Dragons Community Grant Fund

Dragons Community Grant Fund

In an effort to give back to our incredible community partners, Where There Be Dragons manages Community Grant Fund. This fund awards grants to community organizations based on a comprehensive application process. Ultimately, the goal of the fund is to provide community organizations with financial support for local projects and to provide a mechanism for Dragons administration, instructors, and students to give back to the places that so generously welcome Dragons participants. All applications are reviewed by a Community Grant Fund Committee and awarded on an annual basis.

The Dragons Community Grant Fund is supported by under-budget funds from student programming. At the end of each term, 100% of seasonal total under budget funds will be designated to support the Dragons Community Grant Fund.

Grant Proposal Guidelines

Giving Philosophy

Through community grants Where There Be Dragons hopes to help address needs and opportunities in the communities in which we work, and thereby better fulfill our organization’s mission statement and core values. Emphasis is placed on supporting projects that will have many beneficiaries, are community-oriented, and will have a continuing benefit to the community.

Funding

Grants range from $500-$5,000 per applicant. Dragons reserves the right to adjust the amount awarded to grantees at their discretion.

Eligibility Criteria:

Grants are available to any community member or community organization that meets all of the following criteria:

• Applications may be submitted either directly by a community member/organization, or by a Dragons instructor, alumni instructor, or former student on behalf of a community member/organization.
• The individual/organization must demonstrate a recent (within the last 2 years) or ongoing relationship with Dragons as an organization.
• If an applicant is a current member of Dragons administrative staff or a member of the staff’s immediate family, then the administrative staff may not serve on the the Community Grant Committee for the funding cycle when that application will be considered.  
• The objectives of the project and projected cost must be shared in the application process.
• Applications must be submitted online using the stated format, unless otherwise requested in writing.
• An individual/organization must submit a completed grant proposal by the stated deadline.

Review Criteria:

Applications will be assessed based on the following criteria:

• the potential impact on a local community – including the number beneficiaries and the potential for continuing benefit to the community;
• clarity of the project plan, including the viability of the objectives and the proposed timeline, and the clarity of the cost structure;
• the amount of community involvement in design, implementation, and leadership of the project;
  strength of applicant’s relationship with Dragons; and
• thoroughness of the application.

How To Apply:

All applications must be completed using this form (unless otherwise requested in writing):

Dragons Community Grant Fund Application

Additional supporting documents can be submitted via email to jessica@wheretherebedragons.com with the subject “Community Grant Fund Additional Documents – XXX Project.”

Please note that Dragons will primarily communicate with the applicant via email so the email address provided in the application should be checked regularly.

Application Deadlines:

Applications open on February 1 and close on June 1, annually. Applications are reviewed in June and award announcements are made in June-July. Applications may be submitted at any time during the year. A maximum of 2 applications per individual/organization is permitted per year. Submitting a proposal does not guarantee funding. Any requests for information should be emailed to jessica@wheretherebedragons.com.

Restrictions:

The Dragons Community Grant Fund does *not provide funding for:

• Academic research
• Individual scholarships
• Fundraising events, sponsorships, or advertising
• International travel for applicant
• Endowment or memorial campaigns
• Government agencies

* Note: If a need is identified within the above categories, please reach out directly to the Program Director of that region to begin a conversation of how Dragons might be able to support.

Award Process:

Designated Community Grant Fund Committee members will review grant proposals to select which, if any, projects to fund. Applicants will be notified via e-mail about the decision related to their proposal after application review is complete. Awards will typically be made in *June of each year.

*Note: At the Committee’s discretion, time-sensitive proposals may be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Note that all applicants agree that if a grant is awarded the individual and/or organization will be asked to acknowledge Dragons as a sponsor of their project and are also asked for permission to publish or reproduce any materials provided during the application and/or reporting processes.