April 2007 News

PRC – your on-line clearinghouse of information and tools for partnership building and collaboration.

Greetings from the Partnership Resource Center Operations Team! It’s been some time since our last news update, and much has happened. We’ve updated many of our pages, added valuable new tools and resources, as well as a number of inspiring success stories. Check out the links below:

News

• New Training for Collaboration and Partnerships available! Hone your partnership skills with this series of highly effective online training modules. Developed collaboratively by the National Partnership Office, regional partnership coordinators, and various partner organizations, these modules target specific areas of partnership development. There are a total of ten courses to choose from, with topics ranging from Partnership Conduct and Ethics to Collaboration Tools. Click on the link to see the complete list of offerings and pick and choose to create the training program that fits your needs. http://www.partnershipresourcecenter.org/resources/training/collaborative-training/

• Get Help for Collaboration! The National Forest Foundation and the Sonoran Institute have launched the Western Collaboration Assistance Network (WestCAN), with an online resource library and personalized assistance through a toll-free information line. WestCAN offers free information and referrals to public agency employees and community organizations working collaboratively on stewardship of public lands in the western United States. For more information visit www.WestCANhelp.org or call 1-866-773-4633 ext 13.

• Woody Biomass Utilization Projects: More than two dozen small businesses and community groups were recently awarded $6.2 million in grants to develop innovative uses for woody biomass, including renewable energy and new products, from national forests. The grants will help create markets for small-diameter material and low-valued trees removed from forest restoration activities. For information, go to http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/tmu/Johanns_Utilization_Release.pdf

• IP-ITC Environmental Excellence Awards: International Paper and The Conservation Fund are requesting nominations for their annual Environmental Excellence Awards. Two individuals will be selected in recognition of their significant contributions to collaborative conservation and environmental education. Each recipient will receive an unrestricted grant for $10,000 for their efforts from the International Paper Foundation. Submit your nomination at http://www.conservationfund.org/ and following the link to the nomination form. The nomination deadline is April 17, 2007.

• Public Comments Sought on Collaboration in NEPA document: The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) used an interagency work group to develop a handbook to help NEPA practitioners improve the effectiveness of their NEPA processes through collaboration. The handbook focuses on collaboration in the context of the NEPA process, outlines general principles, presents useful steps, and provides information on methods of collaboration. CEQ invites comments on the proposed handbook, “Collaboration in NEPA--A Handbook for NEPA Practitioners,” that is available from CEQ directly or at http://www.nepa.gov/nepa/nepanet.htm. The deadline for written comments is May 4, 2007.

Tools

• BLM Collaboration Desk Guide: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently published a comprehensive collection of guidelines, principles and practices detailing how to engage the public in a collaborative process. This guide is helpful to anyone who works with the public! See the link on the PRC Tools & Guides page: http://www.partnershipresourcecenter.org/resources/tools/.

• Hand-over Memo. The Forest Service recently created a "Hand-Over Memo," which provides a template for staff to use when changes in leadership occur and a smooth transition is needed between current Agency leadership and the partners they have been working with. For full details on this memo, including related processes, please visit: http://www.partnershipresourcecenter.org/resources/tools/

Funding Opportunities

• NFF Mid-Capacity Assistance Program: With Ford Foundation support, the National Forest Foundation (NFF) has established a Mid-Capacity program for locally-based collaborative efforts working on natural resource issues on National Forests and Grasslands. Its purpose is to support relatively young (two – seven years) nonprofit organizations as they leverage their initial project successes and experiences, while strengthening their operating infrastructure. Applications are due May 18, 2007. For information and guidelines, please contact Mary Mitsos at the NFF at 406-542-2805 ext. 15.

Sincerely,
The Partnership Resource Center Team

Subscribe or unsubscribe to the PRC Newslist.