Jonathan Bertrand

#KJA Grant Preparedness Tip: Do You Have Capacity? You meet the eligibility criteria and your work is aligned with the funder’s mission, but is your program team ready for the grant? Are they tracking all the necessary data points that the funder requires? Is there a new programmatic component that will be added if the grant is awarded? Beginning the grant decision making process by asking your program staff if they have the capacity to execute the grant—meeting reporting requirements, integrating new program elements, expanding the number of clients served—is a critical first step in ensuring a successful grant. It is often better to wait a year and plan than it is to rush in and fail to meet the terms of the grant, or, even worse, have to return unspent grant dollars and potentially damage a funder relationship. - Sean O'Brien, GPC KJA Grants Specialist & Team Coordinator Visit our website for more information and schedule a FREE consultation with us! https://lnkd.in/ggF9mCdE #grantgirl #Grantwriter #Grantprofessionals #grantpros

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Trust in creative funding comes from visibility. Clear reporting, measurable participation, and accountable systems aren’t optional anymore they’re the baseline for modern collaboration Filmfund makes it all accessible.

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Reimagining Data Access in Pittsburgh: Recap of the 6th Community Data Justice Collaborative (CDJC) Workshop On June 26, 2025, we hosted our sixth Community Data Justice Collaborative (CDJC) workshop - part of the collaborative Data Justice for Pittsburgh’s Black Neighborhoods initiative between the Black Equity Coalition (BEC) and the City of Pittsburgh at the South Side Market House. The session was the first of a two-part summer workshop series with the Public Health Informatics Institute (PHII), a Georgia-based organization that is working with several of the MADE communities to improve processes through workflow mapping and other analytics. As a national leader in data systems and public health impact, PHII will be working with the CDJC to assist the Black Equity Coalition, the City of Pittsburgh (City) and the @Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center (WPRDC) to integrate the community into the Open Data Request Process in a more meaningful, inclusive, and transparent manner. The Current State of Open Data Access in Pittsburgh Representatives from PHII and the WPRDC then led a detailed walkthrough of the current state of the City’s open data request process. This discussion brought several observations to light, including: - A general lack of awareness about the WPRDC and open data resources. - Barriers to data access, including privacy protections, security concerns, government regulations and existing data coverage. - There is a disconnect between raw data and user-friendly data products. Many community members need more support to use open datasets effectively. - A lack of transparency when requests are denied or unfulfilled, typically with no explanation or direction for alternative access. A particularly informative example emerged during the discussion: a request from a CDJC member to see if data is available to describe where public investments have been made in each of Pittsburgh’s 90 neighborhoods. This sparked a deeper conversation around equity, data transparency, and how community members can better understand how data can be used in different contexts, and where improvements could be made. CDJC participants emphasized the need for: - Clearer communication and expectation-setting throughout the request process. - Alternatives and further guidance when a data request is not fulfilled (for example, the City and the WPRDC can create connections with local community groups who are actively collecting the data or might already have the data). In addition, further guidance for data requesters can be very beneficial instead of the potential discouraging finality of “no” to a data request. - A vision for data justice through the data request process, asking not just what can be accessed, but what should be, and who gets to decide? Due to LinkedIn's word limit, we cannot post the full blog here. However, you can view it at: https://lnkd.in/gKyyFBZ6

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As part of our partnership with the Link Center—a free online library of trustworthy models and evidence-based practices has been created to support capacity building across states and systems. Learn More: https://lnkd.in/eGC9-yme

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Local news is essential to civic health. When communities lose trusted local journalism, residents disengage, misinformation spreads, and democratic participation declines. But local governments can help strengthen this civic infrastructure. This Governing article by Jabari Simama highlights concrete steps public officials can take to support local media ecosystems, from information-sharing partnerships to innovative funding models. Read more: https://ow.ly/ReiJ50XcoTw #CivicHealth #LocalNews #Democracy #CivicEngagement #PublicTrust #InformationEcosystem #NationalCivicLeague

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This handbook highlights a "smart city governance crisis," with many municipal governments lacking formal tools for strategic planning and impact monitoring of smart city projects. Significant challenges include a constrained innovation mindset in the public sector, insufficient legal frameworks for ethical tech use, and widespread lack of resident participation and digital literacy. The report reveals a global scarcity of effective governance practices, often resulting in technological implementations that are inefficient or even harmful. Authors Luca Mora, Paolo Gerli, Dominik Beckers, Francesco Tonnarelli, and Sara Thabit Gonzalez aim to address this crisis by providing a comprehensive, evidence-based guide for public officials. They offer recommendations on how to structure effective, people-centric, and context-aware smart city governance approaches, fostering sustainable urban development.

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Ready to elevate your grant proposals and secure vital funding for workforce development? Lightcast, in partnership with the National Association of Workforce Boards, is excited to announce the launch of the Grant Writer’s Toolkit 2025! Together with NAWB, we’re empowering you to build more compelling, data-backed proposals that will help you compete—and win—critical funding. This free resource shows you how to leverage Lightcast's powerful labor market insights to: -- Demonstrate workforce impact -- Highlight regional strengths -- Create compelling, data-driven visuals Because when it comes to winning grants, it starts with data. It starts with Lightcast. Access the full Grant Writer’s Toolkit and start winning more grants today: https://lnkd.in/eeAXvFR7 #GrantWriting #WorkforceDevelopment #NAWB #FundingSuccess

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Inefficient communication in public agencies isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a budget buster. Rising postage, printing, and staff time can quietly drain resources and slow down service for families who need it most. Discover practical steps to streamline your agency’s communication and save both time and money.   Read the full blog: https://lnkd.in/eZ2P7ZAv   #PublicSector #GovernmentEfficiency #CostSavings #CommunicationStrategy #ClaritySolutions

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“In this moment of deepening crisis, funders must consider a range of ideas for supporting local public media — particularly in places frequently underserved by traditional news outlets.” - Lea Trusty, Senior Program Associate at Democracy Fund Alicia Bell of The Racial Equity in Journalism Fund and alvin starks from Borealis Philanthropy share how funders can save local radio, a vital resource for rural and tribal communities. https://lnkd.in/eS5wujd3

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Welcome back to Coalition Tips: Prevention Insights! 🎉 This series is all about helping community coalitions maximize their impact. This week’s tip: Know the Difference Between Advocacy VS Lobbying. Download the Advocacy Vs. Lobbying fact sheet here: bit.ly3Tq1KDG #CommunityImpact #CoalitionTips #CommunityCoalitions #PreventionInsights

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🔍 Explore our new collection— Charting Sovereignty in the Digital Age: Tribal Leadership, Broadband, and the Rise of Tribal Digital Sovereignty 👉 Six articles examining the history, key definitions, terminology, and proactive solutions Tribal Nations can use to advance digital sovereignty. https://lnkd.in/gnvTN2sH

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On this week's Priorities Podcast, we're joined by Results for America's Patrick Carter as he discusses how state and local governments can make data-informed policy decisions. 📈 Hear more 📹 ⬇️ Full episode 🎧 ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e4YtATKn

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Introducing the OC+ Fund, a new grant opportunity for local nonprofits. The OC+ Fund invites nonprofits to work collaboratively in deeper, more sustained ways. Funding is available for implementation-ready partnerships, including shared services, joint programs, and integrated organizational models. Grant applications open March 2. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gdapgBbD

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We’re pleased to share the new Yolo County Local News & Information Ecosystem Report, the latest in our series mapping local information environments. This report is unique: developed in partnership with Davis Media Access, it reflects insights grounded in community voices and a trusted local media organization. The findings highlight both the challenges and opportunities for strengthening inclusive, connected, and resilient local information systems. Read the report here: https://lnkd.in/ecBs-rWn

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API is hosting a Local News Summit on youth trust, bringing together newsrooms, researchers, and community voices to dig into how younger audiences engage with and trust local journalism. Understanding what builds and erodes trust among young people is key if we want news to remain relevant and meaningful for the next generation. https://lnkd.in/eQS9JdzT

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