Join us for opening remarks from our board president and executive director and hear updates from our federal partners at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Presenter(s):
JENAE BJELLAND, Executive Director, NASCSP
BEVERLY BUCHANAN, Grants Manager, Arkansas Department of Human Services and NASCSP Board President
ANNAMARIA GARCIA, Director, Weatherization & Intergovernmental Programs Office, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy
DR. LANIKQUE HOWARD, Director, Office of Community Services, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
AKM RAHMAN, Operations Branch Chief, Division of Energy Assistance, Office of Community Services, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Anger has a bad reputation. Many people think that it is counterproductive, distracting, and destructive. It is a negative emotion, many believe because it can lead so quickly to violence or an overwhelming fury. And coming from people of color, it takes on connotations that are even more sinister.

According to philosopher, Dr. Myisha Cherry, anger does not deserve its bad reputation. It is powerful, but its power can be a force for good. Join us for this session where Dr. Cherry will talk about her new book, The Case for Rage, and how we can manage and cultivate our anger to effect change and dismantle racist systems and structures

Presenter(s):
DR. MYISHA CHERRY, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of California at Riverside

The Colorado Energy Office will share the scope of their electrification program including lessons learned, program refinements, and client benefits. This session will cover the methods, materials, and best practices for a beneficial electrification program.

Presenter(s):
RYAN HARRY, WAP Director, Colorado Energy Office

The CSBG Network Coaching Model provides a framework for State CSBG Offices, Community Action Associations, and Community Action Agencies to strengthen their relationships and deepen their mutual learning. This session will highlight the new coaching guide sponsored by NASCSP and share lessons learned when two states came together to engage in peer coaching.

Presenter(s):
JEANNIE CHAFFIN, Principal Jeannie Chaffin, LLC
BEN FAUL, Program Administrator, North Dakota Department of Commerce
JOELLE HOEFT, Founder, Joelle Hoeft Consulting
LESLIE TAYLOR, Deputy Director, California Department of Community Services and Development

Join the NASCSP Racial Equity Workgroup and Dr. Lawrence Brown for an in-depth discussion of his book, The Black Butterfly.

*Feel free to attend even if you have not read or finished the book. This will be a great discussion!

As the WAP network sits on the precipice of a massive program expansion, creating demand for WAP contractors and clients will be critical. This session will discuss best practices and a new vision for outreach/engagement.

Presenter(s):
STEPHANIE INSINNA-SAHONDO, Senior Program Manager, Colorado Energy Office
BILL LAMPE, Program Manager, South Central Kansas Economic Development District

This session will introduce participants to the parts and pieces of ROMA NG from the lens of the State office, and how ROMA can be implemented throughout State processes to improve outcomes.

Presenter(s):
BEVERLY BUCHANAN, Grants Manager, Arkansas Department of Human Services and NASCSP Board President
TAMARA FAHEY, CSBG Program Coordinator, Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development
BARBARA MOONEY, Director, ANCRT
DITZAH WOODEN-WADE, Assistant Manager, Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development

Laura and Bre are licensed clinical social workers, with a combined total of over 30 years in the field of mental health and trauma therapy. In this session, they will give you tools to reconnect with yourself, recognize warning signs of burnout and decision fatigue, and assess your readiness to begin setting wellness goals.

Presenter(s):
BREANNE ABBOTT and LAURA WIDGER, Trauma Therapists, Connecting Communities in Action

With an ever-changing mix of funding sources, grant timelines, reporting, and production quotas, it is more important than ever to keep the rules and regulations straight. Join us as we explore examples of how to organize funds, meet deadlines, and keep your funders happy.

Presenter(s):
JONATHAN BALLEW, Senior Program Manager, NASCSP
SETH KOLODZIEJSKI, Policy and Contracts Supervisor, Washington State Department of Commerce

Our partners at NCAP will share local agency examples of creative use of CARES funding that address the impact COVID-19 is having in communities, within agencies and with customers.

Presenter(s):
LANA SHOPE, Co-Project Director, CARES Act Supplemental, Community Action Partnership

Join us for a special conversation with our CSBG and WAP national partners (CAP, CAPLAW, NCAF, NEADA, NEUAC, and NASEO) to update our network on our top priorities for 2022, racial equity work, CARES funding, and how we are handling the influx of funds from the bipartisan infrastructure deal.

Presenter(s):
JENAE BJELLAND, Executive Director, NASCSP
DAVID BRADLEY, Executive Director, NCAF
DENISE HARLOW, Chief Executive Officer, CAP
ALLISON MA'LUF, Executive Director, CAPLAW
KATRINA METZLER, Executive Director, NEUAC
DAVID TERRY, Executive Director, NASEO
MARK WOLF, Executive Director, NEADA (invited)

DOE Weatherization Assistance Program managers will provide an overview of regulatory updates, recently released Weatherization Program Notices, the current status on the Enhancement and Innovation funds, SERC and Community Scale Pilot funds, and other important federal topics related to the WAP.

Presenter(s):
ERICA BURRIN, WAP Program Manager;
AMY KLUSMEIER, Project Officer;
BRITTANY PRICE, Project Officer;
DEREK SCHROEDER, Lead Policy Advisor;
Felix Vazquez-Guemarez, Project Office, U.S. Department of Energy

OCS will provide the CSBG network with needed updates on key issues, as well as, provide insights from grantees on the critical impacts CSBG has had during recent disasters and the pandemic.

Informed from NASCSP's 2022 Member Planning and Action meeting, DOE will respond to programmatic, fiscal, and technical questions generated by members on important topics in the WAP. Topics may include Enhancement and Innovation, SERC, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, Weatherization Readiness funding and more!

Presenter(s):
ERICA BURRIN, WAP Program Manager;
AMY KLUSMEIER, Project Officer;
BRITTANY PRICE, Project Officer;
DEREK SCHROEDER, Lead Policy Advisor;
Felix Vazquez-Guemarez, Project Office, U.S. Department of Energy

OCS will host a session presenting anti-poverty leadership strategies for a post-COVID future.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) provides data and information helpful in identifying areas for operational improvement. Using that feedback is the necessary next step to actually affect change. Hear from two CSBG State directors who have made improvements in their operations resulting in the increased satisfaction of their local agencies as reflected in consistently better ACSI scores over the past four surveys.

Presenter(s):
STUART CAMPBELL, Director, Maryland Department of Housing
KAREN QUACKENBUSH, Program Specialist, Utah Department of Workforce Services, Housing and Community Development

In this session, we will review the methods of procurement identified in the Uniform Guidance and best practices related to the implementation, compliance, and monitoring of the regulations. This session will examine an overview of federal procurement regulations and review the methods of procurement in federal grant regulations.

Presenter(s):
DENES TOBY, CPA, Wipfli

Representatives from Energy OutWest will lead a panel discussion on hot-topic technical issues in Weatherization. Bring your questions to this interactive session!

Presenter(s):
TROY CUCCHIARA, Green Initiatives Manager, New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority and EOW Board Member
VINNE PEDALINO, EOW Board Member
MICHAEL FIGUEREDO, EOW Board Member
GEOFF WILCOX, Weatherization Program Administrator, Vermont Office of Economic Opportunity and EOW Board Member

Staff turnover in the State Office can be an opportunity to take a fresh look at processes and procedures from a new perspective and make much-needed improvements. This session will highlight how Missouri successfully re-invented their CSBG program with a brand new team.

Join us for a wrap of the week, lessons learned, and vision casting for the year ahead with our board president and executive director.

Presenter(s):
BEVERLY BUCHANAN, Grants Manager, Arkansas Department of Human Services and NASCSP Board President
JENAE BJELLAND, Executive Director, NASCSP