The Miami chapter of the Awesome Foundation, a global network that supports awesome community projects with $1,000 grants, will expand its local program with $20,000 from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Since its launch in January 2013, Awesome Foundation Miami has supported compelling ideas from local entrepreneurs and creatives that need seed funding to proceed. With Knight support, the Awesome Foundation work to expand its impact by increasing the dollar amount and number of grants it makes. Additionally, the Awesome Foundation will develop a social marketing campaign to attract more applicants and hold events to connect grantees with each other and the community. In this way, the Awesome Foundation hopes to become a well-known source of small-scale funding for the best community ideas and create new ways to spotlight the work of grantees.
“We
have only just begun to tap into the ideas of Miami’s creative community, like
funding surfing classes for kids and a community garden in Little Haiti” said
Natalia Martinez, trustee and dean of the Awesome Foundation Miami. “With our
increased capacity, we’re looking forward to discovering and supporting more of
these uniquely Miami ideas, as well as targeting outreach to specific groups in
our community.”
Grants are awarded monthly and applications can be submitted online by the 15th of every month. The application is available in English, Spanish and Creole to reflect the city’s composition. Funding is awarded with no strings attached.
Oct. 25, 2013 the Awesome Foundation Miami will host an event at the Wynwood Brewing Company. It will bring together grant winners, past and future applicants, and those interested in learning more about awesome projects that are happening in the Miami area. The event is free and available to the public.
The Awesome Foundation, founded in Boston in 2009, has since expanded to 80 chapters in 15 countries. Through these autonomous, self-funding chapters, $1,000 grants have been awarded to more than 650 projects that promote awesomeness in the universe, to total more than $660,000.
If any individuals would like to supplement the monthly grants the Awesome Foundation Miami accepts contributions through The Miami Foundation.
“Miami’s emergence as a center for arts, culture and tech is becoming clear, however we still need to find new and fun ways to support our local creative community,” said Matt Haggman, Knight Foundation program director in Miami. “The Awesome Foundation is doing just that by creating an approachable, viable source of small grants for innovative ideas.”
Comments