Frequently asked questions

The following list of FAQs should answer nearly every question you may have about the grants for Newark collaborative projects through the Peer Learning + Collaboration Fund, but if we didn’t anticipate your question, email us at [email protected].

How much money can I request?

In total, we have $45,000 to distribute in Newark. We anticipate that projects will be funded in general ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 each, although you are welcome to make a lower or higher request. We will do our best to accommodate the financial needs of the selected projects. If your project is selected but we can’t fund it entirely and maintain equity for other awardees, we’ll reach out to talk to you about what is possible. Note that it’s very likely that your project will cost more in total than this grant can cover. We encourage you to have open, honest conversations with your collaborators about what each partner can contribute in-kind. (Be sure to think about equity when you are considering how to distribute the grant funding, too.) You could also seek out additional outside funding to support your work.

Are there limitations on what the grant funding may be used for?

Yes, there are some limitations, but not many. The funding must be used to directly support execution of the proposed collaborative reporting project. That can include covering costs related to staffing, acquisition of data, software, printing or other creation of physical artifacts, events, travel or a variety of other similar direct costs. The funding can not be used for lobbying efforts, to directly influence legislation, to influence the outcome of a public election or to carry on a voter registration drive. If you have any more questions about this, the Center’s staff is happy to discuss your concerns.

How quickly will we get the funding if we are awarded a grant?

We intend to notify our grant winners by Friday, Oct. 9, 2020. At that time you’ll be asked to supply additional documentation, including a W-9 for the organization(s) that will receive the funding and Montclair State’s vendor paperwork, which can be found at bit.ly/MSUnewsupplier. After your paperwork is complete, your funding should arrive within 30 days.

Can you disburse a grant to multiple organizations, or will only one organization be expected to receive and then further distribute the money?

We can divide up and disburse the grant funding to multiple organizations per project, if that makes things easier for you. Please note that on the application, under the questions “Is there anything else you want us to know about your project?”

Do I have to be a nonprofit to receive the grant funding?

No, you do not.

Are individuals or sole proprietors eligible to apply?

Yes, as long as they are part of a collaborative effort.

Can a collaborative group comprised solely of individuals or sole proprietors apply?

Yes.

Can we put in applications for multiple projects?

An organization may be named as a collaborator on multiple grant applications, but people from the same organization may not be named as the project manager on multiple grant applications. This is to ensure fairness and that a wide variety of organizations are engaged in these experimental collaborative projects.

Can we have multiple project managers?

You are welcome to have as many project managers in reality as you like, but your project must name one individual as the project manager for the sake of the grant process. Note that research by the Center has found that the most successful collaborations employ one sole project manager (a third party is best, but that’s not often feasible for temporary, smaller projects such as what we’re aiming to fund here).

What if our project won’t be completed within three months?

Your project must at least begin to be publicly published, broadcast, streamed or otherwise disseminated within three months. If you run into issues, let the Center know.

What happens if one of our partners backs out?

This is an unfortunate reality that many collaborative projects struggle with. If you are awarded funding and a partner later backs out, the Center will work with you to finding new partners. If you are unable to secure new partners and the project becomes infeasible, you will be asked to return the grant money and the Center will award it to another applicant.

Can you help us formulate our project?

Yes! The Center will offer coaching sessions during open office hours, which will be hosted by Kenny Miles over two weeks in September. You can join him during the weeks of Sept. 14 and Sept. 21 on Mondays 8-10am , Tuesdays 10am-2pm or Fridays 4-6pm by emailing him at [email protected]. We are also offering a series of worksheets and examples from another collaborative projects at collaborativejournalism.org/newarkworkshop. (Note that using the Center’s coaching services doesn’t count toward your objective scores for the grant application and won’t influence the final decisions.)

Is there anyone who could help us execute our project if we need extra help?

Yes. The Center can provide limited support and coaching for grant winners as needed; Kenny will work with you to coordinate this should you need it. While we aim to avoid directly managing your project, we can certainly support you in many other ways, including coaching on project management, documentation and execution.