RBC-Evergreen Watershed Champions Award

Watershed Champions Award

The RBC-Evergreen Watershed Champions Award recognizes classes that demonstrate learning about their local watershed and action to care for it. The award is open to Canadian classes from Kindergarten to Grade 9. Applications must be submitted by Friday, April 18, 2014.

 

For the 2013–2014 school year, nine awards are available:

• 1 Canadian Award (Grades K–9) – $3,500
• 4 Regional Elementary Awards (Grades K–6) – $2,500
• 4 Regional Intermediate Awards (Grades 7–9) – $2,500

Applications can be submitted starting in September 2013. Please see the "How to Apply" section below for submission guidelines and to download the application form.

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Who Can Apply?

The award is open to Canadian classes from Kindergarten to Grade 9 in publicly funded schools.
Multiple classes may collaborate on lessons and submit a collaborative application. If identified as a winning entry, however, only one award would be given to the group.

(Note: The regional elementary and intermediate awards are divided into the following regions:

• West and Northern Territories (AB, BC, MB, SK, NT, NU, YT)
• Ontario
• Quebec
• East (NB, NL, NS, PEI)

We will also offer awards for the 2014–2015 and 2015–2016 school years.)

 

http://info.evergreen.ca/en/watershed-champions/award

Status of Women Canada is launching a Call for Proposals to eliminate Cyber and Sexual Violence against women and girls.

Status of Women Canada is launching a Call for Proposals  to invite organizations to submit a proposal that aims to eliminate Cyber and Sexual Violence against women and girls.

 

Projects under this Call for Proposals fall into two thematic areas:

 

·         Preventing and eliminating cyberviolence (e.g. cyberbullying, internet luring, cyberstalking) against young women and girls.

·         Access to community services to prevent or respond to sexual violence against women and girls

 

 

The deadline for applications under this Call for Proposals is 11:59 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, December 1, 2013.

 

 

Please visit our website for more information.

Crowdfunding the Library

Crowdfunding the Library

By Caroline Lewis on April 17, 2013

Since Kickstarter launched in 2009, everyone from indie bands to technology developers to non-profit organizations has asked themselves, "Will crowdfunding work for me?" Libraries, which often turn to more civic-minded crowdfunding sites like Indiegogo and Fundly, are no exception. But the question remains: does it work?

Cassandra Elton got the idea to establish the Antelope Lending Library in a well-traversed mall on the Southeast side of Iowa City while she was working at an after-school program in a local elementary school. Elton found that her students—primarily from low-income and immigrant families—did not have access to the literary culture for which the city is known.

"We talked to the public library about it and they said, 'Oh we serve the Southeast side from our downtown location.'" Elton disagreed. "I said, 'We need to do more.'"

Elton sought to raise $20,000 to lease a space for the library for a year. She initially looked at Kickstarter, but found that running a library "didn't really fit with the terms of service." Kickstarter explicitly states that a project is "something with a clear end" that can "eventually be completed" and prohibits raising money for "causes."

"And so we found out about Indiegogo, which functions just like Kickstarter, but you can do non-profit endeavors," Elton said.

Non-profits, including libraries, can be found on Kickstarter, but it is most effective for art projects and technology development, according to a recent infographic in the Economist. Indiegogo goes the extra mile to provide non-profits with an additional network of donors by allowing visitors to the site to browse "Causes" with subcategories like "Education" and "Religion." It also permits continual fundraising for the same organization.

One Indiegogo campaign, a few road-bumps, and several helping hands later, the Antelope Lending Library is set to open as a book mobile in June.

The library ultimately did not reach the fundraising goal it set on Indiegogo; the campaign only raised about $13,000. But this did not deter the project. By the time the campaign was over, circumstances had changed, the goal had shifted, and, most importantly, the project had found new local collaborators.

The option of "flexible funding" is a key reason why alternatives like Indiegogo and Fundly appeal to libraries, which also generally have local investors beyond their online crowd campaigns. Kickstarter, which has an "all-or-nothing" policy, returns any money raised to donors if the full fundraising goal is not reached within the set time frame.

Elton said she was frustrated, however, by how much of the money raised on Indiegogo was taken as commission. If a campaign doesn't reach its full fundraising goal on Indiegogo, the site takes a nine percent commission, whereas, if it is reached, it takes only four percent. Across all fundraising platforms, donations made through PayPal sacrifice an additional three percent of the money raised.

Still, Elton said she would use Indiegogo again (albeit with a more moderate fundraising goal).

"You can't really learn about it until you do it," Elton said, "because every project is different and you don't really know how it's going to work out."

There are, however, some insights to be gleaned. For one thing, short-term projects and new projects may benefit most from crowdfunding.

Last year, the Santa Cruz Public Library ran a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund its participation in a global art project called Inside Out. Project facilitator Mariah Roberts had received a green light from the city, but no money.

In addition to raising the $5,000 required to print the large-scale portraits of community members that would adorn the facade of the downtown library branch for four months, the campaign also raised the profile of the project, which brought future opportunities.

"[Kickstarter] is a great publicity format," Roberts said. "For example, we had folks from the paper who were able to get an email saying, 'Check out the Kickstarter,' and then they watched the video and, all of a sudden, they had something to ask us about. It's just an easy way to start a conversation and buzz around your project."

http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2013/04/funding/crowdfunding-the-library/#_

Cabot Family Charitable Trust and Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation

Welcome to the website for Cabot-Wellington, LLC, the Cabot Family Charitable Trust and the Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation. Cabot-Wellington, LLC Cabot-Wellington is the family office of the Thomas D. and Virginia W. Cabot family. Cabot-Wellington is a registered investment advisor with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Information for Cabot family members is available at the link Family Members Only. Cabot Family Philanthropy The Cabot Family Charitable Trust and the Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation are independent foundations established by Godfrey L. and Thomas D. Cabot in order to sustain and encourage an active commitment to philanthropy by members of the Cabot family. The family's tradition of charitable giving and public service was formalized in 1942 when Godfrey L. Cabot created the trust that became the Cabot Family Charitable Trust as an instrument of giving for his descendents. Fifty years later, Godfrey's son, Thomas D. Cabot, established the Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation as a second commitment to philanthropy for his family. These two family foundations have contributed to the work of many important nonprofit organizations in the Boston area, New England and other communities where family members live. For application guidelines, deadlines and other application information, please follow the links Cabot Family Charitable Trust and Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation.

Correspondence and inquiries to the family office, trust and foundation should be addressed to: 70 Federal Street (7th floor) Boston, MA 02110 Tel. 617-451-1744 Fax 617-451-1733 Read more at http://www.cabwel.com/index.htm

Flora Family Foundation

About the Foundation

The Flora Family Foundation was established in 1998 by the family of William R. Hewlett (co-founder of Hewlett-Packard Company) and his late wife, Flora Lamson Hewlett. It is predicated on the belief that each individual has an obligation to go beyond the narrow confines of his or her personal interests and be mindful of the broader concerns of humanity.

The Foundation is organized around two groups.  The Family Council includes the five children and the twelve grandchildren of William and Flora Hewlett, along with the spouses of the children and grandchildren. This is a consultative body that meets once a year to help determine the organization's policies and programmatic directions.  It also serves as a forum for discussion and instruction in matters related to the philanthropic interests of the family. 

The rotating eight-member Board of Directors consists of two children, four grandchildren, and two non-family members.  Spouses of the children and the grandchildren also serve on the Board. 

The Flora Family Foundation has no constraints on its grantmaking so long as grant candidates fit the philanthropic interests of the Board and Family Council and meet IRS requirements. This provides unrestricted opportunities for innovative, responsive, and responsible grantmaking.

Grants of the Flora Family Foundation reflect the extraordinary diversity of interests among the twenty-six members of the Family Council. The Foundation supports programs in education, arts and culture, international development, the advancement of women, health, the environment, human services, economic development, humanitarian assistance, cultural preservation, and international security.  FFF grants assist work throughout the United States and in countries around the world.  The Foundation funds fellowships, research projects, endowments, start-up expenses, program initiatives, capital improvements, and general operations. Beyond the provision of financial resources, Family Council members and Foundation staff support the work of grantees by serving on boards of directors, brokering new funding relationships, and supporting associations of grantmakers.

The Foundation’s wide reach reflects a conscious rejection of all boundaries on grantmaking.  The Foundation’s open architecture encourages the initiative of each member of the Family Council, capitalizing on the wide-ranging talents and experiences of individuals who share equally in decision-making.  

We recognize that the FFF approach presents some disadvantages for grantseekers.  Because of the absence of limitations on the scope of grants, the Foundation is unable to consider unsolicited proposals.  Nor is the Foundation able to commit long-term support to organizations working in a single domain.  The staff and Family Council attempt to compensate for these disadvantages by circulating widely in the public benefit sector, constantly gathering prospects and sending clear signals about the possibilities for support.  The Foundation also seeks to minimize the burden of proposal-writing and reporting on grants, while ensuring that the requirements of due diligence are met. 

In years to come we expect the interests of some Family Council members to cluster in selected subject areas, but a hallmark of the Flora Family Foundation will continue to be its flexibility and responsiveness to needs as they arise across the entire public benefit sector. 

Read more at http://www.florafamily.org

Funding for Edible Trees

Edible Trees   Funding for this program was generously provided by: **Thank you for the overwhelming response to our Edible Trees Program. We had over 200 applications which we are carefully reviewing. We hope to have a decision made quickly so that you can order the trees and shrubs for your projects as soon as possible. Selected projects will be notified by email/phone. Planting Fruit & Nut Trees for the CommunityThe purpose of the Edible Trees program is to offer funding of up to $4,000 and other resources for community-based projects that provide residents with access to fresh fruit and nut trees while making a positive difference to the Canadian environment including: Provide shade Absorb and deflect solar radiation Improve air quality Absorb and filter water Create habitat for wildlife Funding is available, but not limited to, community gardening groups, community housing projects, schools, parks and arboretums.  Applications are available for download here. Important Dates All applications must be received by February 28, 2012. Final Reports and projects must be completed by September 30, 2012. Note: The number of projects will be based on available funding. In 2012 it is projected that approximately 15 projects will be funded. Application Criteria Tree Canada will consider projects that meet the following criteria:  Increases  equitable access to healthy food Strengthens communities by empowering neighbors to share in the harvest and care of city-grown food resources Benefits the local community by providing access to the trees and their fruit by the public ( i.e. food banks, volunteers, community kitchens) Meets the needs of the community and includes creative plans for the produce grown Takes place within a geographic area suitable for growing fruit and nut trees Protects and preserves the Canadian environment Assists residents in understanding and participating in environmental activities in local communities. Contributions will not be made towards the following: Projects on private residential property; Lobbying or advocacy activities; Projects completed before the application is reviewed; Projects taking place outside of Canada; Salaries (where salaries represent a significant proportion of the total amount requested); Projects that benefit individuals or businesses. Eligible Project Costs may include: Site preparation Calliper tree(s) purchase Materials (guards, mulch, stakes, mycorrhizal fungal associate) 3-year maintenance fund Site supervision and assessments Workshop delivery Application Evaluation Tree Canada staff review the Edible Trees applications and make recommendations for funding support according to the established guidelines. They are evaluated on the following basis: Innovation: Demonstrated understanding of the purpose of the program and in designing a creative program that promotes innovative practice. Community Involvement: Demonstrated ability to involve the community, other not-for-profit organizations and volunteers. Technical Expertise: Demonstrated capacity that the expertise is present or can be sought to guide the applicants in its efforts. Grant recipients may be encouraged to use a portion of their funding to include an educational component. Promotion: A commitment to publicize the Program, including program partners, Tree Canada and Funders, in a variety of ways that may include a launch event, press release and reaching out to local print media. Evaluation: That a system is in place at the community level to evaluate the success of the program 3 years into the future.

Read more http://www.treecanada.ca