Community Solutions Grant

Community Solutions Grant

ROUND 3

$5,000 & $10,000 grants to catalyze
short-term NetWorked action projects

Applications will open soon for the
2024 Round 3 cycle.

THE GRANT OPPORTUNITY

The NetWorked Community Solutions Grant makes funding available

to encourage collaboration among NetWorked participants

through cross-sector team building and collective action.

The NetWorked Community Solutions Grant is a project by NetWork Kansas with funding support from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, the Kansas Health Foundation

and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

During Round 1, $65,000 in grant funding was awarded.

In Round 2, $95,000 in grant funding was awarded.

Quick Links
Click to select link

Round 2 FAQs

ROUND 3 APPLICATION TIMELINE

Applications open
Monday, June 14, 2024 at 8 a.m CT

Applications close
Tuesday, July 12, 2024 at 5 p.m. CT

Full timeline included below in participation terms section.

Kansas-based organizations that participate in NetWorked may apply. Applications will be considered in the order in which they are received.

Read below for the full terms of participation.

Application Timeline

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

Complete applications will include ALL of the following documents. The project application can accept document uploads.

Experiencing upload difficulties? - Lead applicants may request a secure link from christina@cmlcollective.com to upload documents to Dropbox in instances of technical difficulties attempting to upload through this application portal.

Uploaded documents submitted by secure link must be turned in within the same day of the application being submitted to be considered a complete application.

Grant application (Google Form). Only electronic forms are accepted.

CLICK HERE to preview blank form. Hardcopy forms will not be accepted.

Budget Template (Excel Form)

W9 - (Fillable Adobe PDF) To be submitted by lead applicants only.

ACH Authorization Form - (Fillable MS Word Doc)

Marketing Release Form - (Fillable MS Word Doc)

APPLY

Participation Terms

Application Documents

PARTICIPATION TERMS

Please read carefully as some terms will be updated for Round 3

WHO CAN APPLY?

Project teams must have representation from at least three different sectors found below:

Community Development Organizations
Community Foundations
Economic Development Organizations
Entrepreneurship Support Organizations
Health Foundations
Health Organizations
Minority-Led Organizations

Organizations that are eligible to apply have either: participated in a past NetWorked virtual convening, signed up for NetWorked's distribution list, attended one of the NetWorked in-person conferences and/or participated on a NetWorked grant-awarded project team for rounds 1 or round 2.

NEW FOR ROUND 2:

Project Teams may include up to two Kansas-based organizations that have not been NetWorked participants in the past or that are brand-new to NetWorked.

Kansas-based NetWorked participant organizations may apply on behalf of their project teams. To be a Lead Applicant, an organization must be legally-structured as one of the following entity types:

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations or 501(c)(6) as defined by the IRS (except churches, political organizations or individuals acting as a for-profit or nonprofit organization)
For-profit businesses in good standing with the Kansas Secretary of State's Office
Government entities with Federal Employer Identification Number

Eligibility List - for Lead Applicants and to view potential project team members.

The following list is a collection of participants on file who have participated in a past NetWorked virtual convening, signed up for NetWorked's distribution list, attended one of the NetWorked in-person conferences and/or participated on a NetWorked Round 1 grant-awarded project team.
Updates to the list are expected as the list does not include individuals who previously participated but who did not include their organizational affiliations or complete contact information. The list also does not include NetWork Kansas staff or sponsors.

The final list for Round 2 is now published and will not be changed through the duration of Round 2.

A REMINDER - Round 2 does allow up to two new-to-NetWorked participants

to be added to Project Teams.

Thanks, in advance, for assisting with providing a most-accurate list.

Eligible Lead Applicant List

By downloading this list, you and your organization acknowledge using it for the intended purpose in alignment with the NetWorked for Change grant and the NetWorked Partnership for Community Investment.

The project team is responsible for collaborating on the grant application and should plan to:

Identify a common agenda that is aligned with the chosen, approved NetWorked Impact Area. Eligible Impact Areas (select one):
- Entrepreneurship Support - defined as projects that are focused on serving entrepreneurs, business owners and/or leaders of social enterprises (not new business starts)
- Health and Health Equity - defined as projects that are focused on improving active living, healthy eating, tobacco prevention or reducing disparities in access to care
- Community Development - defined as projects that are focused on helping people and/or groups to improve neighborhoods and/or public spaces
Determine a shared activity or shared activities that support the common agenda and represent an eligible project type. Eligible project types (select one):
- Community Input – A surveying or community conversation project to solicit public input on a matter relevant to the selected impact area
- Community Outreach – An event that involves gathering the public to discuss and engage in activities that are relevant to the selected impact area
- Community Service - A project that engages volunteers and others to benefit an effort, initiative or goal relevant to the selected impact area
- Marketing - digital and/or hardcopy campaigns to educate the public on a matter relevant to the selected impact area
Project teams will:
- Submit a project plan and budget as part of the application.
- Create a work plan with measurable goals
- Execute the work plan
- Use grant funding as intended and as communicated through the grant application, work plan and project budget
- Report learning, activity and/or impact through monthly reports and a final report

WHAT ARE PROJECT TEAM ROLES?

Each project team must identify an individual to fill each of the following roles. Best practice has proven that one person should not fill multiple roles.

Lead Applicant - Must be existing NetWorked participant as defined above

Agrees to be identified and named as the Lead Applicant on the grant application for the project team
Accepts grant funds into the Lead Applicant's organization to be used for the intended project
Agrees to use the grant funds for the intended project
Manages the project budget by paying and tracking project expenses
Maintains accurate project budget statements
Collects project-related invoices, receipts and other financial documents on behalf of the project team
Submits accurate and timely financial information for the final project report template
Serves as the point of contact for financial-related inquiries that are routed to the project team by NetWorked

Project Coordinator -

Serves as the primary point of contact for project-related inquiries that are routed to the project team by NetWorked
Is responsible for overseeing project planning and logistics
Coordinates suppliers/vendors/volunteers/speakers, as applicable, for the project team
Manages project timelines, due dates and deadlines to ensure project is efficiently implemented
Oversees internal and external project-related communication for the project team
Oversees the coordination of marketing and external project-related communication
Leads trouble-shooting for project-related challenges

Reporter -

Oversees data collection and reporting (i.e. participant reach, demographics, etc.)
Serves as the primary monthly report writer for the team
Gathers information from project team members and the Lead Applicant to enter into the monthly project team report and the final project team report
Submits complete project team reports monthly and the final project team report
Organizes project team meeting agendas
Captures project team meeting minutes
Supports the project coordinator when collecting information for internal and external project-related communication

Project teams may identify additional roles within the grant application, as applicable.

ARE MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS PER ORGANIZATION OR PROJECT TEAM ALLOWED?

No; organizations may only participate on one project team UNLESS the organization is a statewide organization with offices in distinct geographies
Individuals cannot serve on more than one project team
Project teams should only submit one project during the application period

CAN ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATE AS A LEAD APPLICANT ON MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS?

No; organizations serving as the Lead Applicant may only serve as Lead Applicant on one project team

WHAT ARE ELIGIBLE PROJECT TYPES?

Projects MUST be brand-new efforts that meets the eligibility criteria within the NetWorked impact area and project type.

Project teams will select ONE of the following NetWorked impact areas:

Entrepreneurship Support - defined as projects that are focused on serving entrepreneurs, business owners and/or leaders of social enterprises (not new business starts)
Health and Health Equity - defined as projects that are focused on improving active living, healthy eating, tobacco prevention or reducing disparities in access to care
Community Development - defined as projects that are focused on helping people and/or groups to improve neighborhoods and/or public spaces
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion - defined as projects that are focused on improving diversity, equity and inclusion among groups, organizations and/or communities.

Project teams will select ONE of the following project types within their chosen impact area:

Community Input – A surveying or community conversation project to solicit public input on a matter relevant to the selected impact area
Community Outreach – An event that involves gathering the public to discuss and engage in activities that are relevant to the selected impact area
Community Service - A project that engages volunteers and others to benefit an effort, initiative or goal relevant to the selected impact area
Marketing - digital and/or hardcopy campaigns to educate the public on a matter relevant to the selected impact area

Project teams will submit a project plan and budget as part of the application.

WHAT ARE INELIGIBLE PROJECT TYPES?

Project types that are not one of the eligible project types will be considered ineligible.

Project types that advance a previously-awarded proposal.

HOW WILL PROJECTS BE SELECTED FOR FUNDING?

Applications that are complete and that meet eligibility criteria will be considered for funding in the order received until grant dollars are exhausted.

WHAT GUIDANCE WILL BE USED TO ANALYZE APPLICATIONS?

NetWorked Community Solution Grant applications will be analyzed for:

Eligibility - The project and its team members must meet the grant eligibility requirements
Completeness - The grant applications are submitted in full; incomplete applications will not be reviewed or considered for funding; applications may not be edited once they are submitted
Project plan - The project should reflect the specified impact area with clear approaches, success indicators and implementation processes to better ensure success
Proposal quality - The project is assessed for planning and programmatic quality with particular emphasis on projects with actions, methods or approaches deemed as innovative, creative and achievable
Budget - The budget narrative clearly describes and justifies project costs

HOW MUCH IN FUNDING IS AVAILABLE PER PROJECT?

Eligible and complete applications will be worked in the order received until funding is exhausted.

The entire grant funding pool is $100,000
Project teams may apply for either $5,000 or $10,000 grants in support of their proposed project
No other funding amounts may be requested or awarded
Matching funds are not required for this grant fund
Administrative expenses may not exceed 25 percent of the grant award

WHAT IS THE FUNDING PERIOD?

September 1, 2024-April 1, 2025 (7 months); Final report due: April 30, 2024

WHAT ARE ALLOWABLE EXPENSES?

NetWorked Community Solution grants are designed for short-term needs and may include covering expenses related to:

Convening support – venue fees, refreshments
Curriculum, books
Engagement incentives - gift cards, gas cards, swag - branded t-shirts, pens, cups, mugs and other promotional materials
Paid advertising campaigns – social media, radio, internet, mobile, etc.
Postage - Stamps, envelopes
Printing - postcards, flyers, posters, banners, brochures, etc.
Short-term staffing support for projects – stipends, honorariums, facilitators
Software/technology for action projects– public engagement tools (i.e. Telephone Town Halls, surveys, pop-up kiosks, etc.)
Supplies - Office supplies, equipment

WHAT ARE INELIGIBLE EXPENSES?

Ineligible funding expenses include:

Purchased Vehicles
Contributions to capital campaigns
Operating deficits or retirement of debt
Construction projects, real estate acquisitions
Endowments
Grants to individuals
Annual fund drives
Fundraising events
Political activities, lobbying and/or Candidate endorsements
Religious activities
Refinancing existing debt
Acquisition of or holding passive investments such as commercial real
estate or purchasing securities
Repayment of delinquent federal or state income taxes
Repayment of taxes held in trust or escrow, e.g., payroll or sales taxes
Increasing a pool of funds that generates tax credits
Financing non-grant purposes, and / or financing costs other than what
is described in the grant application

WHAT IS THE APPLICATION TIMELINE?

May 23, 2024 | Round 3 Announced
June 7, 2024 | Round 2 Grant Overview Call | 9 a.m.-9:30 a.m. via Zoom
June 14, 2024 | 8 a.m. Grant application opens
July 12, 2024 | 5 p.m. Grant application closes
August 9, 2024 | Award announcements
September 1, 2024-April 1, 2025 | Project Demonstration
Final report due April 30, 2025

WHAT SHOULD PROJECT TEAMS DO IF THEY DON'T EXPEND ALL GRANT FUNDING BY CONCLUSION OF THE PROJECT DEMONSTRATION?

Project teams are expected to expend all awarded grant funds
If more than $1,000 is remaining in unused funds, the project team is expected to return funds to NetWork Kansas
Funds may be returned by a check made payable to the Kansas Center for Entrepreneurship dba NetWork Kansas or, through an email request for an ACH debit initiated by NetWork Kansas; additional details to follow
Remaining funds of $999 or less, may remain with the project team and is not expected to be returned to NetWorked

WHAT IS THE APPLICATION FORMAT?

The grant application is presented in English as an electronic application using Google technology
In addition to short answer, paragraph answer and multiple choice formats, the application will require document uploads
Hardcopy grant applications will not be accepted
NetWorked recommends accessing the hardcopy preview application, completing the responses in MS Word and transitioning final responses into the electronic application
NetWorked is not responsible for application errors resulting from difficulties with the Google platform
Incomplete, ineligible and/or denied applications may not be edited or resubmitted

HOW WILL GRANTS BE AWARDED?

Grants will be awarded by NetWork Kansas through ACH deposits
Grant award decisions are final
The Lead Applicant organization will receive the grant award on behalf of the project team
Lead applicant and project teams will receive a Grant Award Letter and must opt-in to receive grant funds
All project team members must sign the Grant Award Letter before funding is disbursed
The Grant Award Letter may have additional data collection needs; please follow directions completely

WHAT ARE GRANT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS?

Awarded project teams will be required to:

Perform project planning and implementation
Submit monthly reports to NetWorked using an electronic reporting template that will be provided to awardees

WILL FUTURE GRANTS BE AVAILABLE THROUGH NETWORKED?

Future grant initiatives will be considered but are not guaranteed

Because grants are competitive, neither NetWorked, NetWork Kansas,

Blue Cross and Blue Shield, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation nor Kansas Health Foundation staff are able to have individual conversations concerning the grant with prospective applicants.