COMMON GROUND CONSULTING LLC

National Service Agency Requests Applications for Social Innovation Fund Competition

Washington, DC – The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) released a Notice of Federal Funding Availability (NOFA) today for the 2012 grant competition of the Social Innovation Fund. The deadline for applications will be 5:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, March 27, 2012.   Successful applicants will receive grants of between $1 and $5 million per year for up to 5 years.

“As we enter the third year of the Social Innovation Fund, CNCS remains committed to supporting highly qualified, experienced funders to support and grow promising nonprofits making an impact in their communities,” said Robert Velasco II, Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “These funds enable grantmakers to accelerate the impact of their programs and play a key role in a national effort to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the public and nonprofit sectors.”

 

The Social Innovation Fund represents a distinctive role for the federal government, that of a catalyst for change.  Through an innovative public-private partnership, the Social Innovation Fund and selected local and national grantmakers mobilize funds to grow and validate community-based solutions in three priority areas: youth development, economic opportunity and healthy futures.

In the past two years, the Social Innovation Fund has awarded $95 million to 16 grantmaking intermediaries. These grantees have strong track records of identifying and growing high-performing nonprofit organizations and represent the diversity of the social sector. They include large national funders like the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, New Profit and LISC and more targeted geography-based grantmakers like Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, REDF and Mile High United Way.  And they are addressing a wide array of issues from workforce development to homelessness literacy, obesity, and college readiness.

Through open competitions conducted across the U.S., grantees have to date selected nearly 150 promising nonprofits with evidence-based solutions to critical social challenges. Examples of these solutions include the following:

• WorkAdvance boosts the earnings of unemployed and low-wage working adults by helping them prepare for and enter quality jobs in targeted industries with opportunities for career growth;
• Gateway to College National Network builds the capacity of colleges, school districts and states to revolutionize education for high school dropouts and underprepared college students so that all young people can achieve academic credentials; and
• St. Joseph Health System provides access to primary care and medical specialists in rural areas by operating two virtual primary care delivery clinics.

Federal funding has yielded $250 million in private and non-federal commitments to support these innovative solutions.

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, CNCS plans to award approximately $10-15 million in grants to up to six grantmaking intermediaries. Each award will range from $1 - $5 million and will be matched dollar for dollar by the intermediary. Subsequent awards by the intermediaries to their selected subgrantees will also be matched 1:1, yielding up to $3 in private funding for every $1 in federal funding committed to this program.

Social Innovation Fund grantees also receive significant technical assistance from CNCS to support implementation and rigorous evaluation of their programs.  Participation in the Social Innovation Fund gives grantmakers greater access to a national network of funders and nonprofits that are committed to investing in results-oriented solutions to improve lives in low-income communities.

Successful intermediary applicants will have the following characteristics:

• A strong track record of using rigorous evidence to select, invest in, support, and monitor the growth  of programs with the potential to achieve strong impact;
• The capacity to conduct an open, competitive process for selecting innovative nonprofit community organizations with effective and potentially transformative approaches;
• Expertise in one or more priority issue areas; and
• Deep and broad relationships with stakeholders in one or more priority issue areas and/or specific geographic regions.

Please consult the CNCS website to read or download a copy of the NOFA, which provides complete information about this grant competition, including instructions for how to apply.  The website also contains information on other resources CNCS will make available to potential applicants, including technical assistance calls, two webinars and access to proposals and application executive summaries from the 2011 competition.

Please note that the initial technical assistance call will be held on February 16, 2012, at 2:00 pm Eastern Time. The call can be accessed at 800-369-3150 (Passcode: 6611919).

Applicants must apply using the Corporation’s eGrants system.  The eGrants Web site is:

https://egrants.cns.gov/espan/main/login.jsp.

About the Corporation for National and Community Service
The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America and the Social Innovation Fund, and leads President Obama’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

Grants & Awards

Disney Friends for Change Grants

Deadline: February 29

Disney Friends for Change Grants offer young change-makers an opportunity to receive a $1,000 grant to help make a lasting, positive change in the world. Whether you are passionate about protecting the planet, providing meals to those who need it or giving kids just like you the resources they need to star in their own play, be an athlete or an artist, you can be a Friend for Change!  Whatever your interests, a Disney Friends for Change Grant can help you make a difference for people, communities and the planet. Youth ages 5-18 located in all 50 states and the District of Columbia are eligible to apply for a $1,000 grant. www.YSA.org/grants/disney-friends-change-grants

Everyday Young Hero Award

Deadline: Ongoing

Awarded weekly to a young person from around the world who exemplifies an extraordinary commitment to service, the Everyday Young Hero Award program is open to youth ages 5-25. Nominations must come from a parent, teacher or other adult mentor. Winners are announced in the NSB, featured on YSA's website and showcased within its social media outlets. Everyday Young Heroes also receive a certificate, award and press release.  Nominate a young person you know to be recognized as an Everyday Young Hero at www.YSA.org/awards/hero

Splashlife Lincoln Awards for Women Entrepreneurs

Deadline: February 14

Identifying, honoring and supporting the next wave of entrepreneurs to help them take charge of America's future. As announced at the White House Youth Entrepreneur Summit, Splashlife is giving out $2,500 Lincoln Awards to support entrepreneurs aged 35 or younger. Despite making up 46.3% of the workforce, women are underrepresented in positions of management, with just 2.4% of Fortune 500 companies being run by female CEOs. Splashlife wants to support a woman entrepreneur aged 35 or younger with a $2,500 Lincoln Award for her business idea. http://bit.ly/uXIZu6

J-Serve 2012 Micro-Grants

Deadline: Ongoing while funds last

Grants are available for J-Serve 2012 - April 22, 2012.  J-Serve is the International Day of Jewish Youth Service. Since 2005, J-Serve has been a part of YSA's Global Youth Service Day. A limited number of J-Serve micro-grants of up to $500 will be awarded to community projects committed to creating service opportunities that bring Jewish teens together to participate in a J-Serve project.  Projects that are creative and innovative, especially those that will be first time events in a community, as well as projects conceived and planned by teen project leaders will receive preferential reviews.  Micro-grants will be accepted on a rolling basis, and grants will continue to be awarded as long as funding remains available. http://bit.ly/uzfYIa

Jenzabar Student Leadership Awards

Deadline: February 20

The Jenzabar Foundation has opened the nomination process for its fifth annual Student Leadership Awards, which recognize student groups that have made a difference in the world through service and philanthropic activities at the local, national, and international levels. The awards will honor ten student-led campus groups or activities that have made a significant impact beyond their own institution. Nominations are open for students enrolled in any accredited institution of higher education. Each award includes a $5,000 grant to support the student or group's future humanitarian endeavors The first step in the submission process is joining the online Jenzabar Foundation Community Network; please use referral code SLA2012. Once registered, applicants will be advised of the submission procedure. http://bit.ly/uR4V8C

Eli Segal Fellowship

Deadline: February 27

CNCS is seeking applications from former AmeriCorps members who are interested in serving as the 2012-2013 Eli Segal Fellow. The duties of the selected fellow will include working with the Director of AmeriCorps, program offices and closely with the CEO's office on projects that advance the national service field. The fellowship will last for a term of not more than 13 months beginning in July 2012 and includes a $27,000 salary, plus benefits. Eligible applicants for the fellowship include all AmeriCorps alums who served full-time in the past three years.   http://bit.ly/x4PyWT

Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes Awards

Deadline: February 27

Build-A-Bear Workshop® launches its ninth annual search for  Huggable Heroes® - inspiring young leaders who have a commitment to serve, help others, and make a difference in their community. Kids, ages eight to 18, can be nominated through February 27. The 10 selected Huggable Heroes will each receive $10,000 ($7,500 in the form of an educational scholarship from Build-A-Bear Workshop and $2,500 from the Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation to be donated to the 501(c)(3) charity or Canadian cause of their choice). http://bit.ly/yTh9Sb

KaBOOM! Let's Play Maintenance Grants

Deadline: February 27

Thanks to generous support from Dr Pepper Snapple Group, KaBOOM! will be awarding grants of $750 each to communities this year who wish to make their playgrounds cleaner, safer and more inviting. The Let's Play Spruce grants are designed to reward communities that have maintained and spruced their playspaces since their playground build. If you've done a "spruce up" project at your playground that involved volunteers in the last 6 months, you are eligible to apply. Alternatively, if you are a community that needs to refill the wood fiber playground surfacing at the playground, you can apply for  $750 to be used towards the purchase of the surfacing.  http://bit.ly/zteju2

2012 Do Something Awards

Deadline: March 1

The Do Something Awards (formerly the BR!CK Awards) identifies exceptional young social entrepreneurs, activists, and community leaders who have a significant social impact. The Do Something Award nominees and winners are the pivotal "do-ers" in their fields and causes. For this year's awards five finalists will be selected and rewarded with a $10,000 community grant, participation in the third Do Something Awards TV show on VH1, media coverage, and continued support from DoSomething.org. Of those five nominees, one will be selected to win the Grand Prize, a $100,000 grant, which will be announced during the broadcast. http://dsorg.us/t5wklU

Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship

Deadline: March 1

The Skoll Foundation presents the Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship each year to a select few social entrepreneurs who are solving the world's most pressing problems. The Skoll Award includes a core support grant to the organization, to be paid over three years, and a noncash award to the social entrepreneur presented at the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship every spring.  http://bit.ly/A8YsU3

CNCS September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance Grants

Deadline: March 13

The September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance initiative grants range from approximately $50,000 to $150,000 are made to eligible organizations engaged in service activities that meet vital community needs and honor the sacrifice of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 or who rose in service as a result of that tragedy.  Available funds for the grant total approximately $500,000. CNCS expects to invest a significant amount of available funding to programs working on two focus areas -Disaster Services and/or Veterans and Military Families plus Capacity Building. Additionally, CNCS seeks applicants who engage youth, particularly disconnected youth, and where available, veterans and military families in service.  http://bit.ly/AC4KPs

KaBOOM! Let's Play Community Construction Grants

Deadline: March 16

Dr Pepper Snapple & KaBOOM! are excited to offer $15,000 Let's Play Playground Construction Grants to qualifying organizations within the U.S. wishing to build brand new playgrounds using the KaBOOM! community-build model. Grantees will plan their project, and share best practices and challenges through the KaBOOM! website. For more information on eligibility requirements and how to apply, visit www.kaboom.org/grants

Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes

Deadline: April 30

The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes invites nominations for its 2012 awards. The Barron Prize, founded by author T.A. Barron in honor of his mother, celebrates outstanding young leaders ages 8 to 18. Each year, the Barron Prize honors inspiring young people who have made a significant positive difference to people and our planet. Ten winners each receive $2,500 to support their service work or higher education. Nomination deadline is April 30. For more information and to nominate, visit http://bit.ly/edhitj

ING Unsung Heroes

Deadline: April 30

Are you an educator with a class project that is short on funding but long on potential? Do you know a teacher looking for grant dollars? ING Unsung Heroes® could help you turn great ideas into reality for students. For 15 years, and with nearly $3.5 million in awarded grants, ING Unsung Heroes has proven to be an A+ program with educators. Each year, 100 educators are selected to receive $2,000 to help fund their innovative class projects. Three of those are chosen to receive the top awards of an additional $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000.  http://bit.ly/eSC2sv

State Farm Youth Advisory Board Grants

Deadline: May 4

If you are involved with an organization or school and have a great idea for a service-learning project to impact student achievement in YOUR community, apply for a State Farm YAB National Grant. The State Farm Youth Advisory Board is currently accepting applications for service-learning projects between $25,000 and $100,000 that address the root cause of the following issue areas: Access to Higher Education / Closing the Achievement Gap; Financial Literacy; Community Safety and Natural Disaster Preparedness; Social Health & Wellness Issues; and Environmental Responsibility. http://bit.ly/yMI7gZ

Special Olympics Project Unify Grants

Deadline: Rolling through May 31

The goal of Project UNIFY is to activate youth around the country to develop school communities where all young people are agents of change - fostering respect, dignity, and advocacy with and for people with intellectual disabilities by utilizing the programs and initiatives of Special Olympics. To be eligible, you must be between the ages of 12 to 20, or a current undergraduate student in college. A Special Olympics North America program is required to be your main partner organization. Projects must demonstrate the core essence of service-learning. Budgets for projects can range from $100 to $5,000.  http://bit.ly/wQUgJV

The International Children's Peace Prize 2012

We would like to invite you to nominate a child for the International Children’s Peace Prize 2012.

The International Children’s Peace Prize is an initiative of KidsRights and is presented annually to a child for his or her devotion to children’s rights, anywhere in the world. The goal of the Prize is twofold: it is a sign of recognition for the winners, and it also offers the winner a platform to promote his or her ideals and causes. In this way, the messages that these young heroes convey can reach a broader public, thereby making a greater impact in the promotion of children’s rights.

The Children’s Peace Prize is accompanied by an award of €100,000 to be invested in projects closely connected to the winner’s area of devotion. Nominees for the Children’s Peace Prize can come from any person, in any country, with knowledge of an exceptional child dedicated to promoting children’s rights. An independent Expert Committee assesses the applications and selects the final nominees.

This year the International Children’s Peace Prize will be celebrated around the Day of the Rights of the Child: the 20th of November 2012. We would like to invite you to inform us about the children you meet and work with and whom you feel might be a good candidate for this Prize. Any boy or girl between 12 and 18 years old who has a clear history of standing up and fighting for the rights of him/herself and other children can be nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize. It is important that the child has an active approach in accomplishing his or her goal.

KidsRights calls out to everyone worldwide to nominate a child who would deserve the International Children’s Peace Prize. The deadline for sending in nomination forms is the 1^{st of} March 2012. The nominations can be sent to info@childrenspeaceprize.org

Information on the International Children's Peace Prize.pdf

Nomination Form Children's Peace Prize 2012.doc

What Would You Ask President Obama?

Tonight, President Obama will deliver his State of the Union address at 9:00 p.m. EST.

 

During that speech, he’ll lay out his vision for an America where hard work and responsibility are rewarded, where everyone does their fair share, and where everyone is held accountable for what they do.

There are many ways to get involved with this year’s State of the Union address.

Immediately following the President’s speech, be sure to stay tuned to WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU for a live panel featuring senior White House advisors answering your questions about the speech. Then, on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, a group of policy experts and advisors to the President will sit down for Office Hours on Twitter -- discussing the issues that matter to you and your community.

Finally, on Monday, January 30, President Obama will join the conversation in a special Google+ Hangout, a live multi-person video chat, from the White House.

Participating in the Hangout is easy -- just visit the White House YouTube channel to submit your questions and vote for your favorites between now and January 28. A few participants will be chosen to join the President in the Google+ Hangout to ask their questions of the President live!

Check out WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU to learn more about watching the enhanced State of the Union online and all the ways you can ask questions this week: 

WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU

Here’s the full lineup -- all times are EST. 

Tuesday

9:00 p.m.: Watch the enhanced version of the speech that features graphics, data and stats that highlight the issues the President is discussing on WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU. Use the Twitter hashtag #SOTU to discuss the speech live.

10:00 p.m.: Immediately following the speech, pose your questions to a live panel at the White House. Senior advisors will answer your questions about the President’s address submitted via Twitter (use #WHChat and #SOTU), Facebook, Google+, and an in-person audience of Tweetup participants.

Wednesday Office Hours Schedule

All Day: Josh Earnest, Principal Deputy Press Secretary, answers your questions on Twitter (@jearnest44)

1:00 p.m.: Office Hours with Mark Zuckerman, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council

3:00 p.m.: Office Hours with Dan Pfeiffer (@pfeiffer44), White House Communications Director

Thursday Office Hours Schedule

10:00 a.m. Veterans: Matt Flavin, White House Director of Veterans and Wounded Warrior Policy

11:00 a.m. LGBT: Miriam Vogel, White House Senior Policy Advisor and Gautam Raghavan, White House Associate Director for Public Engagement

12:00 p.m. Women: Racquel Russell, Special Assistant to the President for Mobility and Opportunity and Avra Siegel, White House Deputy Executive Director for the Council on Women and Girls

1:00 p.m. Seniors: Jeanne Lambrew, Deputy Assistant to the President for Health Policy and Nick Papas, Assistant Press Secretary

2:00 p.m. Latinos: Felicia Escobar, White House Senior Policy Advisor, Julie Rodriguez, White House Associate Director of Public Engagement and Luis Miranda, White House Director of Hispanic Media

4:00 p.m. Small Business Owners: Christine Koronides, Senior Advisor for Economic Policy, National Economic Council

5:00 p.m. African Americans: Danielle Gray, Deputy Assistant to the President for Economic Policy

6:00 p.m. Asian American Pacific Islanders: Chris Lu, Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary

TBD Youth: Administration official to be announced

Friday Office Hours Schedule

11:00 a.m. Foreign Policy: Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications and Speechwriting

12:00 p.m. Education: Roberto Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President for Education Policy

1:00 p.m. Health: Jeanne Lambrew, Deputy Assistant to the President for Health Policy and Nick Papas, Assistant Press Secretary

2:00 p.m. Energy: Heather Zichal, Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change and Dan Utech, Deputy Director for Energy Policy

3:00 p.m. Consumer Protections: Brian Deese, Deputy Director National Economic Council

4:00 pm The Economy: Jason Furman, Principal Deputy Director National Economic Council

5:00 p.m. Job Opportunities: Portia Wu, Senior Policy Advisor for Mobility and Opportunity Policy

6:00 p.m. Urban Issues: Racquel Russell, Special Assistant to the President for Mobility and Opportunity

Monday, January 30^th

President Obama participates in a Google+ Hangout from the White House

I Am A Mentor Social Media Day

Join with youth mentors and mentoring programs around the country January 11 and help inspire others to learn about mentoring and how they can make a difference in the life of a child. Now in its 11th year, National Mentoring Month focuses attention on the need for mentors, as well as how each of us—individuals, businesses, government agencies, schools, faith communities and nonprofits—can work together to increase the number of mentors to assure brighter futures for our young people.

Together, the Harvard School of Public Health, MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership and the Corporation for National and Community Service are working to focus national attention on the need for mentors. This year’s National Mentoring Month theme is Invest in the future. Mentor a child.


How can you help?

1. Share this event page with other mentors, mentoring programs and supporters of mentoring.

2. In January, change your profile picture to the “I Believe in Mentoring” badge:

3. On January 11, post your experience about being a mentor. Here is some sample messaging you can use:

“Did you know I am a mentor with [program]? Being a mentor to [first name of child] is rewarding and has helped me to [have fun, make a difference, learn new things, be a better parent, gain a better understanding of other cultures, etc.]. You can make a difference in as little as an hour a week. Find a mentoring opportunity in your local community today at www.serve.gov/mentor.”

4. Be sure to tag your program in your posts so people can learn more about the program where you mentor.

5. Feel free to post comments and suggestions on this page so other mentors can learn how you are promoting mentoring during National Mentoring Month.

President Obama Proclaims January as National Mentoring Month

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

December 28, 2011

Presidential Proclamation -- National Mentoring Month, 2012

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Every day, mentors help young Americans face the challenges of growing into adulthood.  By setting a positive example and sharing their time, knowledge, and experience, mentors play an essential role in preparing our Nation's youth for a bright future.  During National Mentoring Month, we celebrate the contributions of all those who cultivate a supportive environment for the next generation, and we recommit to expanding mentorship opportunities across our country.

At school and at home, in the library and on the field, mentors lift our youth toward their goals and ambitions.  As a teacher, a relative, or a trusted friend, a mentor's steady and dependable support can inspire a child to strive for success and instill in them the confidence to achieve their full potential.  Mentorship strengthens our American family, and by teaching enduring values like diligence and self-discipline, we make a powerful and lasting investment in our youth, our communities, and our Nation.

Across the Federal Government, we are working to ensure more young people have the opportunity to connect with a mentor.  Last January, we partnered with businesses across America to launch the Corporate Mentoring Challenge, which calls on corporations to begin or expand mentoring programs that pair children with positive role models, foster leadership skills, and put them on the path to success in school and beyond.  As part of our steadfast commitment to support our service members and their loved ones, we are funding new mentorship opportunities for children from military families.  And we are continuing to engage faith and community groups to help recruit mentors who can guide our youth in education, employment, and engaged citizenship.  For information and resources about mentoring opportunities, I encourage all Americans to visit: www.Serve.gov/Mentor.

By lending a hand and serving as a mentor, countless individuals have empowered young Americans with the confidence, inspiration, and tools to lead rich and fulfilling lives.  This month, I encourage adults to make an investment in our Nation's future by helping a child discover the best in themselves.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 2012 as National Mentoring Month.  I call upon public officials, business and community leaders, educators, and Americans across the country to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

January 2012 marks the 11th anniversary of National Mentoring Month, an annual media campaign to recruit volunteer mentors for young people. Spearheaded by the Harvard Mentoring Project of the Harvard School of Public Health, MENTOR and the Corporation for National and Community Service, this year’s campaign tagline is Invest in the Future. Mentor a Child.

 

30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself

A FANTASTIC post from the good folks over at Marc and Angel Hack Life ...

As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”  Nothing could be closer to the truth.  But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.  If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot.  Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth.  And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
2. Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on.  No, it won’t be easy.  There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them.  We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems.  That’s not how we’re made.  In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall.  Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time.  This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
3. Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself.  Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves.  Read The Road Less Traveled.
4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.  Yes, help others; but help yourself too.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
5. Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like everyone else.  Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you.  Don’t change so people will like you.  Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
6. Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.
7. Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.  Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success.  You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
8. Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us.  We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past.  But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.  Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
9. Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive.  But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
10. Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either.  You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else.  Read Stumbling on Happiness.
11. Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.  Evaluate situations and take decisive action.  You cannot change what you refuse to confront.  Making progress involves risk.  Period!  You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
12. Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises.  Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely.  It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company.  There’s no need to rush.  If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
14. Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet.  Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you.  But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
15. Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others doing better than you.  Concentrate on beating your own records every day.  Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.
16. Stop being jealous of others. – Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.  Ask yourself this:  “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”
17. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you.  You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough.  But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past.  You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation.  So smile!  Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
18. Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart.  You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate.  Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.”  It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.”  Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself!  And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too.  If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.
19. Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
20. Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway.  Just do what you know in your heart is right.
21. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. – The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it.  If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.  Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
22. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things.  The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.
23. Stop trying to make things perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done.  Read Getting Things Done.
24. Stop following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile.  Don’t take the easy way out.  Do something extraordinary.
25. Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. – It’s okay to fall apart for a little while.  You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well.  You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears.  The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
26. Stop blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life.  When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
27. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. – Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out.  But making one person smile CAN change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.  So narrow your focus.
28. Stop worrying so much. – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy.  One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time?  Three years?  Five years?”  If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
29. Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
30. Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.  Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

How to Tell Your "Business" Story in 60 Seconds or Less

As you know, a lot of our work at Common Ground focuses on helping social-profit organizations become sustainable. This means we review program outcomes, help with efficiency issues, and develop new fundraising strategies. We're often asked to help organizations craft their messaging—particularly how they tell their stories. I came across this great article on the entrepreneur.com website which aligns almost perfectly with our methodology.

By CARMINE GALLO

I recently spoke at LeWeb, a large technology conference in Paris that's filled with entrepreneurs pitching to venture capital investors who are looking for the next big thing. In such situations where many people are vying for attention, the entrepreneurs who stand out are the ones who deliver their pitch in less than a minute, but still make their points quite persuasively.

Unfortunately, many small-business owners don't think enough about their company's story and how it comes across. I can say that with confidence because I've witnessed many ineffective pitches at conferences and chamber of commerce mixers. At the last chamber mixer I attended, I asked one person what he did. His response started with, "That's a good question…" Five minutes later, he was still trying to describe his new company, and I was trying to find a polite way out of the conversation.

As a communications coach, I've developed a four-step exercise that will work for any company or product. You must simply answer each of the following four questions in no more than two sentences:

1. What do you do?

2. What problem do you solve?

3. How is your product or service different?

4. Why should I care?

By keeping each answer brief, you will develop a succinct story that should take no more than 60 seconds.

Let's use the example of an entrepreneur who is starting a housekeeping franchise. Based on those four questions, the company's story might sound something like this:

"We own Five Star Cleaning, an eco-friendly housekeeping service that pampers you and your home [what your business does]. Typical cleaning services make you prep your home ahead of time, supervise to prevent theft and hang around for hours while the cleaners do their work. Because we require no prep, this saves time right off the top, and we are bonded so our service is worry-free, allowing you to go about your day [what problem does it solve]. And, we always send a minimum team of three to get the job done quickly [how it's different]. Imagine coming home from a long day and your laundry is all done, your bed has been turned down and there are fresh flowers awaiting you. That's the extra pampering we offer that sets us apart from all the rest [why you should care]."

Your first sentence should be a "Twitter-friendly headline." You should be able to describe your product or service in 140 characters or less, short enough for a tweet. In the example, Five Star Cleaning bills itself as an "eco-friendly housekeeping service that pampers you and your home." But many small-business owners don't create product descriptions that are short, catchy, distinctive and memorable. The Twitter exercise will help. If you can't describe your product in a sentence, go back to the drawing board.

If you can tell your story in well under 60 seconds and have some extra time, be ready to relate an example or story that makes your product or service more tangible. You'll notice that in the cleaning service pitch, we offered examples of pampering, such as turning down bed sheets.

Don't let your idea die because you've lost the attention of your audience. Grab your listeners in the first 60 seconds and they'll want to hear more.

Five Things You Should Stop Doing in 2012

This is one of my favorite articles of the year. I need to heed most of this advice. The piece was written by Dorie Clark for the Harvard Business Review.

"I recently got back from a month's vacation — the longest I've ever taken, and a shocking indulgence for an American. (Earlier this summer, I was still fretting about how to pull off two weeks unplugged.) The distance, though, helped me hone in on what's actually important to my professional career — and which make-work activities merely provide the illusion of progress. Inspired by HBR blogger Peter Bregman's idea of creating a "to ignore" list , here are the activities I'm going to stop cold turkey in 2012 — and perhaps you should, too.

1. Responding Like a Trained Monkey. Every productivity expert in the world will tell you to check email at periodic intervals — say, every 90 minutes — rather than clicking "refresh" like a Pavlovian mutt. Of course, almost no one listens, because studies have shown email's "variable interval reinforcement schedule" is basically a slot machine for your brain. But spending a month away — and only checking email weekly — showed me how little really requires immediate response. In fact, nothing. A 90 minute wait won't kill anyone, and will allow you to accomplish something substantive during your workday.
2. Mindless Traditions. I recently invited a friend to a prime networking event. "Can I play it by ear?" she asked. "This is my last weekend to get holiday cards out and I haven't mailed a single one. It is causing stress!" In the moment, not fulfilling an "obligation" (like sending holiday cards) can make you feel guilty. But if you're in search of professional advancement, is a holiday card (buried among the deluge) going to make a difference? If you want to connect, do something unusual — get in touch at a different time of year, or give your contacts a personal call, or even better, meet up face-to-face. You have to ask if your business traditions are generating the results you want.
3. Reading Annoying Things. I have nearly a dozen newspaper and magazine subscriptions, the result of alluring specials ($10 for an entire year!) and the compulsion not to miss out on crucial information. But after detoxing for a month, I was able to reflect on which publications actually refreshed me — and which felt like a duty. The New Yorker , even though it's not a business publication, broadens my perspective and is a genuine pleasure to read. The pretentious tech publication with crazy layouts and too-small print? Not so much. I'm weeding out and paring down to literary essentials. What subscriptions can you get rid of?
4. Work That's Not Worth It. Early in my career, I was thrilled to win a five-year, quarter-million dollar contract. That is, until the reality set in that it was a government contract, filled with ridiculous reporting mechanisms, low reimbursement rates and administrative complexities that sucked the joy and profit out of the work. When budget cuts rolled around and my contract got whacked, it turned out to be a blessing. These days, I'm eschewing any engagement, public or private, that looks like more trouble than it's worth.
5. Making Things More Complicated Than They Should Be. A while back, a colleague approached me with an idea. She wanted me to be a part of a professional development event she was organizing in her city, featuring several speakers and consultants. She recommended biweekly check-in calls for the next eight months, leading up to the event. "Have you organized an event like this before?" I asked. "Can you actually get the participants? Why don't you test the demand first?" When none materialized, I realized I'd saved myself nearly half a week's work — in futile conference calls — by insisting the event had to be "real" before we invested in it. As Eric Ries points out in his new book The Lean Startup , developing the best code or building the best product in the world is meaningless if your customers don't end up wanting it. Instead, test early and often to ensure you're not wasting your time. What ideas should you test before you've gone too far?

Eliminating these five activities is likely to save me hundreds of hours next year — time I can spend expanding my business and doing things that matter. What are you going to stop doing? And how are you going to leverage all that extra time?"

The Next Generation Economy

Sonal Shah is the former Director of the first White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation, and is currently a Tides Fellow. She has authored this outstanding piece for the new Tides Foundation journal, Momentum.

Social Innovation is fast gaining traction in the United States and overseas.  While not a new concept, there is growing recognition that in order to change our trajectory and solve some of the world’s greatest challenges, there needs to be real innovation and scale in the social sector as well as the economy more broadly.  The current structures created for addressing social problems are inadequate and incentives are not aligned toward achieving outcomes.  Hence, social innovation is about building the infrastructure necessary to create an economy that can have a transformational impact in our country and the world around us.  This investment in an “impact economy” has the potential to create jobs, economic value, and social benefit for the US and the world. Creating this economy and having real innovation requires an investment in non-profits, for-profits and hybrid enterprises to develop the necessary ecosystem for growth.

For too long, the definition of success has been the growth of an organization rather than outcome achieved.

The most important aspect of the impact economy is that each of these sectors measure results.  For too long, the definition of success has been the growth of an organization rather than outcome achieved, for example, whether more children graduated from high school, or fewer people were diagnosed with diabetes. Instead, investors should be asking what problem the organization is trying to solve, and hold themselves and the organization accountable for achieving the stated objectives.  This can be achieved across sectors: non-profits need to start managing to outcomes, not just outputs; governments need to assess how to align incentives to solve problems, not just keep the status quo; and businesses need to find better ways to partner with both governments and non-profits to help scale solutions.

This requires a real investment on behalf of philanthropists to help build the infrastructure that can meet this demand, and build the ecosystem to help create the next generation economy.  As the growth and demand of the impact economy increases, there will be real opportunity to more clearly define the term “long-term value” to incorporate social and environmental criteria.

Non-profits

Non-profits play a critical role, providing necessary services to ensure a more educated, healthy, and prosperous society.  They work within local communities, across communities, and nationally to address some of our nation’s and world’s most critical challenges.  These are largely grant-based organizations like the Latin American Youth Center, YouthBuild, or Year Up.  However, as budgets at local and national levels become tighter, it is important to ask what new models need to be developed to help solve some of the tough challenges.   Policies and investments in the sector need to focus on the evidence of impact – not just on number of people served.  In his book Leap of Reason, Managing to Outcomes in an Era of Scarcity, Mario Morino offers a critical view of how leaders and investors of non-profits can best manage to outcomes, especially in an era of decreasing budgets.  Grant-based models are changing and it is even more critical to develop new ones, with the appropriate incentives to achieve real results.  Philanthropy and government need to support and scale innovative new models and structures that have the potential for transformational change.

For-Profit Enterprises

For profit businesses and enterprises are also critical to creating an impact economy as they have the greatest potential for reaching scale.  According to B Lab, there are 50,000-60,000 mission-driven businesses in the US.  These are not corporations practicing corporate social responsibility (CSR), but firms specifically created to achieve social purpose and deliver financial returns.  These enterprises come in many forms and stretch across industries: from privately-held manufacturing businesses such as Interface Carpets in Atlanta, GA, to publicly traded automotive companies like Tesla Motors in Palo Alto, CA; from dynamic software startups including iContact in Raleigh, NC, to corporate-owned beverage companies like Honest Tea in Bethesda, MD (which was acquired by Coca Cola in 2011).   Investment in these types of businesses is called “impact investing” because they create both social value and have financial returns.   According to the Monitor Institute, this is considered to be a $50 billion market that could grow tenfold by the end of the decade.  Foundations like Rockefeller, Kellogg, and Heron are already experimenting with “impact investing.”  There needs to be greater investment in the sector to create more businesses and a longer conversation with larger corporations on how CSR can more effectively achieve social change while keeping a business focus.

Hybrid Enterprises

The third sector in the impact economy is made up of hybrid or social enterprises, which are neither non-profit nor strictly for-profit.  Generally they are innovative non-profit organizations that are driving revenue through dynamic earned-income models such as Greyston Bakery in New York City, the Chrysalis workforce training program in Los Angeles, or Aravind Eye Hospitals in India.  These social enterprises, like for-profit businesses, believe that organizations need to do more than generate shareholder returns, they must also build value chains that bring value back to the communities that they serve.  Whether job training or green jobs, hybrid organizations are creating a new form of engagement between companies and non-profits.   In some cases like Aravind, they are introducing new efficiencies in the market while maintaining incredible quality.  When investing in these enterprises, investors should help develop effective business models or continue to scale the existing models, while also providing capital—or outright grants—to continue to innovate and adapt to the needs of the market.

We have an opportunity to define new structures that will last into the next century.  We can either continue to work at the margins, make small changes, and hope for the best; or we can create new business models for each of these sectors, ask ourselves the tough questions about the impact we want to have, and make some radical changes.  The real question is whether we are willing to make the necessary investments and take the risks needed to create a new impact economy that can fundamentally transform our world.