Center on the Family offers training workshops statewide

Workshops offer opportunities for grass roots, community service and faith-based organizations to apply for grant funds

University of Hawaiʻi
Contact:
Posted: Nov 4, 2005

The Center on the Family (COF) at the University of Hawaiʻi will offer public information meetings this month for all grass roots, community service and faith-based organizations statewide interested in learning how to obtain training, technical assistance and grant funds that will provide opportunities to build their social services for Hawaiʻi‘s low income and under-resourced population.

Up to 40 organizations will be selected to participate in the Hawaiʻi Moving Forward Fellows Program. Organizations will receive individualized organizational assessments that will identify areas in need of strengthening, technical assistance from a cadre of coaches, and the opportunity to apply for grants to support capacity building initiatives.

Organizations who have not received previous funding from this program are invited to attend informational sessions on the following days (no registration required):



Kauai - Nov. 10, 1:30-2:30 p.m., State Office Building, 3060 Eiwa St., 2nd Floor Conference Room


Maui - Nov. 14, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Maui CC, 310 W. Kaahumanu Ave., Laulima 102


Oahu - Nov. 13, 2-3 p.m., Kapiolani CC, 4303 Diamond Head Rd., Ilima B&C


Hilo - Nov. 16, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Komohana Extension Service, 875 Komohana St., 2nd Floor Conference Room A


Kona - Nov. 17, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Kona Outdoor Circle Education Center, 76-6280 Kuakini Hwy. >br>

"Organizations that have previously participated in the Fellows Program found it was effective in helping them develop their internal structures," said Ivette Rodriguez Stern, COF project coordinator. "Only a handful of organization had strategic plans or financial management systems in place when they started, and now almost all do while a few others are in the process of developing these. In addition, these organizations have diversified their funding and increased revenues generated by grants, contributions, gift and donations."

The Hawaiʻi Moving Forward project, a collaborative effort of UH‘s COF, the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, and the Hawaiian Islands Ministries, is supported by a $950,000 Compassion Capital grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The project aims to build the knowledge and capacity of local community and faith-based organizations through training workshops, technical assistance, customized training and grant funds.

This is the second time the Center on the Family has received a grant from the Compassion Capital Fund to conduct organizational capacity building initiatives for local organizations. In 2002, COF was awarded a $1.8 million grant to conduct the Hawaiʻi Moving Forward project as a three-year demonstration project. The first Hawaiʻi Moving project provided the intensive training (Fellows) program to representatives from 25 organizations. The Hawaiʻi Community Foundation provided a 50 percent match to the federal grant. Hawaiʻi Moving Forward is one of 20 programs funded nationally in 2005.

In addition to the Fellows Program, 23 capacity building workshops have been conducted, either through large conferences or individual training events, to more than 1,100 representatives from faith and community organizations throughout the state.

For more information on Hawaiʻi Moving Forward and how to apply for participation, visit the project Web site at http://www.uhfamily.hawaii.edu. To be placed on the Hawaiʻi Moving Forward e-mail list, interested organizations should contact the Center on the Family at 956-4132.

For more information, visit: http://www.uhfamily.hawaii.edu