Successful CAPLAW National Training
Conference Focused on Economic Stimulus
By Sol Israel, CAPLAWSeptember, 2009
From June 23 to 25, over 500 community action professionals from across the country made their way to Seattle to participate in CAPLAW’s 2009 National Training Conference. Conference participants attended workshops on a wide range of community action topics, with a focus on the exciting new opportunities presented by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). On Tuesday morning, some participants enjoyed a pre-conference tour of community action sites around Seattle while others attended free pre-conference workshops. Nonprofit consultant Jack Siegel’s preconference workshop “Adventures in Nonprofit Governance: Case Studies” was so popular that a repeat session had to be offered later that day. The well-attended opening session included greetings from CAPLAW President Winston Ross, the CAPLAW board of directors, and
Washington State Community Action Partnership Executive Director Bob Swanson before moving on to an engaging panel discussion on the economic stimulus package. An expert panel featuring NASCSP’s Jenae Bjelland, Seth Hassett of the Office of Community Services, Ann Linehan from the Office of Head Start, and Ronald Shaw of the Department of Energy offered some unique insights into the implications of the stimulus package for Community Action Agencies.
Later that afternoon, conference participants attended workshops on topics such as budget construction and collaborative leadership before enjoying panoramic views of Seattle during a networking reception on the hotel’s 35th floor Cirrus Room. David Bradley, Executive Director of NCAF, started Wednesday’s activities off strong with his legislative update. Workshop choices on Wednesday included topics such as Head Start, Federal nutrition programs, the foreclosure crisis, and social enterprise. Employment law attorney Rick Pins led a packed workshop on the Davis-Bacon Act, featuring call-in commentary from Department of Labor officials.
To break up the day’s learning, conference attendees enjoyed a keynote luncheon featuring an inspiring speech by Ron Marlow, the Assistant Secretary for Access and Opportunity in Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick's administration. Mr. Marlow spoke about the challenges of using the ARRA funds in a way to best help the low-income clients served by Community Action.
Before the conference ended on Thursday, participants met in a series of breakfast roundtables to discuss issues pertinent to their agencies, and attended one last round of workshops before attending an informative closing general session on Weatherization stimulus funding led by CAPLAW Executive Director Anita Lichtblau and Meg Power of NCAF. CAPLAW appreciates your support of our most successful conference to date, and hopes to see you next year at our 2010 National Training Conference, June 16-18 in Savannah, Georgia.
