Athens Area Homeless Shelter

News

Building Community Services Project Awards Grants

2010-03-03

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



February 22, 2010



CONTACT:

John Scoggins, President/CEO

706/546-8293, ext 12

Jennifer E. Cantwell, BCS Project Director

706/546-8293, ext 40

cantwelljenn@gmail.com

ACTION, Inc.



Building Community Services Project Awards Grants

Training, Technical Assistance and Financial Assistance to Local Non-Profit Organizations





ACTION, Inc. has awarded grants of free training and technical assistance to 31 local nonprofit organizations. The purpose of the grants is to build the capacity of organizations that are addressing economic recovery issues; thereby improving their ability to serve their clients and the community. Of the 31 organizations, 18 will also receive financial assistance totaling just over $293,400. Financial awards ranging from $2,100 to $27,619 were awarded to organizations serving Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, and Jackson counties.



The BCS Project is a partnership between ACTION, Inc., Community Connection of Northeast Georgia (CC), Inc., and The Institute for Nonprofit Organizations in the School of Social Work at UGA (The Institute). This Federal Grant was awarded in September 2009 with ACTION, Inc. as the Grantee. The funds come from the Strengthening Communities Fund--Nonprofit Capacity Building Program through the Department of Health & Human Services, administered by the Administration of Families & Children, Office of Community Services. These funds are part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.



A Call for Proposals was issued mid-December 2009. A total of 44 organizations applied for assistance and funds totaling over $1 million. An 11 member Screening Committee representing the five counties selected the 31 organizations to receive assistance.



“We are really excited about the opportunity to provide these free services to local organizations. We truly believe by building the capacity of nonprofit organizations, citizens in the five communities will benefit. This is a new project for our community. We are very pleased with the response and the process thus far,” said BCS Project Director Jennifer Cantwell.



The following Awardees will receive at least 8 hours of group training and 16 hours of individualized technical assistance:






Training, Technical Assistance & Financial Assistance

Advantage Behavioral Health: Vocational Readiness Program

Athens Area Homeless Shelter

Athens Clarke County Family Connection/Communities in Schools

Athens Clarke Literacy Council

Athens Community Council on Aging

Athens Urban Ministries

ATLAS Ministry

Boys & Girls Club of Athens

Casa de Amistad

Children First

Community Partnership of Elbert County

Diakonia Christian Legal Services

Peace Place

Prevent Child Abuse Athens

Project Safe

St. Vincent de Paul Society, Christ Our Savior Conference

The Tree House

Waseca Learning Environment



Training & Technical Assistance

Athens Justice Project

Barrow County Family Connection/Communities in Schools

Cancer Foundation of Northeast Georgia

Economic Justice Coalition

Interfaith Hospitality Network

Jefferson First United Methodist Church

Multiple Choices Center for Independent Living

Nancy Travis Hope for Babies

Northeast Georgia Community Development Corporation

The Healing Place

The Stable Foundation

Georgia Clients Council

Express HOME








The BCS Project will award another Cycle of Capacity Building Assistance to be announced late Summer/early Fall 2010. A total of $600,000 will be awarded over the two Cycles. Group trainings are open to any interested organization based on space availability. For more details please see http://bcsgrantproject.weebly.com/.