YOUTH-LED SERVICE LEARNING GRANTS Sponsored by PAINTING FOR A PURPOSE Who s eligible to apply? Portland Public School students who are in 3rd grade 12th grade are eligible to apply. The grant is to be the idea of students and written by students. We welcome the assistance and mentoring of adults but this is a STUDENT grant. It is for students who want to make a difference in the community. How much money is available? You may apply for up to $500 for a project. How can you apply? Just complete a Youth-Led Service Learning Grant Application. Forms are available in hardcopy and electronically from Community Coordinators in all schools or by e- mailing Tina Edwards t2edwards@myfairpoint.net. Applications are available from our website: http://www.paintingforapurpose.net. There is only one grant award per project. A final report and documentation of the project is required. Submit completed applications to Tina Edwards, 26 Cove Road, Freeport, Maine 04032 or submit electronically to: t2edwards@myfairpoint.net. The deadline for 2014-2015 grants is November 21, 2014 February 13 and April 17, 2015. We hope to have decisions made within 2-3 weeks after the deadline. Who can I contact if I need help or have a question? Contact the Community Coordinator in your school if you need assistance with this grant or contact Tina Edwards at t2edwards@myfairpoint.net. What do I do to get started? The Process: Keep Reading!!!! What: Youth identify and research a need/problem in the community. How: Research could come from a variety of sources, such as Internet research, newspapers, or other materials Observing a community need Visiting a community agency Talking to city officials Getting an idea from a school class Surveys or interviews Researching your community problem is important so you are certain that you really understand the issue. After researching, it s time to come up with a plan to address the need or contribute to solving the problem. (This process is based on the KIDS model of service learning that s been used in Portland.)
Adult Allies For every grant, PFP requires an adult ally to partner with students. The adult ally can offer guidance and support to students if they need some help. However the proposal must originate from young people and be written by them. Grant funds will be sent to the school or agency not to individuals. Final Report and Documentation You ll be required to fill out a final reflection/evaluation form. You ll also be asked to document your project in some way so that we can showcase your project and demonstrate what PFP grants are doing in the community! Keep Reading!!! There is still more to come!
WHAT S YOUTH-LED SERVICE LEARNING?!? All PAINTING FOR A PURPOSE projects are youth-led service learning projects. These projects have three aspects: community impact, youth ownership, and learning. You can think of service learning like a stool with three legs. If you take away any leg, it won t be as strong! In your grant application, we want you to pay attention to: Community Impact: Your project addresses a community need. Youth Ownership: Young people play a key role in implementing the project. Learning: You are learning new things as you do this project.
PAINTING FOR A PURPOSE YOUTH-LED SERVICE-LEARNING GRANTS! Youth Names Age School Email/Phone (Best Way to Reach You) Youth Contact Person Email address Phone Number Adult Ally Email Address Phone Number THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED. PLEASE FOLLOW THIS FORMAT. 1. Project Description Provide a brief description of your project. (Attach a separate paper if needed.) What do you hope to accomplish with this project? Please include a timeline. 2. Community Impact: What is the community need you hope to address? How does your project meet this need? Who will benefit from this project? 3. Youth Ownership: How did you get interested in doing this project? How will each youth member be involved in the project? 4. Learning How will you assess your project s success? (How will you know if you are successful?) How will you document what you have learned through doing this project?
Please Provide a Budget: Budget Item Amount Supplies/Project Materials Transportation Equipment Guest Speakers Other Total Amount Requested Total Amount Awarded I (we) hereby acknowledge and agree to abide by all grant guidelines. Signature: Signature: Signature: Adult Ally Signature: Date:
What is Painting for a Purpose? Painting for a Purpose (PFP) is a group of people who love to paint and who care about education in Portland, Maine. Painting for a Purpose brings people together to create hand-painted whimsical furniture, hosts an annual auction in the fall to sell that furniture, and uses the proceeds to fund youth mini-grants for students to do projects that make a difference in the community. Our hope is to build on the learning that is happening already in Portland schools and excite students to put their learning into action. Since 1999, many Portland classrooms have been doing service learning. Currently, it s primarily designed and initiated by teachers. But it doesn t have to be this way. We want to make it easier for youth to make a difference in our community. We look forward to your grant proposals and hearing about how you want to make a difference!