Hi Everyone,

Here's the latest scoop on the upcoming funding for peer-run programs from Virginia DMHMRSAS. We've been told that the amount that will be available has been increased to $750,000/year. Great news! Both new groups and established programs will be able to apply. Some funds will also be set aside for cost-of-living increases.

A date has not been set yet, but the application may come out by the end of this year. We'll keep you posted as we find out more.

If your group is thinking of applying for some of these funds, you will need either 501c3 nonprofit status or a fiscal sponsor. You may wish to check out our online guides: VOCAL CO-OP Guide to Finding Fiscal Sponsors and VOCAL CO-OP Guide to Becoming a 501c3 Nonprofit

Also: Below is a great article from the Board Café on 10 quick ways to improve board meetings:

by Jan Masaoka and the Board Café

When we think about the boards we?re on, we usually think about the board meetings?which says a lot about the importance of having good meetings. Make a new year?s resolution to implement one of the following ideas each month:

1. Name tags for everyone, every meeting. It?s embarrassing to have seen people at several meetings and wondered what their names are . . . and later it?s REALLY hard to admit you don?t know their names.

2. Post an acronym chart. Make a poster of frequently used external and internal acronyms (such as CDBG for Community Development Block Grants or DV for domestic violence) and post it on the wall of every meeting. (If you distribute the list on paper it is soon lost.)

3. Write an ?anticipated action? for each agenda item. Examples: ?Finance Committee report, brief questions and answers: no action needed.? ?Volunteer recruitment and philosophy: Anticipated Action = form committee of 3-4 board members.? ?Public Policy Committee: Anticipated Action = approve organizational statement to city council on zone changes.?

4. Make sure that each person says at least one thing at every board meeting. This is the Chair?s responsibility, but everyone should help! ?Cecilia, you haven?t spoken on this issue. I?m wondering what you?re thinking about it?? ?Matt, at the last meeting you made a good point about finances. Are there financial issues here that we aren?t thinking about??

5. No one-way communication from staff. If you have a regular Executive Director?s Report on the agenda, or if a staff program director is giving you a briefing, be sure that such presentations need a response from the board. If not, put them in writing in the board packet and just ask if there are any questions.

6. Don?t include committee reports on the agenda just to make the committees feel worthwhile. If a committee has done work but doesn?t need it discussed, put the committee report in the board packet. (In the meeting be sure to recognize the committee?s good work and refer people to the written report.) Instead, schedule committee reports in the context of the main discussion. For example, if there is a discussion planned on attracting and retaining staff, reports from the Finance Committee and the Personnel Committee may be appropriate.

7. Note to the board president and the executive director: what are the two most important matters facing the organization?economic downturn, changes in government funding, decreased preschool enrollment due to higher unemployment, a competitor organization, demographic changes in the county? Is one of these matters on every board agenda?

8. Encourage ?dumb? questions, respectful dissent, authentic disagreements. Find a chance to be encouraging, at every meeting: ?Sylvia, I?m glad you asked that ?dumb? question. I didn?t know the answer either.? ?Duane, I appreciate the fact that you disagreed with me in that last discussion. Even though you didn?t convince me, your comment helped make the discussion much more valuable.?

9. Make sure the room is comfortable! Not too hot or cold or crowded. Offer beverages and something light to eat such as cookies or fruit.

10. Adjourn on time, or agree to stay later. Twenty minutes before the scheduled end of the meeting, the Chair should ask whether the group wants to stay later: ?If we continue this very interesting discussion, we will have to stay fifteen extra minutes to hear the recommendation on the executive director?s salary. Can everyone stay that long, or should we end this discussion and move to that one immediately??

BONUS IDEA: Once every year or two, survey the board about meetings. Pass out a questionnaire for anonymous return to the board vice president or secretary, asking, ?What do you like best about board meetings? Least?? ?Are you satisfied with the items that are usually on the agenda?? ?How could the board president do more to encourage discussion at the meetings?? ?Is the location or time of day difficult for you??

The Board Café is a free email newsletter for nonprofit board members. If you?d like to read more articles like this, you can Subscribe to the Board Café.

Grand Opening of WeCare!

A dream has come true for Robin Hairfield, the grand opening of WeCare, Inc. It is a newly created consumer-run nonprofit organization for the Henry County and Martinsville community. Please come celebrate this historical moment. We will have entertainment from a DJ and serving refreshments. Staff members of our local agencies, people in recovery, and AA and/or NA members are encouraged to attend. Let?s share your positive energy with family, friends and colleagues. Our present and future success depends on your attendance. November 18, 2006, 3:00 ? 9:00 P.M., 509 East Church Street, Martinsville, VA, 276-634-0300, Sponsored by: Piedmont Community Services


STAR Center

The STAR Center provides Support, Technical Assistance and Resources to assist consumer-operated and consumer-helper programs in meeting the needs of under-served populations. Find out more at http://www.consumerstar.org/

Looking for more training, assistance or resources for your program? Check out our CO-OP Guide Where to Find Training, Consulting, and Assistance for Peer-Run Programs.


Join Northwest Peer Connect

Do you live in the Northwest Planning region (Winchester, Lynchburg, Harrisonburg, Staunton, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Louisa, Culpeper)? Are you a Mental Health Consumer/Survivor/ Peer? THEN JOIN US! Northwest Peer Connect for community, support, recovery and resource ideas the second Wednesday of each month from 2 to 4 PM. Charlottesville Central Library 201 E Market Street. Call the VOCAL Network office. 1 877 862-5638. 1 877 VOCLNET For more information.


Free Trainings on SSI and Work Incentives

VAACCSES provides a travel and housing stipend for Friends, Family and Beneficiaries who wish to attend any sessions in any Virginia area. Upcoming Sessions:
Work & Keep Your Benefits
December 6, 2006: Hampton, VA
December 9, 2006: Fairfax, VA
SSI/SSDI & Work Incentives
November 20-21, 2006: Northern Virginia
December 6 & 7, 2006: Hampton, VA
Richmond West - January 24-25, 2007
Woodbridge - February 8 - 9, 2007
Lynchburg - March 6 -7, 2007
Harrisonburg - March 8 -9, 2007
Williamsburg - May 8 -9, 2007
Ashland - June 5 -6, 2007
www.vaaccses.org

Join the JTB Facilitation Team

Just the Basics is a peer-run program that will be offering wellness seminars in Region IV. Just the Basics is looking for energetic, broad minded facilitators to train for future presentations of the JTB workshop. If you enjoy helping people "construct new lives even in the face of mental illness", please join the JTB facilitation team by contacting Ruth Molyne at (703) 400-6428 Mobile or (757)866-2625.


Call for Presentations

NMHA calls on advocates, consumers, community leaders, researchers and other mental health stakeholders to submit presentation proposals for its 2007 Annual Meeting. The deadline is November 15, 2006.

National Mental Health Association Website


Peer Program Directory

We've recently updated our online listing of peer-run programs in the state. Interested to see what's out there?

Directory of Peer Run Programs in Virginia.


21 Best Books for Peer-Run Programs

Our favorite books for organizers of peer-run programs (and anyone else who wants to strengthen their organization).

21 Best Books


Two Job Openings at Peer-Run Programs

1- On Our Own of Fairfax County is seeking a part-time Executive Director for a newly- forming drop in center for people with mental illness (including homeless people). Contact Patrick Snow, President, at psnoww@verizon.net for information or an announcement.

2 - The Laurie Mitchell Employment Center is a seeking a full-time Executive Director for a mental health consumer-run drop-in program offering computer training, employment help, peer support and community education in Fairfax County. For a position description contact: Raymond Bridge, President, 703-533-2144, guncontrol@aol.com


Low Cost, High Quality Computers

Nonprofits throughout the nation can now purchase high-quality refurbished computers at a fraction of the cost of new equipment, thanks to the Recycled Computer Initiative from Tech Soup. Tech Soup also offers discounted software.

Learn more about Tech Soup


CO-OP Nonprofit Scholarships

Are you involved with running or starting a peer-run program? Would you like more training in grant writing, fundraising, team building, board development, or other nonprofit topics? VOCAL CO-OP scholarships will sponsor tuition for you to attend a nonprofit training workshop.

Quick-and-Easy Scholarship Application

List of Workshops In Non-Profit Management in Virginia


Easy Come, Easy Go

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Share the News

We need your help in reaching everyone.

* Please pass on this news to other staff, board, and volunteers at your group. (especially those who do not have access to email).

* Please see if you can find one person in your program who can volunteer to print out and share this newsletter with others in your group.

* Please invite others to join this newsletter - anyone can join.

* You are also welcome to reprint anything you read here anywhere you wish. You do not need our permission to reprint anything, but if you could drop us a quick email to let us know, that is helpful to us.

* If you?ve missed past issues of the CO-OP News they are available on our website. Read CO-OP News from earlier this year.

The VOCAL CO-OP (Consumer Owned & Operated Programs) is a collective of peer-run mental health programs in Virginia. The VOCAL CO-OP is part of VOCAL, a statewide organization dedicated to mental health recovery, empowerment, and peer leadership.