What is the opportunity?
The WV Community Development Hub (The Hub) is offering mini-grants to WV-based POWER grantees to support them with building communications tools to further the goals of their POWER project and demonstrate the impact of their work. This is a unique opportunity that combines communications coaching with grant funds to support POWER project team members in improving their skills in telling the story of their work.
Mini-grant funds will be applied to promotional projects created by POWER grantees in partnership with creative vendors. Promotional projects will be designed to support communicating about the progress and impact of POWER project-related work with the goals of:
- Deepening project impact;
- Attracting more people to project work; and
- Increasing the potential to sustain the project through developing a tool to make the project more attractive to new and ongoing funding sources.
Resulting projects will also be collectively promoted through regular Hub communications to drive public education about the impact of POWER projects in total for West Virginia.
Up to 5 grants will be awarded through this initiative. The maximum grant award is $5000 per project, but the total storytelling project budget may exceed this amount. Project leaders will be responsible for any funds needed beyond $5000.
Applications are due Friday, May 31, 5pm.
Getting Started
All interested applicants must email The Hub’s Director of Strategic Network Communications Emma Pepper at e.pepper@gmail.com on/by Tuesday, April 30. You are not commiting to fill out an application by indicating your interest. Emma will schedule a call with you to discuss your current communications needs and challenges plus support with generating ideas for your application.
Emma will host a webinar on Thursday, April 25, 12pm for all interested applicants to explain more about this opportunity. Please email Emma at e.pepper@wvhub.org to RSVP for the webinar.
Eligibility Requirements
- Your team must be actively working on a POWER-funded project.
- The selection committee will review one application per POWER project.
- Funding request amount is flexible with a max grant award of $5000 per project. The total project budget may exceed $5000, but the project team is responsible to pay any amount beyond $5000.
- Teams will work with The Hub’s Director of Strategic Network Communications Emma Pepper to develop their project idea and, if awarded, commit to coaching throughout the duration of the grant. A coaching plan will be determined collaboratively between the grantee and Emma. The plan will be created with sensitivity to the grantee’s capacity and availability.
- All funding must be expended and final report must be submitted by November 15, 2019.
What are the benefits of receiving this grant?
Mini-grant recipients will gain:
- Professional-quality storytelling tool(s) to highlight POWER project work and support goals of deepening impact; attracting people to the work; and making projects more sustainable
- New or renewed working relationship with high quality creative vendor
- Skill building including needs identification (what type of communications project will help us meet our goals?); communications project concept development; content creation; and vendor management
Mini-grant Project Types
Grantees will submit mini-grant project proposals to develop one of the following:
- Social media storytelling campaign
- Traditional media (PR) campaign
- Print report or brochure
- Short video(s)
- Miscellaneous (grantee-identified project)
Key Deadlines
- Thursday, April 25: Webinar for interested applicants on April 25 at noon. RSVP to The Hub’s Director of Strategic Network Communications Emma Pepper at e.pepper@gmail.com.
- Tuesday, April 30: POWER project teams interested in applying for a grant email Emma Pepper at e.pepper@gmail.com on/by Tuesday, April 30. Your indication of interest is not also a commitment to apply.
- Friday, May 31, 5pm: Project teams submit grant applications by Friday, May 31, 5pm. See “How to Apply” below for details.
- Friday, November 15: Grant activity occurs and is completed by Friday, November 15.
- Friday, November 15, 5pm: Final report is due Friday, November 15, 5pm.
Key Selection Process Notes
- All applications will be reviewed by an independent committee. Up to 5 grantees will be awarded.
- Applicants who use creative vendors from the provided Preferred Creative Vendor list receive additional points as part of the review process. Preferred Creative Vendors have been pre-vetted for this program through a competitive process. Applicants are not required to to use a company from the Preferred Creative Vendor list.
Mini-grant Project Timeline + Process
/ April
- Webinar for all interested grantees to be held on Thursday, April 25, 12pm. Email Emma Pepper at e.pepper@wvhub.org to RSVP.
- *DEADLINE 1: POWER project teams interested in applying for a grant email The Hub’s Director of Strategic Network Communications Emma Pepper at e.pepper@gmail.com on/by Tuesday, April 30.
- Project teams receive coaching from The Hub to support developing concept for communications project.
/ May
- Project teams continue receiving coaching from The Hub to support developing concept for communications project.
- Project teams work with at least two creative vendors to receive estimates. A vetted Preferred Creative Vendor list will be provided by The Hub, or grantees may request estimates from outside vendors.
- Project teams select the vendor they would like to use if awarded the funds for the project.
- Project teams submit application for mini-grant using the estimated amount provided by their chosen creative vendor.
- *DEADLINE 2: Project teams submit grant applications by Friday, May 31, 5pm. See “How to Apply” below for details.
/ June
- Grantees receive notification of awards by Friday, June 21.
/ July – November
- Project teams receive coaching from The Hub on an as-needed basis in the areas of project execution and vendor management.
- *DEADLINE 3: Grant activity occurs and is completed by Friday, November 15.
- *DEADLINE 4: Final report is due Friday, November 15, 5pm.
Distribution of Funds & Fiscal Responsibilities
Mini-grant recipients will…
- Sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with The Hub regarding completion of the grant in accordance with the project as outlined in the grant proposal and established timeline
- Receive a check in the amount of the grant award within two business weeks of receiving notification of the award
- Be the responsible party for payment to the creative vendor, including overseeing the payment schedule in accordance with the contract signed with the creative vendor
- Be the responsible party for any charges incurred from the creative vendor or other entities over and beyond the grant award as outlined in the MOU
How to Apply
- Download the PDF version of the application to review the questions and prepare answers in advance.
Click here to download a PDF version of the application » - Fill out the online version of the application by Friday, May 31, 5pm. Please note that you cannot save your work and return to the application later. Prepare your responses in advance. We ask that your upload a digital file of the vendor estimate for your project as part of this application.
Click here to fill out the online application »