A VERY logical question is: "How did RSVP wind up under the EICAP umbrella?"
To answer this question, we must first look at the birth of RSVPs. RSVPs are modeled on a small social experiment that took place in Upstate New York in the late 1960's. Someone in Congress latched onto the concept and idea and pushed legislation to create yet another federal bureaucracy to propagate the concept nationwide. Lo and behold, the House & Senate passed a bill creating RSVP and guess who signed it? Richard M. Nixon! Yep, Tricky Dick signed RSVP into law in 1972. Well, in those heady early days, there were vast sums of money available with very little strings attached. The gubmint wanted to get RSVPs up and running everywhere all at once. The legislation as written by Congress mandated that every RSVP have a "sponsor."
RSVPs couldn't be creatures out on their own. The fear was back then RSVPs might become "loose cannons" if they were on their own with no oversight or overhead. Congress eliminated that fear by tying all RSVP's into a sponsor relationship. No sponsor--no RSVP.
As a result, it was up to each local area or community as to how and who might step into the vacuum and attempt to become an RSVP sponsor. Bear in mind that in those days, no one really even knew what an RSVP was supposed to be. All they generally knew that there was money available and it was fairly easy to get. It was the proverbial brass ring. As a result, community organizations by the hundreds rushed forward to grab the brass ring and get themselves an RSVP. At that time EISSA was newly minted and barely 4 years old. This whole "RSVP thing" seemed too good to be true--getting money to help match up volunteers with organizations who needed their help. What a great idea!
However, this is STILL Eastern Idaho and so EISSA wasn't quite as quick on the draw as many other people in America. While many RSVP were formed in 1972-73, this one didn't come into being until 1974. Nevertheless, that's pretty fast for Eastern Idaho in the early 1970's!
For the bulk of its early existence, RSVP and EISSA were a great match with one hand helping the other hand. This was long before many other of today's programs had been added to the marque. This was also when there was a general outpouring of popular support for community volunteerism. People were coming forth in droves wondering where and how they could volunteer. It was the dawn of a whole new era in the World of Volunteerism.
As a side note here, you have to bear in mind that prior to the early 1970's, there were few, if any, institutionalized ways to volunteer. RSVP was the classic "better mousetrap" when it first came into existence. The early 1970's represented a real sea change in how American non-profits and government agencies looked at volunteerism.
Take the Forest Service, for example. Prior to 1972, the Forest Service didn't even have a legal way for people to volunteer for that agency! It took an entire body of law, passed and signed also in 1972, to legalize volunteering for the Forest Service. We tend to assume today that institutionalized volunteering has always been around. It hasn't. It's relatively new in the grand scheme of things. So, please realize that RSVP was welcomed with open arms and enjoyed huge success in its early days.
Back when it first became part of EISSA, RSVP was a fundamental part of assisting the delivery of program services. I'd guess that's its budget was also a significant percentage of EISSA's overall budget. Today, nothing could be farther from the truth.
RSVP's budget today represents perhaps one half of a percent of EICAP's overall budget. Today, RSVP has little or no role in EICAP's stated mission. Today, RSVP is a dangling appendage with little or no real purpose in EICAP's day-to-day operations. Only a small percentage of EICAP staff have any idea whatsoever what RSVP does. The shifting sands of time have relegated RSVP to a dusty corner in the EICAP structure.
As EICAP evolved, the Area VI Agency on Aging became a large part of EICAP's bag of tricks.
RSVP was conveniently swept into the AAA corner and is now mostly out-of-sight and out-of-mind. It's easy to get the idea that RSVP is more of a nuisance to EICAP than anything else.
Many people in EICAP think that all RSVP's are sponsored by Community Action Partnerships.
That's far from true. It's estimated that as few as 10% and as many as 20% of nationwide RSVPs are sponsored by CAP's. The huge prevailing majority of RSVPs are sponsored by vibrant non-profits and government agencies. RSVP really has nowhere to go in EICAP and no real way to progress and prosper. RSVP is a functional subjugate of EICAP and it has been held onto (as far as I can discern) simply for the prestige of the logo and a few passing "talking points."
EICAP has no real purpose for hanging onto the RSVP but, by the same token, it will never let it go. It's unthinkable that a bureaucracy would voluntarily let go of one of its programs. It goes against the whole concept of "agency turf."
RSVP is totally mismatched now with EICAP as a partner. We will discuss that in much more detail in subsequent blog posts. Suffice to say there's nothing you can do about what we've identified here. You are stuck with it and they with you. Your challenge is to make the best of it within the institutional constraints that you face. It's a tall challenge, there's no doubt about that!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
EICAP Organization
EICAP reminds me of a poor Mexican's house. My wife and I once spent a lot of time in Mexico.
We noticed that the poor Mexicans had a process and procedure for getting themselves a house.
First, they would simply squat on some land that no one else wanted. Perhaps it would be the lee of a windswept sand dune. They might have a fire and a box to sit on. Then, they would scavenge some cardboard boxes--the bigger the better. They would use the boxes as a shelter in which to get out of the wind, sleep or change clothes. Gradually they would scavenge some scraps of wood and some nails and they would build a crude framework to which to attach pieces of cardboard. Soon, a small rectangle would appear. As you can imagine, this would soon be improved with a crude roof. Before long, one side might be a piece of wood sheathing rather than cardboard. And so it would go until in a year or two concrete footings might be appearing and, before long, the makings of a real house would be underway. These types of houses are NEVER finished--they are a perpetual "work in progress." My wife and I visited certain areas of Mexico over such a long time span that we were able to see people lift themselves from a campfire with no shelter into a pretty nice concrete-walled home!
So it is with EICAP. EICAP began with a few scraps of a program and gradually has scavenged here and there and tacked on a variety of this and that programs. Whenever EISSA or EICAP leadership would see an opportunity to latch onto something, that leadership would drag the newfound item home to tack it onto their little home. Pretty soon, the agency began to look like a real agency.
The point here is that you should never forget that EICAP has always been a "creature of opportunity." As leadership saw opportunities, they stepped forward to take them. So it was with RSVP and that's why it's germane to your orientation here.
If you look around you in EICAP, you will see all sorts of programs that seemingly have little or nothing in common. I suggest you remember this little blog post in trying to make sense of EICAP organization. It's just like the analogy of the poor Mexican's house. It's a large, multi-million dollar agency now with well more than 100 employees scurrying about doing all manner of things. It didn't just spring full bloom into this existence and it often wasn't with a genuine premeditated long range plan in hand. It basically just happened this way.
With that in mind, we will now discuss RSVP history and how this RSVP came to be a subjugate of EICAP.
We noticed that the poor Mexicans had a process and procedure for getting themselves a house.
First, they would simply squat on some land that no one else wanted. Perhaps it would be the lee of a windswept sand dune. They might have a fire and a box to sit on. Then, they would scavenge some cardboard boxes--the bigger the better. They would use the boxes as a shelter in which to get out of the wind, sleep or change clothes. Gradually they would scavenge some scraps of wood and some nails and they would build a crude framework to which to attach pieces of cardboard. Soon, a small rectangle would appear. As you can imagine, this would soon be improved with a crude roof. Before long, one side might be a piece of wood sheathing rather than cardboard. And so it would go until in a year or two concrete footings might be appearing and, before long, the makings of a real house would be underway. These types of houses are NEVER finished--they are a perpetual "work in progress." My wife and I visited certain areas of Mexico over such a long time span that we were able to see people lift themselves from a campfire with no shelter into a pretty nice concrete-walled home!
So it is with EICAP. EICAP began with a few scraps of a program and gradually has scavenged here and there and tacked on a variety of this and that programs. Whenever EISSA or EICAP leadership would see an opportunity to latch onto something, that leadership would drag the newfound item home to tack it onto their little home. Pretty soon, the agency began to look like a real agency.
The point here is that you should never forget that EICAP has always been a "creature of opportunity." As leadership saw opportunities, they stepped forward to take them. So it was with RSVP and that's why it's germane to your orientation here.
If you look around you in EICAP, you will see all sorts of programs that seemingly have little or nothing in common. I suggest you remember this little blog post in trying to make sense of EICAP organization. It's just like the analogy of the poor Mexican's house. It's a large, multi-million dollar agency now with well more than 100 employees scurrying about doing all manner of things. It didn't just spring full bloom into this existence and it often wasn't with a genuine premeditated long range plan in hand. It basically just happened this way.
With that in mind, we will now discuss RSVP history and how this RSVP came to be a subjugate of EICAP.
EICAP History
By now, of course, you know what EICAP means. You probably don't know its history. I'd like to tell you its history from a slightly different viewpoint than the "official line."
To understand EICAP you have to jump into the Way Back Time Machine and teleport yourself into the turbulent 1960's. Many major societal changes were unfolding during that halycon era.
Great strides in genuine social justice can trace their roots to the 1960's. One of them was the famous "War on Poverty."
You have to realize that poverty back then was an incredibly brutal circumstance. There are still a lot of people in poverty today but you might not recognize them. They might look pretty normal. Back then, people in poverty were quite the visual sight. Their homes were often rundown shacks. Their clothes could often be in tatters. Their physical appearance was terrible. If they drove a vehicle, it was often the most decrepit vehicle to be seen. Poverty had a physical, tangible side and it was very, very ugly by any definition. Poverty literally cried out to be tackled and eliminated--or at least subdued and morphed into today's version of poverty.
Today, the Federal gubmint creates a periodic income level that supposedly defines poverty. If you earn less, supposedly you are "in poverty." If you earn more, you aren't. It's a very arbitrary process these days and the income level is the final arbiter. My wife and I lived below the official poverty level for many years but we were not impoverished or in poverty. We had one of the highest quality lives that any human can hope for. We wanted for nothing and we had many resources for which to be thankful. We never once considered ourselves to be "in poverty." However, according to the Federal gubmint we were DEFINITELY in poverty because we were "living below the poverty level." If you are below that level these days, well you are "in poverty" and that's that.
However, let's go back to the 1960's. You didn't need an arbitrary income level to tell you who was in poverty and who wasn't. You could see it, smell it and understand it with your own eyes. To actually see the wretched neighborhoods as I did back then was often a gut wrenching experience. Anyone who said there wasn't poverty in America was an idiot with his/her head in the sand. And yet, there were the "denial people." I remember distinctly people who ridiculed Lyndon Johnson when he launched the War on Poverty. It was disgusting as whole neighborhoods in my Midwestern home town were as dirt poor as dirt poor can get.
It was from these circumstances that the concept of a "Community Action Partnership" arose.
It would have been impossible for any one single individual to help eradicate poverty in their community. By forming partnerships and alliances between individuals and organizations, it was at least possible to imagine that people working together could fight back at the societal decay of poverty. The more people who joined the "war on poverty," the more likely the potential success.
You must realize that EICAP has its roots firmly entrenched in the legacy of the "war on poverty" of the 1960's. Despite all of the bureaucratic changes, social trends, etc. it is the imagery of those stark times of the 1960's that are embedded in the psyche of those who guide America's "Community Action Partnership" movement of 2009-2010 and beyond.
EICAP technically began in 1968, right smack in the middle of the late 1960's cauldron. At first, EICAP was known as EISSA--an acronym you will still see here and there, especially on property tags. You can read all about EICAP's evolution from then until now. Some fine material was put together for the 40th anniversary in 2008. I won't attempt to recap all of the steps that have led to EICAP's current configuration. You can (and should) do that yourself. It's part of your due diligence in working for this agency.
With this blog post, I merely want to remind you of the tenor of the times when EICAP sprung into being. Even though we are generations away from those years, that legacy still constitutes a viable heritage for EICAP. It is still living with those years as a foundation for its future. Even though the face of poverty looks radically different today than it did in 1968, thousands of people young and old are still struggling to establish independence, self-sufficiency and a decent quality of life for themselves and their families.
In the fall of 2009, EICAP's Board decided to change its mission statement to include up front the words "at-risk" to show who this outfit targets. The mission of EICAP is worthy and noble.
There's no doubt about that. We will always celebrate any organization that steps onto the front lines in the struggle to eliminate poverty and assist needy people in a better standard of living.
However, just because EICAP has a noble lineage and a noble cause doesn't mean I blindly support the administration and day-to-day practices of EICAP. In fact, I see much amiss with the organization. What I see in many cases in none of my business...or yours. What really matters is EICAP's relationship with and to RSVP and you and your program. That's really all that matters from your viewpoint.
We will talk more about this lengthy topic in the blog posts that follow.
To understand EICAP you have to jump into the Way Back Time Machine and teleport yourself into the turbulent 1960's. Many major societal changes were unfolding during that halycon era.
Great strides in genuine social justice can trace their roots to the 1960's. One of them was the famous "War on Poverty."
You have to realize that poverty back then was an incredibly brutal circumstance. There are still a lot of people in poverty today but you might not recognize them. They might look pretty normal. Back then, people in poverty were quite the visual sight. Their homes were often rundown shacks. Their clothes could often be in tatters. Their physical appearance was terrible. If they drove a vehicle, it was often the most decrepit vehicle to be seen. Poverty had a physical, tangible side and it was very, very ugly by any definition. Poverty literally cried out to be tackled and eliminated--or at least subdued and morphed into today's version of poverty.
Today, the Federal gubmint creates a periodic income level that supposedly defines poverty. If you earn less, supposedly you are "in poverty." If you earn more, you aren't. It's a very arbitrary process these days and the income level is the final arbiter. My wife and I lived below the official poverty level for many years but we were not impoverished or in poverty. We had one of the highest quality lives that any human can hope for. We wanted for nothing and we had many resources for which to be thankful. We never once considered ourselves to be "in poverty." However, according to the Federal gubmint we were DEFINITELY in poverty because we were "living below the poverty level." If you are below that level these days, well you are "in poverty" and that's that.
However, let's go back to the 1960's. You didn't need an arbitrary income level to tell you who was in poverty and who wasn't. You could see it, smell it and understand it with your own eyes. To actually see the wretched neighborhoods as I did back then was often a gut wrenching experience. Anyone who said there wasn't poverty in America was an idiot with his/her head in the sand. And yet, there were the "denial people." I remember distinctly people who ridiculed Lyndon Johnson when he launched the War on Poverty. It was disgusting as whole neighborhoods in my Midwestern home town were as dirt poor as dirt poor can get.
It was from these circumstances that the concept of a "Community Action Partnership" arose.
It would have been impossible for any one single individual to help eradicate poverty in their community. By forming partnerships and alliances between individuals and organizations, it was at least possible to imagine that people working together could fight back at the societal decay of poverty. The more people who joined the "war on poverty," the more likely the potential success.
You must realize that EICAP has its roots firmly entrenched in the legacy of the "war on poverty" of the 1960's. Despite all of the bureaucratic changes, social trends, etc. it is the imagery of those stark times of the 1960's that are embedded in the psyche of those who guide America's "Community Action Partnership" movement of 2009-2010 and beyond.
EICAP technically began in 1968, right smack in the middle of the late 1960's cauldron. At first, EICAP was known as EISSA--an acronym you will still see here and there, especially on property tags. You can read all about EICAP's evolution from then until now. Some fine material was put together for the 40th anniversary in 2008. I won't attempt to recap all of the steps that have led to EICAP's current configuration. You can (and should) do that yourself. It's part of your due diligence in working for this agency.
With this blog post, I merely want to remind you of the tenor of the times when EICAP sprung into being. Even though we are generations away from those years, that legacy still constitutes a viable heritage for EICAP. It is still living with those years as a foundation for its future. Even though the face of poverty looks radically different today than it did in 1968, thousands of people young and old are still struggling to establish independence, self-sufficiency and a decent quality of life for themselves and their families.
In the fall of 2009, EICAP's Board decided to change its mission statement to include up front the words "at-risk" to show who this outfit targets. The mission of EICAP is worthy and noble.
There's no doubt about that. We will always celebrate any organization that steps onto the front lines in the struggle to eliminate poverty and assist needy people in a better standard of living.
However, just because EICAP has a noble lineage and a noble cause doesn't mean I blindly support the administration and day-to-day practices of EICAP. In fact, I see much amiss with the organization. What I see in many cases in none of my business...or yours. What really matters is EICAP's relationship with and to RSVP and you and your program. That's really all that matters from your viewpoint.
We will talk more about this lengthy topic in the blog posts that follow.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
CNCS-related Travel Requirements
You need to bear in mind that CNCS has some de facto travel requirements. These aren't specifically stated in your job description and they aren't actually a legal requirement, per se. However, they are pretty much a REAL requirement and we can assure you that it is very important to plan for CNCS-related travel. It's a Big Deal with CNCS Staff as you will undoubtedly soon discover.
You will need to travel to Boise at least once a year. If you can't make the meeting(s) that are planned there, you better have a dang good excuse.
Likewise, CNCS is going to want you to attend the annual National Conference on Volunteering. It's always in late June and it's always in an expensive and distant metropolis. I went to the one in Atlanta. Luckily, I was able to beg out of the one in San Francisco. The 2010 Conference is in New York City, surely one of the cheapest cities on the planet. (HA!) It's going to cost you a fortune to go there, at least an arm and a leg for travel and another arm & a leg for the hotel. Your per diem probably won't even come close to helping you actually eat a real meal. Figure something close to $3000, $2500 if you are lucky.
There's already been a subtle push (early in the current fiscal year) to gear up for going to New York. So, you can expect the heat to increase as you get closer to this date.
The trips to Boise generally aren't worth your time. You basically get to sit and listen to other Senior Corps Directors talk. No one's particularly interested in anything going on in Eastern Idaho. If you bring up anything innovative, it's usually met with a collective silence and blank stares. In my first trip over there, almost no one even bothered to introduce themselves to me.
I felt like the odd orphan at the family reunion.
I was told I absolutely HAD to go to Atlanta in 2008. I came away with some valuable insights but only because I forced myself to learn as much as I could from the vendor displays. None of the sessions were worth the time to attend them and I didn't even get a nano-second's worth of interface with Idaho Senior Corps Directors. It was a very costly event, well over $2000.
Also, I had to go to Los Angeles in January in 2008 to receive VISTA Supervisor Training. This was another truly worthless trip and I caught a terrible case of crud from being in LA. It took weeks to fully recover from that trip.
This post is just a warning--you will get leaned on to travel. Sometimes, the travel dates will not sync with your schedule. If you want to keep in everyone's good graces, you are going to have to agree to travel if and when they tell you to. It's like the old saying, "When somebody asks you to jump, ask them how high?"
This post concludes our series of posts on the Nature of RSVP and CNCS and so forth. We will now move onto dissecting EICAP.
You will need to travel to Boise at least once a year. If you can't make the meeting(s) that are planned there, you better have a dang good excuse.
Likewise, CNCS is going to want you to attend the annual National Conference on Volunteering. It's always in late June and it's always in an expensive and distant metropolis. I went to the one in Atlanta. Luckily, I was able to beg out of the one in San Francisco. The 2010 Conference is in New York City, surely one of the cheapest cities on the planet. (HA!) It's going to cost you a fortune to go there, at least an arm and a leg for travel and another arm & a leg for the hotel. Your per diem probably won't even come close to helping you actually eat a real meal. Figure something close to $3000, $2500 if you are lucky.
There's already been a subtle push (early in the current fiscal year) to gear up for going to New York. So, you can expect the heat to increase as you get closer to this date.
The trips to Boise generally aren't worth your time. You basically get to sit and listen to other Senior Corps Directors talk. No one's particularly interested in anything going on in Eastern Idaho. If you bring up anything innovative, it's usually met with a collective silence and blank stares. In my first trip over there, almost no one even bothered to introduce themselves to me.
I felt like the odd orphan at the family reunion.
I was told I absolutely HAD to go to Atlanta in 2008. I came away with some valuable insights but only because I forced myself to learn as much as I could from the vendor displays. None of the sessions were worth the time to attend them and I didn't even get a nano-second's worth of interface with Idaho Senior Corps Directors. It was a very costly event, well over $2000.
Also, I had to go to Los Angeles in January in 2008 to receive VISTA Supervisor Training. This was another truly worthless trip and I caught a terrible case of crud from being in LA. It took weeks to fully recover from that trip.
This post is just a warning--you will get leaned on to travel. Sometimes, the travel dates will not sync with your schedule. If you want to keep in everyone's good graces, you are going to have to agree to travel if and when they tell you to. It's like the old saying, "When somebody asks you to jump, ask them how high?"
This post concludes our series of posts on the Nature of RSVP and CNCS and so forth. We will now move onto dissecting EICAP.
Statistical Perspectives
Any gubmint program is immersed in numbers. Numbers are the grease that helps the wheel of gubmint turn 'round. Without numbers, most gubmint agencies would simply dry up and blow away. Naturally, you must have a healthy respect for numbers because it's the numbers that pay the bills and keep the money flowing and so forth.
I urge you not to get hung up on numbers and I doubly urge you to avoid spouting numbers like a deranged robot. Yes, numbers are important but they will put people to sleep faster than a lethal injection.
As we've mentioned, focus on stories. Meanwhile, though, you also need to be a number cruncher, a small time bean counter. You must pay attention to your numbers even if you don't use them much in polite conversation.
What are the most important numbers? There are five important numbers you need to watch:
1) Total Volunteer Stations
2) Total Volunteers
3) Total Active Volunteers
4) Total Inactive Volunteers
5) Total Volunteer Hours
All but #4 should be increasing. Obviously, #5 should be decreasing.
When you do the PPVA, there are a lot of other numbers to plug in but they are largely meaningless from your perspective. They are simply numbers that the feds need to continue to justify their bureaucracies.
You really don't need to pay much attention to these numbers on a short term basis. But you should look at them every six month and definitely every 12 months. Make a note of where these numbers are when you sign on and then track your progress throughout your tenure.
One thing you need to know about your numbers is how their statistical significance diminishes as the numbers "pass up the ladder."
Each time your numbers get up a rung of the ladder, they get aggregated and, in effect, rounded off. By the time they reach the top of the ladder on the highest national level, they are rounded off to a ridiculous degree. It appears to me lately that total RSVP numbers nationwide are being around to the nearest 100,000. It once appeared that they were rounded to the nearest 10,000. Now, I think the CNCS Top Brass has upped the ante and is rounding off to the nearest 100,000!!!! As far as the volunteer hours go, those are rounded to even more ridiculous levels--perhaps the nearest quarter billion dollars of value, but at least the neatest $100,000,000 of value equivalent.
So, here you are down at the bottom rung of the ladder trying to get your numbers right and the people above you are rounding the heck out of them. It really make you ask the question, "Why bother?" Why should you just round off your own numbers to the nearest level that makes prudent sense and then send them up the ladder. That's one reason I've encourage volunteers to stop using fractions of an hour in their time reports. PLEASE stop using half hours and, gawd forbid that you use a quarter hour. What's the point? Please round off to the nearest hour. I have actually encouraged some very active volunteers to round off to the nearest 10 hours.
I served as a Forest Service Volunteer for 7 seasons and logged more than 4,000 "official" hours. In the first season, I was tracking every little nit-picky piece of volunteer time. By the 7th season, I was rounding off with the best of the rounder offers. I never had one thought about reporting hours higher than I actually served. In my mind, I was convinced that I was actually under reporting my hours by rounding off. I really didn't care. After awhile, what difference does it make? Most people aren't volunteering because they get to report their time. They are volunteering because they case about a cause or an organization or an activity or a group of people. The reporting of the hours is typically just a big nuisance. So, don't obsess about being gnat's anatomy precise on your hours and so forth. It's the bigger picture that counts.
We will revisit this particular post often to make sure we have "got it right."
I urge you not to get hung up on numbers and I doubly urge you to avoid spouting numbers like a deranged robot. Yes, numbers are important but they will put people to sleep faster than a lethal injection.
As we've mentioned, focus on stories. Meanwhile, though, you also need to be a number cruncher, a small time bean counter. You must pay attention to your numbers even if you don't use them much in polite conversation.
What are the most important numbers? There are five important numbers you need to watch:
1) Total Volunteer Stations
2) Total Volunteers
3) Total Active Volunteers
4) Total Inactive Volunteers
5) Total Volunteer Hours
All but #4 should be increasing. Obviously, #5 should be decreasing.
When you do the PPVA, there are a lot of other numbers to plug in but they are largely meaningless from your perspective. They are simply numbers that the feds need to continue to justify their bureaucracies.
You really don't need to pay much attention to these numbers on a short term basis. But you should look at them every six month and definitely every 12 months. Make a note of where these numbers are when you sign on and then track your progress throughout your tenure.
One thing you need to know about your numbers is how their statistical significance diminishes as the numbers "pass up the ladder."
Each time your numbers get up a rung of the ladder, they get aggregated and, in effect, rounded off. By the time they reach the top of the ladder on the highest national level, they are rounded off to a ridiculous degree. It appears to me lately that total RSVP numbers nationwide are being around to the nearest 100,000. It once appeared that they were rounded to the nearest 10,000. Now, I think the CNCS Top Brass has upped the ante and is rounding off to the nearest 100,000!!!! As far as the volunteer hours go, those are rounded to even more ridiculous levels--perhaps the nearest quarter billion dollars of value, but at least the neatest $100,000,000 of value equivalent.
So, here you are down at the bottom rung of the ladder trying to get your numbers right and the people above you are rounding the heck out of them. It really make you ask the question, "Why bother?" Why should you just round off your own numbers to the nearest level that makes prudent sense and then send them up the ladder. That's one reason I've encourage volunteers to stop using fractions of an hour in their time reports. PLEASE stop using half hours and, gawd forbid that you use a quarter hour. What's the point? Please round off to the nearest hour. I have actually encouraged some very active volunteers to round off to the nearest 10 hours.
I served as a Forest Service Volunteer for 7 seasons and logged more than 4,000 "official" hours. In the first season, I was tracking every little nit-picky piece of volunteer time. By the 7th season, I was rounding off with the best of the rounder offers. I never had one thought about reporting hours higher than I actually served. In my mind, I was convinced that I was actually under reporting my hours by rounding off. I really didn't care. After awhile, what difference does it make? Most people aren't volunteering because they get to report their time. They are volunteering because they case about a cause or an organization or an activity or a group of people. The reporting of the hours is typically just a big nuisance. So, don't obsess about being gnat's anatomy precise on your hours and so forth. It's the bigger picture that counts.
We will revisit this particular post often to make sure we have "got it right."
Importance of Stories
We mentioned this topic in the post about "Reports & Applications." We think it would be prudent to give it a little more discussion.
Let's think for a moment about what you do. You help people and organizations.
Every person and every organization has a lot of stories.
When something special happens between you and an organiztion and a volunteer, you have magically created a special story.
It's these special stories that are so important to RSVP. You can generate statistics until you are blue in the face and they really dn't mean much to anyone. Yes, they are important for the bean counters. The numbers are valuable when someone has to sit in front of a COngressional Committee and justify their existence. But they are still nameless, faceless numbers and statistics.
It's the stories that put a human face on the numbers. It's the stories that tell the RSVP story. When you get a good story, don't hide it under the proverbial bushel basket. Stand up on a rooftop and shout out your story for the world to hear. Put up something on the bulletin board in the hallway. Share the story with your family and you co-workers. Pick up the phone and tell the story to your State Office Staff. Spread your story as far as you can.
Get used to telling stories. Become a story teller. Practice telling stories. Practice writing stories. Do whatever it takes but let success stories become a part of your life as RSVP Director. Numbers will put people to sleep. Stories will get them to sit up and take notice.
You are measured by your stories. No one really cares about your numbers. They are just numbers. But people honestly DO care about your stories. Don't be bashful. Celebrate your stories, be proud of your stories and, by all means, tell your stories early and tell them often.
Got that?
Let's think for a moment about what you do. You help people and organizations.
Every person and every organization has a lot of stories.
When something special happens between you and an organiztion and a volunteer, you have magically created a special story.
It's these special stories that are so important to RSVP. You can generate statistics until you are blue in the face and they really dn't mean much to anyone. Yes, they are important for the bean counters. The numbers are valuable when someone has to sit in front of a COngressional Committee and justify their existence. But they are still nameless, faceless numbers and statistics.
It's the stories that put a human face on the numbers. It's the stories that tell the RSVP story. When you get a good story, don't hide it under the proverbial bushel basket. Stand up on a rooftop and shout out your story for the world to hear. Put up something on the bulletin board in the hallway. Share the story with your family and you co-workers. Pick up the phone and tell the story to your State Office Staff. Spread your story as far as you can.
Get used to telling stories. Become a story teller. Practice telling stories. Practice writing stories. Do whatever it takes but let success stories become a part of your life as RSVP Director. Numbers will put people to sleep. Stories will get them to sit up and take notice.
You are measured by your stories. No one really cares about your numbers. They are just numbers. But people honestly DO care about your stories. Don't be bashful. Celebrate your stories, be proud of your stories and, by all means, tell your stories early and tell them often.
Got that?
Reports & Applications
First, you have the two progress reports, then the PPVA and then the renewal grant, plus the United Way grant. To fully describe each of these would require at least a half ream of paper or a day or two jawboning in person. Each of them is actually quite complicated and should be the duty of a trained compliance officer to prepare.
However, in the arcane world of CNCS and RSVP, YOU are the one that has to deal with each of these, even though you technically can't do it on time funded by the federal dollars. Are you thoroughly confused by that? You should be. I was and I still am!
However, I seem to be able to get all of these things done by their deadlines and the reports and applications get approved and life goes on. I think the key is not to overly obsess about them. Tackle them head on in a straightforwrad manner and avoid hyperventilating about them. Just imagine that everyone else in RSVP is going through the same stressful process that you are. Some people will do a much better job than other people. The gubmint can't really insist that EVERYONE perform at the level of a grant professional. They have to aim to accept the lowest common denominator or else they would be out of business. And we know that putting a bureaucracy out of business just never happens in the gubmint. So, the reviewers and approvers have to have some leeway in dealing with the various forms of flotsam and jetsam reports and applications that settle into their inbox.
Just always try to do your best with a sincere heart and mind and attitude and everything will work out OK. Remember that your CNCS State Office Staff are your friends and they are there to help you. They are not your adversaries, they are your allies. Don't be afraid to use them. Don't be afraid to share your concerns and issues. Good, solid open and frank communication is highly recommended between you and your CNCS State Office Staff.
A lot of what takes place in the two progress reports is pretty standard boilerplate kind of stuff. The categories that really need your attention are in the narrative portion of the reports. The most meaningful portion of these narratives are what you might call "success stories." When something really good happens to your program during the course of its operation, be sure to make notes and document the story. This is something that will "save your bacon" when it comes time to write the progress reports.
It would behoove you to dig into eGrants and read what the categories are in the narrative section of each required report. I put up a list of those on the file cabinet. Presumably, they should still be there when you took this position. I am looking at them right now. I keep them there are constant reminders of what's required in each of the semi-annual progress reports.
Here they are:
Challenges
Technical Assistance Needs
Resource Development
Other Accomplishments
Stories
Attachments
Each narratives is both somewhat restrictive but also somewhat open-ended. You have considerable leeway in writing for these topics but you also need to stay "on topic," too. I am pretty sure you can get into eGrants and read what I have written for my Progress Reports. This will help you in understanding how to begin thinking about how you will complete these various narratives.
Each RSVP Director will approach the completion of these narratives in their own unique and personal manner. You shouldn't attempt to duplicate my particular style. Find your own voice and style and freely express it in the narratives.
Your CNCS Office sends out specific guidance for completion of the PPVA--it's a data report and there's very little wiggle room for how you prepare and present this report. Ideally, you should enlist the assistance of your Program Assistant in preparing this. Almost all of the necessary data comes straight from Volunteer Reporter.
The grant renewal process is a real bugaboo. Frankly, I really have some serious issues with this process. Let's face it, you aren't making very much money in your position as RSVP Director. You probably sought the job because it's one of the few jobs available in Eastern Idaho. You probably didn't care much about the wage, as much as you cared about simply having a job. All of a sudden, you are now expected to be a professional grant writer. Yes, that's basically what you need to be to truly do a good job on the RSVP/Senior Corps grant renewal process. EICAP had a grant writer for awhile and she was paid a lot of money to write grants. Frankly, I doubt that she could have done a decent job writing the CNCS grant--it's that ridiculously complicated. There's absolutely no reason for CNCS to make this application as complex as it is. Each year, it seems to be more ridiculous and complicated and insulting. Frankly, I think my salary ought to be double for having to deal with this convoluted mess of a grant application.
I wish I could impart some pearls of wisdom about how to muddle through on this process. I can't. All I can say is what I have said and will continue to say, "The CNCS State Office Staff are your allies--USE THEM!" They can help you through this gut-wrenching process. I have to admit, the only times I felt virtually hopeless and alone in this position were when I was facing the grant application process. You simply can't afford to fail but they make the process so intimidating that you are in constant fear of failure. It's a terrible feeling no one should have to face while working a low paid job such as this.
If I would have known what I know now when I first took this position, I would have begun to study the annual grant application process as soon as I came on board. I would have really hit the ground running in February-March 2008. As it was, I was in the "denial" phase then and simply hoping that process would go away and leave me alone. Well, the process DOESN'T go away and leave you alone. If you don't face it, it's going to bite you Big Time. So, accept those facts, face it and deal with it. It's not pleasant--if fact, it's the LEAST pleasant aspect of this position and it has actually made me physically ill and nauseous.
I wish I could have a more positive attitude about this process. I simply can't.
It's the same way with United Way. The United Way grant is basically a HUGE HASSLE!
RSVP gets less than $6,000 a year for this grant. However, we're asked to go through the same process as someone getting a quarter million or more. Frankly, I've never seen a grant application as crazy as this one. United Way has come up with a truly punitive process that attempts to trick people into making mistakes or forgetting essential requirements. They may not realize it but they are apparently setting up a process to eliminate the weak and reward the strong. I resent that grant process in every way shape and form and I feel totally claustrophobic when I am working on it. I consider it insulting to be expected to complete this grant for the pay I am receiving, especially in light of the tiny sum which RSVP traditionally seeks. However, I have had no choice but to grin and bear it. That's the way it's going to be for you, too. You are going to have to crank out this application and go through the review process with a smile on your face and a Mary Poppins spring in your step. That's what EICAP expects and that's certainly what United Way expects.
Anything less will really rock the boat and upset the apple cart.
It truly amazes me what is expected of the low paid RSVP Director. You are expected to be a miracle worker, a jack of all trades, a skilled professional grant writer, a de facto HR Director and much, much more. Most of all of that I can deal with but the straw on my back that's been a real bug-a-boo are these reports and grant applications. I feel they are an enormous imposition and I am quite frankly delighted that I do not have to face them ever again in this lifetime!
However, in the arcane world of CNCS and RSVP, YOU are the one that has to deal with each of these, even though you technically can't do it on time funded by the federal dollars. Are you thoroughly confused by that? You should be. I was and I still am!
However, I seem to be able to get all of these things done by their deadlines and the reports and applications get approved and life goes on. I think the key is not to overly obsess about them. Tackle them head on in a straightforwrad manner and avoid hyperventilating about them. Just imagine that everyone else in RSVP is going through the same stressful process that you are. Some people will do a much better job than other people. The gubmint can't really insist that EVERYONE perform at the level of a grant professional. They have to aim to accept the lowest common denominator or else they would be out of business. And we know that putting a bureaucracy out of business just never happens in the gubmint. So, the reviewers and approvers have to have some leeway in dealing with the various forms of flotsam and jetsam reports and applications that settle into their inbox.
Just always try to do your best with a sincere heart and mind and attitude and everything will work out OK. Remember that your CNCS State Office Staff are your friends and they are there to help you. They are not your adversaries, they are your allies. Don't be afraid to use them. Don't be afraid to share your concerns and issues. Good, solid open and frank communication is highly recommended between you and your CNCS State Office Staff.
A lot of what takes place in the two progress reports is pretty standard boilerplate kind of stuff. The categories that really need your attention are in the narrative portion of the reports. The most meaningful portion of these narratives are what you might call "success stories." When something really good happens to your program during the course of its operation, be sure to make notes and document the story. This is something that will "save your bacon" when it comes time to write the progress reports.
It would behoove you to dig into eGrants and read what the categories are in the narrative section of each required report. I put up a list of those on the file cabinet. Presumably, they should still be there when you took this position. I am looking at them right now. I keep them there are constant reminders of what's required in each of the semi-annual progress reports.
Here they are:
Challenges
Technical Assistance Needs
Resource Development
Other Accomplishments
Stories
Attachments
Each narratives is both somewhat restrictive but also somewhat open-ended. You have considerable leeway in writing for these topics but you also need to stay "on topic," too. I am pretty sure you can get into eGrants and read what I have written for my Progress Reports. This will help you in understanding how to begin thinking about how you will complete these various narratives.
Each RSVP Director will approach the completion of these narratives in their own unique and personal manner. You shouldn't attempt to duplicate my particular style. Find your own voice and style and freely express it in the narratives.
Your CNCS Office sends out specific guidance for completion of the PPVA--it's a data report and there's very little wiggle room for how you prepare and present this report. Ideally, you should enlist the assistance of your Program Assistant in preparing this. Almost all of the necessary data comes straight from Volunteer Reporter.
The grant renewal process is a real bugaboo. Frankly, I really have some serious issues with this process. Let's face it, you aren't making very much money in your position as RSVP Director. You probably sought the job because it's one of the few jobs available in Eastern Idaho. You probably didn't care much about the wage, as much as you cared about simply having a job. All of a sudden, you are now expected to be a professional grant writer. Yes, that's basically what you need to be to truly do a good job on the RSVP/Senior Corps grant renewal process. EICAP had a grant writer for awhile and she was paid a lot of money to write grants. Frankly, I doubt that she could have done a decent job writing the CNCS grant--it's that ridiculously complicated. There's absolutely no reason for CNCS to make this application as complex as it is. Each year, it seems to be more ridiculous and complicated and insulting. Frankly, I think my salary ought to be double for having to deal with this convoluted mess of a grant application.
I wish I could impart some pearls of wisdom about how to muddle through on this process. I can't. All I can say is what I have said and will continue to say, "The CNCS State Office Staff are your allies--USE THEM!" They can help you through this gut-wrenching process. I have to admit, the only times I felt virtually hopeless and alone in this position were when I was facing the grant application process. You simply can't afford to fail but they make the process so intimidating that you are in constant fear of failure. It's a terrible feeling no one should have to face while working a low paid job such as this.
If I would have known what I know now when I first took this position, I would have begun to study the annual grant application process as soon as I came on board. I would have really hit the ground running in February-March 2008. As it was, I was in the "denial" phase then and simply hoping that process would go away and leave me alone. Well, the process DOESN'T go away and leave you alone. If you don't face it, it's going to bite you Big Time. So, accept those facts, face it and deal with it. It's not pleasant--if fact, it's the LEAST pleasant aspect of this position and it has actually made me physically ill and nauseous.
I wish I could have a more positive attitude about this process. I simply can't.
It's the same way with United Way. The United Way grant is basically a HUGE HASSLE!
RSVP gets less than $6,000 a year for this grant. However, we're asked to go through the same process as someone getting a quarter million or more. Frankly, I've never seen a grant application as crazy as this one. United Way has come up with a truly punitive process that attempts to trick people into making mistakes or forgetting essential requirements. They may not realize it but they are apparently setting up a process to eliminate the weak and reward the strong. I resent that grant process in every way shape and form and I feel totally claustrophobic when I am working on it. I consider it insulting to be expected to complete this grant for the pay I am receiving, especially in light of the tiny sum which RSVP traditionally seeks. However, I have had no choice but to grin and bear it. That's the way it's going to be for you, too. You are going to have to crank out this application and go through the review process with a smile on your face and a Mary Poppins spring in your step. That's what EICAP expects and that's certainly what United Way expects.
Anything less will really rock the boat and upset the apple cart.
It truly amazes me what is expected of the low paid RSVP Director. You are expected to be a miracle worker, a jack of all trades, a skilled professional grant writer, a de facto HR Director and much, much more. Most of all of that I can deal with but the straw on my back that's been a real bug-a-boo are these reports and grant applications. I feel they are an enormous imposition and I am quite frankly delighted that I do not have to face them ever again in this lifetime!
CNCS Reporting Schedule
Just as a ship nearing a coast line keeps an eye out for the lighthouse, you, too, should know and keep and eye out for the normal year-in, year-out reports that are due to CNCS.
Let's start with a Calendar Year Perspective and then switch to a Fiscal Year view.
In January, you must be doing a six month Progress Report. It's due by January 31. Then in March you will need to write your annual renewal grant for your funding. I think it's due by March 31. In July, you will need to do your final year-end Progress Report. It's due by July 31. In November, you need to do the annual PPVA--it's due by November 30.
Meanwhile, you need to have your in-kind valualtions ready to report to Fiscal twice a year, in January and July.
RSVP's Fiscal Year actually begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. This doesn't sync with EIAP's Fiscal Year or the Federal Fiscal Year or the United Way Fiscal Year. Our Fiscal year is in a League of its Own!
The first thing you do at the beginning of each Fiscal Year is the Annual Progress Report. As summer fades into fall, you set your eyes on the PPVA and get ready for that procees right about when they switch the clocks for Daylight Savings Time. November's always a short month with the Thanksgiving Holiday and Veterans Day, etc. So, it always seems to fly by and the PPVA seem like it's on top of oyu before you know it. Get a jump on the PPVA as the nice summer weather begins to fade into the bright colors of autumn.
Once the PPVA is behind you, then you set your eyes on the next lighthouse or beacon--the semi-annual Progress Report that's due in January. You will have plenty of time to knock this one out. January's a very slow month and it seems like it lasts forever. So, you can do this report at your leisure with time to spare.
After the January report is out of the way, it seems like you are almost immediately heading for your grant renewal process. February seems to zoom past much faster than January and--BAM--there you are in March with the grant renewal deadline looming at the end of the month. We will give you some pointed abvout tehse reports in a separate blog post.
After the March grant renewal process is out of the way, you get a breather--and it always seems like a long breather. Your next report isn't due until the end of July so you really get 3 report-free months.
However, don't let the Annual Progress Report sneak up on you--start thinking about it at least six weeks in advance.
The only other thing we need to add here is the United Way grant application and review process. We will discuss it in more detail in a separate blog post. However, you need to know that it must fit into your annual schedule in late summer. Generally, it's due BEFORE Labor Day! That's a very inconvenient time to be preparing a grant application but it's the way of United Way. You're going to need some "quality time" to prep out the United Way grant during some of the best parts of summer. Be forewarned--the United Way grant can really mess up your plans if you have forgotten about it.
That's about it for the Reporting Schedule. Now, let's take a look (briefly) at each of the reports and applications in detail.
Let's start with a Calendar Year Perspective and then switch to a Fiscal Year view.
In January, you must be doing a six month Progress Report. It's due by January 31. Then in March you will need to write your annual renewal grant for your funding. I think it's due by March 31. In July, you will need to do your final year-end Progress Report. It's due by July 31. In November, you need to do the annual PPVA--it's due by November 30.
Meanwhile, you need to have your in-kind valualtions ready to report to Fiscal twice a year, in January and July.
RSVP's Fiscal Year actually begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. This doesn't sync with EIAP's Fiscal Year or the Federal Fiscal Year or the United Way Fiscal Year. Our Fiscal year is in a League of its Own!
The first thing you do at the beginning of each Fiscal Year is the Annual Progress Report. As summer fades into fall, you set your eyes on the PPVA and get ready for that procees right about when they switch the clocks for Daylight Savings Time. November's always a short month with the Thanksgiving Holiday and Veterans Day, etc. So, it always seems to fly by and the PPVA seem like it's on top of oyu before you know it. Get a jump on the PPVA as the nice summer weather begins to fade into the bright colors of autumn.
Once the PPVA is behind you, then you set your eyes on the next lighthouse or beacon--the semi-annual Progress Report that's due in January. You will have plenty of time to knock this one out. January's a very slow month and it seems like it lasts forever. So, you can do this report at your leisure with time to spare.
After the January report is out of the way, it seems like you are almost immediately heading for your grant renewal process. February seems to zoom past much faster than January and--BAM--there you are in March with the grant renewal deadline looming at the end of the month. We will give you some pointed abvout tehse reports in a separate blog post.
After the March grant renewal process is out of the way, you get a breather--and it always seems like a long breather. Your next report isn't due until the end of July so you really get 3 report-free months.
However, don't let the Annual Progress Report sneak up on you--start thinking about it at least six weeks in advance.
The only other thing we need to add here is the United Way grant application and review process. We will discuss it in more detail in a separate blog post. However, you need to know that it must fit into your annual schedule in late summer. Generally, it's due BEFORE Labor Day! That's a very inconvenient time to be preparing a grant application but it's the way of United Way. You're going to need some "quality time" to prep out the United Way grant during some of the best parts of summer. Be forewarned--the United Way grant can really mess up your plans if you have forgotten about it.
That's about it for the Reporting Schedule. Now, let's take a look (briefly) at each of the reports and applications in detail.
Monday, October 26, 2009
The PDV
As we have noted in the post about "In-Kind" requirements, your only real hope of making your match requirements is the PDV--The Program Development Volunteer.
What does this mean? How do you capitalize on PDV's? Well, it's pretty difficult to impart the necessary knowledge in a mere blog post. We will give it our best shot.
First, a PDV can be of any age. They do not have to be 55 years or older. Theoretically, an Eagle Scout could be a PDV. It's unlikely that people younger than Eagle Scout level would qualify but you never know. Typically, the PDV's we've worked with tend to be younger volunteers--20's, 30's, 40's and 50's. I don't have a median age because I don't have to ask their age. Their age is totally irrelevant as a PDV. It matters not. I'd guess the average age is perhaps 40-something but that's not based on data--it's just a SWAG. (Speculative Wild Anatomy Guess)
The key thing to remember is that PDV's MUST (repeat MUST) be doing something truly legitimate to help develop either an existing or a new program offered by RSVP. They can't be engaged in routine volunteering, even if their routine volunteering utilizes their special skill.
Let's say a lawyer goes to a Senior Center to offer legal advice. Is that helping further develop an existing RSVP program? No, it's not. Legal Advice in Senior Centers has been around forever. The lawyer is only utilizing his/her skill to do something that's a tradition in Senior Centers.
Now, let's take a lawyer or someone else who wants to help you leverage and EXPAND the legal advice program for Seniors. Let's say you sit down with them and plot out goals, objectives, tactics and strategy. Then the individual goes out and spends their time trying to help you expand a legal advice program. That would be a classic PDV project and, as such, their time would count toward your in-kind match requirement. If they were a normal volunteer doing routine volunteer things, it would count at the normal BLS Idaho rate. But if they were an attorney using attorney skills to help you develop such an expanded program then their labor would be valued at attorney rates.
Naturally, a PDV must sign a different set of paper work and you keep track of their service in different ways than for a regular RSVP volunteer. One thing you need to know--you can't double count a PDV's hours. If the PDV is over 55, they can only be counted one way or another. If you count their hours as RSVP, they can't then be counted as PDV. Vice-versa, if you count them as PDV, they can't be entered as RSVP. That's not a problem for people under 55 years of age. They can ONLY be counted as PDV's, provided, of course, they that are truly helping you develop or enhance an existing or new program.
Let me give you an example of a PDV's value for an Idaho Falls partner--the Idaho Falls Farmers Market (IFFM). RSVP partnered with the IFFM in February 2009. Through conversation, we determined that the IFFM really wanted to expand awareness not only of the market itself but also the market as a viable place to volunteer, especially for Senior Volunteers. So, the question then became, how does RSVP develop and enhance a program to assist increasing capacity for the IFFM to accomplish their stated goals and objectives?
Simple--a website is needed and photos are then needed to post on the website to "tell the story." Once the story is in place, then we can aggressively market for volunteers for future years to help in the operation of the IFFM.
RSVP was able to recruit a PDV in Bucksport, Maine, to do the website and then a young, up and coming photographer to take hundreds of pictures. Deb The Webmaster is probably in her 30's or 40's and Emily The Photographer is in her 20's. Deb has really gone the extra mile in building a terrific website for the IFFM--it's totally professional and first class. Naturally, the value of her work is valued at what it would cost to get a comparable website on the open market. Trust me, that's BIG BUCKS! Emily turned in hundreds of professional photos. Her work is valued at the rate of a professional photographer because that's what her career ambition is--to become a professional photographer. If she said she wwas an amatuer and wanted to stay an amatuer, well then her valuation rate would be considerably lower. However, we are justified in assigning a value to her work that would be comparable for what it would cost in the so-called open market.
The bottom line is that this is how you are going to meet your match (AKA--in-kind).
What does this mean? How do you capitalize on PDV's? Well, it's pretty difficult to impart the necessary knowledge in a mere blog post. We will give it our best shot.
First, a PDV can be of any age. They do not have to be 55 years or older. Theoretically, an Eagle Scout could be a PDV. It's unlikely that people younger than Eagle Scout level would qualify but you never know. Typically, the PDV's we've worked with tend to be younger volunteers--20's, 30's, 40's and 50's. I don't have a median age because I don't have to ask their age. Their age is totally irrelevant as a PDV. It matters not. I'd guess the average age is perhaps 40-something but that's not based on data--it's just a SWAG. (Speculative Wild Anatomy Guess)
The key thing to remember is that PDV's MUST (repeat MUST) be doing something truly legitimate to help develop either an existing or a new program offered by RSVP. They can't be engaged in routine volunteering, even if their routine volunteering utilizes their special skill.
Let's say a lawyer goes to a Senior Center to offer legal advice. Is that helping further develop an existing RSVP program? No, it's not. Legal Advice in Senior Centers has been around forever. The lawyer is only utilizing his/her skill to do something that's a tradition in Senior Centers.
Now, let's take a lawyer or someone else who wants to help you leverage and EXPAND the legal advice program for Seniors. Let's say you sit down with them and plot out goals, objectives, tactics and strategy. Then the individual goes out and spends their time trying to help you expand a legal advice program. That would be a classic PDV project and, as such, their time would count toward your in-kind match requirement. If they were a normal volunteer doing routine volunteer things, it would count at the normal BLS Idaho rate. But if they were an attorney using attorney skills to help you develop such an expanded program then their labor would be valued at attorney rates.
Naturally, a PDV must sign a different set of paper work and you keep track of their service in different ways than for a regular RSVP volunteer. One thing you need to know--you can't double count a PDV's hours. If the PDV is over 55, they can only be counted one way or another. If you count their hours as RSVP, they can't then be counted as PDV. Vice-versa, if you count them as PDV, they can't be entered as RSVP. That's not a problem for people under 55 years of age. They can ONLY be counted as PDV's, provided, of course, they that are truly helping you develop or enhance an existing or new program.
Let me give you an example of a PDV's value for an Idaho Falls partner--the Idaho Falls Farmers Market (IFFM). RSVP partnered with the IFFM in February 2009. Through conversation, we determined that the IFFM really wanted to expand awareness not only of the market itself but also the market as a viable place to volunteer, especially for Senior Volunteers. So, the question then became, how does RSVP develop and enhance a program to assist increasing capacity for the IFFM to accomplish their stated goals and objectives?
Simple--a website is needed and photos are then needed to post on the website to "tell the story." Once the story is in place, then we can aggressively market for volunteers for future years to help in the operation of the IFFM.
RSVP was able to recruit a PDV in Bucksport, Maine, to do the website and then a young, up and coming photographer to take hundreds of pictures. Deb The Webmaster is probably in her 30's or 40's and Emily The Photographer is in her 20's. Deb has really gone the extra mile in building a terrific website for the IFFM--it's totally professional and first class. Naturally, the value of her work is valued at what it would cost to get a comparable website on the open market. Trust me, that's BIG BUCKS! Emily turned in hundreds of professional photos. Her work is valued at the rate of a professional photographer because that's what her career ambition is--to become a professional photographer. If she said she wwas an amatuer and wanted to stay an amatuer, well then her valuation rate would be considerably lower. However, we are justified in assigning a value to her work that would be comparable for what it would cost in the so-called open market.
The bottom line is that this is how you are going to meet your match (AKA--in-kind).
In-Kind
If you've ever had anything to do with grants, you know what those two words "in-kind" actually mean. If you haven't dealt with grants, then understanding and getting to know "in-kind" is going to take some time.
The words "In-kind" are often also known as "match," as in "grant match." SOme people mix and match both terms. CNCS uses "in-kind" so it would behoove you to adopt that phrase and forget the use of the word "match," even though you may be more accustomed to the word "match."
Pretty much all grants require some form of "in-kind." The percentage varies, the rules vary, and typically a lot of conditions are placed on what qualifies as "in-kind."
There's one thing that you need to get fixed in your brain: IN-KIND MATTERS!
If you dont' make your in-kind, you are going to be in for a world of hurt. Yes, your CNCS STate Office 'might," and the 'might' here is mighty big, give you a waiver once in a blue moon. But, by and large, in-kind waivers are scarce and unique. You are responsible for generating your required in-kind and there's simply no way to dodge that bullet.
The CNCS method of calculating in-kind varies from some other grantors. You are required to have a 30% match. When I'm from that typically means 30% of the grant amount. Well, that's not the case with CNCS. It's 30% of the total including the in-kind. In the year 2009, RSVP was receiving a $63,308 CNCS grant. In all my previous years of writing grants, a 30% match with in-kind would equate to $63,308 x .30 = $18,992. Well, CNCS-style math brings the required in-kind to $27,471, danged near 50% higher what would be normal for a typical grantor. YOu see, the @27,471 figure is 30% of the sum of %27,471 and $63,308. I guess is kind of algebra or calculus or something like that.
You can't argue with them--what they say is what they say and that's the way it is.
Everyone is stuck with this weird rule so you can gripe all you want but it won't do you one iota of good. You might as well shut up and accept it. Tough kitties, kiddy!
So, how in the world can you possibly come up with over twenty seven thousand dollars in Eastern Idaho? That's a tough challenge--no doubt about it.
Before I showed up here in August 2007, it was a piece of cake to make the match.
The RSVP Director simply took the value of all the miles driven by RSVP volunteers and calimed it an an in-kind donation. The toruble with that practice is that it was illegal. You can't count volunteer mileage as an in-kind donation. NO CAN DO!
Yes, I know that's illogical and basically insane but that's the way it is.
Next, not long after I arrived here, the Feds outlaws fund raising. We will talke more about that in teh post on Fund Raising. Suffice to say here is that any and all types of fund raising are now 100% illegal. Heck, it makes you an outlaw if you try to write your own CNCS grant on time funded by federal dollars. Amazing but true! It's even illegal for me to write our United Way grant on time funded by federal dollars.
Now, since we are in Eastern Idaho, what are the of having $27,000 grow on trees and have us be the first person to waltz by and pick money off trees? Zip, zilch, zero and nada. It ain't gonna happen.
Luckily for us, our awesome State Office 'discovered' the concept of PDV's while in California. What the heck is a PDV? The acronym stands for "Program Development Volunteer." It's too complex to explain in this post on the general nature of in-kind. We will talk about it in a separate post. What you need to know is that PDV's will save your bacon as far as in-kind goes. Unless you have a magic touch with the City COuncil or the County Commission, you're going to need to focus on PDV's and their direct in-kind value to your program.
The words "In-kind" are often also known as "match," as in "grant match." SOme people mix and match both terms. CNCS uses "in-kind" so it would behoove you to adopt that phrase and forget the use of the word "match," even though you may be more accustomed to the word "match."
Pretty much all grants require some form of "in-kind." The percentage varies, the rules vary, and typically a lot of conditions are placed on what qualifies as "in-kind."
There's one thing that you need to get fixed in your brain: IN-KIND MATTERS!
If you dont' make your in-kind, you are going to be in for a world of hurt. Yes, your CNCS STate Office 'might," and the 'might' here is mighty big, give you a waiver once in a blue moon. But, by and large, in-kind waivers are scarce and unique. You are responsible for generating your required in-kind and there's simply no way to dodge that bullet.
The CNCS method of calculating in-kind varies from some other grantors. You are required to have a 30% match. When I'm from that typically means 30% of the grant amount. Well, that's not the case with CNCS. It's 30% of the total including the in-kind. In the year 2009, RSVP was receiving a $63,308 CNCS grant. In all my previous years of writing grants, a 30% match with in-kind would equate to $63,308 x .30 = $18,992. Well, CNCS-style math brings the required in-kind to $27,471, danged near 50% higher what would be normal for a typical grantor. YOu see, the @27,471 figure is 30% of the sum of %27,471 and $63,308. I guess is kind of algebra or calculus or something like that.
You can't argue with them--what they say is what they say and that's the way it is.
Everyone is stuck with this weird rule so you can gripe all you want but it won't do you one iota of good. You might as well shut up and accept it. Tough kitties, kiddy!
So, how in the world can you possibly come up with over twenty seven thousand dollars in Eastern Idaho? That's a tough challenge--no doubt about it.
Before I showed up here in August 2007, it was a piece of cake to make the match.
The RSVP Director simply took the value of all the miles driven by RSVP volunteers and calimed it an an in-kind donation. The toruble with that practice is that it was illegal. You can't count volunteer mileage as an in-kind donation. NO CAN DO!
Yes, I know that's illogical and basically insane but that's the way it is.
Next, not long after I arrived here, the Feds outlaws fund raising. We will talke more about that in teh post on Fund Raising. Suffice to say here is that any and all types of fund raising are now 100% illegal. Heck, it makes you an outlaw if you try to write your own CNCS grant on time funded by federal dollars. Amazing but true! It's even illegal for me to write our United Way grant on time funded by federal dollars.
Now, since we are in Eastern Idaho, what are the of having $27,000 grow on trees and have us be the first person to waltz by and pick money off trees? Zip, zilch, zero and nada. It ain't gonna happen.
Luckily for us, our awesome State Office 'discovered' the concept of PDV's while in California. What the heck is a PDV? The acronym stands for "Program Development Volunteer." It's too complex to explain in this post on the general nature of in-kind. We will talk about it in a separate post. What you need to know is that PDV's will save your bacon as far as in-kind goes. Unless you have a magic touch with the City COuncil or the County Commission, you're going to need to focus on PDV's and their direct in-kind value to your program.
eGrants
The primary way you interact with the Big Faceless CNCS bureaucracy is through something called eGrants. It's an online portal for manage your federal grant as well as the reporting requirements for the grant.
Luckily for you, almost all of the bugs have been wrung out of eGrants in recent years. It apepars to be performing quite well these days with minimal glitches.
One caveat: If you wait until the last minute to file your grants or required reports, eGrants will be running slowly and might crash on you. Why? Well, because all the other procrastinators are using eGrants on the same day you are! Avoid late minute use of eGrants at all costs! File your stuff well before the stampede takes place. Trust me, you will really regret waiting until the last minute to use eGrants. I mean, what the heck? You're going to have to file your stuff someday anyway. So, why not early? Novel idea, eh?
By now, you probably already have an eGrants logon and password and you've probably peeked inside and run screaming for the door. Don't worry, it's really not all that complex. It might look somewhat intimidating but it's really a piece of cake to get accustomed to eGrants. There are some very quirky behaviors and procedures on eGrants but what software doesn't have weird aspects?
Here's what CNCS says that eGrants does:
Submission and tracking grant applications and concept papers;
On-line grant application peer review;
Negotiating and awarding grants and cooperative agreements;
Managing grants and cooperative agreements including processing amendments, and continuations;
Creating, submitting and editing your recruitment listings;
Selecting applicants and searching for applicants;
Approving project transportation (V-81) forms (VISTA only); and
Financial Status and Progress Reporting.
It's this last one that will consume most of your time in using eGrants. You will only need to file one grant renewal a year. However, you need to file bi-annual Progress reports plus one other gem of dubious value called a PPVA. Here at EICAP, the CPA takes care of filing the bi-annual financial reports. He will only need you to provide the bi-annual value of your in-kind. (In-kind is the subject of the next blog post.)
The eGrants will always show a bunch of outdated grants. Ignore them. Work only with the most latest grant showing on the portal. The other ones listed have no meaning or relevance to you whatsoever. You may also note that a lot of names including my own name are still listed on eGrants. Don't worry about it. The eGrants system keeps everyone's names seemingly forever and there appears to be no way to delete them. None of us are going to come along and mess with your stuff. Nope--that's easily the LAST thing on any past administrator's mind.
We will discuss the eGrants forms and procedures in later blog posts. For now, we want to assure you that eGrants is really easy. If you believe it's easy, then it's easy. If you believe it's hard, then it's hard. The choice is yours.
The CNCS
Pretty soon, the initials "CNCS" will roll off your tongue like you've been speaking them all your life! "CNCS" will be like a cattle brand burned into your brain--or perhaps a tatoo on your bicep--it's something you can't avoid.
CNCS stands for Corporation for National & Community Service. CNCS is a gubmint agency. It's a strange one as far as gubmint entities go. It's loosely aligned with the executive branch of gubmint, at least at far as I know. It's not under a Cabinet Secretary like most gubmint agencies. It's a GIANT bureaucracy and it behaves like you'd expect a typical bureaucracy to behave.
For perspective it's important to know that CNCS itself is roughly a billion dollar gubmint operation. Of that, all of the RSVP's in American get (collectively) about $60,000,000. I'd guess the RSVP's are about 5% of the overall CNCS budget. Naturally, the RSVP's don't get as much attention as we think they should simply because CNCS always has bigger fish to fry like Americorps, etc.
I have attached a JPG of the CNCS organization chart with this blog post. The names may change but the fundamental skeletal structure will remain largely the same. You can see right off that's it's not the most intelligent ORG chart you've ever seen. Some of those little bubbles are kind of hanging out in space, if you get my drift. (Click the chart for a large version.)
You'll note that in one of the bubbles it says there are 47 Field Offices. You will also note that bubble is truly a dangling participle! What that number represents is what's called the CNCS State Office. Some states are too small to have a CNCS State Office, hence the number 47 instead of 50 like you would expect. Basically, all RSVP's are managed out of one of those 47 CNCS State Offices.
Pretty much everything that you do on a day-to-day basis is something that might or could fall under the purview on your CNCS State Office. In this case, it's in Boise.
Now, another thing you need to understand is the "cluster" affect. What's that? Well, each of the CNCS State Offices are administered as part of a cluster. The Idaho office is part of the Pacific Cluster. The Cluster then answer to a higher authority. We've never bothered to determine who the Cluster answer to as the farther we can stay away from the Cluster level, the better off we are. Luckily, you have a most excellent Idaho State Office and they keep you totally insulated from the Cluster Level.
In effect, everything you need to know about CNCS can be summed up by your relationship with the State Office in Boise. It's good to know enough about CNCS to know how to avoid any interaction with higher levels of the ORG. My advice is DON'T GO THERE. Resist any and all urges to communicate with anyone except your State Office Staff. There is no point in communicating with anyone higher than the Boise office. Also, to do so runs the risk of invoking The Law of Unintended Consequences.
If you stay under the Cluster and National radar, that is a very good thing. Remember the old adage people used to apply to children in the early Baby Boom Days? "Better seen and not heard?" Well, that applies to this and (we assume) every RSVP. If you have a fitting Norman Rockwell success story to tell, by all means, tell it. However, don't make waves with CNCS and you will be OK. Your State Office Staff is composed of two truly great people and they can help you through almost anything maybe even including mid-life crisis. They are simply awesome people and you can trust them to do the right thing on your behalf. The fewer other CNCS people you know about or contact, the better off everyone is. Remember this simple advice: EMBRACE YOUR STATE OFFICE, AVOID THE CLUSTER!.
What is RSVP?
You will be asked this question too many times to count: "What is RSVP?" So, the first order of business is to know everything you can about RSVP. There's only one way to accomplish that--good ol' fashioned eyeball time and digital elbow grease. Only you (and no one else) can learn what you need to know about the origin, history and current state of RSVP. Yes, it's a tall order to fill but it's one that you absolutely MUST fill. You simply cannot "blow off" this critical research phase of your early days with the organization.
Luckily, most of what you need to know is located online so that you will be able to conduct almost all of your research while sitting in front of your computer. I suggest that you immediately begin and dedicate a separate ring binder to the topic of answering that all-encompassing question, "What is RSVP?"
It won't be long before you understand the nature of RSVP and can answer that question in a heartbeat, phrased specifically for any type of individual, from a child to an octogenarian.
About the only real documentation available in the RSVP office is the CNCS RSVP Manual. It's a huge and intimidating tome. It's poorly organized and was most likely designed by a committee with AADD (Adult Attention Deficit Disorder). Don't reply too heavily on learning about RSVP via this mass of paperwork.
Do you own due diligence. Read about not only the gubmint's spin on RSVP but also visit as many websites of RSVP around America as your brain can handle. Read about what they do. Study their programs. There's supposedly about 740 RSVP throughout America. Most of them are about as different as snowflakes--that's a polite way of saying no two are essentially the same.
When you are studying the RSVP "reality" be aware that there are different RSVP "realities" due to a huge variety of cultural and traditional differences all across America. Who sponsors the RSVP will also have a huge impact on how that RSVP evolves. RSVP's are unique creatures unto themselves but they are also reflections of their sponsors. No RSVP can exist in a vacuum--all RSVP's MUST have sponsors. It's a fact of life and law.
SO, you have to understand the whole "sponsorship equation" before you can really understand RSVP in general and each RSVP specifically. Sponsorship management exerts a great influence on the direction of any given RSVP. This influence can be benign or benevolent or it can be ominous and overbearing. We will talk a lot about this aspect when we discuss EICAP.
Your education about that common question will continue forever, evolving as your understanding matures. I urge you to look forward to the question and to smile happily when someone asks it. Always start you reply with this preface, "I sure am glad you asked that!" When people see that you are happy to explain what RSVP is and what RSVP does, it puts them at ease in dealing with yet another gubmint acronym.
Put some enthusiasm into your answer but keep it short--don't go off on a long, boring tangent about arcane gubmint stuff. Keep it short and sweet and always invite more questions from your listener.
As we delve more into the creation of this blog, we are going to go back and include links with the blog text to help you easily find what you need. However, right now, we are just getting our feet wet and developing a "feel" for how to approach and organize the structure of this blog.
Luckily, most of what you need to know is located online so that you will be able to conduct almost all of your research while sitting in front of your computer. I suggest that you immediately begin and dedicate a separate ring binder to the topic of answering that all-encompassing question, "What is RSVP?"
It won't be long before you understand the nature of RSVP and can answer that question in a heartbeat, phrased specifically for any type of individual, from a child to an octogenarian.
About the only real documentation available in the RSVP office is the CNCS RSVP Manual. It's a huge and intimidating tome. It's poorly organized and was most likely designed by a committee with AADD (Adult Attention Deficit Disorder). Don't reply too heavily on learning about RSVP via this mass of paperwork.
Do you own due diligence. Read about not only the gubmint's spin on RSVP but also visit as many websites of RSVP around America as your brain can handle. Read about what they do. Study their programs. There's supposedly about 740 RSVP throughout America. Most of them are about as different as snowflakes--that's a polite way of saying no two are essentially the same.
When you are studying the RSVP "reality" be aware that there are different RSVP "realities" due to a huge variety of cultural and traditional differences all across America. Who sponsors the RSVP will also have a huge impact on how that RSVP evolves. RSVP's are unique creatures unto themselves but they are also reflections of their sponsors. No RSVP can exist in a vacuum--all RSVP's MUST have sponsors. It's a fact of life and law.
SO, you have to understand the whole "sponsorship equation" before you can really understand RSVP in general and each RSVP specifically. Sponsorship management exerts a great influence on the direction of any given RSVP. This influence can be benign or benevolent or it can be ominous and overbearing. We will talk a lot about this aspect when we discuss EICAP.
Your education about that common question will continue forever, evolving as your understanding matures. I urge you to look forward to the question and to smile happily when someone asks it. Always start you reply with this preface, "I sure am glad you asked that!" When people see that you are happy to explain what RSVP is and what RSVP does, it puts them at ease in dealing with yet another gubmint acronym.
Put some enthusiasm into your answer but keep it short--don't go off on a long, boring tangent about arcane gubmint stuff. Keep it short and sweet and always invite more questions from your listener.
As we delve more into the creation of this blog, we are going to go back and include links with the blog text to help you easily find what you need. However, right now, we are just getting our feet wet and developing a "feel" for how to approach and organize the structure of this blog.
RSVP Manual Blog Created
As usual with a new bog, we list the time, date & place of creation.
In this case it is noon, October 26, 2009, in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
This blog was created to assist anyone attempting to manage the Eastern Idaho Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) sponsored by EICAP in Idaho Falls.
When I assumed this position for the first day on August 22, 2007, there was virtually nothing in print to help guide me through the labyrinth of complex and often crazy, arcane policies, procedures and positively perplexing practices that would normally consist of what might be called an "operations manual."
I feel strongly that I should pass along my observations and insights to whomever may assume this position at some point in the future. I am using this blog format so that my thoughts and ideas will not be subject to censorship, confiscation or other "containment" by the AAA/EICAP management. I also wish to retain the inherent right to be able to amend, edit, add or otherwise alter any one or all of the blog posts contained herein.
The information expressed in this blog has no official connection whatsoever to AAA/EICAP and all opinions expressed are those of the blog author. Nothing that is considered confidential or copyrighted is presented on this blog.
Let's get one thing straight--I support 100% the confidentiality agreement that all EICAP employees are required to sign. When I was in the newspaper business long ago in the early 1970's, there was this saying about weekly newspaper publishers: "They know 10 times more than they print."
In this blog we are talking only about procedures, not about personalities or people. Please respect everyone's innate right to confidentiality--it is a fundamental concept of the operation of any organization and it is a concept that underlies ALL aspects of the operation of this organization.
I look forward to the opportunity to prepare this blog and it's all part of my philosophy of "leaving it better than I found it."
Note that the organization of a blog is, by nature, backwards. The newest posts are always first. There's no way to control this in Google's blog format. You will have to use the Blog Archive Index to find specific topics of interest to you.
Have fun, enjoy and Best of Success!
In this case it is noon, October 26, 2009, in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
This blog was created to assist anyone attempting to manage the Eastern Idaho Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) sponsored by EICAP in Idaho Falls.
When I assumed this position for the first day on August 22, 2007, there was virtually nothing in print to help guide me through the labyrinth of complex and often crazy, arcane policies, procedures and positively perplexing practices that would normally consist of what might be called an "operations manual."
I feel strongly that I should pass along my observations and insights to whomever may assume this position at some point in the future. I am using this blog format so that my thoughts and ideas will not be subject to censorship, confiscation or other "containment" by the AAA/EICAP management. I also wish to retain the inherent right to be able to amend, edit, add or otherwise alter any one or all of the blog posts contained herein.
The information expressed in this blog has no official connection whatsoever to AAA/EICAP and all opinions expressed are those of the blog author. Nothing that is considered confidential or copyrighted is presented on this blog.
Let's get one thing straight--I support 100% the confidentiality agreement that all EICAP employees are required to sign. When I was in the newspaper business long ago in the early 1970's, there was this saying about weekly newspaper publishers: "They know 10 times more than they print."
In this blog we are talking only about procedures, not about personalities or people. Please respect everyone's innate right to confidentiality--it is a fundamental concept of the operation of any organization and it is a concept that underlies ALL aspects of the operation of this organization.
I look forward to the opportunity to prepare this blog and it's all part of my philosophy of "leaving it better than I found it."
Note that the organization of a blog is, by nature, backwards. The newest posts are always first. There's no way to control this in Google's blog format. You will have to use the Blog Archive Index to find specific topics of interest to you.
Have fun, enjoy and Best of Success!
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