The Skillman Foundation’s Community Connections Small Grant Program provides grants of up to $5000 to grassroots groups to implement projects that have youth involvement and positively impact youth. The resident panel <that serves as the grantmaking committee for the program> is growing in number as we add new neighborhoods and thus panelists. This, of course [...]
The best technical assistance providers will have: Hands-on experience: proven skills and expertise at building similar organizations and solving similar problems. Cultural sensitivity: alert to the ethnic, economic, gender, age, historical and other dimensions that uniquely color each community and organization. Understanding of the neighborhoods field: awareness of the distinctive concerns of resident-controlled organizations and [...]
Look For: An agenda that is defined and governed by community residents. This is an essential ingredient, one that differentiates a grassroots group from a service provider. Organization members and leaders who display a clear sense of the community and the people their organization represents. Members who share a common vision. Members and leaders who [...]
Do’s & Don’ts For Navigating the Language Divide When Working with Multi-Cultural Communities DO have your materials translated. DON’T assume that translating that your materials is enough. DO hire someone who is bilingual. DON’T assume that having someone who is bilingual on staff is enough. DO dedicate more staff time to relationship building in the [...]
Setting the Stage for Learning: Grantee Reports that Actually Mean Something (to the Funder AND the the Grantee) Some General Reminders for Funders: The quality of the information you receive in reports is only as good as the quality of the relationships involved between grantee and grantmaker, or between grantees. The trust and candor involved [...]
The Top 3 Considerations Are people from the neighborhood intrinsically involved with the conceptual and creative aspects of the project? Is the process of doing the project given as much importance (or maybe even more) as the result? Is the project guided by an artist who is from/knows the community and knows how to work with residents? Does [...]
Tell me about your group. What would you and your group like to do? How did you come up with this idea? Beyond the circle of people who came up with this idea, how have others in your neighborhood been involved with thinking about this idea and coming up with your plan? If funding was available [...]
Assistance to Applicants: Since groups that are good candidates for grassroots grants are often unfamiliar with the requirements of conventional grantsmanship, it makes sense to simplify the funder’s usual application procedures and invest more time in pre-application assistance. Potential applicants will find these procedures helpful: A well-publicized meeting to explain the program’s purposes and procedures [...]
Moving from the Judger to the Learner Mindset from Change Your Questions, Change Your Life: 7 Powerful Tools for Life and Work by Marilee Adams, Ph.D. What is the learner/judger mindset? Judger Learner Judgmental of self and/of others Accepting of self and others Reactive and automatic Responsive and thoughtful Know-it-already Values not-knowing Inflexible and rigid [...]
Tips from a Professional Coach on Conversations that Matter Some General Reminders for Funders: There are inherent challenges when there is power at the table. Foundation professionals who are interested in putting money aside to find out what is really going on and moving the conversation to a place where help that is really helpful [...]
The tricky thing about grassroots grantmaking is that it operates in the nebulous gray space of the funding world. Behind the foundation walls are dollars and cents that add up very neatly, accounts receivable records coming through humming fax machines, and proof of non-profit status reports in piles across cubicle desks. On the streets ofClevelandCity’s [...]
A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of attending my first Neighborhood Connections Final Report Party. What is a Final Report Party, you ask? Well, at the close of a grantee’s project year they have the option to complete their final report in several different ways. The first is to write a traditional, [...]
