Nike Back Your Block - Team up with Nike to improve your community

The deadline for applications is August 24, 2009.

Nike is investing up to $650,000 in grants across the nation to unlock the potential of young people through the power of sports and they need you!

Tell them how your organization is using sports as a tool to change your community for a shot at winning a Back Your Block grant to help take your work to the next level.

• Q: What Back Your Block grant programs are organizations eligible to apply for through this website?

A: There are two programs. The first is the National program that applies to communities near a NikeRetail location. Organizations that fall outside of these areas are eligible to team up with Nikestore.com as their local retailer. The second opportunity is our Community Grant Program that operates through Nike Factory Community Stores in Northeast Portland, South Chicago and New Orleans.

• Q: What types of organizations are eligible to apply?

  A: Eligible parties for the Community Store Grant Program include: non-profit organizations registered 501(c)(3) and schools that contribute to youth and/or women in local communities through sports, education, advocacy and/or mentoring

  The National Grant program is focused on registered 501(c)(3) youth-serving non-profit organizations and schools that impact the community through sports.

  Nike will not support organizations that discriminate against a person or a group on the basis of age, political affiliation, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief.

• Q: How many grants will be awarded?

  A: The National Grant Program will provide one grant for up to $2,500 per store location. Nikestore.com will provide more than one grant to organizations that are not located in the immediate vicinity of our stores.

  Community Stores: Portland, New Orleans and South Chicago will provide multiple grants in each market that average $5,000 each.

• Q: What is a Community Store?

  A: Nike Factory Community Stores were established over the past 25 years to revitalize neighborhoods across the country by providing employment opportunities, supporting non-profit organizations and advocating volunteer support and participation. There are three Community Stores in the US currently: Northeast Portland , South Chicago , and New Orleans.

• Q: What is the judging criteria?
  A:

  • Applicants must adhere to the Nike giving guidelines
  • Applicants must provide programming that encourages young people (ages 15 to 24) to create a better life through sports
  • Applicants who qualify for the Community Store Grant Program in Portland, Oregon, South Chicago, Illinois and New Orleans, Louisiana may also provide mentoring and/or economic development opportunities.
  • Applicants must be 501 (c) 3 organizations as classified by the Internal Revenue Service.
• Q: How much will grant recipients receive?

  A: National grant recipients who have applied through either NikeRetail locations or Nikestore.com will receive up to $2500. Grant recipients winners who have applied through Nike Factory Community Stores will receive an average grant of $5000, but must specify their organization’s needs in the application process.

• Q: How will grants be disbursed?

  A: If the products an organization requires are sold by Nike, the winner will receive funds in gift cards to be redeemed at NikeRetail locations or on Nikestore.com. If the products an organization requires are NOT made by Nike, the winner will receive cash for purchase. Check Nikestore.com for product offerings.

• Q: What period of time do the grants cover?

  A: The winning organizations will be notified no later than October 1, 2009. Activities supported by the grant must be completed by May, 30 2010.

• Q: Who do I contact if I have questions? A: Please email questions to backyourblock@nike.com

For more info, visit:

http://www.nikebackyourblock.com/Default.aspx

UN-HABITAT Opportunities Fund for Urban Youth-led Development

UN-HABITAT's Opportunities Fund: New deadline 15. June 2009

If your organization is working on an innovative and sustainable project that will improve the lives of young people and make a positive impact on your community, you could be eligible to receive a grant. Please find application documents in English, French and Spanish at www.unhabitat.org/opfund.

The Opportunities Fund for Urban Youth-led Development has been set up to support urban based Youth-led organizations in developing countries who are working to improve the living conditions of their communities. The Fund will give grants between $5,000 and $25,000 to organizations led by young people, aged 15-32 years. The Fund is committed to support innovative youth-led projects in areas such as employment, education, environment, health and safety. Applications from organizations partnering with government agencies and the private sector are encouraged. Projects promoting gender equality are particularly welcome.

STEMester of Service Grants

Contingent on federal funding, Youth Service America (YSA) will implement a program to support middle school science teachers and service-learning coordinators to strengthen their classroom practices through service-learning, a teaching method that combines meaningful service with curriculum or program-based learning. The grant targets students from disadvantaged circumstances in states with the highest drop out rates in the nation (Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and Washington).

STEMester of Service engages middle school youth in science and technology-focused service-learning projects that address community problems. Research shows that service-learning connects students to their schools and communities while improving academic achievement. Semester-long service-learning opportunities incorporate youth voice and opportunities for reflection, are connected to educational standards, and demonstrate community impact. With training and preparation occurring in the fall for grantees, school programs will launch on Martin Luther King Day, January 18, 2010, and culminate on Global Youth Service Day, April 23-25, 2010.

The program components include:

• Annual competitive $5,000 grant for teachers or service-learning coordinators. ($1,000 of the grant will be applied toward travel for professional development.)
• Additional $500 to subsidize a stipend for an “ally” located in each school who will support the grantee and help to establish a more sustainable program at their school.
• Training and professional development, including participation at YSA’s Youth Service Institute in Washington, D.C, October 2009.
• Resources such as curriculum guides and project ideas aligned to academic standards to help grantees plan and implement STEMemester of Service.
• Technical assistance and personalized online support from YSA.
• National recognition and visibility through YSA communications and outreach initiatives.

Grantees will engage up to 75 six through eighth-graders in a semester-long service-learning program. With a focus on environmental concerns, STEMester of Service’s goals include addressing community problems, encouraging students to explore STEM careers, and preventing early dropout. Environmental issues addressed can include green space availability, health effects, climate change, and disaster management. The projects should provide students with opportunities to use technology to deepen and demonstrate their learning.
Who is eligible

1. Teachers, administrators and service-learning coordinators in middle schools
2. Staff and service-learning coordinators in afterschool programs
3. The schools and after-school programs must be located in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and Washington.

How to apply

Please begin by completing our Eligibility Quiz. If you are eligible, you will be given access the application materials.

Timeline

• Application deadline: July 15, 2009
• Notification: August 30, 2009
• Programs take place September 2009-June 2010

Questions? Email stem@ysa.org.
Go to http://ysa.org/MyYSA/YSAContent/YSANews/tabid/219/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/150/STEMesterofServiceGrants.aspx for more information.

Free Scholarships Available to National Alternative Break Training

Break Away – the national nonprofit which works with college students and staff who run alternative break programs – is offering scholarships to attend the 2009 Blacksburg, Virginia Alternative Break Citizenship Schools June 13-19, 2009. The scholarships have been made available by the Starbucks Foundation, which is interested in helping to build sustainable and student-led alternative break programs on campus. If you are building a program or are in your first 5 years of running an alternative break program, you are welcome to apply.

• If you are interested or have questions, please email jp@alternativebreaks.org immediately. We would like to give award scholarships before 5 pm EST Friday, June 8th.
• In the email, please include your contact information as well as a brief description of what your alternative break program status is (i.e. “We don’t have one.” “We are building one, but it is completely staff-run and we’d like it to be student-run.”), including – if applicable - how many trips (and participants) you sent last year, where the trips went, how long you’ve been sending alternative breaks, and how this scholarship might benefit your program.
• The whole deal for the week– housing, food, training, materials, on-site transportation and much more, a $700 value – is all covered in the scholarship. You will find applications and more information at our website, www.alternativebreaks.org/abcs.asp.
• You will be responsible for arranging for the participant to get to/from Blacksburg, VA for the training.
• Students and/or staff are welcome.

2009 Help America Vote Act Mock Election Program

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) announces the availability of $300,000 in grant funds for the first year of a two-year award to organize and administer mock elections for High School students.

EAC will fund proposals that launch new mock election initiatives or substantively build upon existing mock election programs. The purpose of the program is to allow students to become more familiar with voting processes and technologies so that when they become eligible to vote they will be more comfortable with their civic duties. EAC is particularly interested in funding opportunities that promote the use of voting machines through partnerships with local election officials.

Project funds must be used for tasks and activities that are carried out without partisan bias and without promoting any particular political point of view regarding any election issue or candidate.

The $300,000 will be available to between approximately 4 and 10 organizations.
Proposals should include a two-year project plan and budget which proposes holding mock elections for both the 2009 and 2010 election cycles. Applicants may propose planning and scaled-down activities for the 2009 election cycle in preparation for larger initiatives for the 2010 election that will be supported using money from the first year of the grant.

Additional funding to expand 2010 activities in the second year of the grant will be provided subject to availability of appropriated funds in FY 2010 and substantial progress towards approved performance measures.

This assistance is being offered by the Omnibus Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 111-8), which provides funds for EAC to award competitive grants for operating a program of simulated elections for students in secondary education programs.

These grants will be administered under the Office of Management and Budget uniform administrative requirements and cost principles applicable to the organization that receives the assistance.

Go to http://www.eac.gov/program-areas/grants/current-grant-opportunities for more information.