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Open Enrollment Pathways Training to be Held in Dallas, Texas
on June 23rd and 24th
The Community Action Partnership is excited to announce the re-launch of its Pathways to Excellence Initiative. Pathways is the Partnership's premier organizational capacity building initiative. Pathways uses 35 Standards of Excellence that define the very best practices for Community Action Agencies. Just as the new CSBG organizational standards developed by the Center of Excellence in collaboration with the Community Action Network define the basic minimum requirements an agency must meet, the Standards of Excellence represent the highest level of management and operational performance to which an agency can aspire. Indeed, going through the Pathways process can provide an important supplement to work on meeting the new organizational standards prescribed by IM 138, building capacity for ROMA, preparing for the development of a strategic plan, or serving as the first step towards applying for the Award for Excellence. A webinar that describes the Pathways process in more detail will be held on Thursday, April 23rd at 1:00 EST. Register here to attend the webinar.
The Pathway to Excellence Program begins with a two-day training session covering the Standards and how to apply the Organizational Self-Study as a rigorous diagnostic tool that identifies strengths to build on and critical areas to improve. Agencies typically bring teams of four to five staff who in turn lead the Self-Study process back home, providing an excellent opportunity to build the "leadership bench" of your organization. You then have nine months to complete the Self-Study, supported by monthly webinars and/or conference calls with the Partnership staff and consultants. Finally, an expert team of peer-reviewer trained in the Pathways process provides your agency with a comprehensive feedback report within three months that lays out a detailed improvement process and clear next steps for moving down the Pathway to Excellence.
The Standards and Self-Study process are powerful tools that can help distinguish your agency's grant applications, prepare for state monitoring visits, and support other critical activities such as strategic planning and needs assessments. Pathways offers a sliding fee scale based on your agency's size for which you receive:
- A comprehensive two-day training on the Standards and Organizational Self-Study process;
- Extensive written materials to support the nine-month Self-Study process;
- Monthly webinars and/or conference calls coordinated by Partnership staff and consultants to support the Self-Study; and
- A detailed feedback report with recommendations on how to improve across all seven categories that comprise the Standards of Excellence.
How do I Apply?
More information about Pathways, enrollment costs, and the application form are accessible on the Partnership's website here. The open enrollment training for any interested agency will be offered in Dallas, Texas on June 23rd and 24th. Enrollment space in this training is limited, so applications will be processed on a first-come-first-serve basis - contact the Partnership soon if you are interested. State-Based Pathways trainings, typically sponsored by the State Association or CSBG Office, can be scheduled year round at the convener's convenience. Both Pathways options typically aim to enroll between four to seven agencies per training to ensure participants receive maximum support from the Partnership staff and consultants.
For more information, contact Jarle Crocker, Director of Training and Technical Assistance, at 202-449-9774 or jcrocker@communityactionpartnership.com
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