|
NOTES FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FROM THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
The family-strengthening movement is gaining
momentum both statewide and nationally. On May
10-12, 2007 a national Strengthening Families
Leadership Summit will be convened in California.
This is expected to be a landmark event with over 23
states participating in leadership teams consisting of
partner agencies, affiliates, policymakers, child abuse
prevention, and early childhood leaders, progressive
child welfare leaders, researchers, family support
practitioners, parent leaders and international
colleagues committed to strengthening families. The
Summit will launch the Strengthening Families
National Network as one of the first steps to moving
into the future. CFRA has been invited to play a key role
in this gathering as well as invite allies and leaders in
the field to be a part of California's delegation. CFRA is
extending invitations to key allies, partners and future
partners from child welfare, mental health, school
readiness, and family economic success fields. We
extend a special invitation to you, our CFRA members,
to join us at this major event.This will help us
to continue to galvanize the family-strengthening field.
(For registration see the Strengthening Families
Leadership Summit link under News & Events)
Further, the summit will:
- Specifically define family strengthening. (We all
know what a challenge it has been to articulate and
message "family support"!)
- Promote the acceptance of the family development
approach with young children initiatives and efforts.
- Expand the mission of early care and
education.
- Push the child welfare and an early care and
education system toward a family strengthening
practice approach that achieves desired outcomes.
- Emphasize that opportunities reside where
families are, such as in early care and education
centers, family resource centers, churches, etc.
- Learn about protective factors that support families,
such as promoting optimal development in early
childhood.
- Provide an opportunity for states to work as a team,
along with working with other states.
This is an exciting and tremendous opportunity to build
momentum for strengthening families in California and
across the country. Our state and nation will truly
flourish only when families are self-sufficient and
thriving. Please join us on
May 10-12, 2007 in San Diego. Please contact me at
(916) 338-6633 if you have any questions
Thank you for your membership and support of CFRA!
Leticia Alejandez
Executive Director
Networks on the Cutting
Edge - Development of Family Support
Standards.
For years the family-strengthening field has
entertained the notion of developing uniform standards
for family support programs. This has been a
challenge given the uniqueness of each program and
given
that they are tailored for the needs of communities that
vary from place to place. However, the 9 family
support principles provide a foundation from which to
build.
There are various regional family support networks that
are endeavoring to develop standards that would
support quality. In this article
CFRA introduces you to the San Francisco Family
Support Network (SFFSN) which has recently adopted
family
support standards.
In the summer of 2006,
the City of San Francisco Department of Children,
Youth and Families piloted a set of Family Support
Standards. There are many family-strengthening
organizations and groups providing services to
families in San Francisco County, each providing
services prompted by the needs of their communities.
In addition, each utilizing various evaluation tools and
databases. As in many counties there was no
coordination of services or uniform standards used to
define and promote family support and to illustrate the
need and benefit of family resource centers.
SFFSN volunteered to spearhead the development of
the
Family Support Standards. SFFSN was founded in
2004 as a
membership organization for the purpose of bringing
together stakeholders in the field of family support from
San Francisco County. Members include foundations,
public department funders, family resource centers
and families. The make-up of SFFSN=92s membership
base makes them uniquely qualified as the author of
the Family Support Standards, creating a product that
reflects the family support field as a whole.
The Standards have four components: 1) Family-
Centeredness 2) Cultural Competency and Diversity 3)
Community-Building, Advocacy & Collaborative
Partnerships and 4) Evaluation. Utilizing the nine
principles of family support, SFFSN developed 13
standards from the perspective of the recipient and
established what services would look like with
Minimum and High Quality
Indicators. The Family Support
Standards have been adopted by SFFSN=92s full
membership. Implementation of the Family Support
Standards by family-strengthening organizations in
San Francisco County ensures that families uniformly
receive the highest quality services. SFFSN is currently
working with funders to make implementation of the
Family Support Standards a requirement in county
RFPs.
Andrew Russo, Executive Director of SFFSN
acknowledges that the Family Support Standards
established for San Francisco County were not created
as a template for other counties, rather suggesting that
each county go through the process of researching
existing standards, evaluation tools and materials
used by service providers to establish best practices
that will benefit the entire spectrum of organizations,
individuals and families working in the family support
field. He also acknowledges the awesomeness of
defining family support and treats the Family Support
Standards as a living document that will be reviewed
on an annual basis and adjusted as required.
SFFSN is eager to discuss the development and
benefits of Family Support Standards with other
counties that are interested in developing standards of
their own. You may reach Andrew Russo at (415) 437-
4654
To
read the San Francisco Family Support
Standards...
COMING SOON:
- Spring/Summer 2007
-CFRA will provide each
member with a policy kit that will include local and
state representative information, how to build
relationships with key
policymakers and when and how to host site visits
with legislators and local officials. Plus much more!
-CFRA in partnership with Strategies will conduct a
series of regional convenings to increase the capacity
of CFRA's membership to understand the benefits of
networks, emphasizing
shared knowledge, strategies and resources and the
power of a unified policy voice.
|
|
| |
CFRA is a statewide membership association of
organizations and individuals working to build vibrant
communities that put children and families first.
Founded in 2005, CFRA advocates for policies,
programs and resources that help families and
communities to thrive and succeed. CFRA promotes
common sense approaches that help families
achieve stability and self-sufficiency by developing
community resources and building on the strengths,
committments and integrity of families.
|
| |
| |
| |
| POLICY |
| |
The Capitol Report March 2007 This monthly
report
keeps you informed about what is happening in
the State Capitol and how CFRA is working to make
families
a legislative priority. The report will
feature legislative updates, committee hearings,
legislator profiles and legislative information. To read
the full report...
|
| |
For more policy information... |
| |
| FINANCIAL TIPS |
| |
New to the e-newsletter, CFRA will provide articles
containing financial tips for nonprofits. This
does not constitute advice, nor should it replace formal
guidance from your CPA or legal counsel.
Its
tax time again! Your organization may be known as
a "tax-exempt" organization, however that doesn't make
you exempt from filing a tax return. Here are some tips
to consider:
What form does a tax-exempt organization file?
Form 990 is an annual reporting return that certain
federally tax-exempt organizations must file with the
IRS. It's an "informational" return on the tax-exempt
organization's mission, programs and finances.
What's the difference between Form 990 and
Form 990-EZ?
Form 990-EZ is the "short form" for other 990 filers;
exempt nonprofits with gross receipts of less than
$100,000 and assets of less than $250,000 at the end
of the year may file Form 990-EZ if that is their
preference.
Form 990 is the "lengthy form" that other 990 filers
with incomes of more than $100,000 or assets above
$250,000 must file.
Which organizations are required to file Form 990?
Generally, with some exceptions federally tax
exempt nonprofits that have gross receipts of more
than $25,000 must file an informational return Form
990
All 501 (c)(3) private foundations, regardless of
income.
Which organizations are not required to file
Form
990?
In general, nonprofits that have not received
tax
exempt status from the IRS
Most faith-based organizations
Nonprofits with incomes less than $25,000
Subsidiary organizations
For specific exceptions, see Form 990 and 990-
EZ instructions .
|
| |
For more resource information... |
| |
| RESOURCES |
| |
The California Endowment is offering grants
through
its CommunitiesFirst
program which supports projects that directly benefit
California residents in four areas: access; community
innovation; health and well-being; and multi-cultural
health. For more information, contact the
California Endowment at (818) 703-3311 or at
CommunitiesFirst@calendow.org. For web link...
The Allstate Foundation is offering grants that
will
support programs in three areas: economic
empowerment; safe and vital communities; and
tolerance, inclusion and diversity. For more
information, contact the Allstate Foundation at (847)
402-5502.For web link...
April 13, 2007 Deadline - The Robert Wood
Johnson
Foundation is offering grants through their Fresh
Ideas: Improving the Health of Immigrant and Refugee
Communities program. Eight to 10 grants of up to
$300,000 each over a maximum of three years will
support new community-based projects concerned
with the health of immigrants and refugees. For more
information contact RWJF at (888) 631-9989 or for web link...
The California Wellness Foundation is offering
grants to organizations that provide direct services in
disease prevention, health promotion or wellness
education in California. Some of the areas that
activities should fall into are: environmental health,
mental health, teenage pregnancy prevention, violence
prevention, women's health, issues related to work
and health or other programs within the foundation's
mission. Requests for core operating expenses
support are encouraged. Grants range from $5,000 to
$200,000 each over one to three years.
For more information...
The California Department of Education (CDE)
through a request for proposals, is seeking a three-
year professional development contract for adult
education. The contractor will lead the adult education
Research-to-Practice Initiative to design and provide
statewide and regional professional development
activities for adult education teachers and
administrators throughout the state and guide
development of site-based professional development
for adult education local agencies. All professional
development activities must be based on adult
education research and professional development
research while available. Eligible applicants include:
Local education agencies, nonprofit organizations,
institutions of higher education and other organizations
or agencies. For more information...
Earned Income Tax Credit Toolkit The National
Assembly's Family Strengthening Policy Center, with
support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, has
created an EITC Toolkit that will give limited income
earners access to an important federal tax benefit that
may be worth more than $4200. Clients and
employees of family resource centers and
family-strengthening organizations can utilize this
antipoverty investment strategy as a means to financial
sustainability. To download the EITC
toolkit...
|
| |
|
| |
| NEWS & EVENTS |
| |
Save the date...
March 27, 2007 (Fresno)
The Budget and Family-Strengthening
Organizations: What Does the Budget Process Mean to
You and the Work You Do? To help you - our
valued members - understand the budget process,
CFRA is offering four budget briefings in partnership
with the California Budget Project (CBP). CBP is a
respected, non-profit, non-partisan organization that
engages in fiscal and policy analysis and public
education. Its goal is to improve public policies
affecting the economic and social well-being of low-
and middle-income Californians. We are delighted to
be working in partnership with CBP to help you
understand the implications of the budget process on
the families and communities you serve. Registration
fees are nominal for CFRA members thanks to the
generous support of the S.H. Cowell Foundation.
For registration
material...
April, May & June 2007 - Money Matters
This year The California Association of Nonprofits
(CAN) is presenting Money Matters in six locations
statewide, with three group sessions and six breakout
workshops on issues of vital importance to nonprofits.
For
more information...
April 19, 2007 - Prevent Child Abuse California
Policy Conference - Advocacy Day Talking
points will include: shaken baby syndrome;
strengthening families to prevent child abuse and
neglect; and recommendations for preventing entrance
into foster care. All participants will receive lunch, child
abuse and neglect information packets, and advocacy
training provided by the partners of McHugh and
Associates. Registration is open through April 6,
2007. For more information=
...
May 1, 2007 - The third annual foster care
month event and rally in Sacramento is scheduled for
Tuesday May, 1 at 10:30 a.m. For more information
contact Cathy Murnighan, Foster Care Month Event
Coordinator at (916) 944-4935 or at
c.murnighan@comcast.net
May 10-12, 2007 - Strengthening Families
Leadership Summit, San Diego, CA. The Center
for the Study of Social Policy is convening the first ever
Strengthening Families Leadership Summit. This
invitation only national gathering will include many
allies and supporters that Strengthening Familes has
garnered since the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
started on a quest to find a new strength-based
approach to preventing harm to children and promoting
optimal development. For more
information...
|
| |
For more news & events... |
| |
|
