TDC Announcements

The Tennessee Disability Coalition (“Coalition”) is pleased to announce its request for Letters of Interest for the November 2011 grant cycle.  The Guidelines for Letters of Interest and Applications are now available at our website.   These announcements are made on a semi-annual basis in the Spring and Fall of each year, depending upon the availability of funds. The request is disseminated broadly and is also available on the Coalition’s website, www.tndisability.org.

Purpose
In keeping with the mission of the Coalition to help build a society that includes and values people with disabilities, the purpose of the grants is to build capacity in the disability community to serve individuals with disabilities and their families. In general, there is no funding available for one-time conferences.

Nonprofit capacity building refers to activities that improve and enhance a nonprofit’s ability to achieve its mission and sustain itself over time.  Details are provided in the guidelines for Letters of Interest and Applications.

Eligibility
The Tennessee Disability Coalition awares grants to IRS-designated tax-exempt organizations-501(c)(3) and governmental entities. Private foundations and agency members of the Coalition Grant Committee are not eligible to apply.

Amount of funding
In general, the Coalition makes $100,000 available for discretionary grant each year, dependent upon funds availability, with $50,000 available for the Spring grants and $50,000 available for the Fall grants. Five grants for up to $10,000 each for a one-year term may be awarded in a grant cycle. Awards will be merit based, following a point system outlined in the application.

Application process
There is a two-step application process:
1. Submission of a brief Letter of Interest with budget outline (Letter of Interest Guidelines)
2. Submission of a full proposal, if requested, using the standard application format  (Sample Application with Guidelines)

Deadlines
Letter of Interest: September 20, 2011 by noon Central Time
Full Proposal, if requested: October 31, 2011 by noon Central Time

Funding Process
Funds will be awarded in two installments: half of the award after a contract is signed, with the second payment half to be made upon receipt and approval of the five-month Summary of Activities report.

Required Reports
All grantees will be required to submit:
•    A five-month progress report
•    A final report, including a final budget report, within six weeks following the end of the project term.

For more information, contact:  
Alice Owens Gatlin
Email: alice_o@tndisability.org
Phone: 615-383-9442

 

 

The bilingual (Spanish) position is a part-time, 20-hour per week position geographically located in Middle Tennessee and will be filled by parent/family member related to a child with a diagnosis of deafness, hard-of-hearing, and/or other hearing-related condition.  The position is focused on increasing awareness in the Hispanic Community of newborn hearing screening, the need for hearing follow-up, location of sites to access hearing professionals, and the availability of early intervention and parent support programs. Supervision is provided by the Family Voices (FV) of Tennessee Director at the Tennessee Disability Coalition in collaboration with the State Newborn Hearing Screening Program Coordinator. 

PLEASE NOTE: this position MUST be filled by a bilingual parent/family member related to a child with a diagnosis of deafness, hard-of-hearing, and/or other hearing-related condition.

1. Consult with families in the Hispanic Community - Conduct outreach through family and provider networks to connect with families of children with hearing impairments including travel within the designated region of the state to accomplish outreach activities.
• Provide consultation, support, and advocacy assistance to families affected by hearing impairments in children and related concerns.  This entails facilitating connections among participating families of children with hearing impairments with other affected families in a manner that respects family confidentiality and privacy concerns.
• Provide training to families of children with hearing impairments and professionals.
• Disseminate information and resources (i.e., the parent/family manual, Family-to-Family Health Information Center materials) to families of children identified with a hearing loss.
2. Work in consultation with the FV Family Resource Specialists (FRS) in the Family Voices Family-to-Family Health Information Center (F2FHIC) in providing technical assistance to families to facilitate and nurture family support groups, related family-driven activities, and events to strengthen new and existing family networks and resources for individuals with hearing impairments and their families.
3. Disseminate materials to be used to inform health care providers and other professionals regarding family expectations, needs, and preferences.
4. Participate in required training and meetings (including Coalition staff training, the national newborn hearing grant training meeting, parent support training, and training/calls conducted or recommended by Center for Disease Control, Family Voices, the State newborn hearing-screening programs).
5. Participate on committees, task forces and boards as requested (including Newborn Hearing Screening Task Force, Genetics/ Metabolic/Hearing Screening Program, Children’s Special Services Program).
6. As requested, travel in-state as part of the State Newborn Hearing Screening team.
7. Assist the State in the development of teaching and educational tools and brochures for families and professionals on the importance of newborn hearing screening, early assessment of hearing loss, communication methods available, and early intervention services.
8. Coordinate and collaborate with state, regional, and local agency personnel (i.e., the State Newborn Hearing Screening Program and Task Force, Newborn Genetics/Metabolic Screening Program, Childrens Special Services, State Department of Education, Special Education, Tennessee Early Intervention System, family support/advocacy programs, and organizations for people who are deaf or hard of hearing).
9. Enter data on contacts with families in the database and update information at least weekly.
10. Submit required reports in a timely manner.
11. Contribute articles/tips/miscellaneous information to newsletter, listserv, and website.
12. Accompany project staff as requested to meet with funders and other community groups or service providers.
    

Job Type: Part-time
Job Category:Social Services

Contact Information and Procedure:
We are committed to guaranteeing that everyone: employees, applicants for employment, volunteers, and those seeking our services, will be treated equally and in a dignified and respectful manner. No person will be discriminated against because of race, religion, creed, color, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, or Limited English Proficiency (LEP). Each person will be judged on her/his own merit in determining employment and advancement opportunities. We are a drug-free workplace.

Email resume to:
coalition@tndisability.org
or fax it to: (615) 383-1176

Qualified candidates will be contacted and interviews will be scheduled.

Sharon E. McCurry
955 Woodland Street
Nashville, TN 37206

Email: coalition@tndisability.org
Website: www.tndisability.org
Phone: (615) 383-9442
Fax: (615) 383-1176

Please join us in welcoming to Belinda Hotchkiss to the Tennessee Disability Coalition as the Family Voices Program Coordinator.  Belinda is the mother of two young children, one of whom was born 3 months premature and resided in the Vanderbilt NICU for 2 months.  Her son participated in services provided by TEIS and currently, Belinda and her children are participating in the Better Birth Outcome study, through the Vanderbilt’s Nurses for Newborns Foundation. 

She will be working out of the Coalition’s Nashville office.  Her contact information is email: belinda_h@tndisability.org; phone: 615-383-9442 or toll-free at 1-888-643-7811.