National CAP

Community Action Month
2021-05-01 - 2021-05-31
Celebrate the Community Action legacy and continued success in helping people, changing lives.

The Intersection of Data Capacity Building and Strategic Planning
2021-04-28 14:00 - 15:00 UTC
Nonprofits know data-driven decision-making is critical to program success but frequently do not have the capacity to design and maintain complex data systems. A lack of technical expertise, evaluation and performance management strategies, and resources for training and growth are common challenges to building internal capacity. The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Data Governance Tool Kit is an innovative resource that guides organizations through the development of a comprehensive plan to address all areas of data capacity and position organizations to make more efficient use of their data with an eye toward improving the experiences of families that come through their doors.

Click here to register for the webinar.

Public CAA Check-In
2021-04-27 14:00 - 15:00
The Center of Excellence is holding a Public CAA Listening Session Tuesday, April 27th at 2 pm ET. We want to hear from you. We want to know how your agency is doing, discuss upcoming webinars, T/TA needs, and much more! Please join us and register below. Please note, this is specifically for Public Community Action Agencies (i.e. Community Action Agencies within a local government entity – in contrast to a nonprofit/private CAA).

Click here to register for the webinar.

National Community Action Equity Summit
2021-04-19 - 2021-04-21
The National Community Action Partnership will be hosting its first ever Equity Summit April 19-21, 2021. Our theme for this virtual event is “Centering in Truth, Activating Community Healing & Resiliency”. We deeply believe that “othering”, particularly racism rests at the nucleus of poverty in America and that equitable opportunities can only be built and sustained by centering ourselves in this truth. To that end, the Equity Summit will showcase voices and expressions that activate healing and resiliency in local communities. We would be delighted to have you join us!
Click here to register. To learn more, click here.

Community Action Month Toolkit Release Webinar
2021-04-16 11:00 - 12:00
Join NCAP, NCAF, and NASCSP to kick off Community Action Month and provide an overview of the 2021 Community Action Month Toolkit. Learn about our new resources as you prepare to celebrate the Community Action legacy and continued success in helping people, changing lives.

Click here to register for the webinar.

Disaster Recovery and Agency Continuity Planning
2021-04-15 14:00 - 15:30
Disaster recovery (DR) and agency continuity planning are two risk management disciplines that help agencies prepare to face disruptions with skill and confidence. During this webinar, we will explore the distinctions between the two specialties and delve into how to build recovery and continuity skills and ‘muscle’ at your agency. Learn how to spot-and address-weaknesses in your recovery and continuity plans, who to engage in the process, and how to tap into the insights of diverse members of your team. If you thought that a disaster recovery and agency continuity plan could and should be produced by a single team member, think again!
Future webinars in this series will be held on the third Thursday of each month and will focus on topics such as Crisis Management and Crisis Communications, Creating Practical, Action-Oriented Readiness Plans, Ready to Serve: How to Build and Equip a Crisis-Ready Response Team, Accessing Resilience Resources from Public and Private Sources and How to Become the Resilient Leader Your Mission Requires. Register today to join this timely series.
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Adapting to Remote Processes: Tips for Improving Digitized Workflows
2021-04-14 12:00 - 13:30
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many operations and services online, causing us to adapt our processes and workflows in the midst of high stakes situations. Join the National Community Action Partnership and U.S. Digital Response in a conversation about managing the shift to remote services and implementing processes to simplify your work. During this webinar, you’ll hear about USDR’s partnership with Neighborhood Preservation, Inc., in Memphis, Tenn., and how automated and streamlined processes helped mitigate hundreds of evictions. You’ll leave with insights to improve your workflow, including suggestions for affordable tools, tips for automation, and recommendations for simple next steps.
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Learning Communities Resource Center 2021 Kick-off
2021-04-07 14:00 - 15:00
Join the National Partnership team to learn more about how to get involved with the Learning Communities Resource Center (LCRC) as we launch the next cycle of sharing and learning opportunities for the Community Action CSBG Network. LCRC is an innovation hub that works with CAAs to identify effective, promising, and innovative practice models that combat the causes and conditions of poverty. Participating individuals and agencies are given the opportunity to develop innovative anti-poverty approaches, improve programs, and sharpen service-delivery strategies specific to the needs of local communities. Join a network of organizations and leaders who have been given the tools to launch impactful and lasting transformations through participation in these sharing and learning cohorts! During the webinar we will discuss upcoming events, cohort topics, new resources, and application process questions.
Click here to register for the webinar.

Social Media/Digital Template Resources for CAAs with Laura Vanden Bosch and Anna VanWaardhuizen of Strategic America
2021-03-31 14:00 - 15:30
Who did they call during the pandemic? Community Action and we answered. Whether it was a family calling for help to get food or diapers, or perhaps the Governor’s Office calling about a new partnership on rental assistance, we answered the call. NCAP has partnered with Strategic America, an integrated advertising agency, to create a variety of communication tools we all can use to share the powerful story we have to tell. This webinar will show these tools for the first time, teaching participants how to access the templates and make them work for you. It’s time to tell communities how your agency, even during this pandemic, has continued to change people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live.

Click here to register for the webinar.

National Community Action Meeting on COVID and Vaccination Efforts with NCAF, the Partnership, CAPLAW, and NASCSP
2021-03-30 16:00 - 17:30
Please join the Community Action national partners for a conversation on COVID, vaccination efforts, and the current environment. David Bradley, Allison Ma’luf, Jenae Bjelland, and Denise Harlow will update the Network on current efforts, tools and resources for vaccination efforts, and respond to questions from the Network.

Click here to register for the webinar.

Meet and Greet with OCS Director Dr. Lanikque Howard
2021-03-26 10:00 - 11:30
Dr. Lanikque Howard was made Director of the Office of Community Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in February. Prior to her role at OCS, she served three years in the Obama Administration in the Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary supporting the development and implementation of ACF policy and cross-cutting initiatives. Prior to returning to ACF, Dr. Howard was the Senior Administrator for Programs at First 5 Alameda County, where she oversaw a number of strategic programs, initiatives, and partnerships aimed at addressing the causes and consequences of poverty, reducing racial disparities, and maximizing the potential of young children and their families.

We hope you will join us for this very special event for local Community Action Agencies. We’re excited about the opportunities ahead with Dr. Howard and all of the HHS team. This event is co-hosted by the Partnership and NCAF.

Click here to register for the webinar.

Keeping the ‘Human’ in Human Services: Tips for Implementing User-Centered Design
2021-03-24 12:00 - 13:30
The COVID-19 pandemic, and the various challenges of the last year, have left us stressed, anxious, and spread thin. The same is true for the people we are trying to serve. Join the National Community Action Partnership and U.S. Digital Response in a conversation about incorporating user-centered design elements into your workflows and services to more effectively reach and serve your communities. During this webinar, you’ll hear about USDR’s partnership with the Empire Justice Center and how user-centered practices enabled delivery of financial services to low-income families throughout the pandemic. You’ll leave with a clearer vision for how to design your work with a distinct focus on the end user and with tangible tips, takeaways and recommendations to humanize your processes.
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Managing Data Equity Risk and Reward
2021-03-18 14:00 - 15:30
The term “data equity” refers to using an equity lens when considering how data is collected, analyzed, interpreted, and distributed. This webinar explores the risks of failing to use an equity lens and examples of data collection practices that fall short. Attend this webinar to learn how to minimize the risks and maximize the rewards of using an equity lens to collect and use data in your Community Action Agency.
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New eCourse Release Tour: Featuring Advancing Family-Centered Coaching
2021-03-17 14:00 - 15:00
We are excited to bring you a new eCourse on Community Action Academy to help advance your agency’s practice with Family-Centered Coaching. Family-Centered Coaching is a holistic approach that moves beyond traditional case management and engages families as they access services, set goals, and strive to achieve their full potential. Based on open-source content developed and revised by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and The Prosperity Agenda, this eCourse includes videos, reading, scenarios, and quizzes to help learners build coaching skills, engage in the coaching process, work through implicit bias, and assess agency readiness. Access Advancing Family-Centered Coaching on Community Action Academy for free, today! Join us on March 17th for a webinar to kick-off the release, and provide a tour of the course components that can help you and your organization move forward in this practice. Click here to register for the webinar.

Practice Transformation Resource Tour
2021-03-10 14:00 - 15:00
Join us for this webinar to learn more about the National Partnership’s Practice Transformation Resources. These resources will help organizations’ apply evidence-based anti-poverty practices to better serve families. The Practice Transformation team supports organizations to transform their agencies and communities through the integration of services, ongoing training and technical assistance, and resource dissemination. We will tour training materials, reports, guides and upcoming opportunities to help you improve outcomes and identify effective, promising, and innovative practice models that alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty. Some of the content covered will include COVID-19 publications, guides for developing a Whole Family/2-Gen Approach, and tools for strengthening equity.
Click here to register for the webinar.

CCAP EXAM GUIDANCE
2021-03-09 13:00 - 14:30
Presented by Jim Lopresti:
After successful completion of the CDF and ESP, candidates are qualified to take the CCAP exam. This session will focus on best strategies for preparing for the examination, noting what distinguishes the CCAP exam from other kinds of tests, with particular focus on the Study Guide and practice questions.
To register, click here.

Organized Knowledge is Power: Tips for Data Aggregation and Visualization
2021-02-24 12:00 - 13:30
Understanding challenges and monitoring or reporting the impact of solutions is often tied to the collection and analysis of data. Join the National Community Action Partnership and U.S. Digital Response in a conversation about identifying and aggregating data sources into a consolidated view or dashboard to help drive smarter decision-making. During this webinar, you’ll hear about USDR’s partnership with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law to create the 866-our-vote dashboard during the 2020 elections. This example shows how an organization used the skills and knowledge they gained from U.S. Digital Response on data aggregation and visualization. These skills can be replicated in your Community Action Agency to be used on issues related to your work. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of data aggregation and with clear tips, takeaways and recommendations to make the data work for you.
Speakers:

Rance Graham-Bailey is a community development professional with extensive training and experience on housing, community and economic development. Rance currently serves as the Election Protection Manager for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
Greg Bolla is a data engineer passionate about applying technology to solve the world’s most intractable problems. Greg is a volunteer with U.S. Digital Response and is a full-time data engineer with GridCure.
Jessica Cole is a co-founder and executive team member with U.S. Digital Response. Prior to joining USDR, Jessica was a Tech Policy Fellow with the Aspen Institute, Head of Innovation and Economic Development with the City of Walnut Creek, Calif., and was a Code for America Fellow.

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Are You Ready? How to Assess Readiness and Apply Insights from the Past to Plans for the Future
2021-02-18 14:00 - 15:30
While it isn’t possible to accurately forecast every twist and turn in your agency’s path, it is possible to build resilience and readiness to cope with interruptions to operations, changing customary staffing patterns, and the emerging needs of your community in the wake of a disaster. This webinar explores the importance of evaluating readiness to respond to the risks around the corner. You will learn essential strategies and techniques for extracting information based on past responses to help your agency prepare for the future.
Future webinars in this series will be held on the third Thursday of each month and will focus on topics such as Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Planning, Crisis Management and Crisis Communications, Managing Data Equity Risk and Reward, Creating Practical, Action-Oriented Readiness Plans, Ready to Serve: How to Build and Equip a Crisis-Ready Response Team, Accessing Resilience Resources from Public and Private Sources and How to Become the Resilient Leader Your Mission Requires. Register today to join this timely series.
Register Now

Increasing Internal Customer Satisfaction through ROMA Assessment
2021-02-17 14:00 - 15:30
Especially over the past year, organizations have had to be more intentional about the customer satisfaction of one of their most important assets – their “internal customers” (employees). Many of the CSBG Organizational Standards also provide a minimum threshold for how to ensure the overall customer satisfaction system of the organization is established. Join this webinar to learn about meeting these standards, as well as components of both internal and external customer satisfaction to consider as the CAA moves beyond compliance. Presented by Barbara Mooney and Courtney Kohler
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Virtual Dialogue: The Phases of Collective Impact
2021-02-11 14:00 - 15:30
Join us in this 45 minute webinar dialogue to address your burning questions about Collective Impact and learn about the new eCourse available on the phases of Collective Impact in Community Action Academy. Presented by Sheri Brady
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Collaborative Partnerships on Rental Assistance
2021-02-10 14:00 - 15:30
The following speakers will share their engagement and perspectives:

John Joines, Economic Security Corporation of Southwest Area (MO)
Jackie Fox, West Ohio Community Action
Sarah Parsons, Missouri Housing Development Commission
Megan Meadows, Ohio Development Services Agency

Register

Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration
2021-01-28 16:00 - 17:00
The entire Community Action Network is invited to join a Fireside Chat with Community Action Legacy Leader, Lois Carson. During the webinar Partnership Board Chair, Bryan Duncan and Denise Harlow will engage Ms. Carson in a reflective conversation about the history of Community Action’s connection to MLK and invite the Community Action Network to look forward towards future opportunities to build collective opportunities for everyone.
Register

Staying Well While Working in High Stress, Traumatic Environment (A Webinar for All Community Action Staff)
2021-01-27 14:00 - 15:30
You are working very hard right now in the middle of a pandemic. You are balancing your family needs and you are working hard to meet the demands of the families you serve.
We now have over two decades of research demonstrating that working in high stress, trauma-exposed professions, carries risk. This webinar will provide new ideas for hands-on tools and resources for increasing your health and resiliency. Presenters: Beth Reynolds Lewis & Kay Glidden – Co-Owners of Compassion Resiliency
Register

National Day of Racial Healing
2021-01-19
On Tues., Jan. 19, 2021, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation will be hosting the 5th annual National Day of Racial Healing. The day will be centered around experiences rooted in truth-telling that lead to racial healing for a more just and equitable future. It’s a day for authentic dialogues, to encourage seeing and hearing each other. A day to share our stories, to recognize our shared humanity, so we can come together and transform the world around us. Click here to learn more about WKKF’s YouTube premiere event for the National Day of Racial Healing and RSVP.

An Overview of the $25 Billion Rental/Utility Assistance Provided in the New COVID Bill
2021-01-06 12:00 - 13:30
Earlier this week, the new $900 billion stimulus bill was signed into law. Subtitle B of the COVID-19 Stimulus Package provides a temporary extension of the CDC eviction moratorium and establishes an emergency rental assistance program through the Department of Treasury, providing $25 billion to help families and individuals pay their rent and utility bills and remain stably housed.
Join us on Wednesday, January 6 at 12 ET / 11 CT / 10 MT / 9 PT for a webinar that will provide an overview of the language in the new stimulus bill and its emergency rental assistance provisions. We’ll discuss the 30-day implementation time frame provided for states, and cover steps that State Associations can take to work with state leaders to allow Community Action Agencies to be part of the emergency rental assistance program.
Register

Staying Well While Working in High Stress, Traumatic Environment (Webinar for Supervisors)
2020-12-11 14:00 - 15:30
You and your staff are working very hard right now in the middle of a pandemic. You are balancing your family needs and you and your staff are working hard to meet the demands of the families you serve.
We now have over two decades of research demonstrating that working in high stress, trauma-exposed professions, carries risk to the staff. What can supervisors do to protect themselves and their staff before, during and after an emotionally traumatic experience, while remaining effective and compassionate? This webinar will provide new ideas for hands-on tools and resources for increasing you and your staff’s health and resiliency. This is the first of two webinars and is intended for supervisors, the second webinar will be for additional staff members from Community Action Agencies and will be offered in January 2021.
Presenters: Beth Reynolds Lewis & Kay Glidden – Co-Owners of Compassion Resiliency
Register

Community Action Code of Ethics 101
2020-12-10 14:00 - 15:30
Join Denise Harlow, CCAP and Renae Dismuke, CCAP for a walk through and discussion about the Community Action Code of Ethics and how they apply to those working in Community Action and how they impact our daily work. The Code of Ethics is a core element of being a Community Action professional and this session will provide attendees a chance to review them in depth and ask questions.
Presenters:
Denise Harlow CCAP, CEO, National Community Action Partnership
Renae Dismuke, CCAP, Project Director, Community Action Association of Alabama; CCAP Commissioner
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Caring for Staff in a Time of Crisis
2020-12-02 11:30 - 13:00
Dr. Denese Shervington will be speaking about the implications of trauma-informed practices when caring for your organization and staff in a time of crisis. More information to come!
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Understanding How Our Weatherization Teams Deliver Covid-safe Energy Retrofits: A Quick Education for non-Weatherizers
2020-11-24 15:00 - 16:30
This presentation is for the Board members, executives, colleagues and partners of local Weatherization programs: it will showcase the remarkable COVID health and safety protocols that WAP programs and contractors now follow to ensure everyone, from residents of the homes to workers, is safe. You will meet some of the most talented training, state and local members of the WAP network. It is co- sponsored by CAP’s Weatherization Leveraging Partnership Project and NASCSP.
This webinar will be a brief overview in which you will learn how to appreciate and communicate how WAP meets the safety challenge in high-risk communities, how to distinguish between engineering controls and PPE, about cleaning versus sanitizing, how to make mask choices for different work and more. You will learn how the latest CDC, OSHA and WHO guidance has been adopted for WAP tasks in the ‘field’ conditions of the homes served. You will be prepared to explain the new WAP ways, to reassure the public about safety and to fully appreciate the effort of the WAP networks’ skilled and adaptable workforce.
The short presentation will be followed with a discussion with the audience on the new safety protocols and related issues.4
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Equipping Staff through Robust Orientation & Training
2020-11-12 14:00 - 15:00
Digging Deeper into Organizational Standards 7.8 & 7.9
Organizational Standards 7.8 and 7.9 address the need for timely employee orientation and ongoing training/development. While the minimum requirement is to conduct the orientation within 60 days of hire and ensure ongoing training opportunities are available, a training plan that ties these activities together and connects to the performance evaluation can better equip staff to excel in their positions and improve employee retention. Join this webinar to learn about meeting this standard, as well as components of orientation and training to consider as the CAA moves beyond compliance.
Register Here
