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Board of Directors
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David Wertheimer
(Chair)
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Seattle, WA
Leslie Strnisha
(Vice-Chair)
Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland
Cleveland, OH
Deborah Fung
(Treasurer)
Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation
Boston, MA
Tom Nurmi
(Secretary)
William S. Abell Foundation
Chevy Chase, MD
Ann Woodward
(Clerk)
Melville Charitable Trust
Boston, MA
Nancy Barrand
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Princeton, NJ
Sonya Campion
Campion Foundation
Seattle, WA
Terri Donlin Huesman
Osteopathic Heritage Foundation
Columbus, OH
Nancy Frees Fountain
The Frees Foundation
Houston, TX
Bill Pitkin
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
Debbie Reznick
Polk Bros. Foundation
Chicago, IL
Martha Toll
Butler Family Fund
Washington, D.C.
Joe Weisbord
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Make a Donation to Funders Together
Funders Together is supported by generous grants from several of our member foundations. We don't currently charge dues, but we do encourage members to make a donation or a grant to help support our mission and services.
Funders Together is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
allison@funderstogether.org
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IN THIS ISSUE
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> Learn about best practices in workforce solutions to ending homelessness.
> Our Houston Regional Network focuses on mental health for vulnerable populations and a community action plan to address homelessness.
RESOURCE CENTER
> The Health, Housing, and Homelessness webinar is available online. Listen to the audio recording and read the guest blog post from CSH's chief development officer.
> Explore the President's Budget Proposal for FY 2013.
> Find details about upcoming conferences and webinars.
> Take advantage of our member discount rate for the Council on Foundations 2012 Conference.
> The Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) leads a five-year Social Innovation Fund initiative and Pathways to Housing begins planning to implement their "Housing First" treatment model to serve veterans. Find out how you can help.
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News from Our Members 
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National Transitional Jobs Network Releases Best Practice Briefs on the Role of Employment in Ending Homelessness
Last year, the the Butler Family Fund--whose Executive Director, Martha Toll, is a member of the Funders Together board of direct-
ors--supported the National Transitional Jobs Network (NTJN), in its launch of the Working to End Homelessness Initiative. This initiative shines light on the critical role of employment in ending homelessness and works to advance workforce solutions to ending homelessness. Drawing from its community of practice, NTJN--a clearinghouse for resources, tools, and expertise on transitional job programs--recently released a series of best practice briefs on a variety of topics such as service delivery principles and techniques, overcoming barriers to employment, and program models for those experiencing homelessness.
To read the briefs and learn more about this project, visit NTJN's website.
Funders Together Houston Focuses on Mental Health for Vulnerable Populations and a Community Action Plan to Address Homelessness
This month, 15 funders from Funders Together Houston participated in a tour of the Harris County Jail and mental health unit organized by the health and human services advocacy group, One Voice Texas. Harris County Jail is the third largest jail in America; its mental health division is the largest mental health service provider in the Houston area. The tour is designed to give participants insight into the behavioral health challenges vulnerable populations face, notably, the fact that jails are being used to deliver mental health services not readily available in the community.
Last week, 25 Houston-area funders convened for a funders forum on the HEARTH Act. Forum participants utilized Funders Together's "HEARTH Act 101: Highlights for Philanthropy," a series of fact sheets that are available upon request. Technical advisors from the Corporation for Supportive Housing, who were contracted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to assist in Harris County Community Action Plan implementation efforts, facilitated a discussion about how new regulations will impact the local level and how funders can help the community prepare for them.
Contact allison@funderstogether.org for more information on HEARTH Act 101: Highlights for Philanthropy.
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Resource Center
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Health, Housing, and Homelessness Webinar Recap
On February 2, Funders Together - in partnership with the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) and Grantmakers for Effective Organizations - hosted a funders-only webinar on the intersection of health, housing, and homelessness. Board members Bill Pitkin, director of domestic programs at the of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and Ann Woodward, chief operating officer and interim director of the Melville Charitable Trust, discussed philanthropy's role in creating supportive housing solutions. If you missed the webinar, you can still access the audio recording and presentation materials.
To find out how you can become involved in improving the health of homeless individuals, check out this guest blog post from Nancy McGraw, chief development officer at CSH.
President's Budget Proposal
On February 13, the White House released the President's Budget Proposal for FY 2013. This year, the Obama Administration demonstrated its commitment to ending homelessness by proposing a $4.7 billion budget for homeless assistance funding, a 17% increase from last year. Programs to prevent and end veterans homelessness were allotted $1.4 billion, a 33% increase from last year. Despite these strides for targeted homeless assistance programs, the budget includes cuts to many programs that provide a safety net to help individuals avoid homelessness.
For more information on the Budget, including a breakdown and funding chart, take a look at the National Alliance to End Homelessness' Budget Briefing.
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Save the Dates
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Innovations Forum 2012: Working to End Homelessness
Hosted by United Way of Greater Atlanta
February 28-March 2, 2012 | Hilton Marietta Conference Center | Marietta, GA
This conference will focus on innovation in ending homelessness and provide the opportunity to connect with funders and experts. Funders Together executive director, Anne Miskey, is a special guest and board members, David Wertheimer and Nancy Frees Fountain, are panelists at the conference. Register now!
Innovation in Ending Homelessness: Funders Reception
Hosted by United Way of Greater Atlanta with Special Guests Funders Together to End Homelessness
February 28, 2012 | 4:30-6:30 EST
The funders reception is open to grantmakers interested in networking with local and national peers whose grantmaking affects vulnerable populations. Funders Together board chair, David Wertheimer, will make brief opening remarks, followed by refreshments. Please contact Allison Silva with any questions.
Housing First Partners' Conference
Hosted by Pathways to Housing and the DESC
March 21-23, 2012 |Astor Crowne Plaza, New Orleans, LA
The Housing First Partners' Conference aims to create a national dialogue between providers; federal, state, and local government officials; researchers; advocates; trainers; peers; and thought leaders engaged in ending homelessness through the Pathways to Housing First program. Events include training sessions, workshops, research, presentations, and exhibitions. Register by March 1.
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Special Offer
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Get Your Discount Rate for the Council on Foundations Conference
We are pleased to offer you a member discount rate for the Council on Foundations 2012 Conference in LA April 29-May 1. If you are planning to register, please contact us to receive the FTEH PIN number and instructions for how to use it.
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| Opportunities to Leverage Federal Funding | | |
As detailed below, Funders Together is working with CSH, pathways to Housing, and some of our members to help philathropy leverage federal dollars that support effective solutions to homelessness.
Corporation for Supportive Housing's (CSH) Social Innovation Fund Initiative
CSH is leading a
groundbreaking, five-year national initiative to create innovative solutions at the intersection of supportive housing and healthcare. Backed by a prestigious federal Social Innovation Fund award, the initiative will pilot and test models of supportive housing linked to health services that will improve the health of vulnerable men and women caught in a "revolving door" of various high-cost emergency health services, while also helping to curb rising health care costs. CSH is seeking additional partners in philanthropy to be a part of this national effort. To learn more, contact Richard Cho, CSH director of innovation and research, at richard.cho@csh.org. Pathways to Housing's Pilot Project: Housing First for Veterans  The U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have joined together in an unprecedented effort to end homelessness among veterans. The HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) voucher program created 50 dedicated "Housing First" vouchers, which will be used to serve 50 veterans in 14 cities selected by Congress with the highest rates of homelessness among veterans. Congress charged the VA to reduce the number of veterans who are homeless in those cities. The VA plans to implement Pathways to Housing's Housing First individualized treatment model to serve these 50 veterans experiencing homelessness and mental health and addiction problems in each city. This pilot project seeks funding for elements essential to the creation of functional housing units--such as hiring of a housing specialist and furnishing the housing units. HUD and the VA are not permitted under federal rules to allocate the necessary resources to these essential elements. For additional information, please contact Jessie E. Ulsoy, Director of Policy and Development, Pathways to Housing, Inc. at julsoy@pathwaystohousing.org.
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Promote Effective Solutions to Homelessness. Join Funders Together Today!
Through Funders Together, you can connect with other funders like you, share lessons learned and promising practices, and help build the movement to end homelessness in America. Your voice can help make the difference in your community and across the country.
Contact Allison Silva, member services and development officer, at allison@funderstogether.org with any questions about membership. |
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