UPCOMING EVENT
Special Training Opportunities for AFI Grantees (September 10-11, 2008)
The AFI Resource Center will sponsor four special training events for AFI grantees on Wednesday September 10th and Thursday, September 11th. Participants at these events will be eligible to receive partial travel stipends and AFI scholarships to the Assets Learning Conference, in Arlington, Virginia, on September 11-13, 2008.
TRAINING DESCRIPTIONS
Training on Providing Effective Financial Education
- Financial Education Intensive: Focus on Content and Skills for Making Financial Education Effective and Engaging
Wednesday, September 10th
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Hotel
2799 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, Virginia 22202
This training will provide practitioners with opportunities to develop skills and learn key content to become great facilitators of financial education. Participants will learn: methods to animate financial education content in ways that resonate with their target audiences, techniques for managing challenging dynamics, ways of addressing important but often forgotten elements of financial literacy, and strategies for creating effective ongoing financial education opportunities. Please click here for more details about this training.
Training on Using the New AFI2 Project Management System
- AFI2 101: Introduction to the AFI2 System
Session 1: Wednesday, September 10th, 9:00-11:00 am
Session 2 (repeat): Wednesday, September 10th, 1:00-3:00 pm
Session 3 (repeat): Wednesday, September 10th, 3:30-5:30 pm
Session 4 (repeat): Thursday, September 11th, 8:00-9:30 am
Doubletree Hotel Crystal City
300 Army Navy Drive
Arlington, VA 22202
This training will provide an overview of AFI2 for project managers and staff, including the benefits of using AFI2 and the features of the project management system. The training is intended to be an introductory look at AFI2 for managers and staff of new grantees and grantees currently using other database systems. Participants will see an overview of the system, sign onto and explore the system.
- AFI2 201: Start Using the AFI2 System to Manage Your AFI IDA Project
Session 1: Wednesday, September 10th, 9:00-11:00 am
Session 2 (repeat): Wednesday, September 10th, 1:00-3:00 pm
Session 3 (repeat): Wednesday, September 10th, 3:30-5:30 pm
Session 4 (repeat): Thursday, September 11th, 8:00-9:30 am
Doubletree Hotel Crystal City
300 Army Navy Drive
Arlington, VA 22202
This session will include in-depth training on using the full
functionality of the system, guidance on interpreting and using the project management reports generated by AFI2, instructions for training key staff, information regarding data conversion for loading into the New AFI2, self-paced activities designed to prepare participants for common data scenarios, and an explanation of the process for requesting on-site AFI2 system training provided by the AFI Resource Center.
- Drop-in hours: Meet AFI staff, share updates, and ask questions, including about the AFI2 System
Wednesday, September 10th 1:00-5:00 pm
Doubletree Hotel Crystal City
300 Army Navy Drive
Arlington, VA 22202
Stop by to meet AFI program staff, including the AFI Resource Coordinators, and share updates about your AFI project. Learn more about the AFI2 system and availability of training and assistance on using the system.
Special Convening for AFI Grantees
- AFI Spotlight – Program Status, Highlights, and Promising Practices
Wednesday, September 10th, 6:00-8:00 pm
Doubletree Hotel Crystal City
300 Army Navy Drive
Arlington, VA 22202
This special evening convening will provide grantees with an opportunity to meet fellow AFI grantees, re-establish connections, and build on AFI’s strong community for sharing knowledge and strategies. Grantees will hear the latest information on the status of the overall AFI program, including spotlights on several grantee innovations, good practices. Please be certain to attend this event!
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
If you are interested in attending any of these four special AFI grantee training events, and requesting a travel stipend or scholarship to the Assets Learning Conference, please use our web-based registration system to sign up:
http://actevarsvp.com/event/a0A70000002ks32
You may register for the training events without requesting a travel stipend or scholarship for conference attendance. You may also request only a travel stipend or only a scholarship. To receive a travel stipend and/or a conference scholarship, however, you must also be registered for and attend at least one of the AFI grantee training events scheduled for September 10 and 11.
Please provide one registration per individual. Register each individual separately!
TRAVEL STIPEND AND SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
Each AFI grantee may request partial travel stipends (a maximum of $300 each for up to two staff per grantee organization) and AFI scholarships (for up to two staff per grantee organization). The AFI Resource Center will process requests as they are received, until available funding is exhausted. The Resource Center will attempt to accommodate the needs of as many grantees as possible. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to provide resources to support every grantee’s requests.
Travel Stipend Information
Grantee staff who apply for partial travel stipends will receive confirmation of our intent to provide them with travel stipends within one week of receipt of the request via the AFI web-based registration system.
Grantee staff selected to receive travel stipends will receive a stipend reimbursement form via email prior to the conference. They must provide a completed form to a representative of ICF International, Inc. at the AFI grantee events on September 10 and/or September 11th. The form will verify attendance at the AFI training events. No fax or email copies can be accepted.
Grantees will be responsible for making their own travel and lodging reservations and providing payment for those expenses. Grantees are encourage to make the hotel arrangements as soon as possible, because hotel conference room blocks will close soon.
ICF International, Inc., working with the AFI Resource Center, will provide the stipends in the form of reimbursements to the selected grantee organizations by October 15, 2008.
Scholarships to the National Assets Learning Conference
Grantee staff selected for AFI scholarships to the Assets Learning Conference will receive confirmation of our intent to provide them with a scholarship within one week of receipt of the request via the AFI web-based registration system.
Selected grantee staff are required to attend at least one AFI grantee event on September 10 or September 11th. Scholarship information will be provided to selected grantee staff at the AFI grantee events on September 10.
TRAVEL AND HOTEL RESERVATIONS
The AFI Resource Center will not make travel or lodging reservations for any grantees.
Grantees that are seeking to attend the special AFI training events or the Assets Learning Conference are strongly encouraged to make tentative travel and hotel reservations as soon as possible.
Sleeping rooms are filling up quickly at the Hyatt Regency Hotel (the site of the Assets Learning Conference), but rooms are available at other nearby hotels. The following list indicates the names and addresses of several hotels in the area. Some of them have special rates for the Assets learning conference, as noted.
Please click here for an overview map of the Crytal City area hotels. Note that the Hyatt Regency Crystal City is located at the far south section of Crystal City.
Hyatt Regency Crystal City
(Location of the Assets Learning Conference)
2799 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, Virginia 22202
Phone: (703) 418-1234
www.crystalcity.hyatt.com
Doubletree Hotel Crystal City – National Airport
(Location of the AFI2 trainings and the Special Convening for AFI grantees)
300 Army Navy Drive
Arlington, VA 22202
Phone: 703-416-4100
Holiday Inn National Airport/Crystal City
2650 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington VA 22202
Phone: 703-684-7200
Assets Learning Conference rate: $195.00
Crown Plaza Washington National Airport
1480 Crystal Drive
Arlington, Virginia 22202
Phone: 703-416-1600
Embassy Suites Crystal City – National Airport
1300 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA 22202
Phone: 703-979-9799
Days Inn Arlington/Washington DC
2201 Arlington Blvd.
U.S. 50 and North Pershing Dr.
Arlington, VA 22201
Phone: 703-525-0300
Marriott Crystal City at Reagan National Airport
1999 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington VA 22202
Phone: 703-413-5500
Sheraton Crystal City Hotel
1800 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington VA 22202
Phone: 703-486-1111
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q. We have already registered for the CFED conference. May we now receive support from OCS to attend that meeting?
A. OCS asks grantees that have already purchased registrations for the Assets Learning Conference or who have received other support to attend that event, not to request a replacement registration from OCS. We are eager for as many grantees as possible to send representatives to the AFI grantee trainings and the Assets Learning Conference. We encourage you to submit a request for a travel expenses stipend only.
Q. We have already registered for the AFI Resource Center Financial Education Training on Wednesday, September 10th. May we request travel assistance to attend this training?
A. Yes, we encourage you to submit a request for a travel expense stipend. Thanks for registering for the Financial Education workshop!
Q. We would like several of our AFI staff to attend these events. May we submit a request for all of them to receive this special assistance from OCS?
A. OCS has limited resources to support grantees in sending staff to these valuable training events. We will provide no more than two registrations for the Assets Learning Conference and no more than one $300 partial travel stipend per person up to two staff members. Due to limitations in our resources, it is likely that we will not be able to accommodate the needs of every grantee who requests this assistance.
Q. Who is responsible for making travel arrangements?
A. Grantees are responsible for making their own travel arrangements, including transportation, hotel, and all other expenses. We strongly encourage grantees that are seeking to attend the training event and the Assets Learning Conference to go ahead and make tentative hotel reservations as soon as possible.
Q. Who is responsible for any fees concerning change of airline tickets, change in hotel accommodations, parking fees, travel fees, per diem payments for staff, and so forth.
A. The grantee organization. OCS is not responsible for any paying for any travel related expenses directly. Our logistics contractor, ICF International, Inc., will provide a travel stipend via check directly to grantees by October 15, 2008, contingent upon the training participant submitting the required reimbursement forms at the AFI training events on September 10 and September 11.
Q. When will the AFI Resource Center and ICF International, Inc., let grantees know that they have been selected to receive a scholarship or travel stipend to attend the Assets Learning Conference?
A. ICF International, Inc., will contact grantees within one week of when the grantee submits its request for assistance via the AFI electronic request system.
Q. What criteria will the AFI Resource Center and ICF International, Inc. use to select grantees to receive the assistance for attending the Assets Learning Conference and the special AFI training events?
A. We expect to respond to requests on a first-come, first-served basis. We plan to respond to all requests by September 5.
CONTACT INFORMATION
If you would like more information about the AFI grantee training events and the process for requesting a travel stipend and scholarship, please contact the AFI Resource Center – at ICF International, Inc. - (703) 383-3318.
