Register online at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/377829178

Help meet EPA site inventory, public record and notice, and reporting requirements All site data available in your own password protected database Multiple entities may work together to create/use the database All information/data entered into BIT is password protected to prevent unauthorized use Data can easily be imported or exported for individual or multiple sites A mapping feature allows viewing of site or sample locations Instructions available on every page in BIT Contains additional brownfields-related resources

BIT Advantages
BIT WEBSITE: http://tab-bit.org
BIT Contact Information Blase Leven TAB Program at Kansas State University Phone: 785-532-0780 E-mail: baleven@ksu.edu
Hosted by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
Speakers include Blase Leven, Kansas State University and Ryan Ames, CMAP.
Moderated by Deborah Orr, USEPA
Contact John Hallas at: JHallas@cmap.illinois.gov, or 312-386-8764, to make a reservation.

The Brownfield Inventory Tool (BIT) is a Free, web-based, comprehensive brownfield program management tool. BIT was designed especially for users working under an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cooperative agreement requiring the submittal of a Property Profile Form, but any entity working on establishing a site inventory database will find BIT very helpful. Cities, regional coalitions, and Tribes can also use BIT to consolidate environmental and administrative information from sites in multiple programs.
Users may enter detailed site data, upload documents and data, and generate and export a variety of reports, including the Property Profile Form. BIT can also be used as a collaborative tool where specific inventory data can be accessed by multiple users IF permission by the primary user is granted. All information entered into BIT is username/password protected to ensure privacy.

BIT is very user friendly and instructions can be found on every page of the program.
BIT was developed by the TAB (Technical Assistance to Brownfields communities) program at Kansas State University with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Cooperative Agreement TR83389401.

A prototype of BIT was developed by EPA Region 8 in 2004 and BIT is the updated version of this prototype.

Illinois ResourceNet’s 2nd Annual Statewide Conference:

Register for the 2010 Statewide Conference click here

Thursday, September 16, 2010, UIC Forum, Chicago, IL, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

View- 2010 IRN Statewide Conference Announcement

View- 2010 IRN Conference Agenda 

View- 2010 IRN Conference Details- (Payment, Check-in, Parking Options, Overnight Accommodations, Lunch) 

Conference Break-Out Sessions Descriptions

View- IRN 2010 Conference Break-out Sessions

Case Study: Finding Funding in Floods: Working with Local Communities to Develop Hazard Mitigation Plans

Facilitator: Carrie McKillip, IRN Technical Assistance Provider

Presenters: Jared Owen, IEMA Hazard Mitigation Planner; Rich Meyers, Gulfport Village Board President; Susan Meyers, Henderson County Treasurer;Coral Seitz, Henderson County Emergency Management Director

Flood mitigating has increasingly become the responsibility of local decision makers who work with technical assistance providers to apply for federal funding.  IRN has worked consistently with local communities in Illinois after the 2008 floods on the importance of understanding why local communities need to adopt both structural and non-structural flood mitigation strategies. During the panel, particular attention will be paid to the role of organizational capacity within communities to address floods in addition to various local geophysical and socioeconomic characteristics.

On August 19, 2010, Governor Quinn announced federal disaster assistance approved to help people and businesses affected by the July 2010  floods. The recent declaration only reaffirms the relevance and importance of the work being completed by IRN’s technical assistance providers in previously impacted flooded communities.

View press release of Governor Quinn’s announcement >

Advantages in Place: Creating a continuous proposal stream

Presenter:  Al Zwilling, University of Illinois Extension Specialist Project Development and Sustainability and Illinois ResourceNet Extension Coordinator

In this session participants will learn about new potential federal grant opportunities and the process of using one federal grant to lead to another in a process of continuous proposal development. Proposal success is cumulative, especially when carried out in collaborative networks where data can be shared, partnerships can be forged, learning can take place, different program areas can be linked, and diverse resources can be leveraged.  This session gives practical hands-on training on how to engage in a continuous proposal building process including utilizing the catalogue of federal assistance, grants.gov and planning documents to anticipate and prepare for potential opportunities.

A memo for the heads of executive departments and agencies on Place-based policies was released by the Obama Administration signaling the shift to a place-based model for determining domestic and fiscal priorities.

Read the memo here >

Developing a Proposal Building Team

Presenters: Deborah Minor-Harvey & James Pfluecke, IRN Technical Assistance Providers

This workshop will identify best practices in federal grant proposal project management including developing a work plan and your work team. Participants will learn about the organizational capacity needed to successfully complete a federal grant proposal, how to assess and document your community’s needs,  and how to develop a time line for the successful completion of all aspects of the proposal.

Data for Decision Maker: Using census data and visualization to tell a story

Presenter: Brian Deal, Assistant Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Illinois and Director of the LEAM Modeling Systems Laboratory and Smart Energy Design Assistance Center

Census data can provide a unique picture of local communities, by providing information on indicators such as household income levels, the age and education-level of a population, the race and ethnic makeup of a community and how a population has changed over time. This type of information is particularly useful when trying to write a grant proposal to demonstrate the need for resources within a community, or when trying to assess the needs and issues of a community. This session will explain how to access census information and use it to create maps and graphics to visualize the information being written about in proposal submissions. 

Planning to Layer Federal Funding: Applying sustainable practices to the federal grant process 

Presenter: Susan Kaplan, Outreach Activities Coordinator, UIC Institute for Environmental Science and Policy & IRN Technical Assistance Provider

Featured Guests: Brian Quirke, representative from the US Department of Energy (DOE) & Carol Kulek, representative from the IL Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)

Detailed comprehensive plans and federal funding grants need some of the same elements to thrive. If a community identifies its needs as part of the planning process, it can, as part of a continuous proposal building process, pinpoint which grants will help meet those needs. Federal grants are available for communities with an integrated vision for connecting economic development, community development, and environmental protection to create greater livability. This session will explain why comprehensive community planning should be an integral part of the federal funding process to help facilitate the continuous development of proposals.

Also featured in this breakout session, Brian Quirke will be speaking about US DOE grant opportunities, and how a community can best be prepared to respond when an RFP is announced, and Carol Kulek will speak about grant opportunities available from the IL DCEO.

Case Scenario: How Universities and Community Colleges Act as Mediators in the Federal Grant Process

Facilitator: Kathie Brown, IRN Technical Assistance Provider                                                                                                                     

Presenters: Atanacio “Nacho” Gonzalez, UICNI Associate Director & Jeri Beel, Director of Grants Development for Lakeland College in Mattoon, IL 

Many of the federal grants require organizations to collaborate with community partners prior to awarding grants. Universities and community colleges are examples of a well-established collaboration.  This session will focus on how an organization can develop a working relationship that shares ideas, staff and resources to foster effective strategic plans and grant management.  Participants in this session will learn from a panel of grantees from community colleges and the University of Illinois at Chicago in Illinois about partnership and grant development.

Place-Based Funding in Illinois: Federal, State, and Regional Insights

This panel will engage four experts from different perspectives on steering federal funds into development strategies at the community and regional levels. 

Rachel Weber, Associate Director of the Great Cities Institute, and Associate Professor of Urban Planning and Policy at UIC, will facilitate a discussion among the participants about their experiences with the realities of blending federal funds into comprehensive, durable efforts to sustain and revitalize Illinois communities.  Subjects likely to emerge include how to get place-based funding efforts started, what state offices are already interested in helping, and what regional and local planning bodies, colleges, and nonprofit organizations can do to build partnerships that will convince federal agencies to send funding their way.

Panelists

• Debra Orr, Brownfields Coordinator, EPA Region 5

• Denise Bulat, Executive Director, Bi-State Regional Planning Agency, Quad Cities, IL&IA

• Alan Quick, Planning Manager, Illinois Housing Development Authority

• Jeri Beel, Director of Grants Development, Lakeland College, Mattoon, IL

Tue, Aug 3, 2010 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Detailed comprehensive plans and federal funding grants need some of the same elements to thrive. Writing about the vision for investing in a community’s empty brownfields, affordable housing and economic development needs, and health issues can serve as a platform in applying for federal grants. These aspirations, when effectively written and documented, can be used as the basis for grant applications.  If a community identifies its needs as part of the planning process, it can, as part of a continuous proposal building process, pinpoint which grants will help meet those needs.

The workshop will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 19, 2010 at the Great Cities Institute located at 412 S. Peoria Street, Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60607. Great Cities Institute is located within the UIC College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs. Register Now

The federal funding process continues well after the proposal has been submitted to the federal funding agency. Managing a federal grant is a daunting task that requires preparation. In this training session, Illinois ResourceNet technical assistance provider, Valerie Leonard will help build an organization’s capacity to manage one or several federal grants successfully.

The goal of this training session is to provide an overview of the federal funding process that starts with planning for an anticipated grant opportunity and ends with the development and implementation of a post-award monitoring and reporting system, and covers topics, such as negotiation, federal requirements, program implementation, audit resolution, risk assessments, cost analysis, project evaluation, and financial management.

Register Now

Work together as partners to strengthen your community and region

The workshop will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at the Great Cities Institute located at 412 S. Peoria Street, Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60607. Great Cities Institute is located within the UIC College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs. Register Here

Illinois ResourceNet’s offers a workshop to help introduce nonprofit organizations to the principles of collaboration, the nature and type of collaborative and what it takes to work together in a sustainable manner. In particular, collaboratives play a vital role in Illinois ResourceNet’s commitment to building capacity in the nonprofit sector in Illinois to facilitate stronger federal grant development and submissions.

Lauri Alpern, an Illinois ResourceNet technical assistance provider will lead the workshop and will guide participants through the process of partnership development and completion of tasks in a group setting.

Register Here

Simplifying the complicated budget section

9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 4, 2010 at the Great Cities Institute located at 412 S. Peoria Street, Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60607 Register Now

Writing a federal proposal is a multi-step process with every tier requiring an equal level of intense consideration. The federal budget piece is probably the most detailed and specific item on the federal proposal to-do list. Illinois ResourceNet’s face-to-face workshop will tackle the topic of federal budgets and help attendees sort through the daunting section of the federal proposal.

Jay Readey, Illinois ResourceNet technical assistance provider, will explain the importance of managing your organization’s finances to improve your success in applying for a federal grant.

Highlights from the federal budget process workshop include:
• The differences between indirect and direct cost rates
• Allowable expenditures
• Matching and cost sharing and accounting compliance requirements.

In addition, this session describes the principles used in developing a budget narrative.

Attendees will walk away knowing how to plan and monitor financial activity, while establishing a solid line of communication between program staff and budgeting staff. Organizations need to be prepared to manage the federal budget detailed in their proposals.

Space is limited for this event.

The cost for this event is $35 and includes the cost of UIC lot parking if you are coming by car. Additional parking information will be covered in your order confirmation.

The workshop will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 4, 2010 at the Great Cities Institute located at 412 S. Peoria Street, Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60607. Great Cities Institute is located within the UIC College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs.
Register Now

Register for the 2010 Statewide Conference here

Thursday, September 16, 2010, UIC Forum, Chicago, IL, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Place-Based Funding in Illinois: Federal, State, and Regional Insights

Conference attendees will have the opportunity to engage trainers skilled in specific areas of grant development during the six (6) breakout sessions. 

Topics for the sessions include:

• Collaborative proposal development
• Case examples of successful grantees
• Data collection and interpretation for grant writing
• Elements of successful grant writing
• Layering federal funding proposals
• Working with universities and community colleges to apply for federal funding

Trade-Fair Booth Exhibitors

The conference trade fair proved to be one of the most sought out portions of last year’s event. In response to our attendees multiple requests, we have extended the trade fair,  at which federal and state agencies, intermediary organizations, and other groups with significant programs in capacity building present at booths and interact with participants.

2010 IRN Conference Trade Fair Booth Exhibitors

• US Department of Energy (DOE)
• US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
• US Department of Labor (DOL)
• UIC Office of Professional Education
• Illinois State Treasury Department
• DCEO Bureau Of Energy and Recycling
• Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC)
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• IL Emergency Management Agency (IEMA)
• US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)- Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
• US Department of Education
• US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• IL Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)
• United Way
• Community Media Workshop
• University of Illinois Extension (UIE)/Illinois ResourceNet (IRN)
• Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)
• Donors Forum
• Lumpkin Foundation
• US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• PlaceVision
• And more to be confirmed

This session provides participants with essential tips to writing federal grant proposal including how to use the request for proposal announcement as a guide, building an outline, and writing a complete grant. Participants will also learn how to articulate the flow of their program operations through logic models and how to write the evaluation section.

The presentation provides an overview covering topics from pre-grant writing preparation and assessing readiness to submitting a completed grant proposal.

Highlights from the federal funding grant process workshop include:

* Learning how to target workforce efforts and understand where to find valuable sources of information.
* Telling your organization’s story and developing a brand.
* Transitioning from a working outline to a ‘live’ submission.

Communities of place – towns, neighborhoods, and rural regions – can serve as integrative locations for bringing together the efforts of diverse federal and state programs.  Illinois ResourceNet can structure workshops and conferences that invite federal program officers from a variety of agencies to consider multiple program strategies arising from different kinds of Illinois communities.

For example, Illinois ResourceNet can:
•    Convene workshops aimed at matching up federal grant opportunities with community economic development plans that involve workforce development, small business development, small area transportation studies, community technology enhancements, and entrepreneurship training.
•    Structure workshops that identify federal funds that can potentially support the components of local agribusiness strategies, including agri- tourism, the creation of micro-business incubators, the diversification of farm-based enterprises, home-based enterprises, and the development of markets for new agricultural products.
•    Invite federal agency representatives to jointly consider how the elements of comprehensive community development plans match up over a two or three year period with federal resources that will come available through grants, tax credits, loans, and procurement opportunities.

Collaborative planning and project development that is place-based is unique in its capacity to invite fund development strategies across a range of program areas.