CALLING ALL ARIZONA LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS! The Arizona REALTORS Foundation for Housing and Community Outreach, a subsidiary corporation to the Arizona Association of REALTORS presents the 2015 The Foundation Challenge! The Foundation wants to engage REALTOR associations in a competition to receive funds to implement a small community project such as installing a park bench, planting a flower bed, or starting a community garden. The emphasis of the project is lighter, quicker cheaper. What is it? It s a grant program available to local associations in Arizona. How much money can you get? Up to $1,000 for each of AAR s five (5) regions to implement your Foundation Challenge idea. What can the money be used for? The intent of the grant is to promote lighter, quicker and cheaper placemaking ideas in your local association community. What is Lighter, Quicker & Cheaper Placemaking? It is the act of creating or enhancing a space, typically outdoors; that is a desirable local to gather, hang out, people watch, meet up, and have an aesthetic value to it that makes it a destination. Examples are creating a community garden, planting a flower bed in a heavy foot traffic area, or installing a community book exchange box in a common area. How do I apply? The AAR Region Vice Presidents are the coordinators for the Foundation Challenge: Mary Roberts, Region 1 VP (Bullhead, Kingman, Lake Havasu, Yuma); MRoberts2@Frontiernet.net Bill Ashker, Region 2 VP (Phoenix, WEMAR); bill_ashker@yahoo.com Beth Adams, Region 3 VP (Northern AZ, Prescott, Sedona, Central & White Mountain); BAdams@desert2mountain.com Jim Amdahl, Region 4 VP (Scottsdale, SEVRAR, Western Pinal;jimamdahl@cox.net Yvette Palmer, Region 5 VP (Santa Cruz, Douglas, Graham Greenlee, Green Valley, Southeast AZ, Tucson); YPalmer11@gmail.com What is the deadline? Applications must be filed at the AAR office no later than close of business September 25 th.
Contact the Region VP in your community and request an application packet. What else should I know about this opportunity? Your idea should be quick and easy to implement with a small capital investment, some elbow grease and a handful of volunteers. For more information, please contact Monicaschulik@aaronline.com or call 602-248-7787.
Instructions for Application Form Thank you for being a part of the REALTOR The Foundation Challenge. The Foundation Challenge is a low-cost high impact of incremental framework for improving your community in short order. As a strategy, it has produced some of the world s most successful public spaces, capitalizing on the create energy of the community. Application Information Our The Foundation Challenge Initiative Description: In 200 words or less, describe how your project or activity turns an underutilized common space into a vibrant, bustling, enjoyable space, quickly and creatively. Amount Requested: Enter the level of funding desired. Grants are awarded up to $1,000 Start Date: Date of program start: End Date: Date of program completion: Name and Contact Information: Name of the Local Association submitting the application. Name, address, phone number and email address for the person from the local association most knowledgeable about the proposal. Provide an email address for the contact person where you want all correspondence to be sent. Also include a website address of the organization if applicable. THE FOUNDATION CHALLENGE Initiative Information 1. Explain how funds will be spent to meet The Foundation Challenge goals. Using the attached matrix, tell us a little about how your unique the Foundation Challenge initiative will transform or enhance a space and spark social engagement, and perhaps even support other place making activities in your community. Program/Project Participants: Number of Individuals to Benefit: State the estimated number of people who will participate in and/or benefit from your event, activity or the neighborhood improvement project. 2. Explain how your idea will contribute to the neighborhood or community.? How might this lead to social connections? What demand do you see for this activity? 3. What neighborhood/community activities supplement your Foundation Challenge initiative? Complete and attach the Power of 10 assessment form. 4. Have you secured permission from the appropriate organization(s) if your project involves public or private space? 5. List the REALTOR sponsor, company and email for the Foundation Challenge initiative along with a short statement from the sponsor affirming the project goals from his/her perspective. 6. Seeing is believing; please email a photo of the project site to the program coordinator at your Local Association. This photo will provide visual support for the project as well as demonstrate an applicant s ability to comply with the project requirements.
The Foundation Challenge Power of 10 What is the Power of 10? At the core of the Power of 10 is the idea that any great place needs to offer at least 10 things to do or 10 reasons to be there. These could include a place to sit, playgrounds to enjoy, art to touch, music to hear, food to eat, history to experience and people to meet. Ideally, some of these activities are unique to that particular spot and are interesting enough to keep people coming back. The local folks who use the space most regularly are the best source of ideas of what will work best. See more at http://wwww.pps.org/reference/the-power-of-10/ PPS uses the Power of 10 to start off a Placemaking process. As you begin your project, instruct your team to think about the special places in your neighborhood or community. How many quality places are located in your project space? How connected are they? Are there places that should be more meaningful? Answering these questions and completing the Power of 10 exercise will help you and our Judging Panel/Committee assess whether or not the LQC project described in the application is part of a greater transformative process in your neighborhood or community. Finally, the Power of 10 is proven to motivate citizens and energize turnaround in a neighborhood or community. It suggest that by starting efforts and the smallest scale, you can steadily accomplish big changes, It also gives people something tangible to strive for and helps them visualize what it takes to make their community great. Examples of Power of 10 See attached pages. 10 Top Attractions in my Community* Tell us about the top 5-10 special places in the targeted community/neighborhood. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
The Foundation Challenge Community Revitalizations Examples 1. Bike lending station 2. Community garden plot 3. Portable marketplace kiosk to test new local products 4. Community toolshed 5. Paint It! Day 6. Rain garden workshop and hands-on installation event 7. Bike map (paths, racks, etc.) 8. Walking tours highlighting cool neighborhoods, buildings, issues, with local experts 9. Eat local week 10. Local artists and authors event 11. Sporting amenities- movable basketball hoop, volleyball net + balls- at public centers like the library, for instant setup 12. Pedi cab service 13. Asset mapping event: what s cool in our community and how it could contribute more to the quality of life 14. Movable feast 15. Imagine our future: world café gathering 16. Butterfly garden/ backyard habitat workshop 17. Set up a creative complex of shipping containers big enough to make office/studio spaces for a design team that can work with neighborhood groups on making their parts of town more beautiful, multi-purpose and people-friendly ; including maker space and tool lending library and materials exchange 18. Local investment workshop with community activists and entrepreneurs, and bankers/investors/philanthropists 19. Simple hospitality center with a no-fee ATM, healthy food vending machine, bike racks and public seating near transit, sponsored by local banks 20. Parklet near a public area encouraging activity or socializing
The Foundation Challenge 2015 Application Form Our Foundation Challenge Initiative: Our Foundation Challenge Initiative will increase opportunities for social engagement and activity in the neighborhood and change the way people think about or utilize our community. Neighborhood /Location: Grant amount requested : ( range $250 to $1,000) Start Date: End Date: Name and Contact Information Name of Arizona Local Association Contact Person Address Daytime/Evening Telephone Number Email The following questions are designed to provide the Judging Panel information and details about your proposed project for the review process. Please refer to the Application Instructions for guidance. 1. Tell us more specifically about how the funds to be spent to meet one or both of the Foundation Challenge goals? Transform space into desirable spot for people to gather, eat, play enjoy, sit and perform or Enhance a space visually, providing a welcome environment for social interactions. Estimated number of individuals to benefit: 2. Your idea will contribute to the quality of life in the neighborhood or make the community a better or more interesting place to live because:
3. Placemaking research shows that it is not enough to have just one great place in the neighborhood- you need a number of them to create a truly lively community. Through the attached Power of 10 Exercise, tell us more about the great things to do or reasons to be in your community. 4. Y N I have secured permission as appropriate from any/all governing bodies, merchants, affiliated groups for use of the public space as outlined in this grant. 5. My REALTOR sponsor for the project or event is: Name Company Email I enthusiastically sponsor this project, because I want the neighborhood to be: (Insert REALTOR supporting statement here) 6. Please email a current PHOTO of your neighborhood/community The Foundation Challenge planned project area to your Local Association challenge grant coordinator. In addition, the Foundation Challenge winners are required to submit photos highlighting their project from start to finish. Photos do not need to be professional quality, rather show the before and after of the project, or during the scheduled activity. Additional information about submission of photos will be provided upon approval. Videos are also accepted. 7. Certification I certify that the information contained in this application is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Signature of Contact Person Date