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PROHIBITION COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GRANTS

PROHIBITION Community Engagement Grants

Grant: PROHIBITION Community Engagement Grants from WETA
Deadline: June 1, 2011

Description: PROHIBITION is a three-part, five-and-a-half-hour documentary film series directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick that tells the story of the rise, rule and fall of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the entire era it encompassed. The story of Prohibition's rise and fall is a compelling saga that goes far beyond the oft-told tales of gangsters, rum runners, flappers and speakeasies, to reveal a complicated and divided nation in the throes of momentous transformation. The film raises vital questions that are as relevant today as they were 100 years ago – about means and ends, individual rights and responsibilities, the proper role of government and finally, who is – and who is not – a real American.

WETA will offer grants of up to $5,000 to help stations explore themes and issues related to the film in their local markets. Station activities can include screenings and panel discussions, local productions, customized classroom materials, social networking, online modules and multi-media projects.

The grant activity period is from July 1, 2011 through January 1, 2012. Exceptions will be considered on request. The deadline for application is June 1, 2011, and grants will be announced June 10, 2011.

To help with the planning and execution of local activities, WETA will provide the following resources:

Florentine Films, WETA and PBS have partnered with The National Constitution Center (NCC) to support a national conversation about civility and democracy in America. Stations applying for grants are encouraged to create engagement campaigns using Prohibition as a historical lens to explore the role of dissent and protest in America in order to contextualize and address the current state of public discourse and the issue of civility. Key themes include the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, the concept of civic virtue, the importance of dissent and deliberation in America's constitutional democracy and the ways in which particular rhetorical modes and media forms can contribute or detract from productive public discourse. This joint initiative grew out of the NCC's Civility and Democracy Forum.

Stations are encouraged to partner with universities, museums, historical associations and libraries and draw from the fields of history, political philosophy, political science, law, sociology, journalism and communications.

Depending on the needs of individual communities and past successes, other activitieis for PROHIBITION may include:

  • Teacher workshops.
  • Screening events with community partners.
  • Digital storytelling workshops and story collection initiatives.
  • Youth summits.
  • Online modules and multi-media projects.

Stations must agree to the following:

  • Submit updates to WETA on station activities as well as a final narrative and financial report.
  • Agree to broadcast PROHIBITION on its national feeds (PDP station exception).
  • Promote local broadcast of PROHIBITION using all appropriate vehicles, including station website, program guide, radio and television promos and using only approved images and logos that will be provided by WETA.
  • Acknowledge outreach campaign funders on materials using appropriate logos and language provided by WETA.

Fit for Public Broadcasting: This grant is specifically for public media stations.

Eligibility: Any public media station that receives a CPB Community Service Grant (CSG) is eligible to apply for this grant.

Anticipated funding: WETA will offer grants up to $5,000 for an activity period from July 1, 2011 through January 1, 2012.

How to apply: Applicants must apply online.

Resources:
Program Notice
Sample Application
View program webinar and resources from April 20, 2011
PROHIBITION
WETA
Email Anne Harrington, Director of Interactive Media and Community Engagement at WETA