Getting Started with OEF

There is some administration to be completed to make sure you're part of the OEF program. 

Listed below are the requirements that you must fulfil to be able to take part and what is expected of you over the program.

To be part of the program, all Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) are required to submit a grant renewal application and to update their profile if they have not done so already. 

This provides Black Health with basic details of your FBO membership and your work in the community. It also provides program staff with updated information on your ministry’s capacity and your FBO's coordinator hours of operation (best time to call).

Two sets of signatures that are required for the MOA or grant renewal. 

1. The first set are signatures from the faith leader (Pastor/Imam) and the ministry coordinator. 

2. The second set is the coordinator and at least two additional ministry members. They are required to sign the signatory page that includes a list of expectations of the coordinator and ministry.

FBO Coordinator and Ministry Expectations include:

• Provide contact information for at least 3 members of the ministry with best times to be reached.
• Must be technologically savvy – includes but not limited to basic knowledge in Survey Monkey, email, Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Must have access to technology (required technology includes but not limited to computer, printer, scanner, projector, phone).
• Must have access to internet.
• Must be responsive to emails and calls.
• Attend all mandated meetings this will include CAB and CBT.
• Educate ministry members on CBT topics and submit report on it.
• Plan and submit outreach deliverables documents.
• Request and respond to TA in timely manner.
• Submit all deliverable documents within 7 days of event.
• Serve as a liaison between NBLCH and congregants.

The OEF Program

The next section explains the programmatic details, expectations, and requirements of each FBO taking part in the program.

The suggested program modification includes:

Community Advisory Boards (CAB) are meant to benefit the communities they serve. In 2021-2022 CABs are encouraged to start actioning on discussions clusters have been having for the past year. 2020-2021 showed the impact of collaborative events if well planned and coordinated. This calendar year will mandate FBOs to have an end of year collaborative CAB outreach event. This event will help NBLCH measure the impact of the CAB. It will also help us know the composition of CAB members for the year per cluster. A description of ideal CAB members will be included in the appendix. The list includes FBOs that are not grantees, community advocates, representatives like elected officials, district leaders, and local council, and local community board representatives.

Capacity Building Training (CBT): FBOs will fill a survey on areas of interest. CBT will be centered around the results from the survey. Topics will include:

• Sustaining grants, building and sustaining youth ministries, budgeting grant money to sustain ministry beyond life of this grant.

Expectations: Coordinator or member that attends the CBT will be required to teach and feedback to their ministry about the session.

OEF Program Components

Ambassador Leadership initiative (ALI)

ALI will be provided with document outlining check lists, deadlines, and responsibilities. This is to ensure clarity and accountability. The document will be drafted and included in appendix section of the MOA.

In this section, ALI representatives will be provided with an attestation letter committing to the ALI group work. They will be provided with group members names and contact information shortly after all MOAs are submitted in the first month of the grant in Quarter 1 (July 2020). There will be at least 16 FBOs in ALI group. ALI will be divided into a group of 4. Each group will assign a topic, they will be charged with identifying a speaker, providing, outline and slide deck for CBT which will be submitted for approval just as with all presentations. ALI led CBTs will be from January to April 2022.

Youth initiative program (YIP)

Continuing from last year, the YIP should be held within the months of September, October, November, and December. In past years, the youth that participated in these trainings were between the ages of 13-19. YIP will be divided into two age groups, 13-15 and 16-19. The workshop topics for 2021-2022 are: 

Workshop 1: Healthy Relationships and Effective Communication

Workshop 2: Mental Health, Nutrition, and Wellness

Workshop 3: Contraceptives, STI/HIV Risk Reduction and Prevention

Workshop 4: Jobs, Career Choices, and Opportunities

This years YIP will also be opened to youth in the community that are not affiliated with program FBOs to ensure we are reaching the most at risk youth in communities we serve.

An attestation letter will be required to be signed by youth, their parents, and the FBO coordinators. A consent form must also be signed by the parents/guardians for participation in program and evaluation. And a consent form for media.

Peer Advisory Board (PAB):

The Peer Advisory Board will consist of 5 strategically selected FBOs with proven work in efforts to engage in grassroots HIV prevention and promote health equity in their communities and FBOs. FBOs on the Peer Advisory Board must be knowledgeable about the the FBO Outreach Enhancement Program, HIV, and health disparities in communities of color. Identified FBOs will serve on the Peer Advisory Board and report to NBLCH with regards to the programs and our work in their communities. They will also serve as mentors to FBOs currently on the program.

Deliverables

Suggested program modification includes:

Quarter 1 (July - Sept 2021)

• Orientation (Signed MOAs are due and must be emailed before orientation)
• Pastor/Imam or next in line to pastor/Imam must attend FBO round-table talk.
• One Outreach event (Event flyer must have black health logo, as a sponsor and collaborator)
• Participate in T2 Day of Action (Date will be given once known by Black Health)
• 1 CBT
• CAB

Quarter 2 (Oct - Dec 2021)

• CAB
• 2 CBT
• One Outreach Event (Event flyer must have black health logo, as a sponsor and collaborator)
• Participate in T2 Day of Action (Date will be given once known by Black Health)
• Recommended, cross borough/cross borough collaboration.

Quarter 3 (Jan - March 2022)

• CAB
• One Outreach Event (Event flyer must have black health logo, as a sponsor and collaborator)
• Participate in T2 Day of Action (Date will be given once known by Black Health)
• 2 CBTs
• Site Visit
• Pastor/Imam or next in line to pastor/Imam must attend FBO round-table talk. (Correlation between HIV and COVID)
• Recommended, optional cluster meeting

Quarter 4 (April - June 2022)

• Collaborate with a CBO to organize an Outreach Event (Event flyer must have black health logo, as a sponsor and collaborator)
• CAB
• Mandatory Day of Action Outreach Event
• Mandator CAB Outreach events
• CBT
• Mandatory End of Year Meeting

Deliverables for Program Advisory Board (PAB):

• Facilitate one (1) capacity building training in your assigned area of expertise.
• Attend FBOs CAB as a member.
• Attend PAB meetings with NBLCH.
• Serve as Internal FBO advisory board member.

• Focus group.
• Review deliverables to offer comments on modification from an FBO perspective.
• Cross borough collaboration will be strongly encourage to increase FBOs reach and impact.

Technical Assistance (TA)To be efficient and for technical assistance effectiveness to be known, there will be a three-step structure put in place for technical assistance.

TAs initiated by NBLCH will follow these steps:

• An initial email
• A phone call
• Final email
• After the final email, the TA will be entered into survey monkey by Black Health and filed.

FBOs are provided a link to request TA, and the program team will respond to the TA within 48 hours. When resolved, the program team will input the TA into survey monkey to create a record of the interaction.

There is an area devoted to OEF on the NBLCH website (you might be on it now!). This page has access to required documents (sign-in sheets for events and CAB, logo, CBT PowerPoints, and other documents). This should help to eliminate the numerous emails between program staff and FBOs concerning correct documents. Staff will also be able notify FBOs with all new and important updates.

The FBO page will also provide FBOs with data and information on their impact in the community. This information will be real time and updates as new submission are received.

NBLCH Program staff:

In addition to the expectations the program director and coordinators have, we will attend and participate in:

• CAB Final Event