CivxNow works with and supports coalitions and entities operating within a state that are committed to advancing meaningful and bipartisan civic learning policy and practice improvements that are consistent with the recommendations outlined in the CivxNow Policy Menu. We believe that work at the state-level needs to be driven by state actors — such as the successes in Massachusetts and Illinois — and that a national organization’s best role is to facilitate and support their work so local advocates can drive the policy solutions that make sense for their state.
To assist state-level coalitions/task forces in their coalition-building and policy work, we have opened an RFP to give the opportunity to submit an application for up to $20,000 in funding through CivxNow, a project of iCivics.
State Coalition Grant Opportunity FAQ
This is the moment to rebuild the nation’s civic strength. We need to invest in civic education. CivxNow seeks proposals from state-level civic learning coalitions to help support their coalition work and accelerate their policy progress.
How can I apply?
- The application is available online here.
When can I apply?
- The RFP is now open. All proposals must be submitted by Friday, February 5th, 2021 at 5pm ET.
When will grant applicants be notified of funding decisions?
- Grant applicants will be notified of funding decisions by Monday, February 22nd, 2021.
How much funding can I apply for?
- Grant applicants can apply for up to $20,000 in funding.
How can I use the funding?
- Funding provided through this program can only be used to support coalition expenses, including the following: (a) meeting and event expenses; (b) surveys, research, and reports; © portion of staff time for leadership of a state coalition; (d) printing and communications; (e) direct mailings; (f) website expenses directly related to the work of the state coalition; and (g) PR and/or social media expenses directly related to work of state coalition. Funds may not be used to fund or reimburse a lobbyist, any political purpose or any expenses not directly related to a state coalition working to change/improve state policies and/or practice in K-12 civic learning aligned with CivxNow State Policy Menu.
When does the grant end?
- Grant recipients must spend the funding and meet the deliverables outlined in their proposal and the grant agreement by October 31st, 2021.
Who can apply?
- To be eligible for this grant opportunity, applying state-level coalitions/task forces must be a member in good standing of the CivxNow State Policy Task Force, be an official CivxNow state coalition affiliate, and identify a 501(c)(3) lead applicant/fiduciary entity to apply for/receive the grant. To become a CivxNow State Policy Task Force member and/or CivxNow state coalition affiliate, please contact Patricia Leslie-Brown, Manager of CivxNow projects.
What documents do I need to apply?
- Applicants will need to submit contact information for the state-level coalition and applying institution, coalition membership list, coalition recruitment list, list of policymakers with which you work or plan to work, description of your coalition goals over the next 2–3 years, tactics you will employ to achieve those goals, description of the conditions in your state that will make it likely you can achieve your goals, description of the challenges you may face in achieving your goals, a project budget, list of potential matching funds. In case it is helpful, the application questions can also be viewed as a PDF here, but applications must be submitted via the RFP form.
How will it be decided which applications get funding?
- Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of the likelihood that the funds provided will accelerate progress toward sustainable civic education policy results in the state as well as the level of commitment of the stakeholders. In addition to the overall quality of the proposal, priority will be given to applicants who have or will commit to raising matching funds. Proposals will be evaluated by a review committee comprised of the policy leadership of CivxNow as well as state policy experts including: Shawn Healy, Senior Director of State Policy and Advocacy, iCivics; Ted McConnell, Senior Policy Advisor, CivxNow; Andrew Wilkes, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy, Generation Citizen. CivxNow will publish the full list of the review committee members. The final grant awards will be made by the leadership of iCivics based on the recommendations from the review committee. Reviewers will not be allowed to evaluate or participate in any way in the review of proposals submitted by entities for which they have a fiduciary or managerial responsibility.
Will I have to report to anyone on the grant progress?
- Grant recipients will be required to submit to iCivics by December 31st, 2021 a financial report showing how funds were used during the grant period, as well as a narrative report demonstrating how the grant helped advance the state-level work.
Who is funding these grants?
- Funding will be distributed by iCivics, and recipients will sign a grant agreement with iCivics. These funds are generously made available through a grant CivxNow, a project of iCivics, received from Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Who do I contact with questions?
- Should you have any questions, please contact Patricia Leslie-Brown, Manager of CivxNow projects.
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