EPA Offers New Round of Smart Growth Implementation Assistance
Request for Letters of Interest: Smart Growth Implementation Assistance
Free technical assistance available!
The Development, Community, and Environment Division in EPA’s Office of
Policy, Economics, and Innovation is seeking applications for technical
assistance from communities that want to incorporate smart growth in
their future development to meet environmental and other community
goals. This request is being coordinated under the interagency
Partnership for Sustainable Communities. Staff from HUD and DOT will
assist in the provision of this technical assistance.
Eligible entities are tribal, local, regional, and state governments,
and nonprofit organizations that have a demonstrated partnership with a
governmental entity. Letters of interest are due at 3:00 pm EST, April
9, 2010.
EPA has identified some key topics in which communities are likely to
benefit from technical assistance:
- climate change
- equitable development
- financing and planning infrastructure investments
- hazard mitigation plans
- removing local barriers to implementing LEED-ND
- suburban retrofit
- transportation solutions for rural communities and places without rail
- cities in transition (significant population loss, poverty, or economic deterioration)
Proposals are not limited to requests for technical assistance in only
these thematic areas; other topics for assistance are welcome and
encouraged, provided they demonstrate cutting-edge challenges and the
possibility of replicable solutions. The type of work may incorporate
policy analysis and review, planning and visioning processes,
scorecard/ranking criteria development and assessment, and/or other
elements pertinent to the role of the applicant.
Selected communities or states will receive assistance in the form of a
multi-day visit from a team of experts organized by EPA, HUD and DOT and
other national partners to work with local leaders. EPA plans to assist
three to four communities over a period of twelve months. The Agency
anticipates announcing the selected communities in fall of 2010.
For more information and application materials, visit
http://epa.gov/smartgrowth/2010_0128_rfli.html.
Outdoor Heritage Conservation Fund
New Funding Tool for Land Conservation Projects
The OHCF was developed to provide funding and support for the conservation of West Virginia’s special places, such as critical wildlife habitat, scenic places for family hiking and picnics, forestland for hunting and traditional forestry, and lands celebrating West Virginia’s natural and cultural heritage. It is funded by a new recording fee that is collected at the county level.
In 2009, Terrell Ellis was appointed by Governor Manchin as a Trustee for the OHCF. The Board of Trustees has been busy developing rules for the dissemination of these funds which can go to nonprofit organizations, land trusts, and the Division of Natural Resources for the purpose of conserving or stewarding land.
The rules establish the procedures and guidelines to be used by the Board in the administration of its programs. Specifically, the rules:
- Govern the distribution of funds through a competitive grant process for the purchase of interests in land for conservation purposes,
- Includes provisions governing the acquisition, acceptance, holding and transfer of interests in land for conservation purposes,
- Establishes the process for the Board to request the issuance of WV Economic Development Authority bonds to fund the purchase of interests in land for conservation purposes.
Ms. Ellis has been busy working with the OHCF partners such as The Nature Conservancy and the WV Division of Natural Resources to craft rules and guide them through the legislative approval process. As of this time, they have passed through the House Judiciary Committee and are heading to the House floor for a vote.
It is anticipated that the program will be operational by July 1-bringing much needed new financial resources to the land conservation movement in West Virginia.
WV Receives Grant Monies to Increase CHIP & Medicaid Enrollment
In September 2009 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced $40 million in grants to 69 grantees in 41 states and the District of Columbia to help them find and enroll children who are uninsured but eligible for either Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Over $300,000 of those funds were earmarked for the West Virginia Alliance for Sustainable Families (WVASF) and its partners including: the West Virginia Healthy Kids and Families Coalition, the Partners in Health Network, the Partnership for African American Churches, and South Central Educational Development.
Terrell Ellis and Associates (TEA) is responsible for the WVASF portion of the grant which is to provide overall administration and also to coordinate the outreach and enrollment activities at the volunteer income tax assistance sites throughout the state as the eligibility guidelines for the earned income tax credit (EITC) and CHIP very similar there is expected to be a lot of overlap with clients.
Other outreach and enrollment is being done by the other partners through health care providers at local clinics and hospitals throughout the state and at the grass roots level through faith based community organizations.
For more information on the expansion efforts, contact Calah Young at Terrell Ellis & Associates, Inc., (304) 342-6972.
Many WV Families Missing Out on Federal Tax Credit
Many families throughout our state are unaware of a federal tax credit available to individuals and households with low-to-moderate income. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can put up to $5,657 in the pockets of tax payers who qualify and apply for it for the 2009 tax year. This is good news for families struggling in light of current economic challenges.
For families that work hard, the credit provides a windfall that can support the achievement of long-term economic success. When family household income goes up, child well-being indicators improve, and families have opportunities for asset development around education, small business, and home ownership.
According to staff at Terrell Ellis and Associates (TEA), the EITC also has a significant impact on our state’s economy. The money returned to families and thus spent in local communities circulates seven times. Last year alone TEA reported that West Virginians received over $260 million in EITC refunds.
TEA works directly with the West Virginia Alliance for Sustainable families to manage the EITC program through West Virginia.
If you have questions or would like more information about the EITC, please call Kelli Hinkle-Burgess at 304-342-6972 or email khburgess@te-assoicates.com. Ms. Hinkle-Burgess serves as the Program Manager for the EITC Campaign for the West Virginia Alliance for Sustainable Families.
Corporate Sponsorships Available
Terrell Ellis and Associates (TEA) is currently seeking sponsors for the West Virginia Land Trust’s (WVLT) Special Places Award Dinner and Ceremony scheduled for February 4, 2010 at the Women’s Club of Charleston. TEA works directly with WVLT to plan this recognition and fundraising event.
The Special Places Award is presented annually to an individual(s) who has significantly benefited the WVLT’s long-range vision for land protection in our state. The award recognizes a commitment to achieving the WVLT conservation objectives for a specific piece of property as well as a commitment to broader conservation objectives for throughout the state.
This year, the WVLT has elected to honor Joyce McConnell, who has been instrumental in furthering land conservation efforts in West Virginia. Ms. McConnell is currently serving as the Dean of the WVU College of Law and is a past president of the WVLT. She has worked hard in both her professional and personal life to promote land preservation in West Virginia.
While the event will honor Ms. McConnell, it will also serve as the primary fundraising opportunity for the WVLT. Revenues from sponsorship will be used to protect special places throughout our state through conservation easements, working with local landowners and land trusts to support their efforts, providing leadership at the State and local levels, and managing and protecting existing easements.
Sponsorship levels range from $10,000 – $250. Corporations interested in sponsorship should contact Calah Young at cyoung@te-associates.com or contact the WVLT at 304-346-7788.To learn more about the event and the mission of the WVLT please visit www.wvlandtrust.org.
Play a VITAL Role – Volunteer!
Would you like to be a part of bringing millions of dollars home to West Virginia? Volunteers are needed to help prepare tax returns at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites throughout West Virginia. This Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-sponsored program provides courtesy return preparation assistance for those who meet income eligibility.
Volunteers help individuals complete and electronically file their tax returns—all for free. Refunds can be deposited into a bank account in as little as 7 days at no cost.
Last year dedicated volunteers recruited by Terrell Ellis and Associates (TEA) and seven regional outreach coordinators helped to prepare nearly 30,000 tax returns bringing in $27 million in total refunds. With the success of our efforts last year, additional volunteers are needed to meet the growing demands.
In addition to recruiting volunteers to assist with tax returns, TEA provides staffing for the West Virginia Alliance for Sustainable Families (WVASF) to assist in the establishment of VITA sites in all 55 counties. These sites are located in offices, churches, libraries, colleges, and universities and are open from January through April.
In 2009, 77 sites operated throughout the state. TEA is pleased that seven additional sites have already been announced for 2010. However, additional sites are still needed to serve individuals and families. According to Kelli Hinkle-Burgess, who serves as the program manager for this initiative, sites are still needed throughout the state, particularly in the Eastern Panhandle.
Do you have an idea for a potential VITA site in your county? Do you know someone who would make an excellent volunteer? Do you know of a corporation that would like to get involved as a site or have employees serve as volunteers? Let us know by calling 304.342.6972 or email khburgess@te-associates.com.
Clendenin Schoolhouse Revitalizes Community
Clendenin Middle School in Kanawha County was built in the early 20th Century. Like many schools throughout West Virginia and the nation, the school was closed due to consolidation and sat empty. At the urging of the community, the school board donated the building to a non-profit group-25045-A New Clendenin Inc. Members of this grassroots organization believed the old school building was still vital to the community and saw it as an opportunity to provide new services to Clendenin’s citizens as well as create new jobs.
To help with the renovation of the building and the creation of community projects and partnerships that would be housed within the space, the Clendenin group hired Terrell Ellis and Associates (TEA). As a result plans are underway to turn Clendenin Middle School into a mixed-use facility that will offer affordable housing, health care, child care and afterschool programs.
Affordable Housing for Seniors
A private development firm specializing in the refurbishment of historic school buildings, AU Associates (based in Lexington, KY) has been hired to construct 18 affordable housing units for seniors. The State of West Virginia recently announced that through grant writing efforts of TEA and AU Associates, the project will receive $2.7 million in grant funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program. The funds will be used to build apartment-style living space inside the school building.
Health Clinic
In addition to affordable housing for seniors, TEA and the Clendenin group is working with Cabin Creek Health Systems to expand community access to health care. This summer, TEA helped 25045 A New Clendenin Inc. secure $1 million in direct loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to assist in renovating the school’s second floor to be used as a spacious new clinic for Cabin Creek Health Systems. The Clinic’s current location in the community occupies 5,400 square feet; the new location will provide the clinic 12,500 square feet. In addition, the leveraged funding will be used to create 15 exam rooms, a pharmacy, physical therapy center and administrative offices.
Afterschool and Day Care Programs
Additional funding is being provided by the Harper Family Foundation and the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation to help create opportunities for afterschool programs and a day care center for children to be located in the old school.
The expansion of the clinic, creation of senior housing units and the creation of afterschool and day care programs is providing additional access to programs for the town’s citizens and creating much needed jobs. Through community commitment, partnership and securing appropriate funding, an old building is once again becoming the heart of the Clendenin Community.