Blogs

Ever wonder how ACCE’s Education Attainment Division (EAD) team stays up to date on all things education and workforce development related? We take advantage of the many free e-newsletters available and wanted to share a few of our favorites with you. From equity to fundraising, this is by no means an exhaustive list, but rather a collection of the ones we have found to be most valuable. 

Collective Impact

Collective Impact Forum Newsletters
Content related to collective impact, includes case studies, tools, and resources from Collective Impact Forum / Note: You must make a profile to receive emails.

Economic & Workforce Development

C2ER Weekly
Content related to economic development, workforce, and labor issues, includes resources curated from around the web and programs of the Council for Community & Economic Research (C2ER).

National Skills Coalition Monthly
Content related to workforce, education, and training policies, includes news curated from the web and resources created by the National Skills Coalition.

SSTI Weekly
Content related to economic development through science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, includes news curated from around the web and analysis from the State Science & Technology Institute (SSTI).

U.S. Chamber Center for Education and Workforce Monthly
Content related to business engagement in education and workforce development, includes resources created by the U.S. Chamber Foundation.  

Education

Community College Daily or Weekly
Content related to issues and legislation that affect community colleges, includes resources curated from the web and articles written for the American Association of Community Colleges.

Education Dive Daily
Content related to trends and advancements in either the K-12 or higher education industries, includes headlines curated from around the web.

Gallup Newsletter
Content related to research on the U.S. education system, includes original data and research reports from Gallup.  

InsideTrack Innovation Bulletin Weekly 
Content related to innovation in higher education, includes headlines curated from around the web

Lumina Higher Ed News Daily
Content related to higher education attainment, includes news curated from around the web and resources created by Lumina Foundation.

Equity & Youth

America’s Promise Alliance Weekly
Content related to issues affecting the successful education path of young people, includes resources curated from around the web and a list of funding opportunities.

CLASP Newsletters
Content related to economic and workforce policies that affect low income people, includes analysis and resources from the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP).

Philanthropy and Fundraising

Inside Philanthropy Daily
Content related to fundraising strategies, includes insights into funder mindsets and fundraising tips.

Philanthropy News Digest RFP Alerts Daily
A daily roundup of recently announced requests for proposals from private, corporate, and government funding sources / Note: Creating an account allows you to filter your RFP preferences.

Philanthropy News Digest RFP Bulletin Weekly
A weekly roundup of recently announced requests for proposals from private, corporate, and government funding sources

Policy

Federal Flash
Five-minute (or less) video series on important developments in education policy from the Alliance for Excellent Education.

Pew State Line Daily or Weekly
Content related to trends in state policy, includes news curated from around the web and policy analysis by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Workplace/HR

HR Daily
Content related to workforce and workplace trends and practices, includes analysis and news from the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM).

Do you know of any e-newsletters to add? Email mvegliante@acce.org with your suggestion and it will be added to this list. 

Tags: Economic Development, education, Education Attainment, Grant research, Grants, Policy, Workforce Development

Chambers, like all businesses, investigate ways to bring in funding. Grants are one funding stream to look at. Our Chamberpedia page on Grants and Contracts addresses starting points for grant research. Federal grant and contract money can be another viable source of chamber income. However, seeking and securing these funds can be time consuming and expensive. The acquisitions process is typically heavy in administration. Once an agreement is reached, a chamber must be diligent in avoiding conflicts of interest with the government agency. However, many believe that the benefits outweigh the risks. Grants and contracts can provide funds that greatly accelerate community development in areas such as tourism, infrastructure, business and other special projects. Where to start learning about grants? Read ACCE's whitepaper on Chamber Revenue Models. See specifically the section on grants in these chapters: Convention and Visitors Bureaus chapter and Economic Development Funding chapter.

Dive in to grant resources and databases:

• Foundation Center - Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide.
• Foundation Center's Funding Information Network - The Foundation Center provides free funding information through more than 470 Funding Information Network locations at libraries, community foundations, and other nonprofit resource centers located across the U.S.
• Foundation Center's Top Funders - A list of the top 100 U.S. Foundations by Total Giving
• Grants.gov - Grants.gov is the centralized place to find and apply for federal grants.
• GrantStation - GrantStation.com, Inc. is a for-profit service that offers nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies the opportunity to identify potential funding sources for their programs or projects as well as resources to mentor these organizations through the grantseeking process.
• Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Free Grant Database - This free resource requires sign-up to search for educational and non-profit organization grant opportunities. The database is continuously updated.
• Small Business Administration Loans & Grants - Resources and directories on finding grants

Facing a disaster? See these specific grants for disaster assistance

• Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) - Assistance through HUD.gov
• CDBG Active Disaster Grants
• Disaster Assistance from FEMA
• FEMA Grants
• Disaster Assistance from SBA.Gov
• Disaster-related grants through Grants.gov
• See the Disaster Preparedness Chamberpedia page for more on disaster recovery efforts.

Have a few minutes? Read articles from the Chamber Executive archvies with great grant ideas:

• The Wright Way to Restore a Hotel and Revive a City, Chamber Executive magazine (Winter 2013)
• After the Headlines series, Chamber Executive magazine (Fall 2011)
• After the Headlines: Chamber Execs Lead Disaster Recovery Work, by Katherine House
• After the Headlines: Disaster Relief Success Stories, by Katherine House
• After the Headlines: Tips for Before and After Disaster Strikes, by Katherine House, Chamber Executive magazine article (Fall 2011)
• Legal Matters: Grants & Federal Contracts Requirements, Chamber Executive magazine article (July/August 2006)
• Grants and Federal Contracts Requirements: Strict, Complex, Specific, by Rebecca E. Pearson, Esq., Chamber Executive magazine (July/August 2006)
• Government Money: Gift or Gift Horse?, by Patricia Lee, Chamber Executive magazine (July/August 2006)
• Grant's Anatomy, by Gail Vertz, Chamber Executive magazine (July/August 2005)

Has your chamber had success with grants? Tell us about it! Comment here or tell us more about the resources you used. Email HERO@acce.org.

Tags: Grant research, Grants, HERO