2. Sally Erny Sally Erny Chief Program Officer Chief Program Officer

3. Tara Perry Tara Perry Chief Executive Officer Chief Executive Officer

4. Three Areas of Focus: Performance Measurement Initiative Network Development Initiative State Development Marketing & Resource Development Operational Excellence and Infrastructure Initiative

5. Additional Development Grant funds Additional $3 million in federal funding

7. Ashley Lantz Director of Federal Funding

8.  AmeriCorps National Grant – Corporation for National and Community Service  Continued efforts with CASA/GAL Network on VOCA and Title IV-E Funding  Other Potential Sources on the horizon for Spring 2016

10. Valija Rose, Ph.D. Chief Training and Organizational Development Officer

11.  $4.5 million award to National CASA, 90 percent pass-through requirement ($4.05 million) in at least 38 states  Project Goals (DOJ solicitation): Increasing the number of new at-risk and underserved foster children served by CASA advocates, including African American, American Indian, and Alaska Native youth, high- risk and underserved youth, and youth in rural communities. Increasing the number of CASA advocates Improving educational, health, behavioral, and life skills outcomes for at-risk and underserved foster youth

12. Mentoring sub-grants will align with our enabling focus areas of strong support to programs and effective partnerships with state organizations to increase strong support to local CASA/GAL programs.

13.  Member in good standing with National CASA Association [paid membership, annual survey, six-month reporting, compliance with National CASA Standards]  Evidence of community support and participation in project  Detailed plan to increase the number of at-risk and high risk foster youth served by a sustainable target goal that increases the number of children served and the number of advocates recruited, screened, trained, and assigned  Data collection requirements

14.  Reasonable, achievable, and specific project goals, objectives, and budget with allowable federal expenses  Close working partnership with National CASA Association on project goals and objectives in addition to monthly financial reporting and quarterly narrative reporting

15.  Extent of unmet need  Strong project plan to increase youth served and advocates recruited, trained, screened, and assigned  Strong organizational capacity for project implementation  Demonstration of success in increasing number of youth served  Long-term strategies for sustaining the project

16.  Realistic and reasonable budget  Ability to collect pre-and-post test data  Demonstration of past performance with National CASA grant funds  Funding preference will be given to applicants that propose to serve one or more of the target at-risk youth populations: American Indian, Alaska Native, African American youth, or youth in rural communities

17.  Mid-February: Application materials available  Late February until grant application deadline: Informational webinars and individual technical assistance  Six-week Grant Development Period  Early April: Grant Applications Due  Early May: Grant Announcements Made Following Network and National CASA Review Process  May: Awardees Return Grant Terms and Conditions  June 1: Project Start Date

18.  GrantsPolicy@casaforchildren.org  Grants page of National CASA web site

19.  Cycle: January 1-December 31, 2016  Purpose: enhanced and intensive technical assistance, through National CASA staff expertise, for statewide initiatives to build the capacity of the state CASA/GAL network to serve more children with quality advocates  Awardees:  Florida Guardian ad Litem Program  CASA of New Jersey  California CASA Association

21. Sally Erny Chief Program Officer

22. Waves 1, 2, and 3 Waves 4 and 5 of the Quality Assurance Self-Assessment process will be rolled out Redesign of Quality Assurance Process Ongoing network input and feedback has been, and will continue to be, integral to our redesign and reevaluation of the process

24. Susan Grant Deputy Chief Planning and Capacity Building Officer

25.  State Profiles and Local Survey Results  30 calls accomplished  Contacting remaining states this week to set up call  Service Plan  Cross Functional Support  January-February  Director of State Development  Posted in January

26.  Comprehensive Plan  Cross Functional  Presented to Board in January  Rolled out to State Directors during February call

28. Sally Erny Chief Program Officer

29. Four committees seated this month: Annual Conference Legal/Advocacy Marketing/Communications Performance Measurement Names of recommended members will be shared with state directors this week

30. New members for the State Steering Committee for 2016 Deadline for applications – January 13 New affinity groups: Rural Leadership Council Suburban Leadership Council Tribal Leadership Council Process and timeline Leadership Councils and Initiatives

32. Sally Erny Chief Program Officer

33. June 4-7, Gaylord Resort, National Harbor, Maryland Conference Registration opens mid January Notification sent to all members and past conference attendees Dynamic keynote speakers and plenary sessions State Director and Representatives Meeting – June 4 CASA Meets Congress – June 7 Conference Tracks Pre-conference Institutes