Ask an Advisor Questions

Question	Core Competency	Date
hallo! Iam Irene, recently i started up an non- profit making organisation to support the vulnerable in Kibera slums in kenya. i am the CEO of the organisation am requesting if i can get someone who can help me to come up with policies of the organisation iam reallyvery new in this and i don't have any advisor. help where you can	Developing an Intervention Increasing Participation and Membership Sustaining the Work or Initiative	Tue, 10/21/2014
Is it possible to purchase certain chapters? Your information on Board training is fabulous and I would like to use some of the information	Sustaining the Work or Initiative	Mon, 10/20/2014
May the Tool Box be used to develop and implement programs using subjects and topics from the various sections and chapters?	Developing Strategic and Action Plans Increasing Participation and Membership	Mon, 10/20/2014
To Whom it May Concern, My name is Ruth and I am an undergraduate student at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. I am currently conducting a rapid literature review and dissemination on community engagement for a low-income community in Hamilton. I am considering using the Community Toolbox as a resource but was uncertain as to whether or not the Toolbox is based on scholarly research. If it is in fact evidence-based, I would be interested in having a citation list that I could take a look at for research purposes. Please do get back to me as soon as you can, as I am expected to report back to the community within the next two weeks. Thank you, Ruth		Fri, 10/10/2014
I'm going through the community tool box online: Chapter 27, Section 2. It is very well done and engaging. I'm not sure what the difference is between culture and identity in completing the "what is your culture?" exercise. I think identity is less strong than culture or less of an influence but are there resources that you have to help me understand the difference more clearly? Any assistance would be wonderful as I am trying to make sure I have this correct before attempting to present it to other staff or recommend that they complete the tool box themselves. Thank you,	Advocating for Change	Thu, 10/09/2014
Good Day! I am a student and want to help my community. I would to ask how I am going to help my community if I do not have enough money and time?	Enhancing Cultural Competence	Sun, 10/05/2014
I am going to be 62 in November, married. My husband and I are on disability. We have a house payment of $90.000. A car payment of $19,000. Also charge cad dept of around $4,000. I always need to use my card for car insurance.If I would not had to have bake surgery, we would not be behind like this. Can I get some kind of grant to at least pay off my car?		Sat, 10/04/2014
Through my employment I recently came upon a young man who ambulates via a wheelchair. He is living in an apartment complex on the 20th floor in a non accessible apartment downtown. He has no way to open his door other than to call on neighbors. Is this a violation of ADA?	Advocating for Change	Tue, 09/30/2014
I am interested in starting an organization in my town to provide community members, especially families, outreach opportunities, as well as cultural education seminars/workshops for children roughly 4-10yrs old. I covet any suggestions, feedback, direction that could come my way regarding this endeavor. I am headed to look through your toolkits now and over the weekend will be working on firming up the mission/vision of the organization and hopefully drawing a crystal clear line showing how cultural awareness/understanding goes hand in hand with community service. Something like if people know more about each other, they feel more connected and are more willing to give... I live in a VERY affluent community, very white, very much lacking diversity and community service and I would like to see these two things grow and thrive here and need as much help as I can get building a case, finding funding, connecting community service and cultural education, etc.... So I am off to read everything I can now on your website and if it works for someone to call me I would be ever so grateful. Thank you!! Jocelyn 978-239-5390	Creating and Maintaining Coalitions and Partnerships Assessing Community Needs and Resources Developing a Framework or Model of Change Developing Strategic and Action Plans Increasing Participation and Membership	Fri, 09/26/2014
how do I find what kind of activities there are for teens to keep them busy on weekends or summer vacation.	Assessing Community Needs and Resources Increasing Participation and Membership Advocating for Change	Fri, 09/26/2014
a builder is taking up a park in our area and planning to build a shopping complex . please suggest some ways to stop this ?	Creating and Maintaining Coalitions and Partnerships Assessing Community Needs and Resources Developing Strategic and Action Plans Increasing Participation and Membership	Thu, 09/25/2014
There is a new website call "Nextdoor," one of our neighbors has started the site. I see this as a wonderful opportunity for community member to become actively involved, aware of what their local elected official are doing, crime in the area and so much more. However, with all of this potential, there is a certain City Council member, discouraging political, religion and sexual content. I can agree with restricting religious and sexual content, but politics? Ours is a very poor city, with very little commerce or growth. I believe some of this has to do with poor city management. Do you have any ideas about how I might gently persuade them to understand that we as a collective group would greatly benefit by being more informed about our cities politics? Our newspaper is extremely bias. You are obviously far more educated than I am, if you have a persuasive research doc that would explain this, that might help too. Thanks for being there, and Thanks for the website. Shelley	Advocating for Change Influencing Policy Development Implementing a Social Marketing Effort	Tue, 09/23/2014
I am a facilitator for a job seekers support group. Have similar others used this site and if so how was it used?	Developing an Intervention	Sun, 09/21/2014
Greetings .kudos to your information on this site. Kindly assist me to develop a questionnaire on the implementation of health policy in nigeria; the issues and prospects.	Assessing Community Needs and Resources	Sat, 09/20/2014
Hello, My name is Kami and i just wanted to know what i should be doing to start my own youth project/organization in my surrounding so that i can help the community with that. Thanks !	Creating and Maintaining Coalitions and Partnerships Assessing Community Needs and Resources	Wed, 09/17/2014
I need help writing a plan for elderly, disabled and home bound citizens for voting. I have authored 3 articles, handouts published by Democracy NC, talked with residents and administrators, social workers and activity directors and divided 108 facilities into 4 groups. I knew what I want to do long term with civic involvement. I organize residents. I am making 108 notebooks with all candidate info cross indexed by each type of race. These will be taken to all facilities and community centers. I need to propose reason for asking for funding for magnifying sheets - one for each notebook and start on power point. I freeze up when writing a mission statement and so on. Are you able to help me get started?	Writing a Grant Application for Funding	Mon, 09/15/2014
hello I am studying the advanced diploma of disability and I am really struggling to do a question which is about identifying an issue of concern in the disability sector and then I need to research it develop an action plan and then also implement my action plan. My topic was going to be something like mis match of residents together. What is the criteria for this.	Assessing Community Needs and Resources Analyzing Problems and Goals Developing a Framework or Model of Change Developing Strategic and Action Plans	Sun, 09/14/2014
I need help with writing a grant for my organization. Where do we start.	Writing a Grant Application for Funding	Fri, 09/12/2014
Hello, I am working on a brief on the topic of nonprofits communicating data to the public. In my outline I have three audiences: 1. peers, to sharing program and demographic data to strengthen the field; 2. Funders and policy makers, to change the operating environment; and 3. clients/community, for dual-directional evaluation and to empower them to take informed action of their own and to help explain nuances in program data. For my brief, I am wanting to write three case studies that describe a nonprofit's experience with each external communication method (one nonprofit for each topic). Do you have any ideas of nonprofits who have tried, or been successful at communicating back to their clients? For example, data walks, or community meetings where service providers provider an opportunity to weigh in on what was collected. Thanks.		Fri, 09/12/2014
Sir/Madam,I am a teacher and professional counselor who lives in a community with a high illiteracy rate and yet many of the children do not attend school. It is my desire to establish a Community Counseling Center to help the people in my community. But my resources are limited. What should I do? I am a Ghanaian.	Creating and Maintaining Coalitions and Partnerships Assessing Community Needs and Resources Analyzing Problems and Goals Developing Strategic and Action Plans Increasing Participation and Membership	Fri, 09/12/2014
Hello, My name is Kaitlyn Dixon and I am a Community health Education Intern with UAB Health Smart. UAB Health Smart works with minority health disparities and offers free of charge health screenings, nutrition consultations, and meetings with an exercise physiologist. We seek to educate the community and to offer preventative care that can reduce instances of disease as well as reduce health care costs for our clients. One of our current efforts is to find new health education materials to offer to our clients regarding how to care for themselves before health issues even happen and to help them learn to manage disease once it has set in. We were wondering if you either had any free resources we could disperse or knew of any reliable health organizations that could offer such information for our clients. Thank you for your time. Kaitlyn Dixon UAB Health Smart Community Health Intern		Thu, 09/11/2014
In an organization, why develop training plan?	Improving Organizational Management and Development	Thu, 09/11/2014
Good afternoon! My name is Steven Charles and I work for the New York State Independent Living Council in Albany, NY. We are launching a new program that will be heavily reliant on social marketing and wondered if you could help us answer some questions based on your past experiences with social marketing campaigns. Our program’s goal is to reach out to the 1,600,000 adults with disabilities in the State of New York. We are aiming to engage roughly 1% of this target population each year over a ten-year period to form a solid membership base of individuals who will be committed to advocacy efforts for the disabled community. Based on the figure stated above, we hope to engage 1,600 new members each year, and after ten years, a cumulative membership of 16,000. We were just curious to know, based on your past experience with social marketing campaigns and advocacy efforts, if this seems like a reasonable goal, both for the first year and over the ten-year period. What sorts of change might we expect to see in our numbers from year to year?	Implementing a Social Marketing Effort	Tue, 09/09/2014
When you might not want to apply for nonprofit and tax-exempt status How do you show proof for funders and others who might require proof of your exempt status.		Mon, 09/08/2014
I'm having trouble navigating the web page. I'm trying to find info regarding different models. Epidemiological Model Public Health Model Social Model Asset Model I admit I'm still overwhelmed with all the info, and haven't quite put all the pieces together at this time. Thanks for your help.	Developing a Framework or Model of Change	Fri, 09/05/2014
Hello, I'm writing for information regarding most effective approach to getting a public school bus transportation policy changed. Effective August 2014, the Seminole Public School System in Florida instituted a policy which makes students residing within 2 miles of the school ineligible for bus transportation. We are one of the families impacted and I'd like to know what can be done to change the policy. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Kindly, Marisol Martinez	Assessing Community Needs and Resources Developing a Framework or Model of Change Developing Strategic and Action Plans	Thu, 09/04/2014
i work for a project that focuses on maternal, newborn and child health. the project ends in dec 2014, i would like to seek advice on how i can write a proposal for scaling up the project to other areas that were not included in the initial phase. what resources are there on this website that can help me to achieve this goal	Implementing a Social Marketing Effort Writing a Grant Application for Funding Sustaining the Work or Initiative	Wed, 08/27/2014
Hi, I was wondering if you were able to help me find organizations that allow me to help build self-sustaining communities. By this, I want to help build gardens for food, educate others on how to be involved, advise people that are struggling, and possibly gather data on practices to determine which ones are found to be most favorable in different climates. Any information that can allow me to apply even for an internship would be much appreciated. Thank you.		Wed, 08/27/2014
Hello! I am an AmeriCorps VISTA service member working to "assess effectiveness of current food policy council mission, goals, and processes." I am to develop a tool to make the assessment. I feel that assessing the effectiveness of a council could be similar to assessing the effectiveness of a program, but it is also a little bit different. I am having trouble finding a set of best practices or tools that one can use specifically for evaluating councils or food policy councils. I found in the document Food Policy Councils: Lessons Learned that most food policy councils have not conducted self assessments. I am finding it difficult to gather resources for this. Do you have any recommendations? Thank you!	Evaluating the Initiative	Tue, 08/26/2014
I think the members of my non- profit organization need training in how to ask people to join our organization. The members tend to shy away from inviting people. I think they fear rejection. Any suggestions?	Increasing Participation and Membership	Tue, 08/19/2014
I work at a large local health department. We are interested in your curriculum on Cultural Competency. Do you provide training using that curriculum or can we use the curriculum in our organization?	Enhancing Cultural Competence	Tue, 08/19/2014
I recently found out that I received credit for Math 115. At orientation I was told that someone would contact me to change my schedule to the next math class in my major (Finance). I was wondering what to do because I do not want or need to take Calculus again but I would like to keep my course load at 15 hours and it is recommended that I take all of my math classes consecutively until they are all completed.		Sun, 08/17/2014
I'm disabled by Lymes disease, fibromyaligia, chronic pheriphial neuro apathy, and more. I lost my daughter last year. Her children where staying with my sister. My sister claimed she couldn't afford to feed them and needed help, would i move in. So i did. She moved her daughter in with her boyfriend and three children. She moved my things into her garage. But, she kept my things she wanted. She won't allow me to see my grandchildren. Their father has custody and gets money from the state. But he hasn't raised them for five years. What can I do? I've already lost my daughter and it's bad enough she is stealing from me again. I need help Please.		Sat, 08/16/2014
We a new club (California Scholarship Federation/CSF) on campus that will be providing peer mentor tutoring in our library at San Lorenzo High School. We are looking to get certified or get help in ensuring our high school mentors are efficient and professional in helping the students learn effectively. Any help you can offer would be appreciated!!	Building Leadership	Fri, 08/15/2014
I write from nairobi Kenya. My concern is with the encroachment of developers into Nairobi (Kariokor) War Cemetery. This is a Second World War, now closed facility. Kindly advice us on how to go about it wadding off land speculators as we endevour to guard this historic site.	Creating and Maintaining Coalitions and Partnerships Increasing Participation and Membership Advocating for Change Influencing Policy Development Implementing a Social Marketing Effort	Tue, 08/12/2014
Do you have any tools or recommended resources to assess access or gaps in care? My community is currently looking for a model or best practice to assist in our assessment. The information gathered in the assessment will be used to develop community initiatives specifically addressing this issue. Thank You, Lisa Marshall	Assessing Community Needs and Resources Increasing Participation and Membership	Mon, 08/11/2014
I AM IN THE PHILIPPINES AND HAVE BEEN ASKED TO ACTIVATE A DORMANT TRAINING CENTER LOCATED IN PAMPANGA PROVINCE . WHAT ARE THE DUTIES AND RESPOSIBILITIES OF THE TRAINING CENTER TO CTB.KU.EDU IF WE RUN YOUR COURSES .. 1. IS THERE A FEE OR IS IT FREE TO ACCESS ALL THE TRAINING COURSE MATERIALS. 2, HOW DO I AND OTHER RESOURCE PERSONS BECOME ACCREDITED TO FACILITATE YOUR COURSES? 3. CAN WE ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION, CO BRANDED OR DIRECTLY FROM CTB.KU.EDU? I WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE ALL POSSIBLE ALLIANCES!		Sun, 08/10/2014
I want to do a work plan based on the topic:the information literacy skills university students need for academic writting. I really donot know where to start can you please give me a sort of draft to help me compare and be able to find so lutions	Assessing Community Needs and Resources Developing Strategic and Action Plans	Sat, 08/09/2014
Hello Community Tool Box, First thank you for creating this amazing tool and platform, very inspiring! And thank you for offering the Community Tool Box "Ask and Advisor" service. I'm putting together a business model and want to explore incorporating Community Tool Box into the organization. I would like your help evaluating how to apply the Community Tool Box platform to help train people in the fundamentals of becoming contributing digital journalists. The concept is based on leveraging the 6 billion people that have access to mobile phones. A core component to the business is empowering people with their cell phones to share with the world what they See, record and stream on their phones and wireless devices. At Democra-See we want to provide free training of people around the world to give them the skills, confidence and venue to share and report on democracy related events and discussions worldwide with their cell phones. I believe Community Tool Box provides an excellent opportunity to collaborate with others for this purpose using your tools, resources and formula for success. The business model is being formulated to allow the sharing of photographs, videos, audio, streaming, etc. Community Tools Box would be an ideal choice for providing curriculum and ongoing education in journalism and democracy. I'm interested to create a method to train and provide incentives for individuals to actively create user generated content related to democracy. Do you have the ability to confer with me on the potential applications of Community Tool Box for this venture? Please let me know if we can schedule a phone consultation with your organization. Thank you, Dave McGirr Democra-See Founder davemcgirr@gmail.com (856) 581-0999	Developing a Framework or Model of Change Developing Strategic and Action Plans Evaluating the Initiative	Fri, 08/08/2014
what factors might have an effect on community leadership? How would you resource and support community leaders and program?	Assessing Community Needs and Resources Developing a Framework or Model of Change Developing Strategic and Action Plans Building Leadership Increasing Participation and Membership Enhancing Cultural Competence Evaluating the Initiative Writing a Grant Application for Funding Improving Organizational Management and Development Sustaining the Work or Initiative	Thu, 08/07/2014
My name is Chris Donnelly and I need help picking a few more classes. At the beginning of summer my parents and I agreed that I would be attending JCCC this year but recently they changed their minds and said I could come back to KU again this year! The only problem is that I can't remember all of the classes I needed to take this semester. Im currently enrolled in IST 202 and ACCT 200. If you could look at what classes I need to enroll in and let me know that would be great.		Wed, 08/06/2014
I am a 2nd year university student in Nairobi_Kenya and I am interested in starting a youth mentoring program in high schools what are some of the factors that i should consider before starting up the whole initiative?	Assessing Community Needs and Resources Developing Strategic and Action Plans Increasing Participation and Membership	Fri, 08/01/2014
How do I site your info?		Mon, 07/28/2014
We are planning a half-day training for nonprofits in collaboration and would like to offer a substantial section on building trust. Could you recommend a speaker or trainer who is particularly adept in this aspect of collaboration? Prefer based in US - west coast. Thank you.	Creating and Maintaining Coalitions and Partnerships	Mon, 07/28/2014
what do i have to do after planning my youth organization	Creating and Maintaining Coalitions and Partnerships Building Leadership Increasing Participation and Membership Evaluating the Initiative Improving Organizational Management and Development Sustaining the Work or Initiative	Mon, 07/28/2014
Hello! I have a "lengthy issue" for which I am seeking your advice...... but first of all, I wish to thank you for the work you do. My name is Jacqueline A. Juhl, RDH, MSDH Candidate (double emphasis: Dental Hygiene Education and Dental Public Health). As a graduate student, I learned of your website and have continued to access it for work in my rural community to help form an oral health coalition. I currently teach at downtown Seattle dental hygiene baccalaureate program (quite the commute!) and teach a three part Community Oral Health Series, among other classes. I have encouraged my students to access your site in their course research and have provided them with links to specifics from your site in my PPTs. Thank you all so much for the great work you do! My issue/question is this: I see such a gap in equity to access to oral health care in our present health care delivery system. Also, as we continue to establish credible oral-system disease interactions, the void in inter-professional oral health knowledge and education has promulgated a lack of oral care for hospitalized patients in our country, a void not seen in the UK and other countries globally. It is now established that the lack of oral care for hospitalized patients negatively impacts health outcomes, can precipitate additional cardio-vascular events, and costs patients thousands of dollars in additional hospitalization days. Together with a small group of "Alternative Practice" dental hygienists in Washington State and with my experience in hospital dentistry, and based on current research of disease processes, I hope to contribute to improving health care outcomes for all, including hospitalized patients. In my future doctoral work, and through other efforts, I hope convince hospital CEOs, Boards, and the public of the need to staff hospitals and emergency departments with advance practice dental hygiene professionals and dental hygienists as they do any other "therapist" as is currently done elsewhere globally. Oral disease prevention through education and skills training for both other healthcare disciplines and patients is essential. Can you advise me how best to convince hospital CEOs and Boards to recognize the evidence and open their minds and doors to this change in our current care delivery system? My alternative practice colleagues and I had begun some grassroots work with individual hospital CEOs and I have begun to broach the subject with my local rural hospital CEO who was a great help during my thesis research on Non-Traumatic Dental Complaint patient Emergency Department utilization. Your work on focus groups and advocacy has inspired me to even come to you with this issue. I hope you can advise me how best I can be a more effect advocate to gather momentum for this greatly needed workforce change which would significantly improve health outcomes and prevent future suffering. Thank you, once again. I hope to hear from you soon.	Creating and Maintaining Coalitions and Partnerships Assessing Community Needs and Resources Analyzing Problems and Goals Developing a Framework or Model of Change Developing Strategic and Action Plans Advocating for Change	Sat, 07/26/2014
Hello Advisor, I am a graduate student in California and I am writing a thesis that focuses on planning a cultural competency workshop (4-5 hours) for community health workers. I could use guidance on how and where to start. I have been looking for information on how to plan a cultural competency workshop but the information is either dated or difficult to find. Thank you for your time and assistance!	Enhancing Cultural Competence	Wed, 07/23/2014
Hi I work as a community development practitioner in zambia. Many times in my work times in my work, i come across several situations that carry interesting stories away from the main stream media show us. Are there realistic researchers or people that are interested in coming to capture these stories and document them? kindly provide links	Implementing a Social Marketing Effort	Wed, 07/23/2014
Hi, I am a student at a community college in Southern California and our sociology club will be hosting a conference and out them is Leadership...the leader in you or the power in you. We are searching for a keynote speaker to speak about, basically everything on the previous page: How To Become A Community Leader! Could you maybe point us in the right direction? Thanks for any help or advice you could give.		Wed, 07/23/2014
How do I get started in Grant Writing? Can you offer any advice or resources for a Georgia resident.	Implementing a Social Marketing Effort Writing a Grant Application for Funding	Tue, 07/22/2014