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The time is now to apply for this year’s Green Jobs Award. Don’t miss your free opportunity to be recognized and celebrated as a leader who is creating great green jobs! Apply for a 2011 Green Jobs Award by June 15! Innovative companies with a business model that preserves or enhances environmental quality and at least ten employees and over $500,000 in revenue are eligible. By honoring private businesses that are contributing to both the economy and the environment, we aim to accelerate best practices in sustainable business, and provide more clarity around what constitutes a green job. Winners will receive recognition, media exposure, executive mentorship opportunities, as well as a package of pro bono business services provided by Certified B Corporations. Winners will also receive an all expense paid trip to the Award Reception in October 2011.

The ten 2010 winners from across the country represented diverse industries from renewable energy and energy efficiency to consumer products, manufacturing and engineering. They included the latest in clean technology as well as green innovations in traditional industries. Together, they represented over $150 million in revenue and created over 1,300 great, green jobs.

Help us accelerate the growth of innovative green job creators and demonstrate the potential of the green economy for all communities. Apply now! The application deadline is Wednesday, June 15.

Data In Sight: Making the Transparent Visual

With 12 days to go until the June 21st deadline, 111 visionary and engaging films have already been submitted to the contest!

We’re looking forward to screening many more in the next week and a half, opening up the voting process later this month, and awarding $30,000 in cash and prizes (including two trips to the Amazon rainforest) next month. Until then, here are three resources that have been useful to other registered filmmakers as they finish up their films:

Vimeo’s Video School – dozens of tutorials on a wide range of topics

6 Resources for Royalty-Free Music

Contest logo – remember to include this for at least 2 seconds at the beginning of your film

Supergay: NCLR Executive Director Kate KendellBy Jenni on June 7, 2011

“The case that really made me say, ‘I’m not stopping until I can see the end in sight’ happened early in my career when I was still the legal director,” says Kate Kendell about her work with the National Center of Lesbian Rights (NCLR). On a late evening at the office, Kate received a call from a woman with a gentle southern accent named Mary who had lost custody of her 8-year-old daughter to her ex-husband. Mary had been the primary caretaker since their separation five years prior, and her ex-husband had very little involvement with their daughter.

“I had heard this story dozens of times since I started working here,” Kate continues, “but then Mary throws in the kicker and says ‘Well you know, he’s a murderer’.” Mary’s ex-husband, it turned out, had been convicted of murdering his first wife. Yet in spite of this, Mary lost custody to him in the Florida courts. Kate flew down to Tallahassee to argue the case, but “I was two minutes into my argument, and I knew we were going to lose.”

Philanthropic Watchdog Group Kicks Off Initiative With Foundations That Promise to Prioritize Underserved Communities

By: PR Newswire Jun. 8, 2011 09:27 AM

More than 60 foundations and other grantmakers submit public statements explaining their commitments

WASHINGTON, June 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 60 leading foundations from across the country that together give close to $2.5 billion a year in grants to nonprofit organizations promised to dedicate the majority of their giving to benefit underserved communities and a substantial amount to strategies that address the root causes of social problems, the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) announced today.

Foundations and other grantmaking organizations that have voluntarily signed on to NCRP'S Philanthropy's Promise initiative will allocate at least 50 percent of their grant dollars to address the unique needs of the poor, elderly, disabled and other marginalized groups, and at least 25 percent towards supporting advocacy, community organizing and civic engagement to promote equity, opportunity and justice.

Through this initiative, NCRP is recognizing grantmakers that practice effective and strategic grantmaking that leads to lasting social change. The organization hopes the campaign will inspire other grantmakers to serve the common good by prioritizing and empowering underserved communities, and expects more grantmakers will sign on in the coming months.

"Philanthropy's Promise offers strategies that will help foundations and other institutional grantmakers - regardless of their size, focus and approach - to maximize the impact of their grant dollars," said Aaron Dorfman, executive director of NCRP. "Studies and stories have shown that these high impact strategies leverage philanthropy's limited resources effectively."

More than 60 grantmakers have submitted their public statements explaining their commitment to the Promise. These grantmakers include big and small foundations, private foundations, family foundations, corporate foundations, community foundations and other grantmaking public charities.

Grantmakers that have submitted statements include:

Akonadi Foundation CA New World Foundation, The NY Arcus Foundation NY New York Foundation NY California Community Foundation CA North Star Fund, Inc. NY California Endowment, The CA Northwest Area Foundation MN Common Counsel Foundation CA Northwest Health Foundation OR Compton Foundation, Inc. CA Overbrook Foundation, The NY Conrad N. Hilton Foundation CA Penney Family Fund CA Daphne Foundation, The NY Peppercorn Foundation WA Discount Foundation, The DC Proteus Fund, Inc. MA Edward W. Hazen Foundation, Inc., Public Welfare Foundation, The NY Inc. DC Ford Foundation NY Retirement Research Foundation IL Foundation for Louisiana (formerly the Louisiana Disaster Robert Wood Johnson Recovery Foundation, Inc.) LA Foundation, The NJ Foundation for the Mid-South MS Rosenberg Foundation CA French American Charitable Trust CA Saint Paul Foundation, The MN Silicon Valley Community General Mills Foundation MN Foundation CA Groundswell Fund CA Social Justice Fund Northwest WA Headwaters Foundation for Justice MN Solidago Foundation MA Hill-Snowdon Foundation DC Southern Partners Fund GA Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation, Inc. NY Third Wave Foundation NY Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust NC Tides Foundation CA Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock, Kirkpatrick Family Foundation, The, and its Unitarian The WA Universalist Veatch Program NY United Way of Greater Los Levi Strauss Foundation CA Angeles CA Liberty Hill Foundation CA W.K. Kellogg Foundation MI Maine Initiatives, Inc. ME Wallace Foundation, The NY Marguerite Casey Foundation WA Warner Foundation NC Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, Inc. NC Western States Center OR McKenzie River Gathering Foundation OR Wieboldt Foundation IL Winthrop Rockefeller McKnight Foundation, The MN Foundation, The AR Women's Foundation of Meyer Memorial Trust OR Minnesota MN Minneapolis Foundation, The MN Woods Fund of Chicago IL Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, Mitchell Kapor Foundation, The CA Inc. NC Needmor Fund, The OH

"We believe that meeting the challenges of these times requires that we take risks. It also requires that we advance programs and initiatives that have the potential to be transformative, even when the approaches are new," said Luis Ubinas, president of the Ford Foundation. "After all, risk and challenge are more than just the privilege of philanthropy - they are its responsibility."

"With limited resources, McKnight's programs seek to provide support where we believe we can have the greatest impact. In many cases, this requires that we attend to underserved communities," wrote Kate Wolford, president of the McKnight Foundation in the foundation's public statement. "Additionally, McKnight's board has long recognized the power of pursuing lasting, systemic change through advocacy, community organizing, and civic engagement."

"We encourage every grantmaker to actively consider how their individual mission statements and grantmaking priorities may enable them to participate in this challenge or, at the least, fully understand and reflect on the constraints that prevent them from doing so," wrote Emmett D. Carson, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, in his foundation's public statement.

For more information, visit www.philanthropyspromise.org.

The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy in Washington, D.C. is a national watchdog, research and advocacy organization that promotes philanthropy that serves the public good, is responsive to people and communities with the least wealth and opportunity, and is held accountable to the highest standards of integrity and openness. Visit www.ncrp.org.

SOURCE National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy

Read about how the Foundation Center's combination of tools and knowledge kindles the insight that's essential to making real progress on important issues. Active web links throughout connect you with our resources.

Independent Sector is delighted to announce the selection of the 2011 cohort of American Express NGen Fellows. Over the course of nine months, these accomplished and innovative leaders will collaborate with other talented under-40 leaders, interact with established mentors, and contribute to Independent Sector's work on nonprofit impact and leadership.

The 2011 American Express NGen Fellows are:

Angie Chen, Program Officer, S. D. Bechtel, Jr Foundation

Reynaldo Decerega, Director of Programs, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute

Kevin Flynn, Director of Recruitment and Candidate Services, Commongood Careers

Elisha Gilliam, Senior Associate, Child Welfare Strategy Group, Annie E. Casey Foundation

Roxanne Hanson, Director of Education and Consulting, Tides

Ayofemi Kirby, Director of Strategy and Programs, Mobilize.org

Amy Lazarus, Executive Director, Sustained Dialogue Campus Network

Dan McCabe, Chief Development Officer, Network for Good

Jane Mugo, Director of Internal Controls at Habitat for Humanity International

Claire Neal, Senior Director for Mission, LIVESTRONG

Mayur Patel, Vice President of Strategy and Assessment, Knight Foundation

Lisa Flick Wilson, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Harwood Institute

Angie Chen joined the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation as programofficer in July 2010. She manages all grantmaking in the Environmental Education program, to advance environmental literacy and behavior in California. Before joining the Foundation, Angie was the program officer at the Pacific Forest & Watershed Lands Stewardship Council, where she oversaw grant giving and evaluation to connect California’s youth with the outdoors. Angie was also an associate program officer at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, where her grantmaking focused on youth development and children’s health insurance. Angie holds a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Science and Public Policy from Harvard University. She has served on the national board of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP) and is a past chair of the Bay Area EPIP chapter.

Reynaldo Decerega, a native of Panama, began his professionalcareer as a history teacher at a private school in Northern Virginia where he also coached athletic teams.  He was recognized for his teaching efforts by being nominated to the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program. Reynaldo has also worked at The Washington Center, where he ran the Americas Program, Cordova y Fernos Program and The Pilar Barbosa Teacher Program. He worked with the Puerto Rican Legislature and private sector to secure scholarship funding for interns.  Reynaldo also worked at The Department of Labor in the Division of Youth Services helping organizations implement national projects. Reynaldo is an avid basketball trainer and has had the opportunity to do trainings in Panama and the Canary Islands.  In 2009, he was chosen by the Spanish Embassy to attend the Jovenes Lideres Program in Madrid and Santander.  In 2010, he was nominated as a finalist for the MillerCoors Lideres Program. He received his B.A. from the University of Virginia and his M.A. from the University of Miami.

Kevin Flynn is the Director of Recruitment and Candidate Services at Commongood Careers.  Kevin began his career working with high-risk and gang-involved youth in cities throughout the country while replicating a successful model for youth violence prevention. In his current role at Commongood Careers, he has led over 80 executive searches for nonprofit organizations and social entrepreneurs including Public Allies, College Summit and Year Up.  In addition, Kevin manages Commongood’s career advising program.  He has presented on the topic of human capital in the nonprofit sector at universities including MIT, Harvard, Yale and Boston University, and at the national conferences of KIPP Schools, Independent Sector and Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy.  Kevin attended Boston College and is a founding board member of the Boston chapter of Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN). He is an active volunteer with a number of his clients, including Greenlight Fund, Citizen Schools and Youth Villages. 

Elisha Gilliam is a Senior Associate with Annie E. CaseyFoundation’s Child Welfare Strategy Group (CWSG).  During her career Elisha has focused extensively on fostering better outcomes for vulnerable youth. Prior to Casey, Elisha served as a College Advisor with DC’s College Access Program, assisting public school students achieve their aspirations of attending college. As a Strategic Consultant with Casey, she works intensively with state and local leaders to transform public child serving systems to improve service delivery and accountability. Some of her notable work includes helping Louisiana’s juvenile service agency evolve from a punitive adult corrections model to one that utilizes an evidence-based practice framework to address youth’s therapeutic needs. Additionally she has worked on public system reform efforts in Virginia, Maryland and California. In her free time, Elisha mentors teenagers and young adults, and speaks to youth about attaining a higher education.  She received her BA in Psychology from Hampton University with Departmental Honors and an MPA from American University in Washington, DC. In 2009, Elisha was selected as National Finalist for The White House Fellowship.

Roxanne Hanson is Director of Education and Consulting at Tideswhere she leads technical assistance, project consulting, educational programs, and product development on nonprofit shared space and services, primarily through The Nonproft Centers Network.  Prior to joining Tides, Roxanne spent twelve years working in the national and international nonprofit community based in Washington, DC.  She directed communications, fundraising, and travel programs for Witness for Peace, an advocacy organization focused on Latin America.  Before that, Roxanne worked for Points of Light Foundation as Training and Consulting Manager after working in the Volunteer Resources department at Whitman-Walker Clinic.  Roxanne has provided marketing, program and planning consultation for a variety of diverse social change organizations throughout the US, Canada and Central America.  She has been an active board member of community arts organizations and served as a volunteer trainer.  Roxanne holds a BA in International Relations from American University.

Ayofemi Kirby is the Director of Strategy and Programs forMobilize.org where she is responsible for developing and executing the organization's strategy to engage and invest in Millennial civic entrepreneurs.  Ayofemi is formerly the Mobilize.org Director of Communications, where she improved  the organization's online and media presence, develop the marketing and branding of the Target 2020 Education Summit Series and launched Mobilize.org’s first online video competition. Prior to joining Mobilize.org, Ayofemi was the community director for GenerationEngage Charlotte where she developed and launched Charlotte’s first interactive online voting guide and developed programs to engage young adults in the local democratic process. Ayofemi has been featured in an ITVS documentary for her community activism and was named "One of Seven Shaping Our Region" and a "Community Hero" by the Charlotte Observer for her work with GenerationEngage. She is currently pursuing her master's in public communication at American University’s School of Communication where she is also serving as president of the graduate school council.

Amy Lazarus is the first Executive Director of Sustained Dialogue Campus Network (SDCN), an initiative of the International Institute for Sustained Dialogue. SDCN develops everyday leaders who engage differences as strengths to improve their campuses, workplaces and communities. Within  18 months under her tenure, the number of participants grew from 600 to 2600, and earned revenue increased by 350%. Amy previously worked at ICF International, consulting with federal agencies on leadership development and human capital. After participating in the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs in Pittsburgh, she earned an M.S. in Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz School, where she received the Dean’s Diversity Fellowship and Dean’s Leadership Fellowship. As an undergraduate at Duke University, she co-founded the student-run Center for Race Relations and the Common Ground diversity immersion retreat to create safe spaces for meaningful interaction. Hailing from Shaker Heights, OH, Amy lives in Washington, DC and serves on the board of Operation Understanding DC.

Dan McCabe is Chief Development Officer of Network for Good, a national nonprofit that drives $150 million in donations to more than 45,000 organizations annually.  Through leadership roles in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors, he has launched multiple social impact initiatives, not the least of which includes devising and championing what is now known as the “Framing Hope” product donation program at The Home Depot. This environmental initiative doubled charitable giving for the company and has contributed over $100 million in merchandise to more than 1000 nonprofits since its inception just a few years ago.  Dan later joined Gifts In Kind International to help other Fortune 500 corporations such as Mattel, HP, and Disney to implement similar programs.  Dan began his career as executive director of Break Away, a national nonprofit that engages thousands of college students in school break-oriented volunteerism and active citizenship.  He earned a management degree from Florida State University and an MBA from Wake Forest University.

Jane Mugo is Director of Internal Controls at Habitat for Humanity International, a Christian homebuilding organization that builds simple, decent homes in partnership with people in need who are living in substandard conditions.  Her responsibilities include risk management and mitigation.  She is currently managing a hands-on initiative to implement controls across the organization’s worldwide operations.   Prior to joining Habitat, she worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Kenya and the U.S.    She has provided consultation for school and nonprofit boards and served on the board of directors of Logos Christian School in Kenya. Currently, she assists underprivileged schools in Kenya set up libraries by collecting donated books.  She has also participated in mentorship initiatives through faith and community-based programs.She holds a Law degree from the University of Nairobi, an International MBA from Temple University and a CPA certification in Kenya.

Claire Neal is the Senior Director for Mission at LIVESTRONG.  Claire joined LIVESTRONG in 2004 and now oversees the organization’s mission-related activities, including health policy, programs and partnerships, the young adult alliance, patient navigation and research and evaluation. As the daughter of a pediatric oncologist, Claire grew up volunteering in cancer hospitals and attending Camp Kemo with children with cancer.  She has a BA in public health and human development from Duke University.  She received her MPH from Tulane’s School of Public Health and studied Primary Health Care Management at the ASEAN Institute of Health and Development in Thailand.  Claire also served in the Peace Corps in Mali.  Her experience includes developing and coordinating health education programs and health worker trainings for both government and non-profit organizations.  At LIVESTRONG, Claire works to ensure people affected by cancer get the resources and support they need.

Mayur Patel is vice president of strategy and assessment at the Knight Foundation, where he is responsible for aiding ongoing strategy development, and leading the foundation's research and evaluation activities. Prior to Knight, Mr Patel worked for Oxfam in the UK and Kenya, and as a trade policy advisor to Realizing Rights. He was previously a fellow with the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva and the EVA Business and Policy Forum in Helsinki. He serves on Ashoka's impact advisory group and the advisory board for the South Florida Community Development Corporation. A Rhodes Scholar, Mr Patel is completing a doctorate in international development at the University of Oxford, from which he also earned a master’s degree. Prior to attending Oxford, he was awarded a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).