The Main Library and the branch libraries are closed Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27. (However, the Law Library is open Friday with reduced hours.) Saturday, November 28 the Main Library is open 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Normal hours resume on Sunday. The branch libraries' hours vary. For complete details see http://www2.lib.msu.edu/general/library-hours-cal.jsp.

Tim Skubick: Blown Away : Governor's rose-colored speech line keeps coming back to haunt her.

Gongwer Weekly Update: Inaction Fuels Frustration : Plenty of ideas for turning around Michigan's collapsing fortunes, but state government appears unable to act.

Take a look at the November 20th issue of GrantsNet Funding News to find:

18 New Research Funding Opportunities

4 New Student or Institutional Opportunities

The Deadline Watch, now part of the Funding News, provides upcoming due dates for science research funding, scholarships, fellowships, and internships in GrantsNet.

Info on how to register for the GrantsNet Express.

Links to past Funding News issues.

NATION TO SEE PAINFULLY SLOW RECOVERY

ANN ARBOR ­- The national recession has ended, but a financial system still in turmoil, anemic consumer spending and a housing market that remains in the dumps means the country will endure a recovery that only slowly produces new jobs, according to the annual economic forecast released Thursday by the University of Michigan.

WARY CONSUMERS MAJOR FACTOR IN SLOW UPTURN

ANN ARBOR - Worried about their jobs, if they still have them, failing to see their incomes grow and battered by the turmoil in home mortgages, the once resilient U.S. consumer has put away his or her wallet, hindering the nation's economic recovery.

MORE 'RACE TO THE TOP' BILLS ADDED TO PACKAGE

With federal guidelines for the U.S. Department of Education's "Race to the Top" program in their hands, lawmakers in the House continued discussion Thursday as to what reforms the state should pass to improve schools and qualify for the federal funding.

DILLON PLAN A MANDATE TO POOL, NOT TO COVER, SAYS UNION

House Speaker Andy Dillon says his public employee health care pooling plan will save jobs, but the head of the Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union said Thursday the plan could lead to governmental units dropping health care coverage altogether.

REGIONAL TRANSIT BILLS GIVEN MORE TIME FOR AGREEMENT

Those involved in discussions on bills providing grants to drive more regional transit planning earned the ire of the House Transportation Committee chair, but also another two weeks to work out an agreement.

DESHAZOR JUMPS IN 20TH SENATE RACE

An all-star Republican primary is shaping up in the 20th Senate District in 2010 with Rep. Larry DeShazor of Portage announcing Thursday he will run, joining Rep. Tonya Schuitmaker of Lawton and former Rep. Lorence Wenke of Richland in the field.

FRESHMEN CAUCUS NAMES WORKGROUP MEMBERS

The members of the four education reform workgroups assembled by the bipartisan freshman caucus were announced Thursday.

GOVERNORS: TRASH REAL I.D., GO WITH CHEAPER PASS I.D.

Because so many states will likely fail to meet the deadline for upgrading their drivers licenses and state identification cards to a REAL ID, the National Governors Association issued a plea to Congress this week asking lawmakers to accept an alternative identification system that the group says would be easier for states to adopt.

EARLY REPORTS SAY DEER SEASON IS TYPICAL

In the first week of the state's firearm deer season, officials report roughly the same number of hunters as past years and the deer appear to be in good condition, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

U.P. GUARANTEED TO SHOW UP ON STATE DEPICTIONS NOW

The Upper Peninsula will no longer be missing from state depictions under legislation signed by Governor Jennifer Granholm. Ms. Granholm on Thursday signed HB 4995, PA 147, requiring that any maps or depictions of Michigan created by the state must include the U.P. in that depiction.

PRISONER PAROLE

After receiving a list of prisoners up for consideration before the Parole Board, Rep. Paul Scott (R-Grand Blanc) is calling on the Department of Corrections to be transparent about the process, including providing prosecutors information upfront and creating a website.

ANTI-COAL PETITION

Environmental groups launched a petition drive Thursday urging Consumers Energy to drop its plans for a new coal-fired power plant in favor of renewable energy to replace potential demand increases and aging power plants slated for closure. The groups, led by Progress Michigan, argued the coal plant would actually cost the state jobs and would end up a poor investment for shareholders.

Source : Gongwer News Service : Michigan Report, Volume #48, Report 225, November 19, 2009. Full access requires a subscription or a visit to a subscribing library such as the Michigan State University Main Library.

November 2009 highlights from {Centered} by the Grantsmanship Center include:

On News....

Integrate grantsmanship into program design : "Grant professionals must insist on being part of the [program] development team--during the creation of new programs, expansion of existing ones, or during program reevaluations," says Saadia Faruqi in "The Grant Professional's Role in Program Design" (CharityChannel, October 14, 2009).

Applying for a federal grant? Follow the rules! : Most federal agencies provide a list of standard requirements for grant applicants. To avoid having your proposal rejected before it's even been read, you must observe these precisely.

Strategies to fund operating costs : Every organization must find ways to fund general operating costs: administrative salaries, rent, utilities, and other expenses essential to carrying out their mission.

Seek new funders in your own back yard : What can you do when you've run out of ideas for new places to send proposals? Consider mining your own back yard.

On grantsmanship...

Understanding capacity-building grants : Capacity-building grants are a growing trend among both private and government grantmakers. But writing proposals for capacity building can be difficult, expecially for an organization that is unfamiliar with the functions and language of these efforts.

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