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Guidelines for Southern Echo's Community
organizing/technical assistance Grant
Application Process and Application Form
Southern Echo Incorporated is now accepting applications for our small grants program for emerging grassroots organizations doing community organizing. These grants are coupled with training and technical assistance to support and strengthen your organization and your community organizing work. (Please see the program definitions below.)
Grants of up to $20,000 (note that the average grant size is $15,000.00) are awarded in conjunction with training and technical assistance to strengthen community organizing groups and help them connect to networks and coalitions. The primary purpose of this program is to strengthen low-income communities and neighborhoods by investing in the development of local leaders through the community organizing process.
Eligibility: Mature grassroots community-based organizations in Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina that can demonstrate their capacity to grow and connect with networks and coalitions within the region. If your organization does not meet this eligibility requirement, please contact Brenda Hyde for possible referral to another small grants program.
Program Definitions
· Community organizing: For the purpose of this program, community organizing is understood as the process of building a powerful, community-controlled, democratically run, inclusive, grassroots organization capable of developing leaders and effecting social change for its constituent members. In general, the process of community organizing involves membership recruitment, leadership development, issue identification, and the development and execution of campaign strategies. Staff members the members, who are the decision-makers for the organization. Note that direct service projects are not eligible for funding.
Small grant: An amount up to $20,000 that can be used effectively to meet the goals and objectives of the receiving organization (note that the average grant size is $15,000.00).
· Technical assistance: The provision of training, and/or consultation by Southern Echo Incorporated to funded groups to promote maturation and growth, e.g., fundraising, board and staff training, development of office management techniques, budgeting, assistance with incorporation, goal setting, etc.
The proposal postmarked deadline is Friday, September 7, 2007
Application Process and Instructions
1. Read these instructions carefully. If you have any questions about any of the definitions, criteria, standards of eligibility, or other information requested, please discuss them with the contact person on the cover page.
2. Prepare responses to all the questions on the application form and provide all additional requested information.
3. Interested applicants should provide the following:
(A) A Cover Letter;
(B) The enclosed Small Grant Application Cover Sheet;
(C) A narrative describing the organization’s purpose, history, program of work and technical assistance needs;
(D) A budget form (see enclosed budget form format) or standard budget form detailing 2006 and or 2007’s income and expenses and your proposed 2008 budget.
*2006/2007 Grantees must submit a brief progress report of 06/07 activities and an expenditure report for funds received. Also, please do not submit proposals if your organization no longer meet the criteria.
Applicants may also submit up to three (3) pages of supporting documentation such as news articles, letters of support and newsletter, etc.
*Please note that no funds will be disbursed to organizations unless they have a bank account with a two signature requirement for writing valid checks.
**Proposals must be postmarked by Friday, September 7, 2007. Proposals postmarked after this date absolutely will not be considered. Faxes and emails will not be accepted.
4. Applications will be reviewed according to the stated criteria, guidelines, and definitions. All applicants will receive notification indicating their status by September 28, 2007.
5. If your organization is selected to receive a grant award, we are required by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to check the name of the organization and individual who will sign the contract against the terrorism watch lists issued by the United States Government, the European Union, and the United Nations to make sure you and your organization is not listed as a terrorist.
6. If your organization receives a grant award, a signed contract will be required delineating the responsibilities of your organization and Southern Echo Incorporated. The minimum elements in this contract will include:
-- Your completion of a form stating organizational goals and objectives and a detailed profile of the leadership, members, community demographics and constituents (if you receive a grant, you will be able to request technical assistance to complete this profile).
-- Your signed agreement to use grant funds in accordance with the budget in the request.
-- Your agreement to expend the small grant within 12 months of the award and to return funds not expended within that 12-month period to Southern Echo Incorporated.
-- A mutually-agreed upon plan (between your organization and Southern Echo Incorporated for the terms of technical assistance, site visits, conference participation, and reporting.
If you have questions or need assistance
with this application, please call the contact person on the cover page.
Criteria and Guidelines
To be eligible for funds, an organization must satisfy the following criteria and guidelines.
Please bear in mind that because funds are limited, eligibility does not guarantee funding.
Please carefully read the following criteria:
Criteria
Applicants must meet the following minimum criteria:
§ provide evidence of community support for your activities;
§ provide evidence of strong leadership at the board and/or staff levels demonstrating accountability to the membership on decisionmaking;
§ provide evidence of your ability to manage funds responsibly;
§ present clear, manageable objectives for use of the small grant, in accordance with the definition of community organizing on the cover page of this application;
§ organize among low-income residents; and
§ be engaged in charitable purposes as defined by the IRS (even if your organization is not incorporated as a 501(c) (3), you still must be engaged in charitable purposes as defined by the IRS).
Click
here to download a copy of the 2006 Application in
Microsoft Word or
Adobe PDF format
Please mail applications to:
Southern Echo Incorporated
1350 Livingston Lane, Suite C
Jackson, MS 39213
or
P.O. Box 9306
Jackson, MS 39286
Phone: 601-982-6400 Fax: 601-982-2636
Contact: Brenda Hyde
For more information, contact Brenda Hyde at (601) 982-6400 ext. 25.
Southern Echo, Inc | PO Box 9306 | Jackson, MS 39286
| (601)-982-6400, Fax
601-982-2636 | E-Mail:
souecho@bellsouth.net
Last modified:
Sept 2, 2004