Bank of America Philanthropic Management Grants

Separate from the funding Bank of America gives through its corporate Foundation, Bank of America Philanthropic Management serves as trustee, co-trustee or agent to a wide variety of discretionary charitable foundations.

These foundations' donors have granted Bank of America the authority to design their grantmaking programs and carry out the philanthropic mission of the foundations.   The deadlines vary for each of the grant opportunities.

For a complete listing of these nearly 100 foundations, as well as detailed information about the grant making focus of each, go to https://www.bankofamerica.com/philanthropic

Fundraising Tip: Hard Truths Your Board Members Must Face If They Want to Raise Big Money

Do your board members want to raise big money? Then it's time to discuss the facts of life with them. Fundraising facts of life, that is.

"You can't handle the truth!" is Jack Nicholson's memorable line in A Few Good Men.

Fortunately, your board members are a hardier lot than Tom Cruise's character. They can in fact accept the truth—in this case, three fundraising truths -- if you carefully explain the validity of each.

1. Go Figure

Say you're approached by a fellow worker and asked to pitch in for the comptroller's wedding gift. The first question you typically ask is, "How much do you have in mind?" or "What are others giving?"

What you're seeking is a frame of reference.

The same dynamic plays out when you approach prospects. They want a sense of what you're looking for or what their peers are giving.

Are you talking $500, $5,000, or $50,000, they want to know.

You need to be specific. To many, that can be unnerving. Heck, it's hard enough to ask for "any amount you can give" or "whatever you can afford," but the temerity of naming a number—that's like asking "How much do you make a year, bud?"

But if you've done your homework—which is to say, you haven't plucked a figure from thin air—then you won't upset your prospect, especially if you phrase the request tactfully: "We're hoping you'll consider a gift in the range of $50,000" or "Will you consider joining me in giving $25,000 to this worthy cause?"

Another way to frame your request is to mention what others are giving, naming names if you've been given permission. Or, you can stress how your campaign needs several friends to contribute at a certain level and you're hoping the prospect will be among them. Here, you might actually share the gift table you developed.

When you bring your car in for service, the mechanic diagnoses the problem and gives you a quote. What if instead he said nothing? You wouldn't know whether you could afford the repair, or even if your car is worth fixing. It would make you uncomfortable—you'd also question the mechanic's ability.

Don't put your prospect in a similar position. Suggest the amount you have in mind, a "quote," if you will. No one's going to slam the hood on your fingers.

Read the rest of this GuideStar article and learn about the other two fundraising truths!

High School Computer Competition (Dallas, 2014)

BDPA Dallas chapter (founded in 1987) has been on the journey towards winning a national BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship for over 20 years. The chapter leaders shared some of their thoughts on impact that the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program has had on them and the students who receive this STEM-based training in this video:



The SITES program in Dallas is a collaborative learning experience that gives students an opportunity to develop higher order thinking skills and problem solving in a real world context. They will learn how to create dynamic web sites using HTML, CSS, PHP and JAVA. Participants develop interpersonal, teamwork skills and they learn how to create and develop presentations. These students will also learn public speaking skills, time management skills, how to set and achieve goals and working in a team environment.

The 2014 HSCC team being trained by Dallas chapter seeks to win the championship this year!

L-R: Tatiana Madrigal, Maxwell Nwafor, Christion Lankford, Brandon Pham, Chad White (instructor)

The major corporate sponsor for the chapter is JPMorgan Chase.   However, we need our blog readers to do their part ... you can help BDPA Dallas motivate their students by helping them raise funds to give out college scholarships. Please take a moment to make a secure online donation to the BDPA Dallas HSCC Scholarship Fund.

Related articles

• Grant Disbursement: BDPA Dallas ($10,000)
• Overview: BDPA High School Computer Competition

Long Story Short: Dalric Webb (BDPA Cincinnati)

BDPA Cincinnati chapter president Dalric Webb has a deep background of technical and leadership experience in the corporate and non-profit worlds. He served his country for 24 years in the US Army. His undergraduate work at Hampton University (computer science) and masters degree from Capella University (information technology) are preludes to the Ph.D. that he is working towards in information technology organization and management.

Dalric is a devoted father and he is proving to be a dynamic and successful BDPA chapter president. Dalric took over the chapter presidency in January 2014 ... and the membership has more than doubled in the first half of the year, making his chapter the 2nd-largest in the nation!

Dalric Webb

This blog wanted to get a more personal look into the personality of this rising BDPA leader. We asked Dalric to give brief answers to some odd questions. We hope you enjoy this new feature that we simply call, 'Long Story Short...'

1. Craziest thing you've ever done? - I jumped out of an airplane (five times) as part of U.S. Army Airborne Training at Fort Benning, GA. Given all the training provided to prepare one for the exit from the airplane, each and every time was scary as well as a severe "pucker" moment until landing on the ground and collecting my parachute.
   
   
2. Favorite food you'd take with you on a desert island? - Would be a toss up between sweet potato pie and German chocolate cake. Good thing about both of these choices is that they both contain a lot of high energy producing sugar to keep me pumped and bouncing all over the desert island!
   
   
3. Favorite Way to relax after a long week? - A challenging game of racquetball. Being able to apply speed, power, precision, control, and athletic ability all at once in my favorite fast-paced game is one of the best ways I find to r and unwind.
   
   
4. Simple things that make you happiest? Watching my children grow, learn, develop, and interact. They are little miracles that have blessed my life and they make me smile and teach me to not take life and all the burdens of responsible adulthood too seriously.
   

Dalric and his children at BDPA 'Meet & Greet'

BDPA Cincinnati is used to seeing Dalric bring one or more of his children to chapter events, so we were not surprised about that last answer! Dalric just joined the Twitterverse recently ... take a moment to follow him @DalricWebb!

President Profile: Jason Gibson (BDPA Central Illinois)

BDPA Central Illinois was chartered in August 2003. The founding members were Lorenzo Marshall, Dave Beasley and Theonnie Shields. The chapter is currently the 29th-largest in the nation.

Jason Gibson, chapter president
BDPA Central Illinois
Address: P.O. Box 1806
Bloomington, IL 61702-1806

Phone: (309) 766-8807
Website: http://www.bdpa.org/BL

Jason Gibson took over the chapter presidency in July 2013. Jason and his leadership team are working to grow membership by focusing on increased member participation. Jason is committed to increasing student enrollment and partnering with other STEM-based programs. Jason leads by example ... he is one of the instructors for the K-12 students who are training to compete in the 2014 national High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship.

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Jason's Favorite Quote: "It's not what you look at that matters,  it's what you see." ~ Henry David Thoreau

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Jason Gibson

Jason has enjoyed technology since building Heath Kits when he was a child. In high school Jason took several programming courses and spent numerous hours coding games on his Commodore 64. While at Aurora University, he worked as the Computer Lab Manager and eventually, Network Administrator and Instructor in the Young Scholars Program.

Jason left Aurora to begin his career at State Farm in 2000, supporting the server and network infrastructure. Jason transitioned into the Systems Analyst role in 2004 and has worked with multiple technologies including J2EE, C++, Visual Basic, Spring, Struts, Dojo and several other user and business interface technologies. Jason has served as a Quality Engineer, reviewing design and code and continues to learn new technologies.

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Jason's Other Favorite Quote: "Whether you think you can,  or you think you can't -- you're right." ~ Henry Ford

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Jason earned a B.A. in Mathematics and a B.S. in Computer Science from Aurora University in 1999. He earned a Masters in Computer Science from the University of Illinois Springfield in 2009. Jason is a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and an Associate in General Insurance (AINS). Jason is currently enrolled in the Master in Information Systems program at University of Illinois Springfield.

Jason’s vision for BDPA Central Illinois chapter is simple and direct, "We have to remember that we must remain highly motivated, dedicated and enthusiastic about our organization. As the Chapter goes through a time of change, our strategy must focus on membership growth, practical community engagement and organizational professionalism".

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Please use the POST COMMENT link below to share some BDPA-Love with the president our BDPA Central Illinois chapter!

Related articles

• High School Computer Competition (Central Illinois, 2014)

High School Computer Competition (Los Angeles, 2014)

BDPA Los Angeles chapter (chartered June 1982) has a powerful legacy! The chapter has trained hundreds of young people in its Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program over the past few years. The results can be seen in the performance of the chapter's High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team in recent years. In fact, The HSCC team trained by BDPA Los Angeles chapter took home the bronze medal at the 2012 HSCC championships ... then came back to win the national championship silver medal last year!

2013 National HSCC Silver Medal Winners

Some of these students earned college scholarships which they are using to pursue STEM-related curriculum in their post-secondary education at places like Clark Atlanta University, Fordham University, Morehouse College, University of California, Riverside, University of Southern California and elsewhere!

2014 Computer Camp Students

The chapter trained 24 students from ten (10) different schools in the greater Los Angeles metro area. Course topics include HTML, CSS, PHP, and MySQL.

This year the chapter introduced cloud computing and mobile development to our program. The class is led by experienced IT professionals: Temitope Sonuyi, John Malonson III, and Caleb Saunders.

BDPA Los Angeles chapter has a strategic partnership with California State University, Dominguez Hills. This partnership allows BDPA to be able to teach on the university campus and allows our students the ability to earn college credit for the course taught by BDPA IT professionals.

The chapter seeks to secure additional funding in order to give out additional college scholarships to its HSCC students. Please help us by making your own secure donation for our largest West Coast chapter!

Related articles

• Where Are They Now? BDPA Los Angeles Chapter Presidents
• Overview: BDPA High School Computer Competition
• 36th Annual BDPA Technology Conference (Indianapolis, August 5-9, 2014)

Message from BDPA Cincinnati Chapter President

Dalric Webb

I am drafting this month’s message to you from the “bullpen” of the Presidents meeting at the 36th Annual BDPA Technology Conference here in Indianapolis, Indiana. I say this is the “bullpen” because there are ideas, comments, suggestions, opinions, and information coming fast and furious between and amongst the BDPA Chapter Presidents and BDPA organizational leaders in the packed room. The room is full of energy as we collaborate in our mutual goal to at winning the “race to innovate”!

It is wonderful to be amongst the leaders of our peer chapters and report that we are the 2nd-largest chapter in the nation, RAPIDLY closing in on the largest chapter in the nation. Similarly, I have taken the personal challenge to exemplify many of our peer chapter leaders and work a little harder to engage and re-engage with our chapter members through a more personal contact. So look for me reaching out to each chapter member over the next few weeks!

Mike Williams

One of the most empowering messages I have heard today is about volunteers who take on the roles on a board. Mike Williams (FIS) gave a POWERFUL talk on Leadership and Building High Performance Teams. My take-away was his point that volunteers have to be committed to giving three key things when they accept a role: “time, treasury, and talent”. Mike stated when he COMMITS to filling a role on a board; he plans to give his time, to cut a check to the organization, and to give his talent. Mike also stated that the board members should “challenge” each other to excel on high performance teams. My interpretation of Mike’s comments was that members on a board that do not feel like they are part of the team, detract from the team. Being a part of the team means interacting with the team, coming to meetings, giving your “talent” to not only the mission, but also to the other members of the board to sharpen and strengthen both your and their abilities and capabilities. I hope I bring this level of commitment to each of our board members and encourage each board member to do the same.

Dalric Webb and 2014 Cincinnati HSCC team

The next couple of days here in Indy are packed full of high energy activities in which our stellar HSCC team will have an opportunity to compete with the best each of the other chapters have to offer. I’m sure our team will shine brightly and make us all even more proud! Our continued challenge as an organization is to further these young leaders careers, “from the classroom to the boardroom”. Under that endeavor, I’d like for us to set a target of getting each of our HSCC students into an Early Identification Program at one of our local corporations. Let’s put these sharp young talents into a groove for continued success by getting them in, growing them, and watching them give back! I will personally take a part of owning that challenge by ensure our students get plenty of attention at the career fair here at the conference. I encourage all the chapter board members to actively seek opportunities for our HSCC team to get that jump start to their professional journey.

Although we have grown over 93% since the start of the year, I feel I have not given enough attention to the sponsors who have helped grow our chapter and who have provided the financial support so essentially needed to execute the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship programs, the monthly luncheon programs, and to give our hard working volunteers the support they need as we strive to close the technology gap in our under-served communities. A sincere and humble thank you to Dr. Prince Ellis (Brown Mackie College), Dr. John Farrar (Northern Kentucky University), Frank Hill (Cincinnati State Technical College), Kevin Murray (Cincinnati Bell), John Scott (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center), Bernadette Veal (Procter & Gamble) and Tina Welch (Delta Gateway Foundation) for your commitment to bringing technology to the under-served youth in our minority communities by your direct support of the BDPA Cincinnati chapter volunteers. We can’t do what we need to do without you!

Finally, as I do each month, I ask for your engagement if you are not already engaged. There is so much more we can do but for the lack of willing members who can see the value of giving a few hours a week of their time to a greater cause. Won’t you consider being a part of this dynamic and focused team of technology professionals? Consider joining the BDPA Cincinnati Chapter Board of Directors. We have a very strong team which works VERY well together to accomplish our mutual goals and objectives. You will be in the company of some really good (and SMART) people with a passion for not only YOUR success, but the success of our youth and our communities. It is a positive team to be a part of and we want you to be a part too. Please consider taking one of the open positions within the chapter. No role is too small and the need is great. You can do this. We need you. Our communities need you. Our students need you. Visit our chapter landing page to see which positions are open and are of interest to you. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Can you spare 2 hours a week to return months of value to others in need? Let’s talk. Give me a call on (513) 549-6991 or send me an email and let’s chat about how you can give just a little and get so much in return.

As always, your feedback is earnestly solicited. How is your BDPA membership working out for you? How can we improve the value of your membership? Send me a note or pull me to the side at the monthly program meeting. This is YOUR chapter. Are you feeling engaged?

Sincerely,
Dalric Webb, president
BDPA Cincinnati Chapter
Twitter: @DalricWebb

High School Computer Competition (Detroit, 2014)

BDPA Detroit (founded February 1981) has a powerful legacy as a 4-time Chapter of the Year winner (1989, 1994-1996) and 6-time national High School Computer Competition (HSCC) champions (1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000). The chapter has recent HSCC alumni who parlayed their BDPA experiences into college scholarships that helped them continue their STEM-based education at Harvard University, Morehouse College, University of California, San Diego and Wayne State University.

The chapter seeks to find that championship form again in 2014 with the students shown in this photo.

L-R: Matthew Jackson, Joshua Christenson, Chalse Okorom, Charles McIntosh II, Bradley Wise,
DeAngelo Robinson, Elizabeth Ho, Paul Bowan, Howard Smith

The HSCC training program began in mid-January with teaching HTML, CSS, and JQuery. Next the students receive intense training of J2EE technologies, JSP & JSTL, Java programming, JDBC/SQL, project & time management, and computer history knowledge.

We could use your financial support to provide additional college scholarships for these Detroit-based students!

Related articles

• Bemley Scholar Austin Little Continues STEM-Based Education at Morehouse College
• Overview: BDPA High School Computer Competition
• History of BDPA Awards (1986-2011)

High School Computer Competition (Greater Columbia, 2014)

BDPA Greater Columbia (chartered May 1997) reminds me of the little engine that could. The chapter has trained hundreds of K-12 students in its Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program over the years. The chapter has great community and corporate support through sponsors such as IT-oLogy. Many wonderful students, such as Anthony Coleman, Raven Stevenson and Brandi Taylor, from this chapter have received college scholarships as a result of their BDPA activity.



The next logical step is for BDPA Greater Columbia chapter to win the national BDPA HSCC championship. Could it happen this year?

BDPA Columbia chapter trained 15 students this year. Chapter volunteers worked with these students to develop and increase Information Technology skills and knowledge with seminars and workshops in web development (asp.net), programming (vb.net) databases (mysql), java script, system development life-cycle, web site story boarding and agile project management methodology. Also, these students participated in workshops focused on video creation and editing, creating web page profile, and oral presentations.

L-R: Perry Cates, Kevin Rabinovich, Joel Schirmer, Cody Shearer, James Smith,
Jalil Peterman, Makayla Ishaml, Constance Elkins and Braxton Robinson

The chapter would love to hoist a championship trophy. Whether they do or not ... our blog readers can help ensure that these young people receive college scholarships by simply making a secure online donation! We might find the next Raven Stevenson with your help!



What say u?

Related articles

• 36th Annual BDPA Technology Conference (Indianapolis, August 5-9, 2014)
• Overview: BDPA High School Computer Competition

High School Computer Competition (Central Illinois, 2014)

BDPA Central Illinois chapter (founded in August 2004) will be competing in the national BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) for the first time in its history. The chapter recruits its students from Normal Community, Normal Community West, Bloomington and University High Schools.

Back Row: Two unidentified HSCC instuctors
Front Row: Rhea Gibson, Synclaire Halman
Not Pictured: Zyon Randle, Cierra Maxwell

The primary study material focuses on building dynamic websites using Java, MySQL, and web-based languages Java, CSS, and HTML. Students are trained on converting binary, hexadecimal, and octal bases into different formats as well as become familiar with the history of computers, networking and BDPA. Outside of technical aptitude, there is also preparation on sharpening presentation skills, creative thinking, problem-solving, resume writing, and interviewing skills.

Related articles

• Overview: BDPA High School Computer Competition

High School Computer Competition (Indianapolis, 2014)

BDPA Indianapolis chapter (founded in August 2004) will be competing for the sixth time in the National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championship being held August 6-9, 2014. The chapter will be the 'home team' as the event takes place at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. It should be a remarkable opportunity for the members and sponsors of the chapter.

BDPA Indianapolis has grown its Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program over the past few years. This year’s program is made up of students from six (6) different central Indiana high schools. Sessions take place each Saturday morning. Students receive training in HTML, PHP and MYSQL as well as general mentorship and the opportunity to develop written, oral communication and presentation skills.

L-R: Saivion James, Lonny Grey, Lauren Ravenell, Mya Cruz
Not Pictured: Elijah Hodge, Andrew Porter

Eli Lilly and Company is the major sponsor for Indianapolis chapter this year. However, we would still love to have your secure online donation to help support this STEM-based youth education program!

Technology Expresso Cafe, 7/31/2014 (Wayne Hicks)

David Blackman and Jacqueline Sanders are the co-founders of Technology Expresso Cafe, a multimedia platform that promotes all aspects of the IT industry with a focus on BDPA programs, scholarships and services.

An Internet radio interview was conducted with BDPA Education and Technology Foundation executive director Wayne Hicks, however, due to technical difficulties, the show was never archived. David and Jacqueline were kind enough to post a complete transcript of the interview on their website.

Click here to read Part 1 & 2 of the interview.

Click here to read Part 3 & 4 of the interview.

Related articles

• Tech Expresso Cafe, 7/12/2014 (Dr. Craig Brown)
• Tech Expresso Cafe', 6/22/2014 (Josephine Reed)
• Tech Expresso Cafe: Derrick Brown (BDPA Atlanta)
• Tech Expresso Cafe': BDPA Atlanta Chapter Kickoff for 2014 Computer Camp

GE Upgrades Its BDPA Sponsorship to Bronze Level

Known for a tradition of life-changing innovations as well as providing capital, expertise and infrastructure for a global economy, GE recently upgraded its BDPA corporate sponsorship to the Bronze level in advance of the 36th annual National BDPA Technology Conference on August 5-9, 2014 in Indianapolis.

Dr. Craig Brown, National BDPA president said, "I am honored to welcome GE as a Bronze Level Sponsor of BDPA. On behalf of the National Board of Directors and the National Executive Committee, we thank GE for their commitment, continued support and contributions. The support from sponsors like GE makes it possible for BDPA to continue forward with its mission to impact the lives of its members, and the local chapter communities in which they live, through technology."

With more than 300,000 employees and operations in over 140 countries, GE employees reflect both the local communities they serve and the people with whom they do business. GE sees diversity and inclusiveness as an essential part of their productivity, creativity, innovation and competitive advantage.

Camille Bryant

"GE’s partnership with BDPA is an investment in our company’s future and a unique opportunity to support education initiatives that encourage young professionals to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics," said Camille Bryant, HR Leader at GE’s Advanced Manufacturing and Software Technology Center.

Founded in 1975, BDPA is the largest African American information technology association in the country. The organization is well-known for its deep commitment to training K-12 students underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. BDPA continues to bridge the digital divide by providing career growth opportunities for its members.

To become a sponsor like GE and learn more about and sponsorship opportunities, please contact BDPA Corporate Sales team by email (corpsales@bdpa.org) or phone (301.584-3135 x108).

BDPA Career Fair Job Seekers register at www.bdpa.org/?page=JobSeekersRegist
and Career Fair Employers register at www.prodivnet.com/events/bdpa-career-fair

Related articles

• 36th Annual BDPA Technology Conference (Indianapolis, August 5-9, 2014)

Grant Disbursement: BDPA Dallas ($10,000)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is proud to announce a grant disbursement in the amount of $10,000 to the BDPA Dallas chapter. The funding came as a result of the active fundraising efforts of chapter members via payroll pledges, online platforms and volunteer grants.

BDPA chapter president Chad White indicated that the funding was necessary "to assist with traveling needs for our students to the National Conference in August. We have selected five students and two instructors that will attend to support the student needs."

BETF encourages the other 45 local BDPA chapters to aggressively seek out ways to support fundraising for their 2015 Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship program.

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• BlueCross BlueShield CIO Scholarship for BDPA Students (Due: 7/31/2014)