News Release

HUD TO HOST NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS WORKSHOPS IN NASHVILLE AND SAN FRANCISCO
Theme of the workshops is "Providing Resources, Producing Results"

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that it will host two Neighborhood Networks Regional Workshops to provide stakeholders with the tools they need to help residents of Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured and -assisted multifamily housing communities achieve even greater results. The three-day conferences will take place April 23-25 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville and July 9-11 at the JW Marriott in San Francisco.

HUD launched Neighborhood Networks in 1995 to encourage property owners to establish multiservice community learning centers in FHA-insured and -assisted multifamily housing properties. Neighborhood Networks was one of the first federal initiatives to promote self-sufficiency by providing computer access to residents. Today, there are nearly 1,400 centers in operation throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The regional technical assistance conferences will offer 28 customized workshops to meet the specific needs of Neighborhood Networks centers staff, property owners and managers, residents, and volunteers. From building mutually beneficial partnerships and securing funding to launching age-appropriate programs and providing training on the latest technology, the regional workshops showcase and explore techniques centers can use to move residents toward greater self-sufficiency.

For the first time HUD is inviting staff members from Neighborhood Networks centers nationwide to co-present or lead many of the workshops to deliver a unique learning experience that combines proven expertise and practical experience.

A two-day grant writing workshop will be offered prior to each regional workshop. A consistently popular workshop, the two-day comprehensive grant writing session offers strategies and tips for writing award-winning grants from a proven grant writing expert. The sessions will cover the entire grant writing process from identifying potential funding sources to submitting a complete proposal.

"When planning these workshops, we rely heavily on the feedback of previous participants to plan and implement a training experience that meets the needs of all of our stakeholders," said Delores Pruden, director of Neighborhood Networks. "It was the input of participants that prompted us to incorporate more peer-to-peer training opportunities. I think this is an exciting enhancement to the RTAWs that will add more depth to the sessions and offer proof that the information provided in the sessions work."

For More Information

Individuals interested in attending the 2008 workshops can obtain additional information, receive an agenda, and register online by visiting the Neighborhood Networks Web site or by calling the Neighborhood Networks Information Center toll free at (888) 312-2743. The hearing impaired may access the number via TTY by calling the Federal Information Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

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