APPLICATION & GUIDELINES
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT EDUCATION: Application Guidelines
Community Mediation and our partners invite you to apply for a grant to hold a Community Conversation about Education. Community-wide local conversations examine issues affecting children from birth through high school. All Connecticut communities are encouraged to apply.
Our goal is to improve outcomes for children and youth by involving more citizens in defining and supporting community priorities. Community Conversations About Education bring together a diverse group of approximately 100 community members. A Power Point or video introduces the topic and sets the stage for discussion. Participants form small discussion groups led by trained local moderators. The small group discussions are the heart of the conversation. Together participants examine issues affecting children, youth, and families. The structure allows all participants to contribute to a constructive dialogue and for diverse experiences and perspectives to be shared in an open, "safe" environment. Trained local recorders capture the essence of the conversation on flip chart notes. The discussions generate ideas and action steps. Findings from the Conversation are used to continue the work in various ways.
Our 21 partner organizations review applications and select the winners. Grants are evaluated independently and judged entirely on merit. Community Mediation awards up to $2,500 grants to sponsor a conversation for a single or small group of communities and up to $1,500 for alumni communities.
The money covers refreshments, printing, postage, childcare, and other costs. Consultants from Community Mediation provide a planning guide, a video or Power Point conversation starter, printed materials and moderator and recorder training. We offer guidance and technical assistance.
Your Conversation will be planned and carried out by a local planning committee made up of representatives from a broad cross-section of the community. The objective is to reflect the concerns and interests of diverse constituencies. Your application should demonstrate the capacity to reach out to individuals who do not usually participate in educational forums or who are underrepresented in other forms of public debate. An ultimate goal is to have an impact on local priorities and to stimulate action projects with broad-based support. Your application should show clearly that information gathered from the Conversation will be used to refine on-going projects or to start meaningful new initiatives.
Winners will be announced in October 2011. Planning begins then for conversations to be held from November 2011 through May 2012.
Questions about this application may be directed to: Nancy Polk (203) 397-2799, NPolk@aol.com or Mary Broderick (860) 739-7866, mary-broderick@att.net.
THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS 4 PM, August 15, 2011.
Submit your application electronically to Kathy@cmediation.org or mail to: Community Conversations, Community Mediation, 32 Elm Street, New Haven, CT 06510.