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International Day of Peace

The International Day of Peace, observed each year on 21 September, is a global call for ceasefire and non-violence. This year, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling on young people around the world to take a stand for peace under the theme, Youth for Peace and Development.

UNMIT / UN Photo The United Nations is looking for stories from young people around the world who are working for peace. The campaign slogan this year is Peace=Future, The math is easy.’

This year, the International Day of Peace (IDP) falls within the same time period as a major summit on the Millennium Development Goals, the world’s largest anti-poverty campaign. The Summit brings world leaders together at the United Nations in New York from 20 - 22 September.

In addition, the UN General Assembly has proclaimed 2010 as International Year of Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding. A campaign to be launched by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) on 12 August will promote the ideals of respect for human rights and solidarity across generations, cultures, religions, and civilizations. Those are key elements that reinforce the foundations of a sustainable peace."

Click here for more information: 

International Day of Peace, 21 September 2010

Join (RED) & Mashable in Celebrating Social Good Day

Can social media be used to make the world a better place? We believe it can.

Mashable & (RED) invite you to join the social media for social good movement by taking part in Social Good Day on September 23rd. During UN Week, Mashable & 92Y will host the Social Good Summit in partnership with UN Foundation where our CEO, Susan Smith Ellis, is one of the keynote speakers.

We want you to get involved, so we’ve gotten together with our friends at Mashable to invite you to attend or organize a meetup in your community to celebrate, share, educate, and engage in a discussion on how social media can be used to tackle some of the world’s social challenges and issues, in particular how it can be used to help fight AIDS in Africa.

Social media has become a critical tool for many socially-focused organizations. We’re interested in unleashing fresh thinking around how social media can raise awareness and create solutions for social issues around the world. We want to know, ‘What’s your solution?’ Let the world hear your ideas through social media!

How To Join #SocialGood Day

• Sign up to attend or organize your own Social Good Day meetup on September 23rd on the Mashable’s Meetup Everywhere.
• Join (RED) on Facebook and Twitter to share your ideas on how to help fight AIDS in Africa using social media.
• Tweet about what your solution is, using the #socialgoodhashtag. We’d love to hear your solutions @mashable &@joinred. (RED) will host a stream of tweets including the hashtag on its website. Write a blog post and share it.
• Post to Facebook about what you or your company is doing.
• Record a video about your solution and upload to YouTube with #socialgood tag
• Get inspired by watching the 30-minute Spike Jonze and Lance Bangs documentary ‘The Lazarus Effect’ on YouTube. Presented by (RED) and HBO the film follows the story of HIV positive people in Africa who in as few as 40 days undergo a remarkable transformation thanks to access to treatment.

20 Things I've Learned From Traveling Around the World for Three Years

 

Check out this really terrific piece ...

"On March 13, 2007, I handed over the keys to my house, put my possessions in storage and headed out to travel around the world with nothing but a backpack, my laptop and a camera.

Three and a half years and 70 countries later, I've gotten the equivalent of a Ph.D in general knowledge about the people and places of Planet Earth.

Here are some of the things I've learned:

1) People are generally good. Many people are afraid of the world beyond their door, yet the vast majority of humans are not thieves, murderers or rapists. They are people just like you and me who are trying to get by, to help their families and go about living their lives. There is no race, religion or nationality that is exempt from this rule. How they go about living their lives might be different, but their general goals are the same.

2) The media lies. If you only learned about other countries from the news, you'd think the world was a horrible place. The media will always sensationalize and simplify a story. I was in East Timor when the assassination attempts on President José Ramos-Horta, and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão in 2008. The stories in the news the next day were filed from Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur, not Dili. It was all secondhand news. I was in Bangkok during the political protests this year, but you'd never have any idea they were taking places if you were not in the immediate area where the protests were taking place. The media makes us scared of the rest of the world, and we shouldn't be.

3) The world is boring. If there isn't a natural disaster or an armed conflict, most places will never even be mentioned in the news. When is the last time you've heard Laos or Oman mentioned in a news story? What makes for good news are exceptional events, not ordinary events. Most of the world, just like your neighborhood, is pretty boring. It can be amazingly interesting, but to the locals, they just go about living their lives.

4) People don't hate Americans. I haven't encountered a single case of anti-Americanism in the last three-and-a-half years. Not one. (And no, I don't tell people I am Canadian.) If anything, people are fascinated by Americans and want to know more about the US. This isn't to say they love our government or our policies, but they do not have an issue with Americans as people. Even in places you'd think would be very anti-American, such as the Middle East, I was welcomed by friendly people.

5) Americans aren't as ignorant as you might think. There is a stereotype that Americans don't know much about the rest of the world. There is some truth to that, but isn't as bad as you might believe. The reason this stereotype exists is because most other countries on Earth pay very close attention to American news and politics. Most people view our ignorance in terms of reciprocity: i.e. I know about your country, why don't you know about mine? The truth is, if you quizzed people about third-party countries other than the US, they are equally as ignorant. When I confronted one German man about this, I asked him who the Prime Minister of Japan was. He had no clue. The problem with America is that we suffer from the same problem as the rest of the world: an obsession with American news. The quality of news I read in other parts of the world is on a par with what you will hear on NPR.

6) Americans don't travel. This stereotype is true. Americans don't travel overseas as much as Brits, Dutch, Germans, Canadians or Scandinavians. There are some good reasons for this (big country, short vacation time) and bad ones (fear and ignorance). We don't have a gap year culture like they have in the UK and we don't tend to take vacations longer than a week. I can't think of a single place I visited where I met Americans in numbers anywhere close to our relative population.

7) The rest of the world isn't full of germs. Many people travel with their own supply of water and an industrial vat of hand sanitizer. I can say in full honestly that I have never used hand sanitizer or gone out of my way to avoid contact with germs during my travels. It is true that in many places you can get nasty illnesses from drinking untreated water, but I don't think this means you have be a traveling Howard Hughes. Unless you have a particularly weak immune system or other illness, I wouldn't worry too much about local bugs.I"

Read More ...

Gary Arndt: 20 Things I've Learned From Traveling Around the World for Three Years

By Gary Arndt (Via The Huffington Post)

Author of Everything-Everywhere.com

White House & Congress Recognize National Volunteer Week & Serve America Act

Presidential proclamation and Congressional resolutions celebrate importance of service in America

From our colleagues at Voices for National Service ...

A Presidential Proclamation has been issued to officially mark National Volunteer Week, April 18-24, 2010. In the proclamation, President Obama reiterates his Administration's commitment to "ushering in a new era of service and responsibility":

Whether through the workplace or a house of worship, in our own neighborhoods or in another state or country, service binds us together as Americans in a way nothing else can. It defines us as a people, and it is essential to achieving our national priorities. Together, let us answer the call, take hold of our shared future, and meet the challenges of our new century.... I call upon all Americans to observe this week by volunteering in service projects across our country and pledging to make service a part of their daily lives.

Click here to read the Presidential Proclamation declaring National Volunteer Week 2010.

On Wednesday, April 21st, as the service community celebrated the one-year anniversary of the signing of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, the House of Representatives passed H. Res. 1276, "Recognizing the continued importance of volunteerism and national service and the anniversary of the signing of the landmark service legislation, the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act." Introduced by Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the resolution had 30 co-sponsors and passed by a voice vote. During the debate, Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL) spoke about the impact of service and volunteerism on individuals, communities, and our country:

Albert Einstein once said, “A person starts to live when he can live outside himself.” Regardless of one’s age or background, education or interests, experience or abilities, every American should have the chance to serve because all have something to contribute to the greater good.

Click here to read the resolution, "Recognizing the continued importance of volunteerism and national service and commemorating the anniversary of the signing of the landmark service legislation, the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act."

Click here to read floor remarks delivered by Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL), Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), and Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-Northern Marinas Islands) in support of H. Res. 1276.

Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) introduced a similar resolution in the Senate this week. You can read the text of S. Res. 495 from the Congressional Record here.

Click here to read remarks from Patrick Corvington, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, at a luncheon celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Serve America Act, co-hosted by Voices for National Service, ServiceNation, and America Forward.

Happy Global Youth Service Day!

A wonderful letter from my friend Steve Culbertson, President and CEO of Youth Service America ...

"This weekend, April 23-25, millions of children and youth around the world are taking action and addressing critical problems in their schools and communities—issues that range from climate change and environmental degradation, to childhood obesity and illiteracy. Young people are partnering with friends and family, teachers, community and faith-based organizations, corporations, media, and elected officials on service and service-learning initiatives to make real and sustainable change.

For some, GYSD is the culmination of a Semester of Service that launched on Martin Luther King Day of Service in January. For all, GYSD represents months of hard work by young people, investigating community needs, gathering partners, and creating processes to ensure that their work has a lasting impact. For others, this weekend of service is an introduction to volunteering - an introduction that can lead to a lifetime of service, philanthropy, and civic engagement. GYSD is also a time for celebration of why we serve, lifting our spirits and providing hope for a better, safer, and healthier world.

To date, there are nearly 2,500 GYSD projects from 86 countries on six continents already registered on our online map; 31 governors made GYSD proclamations; the U.S. Senate passed a resolution designating this weekend as Global Youth Service Day; the U.S. House of Representatives will soon pass its own resolution; and almost 11,000 teens are registered on Get Ur Good On, excited about their role as change agents in their communities.

On this Global Youth Service Day, if you are a young person, I challenge you to create or join a project near you and learn more about an issue affecting your local, national, and global community. If you are a parent, engage your kids in an activity that will provide them an opportunity to be active citizens in their neighborhoods. If you are a teacher, let your students lead a conversation and take action on an issue most important to them. If you are a community leader, consider how a youth strategy can impact your work and provide you with innovative ways of addressing local issues.

GYSD only occurs with the support of many key partners. State Farm Companies Foundation, the U.S. Presenting Sponsor, gives Youth Service America the opportunity to provide training and resources, and to serve as an effective advocate for the power of youth leadership. UnitedHealth Group, the Walt Disney Company, and Learn and Serve America at the Corporation for National and Community Service are providing critical additional support. The GYSD Network of global partners, Lead Agencies, Regional Lead Agencies, and National Partners are literally mobilizing hundreds of thousands of young people through their networks. And of course, I must thank the YSA staff and board who believe in the power of youth engagement.

As my good friend and board member, Harris Wofford, says, let's make service of all kinds a common expectation and a common experience of every young person around the world."

Steve Culbertson, YSA President & CEO

U.S. Grants & Awards

KaBOOM! Playground Design Competition (Deadline: April 30)

KaBOOM! is hosting a playground design competition in which communities can win $5,000 towards playground equipment. Through Friday April 30, communities can submit their playground designs online at www.kaboom.org. Then a panel of playful judges will look at each submission and rate it in regards to how creative, innovative, practical, comprehensive, age appropriate and fun it is. Once the judges have determined their favorites, KaBOOM! will post the top 5-10 on the website and voting will begin on Monday May 17. The three playground projects with the most votes will receive equipment grants worth up to $5,000 from a KaBOOM! Preferred Vendor. Regardless of who wins, all participants will get expert feedback on their final designs, getting their projects another step closer to success. Click Here for More Information

Six Flags Friends Scholarships (Deadline: April 30)

DoSomething.org has teamed up with Six Flags Friends to award college scholarships to young leaders who are taking action to make their community a better place. Scholarships will be awarded based on past, current and planned action in the community as well as the applicant's passion, commitment and proven leadership skills. Six winners will receive a $1,500 college scholarships. Click Here for More Information

Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes (Deadline: April 30)

Nominate a young service-learning leader for a $2,500 Barron Prize! The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes seeks nominations for its 2010 awards. The Barron Prize honors young people ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and our planet. Each year, ten national winners each receive $2,500 to support their service work or higher education. Nomination deadline is April 30. Click Here for More Information

ING Unsung Heroes (Deadline: April 30)

The ING Unsung Heroes awards program recognizes innovative and progressive thinking in education through monetary awards. 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. 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. Eligibility: full-time educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, or classified staff members with effective projects that improve student learning at an accredited K-12 public or private school. Click Here for More Information

DoSomething ASPCA Animal Action Grants (Deadline: April 30)

DoSomething.org and the ASPCA want to support you and your efforts to promote animal welfare. Are you working on project or program that is focused on decreasing animal shelter intake or increasing live release rates? Do you need money to put your ideas into action or take your project to the next level? If you answered, "YES!", you are eligible to apply for an ASPCA Animal Action Grant! 2 outstanding projects will be awarded with $1000 ASPCA Animal Action Grants. 4 projects will be awarded with $500 ASPCA Animal Action Grants. These grants can be used to support ongoing projects or project ideas or to start something new. Click Here for More Information

Target Early Childhood Reading Grants & Arts and Culture in Schools Grants (Deadline: April 30)

Target Early Childhood Reading Grants promote a love of reading and encourage young children to read together with their families by supporting programs such as after-school reading events and weekend book clubs. Maximum award: $2,000. Eligibility: schools, libraries, and nonprofit organizations. Click Here for More Information

Target Arts and Culture in Schools Grants help schools and nonprofits bring arts and cultural experiences directly to K-12 students. Programs must have a curriculum component. Maximum award: $2,000. Eligibility: schools and nonprofit organizations. Click Here for More Information

2010 Take Pride in America National Awards (Deadline: May 7)

Presented annually, the Take Pride in America® National Awards recognize individuals, groups and organizations for outstanding stewardship projects or awareness efforts involving federal, state and local lands and waters. The awards program is open to individuals, groups and organizations that have contributed to the protection and/ or enhancement of America's public lands. Examples of these include public parks, forests, grasslands, reservoirs, wildlife refuges, cultural and historic sites, local playgrounds, and other recreation areas. For all awards categories, nominations must reflect actual, measurable accomplishments achieved through volunteer service. To be achieved through volunteer service. To be eligible, projects must be "on the ground" activities, rather than advocacy. Nominated projects and efforts must have been started and/ or completed between May 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010. Click Here for More Information

Habitat for Humanity State Farm Service-Learning Partnership Grants (Deadline: May 15)

Service-Learning Partnership grants provide funds for teachers and schools to develop and implement service-learning projects in partnership with their local Habitat affiliate. For the 20010-2011 school year, teachers and local Habitat affiliates can jointly apply for a one-year grant of up to $7,000 to cover educational expenses associated with the service-learning project. Click Here for More Information

100 Best Communities for Young People (Deadline: June 1)

America's Promise Alliance and the ING Foundation are now seeking entries for the 2010 100 Best Communities for Young People (100 Best) competition. The Alliance and the ING Foundation seek to recognize 100 American cities and towns whose top priority is keeping children in school and helping end the nation's dropout crisis through innovative programs that are addressing everyday challenges facing young people and creating better places for them to live and grow. Winning communities receive ational recognition and media exposure, financial and logistic support to celebrate selection at a local event, commemorative awards to be displayed in the community, exposure to Alliance partner resources and the insights of other winning communities through an innovative online space to exchange ideas, and invitations to exclusive online informational events featuring Alliance partners designed to strengthen local efforts. Interested communities can apply through June 1. Click Here for More Information

Fizwoz Campus Challenge (Deadline: Ongoing)

The fizwoz Campus Challenge is offering ten $500 grants to school organizations that use the FREE fizwoz Assignment Desk to invite photo and video submissions taken at service projects for possible use by the news media. fizwoz.com is the premier online marketplace for iPhone captured media. Utilizing a state-of-the-art auction engine and cutting-edge mobile applications, fizwoz enables the average citizen to reach all levels of media buyers, from multinational media powerhouses to campus newspapers. Just tell fizwoz how your school organization would use $500 and the FREE fizwoz Assignment Desk to get students and others with iPhones to submit newsworthy pictures and videos of service projects on GYSD or anytime in April 2010. If they like your plan, your organization will get $500 to take your project and could receive $5,000 in December for the Best Use of Fizwoz by a student group. Click Here for More Information

Thanks to our friends at Youth Service America for compiling this great list!

Earth Hour on Saturday

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned their lights off for one hour to make their stand against climate change. Only a year later and Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating. Global landmarks such as the, Sydney Harbour Bridge, The CN Tower in Toronto, The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.

In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. Over 4000 cities in 88 countries officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet, making Earth Hour 2009 the world’s largest global climate change initiative.

Earth Hour 2010 takes place on Saturday 27 March at 8.30pm (local time) and is a global call to action to every individual, every business and every community throughout the world. It is a call to stand up, to take responsibility, to get involved and lead the way towards a sustainable future. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Europe to Asia to the Americas will stand in darkness. People across the world from all walks of life will turn off their lights and join together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common: our planet. So sign up now and let’s make 2010 the biggest Earth Hour yet!

It’s Showtime! Show the world what can be done

Earth Hour by WWF:

Earth Hour is organized by WWF. With almost 5 million supporters and a global network in over 100 countries, it’s one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and build a future where people live in harmony with nature.

Safe & Sound in Kabul

Many of you have written to see if I'm ok after the attacks in Kabul this morning. I really appreciate your concern. I'm completely safe as are my friends and colleagues here. We awoke to explosions and knew something had happened. The security folks moved quickly to find out what was going on and most sent their project staff into lockdown immediately. That happened with our team as well, and we remain restricted to our guesthouse, probably for the rest of the day. As I'm registered to receive warnings from our embassy in Kabul,  I'll post the notice they just sent below. If things change, I'll update you here and via Twitter.  :-) 

Complex Attack Near Kabul City Center

On February 26, 2010, at approximately 0630, insurgents attacked the Safi Landmark Hotel and surrounding buildings using explosives vests and small arms fire.  Afghan National Security Forces responded to the scene and killed at least eight insurgents.  As many as ten people were killed and 32 wounded in the attack.  Foreigners are reportedly among the dead and wounded, but at present there are no official reports of U.S. citizen victims.  U.S. Embassy personnel have been advised to avoid the affected area for the rest of the day. U.S. citizens are advised to be alert to the continued possibility of terrorist attacks and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness.  

Grants & Award Opportunities

U.S. Grants & Awards

2010 Project Orange Thumb Grants (Deadline: February 19)
Started in 2003, Project Orange Thumb® is a grant program that provides community garden groups with the tools and materials they need to reach their goals for neighborhood beautification and horticulture education. Community garden groups, as well as schools, youth groups, community centers, camps, clubs, treatment facilities, etc. are encouraged to apply. Grant recipients receive: Up to $1,000.00 in Fiskars® Garden Tools; Project Orange Thumb® t-shirts; and Up to $1,000.00 for other materials such as plants, seeds, mulch, etc. The deadline for application is February 19th, 2010. Click Here.

Huggable Heroes Award & Scholarship (Deadline: February 26)
Do you know a young leader between the ages of eight and 18 who is making a difference in his or her community or around the world?  Now through February 26, Build-A-Bear Workshop is accepting entries for its seventh annual Huggable Heroes® program, which recognizes everyday young people who go to extraordinary lengths to make life better for others.  Ten Huggable Heroes from the United States and Canada will be selected and each will be awarded with a $7,500 educational scholarship and $2,500 in the form of a donation to the 501 (c)(3) charity of his/her choice, as well as a celebration trip to St. Louis in July. Entry forms are available at all Build-A-Bear Workshop stores in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada, and online entries are being accepted at: Click Here. 

Guardian "Girls Going Places" Awards (Deadline: February 26)
The Guardian Life Insurance Company's annual initiative is designed to reward the enterprising spirit of girls aged 12 to 18 who are demonstrating budding entrepreneurship, taking the first steps toward financial independence, and making a difference in their schools and communities. Every year prizes totaling $30,000 are granted to three top winners and 12 finalists. Entries due Feb. 26, 2010. Details are available at: Click Here.

Sodexo Foundation STOP Hunger Scholarships (Deadline: February 26)
The Sodexo Foundation opened applications for its national STOP Hunger Scholarship program on January 1, 2010. The scholarships were first introduced in 2007 in order to support the education of young people who are working to end hunger in communities across the country - and to draw attention to the innovative and effective solutions that they are implementing toward ending hunger in their lifetime. Up to five students selected as national winners will each receive a $5,000 scholarship award and a matching $5,000 grant in their name, for the hunger-related charity of their choice. The scholarships will be presented on June 10, 2010 at the Sodexo Foundation Dinner in Washington, D.C. In addition, up to 20 regional winners will receive a $1,000 grant in their name, for the hunger-related charity of their choice. To be eligible, students must be enrolled in an accredited education institution (kindergarten through graduate school) in the United States and be able to demonstrate an on going commitment to hunger-relief activities in their community.  The deadline for applications is February 26, 2010. Click Here. 

Do Something Awards (Deadline: March 1)
Could you use $100,000 to change the world? The Do Something Awards celebrate young people 25 and under who are tackling a problem and changing the world. Five nominees will be rewarded with a $10,000 community grant, participation in a live VH1 TV show, media coverage and continued support from DoSomething.org. The grand prize winner will receive $100,000 during the live broadcast! Application closes March 1st, 2010.  Apply or nominate someone today. Click Here.

Learn and Serve America Higher Education Grants & School-Based Grants to Indian Tribes and U.S. Territories (Deadline: March 9)
Subject to the availability of appropriations for fiscal year 2010, the Corporation for National and Community Service (the Corporation) announces the anticipated availability of approximately $7.3 million to award new Learn and Serve America Higher Education grants. Grants will be awarded to an estimated seven to nine individual institutions ranging from approximately $85,000 to $200,000 annually for a project period of up to three years, and an estimated seven to eleven consortia ranging from approximately $200,000 to $500,000 for a project period up to three years. The purpose of the Learn and Serve America Higher Education program is to support institutions of higher education that use innovative service-learning programming to meet the needs of local communities. Click Here.


The Corporation for National and Community Service 

CNCS announces the availability of $650,070 for new Learn and Serve America School-Based grants to Indian Tribes and U.S. Territories to involve school-age youth in service-learning projects that simultaneously support student development and meet community needs. The Corporation anticipates that grants will be awarded to an estimated three to five Indian Tribes and U.S. Territories with awards ranging from approximately $45,000 to $120,000 annually for a project period of up to three years. Click Here.


EcoStar Grants (Deadline: March 16)
EcoStar Grants are now being offered to local communities where Constellation Energy does business. Organization must be a 501(c)3 nonprofit, with a Board of Directors. Grant range is up to $5,000 each. The project must be located geographically within an area Constellation Energy does business (continental 50 states with the exception of AZ, GA, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, WY). Project should fit at least one of five environmental focus areas: Pollution Prevention, Education, Energy Efficiency, Conservation, and Community Activism. Click Here.

Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes (Deadline: April 30)
Nominate a young service-learning leader for a $2,500 Barron Prize! The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes seeks nominations for its 2010 awards. The Barron Prize honors young people ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and our planet. Each year, ten national winners each receive $2,500 to support their service work or higher education. Nomination deadline is April 30. Click Here. 

Do Something Seed Grants (Deadline: Ongoing)
Are you working to start a community action project or program? Do you need money to put your ideas into action? If you answered, "YES!", you are eligible to apply for a Do Something Seed Grant. We give out a $500 Do Something Seed Grant every week to help young people just like YOU!  Do Something Seed Grants are targeted towards project ideas and programs that are just getting started. These grants can be used to jump-start your program or to realize your ideas for the first time. These are grants for all types of community action projects around causes that you care about and are important in your community! Deadlines: Rolling- Apply now! You will be notified whether or not you have won within 2-3 months after submission. Click Here.

Do Something Growth Grants (Deadline: Ongoing)
Did you create a sustainable community action project, program or organization that you want to grow? Are you looking for funding to take your already successful project to the next level? If you answered "YES!", you are eligible to apply for a Do Something Growth Grant. We give out a $500 Do Something Growth Grant every week to help young people just like YOU! Do Something Growth Grants are targeted towards projects that are already developed and sustainable. These grants go towards the next steps of your project and organization to help you as you look to expand your project and grow your impact.Deadlines: Rolling- Apply now! You will be notified whether or not you have won within 2-3 months after submission. Click Here.

Sign up to receive the weekly GrantStation Insider from GrantStation.comwith news about new funding programs, upcoming deadlines, conferences, seminars, and more.

International Grants & Awards

Get Ur Good On Grants (Deadline: February 22)
Get Ur Good On Grants are available for youth-led service initiatives on Global Youth Service Day, April 23-25, 2010. Available to children and youth around the world, YSA's Get Ur Good On Grants will award 100 $500 grants to support projects addressing critical community needs such as poverty, education, and environmental sustainability. Grant applications are due February 22, 2010. To learn more about Get Ur Good On Grants and to take the eligibility quiz. Click Here.

International Young Eco-Hero Awards (Deadline: February 28)
Action for Nature is an international environmental organization working to encourage young people to take personal action to nurture and protect the environment. The International Young Eco-Hero Awards recognize the individual accomplishments of young people, ages 8-16, whose personal actions have significantly improved the environment. Cash prizes of up to $500 will be awarded to youth for their outstanding accomplishments in environmental advocacy, environmental health, environmental research, or protection of the natural world. Eligible projects must be action-based and self-initiated (not one assigned by a teacher or other adult) and must have reached a significant stage or been completed within the last year. Youth ages 8 to 16 from anywhere in the world may apply. The application deadline is February 28, 2010. Application guidelines and forms are available on the Action for Nature website. Click Here.

Peace Child International Be the Change! Program Grants (Deadline: March 31)
"Be The Change!" is a youth-led sustainable development Action Programme related to the Millennium Development Goals which aims to empower young people around the world to "be the change they want to see in the world." The Be The Change! grants supports young people under age 25 with projects that concentrate on the development of local communities. The kind of projects supported are projects that are genuinely youth-led, which benefit the community rather than an individual need, are projects up to £500 with a detailed budget, have two experienced and committed adults to mentor the project, have measures of achievement (indicators) by which projects may be evaluated, and can be either income-generating (funds to start up a small business and creating jobs) or it can be non-income generating (for health, education, environmental clean-up or community improvement) social programmes which are of genuine and lasting community value. Click Here.

Sign up to receive the monthly GrantStation Insider International edition from GrantStation.com with information about a variety of resources for non-governmental (NGO) and nonprofit organizations working internationally.

Thanks to our friends at Youth Service America for compiling this great list.

Afghanistan Civil Society: Part 3

 

Civil society organizations—formed to address a wide range of social, cultural, religious and political issues—have been common in Afghanistan for a very long time. Historically, these traditional organizations, and a growing number of self-help organizations, have played a leading role in social development. However, the development of civil society in Afghanistan has been impeded by more than three decades of conflict and war, displacement, and social disruption. Afghanistan is slowly acquiring the full range of civil society organizations to complement government and private sector efforts to re-build Afghanistan.   

Beginning in 2003, there was a significant resurgence of the sector with the establishment of a large number of organizations registered as Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and the development of the first Afghan NGO Law and Code of Conduct. Several networks of NGOs and, in some instances member organizations of the international development community, evolved or re-emerged to provide leadership to the sector. The Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR) initially maintained the registry of NGOs and was instrumental in the evolution of the NGO Law and Code of Conduct.

The Code of Conduct was created in 2005 through the efforts of ACBAR. Although recognized as an essential tool to develop an accountable, transparent, legitimate, and credible civil society sector, a number of issues have impacted appropriate institutionalization of the code. Firstly, subscription remains low. Of the approximately 1600 registered NGOs and INGOs in Afghanistan, less than 150 organizations are signatories to the code. Furthermore, robust mechanisms for implementation and monitoring NGO adherence to the code were not developed. Within the civil society sector, it is generally recognized that in order for the code to be operationalized, it needs to be thoroughly reviewed and its content possibly revised. Even more importantly, an implementation strategy must be developed.

This is where Common Ground comes in. 

We've been engaged to develop processes to review the current Code by involving key stakeholders and working with them to explore the need for revisions. The goal is to ensure that the Code of Conduct is more applicable within the civil society sector in Afghanistan and that there is greater adherence to its principles by local NGOs. Ultimately, this commitment to transparency and standards of operation are intended to dramatically change the way NGOs are perceived by Afghan citizens, the government, media, and the international donor community.

(Background information adapted from materials provided to Common Ground)