2005 Grantees 

Mission: To improve the educational, economic and social status of Latinos in Idaho by promoting policy efforts to address academic and English language acquisition needs of Latino and English language learner students (ELL’s); to respond to the need for community-based family immigration counseling services; to promote just immigration and refugee policies and practices.

Funding Purpose: To pay for ongoing leadership training to Latino parent groups from each of six school districts (Fruitland, Nampa, Wilder, Vallivue, South Fremont County, Blaine County) related to the Parents as Partners Latino Parental Involvement Project. The goal is to increase the level of Latino parental participation in order to develop and implement meaningful educational changes resulting in improved student academic achievement and reduced dropout rates among Latino and ELL students.

Idaho Environmental Education Association (IdEEA) – Project Support - $2,000

Mission: To produce environmentally literate citizens with the skills, knowledge and commitment to live in harmony with their natural surroundings. By stressing long-term thinking about Idaho’s quality of life and our finite natural resources, the network hopes to move society toward sustainability.

Project: Idaho Model Environmental Education School Network. At six Idaho schools (in Hagerman, Pocatello, Salmon, Ft. Hall Indian Reservation, Bonners Ferry and Hailey) enrolling 1,701 students (356 from ethnic minorities), 44 educators will use the Environment as an Integrating Context for improving learning (the EIC model). They will teach students about both ecological and social-political systems and the ways they affect each other. This grant and other sources will support the network for one year.

Interfaith Alliance of Idaho – General Support - $2,500

Mission: To offer a mainstream, faith-based agenda committed to the pursuit of individual dignity and the importance of community, promoting the positive and healing role of religion in public life through encouraging civic participation, facilitating community activism, and challenging religious political extremism.

Funding Purpose: Support operating expenses as a partner in countering those who would use religion to justify violent responses to people and public policies with which they disagree. Ongoing programs include: Interfaith Religious Leaders network; Community Response Networks (replacing the defunct Northwest Coalition for Human Dignity/NW Coalition Against Malicious Harassment); Interfaith Youth Alliance (Pocatello, Coeur d’Alene, Boise). Chapters currently serve Boise and will be established in Nampa/Caldwell, Pocatello, McCall/New Meadows and Coeur d’Alene.

Mujeres Unidas de Idaho – General Support - $2,500

Mission: To bring Latinas in Idaho together to examine and take action on issues affecting their communities; to develop new Latina leaders who take an active role in society so that all Latinas are equally valued, participate in all areas of society and have access to fulfill their personal and professional dreams.

Funding Purpose: Pay MUI’s membership fees in socially progressive organizations (Idaho Hispanic Caucus, Tribal Latino Caucus, Idaho Women’s Network, Idaho Community Action Network) and have two MUI representatives fully participating in each organization; send six members to Community Strategic Training Initiative for Leadership Skills Development training put on by Western States Center in Portland, Ore., in July 2005.

Idaho Community Action Network – Adelante! Youth Organizing Project - $2,500

Mission: To give its member families training and tools to have a voice in the public decisions that impact their lives using grassroots organizing, direct action, civic participation and other strategies to impact the decisions of powerful public and private bodies – and promote economic, racial and social justice in the long-term.