Inspiring All to Achieve Equity in Education
by Ending Racism and Poverty:
Invitation to Apply
For an Exploratory Grant
The William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund is currently in a Learning Phase to inform our thinking and strategies as we begin to pursue our new mission:
To achieve equity in education by working with those affected
and inspiring all to end racism and poverty.
Background
To reach equity in education, we are focusing our learning within two areas:
Co-creating Equity
1. Build assets within children’s homes, schools, neighborhoods, and society to reverse the effects of structural racism and poverty
2. Invest in a small number of highly distressed neighborhoods as the center of our work against poverty and racism
3. Support people most effected, especially parents, to navigate and change the barriers they see
Inspiring Equity
1. Promote greater awareness and understanding of the disparities resulting from structural racism, the effects of poverty and the intersection of the two
2. Encourage healing in our society by supporting dialogue, action, policies and practices that advance racial and economic equity
Our Learning Phase in 2016
We are excited by the new mission, and at the same time our trustees and staff are mindful of how unprepared and cautious most of us are when it comes to addressing these issues. For this reason, we have initiated a learning phase using two approaches: A series of Learning Conversations and Convenings, to roll out in the coming months, and a series of Exploratory Grants, to support the work of those who seek to work in one or more of the approaches above within the areas of Co-creating Equity and Inspiring Equity.
Exploratory Grants to
Achieve Equity in Education by Inspiring All to End Racism and Poverty
The Memorial Fund is inviting proposals for grants that seek to promote equity in education by inspiring all to end racism and poverty. Depending on the response and the final determination by our trustees, we expect to award up to 10 grants within a range of $5,000 to $75,000. A proposal will be assessed both on its own merits and for its potential to contribute to our learning and to our capacity to support others to Inspire All to End Racism and Poverty.
What do we mean by inspiring all to end racism and poverty? As a starting point, we mean activities that help us as individuals, informal groups, organizations or a society to more clearly see and understand the ways that racism and poverty prevent us from realizing equity in education. We also mean those activities that create broader awareness, move us to action either individually or collectively, build connections, increase empathy, and bring healing.
For purposes of this grant, equity in education refers to learning environments that hold high expectations for every child, from birth to adulthood, and provide whatever opportunities and resources are needed to help reach those goals. Equity in education also acknowledges and actively works against structural barriers that oppress members of certain groups in our society, such as people of color and people living in poverty. We believe equity in education can be achieved in a variety of settings, including, but not limited to: schools, faith-based groups, social justice movements, service organizations, early childhood programs, universities, parent groups, after school programs, and community-based organizations that support children and families.
We know that inspiring equity in education can take many forms, and welcome your ideas and creativity. We invite you to propose work that can help to push the boundaries of what is “possible,” create a new vision, and move people toward change. We also encourage you to consider working with partners that can bring together different kinds of talents and help to bridge various perspectives, by using, for example, performing or visual arts, social media, technology, etc., to create synergy and new approaches.
Our current interest in learning more about Inspiring Equity in Education is focused on these approaches:
1. Promote greater awareness and understanding of the disparities resulting from structural racism, the effects of poverty and the intersection of the two
2. Encourage healing in our society by supporting dialogue, action, policies and practices that advance racial and economic equity
Proposals may request support for two purposes: Advocates Inspiring Equity, or, Inspiring School Equity. For more detailed information see the applications attached.
The Memorial Fund’s Learning Questions:
Currently the Memorial Fund is interested in learning more about the following questions with regard to inspiring equity in education:
1. What is already going on in Connecticut that is bringing people together around equity in education? What are they learning about what works…what inspires…what moves us to action?
2. What are the particular challenges of improving equity in education in Connecticut? Do we need more information?
3. How do we bridge across current social divides about race and poverty...through civic dialogue...the arts...social media...other avenues?
4. How do we begin to change the culture in education in ways that move us toward equity?
For those who would like to take this learning journey with us, please review the attached applications.
To help us plan for our review process, we ask that you send an email stating your intention to apply, including which grant you plan to apply for, by June 2, 2016 to: There will be an informational conference call/webinar on June 2nd from 3 to 4 p.m. for those interested in applying – call in number: (860) 740 1260, access code: 8611810 and link: https://cc.readytalk.com/r/v6t0xeui3ra5&eom
Applications are due July 15, 2016 by 5 p.m.
APPLICATIONS A & B
WILLIAM CASPAR GRAUSTEIN MEMORIAL FUND
Achieve Equity in Education by Inspiring All to End Racism and Poverty
Application
Following are two applications for Advocates Inspiring Equity Grants and Inspiring School Equity Grants. Proposals may request support for up to one year in the one of these grant programs:
Advocates Inspiring Equity grants, ranging from $5,000 to $25,000
Advocates Inspiring Equity grants will support individual or group projects that lift up the voices of students, families, educators, artists and others. This level of grant support is available to those advocating for equity in education and need this kind of support for a specific project. We hope to support work that can help to create a new vision of equity in education, to share stories, and to move people toward action and change. Individuals and groups that are not organized as nonprofits registered with the IRS must work with a nonprofit that has a 501(c)(3) status, and that can serve as a fiscal sponsor.
Inspiring School Equity grants, ranging from $25,000 to $75,000
The Inspiring School Equity grants are intended to promote and build more equitable approaches within classrooms, schools, districts, multi-district regions, communities, and the State. This includes education partners such as early childhood programs, public or charter schools, out-of-school programs, nonprofits, colleges or universities. The work supported by the grant may include teachers, administrators, parents and students as partners in the design and implementation. Grants may help to increase engagement, build capacity and begin to inspire transformation within education programs and systems. We encourage you to be creative and to consider working with partners, in particular those that may help you to cross boundaries into the arts, social justice, storytelling, dialogue, business and other arenas that can help to bring new tools to the work. Applicants may be nonprofits or work with a nonprofit, with a 501(c)(3) status, as a fiscal sponsor.
Depending on the response and the final determination by our trustees, we expect to award up to 10 grants within a range of $5,000 to $75,000. To help us plan for our review process, we ask that you send an email stating your intention to apply, including which grant you plan to apply for, by June 2, 2016 to: Margarita Lucia Alvarez, Operations Administrative Assistant,
Two print copies of your proposal must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on July 15, 2016 to:
William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund
Attn: Margarita Lucia Alvarez
2319 Whitney Ave, Suite 2B
Hamden, CT 06518
In addition, we encourage you to submit an electronic version to:
We will host an information session via conference call/webinar on June 2, 2016 from 3 to 4 p.m. – call in number: (860) 740 1260, access code: 8611810 and link: https://cc.readytalk.com/r/v6t0xeui3ra5&eom An FAQ will be produced in response to questions raised and posted on our website shortly after the session. The review process may include interviews for finalists.
The criteria for selection will include, among other factors:
● experience of the proposer in engaging in equity work;
● experience of the proposer in his/her own field;
● range of the intended impact of the work;
● creativity of the proposed work;
● collaboration with others;
● and ability to participate in a learning process.
Across all applications received, the Memorial Fund will also look to support a wide range of learning opportunities, including a mix of approaches and a diverse group of grantees based on, for example, geography, population demographics, and fields of expertise or perspectives. Participants will help to co-design how the learning happens. We expect that the Memorial Fund will convene the grantees (at the Memorial Fund’s expense) approximately three times over the year to share information and experiences.
Separate applications for each of these programs follow.
Timetable
Due Date for Application / July 15, 2016Email stating intention to apply (recommended) / June 2, 2016
Information Session Call / June 2, 2016
Grantees will be notified / November 2016
Grant Work & Documentation completed by / November 2017
Contact Information
For more information on this request for proposals, contact:
Nancy Leonard, Senior Program Officer for Inspiring Equity at or
Dave Martin, Program Officer for Inspiring Equity at
APPLICATION A for
ADVOCATES INSPIRING EQUITY GRANTS
CONTACT INFORMATION
Application Date:
Organization & Address: / Project Title:Total Project Budget:
Total Organization Budget: / Amount Request:
Start & End Dates:
Organization Type:
☐ Applicant is a 501(c) 3
☐ Applicant is a Fiscal Sponsor (fill out box below) / Primary Contact:
Title:
Phone:
Email:
Fiscal Sponsor
Contact Person:
Title:
Phone:
Email:
______
Signature, Executive Director or Fiscal Sponsor
______
Signature(s), Chair or Co-Chairs of Governing Board of Organization or Fiscal Sponsor
I. Description of Your Organization
Please limit your response to these questions to two pages, single-spaced.
1. What is the purpose of your organization or group?
2. What location does your work serve and what are the demographics of the population
you serve directly?
3. How is diversity represented in your organization or group?
4. Who from your organization will be involved with the project? What are their
responsibilities? What is their professional or otherwise relevant background?
5. What experiences have you had to date in promoting equity in education?
II. Project Description
Please limit your responses to these questions to five pages total, single-spaced.
1. What is the project you are proposing?
2. How do you define equity in education? How does this definition influence your
work?
3. How do you see your project inspiring equity in education?
4. Who will benefit from this proposal? How have or will they be involved in project
development and implementation?
5. Are you working with any partners for this project? (If so, please list the partners and
what role they will play.)
6. What changes will occur if the project is successful?
7. What do you hope to learn from this work? What would you like the Memorial Fund to learn from your work? How might the Memorial Fund learn along with you?
III. Additional Information
Please include the following information as attachments when submitting your application.
1. Fiscal Information
A. Budget Format
Provide a budget for the proposed project using the excel file accompanying this application.
B. Budget Narrative
A budget narrative must accompany your budget. Please include in the narrative all details regarding expense and revenue line items in the budget.
2. Letter of determination of tax-exempt IRS status and E.I.N. number (for fiscal sponsor
where applicable)
3. Copy of an executed Fiscal Sponsor Agreement (if applicable)
4. A timeline for the project, in narrative or a table format, including key events or
milestones.
5. List of board members (for applicant or fiscal sponsor)
6. Race and gender of board members and staff (for applicant or fiscal sponsor)
7. Audited financial statements - most recent (if applicable; for applicant or fiscal
sponsor))
8. Organization budget - last fiscal year, current, and projected (for applicant or fiscal
sponsor)
9. Biography or resume of key persons involved in the project (if applicable)
APPLICATION B for
INSPIRING SCHOOL EQUITY GRANTS
CONTACT INFORMATION
Application Date:
Organization & Address: / Project Title:Total Project Budget:
Total Organization Budget: / Amount Request:
Start & End Dates:
Organization Type:
☐ Applicant is a 501(c) 3
☐ Applicant is a Fiscal Sponsor (fill out box below) / Primary Contact:
Title:
Phone:
Email:
Fiscal Sponsor
Contact Person:
Title:
Phone:
Email:
______
Signature, Executive Director or Fiscal Sponsor
______
Signature(s), Chair or Co-Chairs of Governing Board of Organization or Fiscal Sponsor
I. Description of Your Organization
Please limit your response for this section to two pages, single-spaced.
1. What are the mission and vision of your organization or group?
2. What location does your work serve and what are the demographics of the population
you serve directly?
3. How is diversity represented in your organization or group?
4. Who from your organization will be involved with the project? What are their
responsibilities? What is their professional or otherwise relevant background?
5. What organizational and management capacities does your organization or the
sponsoring organization bring to the implementation of the proposal?
II. Project Description
Please limit your responses to these questions to five pages total, single spaced text.