flckr: Brittney Bush

Great news! The City of Dayton and surrounding communities were awarded $29 million in stimulus funds to deal with some 1,200 abandoned, foreclosed and deteriorating homes.  (Here's a video announcement.)   Stimulus funding will also connect Dayton to other cities in Ohio by high-speed rail.

Stimulus controversy! The State of Ohio submitted a Race to the Top grant application to the U.S. Department of Education.  Oakwood, Kettering, and Centerville agreed to participate in this school funding competition, but Dayton Public Schools did not.  Dayton stood to receive at least $5 million if the application succeeds, but the teachers union opted out.  It seems the grant guidelines had too many strings attached!  Read more in the Dayton Daily News.

More local news:

• Dayton Daily News coverage of United Way on Sunday's front page and in the editorial section
• WorkflowOne Employee Foundation announced $20,000 in grants
• The Troy Foundation announced $160,000 in grants
• How the Dayton Mall supports local charities
• Dayton History takes on management of Old Courthouse and Memorial Hall
• CityFolk Director steps down
• Are hospital CEOs paid too much?

Winter Showcase of Nonprofits
Saturday, February 27, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Learning Tree Farm invites your nonprofit to join the new Winter Showcase of Nonprofits during the 10th Annual Antiques Appraisal at Town & Country Shopping Center.  For details about this promotional opportunity please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call Valerie at 269-1304

Beautification Grants

Keep Montgomery County Beautiful will award grants of up to $250 for eligible groups to purchase plants or bulbs.  Deadline to apply is March 1.  For details visit http://www.mcswd.org/beauweb.pdf.  With questions contact Jane Tomcisin at (937) 496-6796 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Volunteer Management Training Series, Piqua OH

Hands On West Central Ohio

Various dates, January to June

http://www.handsonwestcentralohio.org/documents/MiamiCountyVMTS.pdf

Report on AAGP 2009 National Conference

Guest speaker Linda Butler of Butler Consulting

American Association of Grant Professionals, Miami Valley Chapter

Tuesday, February 2, 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

www.mvaagp.net

New York Foundation for the Arts

Learn about NYFA's extensive fundraising programs to assist individual artists nationwide

University of Dayton ArtStreet

Friday, February 12, 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm 

Dayton Visual Arts Center 

Saturday, February 13, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm 

How to Develop Relationships and Close Charitable Gifts Better than the Person Next to You

Guest speaker Jim Gillespie, President, Commonwealth Consultants in Philanthropy, Indianapolis

Co-Hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning, Greater Dayton chapters

Wednesday, February 17, Registration begins at 11:30, Program begins at noon

www.afpdayton.org

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Communicating your cause and getting people involved is the essence of fundraising.     Your writing is going to do a lot of that work - so never stop making it stronger!

• How does your nonprofit size up?  Take Tom Ahern's Nine-step Communications Self-Audit.
• Civicus, an international alliance of nonprofits, offers this thorough online guide to Writing Effectively and Powerfully.

Here are many more books and websites to help.