Reminder, "1% Solution" Conf call tomorrow/Marriage Advocates Eye Fed Funding - 8/06

[Smartmarriages]

- 1% SOLUTION CONFERENCE CALL AUGUST 29, 2PM EST

This is a reminder about tomorrow's conference call, plus a summary article
about the campaign from Friday's Washington Times.  The calls, hosted by
Chris Gersten, directory of FAMLI, will help you to get organized to tap
surplus TANF dollars in your state for marriage education projects. The
calls and coaching are completely FREE - no long-distance charges to you.
 
You must register for the call and get the phone number and code at
http://www.famli.us/signup.php

Tomorrows call (Aug 29nd) is for the states listed below. Others who were
not able to make it to their state's designated call are invited to listen
in. This first round of calls is introductory and provides an overview of
the campaign and what it might take in your state to get things moving.
You're invited to listen even if you're "just curious" - not sure this is
for you.  - diane 

> Tuesday, August 29
> States:
> NM
> NH
> SC
> SD
> MS
> KS
> WV
> 
REGISTER FOR THE CALL AT: http://www.famli.us/signup.php

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MARRIAGE ADVOCATES EYE FEDERAL FUNDING
By Cheryl Wetzstein
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
August, 25, 2006 
-----------------------------------------------------------
Pro-marriage advocates say the upcoming $150 million in federal grants for
healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood programs is a great beginning,
but more is needed to meet the demands for such programs.

    As a result, many groups are talking about seeking a portion of state
welfare funds for marriage and fatherhood programs.

    Former Health and Human Services (HHS) official Chris Gersten is
spearheading efforts to get 1 percent of Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) funds for family-strengthening programs.

    Two of TANF's stated purposes are to "encourage the formation and
maintenance of two-parent families" and "prevent and reduce the incidence of
out-of-wedlock pregnancies," said Mr. Gersten, who now leads the Fatherhood
and Marriage Leadership Institute.

    "If only 1 percent of all TANF funds were used to marriage-strengthening
programs, over $400 million annually would be available," said Mr. Gersten,
who has been organizing conference calls with groups in 27 states and the
District that are interested in accessing funds from TANF, as well as the
federal Promoting Safe and Stable Families family-preservation grant
program. 

    The marriage movement is pleased with the new $150 million a year in
grants -- winners of which will be announced in September -- but the demand
is overwhelming, said Diane Sollee, founder of the Coalition for Marriage,
Family and Couples Education, which runs the annual "Smart Marriages"
conferences.

    More than 1,600 groups applied for the new grants, but only one of nine
applicants can win a grant, she said.

    "How do we keep these other people in the fold and working ...
especially if they are hanging on by their fingertips?" she said.

    State TANF funding is a logical target for family-strengthening programs
because many states have surplus TANF funds resulting from reduced
caseloads.

    According to HHS data, the District and 35 states, including Maryland,
had a total of $1.8 billion "unobligated" TANF funds at the end of fiscal
2004.

    These funds haven't gone unnoticed: A wide range of advocates, including
those for health care, child care, youth, housing and nutrition programs,
are asking states to steer surplus TANF funds their way.

    While about a dozen states have used TANF funds for marriage and
relationship skills, the marriage movement needs to become much more
organized and build alliances in communities and political circles to
attract state and local funding, Mr. Gersten said.

    Once a few more states realize the value of marriage education and start
investing in it, others will follow, said California Healthy Marriages
Coalition co-founder Dennis Stoica. Relationship-skills education "is a
great poverty reducer" because it not only benefits people in their personal
relationships, but in the workplace too, he said.

 
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11th Annual Smart Marriages Conference, Denver Adam's Mark Hotel,
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Pre-Conference Training Institutes June 26-28
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Coalition for Marriage, Family and Couples Education, LLC (CMFCE)
Diane Sollee, Director
5310 Belt Rd NW, Washington, DC 20015-1961
http://www.smartmarriages.com
202-362-3332
cmfce at smartmarriages.com

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