Apply to host a Community Conversation
Application guidelines
We invite you to apply for support to hold a "Ready for 21st Century Careers" Community Conversation to discuss how to work together to improve METS education for children in your community.
APPLY ONLINE
FAQs
Who is Eligible to Apply?
Any entities located in Jackson, Johnson, Clay, Platte or Wyandotte counties are invited to apply. Eligible entities include, but are not limited to, neighborhood associations, libraries, churches, school districts and other school-related organizations, employers and business associations, social service agencies and other community-based organizations.
APPLICATION DEADLINE IS 5 P.M., JULY 1
The Regional METS Leadership Coalition will review all applications and select a limited number of communities to receive technical assistance and financial support of up to $2,000 to host Community Conversations in the fall of 2008.
Hosting a Community Conversation will help your community:
- Work together more effectively to make sure students are ready to succeed in life
- Learn powerful new ways to bring people together to address all kinds of important issues
- Attract new employment opportunities and other resources to the region
- Become part of an important regional initiative and national model for student success
This initiative is supported by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
What Support Sponsoring Committees Will Receive
- Financial Support: Each sponsoring committee will receive up to $2,000 to support its Community Conversation. The money covers refreshments, printing, postage, childcare and other costs and will be paid on a reimbursement basis.
- Technical Assistance: Public Agenda and One KC Voice will provide a variety of materials, tools and training to guide you through the planning process and to help you build your capacity to engage the community on this and other issues. Sponsoring committees are also eligible to receive technical support for follow-up activities such as holding additional conversations, developing supplemental online engagement efforts or implementation of conversation recommendations.
Tips for Applicants
To apply to host a Community Conversation, you will need to form a local sponsoring committee made up of organizations and/or representatives from a broad cross-section of the community to plan and carry out the event. Your application should demonstrate that:
- Several community entities are willing to work on this initiative together, not just one.
- You and your community partners recognize the importance of improving math, engineering, technology and science education and will use the Community Conversation process to inform policy decisions, help refine ongoing projects, or start meaningful new initiatives aimed at helping students succeed in these areas.
- You are committed to creating an open, problem-solving dialogue about solutions rather than pushing a predetermined agenda.
- You are committed to including individuals and groups in your community who are under-represented in most public forums and decision-making processes.
- Capacity building around community engagement would be valuable to sponsoring committee members and the community beyond the scope of this initiative.
FUNDED APPLICATIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AUG. 1
Community Conversations will be held in selected communities in fall 2008.
Questions about the application process may be directed to: One KC Voice, 816/474-4240.
about
This initiative is part of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's 10-year agenda to improve math, engineering, technology and science education in the Kansas City region.
Project background
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calendar
| 7/1 | Application deadline |
| 8/1 | Funded applications announced |
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