The Chinatown Coalition

Agenda Items

Outcomes / Action Items

I. Refreshments, Welcome, Introductions

II. Organizational Presentation: Sharewood Project (free healthcare clinic), Nick Cetrulo

Please spread the word and visit www.sharewood.info for more information.

III. Effects of the Stimulus Package: How Chinatown can Advocate for Resources, discussion facilitated by Elaine Ng (Agency Director of BCNC) and Alex Zhang (ACDC).

- Funds allocated to be mostly distributed through existing channels.

- Monday, March 23, 2009: Public hearing at the Boston Public Library to hear from service providers on workforce development.

- Be aware of these hearings, as time is short.

- Meeting with senior management to discuss advocacy on Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 10:00AM. Strategy meeting for stimulus. Contact Elaine Ng and Alex Zhang for more information at elaine.ng@bcnc.net and alex@asiancdc.org

Elaine Ng and Alex Zhang will coordinate this meeting.

All: please let your agency directors know of this meeting.

IV. Announcements

1. CHNA grants, Sherry Dong

Contact Sherry Dong at sdong@tuftsmedicalcenter.org

The Boston Alliance for Community Health has issued its General Mini-Grant for 2009. In years past, they have been able to issue several mini-grants per year, general, pediatric and cancer focused topics. This year, this will be the only mini-grant opportunity. Given that, it is important that we submit a proposal on behalf of TCC with the strongest chance of being funded.

Reminder that only current dues paying organizational members may be considered on behalf of TCC. As your Link Team Leader, please contact me with your interest in submitting an application, with concept and brief description if possible, and with questions. The RFP is attached for your perusal.

The RFP will be due on or before Monday, April 6, 2009 by 5:00 pm so the sooner we discuss and confirm which member organization will be submitting, the sooner the application can be written, reviewed, revised, etc. before submission. Sherry will be away from 3/26 – 4/2, so the sooner the better.

2. Purposed / Codified TCC Grant Admin Costs

As a volunteer driven entity, The Chinatown Coalition relies upon officers and members to share the work which includes coordinating meetings and communications and printing materials. The costs of meeting refreshments, event sponsorships, and other minor operational expenses are paid for with the annual dues from members. On occasions, TCC receives contributions from community members because it has assisted with an event such as the annual job fair which is now run by Betty Yau after thirteen years of TCC leadership or under-spends on some minor grants it receives.

One of the areas that TCC consistently invests time and effort is helping members with their grant proposals, especially the CHNA grants were TCC is the applicant of record. TCC calls upon its officers, or RGNs, to review the funders’ goals, the proposals and proposed program activities to ensure that they are aligned, competitive and responsive to the needs of the community. This involves a commitment from TCC to also ensure the integrity of the program. For this reason, TCC will be instituting a 5% administrative fee for all grant proposals for which it is the applicant of record. The funds will be used for TCC operational expenses, special projects, or event sponsorships undertaken by TCC. None of the RGNs will receive compensation for the work they perform on behalf of TCC.

3. Community Needs Gathering

On April 15, 2009 The Boston Foundation will come to speak with EDs in the Chinatown community.

4. Candidate’s Forum (Third Suffolk State Representative Race)

Quincy Elementary School cafeteria (885 Washington Street, Chinatown)

Tuesday, April 28 from 6:00-8:00pm

Co-sponsors to date: Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, Leather District Neighborhood Council, Chinese Progressive Association

5. Candidate’s Debate (Third Suffolk Representative Race)

Tuesday, April 21 from 12:00-1:30pm at AACA

Contact Sunny Schwartz for details. schwartz@aaca-boston.org

6. Job Postings: Childcare Director and ESOL Teacher for AACA

See website for details: http://aaca-boston.org/opportunities.

7. Survey regarding attitudes of indoor smoking & smoke-free housing policy

Conducted by ACDC, contact Alex Zhang at alex@asiancdc.org

8. Survey by AAPIP / AGM (Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy and Associated Grant Makers) on how the current fiscal crisis is impacting API organizations and communities in Greater Boston. AAPIP is using this information to update our colleagues in the philanthropy world about the how API organizations have been impacted.

Each organization should only fill out the survey once: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=kxtqS3_2fUJXmjnfvqPcbQOw_3d_3d

Agenda Items

Outcomes/Action Items

I. Refreshments, Welcome, Introductions

II. TCC’s Historical Context & Perspective with Founding member David Moy (formerly BCNC Executive Director, current Program Officer at the Hyams Foundation)

· 1990 or 1991 – Started talking about The Chinatown Coalition when he first came back to Chinatown in the economic downturn cycle.

· Create coalitions so communities could collaborate on how to use funding, how to make the community healthy.

· Got funding for 2-3 years’ operations to work with youth and families.

· TCC kept meeting monthly, but it was more important than money. First time in Chinatown organization history to bring organizations together, and brought in institutions (NEMC, Tufts, etc.) but they didn’t get a voice / vote.

· Over time, this built up trust.

· Over time, mini-grants, assessment of Asian youth, etc. Basically, things happened through the trust that would not otherwise have happened. And people had questioned why Chinatown couldn’t get it together.

· Compared to Jamaica Plain, David saw many divisions, in-fighting, etc. It took almost 2 decades of work to build this trust.

Moving forward, what’s going to happen?

· Economically, worse than previous cycles – deeper cuts, so organizations are going into survival mode.

· But it’s different because groups are actually talking with each other.

· Many government services / funds have been cut. Foundations are losing one-third of their endowments.

· Suggest letting funders know what’s going on. Otherwise, they won’t be thinking of you, or they’ll assume you’re okay.

· Foundations calling for strategic alliances and mergers to save costs. But that only works with groups that have trust. Foundations need to put money into technical assistance for groups to explore this.

· Coalitions also discussing changes in public policy – e.g. rising costs for health care have re-surfaced discussions of group health insurance like the trade unions.

· Foundations also need to put funds into Public Policy discussion.

· Other benefits:

- Coming back from the State House to encourage people to call legislators.

- Large list of organizations / coalitions is harder for politicians to ignore.

· Two more things:

1. As you make staff cuts, reserve some funds / staff for organizing, otherwise you’ll be lost behind funding.

2. Keep donors personally involved and updated.

- Giving from individual donors, especially since they give out of a passion for the cause; and they usually keep giving as long as they have jobs!

- These folks are not only pockets of money, but partners. They need to be part of the organizing effort, contacting legislatures, etc.

3. Developing younger leaders – like Thomas Lee – who rise up and get opportunities.

- TCC gives opportunities to younger leaders to get broader experience and exposure.

Thomas Lee: TCC can be a place to collaborate, discuss issues. Different elements of Chinatown claiming to speak for the community. TCC tries to be a place to discuss this with civility.

Debbie Ho: You need to advocate to non-profits to get them to come out to meetings to get more power and influence. Honestly, there are a lot more organizations out there that could use / benefit from TCC.

David Moy is also the co-chair of Asian-Americans in philanthropy. David proposes regional hearings to discuss / find the impact of the economy on Asian non-profits. Ask: what’s happened to your organization, your services, your constituents? Convene either in Chinatown or Boston city Asian-American non-profits.

Shirley Mark: Non-profit Congress. Non-profit Strategy Group: MA Non-Profit Network.

Stephanie Fan: Developing Charismatic Non-profit Organizations. The Charismatic Organization by Deborah Jospin. Can come do a workshop for free since Chinatown is a partner of Tufts University.

III. Tufts University Institutional Master Plan update

- Meeting by BRA tonight (December 11, 2008) at 6:00 PM at Posner Hall Auditorium for more information.

- Master Plan now includes entire Health-Science Campus. But no new projects from 1993 plan.

a. Will convert part of Posner parking into open green space for the foreseeable future. But in the long-term it will be a building.

b. Signage and kiosks for campus.

c. Windows, brick of buildings on Harrison Ave face.

Stephanie Fan requests Tufts consider first floor of R1 site for library.

d. Comment period for Master Plan amendment: address letter to Katelyn Sullivan at Katelyn.Sullivan.bra@cityofboston.gov or mail to:

Katelyn Sullivan, BRA, One City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201.

e. For a copy of the Chinatown Community Report in both English and Chinese, contact Tufts Office of Community Relations (617) 627-3780.

IV. The State of the Economy: Discussion of financial impacts for community service providers

Discuss – convene Asian American non-profits to hold a hearing to assess the impact on the economy.