National Association of Realtors grants help us advance goals of boosting diversity and affordable housing. While writing last month's column about the many ways the association has reduced cost during these tough economic times, an idea popped up that I decided to serve a column of its own. The NRA grants that we received to support the work of our Diversity Council and Housing Opportunity Foundation in 2009. HOF and the Diversity Council of greater Charlotte NC Real Estate each received a $5000 grant from the NAR in late 2008 that should in turn help Charlotte Real Estate Firms. While these monies will help us defray costs, they represent more than that. The grants expand our partners as we advance our goals of diversity and affordable housing. Goals that are also important to NAR. Our association staff who prepared these grant applications deserve our appreciation for presenting compelling information about our diversity and HOF work. Thanks go to Kerry Marshall HOF Executive Director Renée Ortiz Aaron Adversity Relations Manager, Andy Elizabeth Barnhart, Government Affairs Director, who assisted Renee on the Diversity Council application. With their thoughtful, careful preparation, I had to put my aunt Marie Howard on the applications as CEO of CRRA. So, how are we using grants? In both cases, to take on new, highly worthwhile projects.

The Diversity Council’s $5000 came from NAR’s Equal Opportunity Cultural Diversity Committee. The money will help fund a first-time advocacy training workshop. The Council is joining with our Government Affairs Department and HOF to put on the workshop that, as of mid-December, was tentatively scheduled for March 27. Many of you might remember the name John and Spock. He's a lawyer and real estate consultant to help us over the years to deliver quality programming and association leadership for our members. He's working with Elizabeth, Terry and Renée to organize the workshop. We want Realtors to remember that when they wear the realtor pendant. They are not only representing the individual businesses but, the profession. The workshop will help Realtors become advocates of our industry, whether in talking with government officials, business leaders or the public at large. As our grant application said, the training is designed to educate and empower CRRA's leadership and diverse members on key issues affecting their professions and livelihoods. Having an advocacy training workshop is invaluable in helping the average age of comfortable representing Realtor views. It takes learning how advocacy works and, in the case of talking to government officials and others, becoming familiar with issues that affect the Charlotte NC Real Estate industry. Key issues we face include local and statewide land transfer tax, proposed taxes on services and funding for affordable work force housing programs. We are especially interested in the training reaching a wide range of our membership, and we’ll be promoting it. This dovetails with our Diversity Council's ongoing efforts to bring our members into all walks of association activities and leadership.

Meanwhile the $5000 HOF received came from NAR's Housing Opportunity Program. It is helping with the cost of our inaugural Realtors Care Day. On April 24, hundreds of Realtors will volunteer at homes in Mecklenburg County NC and other counties, providing exterior repairs as well as adapt to and safety modifications to deserving homeowners. We are working with housing nonprofits, and screening applicants to make sure they meet our criteria for assistance. We anticipate that most recipients will be homeowners who are meeting their mortgage application but have little money beyond that to keep up their homes. Realtors Care Day will help these individuals and families live safely in their homes and likely in some cases to remain in her homes. As we said in the grant application, our goal for the event is to promote volunteerism and leadership among local Realtors. Install a sense of pride among Realtors and to celebrate their professional contributions to the community. Provide a public project were Realtors can demonstrate commitment to affordable homeownership. Provide an industry-wide service to the community at large. Establish connections to enhancing advanced business opportunities to Realtors. Encourage partnerships between Realtors and local housing nonprofits. CRRA member and MLS president Don Anderson writes about why Realtors Care Day is so important, where the

idea came from a new is leading the effort. I encourage you to take a minute to read the column. You'll see the remarkable reception our members have already had on this idea. As of mid-December we had about 200 Realtors sign up. To join in, go to