NeighborWoods Month Photo Contest Winners Announced

Washington, DC (December 7, 2006)- Congratulations to René Lafflam of RNeighbors (Rochester, MN) for her winning NeighborWoods Month photo! René's photo captured the spirit of volunteerism that thrives in NeighborWoods programs across the nation.

Martin Luther King Day of Service Grants- Deadline: Jan. 15 

The National Association of Service and Conservation Corps (NASCC), in cooperation with the Corporation for National and Community Service, is offering mini-grants to support service projects as part of the 21st anniversary of the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday (January 15, 2007). These mini-grants will support service activities designed to alleviate conditions of poverty in communities and engage disadvantaged youth. 

State of Childhood Asthma Report.  A report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in December 2006 shows that death rates for asthma among children under age 18 have declined since 1999, while doctor visits for the condition have more than doubled. While the death rate has been decreasing, the overall prevalence of childhood asthma cases is at historically high levels in the United States following dramatic increases from 1980 until the late 1990s.

Growing Your Urban Tree Replacement Program- Jan. 10, 2007

(National Webcast). Hosted by the American Public Works Association, this two-hour webcast is designed to help public works professionals understand the basics of tree planting and care.

Advocacy Efforts Fuel State U&CF Program Growth

Washington, DC (December 18, 2006)- At the state level, partners are anticipating continued pressure on the federal budget for urban & community forestry, which has suffered five years of steady cuts. The outlook for next year's FY 2008 federal budget is also poor. State urban forestry programs, in an effort to grow, are looking to state governors and general assemblies for budget support.

Shreveport Green- LANO Standards for Excellence Program

(Shreveport, LA) Shreveport Green, like nonprofits nationwide, recognizes that major donors are becoming more sophisticated about their giving choices. In the wake of corporate reforms sparked by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, business leaders expect that nonprofit organizations follow corporate procedures for limiting risk, financial management, and accountability. Pursuing certification through the Standards of Excellence program is helping Shreveport Green audit and enhance its management practices, and will earn the organization outside recognition that assures its donors that Shreveport Green is efficient and well-managed.