Sara Lee Foundation

Grant Guidelines & Process

The Sara Lee Foundation utilizes an online Letter-Of-Intent (LOI) and invitational Request-For-Proposal (RFP) system.

Step 1: Determine if your organization meets the eligibility requirements (Eligibility requirements = Legal nonprofit with a mission that clearly addresses one of the Foundation’s focus areas (defined as: 

• domestic hunger
• healthy weight through energy balance
• diverse and highly visible cultural programs

Priority is given to nonprofit organizations located in and serving communities where Sara Lee has a facility.

Step 2: Submit an online Letter of Intent (LOI). There are no deadlines, submission are reviewed as they are received. Preference is given to highly effective projects and programs that have clear goals and which document expected outcomes.  Requests for general operating support are not considered competitive.

Step 3: Await an email notification, sent approximately two to three weeks after the LOI is received and reviewed.

Step 4: (if the proposed LOI is of interest):An Request-For-Proposal (RFP) will be extended.  Decisions regarding RFP’s may take 45 to 60 days once the RFP has been completed and submitted.

11/16 workshop: Exploring Health Issues among Southeast Asian Americans in Connecticut

Are you interested in learning more about health issues among Southeast Asian Americans in Connecticut?

There is an workshop on “Exploring Health Issues among Southeast Asian Americans in Connecticut” at the University of Connecticut Health Center on Wednesday, November 16th. This event is FREE and open to the public. A light dinner will be served.


Contact: Rasy Mar, MPH
Community Based Education
University of Connecticut School of Medicine
263 Farmington Avenue
Farmington, CT  06030-1925
Phone: 860-679-6295 / Fax: 860-679-1097
Email: mar@uchc.edu

Understanding Depression Across Cultures

Since October is National Depression Education and Awareness Month, this little 3-page paper on recognizing depression and strategies for discussing it, is cool. While it is specific to the Head Start program, I think anyone who works with a multicultural population will find it helpful, epsecially children's librarians.

Understanding Depression Across Cultures includes a range of materials that describe a comprehensive approach to strengthening the capacity of Early Head Start and Head Start staff in dealing with parental depression. Cultural sensitivity in mental health outreach is super-important.

Hartford Librarian Homa Naficy Lectures Scores of International Social Workers

OK, first some definitions:

‘Lecture’ = Speaks about the Hartford Public Library’s The American Place (TAP) initiative.

'International social workers' = The students and faculty of the Center for International Social Work Studies at the University of Connecticut’s School of Social Work.

‘Scores’ = 1.5 score (since it is more than 1, it still counts as a plural!).

This informative and cheerful gathering celebrated and venerated various world cultures and also taught attendees about ongoing issues.

Naficy’s talk focused on the composition and needs of Hartford’s immigrant community and what the library and its partners are doing for them. Panelist Tom Felke spoke about the problems of ethnic Armenian refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan, while panelist David Sant talked about his experiences helping an Idaho Peace Camp that benefited refugee children by increasing their knowledge about religious diversity and conflict resolution.

Cultural Competencies Workshop, Hartford Public Library

Cultural Competencies for Service Providers (2 Parts)

Presenter: Dr. William A. Howe, State Title IX Coordinator/Civil Rights Compliance/Multicultural Education, CT State Department of Education

This workshop, offered in partnership with the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, focuses on the importance of nonprofit service personnel maintaining high quality knowledge, skills and dispositions regarding cultural competence.

This workshop will focus on theoretical and practical applications required for personnel who work with people from a variety of diversities, including, but not limited to - race, ethnicity, social class, language, gender, sexual orientation, and abilities.

Participants should plan on attending both sessions: Part 1 is Wednesday, March 23, 10:00 am – noon, and part 2 is on Wednesday, March 30, 10:00 am – noon.

Registration required: in-person, online, or by calling 860-695-6295.

Hartford Public Library
500 Main Street
Hartford, CT 06103
Program room, 3rd Floor

Archived webinar: Meeting the Needs of Our Diverse Clients: Why Culture Counts in Health Care

This webinar (now archived) from the National Council on Aging (NCOA) concerned the increasing diversity of America's older population and stressed the importance of providing culturally appropriate services.

It proved thought-provoking and was time well-spent. While it contains much information geared toward senior care organizations, it is not overly-specific and I think librarians can glean much of value.

My two main takeaway points are:

* Providing culturally and linguistically appropriate programs and services contributes to better engagement of diverse populations, better outcomes, more satisfied clients, and is cost-efficient.

* Office of Minority Health's 5-point Framework for 'Systems Approach.'

The speaker was Marcie Freeman, M.Ed., Director of Outreach and Recruitment for the Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School and Chair of Boston’s Multicultural Coalition on Aging, a group of over 50 organizations serving culturally and linguistically diverse older adults.

Webinar content included:
* What's involved in understanding cultural diversity in the context of aging services and senior care – including the importance of moving from generalizations about “other” cultures to an appreciation for the complexity of every person’s life.
* The topic of “cultural competence” – reframing it from a “curiosity” to an activity that is now an essential part of successful health care practice.
* The implications today’s cultural diversity has for both professional practice and personal attitudes and behavior – and practical next steps organizations can take.

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Upcoming webinars sponsored by NCOA are:

Engaging Leadership Volunteers: Organizational Culture & Structure, Part 2
Learn best practices and tips on how to engage older adult leadership volunteers to increase the capacity of your nonprofit.
March 22, 2011, 3:00 PM ET - 3:30 PM ET.

Engaging Leadership Volunteers: Volunteer Recruitment
Learn best practices and tips on how to engage older adult leadership volunteers to increase the capacity of your nonprofit. Read More
April 19, 2011, 3:00 PM ET - 3:30 PM ET

Engaging Leadership Volunteers: Volunteer Retention
Learn best practices and tips on how to engage older adult leadership volunteers to increase the capacity of your nonprofit.
May 17, 2011, 3:00 PM ET - 3:30 PM ET