Alternate ROOTS Programs
Spring 2015 Application Deadlines
Alternate ROOTS is proud to announce another cycle of grant and capacity building
opportunities for 2015. This document is to help our members understand the
basics of applying for all our programs. Specifics about each program area, and
their respective applications, can be found on our website. For application support,
ask questions you or for a content intention conversation you can email Programs
Director, Ashley Davis at [email protected].
Artistic Assistance
●
Technical Assistance Calls
These calls will be an opportunity for ROOTS members to ask questions about the 3
funding opportunities within the Artistic Assistance program. Each call will go over how to
apply for Professional Development, Project Development or Presenting funding. Below is
a list of dates and times for the Technical Assistance calls as well as proposal deadlines. If
after the Technical Assistance calls you have further questions and want 1-on-1 support
feel free to email Ashley at [email protected] to set-up a time to talk.
Reminder: projects for this cycle must be completed between June 1, 2015 – May
31, 2016. Also, 1st time applicants must schedule a content conversation with
Ashley. She can be reached at [email protected].
Dates & Times For Technical Assistance Calls
Tuesday, March 17 at 10:00am EST
Tuesday, March 17 at 6:00pm EST
Friday, March 20 at 2:00pm EST
Last Chance Technical Assistance Call: Wednesday, April 22 from 11am-12 pm EST
RSVP Required: In order to access the Technical Assistance Calls you must RSVP. You
can RSVP up to 30 Minutes before the conference call. Please email
[email protected] with the following information to RSVP:
First & Last Name
Email Address
Date & Time of Call (specify Artistic Assistance or Partners In Action)
Please note that we will be using Webex to host the calls. If you’ve never used Webex
before you will be asked to download the application to your computer. It takes about 2-3
minutes. I will be sharing my screen so that I can share information relevant to Artistic
Assistance. If you want to connect via phone for the call you also have that option. You
must RSVP in order to access these Technical Assistance Calls.
●
Application Deadlines
Application Due: Monday, April 27, 2015 at 5:00pm EST
Decision Notification: Friday, May 22, 2015
Guidelines can be found here
Partners In Action
●
Technical Assistance Calls
These calls will be an opportunity for ROOTS members to ask questions about the
Partners In Action program. Each call will go over how to develop your proposal as well as
general guidelines for what this program supports. Below is a list of dates and times for the
Technical Assistance calls as well as proposal deadlines. If after the Technical Assistance
calls you have further questions and want 1-on-1 support feel free to email Ashley Davis at
[email protected] to set-up a time to talk.
Dates & Times For Technical Assistance Calls
Wednesday, March 18 at 10:00am EST
Wednesday, March 18 at 6:00pm EST
Thursday, March 19 at 2:00pm EST
Last Chance Technical Assistance Call: Monday, April 27 from 12-1 pm EST
RSVP Required: In order to access the Technical Assistance Calls you must RSVP. You
can RSVP up to 30 Minutes before the conference call. Please email
[email protected] with the following information to RSVP:
First & Last Name
Email Address
Date & Time of Call (specify Artistic Assistance or Partners In Action)
Please note that we will be using Webex to host the calls. If you’ve never used Webex
before you will be asked to download the application to your computer. It takes about 2-3
minutes. I will be sharing my screen so that I can share information relevant to Partners In
Action. If you want to connect via phone for the call you also have that option. You must
RSVP in order to access these Technical Assistance Calls.
●
Application Deadlines
Preliminary Proposal Due To Proposal Coach*: Monday, April 20, 2015 at 5:00pm EST
Receive Feedback From Proposal Coach: Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Final Application Due: Monday, May 4, 2015 at 5:00pm EST
Community Visit Notification: Monday, May 25, 2015
Applications Not Recommended For Community Visit**: Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Community Visits***: May 26 – July 8, 2015
Decision Notification: Monday, August 3, 2015
Guidelines can be found here
*This is optional AND highly encouraged, especially for first time applicants or previously
rejected applicants. **This does not mean your application has been rejected but that a
community visit is not needed. ***Community Visits are by invitation only and means
you’ve made it to Part III of the application process. It does not mean participation in the
Partners In Action Program.
Visual Artist Scholars
This unique scholarship opportunity is provided by the Joan Mitchell Foundation to
dedicate more resources to visual artists. This fund’s focus is to increase visual artist
participation in community engagement work as well as dedicate time to the visual art
medium that focuses on dialogue across social justice issues. Alternate ROOTS wants to
make sure the visual artist members feel their contributions to transformative work is
recognized and supported. To find out more or if you have questions feel free to email
Ashley Davis at [email protected]
●
Application Deadlines
Nomination Form Due: Monday, March 16, 2015 at 5:00pm EST
Decision Notification: Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Visual Arts Retreat: May 28 (evening)-May 31, 2015 (afternoon)
ROOTS Week Pre-Conference: August 3-4, 2015
Funding Leadership
Alternate ROOTS is an organization that is artist-led and artist-centered. As such, we believe
strongly that artists know what they need to make work and to make their work better. We
strive to cultivate our re-granting programs with the following in mind:
Our applications are easy to access, simple, and, where possible, have multiple modes of
expression in order to honor our multidisciplinary and multiple intelligences.
Our funding is distributed with ROOTS’ core values in mind. We take the diversity of our
constituency into account when making funding decisions, including race, gender, sexuality,
geography, ability, and age.
In most cases, we have let go of dollar-for-dollar matching requirements so that our artists
can focus on the money they receive from us and get down to work. We believe
in empowering artists to keep moving forward without sacrificing their time to additional
fundraising.
We encourage all member artists to participate in our funding programs, including our board,
executive committee, and in some cases, even our staff. We see this work co-op model as
something that sets us apart from other organizations. While there are many inherent
rewards to being a part of Alternate ROOTS, the more you put into the organization, the more
you get out of it.
Conflict of Interest Policy
Adopted by Alternate ROOTS' Executive Committee, October 2009
Speaking of being artist-led and artist-centered, we acknowledge that ROOTS is an
unconventional organization in its nature and structure. Most of our members are the voting
members of our board; they have the most direct access to our resources. As a result,
Alternate ROOTS has adopted the following conflict-of-interest policy.
******
The members of the board of directors and any employees of Alternate ROOTS shall avoid
conflicts of interest and any conduct that may suggest the appearance of impropriety in the
disbursement of funds.
If a potential conflict of interest arises, the board member or management employee must
disclose the potential conflict to the board of directors. Further, the board member or
management employee shall not vote on nor participate in the solicitation, negotiation,
formation, award, arbitration, modification, or settlement of any contract or grant involving any
funds arising under such contract or grant when the board member or management
employee stands to benefit, either directly or indirectly, from such contract or grant.
A board member or management employee is not deemed to benefit directly or indirectly
from a contract or grant if he or she receives only the salary or stipend due to him or her in
the normal course of employment with or service to Alternate ROOTS.
All board members and employees shall be informed of this policy.
Understanding Programmatic Overlaps & Conflicts
If I’m currently in an Artistic Assistance Professional Development grant, can I apply for a
Artistic Assistance Presenting?
Some of our programs have overlaps and timelines, which can sometimes be hard to keep
up with, and we want to help you understand what you’re eligible to apply for, and when.
Please examine the grid below to help you see all the scenarios for our programs and when
you will be able to apply for the next round.
Partners In Action
Artistic
Assistance
Presenting
Artistic
Assistance
Professional
Development
Artistic
Assistance
Project
Development
Lead member artists
currently involved in a
PIA project must wait
until their current
project is finished and
No restrictions
or conflicts.
However,
outstanding
final reports
No restrictions or
conflicts.
However,
outstanding final
reports from all
Lead member
artists currently
involved in a PIA
project should not
apply for an AA
Want to Apply
For
In Current
Round
Partners In
Action (PIA)
final report is filed
before applying for a
new round of PIA.
from all other
programs must
be filed before
the application
will be
considered.
other programs
must be filed
before the
application will be
considered.
Project
Development
award until their
PIA project is
over.
No restrictions or No restrictions or
conflicts.
conflicts.
No restrictions or
However,
However,
conflicts. However,
outstanding final outstanding final
outstanding final
Must wait one reports from all
reports from all
reports from all other calendar year other programs
other programs
programs must be
and file final
must be filed
must be filed
Artistic
filed before the
report to apply before the
before the
Assistance
application will be
for the next
application will be application will be
Presenting
considered.
round.
considered.
considered.
No restrictions
or conflicts.
However,
No restrictions or
outstanding
Cannot apply for
conflicts. However,
final reports
Must wait one
both Artistic
outstanding final
from all other
calendar year
Assistance
reports from all other programs must and file final
programs in the
Artistic
programs must be
be filed before report to apply for same cycle, but
Assistance
filed before the
the application next Professional may in
Professional application will be
will be
Development
consecutive
Development* considered.
considered.
award.
cycles.
No restrictions
or conflicts.
However,
Must wait one
No restrictions or
outstanding
Cannot apply for calendar year
conflicts. However,
final reports
both Artistic
and file final
outstanding final
from all other
Assistance
report on
reports from all other programs must programs in the previous project
Artistic
programs must be
be filed before same cycle, but to apply for next
Assistance
filed before the
the application may in
Project
Project
application will be
will be
consecutive
Development
Development* considered.
considered.
cycles.
award.
*From time to time, depending on the organization's funding availability and priorities,
there are special rounds of Artistic Assistance dedicated to specific populations within
ROOTS' membership, such as new members/first-time applicants, specific disciplines,
etc. These rounds will be specially publicized and targeted to those groups.
Training and Support for ROOTS Members Applying for Grants and Programs
Program/Proposal Planning
● If this is the first Artistic Assistance application you’ve made in any category, you must
set up a technical assistance call with the Alternate ROOTS Program staff. Please
●
●
●
●
email Ashley Davis at [email protected]. Meetings should be scheduled
and occur at least two weeks before deadline.
If this is your first Partner In Action application we highly recommend you talk to
Alternate ROOTS Program staff to discuss content and ideas as well as taking
advantage of our proposal coach. Please email Ashley Walden Davis at
[email protected] for technical assistance or to sign up with the proposal
coach.
Do not wait! At a minimum, you should begin an application at least two weeks
before it is due. Yes, there are plenty of technical reasons why it’s a bad decision to
wait until the last minute to begin an application. (What if my dues aren’t paid up, and
I can’t view/upload my application? What if I have trouble uploading and it’s late at
night and the staff is no longer at work?) More than that, there are just too many
things that you should be thinking through and getting clear on. We promise, panels
can tell the difference!
Before you open up the application itself, get clear about what it is you want to do.
Make sure you answer for yourself/your group:
○ What are the details of the project? The who, what, when, where, why.
○ Who are all the partners involved, how and exactly why are they involved?
○ What are the benefits, goals, and outcomes? How will I/we assess success?
○ If we’re talking about “the community”, what does that mean in this case? (A
specific community of place, tradition or spirit?)
This is a helpful rubric when it comes to program or proposal planning:
Problem
This is the problem that I/we are trying to
address through our work.
● Symptom #1
● Symptom #2
● Symptom #3
Goals for Change
These are the goals (SMART - specific,
measurable, accountable, realistic, timebound) for change.
● Goal #1
● Goal #2
● Goal #3
Causes
These are the causes or reasons that
contribute to the problem happening.
● Cause behind symptom #1
● Cause #2
● Cause #3
Program Strategy
Programming should address both the goals
as well as the causes.
● Strategy #1
● Strategy #2
● Strategy #3
*This planning rubric is based on a training module learned at The Grantsmanship Center.
Mentorship
Alternate ROOTS is a deep well of resources, including others who have gone through the
process of writing and receiving a number of grants both from ROOTS and from other
sources.
Mentorship training will include connecting applicants with ROOTS members who have
received and applied for grants in the past. ROOTS will assign you a mentor for your
application process.
Office Hours
For Community/Artist Partnership Program, Alternate ROOTS will contract ROOTS members
to hold “office hours”; dedicated time for applicants to call in and talk through their application.
The hours will be designated each week during the application period. Meetings are to be
scheduled and occur at least two weeks before deadline.
Learning Exchange
There will be one Learning Exchange that is dedicated to writing proposals and clearly
articulating the goals, objectives and impact of an artistic project.
● Grant writing workshop/ Learning Exchange will be scheduled for January 2014, led
by Keryl McCord, Managing Director of Alternate ROOTS.
● The session will be filmed and available as a resource to ROOTS members in the
future and for other ROOTS program deadlines.
Other Training Opportunities and Resources
These are other training opportunities or resources that you can utilize:
● The Foundation Center
● Georgia Center for Nonprofits
● The Grantsmanship Center
Panelists
Interested in serving on one of the program panels that advises on all this great work?
Alternate ROOTS convenes panels throughout the year to adjudicate these programs, as
well as for other purposes. This is one of those places where the principle that ROOTS is a
“participatory democracy” comes to fruition. If you’d like to come forward and serve, please
fill out this interest/application form: http://alternateroots.org/panelist_application.