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Independent Living Services’ application for the Arkansas Coalition for Excellence’s Nonprofit Capacity Building Program has been accepted.

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Arkansas Nonprofit Capacity Building Program

This program is intended to build the capacity of nonprofit community and faith-based organizations to better serve those in need, and to increase nonprofit organizations’ ability to address economic recovery issues in their communities, such as helping low-income individuals find employment, improve skills and attain better jobs, and access to Federal and State benefits. The program includes workshops to train nonprofit organizations on best management practices and will provide direct technical assistance to individual organizations.

The program is funded by a grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and is managed by the Arkansas Coalition for Excellence.

Independent Living Services is part of a group of 20 organizations participating in the Central Region of Arkansas in this program. There are similar groups gathering for the program in northwest, southwest, southeast and northeast regions of Arkansas.

The series of workshops begin Wednesday, September 15 in Little Rock.

The program consists of:

Nine training workshops on the topics of:

• • Strategic Planning
  • Program Development
  • Evaluation & Monitoring
  • Resource Development and Grant Writing
  • Communications for Nonprofits
  • Financial Management
  • Leadership
  • Collaboration & Community Engagement
  • Organizational Development

Technical assistance on the topics of:

• • Conducting a Strategic Planning Workshop & Writing the Plan
  • Writing & Submitting a Grant
  • Need areas specific to the Organization, Identified Through Assessment Tools

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Arkansas Coalition for Excellence

Arkansas Coalition for Excellence (ACE) is the Arkansas state association of nonprofit organizations and is Arkansas’ representative in the National Council of Nonprofits.

Members include nonprofits, foundations, businesses, and individuals committed to excellence in the state’s nonprofit sector.

ACE works with nonprofits of every size and function with one goal: maximizing effectiveness so that every donated dollar results in greater impact. This is achieved through a groundbreaking combination of training, collaboration, and networking, focused upon The Arkansas Diamond Standards(tm) for operational excellence. Additional benefits, such as cost sharing, public advocacy, and news on the nonprofit sector make ACE the connection to success for its members.

www.acenonprofit.org

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Jail & Bail

One of the March of Dimes favorite events, Jail & Bail brings together community leaders and ordinary citizens for a common cause… fighting birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Since its inception in 1957, more than 5 million citizens have volunteered their time in the name of fun – and a good cause.

March of Dimes

The March of Dimes mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. We carry out this mission through research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies’ lives. March of Dimes researchers, volunteers, educators, outreach workers and advocates work together to give all babies a fighting chance against the threats to their health: prematurity, birth defects, low birthweight.

www.marchofdimes.com

Consumers at Profiles Enrichment Center, the adult development program at Independent Living Services, continue to collect soda can tabs for Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Last year, friends of the Ronald McDonald House around the nation collected approximately 60,000 pounds of pop-tabs, raising over $24,000 to help provide families a home-away-from-home.

Proceeds from the recycled soda can tabs collected by Profiles Enrichment Center are used to help pay for operations costs of the local Ronald McDonald House in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Your soda can tabs may be dropped off at Profiles Enrichment Center in Conway.
View Profiles Enrichment Center in a larger map

Why soda can tabs?

Ronald McDonald Houses collect pop tabs instead of entire aluminum cans because the tabs are pure high-quality aluminum, unlike cans, which consist of aluminum and other alloys. Tabs are also easier to store than whole cans.

Collecting pop tabs is a great way to teach kids about philanthropy and the importance of recycling, and raise funds to help children and their families at the same time.

Ronald McDonald House Charities

The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well being of children.

Mark your calendars for the 2010 Conway EcoFest to be held at Laurel Park the second Saturday in September – Saturday September 11th, 2010.

The Conway EcoFest is a non-traditional, highly interactive, educational community event  designed for all ages and diverse interests, and will take a broad and balanced look at our environment, similar to science/children’s museums.  Exhibits will engage and encourage participants to explore the overlapping nature of environmental issues and our daily lives. Many practical/local opportunities will be explored as well.

Profiles Productions, a division of Independent Living Services, has sponsored this event. Representatives from Profiles Productions will be available to answer any questions you may have during the event.

Profiles  Productions offers employment to over 40 people with developmental disabilities in recycling and contract work positions.

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EcoFest’s Mission

To create a highly interactive environmental community festival that celebrates the interconnected web of life, demonstrates present ecological issues and imbalances, and invites and portrays creative exploration of new ways of living that are more balanced, united and enjoyable.

www.conwayecofest.com

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