2014 BNV Initiative Mid-Level Grants

BRAVE NEW VOICES LEADERSHIP COHORT

MID-LEVEL APPLICATION

Applications Open to the Public August 1

As part of the larger Brave New Voices Network Initiative, Youth Speaks is pleased to announce that the application is now open for the inaugural Brave New Voices Leadership Cohort. Leadership Cohort activities for as many as five mid-level organizations will kick-off in January, 2015.

The initiative is designed to build organizational infrastructure in areas of leadership, communications, operations, fundraising, finance, and programming â€" all in an effort to build each group’s long-term sustainability and impact, and lead to a stronger national field.

Therefore, Leadership Cohort awardees at the mid-level will have access to capacity-building resources that include professional development trainings, annual $50,000 general operating grants, on-going technical services, support over a three-year period, and receive Future Corps staffing support in years 2 and 3 of this initiative.

ELIGIBILITY: The mid-level Leadership Cohort slots for the Brave New Voices Network Initiative are for small grassroots organizations that are dedicated to the creation of safe spaces for young people to express themselves in poetry and spoken word, as a central component of their work. Eligibility to apply for the Leadership Cohort is open to organizations/programs that meet the following criteria:
- Have a mission and programs that are centered on the creation of safe spaces for youth between the ages of 13-24, to express themselves through poetry and spoken word performance.
- Have an annual operating budget ranging from $150,000- $500,000.
- Be structured as an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization or as a fiscally-sponsored project of a 501(c)(3). Spoken word and performance programs for youth that are housed within a larger, multi-purpose organization are eligible if their activities comprise a significant portion of the organization’s total activities, based on the current year budget.
- Be located and operating in the United States.
- Have at least one paid or volunteer staff operating on a half-time basis. This criterion may be met by multiple individuals dedicating approximately twenty (20) hours collectively to the organization on a weekly basis.
- Be currently governed by a board of directors or advisory board.
Organizations that do not meet all of these criteria are not eligible to participate in the Leadership Cohort.

GUIDELINES: Please begin this application by writing the narrative at the end. Please answer all of these questions to the best of your ability.

The completed application and attachments must be received by Youth Speaks by October 1, 2014.

Finalists will be invited to a phone interview, and both the staff leader and board leader (if applicable) will be expected to join this call. Finalists will also be required to fill out additional application materials.
Please note that your application automatically saves when you hit "Next" or "Back".

Section 1: Basic Organizational/Program Information
Official Organization Name (as designated by IRS):
Popular name (if different):
(If you are not an organization, or are part of a program of a larger organization, for example, Boys and Girls Club, please use that as your Organizational Name and then use the name the youth use as your ‘popular name.’)
Fiscal sponsor name:
Fiscal sponsor address (if applicable):

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip CodeCountry
Year incorporated:
Mission statement:
Address:

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip CodeCountry
Phone Number:

Area CodePhone Number
Web address:
Contact person for this grant:

First NameLast Name
Title:
E-mail:
Phone Number:

Area CodePhone Number
Years with the organization/program:

Section 2: Financial Information
Please provide the financial information below for your annual income and expenses for your poetry centered organization or program. For programs that are housing within a larger nonprofit organization, please answer the last question in this section as well.
Total income for 2013:
Total expenses for 2013:
Note: Finalists will be asked to submit financial statements.
Total income for 2014:
Total expenses for 2014:*
Note: If your fiscal year hasn't ended yet, provide projected numbers.
Projected income for 2015:
Total expenses for 2015:*
Note: We're interested in understanding if you expect to stay about the same, grow or contract. We'll ask the finalists to provide more detail in the second phase of the application process.
For your income for 2015, please show what percentages you anticipate will fall into the following categories:
% Foundation Grants:
% Individual Giving
% Government Support:
% Corporate Support:
% Earned Revenue:
% Other (please explain):
Total percentage:
Note: These percentages should total 100%. For example: 50% foundations, 20% earned, 20% individuals, and 10% corporate.
For poetry programs that operate within a larger multi-purpose nonprofit organization only, what is the current year budget size of the multi-purpose nonprofit organization (List the total annual expenses):

Section 4: Leadership Information
Please include a bio for your executive director (or key artistic leader):
Years as executive director:
Years in the organization:
Number of board members:
Is your board a 100 percent giving board?

YesNo
Does your Board mirror the demographics of the youth served by your organization?

YesNo
Please read the chart called "Organizational Stages of Development" and take some time with your board to identify where the leadership of your organization and your board both believe you rank in terms of a stage. View Chart.
What stage do you believe you are?

Section 6: Technical Services Plan for 2015
If you were to receive this grant, what technical assistance would you benefit from? Please provide an intital summary of key activities from the categories below that you would like to engage in to build your organizational capacity. You are not required to fill in proposed activities for all of the boxes. This is meant to be a preliminary summary that will be fleshed out later in depth for each grantee. Technical assistance activities should be aligned with desired areas of growth and improvement.
Leadership/Board Development:
Operations & Finance:
Communications:
Fundraising:
Youth Programming:
Other:

Section 7: Narrative Responses About Your Organization
Question 1: How is your organization or program creating safe spaces for youth in your community?

0/500
Question 2: What has been a leadership struggle your organization has overcome? What obstacles do you see in front of you that need to be managed or removed to make your vision a reality?

0/500
In addition, please write a 3-5 page narrative that outlines your vision for your organization/program. Where do you see your organization/program in three years if you were to become a part of the Leadership Cohort and receive the cash grants, the technical assitance, and the staffing support? We are especially interested in understanding how your organization/program'sparticipation in this initiative will help your organization realize long-termgoals, and your interest in participating as one of the lead organizations in the BNV Network Initiative. This vision will serve as a guide for many questions you are being asked to answer.

Please share your programmatic goals, and the kind of organization/program you need to be to achieve those goals.
Upload your 3-5 page narrative.

Upload a File

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Check list for this grant:
My board is aware that I am submitting this grant?

YesNo
My board has read my goals and understands what it will entail to be successful?

YesNoOther
If you chose other, please explain:
I am aware that I will need to be prepared for an interview with a board member if I am invited into the finalists' round.

Yes
Please use your cursor to create an electronic signature in the text boxes.
Executive Director - Signature:

Clear
Executive Director - Full Name:

First NameLast Name
Board President - Signature:

Clear
Board President - Full Name:

First NameLast Name
Please note that once you submit you will not have the option to make any additional changes to your application.*

I'm definitely done!
Should be Empty:

Section 1: Basic Organizational/Program Information

Section 2: Financial Information

Section 3: Programming Information

Section 4: Leadership Information

Section 5: Staff and Operations Section

Section 6: Technical Services Plan for 2015

Section 7: Narrative Responses About Your Organization