February 2007

In This Issue

• Fiscal Year 2007 Federal Budget
• HUD proposes additional information collection requirements for Fair Housing reports
• Private Foundation Funding
• Funding Tip

Fiscal Year 2007 Federal Budget

On January 31, the House passed a $463.5 billion joint resolution (HJ Res 20) to fund the federal government for the remainder of FY 2007. The resolution eliminates earmark language from bills that were drafted but not passed during the 109th Congress.

The Senate waited until the last minute to approve the measure. With the February 15 deadline looming from the previous continuing resolution (CR) passed at the end of the last Congress, the Senate passed the bill by an 81-15 margin on February 14, and President Bush signed it into law on February 15 (Public Law 110-5).

Under the measure, most programs will continue to be funded at FY 2006 levels. This is the first year a CR is being used to fund the government for an entire year. The Democrats wanted to get the FY 2007 funding situation resolved quickly at the start of the 110th Congress and move on to the FY 2008 budget.

Those programs of interest to civil legal services providers specifically mentioned in the resolution are:

• Community Development Block Grant program: $3,710,916,000; the same level as in FY 2006
  
• Homeless Assistance Grants: $1,441,600,000; an increase from $1.37 billion for FY 2006
  
• All programs funded by the Office on Violence Against Women: $382,534,000; no amounts given for the individual programs
  
• Legal Services Corporation: $348,578,000; an additional $22 million more than FY 2006 funding
  

HUD proposes additional information collection requirements for Fair Housing reports

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is seeking approval to require more reporting from those receiving fair housing grants. The new reporting would impact Private Enforcement, Education and Outreach and Fair Housing Organization grants under HUD’s Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP). HUD wants quarterly and final progress reports and enforcement logs in order to evaluate the performance of organizations that receive funding and to determine the impact of the program on preventing and eliminating discriminatory housing practices.

For more information, contact Lillian Deitzer, Departmental Reports Management Officer, (202) 708-2374; e-mail: Lillian_L._Deitzer@HUD.gov.

To access the announcement, go to the Federal Register of January 25, 2007 (72 FR 3403-3404) .

Private Foundation Funding

• American Bar Association Child Custody and Adoption Pro Bono Project
  http://www.abachildcustodyproject.org
  Deadline: February 28, 2007
  

  The American Bar Association Child Custody and Adoption Pro Bono Project has announced its 2007 Child Custody Grant Advocate Program. The Project will award a total of $50,000 in grants, ranging from $4,000 to $20,000 each. The focus of the grants this year is Lawyers and Law Schools Partnering to Serve Children. The grant proposals must specifically be tailored to fit the subject for this year.

  Applications and Guidelines are available at http://www.abachildcustodyproject.org .

• ABA Announces its Intensive Private Bar Campaign Training
  Deadline: March 9, 2007
  

  The American Bar Association’s Legal Services Project of the Section of Litigation has announced its two-day private bar, capital or endowment campaign training for 2007. This year it will be held on April 13 - 14 in San Antonio, Texas. The Section of Litigation will again be offering this training for free and will provide a travel stipend of about $700, plus meals, to participating programs.

  Submission of an application by Friday, March 9 is required and attendees will be selected by the Legal Services Project of the Section of Litigation. For more information about this training and the application form, visit the event listing in NLADA’s National Training Calendar.

• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
  Fresh Ideas: Improving the Health of Immigrant and Refugee Communities
  Deadline: April 13, 2007
  

  As reported in the December 2006 issue of Advocacy Funding Fact$, Fresh Ideas: Improving the Health of Immigrant and Refugee Communities, an initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, provides support to new community-based approaches to health problems faced by immigrants and refugees. This initiative aims to give immigrants and refugees the tools and support they need to improve and maintain their own health. They often have high rates of chronic health problems, due at least in part to difficulties they have getting appropriate social and health services. Language barriers, lack of education and cultural differences sometimes make it harder for immigrants and refugees to obtain culturally appropriate services, outreach or other information that could help them live healthier lives.

  The foundation is especially interested in providing support to organizations outside the formal network of health care providers, such as grassroots organizations, faith-based organizations and advocacy organizations, rather than traditional providers, such as hospitals and medical clinics. Grants up to $300,000 for up to three years will be available. Under this initiative, they will fund eight to ten projects in 2007. They anticipate reviewing groups of proposals several times in 2007.

Funding Tip

How to Succeed in Fundraising by Really Trying

Lewis B. Cullman, frequently listed among the nation’s leading philanthropists, has written a guide addressing the "Do's" and "Don'ts" of fundraising. How to Succeed in Fundraising by Really Trying is a free 18-page guide that offers practical advice to anyone asking for money for their cause. Based on Cullman’s years of experience raising money as well as being asked for it, the booklet is a handy and plainspoken guide for anyone soliciting money for a charitable cause. Visit the Web site listed above to download a free copy of the guide.