency, or reducing expenses. Eligible applicants include: agricultural cooperatives, local governments, non-profit corporations public benefit corporations, economic development corporations, regional farmers’ market authorities, and Tribal Governments. Award ceiling: $75,000. Application deadline: March 24, 2008.

News from Kresge

A clarification to the Kresge application process.

The Kresge Foundation is a private foundation that supports communities by building the capacity of nonprofit organizations in six particular fields of interest: health, the environment, arts and culture, education, human services and community development.

Organizations that are currently in the process of completing full proposals have until March 31, 2008 to submit their proposals. Organizations that have not begun the application process but are planning to submit a new application are encouraged to first submit a Letter of Intent. This will be a requirement beginning April 1, 2008. Letters of Intent are accepted year round and reviewed throughout the year.

For more information please visit http://www.kresge.org/content/displaycontent.aspx?CID=98

Grant Funding Announcement

http://www.knightarts.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3&Itemid=2
Knight Arts Partnership
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has announced the Knight Arts Partnership, a $60 million initiative to support the arts in South Florida. The initiative has two parts: three large grants totaling $20 million to the Miami Art Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Arts in North Miami, and the New World Symphony; and a community challenge through which the foundation will commit $20 million over five years as challenge grants to fund innovative ideas in the arts in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The challenge invites ideas from nonprofits,
companies, and individuals, as well as from applicants of all nationalities and ages. While programs or projects must take place in Miami-Dade or Broward, the program is open to outstanding ideas from anyone in Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe, and Palm Beach counties. However, applicants must find other funding to match the grant from Knight. Application deadline: April 15, 2008.

http://www.kresge.org/content/displaycontent.aspx?CID=89
Challenge Grant Program
The Kresge Foundation has broadened the reach of its Challenge Grant Program to better support nonprofit organizations that are working to address society’s pressing issues in six fields of interest: health, the environment, arts and culture, education, human services, and community development. The goal is to help organizations to strengthen their long-term sustainability. Eligible facilities capital projects include: construction of facilities; renovation of facilities; purchase of real estate and conservation easements; and major integrated equipment systems. Eligible applicants include: 501 (c)(3) organizations not classified as private foundations; government entities; religious organizations; fully accredited degree granting colleges and universities; Elementary and secondary schools that serve predominately students with physical and/or developmental disabilities; Hospitals that are accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; and charitable international organizations. Application deadline: March 31, 2008.

http://www.motorola.com/content.jsp?globalObjectId=8772
Motorola Lincoln Grants
The Motorola Foundation, the philanthropic arm of global communications company Motorola, will partner with the Chicago History Museum to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. Working in collaboration, the groups will identify projects developed by civic, educational, and cultural organizations that actively engage the public in lessons drawn from Lincoln's life. The $750,000 grant program will fund programs that focus on three themes: Bringing history into the future; Engaging in current events; and Leadership skills. The awards will fund curriculum design, speech competitions and debates, community programming developed by educators in schools, community organizations, museums, arts and culture organizations, and other nonprofits exploring themes such as diversity, freedom, history, and leadership. Applicants may request up to $25,000. Select organizations may be asked to apply for larger grants. Grants will be awarded in two cycles: organizations must apply for spring grants by March 30, 2008; the fall application deadline is July 30, 2008.


http://www.florida-arts.org/grants/statetouring/index.htm
State Touring Program – Presenters
The purpose of the State Touring Program is to bring live performance to every corner of the state by the finest of Florida’s performing and visual artists. The Presenters component supports live performances by Florida’s performing and visual artists by providing matching grants to non-profit organizations wishing to present companies listed on the State Touring Roster. Priority is given to underpopulated counties. Applicants (presenters) may request fee support to represent artists featured in the State Touring Program Roster. The next deadline for presenters to apply is May 1, 2008.

Non-profit event announcement

CONTACT: RUBY ISSAEV
ARTS BALLET THEATRE OF FLORIDA
2646 NE - 189 TERRACE, MIAMI, FL 33180
305 935 3232 / FAX 305 9351035

One performance only in Miami Dade !
Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida presents “Doctor Ouch”! A ballet treat for audiences all ages.

Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida’s audiences were delighted this past weekend in Broward when they attended what ballet critic Lawrence Budmen described as the “perfect extravaganza combining story telling with elegant choreography”. Vladimir Issaev brings this fantastic tale, based on children poems by Kornei Chukovsky, about a Doctor that cures animals and goes to Africa to save the ill monkeys to the Julius Littman North Miami Beach Theater this Sunday, March 9 at 3:00 pm.

Doctor Ouch! is a Ballet in two acts, where extremely talented and well known Venezuelan actor Orlando Urdaneta as the main character of the piece leads an extraordinary cast of dancers into an adventure with pirates, chases and dances.

With spectacular costumes designed by Jorge Gallardo and a unique production, principal professional dancer Lara Garcia and her partenaire Andrey Konkin will dance the adagio of the exotic birds accompanied by a fabulous corps with music of Morozov and Lecoque and choreography by Vladimir Issaev.

This is a fun and gracious ballet part of the Family series that Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida offers to the audiences of South Florida.

This only performance will take place on Sunday March 9 at 3 pm at the Julius Littman North Miami Beach Performing Arts Theatre located at 17011 NE 19th Ave – North Miami Beach. Tickets are $ 25.00. Special Discount for children and seniors. For Tickets: 1 800 494 8497 http://www.boxofficetickets.com/

For more information http://www.artsballettheatre.org/

What the critics say:
“Issaev created a classical ballet sequence of entrancing beauty.”
“Issaev is an imaginative choreographer in the best Russian tradition. His sensual, inspired creation (set to languorous Russian music) was beguiling”.
Lawrence Budmen Entertainment News and Views, 2007