Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Grant Proposal: Omnicare Foundation (Cincinnati)
Monday, August 30, 2010
Grant Proposal: Ohio National Foundation (Cincinnati)
Sunday, August 29, 2010
This Week in BDPA (Aug 29-Sep 4)
Are you taking advantage of these programs? Here is a weekly preview of upcoming events gathered from the centralized BDPA calendar :
- Aug 31: New York - Networking, 'General Membership Meeting'
- Sep 2-5: Atlanta - Networking, 'Sankof 2.5 Event: Alien Encounters'
African Americans Discouraged From Pursuing STEM Careers
Did any of you read the Bayer Corporation survey that said significant numbers of today’s women and underrepresented minority chemists and chemical engineers (40 percent) say they were discouraged from pursuing a STEM career (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) at some point in their lives.
If the future faces of technology are being discouraged by others ... it is important that BDPA do some powerful encouraging with our programs and services.
"We want to knock down barriers. If we can do that, we’ll be able to develop the attitudes, behaviors, opportunities and resources that lead to success."
U.S. colleges are cited by them as the leading place in the American education system where discouragement happens (60 percent) and college professors as the individuals most likely responsible for the discouragement (44 percent).
The U.S. K-12 education system falls short, too. On average, the survey respondents give it a “D” for the job it does to encourage minorities to study STEM subjects and a “D+” for girls.
The Bayer Facts of Science Education XIV survey polled 1,226 female, African American, Hispanic and American Indian chemists and chemical engineers about their childhood, academic and workplace experiences that play a role in attracting and retaining women and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
WellPoint Foundation
The WellPoint Foundation is a private, non-profit organization wholly funded by WellPoint, Inc. Through charitable contributions and programs, the Foundation promotes WellPoint’s inherent commitment to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families in communities that WellPoint serves.
The WellPoint Foundation supports not-for-profit organizations whose projects and programs align with their mission and key initiatives.
The WellPoint Foundation supports the efforts of WellPoint’s 43,000 associates across the country who, through their generosity of time, money and energy, live our mission each and every day by working to improve the lives of the people we serve and the health of our communities.
- Community Service Day -- On April 25, 2009, WellPoint associates and their guests across the country spent their Saturday showing the community that they care. More than 4,000 associates and guests registered to participate in 200 projects across 32 states and the District of Columbia. "It was an extraordinary day, and we really made a difference in the health of the communities we call home," said Caz Matthews, president, WellPoint Foundation. Projects were developed by working in collaboration with the United Way, March of Dimes, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Keep America Beautiful, and Feeding America. All projects were aligned with WellPoint's and the WellPoint Foundation's giving mission.
- Associate Giving Campaign -- Each year, the WellPoint Foundation supports their Associate Giving Campaign by providing a generous 50 percent match for associate contributions up to $25,000, per campaign year. In 2008, WellPoint’s Associate Giving Campaign, chaired by company Executive VP Dijuana Lewis, raised over $24 million for non-profit organizations through associate pledges and WellPoint Foundation matching gifts. WellPoint’s Associate Giving Campaign is truly “open,” allowing associates to contribute dollars to any qualifying non-profit organization. That means a wide variety of groups, including schools and other community organizations, benefit from their generosity.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Where is BDPA When It Comes to Innovation? Todd Q. Adams (Cleveland)
Todd Q. Adams is a longtime member of BDPA Cleveland chapter. He shared his thoughts on the open-ended query, Where is BDPA When It Comes to Innovation?:
Bro. Adams shared his candid thoughts on the issue of Innovation and BDPA. Can we have an online dialogue? What say u?
Ironically, I have engaged a few long standing BDPA members on this very subject. There is this undercurrent of members that believe that BDPA is entrenched in a paradigm that has come and gone. I tend to agree. The discussion of innovation usually takes place within a "technology vacuum"
First of all, the business and technology landscape is forever changed. It is no longer just about innovation. Public policy is changing the technology landscape forever. The Smart Grid, meaningful use of electronic health records, and interoperable public safety communications networks are being driven home by the Obama administration. Billions of stimulus dollars being allocated for technology, and I am astounded by the lack of awareness among black IT professionals. Yet, we can't get past discussions about resume writing and the next release of some vendor software.
Policy determines where broadband infrastructure is deployed, how funding is allocated, and public-private partnerships. The next generation of applications and services are going to empower the consumer in ways that we cannot imagine. BDPA can impact the quality of life for consumers of color for decades to come. The truth is that we are missing the boat.
As a business owner providing consulting services on a fiber-to-the-home initiative in Cleveland, I am the lone brother as usual. I am finding that among BDPA members in general that we are unable to "connect the dots". Verizon and Google are pushing fiber-to-the-home, Cisco is emphasizing home energy management, and IBM is constantly advertising about its Smart Cities initiative. There is a common thread to all of this stuff. Technology is these cases only serve as an enabler to finding more ways to get into your pockets. I am witnessing 20 something year olds of every other persuasion establish some entrepreneurial niche in these spaces. BDPA should also seek to foster such innovation.
I have a case of selective amnesia. All the traditional teachings of job search, climbing the corporate ladder, resume preparation, etc. - I have forgotten them all. If we are innovative, then we will begin to define the landscape. That means out of the box thinking, strategic alliance development, and truly embracing global opportunities.
Bro. Adams shared his candid thoughts on the issue of Innovation and BDPA. Can we have an online dialogue? What say u?
Thursday, August 26, 2010
HSCC Testimonial * D Ephraim (Twin Cities, 2008-2009)
No chapter has improved more over the last four years in the national High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships than BDPA Twin Cities. One reason for their success is the powerful training offered by Michael Wulf and others. Another reason is the powerful intelligence and drive of its students ... such as D Ephraim.
He shared his thoughts with us:
D earned a Jesse Bemley Scholarship for the high performance of his team at the 2009 HSCC championships in Raleigh NC. He is using that scholarship to continue his education at community college.
He shared his thoughts with us:
My name is D Ephraim. I am a graduate of Edina High School and currently attending Normandale Community College with plans to transfer to the University of Minnesota in winter 2010. I plan to double major in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. I have been interested in computers and programming all my life and BDPA has given me the chance to display what I've learned.
The High School Computer Competition (HSCC) was one of the most exciting things I've ever been a part of. It gave me and my team a chance to reap the fruits of our labor. We worked for months and months to advance our craft and be the best programmers we could be. I really enjoyed the whole weekend and meeting people like me from across the country was interesting. My team came in 9th in my first year (2008) and 4th in my second year (2009). I am very thankful for being a part of such a phenomenal program.
D earned a Jesse Bemley Scholarship for the high performance of his team at the 2009 HSCC championships in Raleigh NC. He is using that scholarship to continue his education at community college.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Grant Proposal: Sovereign Bank Foundation (Philadelphia)
Please let us know if you know of any funding sources that we should be approaching to help finance the youth education programs hosted by our local BDPA chapter in Philadelphia.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Letter of Inquiry: William E. Simon Foundation
The HSCC program celebrates its 25th year anniversary in 2010. Throughout the year, local chapters conduct SITES training programs for the youth in their communities. These programs are designed to expose our youth to the concepts of computers and give them the expertise to develop web applications. The program introduces our youth to the field of Information Technology. Our volunteers around the nation encourage these young people to seek higher levels of education, and groom many of them to become our next generation of IT professionals.
Wish us luck in the funding process!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Grant Declination: Prudential Foundation (Philadelphia)
Our hopes were dashed when we received the following message:
Dear Applicant:
Thank you for your recent inquiry for support (Grant Request # 25190) from The Prudential Foundation. Please know that your request was given careful consideration as it relates to the Foundation's guidelines and funding priorities. Unfortunately, at this time, it has been determined that we are unable to provide the support requested.
While we appreciate the value of your organization and its work, the large number of inquires received annually, coupled with the Foundation's on-going obligations and long-term commitments, necessitate that we decline many worthy requests. Our decision is not in any way a reflection on the quality or value of your program.
We are grateful for the time and effort that has been invested in preparing this request, and we appreciate your dedication to addressing the issues that impact the lives of those we care deeply about.
We wish you every success and hope you are able to secure the funding you need to advance the work of your organization.
Sincerely,
Dayna Layton Claxton
I knew we were in bad shape when she addressed her message with "Dear Applicant"!
Anyhow, BETF will continue to seek funding for BDPA Philadelphia chapter. If you think that you want to help us provide scholarships for our young people then please consider making a secure online donation right now. Doable?
Sunday, August 22, 2010
BDPA IT Institute: PMP Exam Preparation Enrollment
Key Benefits of Certification:
- Career advancement, progression and promotion from sponsoring corporations/employers
- Increased technology business acumen and leadership skills
- Respect and prestige of being "certified"
- Publication opportunities in field
- Leadership, management and project management skill development
This Week in BDPA (Aug 22-28)
Are you taking advantage of these programs? Here is a weekly preview of upcoming events gathered from the centralized BDPA calendar :
- Aug 25: Atlanta - Program Meeting, 'Effective Leadership - An IT Perspective'
- Aug 26: Triangle - Networking, 'BDPA Open House'
- Aug 26: Columbus - Program Meeting, 'Embracing Technology: Virtual Reality'
Friday, August 20, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Five Reasons Why China Will Rule Tech
The trend is causing increasing worry in Washington, but there are five reasons why China may yet succeed in its goal to achieve world dominance in technology.
- China's leadership understands engineering
- China's leadership wants to out-innovate the U.S.
- China's science and technical talent pool is vast
- The U.S. is failing at science and math education
- China is getting U.S. technology, all of it
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
The Effect of the Economy on the Nonprofit Sector: A June 2010 Survey
Public charities and private foundations continued to take a beating during the first five months of 2010. Some 40 percent of participants in GuideStar's first nonprofit economic survey for 2010 reported that contributions to their organizations dropped between January 1 and May 31, 2010, compared to the same period a year earlier. Another 28 percent said that contributions had stayed about the same, and 30 percent stated contributions had increased.
"The Effect of the Economy on the Nonprofit Sector: A June 2010 Survey" presents these results and more. Among the other findings:
- Eight percent of respondents indicated that their organizations was were in imminent danger of closing.
- In order to balance budgets, 17 percent of respondents reduced program services, and 11 percent laid off employees.
- More than 60 percent of participants reporting decreased contributions attributed the drop to a decline in both the number of individual donors and the size of their donations.
- Among organizations that use volunteers, 17 percent used one or more in what had formerly been paid positions.
- About a third (32 percent) of organizations increased their reliance on volunteers, whereas 9 percent experienced a decline.
Download your free copy of the report.
After you read the 11-page report ... please return and share your COMMENTS and insights with us.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Letter of Inquiry: PepsiCo Foundation (New York)
BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) and BDPA New York joined together to submit a letter of inquiry to the PepsiCo Foundation.
We are asking for permission to provide a full-fledged $10,000 grant proposal to PepsiCo Foundation in support of the chapter's Student Information Technology Education and Scholarship (SITES) program.
PepsiCo Foundation evaluates requests on a rolling basis. Consideration regularly takes several months during peak times. We look forward to a positive response!
This Week in BDPA (Aug 15-21)
Are you taking advantage of these programs? Here is a weekly preview of upcoming events gathered from the centralized BDPA calendar :
- Aug 17: Cleveland - Program Meeting, 'The Evolving Technology Landscape, Do You Recognize IT'
- Aug 18: Philadelphia - Program Meeting, 'Augmented Reality: The Philly History Project'
- Aug 19: Cincinnati - Program Meeting, 'Winning in a Networked World'
Foundation’s Grant Gives a Push to Science and Math
By Tiffany Lankes
For years, betting on real estate and tourism to carry the local economy was not much of a gamble. But with a housing market decline and now an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, community and business leaders are pushing more math and science in schools to bolster a technically skilled work force that can prepare for jobs in industry and health care. About 9,000 students in Charlotte and Sarasota counties will have a chance to do internships, earn college scholarships and take more in-depth science classes thanks to a $2.5 million grant to area schools from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation.
Read full Herald-Tribune article.
Read full Herald-Tribune article.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Top 10 BDPA Twitter Users
Twitter is a microblogging service is gaining popularity as a real-time communication platform. There are at least a dozen local BDPA chapters with Twitter accounts. However, Twitter is driven by individuals. As such, I thought it would be interesting to share with you our pick of the top 10 BDPA-nation Twitter users (in alpha order) that you should be following:
- Billy Cunningham - Billy Cunningham is one of the unsung heroes of BDPA Chicago chapter. He is at every national conference and is very supportive of BDPA on a local level. Most recent tweet: I'm at CompUSA. http://4sq.com/cKA7yw
- Milt Haynes - Haynes is past national BDPA president and a long-time BDPA leader. His focus on Twitter is to promote social networking to help African Americans in IT stay connected. Most recent tweet: The BDPA Insider – August 15, 2010 #BDPA http://ow.ly/2pRn0
- Callie Herd - Callie is a member of BDPA Memphis chapter. She wants to be part of the future growth and expansion of the BDPA vision in Tennessee. Her passion is getting scholarship information to young African Americans. Most recent tweet: The Hickory Hill Community Redevelopment Corporation Youth Reformation Initiative’s FREE after-school ... http://tinyurl.com/2678flf
- Wayne Hicks - Hicks is executive director of BDPA Education & Technology Foundation (BETF) and a long-time BDPA leader. He uses Twitter to share information about fundraising, nonprofit finances, BETF grants and such. Most recent tweet: Re: The role of Black inventors in the Computer and Data Processing.: Wayne said: "Keith - I've not read your book... http://bit.ly/d3W0qv
- Reginald Hillery - Reggie is president of BDPA Columbus chapter. I have watched Reggie quietly and effectively building the strength of his Ohio chapter. His tweets are primarily focused on BDPA. This is an African American IT professional who should be followed on Twitter by others in BDPA. Most recent tweet: I'm attending BDPA Columbus August I/E Meeting - Embracing Technology: Virtual Reality -- http://august2010exchange.eventbrite.com/
- Michael Holman, Sr. - Holman is a long-time member of BDPA New York chapter. Michael was one of the SysOps that created BDPANet back in the early 1990s. He was a visionary when it came to taking BDPA into cyberspace. Most recent tweet: Your next move in God, like a Surfer and that next Wave. Do not try to MAKE it happen! Be alert and when you RECOGNIZE it, you just RIDE!
- Kevin Minus - Kevin is an HSCC alumni. He competed in the 2004 national HSCC championships as a member of the team trained by BDPA Dayton chapter. He now lives and works in the greater Cincinnati area and is very active within the Blacks In Technology network. Most recent tweet: Man I slept to long. Time to read a little, map out my plan for the week and go to bed. See you later all.
- John Malonson - John was one of the first BDPA leaders that I saw on Twitter. He is president of BDPA Los Angeles chapter. Most recent tweet: I'm going to use the "smurf" equivalent for all of my future expletives
- Pablo More - Pablo is the president of BDPA Orlando chapter. He is a business analyst for major bank with an interest in politics, technology, economic development, law, green technology, Black studies and Latin America. Most recent tweet: WSJ: Brands Are Friending Social Gaming. http://tinyurl.com/22re2et
- Keith Warrick - Keith is a member of BDPA Atlanta chapter. He is a master networker, especially on the LinkedIn Network. His conference workshops have been heavily attended over the past two years. Most recent tweet: recommends reading The Skinny on LinkedIn Recommendations...a good primer for writing the perfect LI recommendation! http://lnkd.in/hDkGn3
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