Congratulations to GPG client Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA)!

glen — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:51:25 +0000

Mission Economic Development Agency’s (MEDA) application to the U.S. Department of Education’s Promise Neighborhoods program was funded for $500,000 to organize a one-year planning process to align services with local middle schools to provide financial, health, and other supportive services to students and their families.

Read more about MEDA’s application here.

California One of Nine States to Win Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge

glen — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:06:37 +0000

The White House announced Friday (12/16/11) morning that California was selected as one of nine states that will receive grant awards from the Race to the Top- Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) fund. The Glen Price Group is thrilled to have supported this effort and with the incredible outcome, which truly demonstrates what California can accomplish when we work together as a TEAM.

California's RTT-ELC grant award of $52.6 million will provide an opportunity to build upon California's local and statewide achievements to create sustainable capacity at the local level to meet the needs of our early learners, with a focus on those with the highest needs.

This award builds on a variety of projects undertaken by the California Department of Education including the effort by new State Superintendent Tom Torlakson's Transition Advisory Team, specifically the Early Childhood Education Working Team, see A Blueprint for Great Schools.

This award marks a formative moment for Early Learning in California as well as the federal recognition that California's innovation will help lead the way to ensuring excellent early learning and support for every child. Way to go TEAM California!

First 5 Solano Presents Innovative ‘First 5 Futures’ Plan to Board of Supervisors

glen — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:12:13 +0000

In light of decreasing state funds for its innovative activities, First 5 Solano has developed and approved the “First 5 Futures Implementation and Fund Development Plan” as aggressive fund development effort designed to grow the amount of resources in the County of Solano dedicated to critical programs serving children and families. The Glen Price Group was delighted to have contributed to the development of this groundbreaking plan.

Read the full article from the Fairfield Daily Republic here.

STEM in OST Initiative Completes Planning Work and Receives Startup Funding

glen — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:55:00 +0000

The S.D. Bechtel Jr., the Noyce, and the Samueli Foundations have all awarded grants to the California Afterschool Network and its collaborative partners to implement an innovative initiative to increase high-quality STEM programs for students during out-of-school time. Congratulations to the California Afterschool Network and all of the committed individuals and organizations who contributed to STEM in OST planning and visioning. Your time, energy, and thoughtful ideas have culminated in the development of a strategic plan that will be moved forward in California during the coming school years. The Glen Price Group is very proud to have provided strategic planning and proposal development services to this outstanding project.

County of Sonoma Receives Safe Routes to School Funding

glen — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:42:48 +0000

Sonoma County's Department of Transportation and Public Works recently received the good news that its Roseland Neighborhood Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) application was funded for $284,400 to support infrastructure projects at Sheppard Elementary School, Roseland Elementary School, Bellevue Elementary School, and Roseland Charter Middle School. See: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/LocalPrograms/saferoutes/saferoutes.htm

This year's SRTS funding round was very competitive, with slightly more than one-third of applications submitted being selected for funding.

SRTS funds will be used in Sonoma County to: Install new crosswalks, flashing "Entering School Zone" signs, bike storage lockers and pedestrian warning signs; construct bulb-outs and curb ramps; and upgrade existing crosswalks.

Safe Routes to School is an international movement that has taken hold in communities throughout the United States. The concept is to increase the number of children who walk or bicycle to school by removing the barriers that currently prevent them from doing so. Those barriers include lack of infrastructure, unsafe infrastructure, and a lack of information about the benefits of walking and biking to school. SRTS programs promote walking and bicycling through improved infrastructure; education and encouragement programs aimed at children, parents, and the community; and improved enforcement of traffic regulations.

The Roseland Neighborhood SRTS program will be supported by a wide range of partners, including the Sonoma County Department of Health Services, the City of Santa Rosa, the California Highway Patrol, the Sonoma County SRTS Workgroup, the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition, the Sonoma County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, the Community Activity and Nutrition Coalition, Safe Kids Sonoma County, and Landpaths, along with the following collaboratives:

The Sonoma County Safe Routes to School Program, spearheaded by the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition, in partnership with the Sonoma County Department of Public Health (DHS), the Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA), and many other local agencies and organizations (http://www.sonomasaferoutes.org/)
The HEAL program, a project of the Community Activity and Nutrition coalition (http://www.sonoma-county.org/health/about/pdf/heal/actionplan_2013.pdf)

The Glen Price Group was proud to be of assistance in developing and submitting the SRTS application.

California Submits Application for Race to the Top- Early Learning Challenge

glen — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:15:54 +0000

The Glen Price Group is proud to have supported the development of California’s Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Application. We wish California the best of luck!

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Comments on Federal Early Learning Grant Application
October 19, 2011
SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson issued the following statement regarding California’s application for the federal Race to the Top—Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant that was filed today:

“Our application reflects California’s dedication to the principle that—even in these challenging times—every child deserves the opportunity that comes with a good start in the lifelong journey of learning,“ Torlakson said.

“We know that investments in early learning pay off for our state, our society, and for California’s children. I’m hopeful that federal authorities will see that this application represents an opportunity to build on state and local efforts to help close the achievement gap by improving the quality of California’s early learning and care programs.“

RTT-ELC was unveiled in May 2011 by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The $500 million fund is a competitive grant designed to increase access to quality early learning programs for low-income and disadvantaged children.

As part of the competition, California is eligible for up to $100 million. States were asked to design a system that aligns their early learning programs, workforce development, evaluation systems, and efforts to help parents makeinformed decisions about the care of their children. For more information on RTT-ELC, please visit the U.S. Department of Education Web site at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge/index.html.

View the complete application

Join Preschool California in thanking Governor Brown for his support of high-quality programs for our youngest children

Read the Silicon Valley Education Foundation’s take on the application

Environmental Protection Agency Awards $300,000 to the City of Richmond for Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training

glen — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 23:33:41 +0000

The EPA has selected the City of Richmond for an Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Grant, one of just 21 grants nationwide, and the only program award made in the state of California. The program will train a total of 68 participants, with the goal of placing 60 into full- time employment. Recruitment for the program will focus on low-income, minority city residents who are unemployed or underemployed. The training program will consist of five 250-hour training cycles that will include OSHA- certified Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response training, underground storage tank leak prevention awareness, lead and mold abatement, and construction skills and green building standards. The strong relationships that Richmond’s Employment and Training Department has with industry employers and construction companies support the placement of graduates in environmental jobs. Richmond also has local First-Source hiring incentives in place with businesses that contract with the City that will further increase employment opportunities for local workers.

At the press conference in Atlanta on July 12th to announce the award, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson stated: “These job training grants are not just helping to create good jobs, they’re helping create good, green jobs that protect the health of local families and residents and prepare communities for continued economic growth. We’re looking to the people and community organizations who know these areas best to find the places where green jobs and environmental protection are going to do the most good. Creating good green jobs proves that we don’t have to choose between cleaning up our air and our water or creating jobs in our communities. We’re showing that it’s possible to do both at the same time.”

The Glen Price Group was pleased to have the opportunity to work with the Employment and Training Department of the City of Richmond to prepare this application.

California Department of Education Adopts New Mission

glen — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 23:41:07 +0000

The California Department of Education unveiled a new mission on June 22, 2011 as part of its ongoing institutional development work which the Glen Price Group has been proud to assist with.

See: http://www.cde.ca.gov/index.asp

The new mission builds on the work of Superintendent Tom Torlakson’s Transition Advisory Team and significant input from CDE staff and stakeholders.

Richmond WIB Receives $500,000 for Youth Career Technical Education

glen — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 16:13:33 +0000

The Richmond WIB, in partnership with the Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County, has received a grant award of $500,000 from the California Employment Development Department to develop a youth career technical education program in west Contra Costa County, one of just six awards made statewide. The Glen Price Group was pleased to have the opportunity to provide proposal development services for this exciting program.

The West Contra Costa Youth Career Technical Education Partnership (WCC-YCTE) will serve at-risk youth, ages 16 to 24, addressing the significant need for education, training and employment opportunities for youth and young adults in West Contra Costa County. Participants will engage in a tightly integrated program that includes assessment, education, training in a range of industry sectors (construction, health care, hospitality, and transportation), paid work experience, and placement in unsubsidized employment. Contra Costa College CTE Counselors will provide guidance on career options and training opportunities. Industry employers will also play a central role, by providing a setting in which WCC-YCTE participants can learn the skills needed for success.

In announcing the award, Pam Harris, Chief Deputy Director of the EDD stated: “Youth unemployment is an escalating problem in California and many young adults lack the skills to compete in today’s competitive labor market. By connecting the workplace with the classroom, CTE provides work experience and pre-apprenticeships to give these young adults more marketable skills to secure their futures.”

View the link to the California Employment Development Department press release announcing the grant awards.

County of Sonoma Wins USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Funding

glen — Wed, 25 May 2011 03:37:16 +0000

The Glen Price Group would like to congratulate the University of California, Cooperative Extension (UCCE) for submitting a successful proposal for a $702,000 grant to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development Program!

UCCE developed and submitted the AGROpreneurship Program, A Collaborative Model for Diversifying and Strengthening Beginning Farmers and Ranchers in partnership with the Santa Rosa Junior College the County of Sonoma, FarmLink, Health Action, and Latino Service Providers. The AGROpreneurship Program directly addresses three of the most significant barriers to beginning and sustaining successful farming and ranching businesses in Sonoma County:

Obtaining directly relevant business skills and training;
Gaining relevant work experience with farming and ranching production and business management; and
Obtaining access to land and financing.

By building upon existing training systems and curricula specifically created for this purpose, AGROpreneurship will create a business training and mentorship program that helps Sonoma County participants gain the full range of technical and management skills needed to start successful farming and ranching businesses.

This program is an amazing opportunity to address the training needs of beginning ranchers and farmers in Sonoma County and directly aligns with the County’s farsighted community health improvement effort, Health Action.