Creative Change Coalition: Members

INVITATION

Do you find yourself wishing you could connect to the staff of other organizations in a less structured but intentional way? Or maybe you've been wanting to connect with a kindred organization in a different place that you've been admiring from afar (we call these “organizational crushes”!).

CONNECTION SPARKS are an ongoing opportunity for Creative Change Coalition Member Organizations to connect with peer community organizations locally or across distance to exchange ideas, deepen relationships, and build a community of practitioners at home and afar. In this non-competitive process, Member Organizations submit by completing a basic form. 10 applicants are selected to receive $2,000 through a drawing in each cycle (2 cycles per year). Funds are unrestricted and reporting requirements are to share a photo and complete a brief reflection and feedback survey.

DETAILS

The Creative Change Coalition is providing Member Organizations an opportunity to connect to other place-based organizations that overlap in mission, topical focus, values, geographic reach, target communities, and/or mutual admiration. These organizations might be cultural community-based, direct services, neighborhood or region, arts and culture focused, topically focused, rotary association, libraries, economic, housing, business associations, etcetera - any organizations that you encounter or are curious about because they also do work that benefits community in a shared place. If you are an arts-based organization - think outside of the arts box.

We know when you have time to connect, you share ideas, rekindle relationships, find ways to support each other, and even coordinate together to leverage your work to achieve more positive outcomes for your communities. Over time, when your own organization’s work is more supported, it allows us all to work together towards shared objectives more broadly. We also know when you work in community, every day goes too fast and every day there is something new, so sometimes an external opportunity (or excuse) is what can help you carve out a bit of time to slow down and connect to the people and organizations that can help you learn, grow and feel inspired.

Creative Change Coalition Member Organizations are eligible to apply for $2,000 to do one of the following:

- PEER ORGANIZATION MEETING: Host a local organizational meeting in your place/location

• -Host a local organizational meeting in your place/location with 6-10 staff members of peer organizations to catch up, share what’s working, what’s exciting, and listen for ways to align work and support one another.

• -At least two of the organizations represented shall be outside the Host’s primary sector. For example, if Host organization is an arts and culture organization, two (2) of the other organizations should be outside of that.

• -These organizations do not need to be Coalition Members (and may not even fit the description) but should share geography and some overlapping goals. For example you might invite the main street business association, local gallery, arts organizations, library, housing developer that has a public plaza, senior center that hosts art workshops, and your town planner to meet to share what you’re each working on.

• -The stipend is unrestricted and we encourage you to use it to cover your time, meeting hospitality, travel stipends if other organizations are distant, childcare, etc.

OR

- PEER ORGANIZATION EXCHANGE:

• -Visit with staff of at least one peer organization (75 miles or more away from you) in person for self-structured, casual learning and connecting.

• -Examples might be organizations in another region that do similar work, work that you aspire to do, or have grown in a way that intrigues you. They do not need to be Creative Change Coalition members, but they probably fit the description.

• -The stipend is unrestricted and we encourage you to use it to cover your time, travel, lodging, meeting hospitality, childcare, etc.

ELIGIBILITY:

• - Creative Change Coalition Member Organizations only. (If you’re reading this, you’re a member.)

• - Member Organizations are eligible to enter a submission in any cycle, provided other eligibility criteria are met.

 

• - This opportunity is designed for organizations, if your submission is drawn we will contract with and pay the organization. If you have any questions about this, please reach out.

 

• - You must be able to complete your meeting/exchange within 6 months of accepting the stipend.

 

• -You must meet and/or travel to connect with staff of organizations for this activity. Meeting with independent individuals is not the focus.

 

• - The meeting or exchange must be a new activity/effort. These funds are not meant to support or add to existing or ongoing gatherings, exchanges, or programs.

 

• - For peer organization meetings: the staff of organizations invited must span multiple types of entities that share overlapping goals/communities/geography with your organization - which primarily would not be arts organizations. Examples include cultural community-based, direct services, neighborhood or region, topically focused, libraries, economic, housing, business associations, etc.

 

• - You may elect to have your submission roll over to the following cycle if it is not drawn in the current cycle.

 

• - Your organization may only receive support for a Connection Spark once every two years, provided you completed your meeting/exchange.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• -  Complete a peer organization meeting or exchange.

• -  To consider reaching out to those you know less and are curious about.

• -  To listen, learn, share, laugh, eat and maybe even conspire/collaborate.

• - In lieu of a “Final Report” - to post in the Creative Change Coalition google group a photo and brief (just a couple sentences!) reflection - about who you met with, connections made, interesting things learned.

• -  Take a brief process feedback survey upon completion

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

SUBMISSION FORM

Requested Information:

• -  Organization and primary contact information

• -  Organization mission statement

• -  Type of Connection Sparks: Peer Organization Meeting or Peer Organization Exchange

• -  Describe what you plan to do, discuss, connect on. What is exciting or useful to you about doing this? (Just a few sentences.)

• -  Which organizations are you hoping to invite or meet? Please list name(s) and location. You do not need to  have talked to them already.

• -  If known, when and where do you hope the gathering/exchange would take place?

• -  Optional demographic survey

TIMELINE:

• -  2 deadlines per year (May & November)

• -  NEXT DEADLINE: May 28, 2025 at 11:59PM CENTRAL (US & Canada).

PROCESS:

• - Watch the Connection Sparks Info Session Recording (14 minutes)

• - Drawing and notification: within two weeks after the deadline

• - 10 organizations will be awarded in each cycle

• - Acceptance and stipend disbursement: $2,000 within two weeks of signing agreement

• - Complete Connection Sparks within 6 months of signing the agreement

Note: This is a modest stipend and we value your time and talent so please think of meetings/exchanges that you can reasonably do - this is supposed to be exciting and simple, not hard and onerous. Also, it is rare to get a chance to call people together without an emergency at hand, or to visit another organization without a task or obligation to fulfill, so consider how this can align or support other aspects of your organizational work.

Questions? If you have questions after viewing the info session recording, please reach out: sara@springboardforthearts.org