Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
GRANT ALERT - HUD - Assets for Independence (AFI) Demonstration Program
Department of Health and Human Services: Assets for Independence (AFI) Demonstration Program
Application deadline: May 25, 2011
This program provides support for community-based organizations to offer Individual Development Accounts (matched savings accounts), financial education, and related services to low-income individuals and families, in order for them to accumulate savings and invest in appreciating assets such as a first home, small business, or higher education or training. Priority will be given to proposed projects that demonstrate close collaboration with entities that are serving families with young children, families in the child support system, children and families in the foster care system, people with disabilities, refugees, Native Americans, and survivors of domestic or intimate violence. Note: Webinars are offered through the Assets for Independence (AFI) Resource Center to assist with designing an AFI project and navigating the application process; visit the Calendar of Events to register - http://idaresources.org/Calendar
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/foa/view/HHS-2011-ACF-OCS-EI-0137
Sunday, April 24, 2011
What makes the IBSA Streets University program different?
What is Streets University?
Week One
Module 1: Selecting the right OpportunityModule 2: Explore the Problems and the Pain
Computers & Software Companies
(CRA) Community Banks
Community Business leaders and Owners
Community Media (newspapers, radio, TV)
High Schools (Unified School Districts)
Junior Colleges
Middle Schools
Strong Board of Advisors (ex: bank board members, school board members, community representative board members, parents, attorneys,)
Hip Hop and media Personalities
--
Streets University is 6-7 week community based, self development and income opportunity program that seeks to bridge the gap between the entrepreneurial spirits of many, including but not limited to, black, poor inner city youth and to fill the void in technological and information resources available to them in the community.
It is a "social university" where young people are taught self-knowledge and business basics necessary for building a successful and relevant business for the community.
Why is Streets University needed?
It is a "social university" where young people are taught self-knowledge and business basics necessary for building a successful and relevant business for the community.
Why is Streets University needed?
Middle and high school black students, especially those who are having trouble in school say that education is irrelevant to both their present and future lives. Plainly put, many of them don't see the connection between the education they receive in school and the marketplace - "how they are going to get paid."
Consequently without making that crucial connection, many black youth have little reason to invest in education and their own development, and have no alternative means to get money. One of the direct results of this problem is continued investment by many urban youth to crime; drugs and negative aspects of hip hop culture as a means of survival.
Research has revealed that blacks have the highest entrepreneurship expectations when compared to Asian, Hispanic and white youth. However, research also shows that black youth do not have access to enough resources and viable programs to convert their desire into achievement.
That is what makes our Streets University so valuable – the need to create more income producing opportunities for youth with relevant business goals and objectives.
On the surface many youth entrepreneurial programs seem beneficial. However a closer look reveals problems with this approach. The businesses are to make money and not to develop something that leads to sustainable growth and economic development in the community. Due to the current economic state of the community, this methodology is not effective at this stage of development in many inner-city communities.
Streets University advocates the promotion and sale of community-based products and salesmanship activities; instead of the consumer-based approach associated with many programs today.
What makes Streets University different?
Consequently without making that crucial connection, many black youth have little reason to invest in education and their own development, and have no alternative means to get money. One of the direct results of this problem is continued investment by many urban youth to crime; drugs and negative aspects of hip hop culture as a means of survival.
Research has revealed that blacks have the highest entrepreneurship expectations when compared to Asian, Hispanic and white youth. However, research also shows that black youth do not have access to enough resources and viable programs to convert their desire into achievement.
That is what makes our Streets University so valuable – the need to create more income producing opportunities for youth with relevant business goals and objectives.
On the surface many youth entrepreneurial programs seem beneficial. However a closer look reveals problems with this approach. The businesses are to make money and not to develop something that leads to sustainable growth and economic development in the community. Due to the current economic state of the community, this methodology is not effective at this stage of development in many inner-city communities.
Streets University advocates the promotion and sale of community-based products and salesmanship activities; instead of the consumer-based approach associated with many programs today.
What makes Streets University different?
Streets University is a community-based youth entrepreneur program that speaks the language of the "streets" - the culture of today's urban youth while teaching practical business basics and providing actual opportunities to turn practice into profit. The program is driven by the needs, desires and capacity of the community, as opposed to merely the needs of a consumer.
Going a step further than other youth entrepreneurial programs, Streets University adds a self-knowledge component to entrepreneurship, and also addresses the inappropriate behavior patterns that have led to self-defeating decisions and conditions present in urban communities. Some of the behaviors addressed are listed below:
Misjudgment of business viability: The tendency to a misjudge the mom and pop business viability as not being as good as a corporate level job, professional athletic or entertainment career
Lack of social reinforcement for entrepreneurship: The respect of professionals, hustlers, athletes, entertainers, etc.; rather than entrepreneurship. The perception that black business are marginal and that it is more lucrative to work for someone else.
Lack of trust: Due to the legacy of African Americans, the cooperative spirit seen in other immigrant communities by pooling their resources is minimal in black urban consciousness and therefore, communities.
Poor service and consumer attitudes: The assumption that black businesses should be supported because they are black and therefore lack customer service and management techniques, or "Buy black for the cause, not for the service."
Attitude toward work: Due to the legacy of slavery, many youth despise work as an activity that does not help to benefit their lives or their communities and many times look at work as punishment.
Attitude toward material things: A careless attitude towards material things. The "bling-bling" mentality that many youth interpret as symbols of freedom and power and creating wealth
Additionally Street University is held in venues in the inner-city, bringing the program directly to the community, rather than the target group traveling to another location to participate.
Overview of Curriculum Modules
Going a step further than other youth entrepreneurial programs, Streets University adds a self-knowledge component to entrepreneurship, and also addresses the inappropriate behavior patterns that have led to self-defeating decisions and conditions present in urban communities. Some of the behaviors addressed are listed below:
Misjudgment of business viability: The tendency to a misjudge the mom and pop business viability as not being as good as a corporate level job, professional athletic or entertainment career
Lack of social reinforcement for entrepreneurship: The respect of professionals, hustlers, athletes, entertainers, etc.; rather than entrepreneurship. The perception that black business are marginal and that it is more lucrative to work for someone else.
Lack of trust: Due to the legacy of African Americans, the cooperative spirit seen in other immigrant communities by pooling their resources is minimal in black urban consciousness and therefore, communities.
Poor service and consumer attitudes: The assumption that black businesses should be supported because they are black and therefore lack customer service and management techniques, or "Buy black for the cause, not for the service."
Attitude toward work: Due to the legacy of slavery, many youth despise work as an activity that does not help to benefit their lives or their communities and many times look at work as punishment.
Attitude toward material things: A careless attitude towards material things. The "bling-bling" mentality that many youth interpret as symbols of freedom and power and creating wealth
Additionally Street University is held in venues in the inner-city, bringing the program directly to the community, rather than the target group traveling to another location to participate.
Overview of Curriculum Modules
Week One
Module 1: Selecting the right OpportunityModule 2: Explore the Problems and the Pain
Week Two
Module 3: Develop Value Proposition
Module 3: Develop Value Proposition
Week Three
Module 4: Validate the Market
Module 4: Validate the Market
Week 4
Module 5: Recruit Partners
Module 6: Prove Concept
Module 5: Recruit Partners
Module 6: Prove Concept
Week 5
Module 7: Choose a Product or Service
Module 7: Choose a Product or Service
Week 6
Module 8: Residual, Commissioned and Leveraged Income
Module 9: Launch Marketing Plan
Module 10: Grow Business Operations
Module 11: Vertically Integrate
Module 8: Residual, Commissioned and Leveraged Income
Module 9: Launch Marketing Plan
Module 10: Grow Business Operations
Module 11: Vertically Integrate
Week 7
Evaluations and Recognition Banquet
Partnerships
Evaluations and Recognition Banquet
Partnerships
Computers & Software Companies
(CRA) Community Banks
Community Business leaders and Owners
Community Media (newspapers, radio, TV)
High Schools (Unified School Districts)
Junior Colleges
Middle Schools
Strong Board of Advisors (ex: bank board members, school board members, community representative board members, parents, attorneys,)
Hip Hop and media Personalities
Income Opportunities:
Selling holiday greeting cards, calendars and unique gifts,
Selling raffle tickets at festivals and on a seasonal basis,
Selling other products created by IBSA or business partners on a commission basis,
Creating and selling their own product or service; or that of their peers,
Students Receive:
T-shirt Access to computers Job Referrals
Receipt Book Use of computer laptop Recommendation
Notebook Local/State Recognition (employment/school)
Business Mentor Field Trips Scholarships
The goals and objectives that we would like to accomplish are to work with non-profit and profit organizations to target opportunities in economic, social and political awareness to achieve positive values in the community utilizing various fund raising methods to educate, train and motivate targeted individuals, entrepreneurs, small businesses and work with grass root development.
So as not to create any conflicts of interest in the market place we are seeking help defining where the needs are and are willing to work with and help develop profit centers to create jobs, careers and long terms goals to establish communities that have a moral and spiritual value system much like the environment that I grew up in. Times have changed, attitudes have changed and we need to re-establish in the hearts of man a sense of brotherhood, love, caring and sharing values that contribute to the quality of life. There are demographics that seem to have not wanted to maintain those values. Those are one of our targets. I am mindful that we must also have a reward and award system for the demographics that are maintaining the values that make a community a better place for all concerned.
Where as we are seeking your help to identify companies that realize that helping the people also helps them and their bottom line, makes a better environment for all the people and have a value system that maintains itself to serve the purposes of God and mankind. If companies are open to sponsor various promotions and events we would like to communicate with them to help service their goals in association with our programs to further our cause to build better communities, create win, win, win situations that will serve the greater good.
We need your help with getting the pilot program set up in your community and surrounding communities to make Louisiana a much more productive environment for the citizens. We are in the developmental stages. Our overall concerns are if the people want to be involved. There are programs available that may service the goals and objectives of what we would like to accomplish and we need to do an assessment of interested participants.
Louisiana's greatest resource is the people of this state. One of the projects that have a major concern for us is the creative ability of our people. Talent is everywhere. Writers, artist, producers, entertainers and the support teams (including but not limited to management, publicist, booking agents, agents, etc.) that make the industry work.
Often times talent does not know what makes the industry work and have ideas that they saw in movies and their imagination. As a publishing company we have to know what the rules are. We must obey the rules. We must get talent to follow the rules. We have the ability to put all things in proper perspective when all concerned follow the rules. We have a plan of operation that has worked, may work and are in need of establishing the right agreements to make things work. Having said that, we have a concept of what we call "Community Investment Association", we define our Community Investment Association as people in the community that make all this possible. They already invest their time, resources and money into talented people. In the past they have received very little for their investment. Usually the talent not knowing what to do have come up with their own ideas about how to make the business work. Even though the talent does not consider that they are running a business. 95 percent of small businesses fail. You may have a higher percentage in the entertainment business. With proper business application we can reduce those percentages to a more favorable number of successes. We know that we can not service everyone. The folks that we do service will have a better than average chance of surviving. Our community Investment Association works like this (including but not limited to):
- We build relationships with the various business related companies that service the industry.
- We train individuals in the community to work with the businesses of this industry.
- We establish a commitment with the talent to keep the money in the community.
- We set up a business license with the proper authorities and pay taxes on behalf of the talent.
- We surround the talent with professionals that will help the business grow.
- We provide publishing (writers and creative talent), marketing and promotions.
- We provide money management classes to the talent.
- We work with the family of the talent with consultation.
- We provide support teams for all aspect of the business.
- We work with investors and provide minimal risk situations.
- We work with you to understand the business and the benefits that will be received.
The above insight may be achieved with the right commitments. If interested please let us know.
Thanking you in advance for your time and consideration. Any questions, please do not hesitate to communicate.
Scott A. Lewis, III
For more information, contact IBSA Louisiana at (919) 884-8602,
Email at SALewisIII@Gmail.com or admin@ibsa-inc.org,
On the web at www.ibsa-inc.org
TV Interview: http://youtu.be/ogNldx7fuUk
IBSA, Inc.
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