PROJECT:CONNECT - SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMMING COMPETITION

Grant: Project:Connect – Summer Youth Programming Competition
Foundation: MacArthur Foundation; Humanities, Arts, Science and Technology Advanced Collaboratory; Born This Way Foundation; and Mozilla
Deadline: June 10, 2013 for programs taking place July – September 2013.

Description: The Digital Media and Learning Competition, administered by the Humanities, Arts, Science and Technology Advanced Collaboratory (HASTAC) and supported by The MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with the Born This Way Foundation and Mozilla is now accepting proposals for their newest initiative Project:Connect – Summer Youth Programming Competition. Proposals should layout a plan for summer events and programs that excite and enable youth to engage the web in civil, collaborative, productive, safe and confidence-building ways.  

Specifically, funds would support single or multi-day participatory and hands-on learning experiences to be held at U.S. based organizations between the months of July and September 2013. These hands-on learning experiences may include any one of the following:

• Journalism and communication labs where young people – acting as reporters, bloggers and podcasters – participate in the creation of public media that engages questions of equity, good citizenship, privacy, collaboration and sharing on the web.
• Hackathons where youth, along with mentoring developers and educators, design, prototype and/or code software; or develop learning programs that promote a better web for learning through connecting and connecting through learning.
• Digital learning labs which provide hands-on experience using digital tools for connecting safely, collaborating purposefully, and communicating effectively via the web.
• Testing labs where young people can evaluate software and online learning programs that promote good web citizenship, or a better web for learning and sharing.
• Mentoring or leadership workshops which identify potential peer instructors and mentors, and provide them with opportunities to learn how to support and mentor others effectively and respectfully in web-based connected learning programs and applications.
• Badge development workshops where youth can develop badges for recognizing and rewarding effective digital citizenship, promoting privacy, effective web participation and connected learning opportunities.

Winning projects are expected to create social apps, badging programs and other learning content that creates social good, enables online literacy and the control of information. The goal is to develop a program that gives young people hands-on experiences in creating, testing and investigating ways to make using the web a better place to learn, connect, make, contribute and share.

All grantees will be required to document their experiences in a public way, and share learning materials, media and digital tools developed at Project:Connect events. Additionally, each grantee will be invited to join online webinars in preparation of their awarded events to discuss mentoring, post-event activities and ongoing web networking for youth participants.

Fit for Public Broadcasting: The MacArthur Foundation is a longtime friend of public media, and stations will find an excellent fit through this new Digital Media and Learning opportunity. The call for proposals identifies journalism and communication labs among the list of eligible activities where youth have the opportunity to create public media based content. Stations have both the expertise and knowledge to take the lead here. Those with experience in community outreach and youth media initiatives are especially encouraged to apply.  

Eligibility: Stations are eligible to apply directly as are other U.S. based nonprofit learning, development and civic engagement institutions and organizations (including museums, libraries, after school and summer programs).

Anticipated Funding: A total of $150,000 is expected to be distributed among 15 awards. Each award will be made for up to $10,000.

How to Apply: All Digital Media and Learning applications must be submitted using FastApps. Online submission can be a timely process for those unfamiliar to the system. Be sure to begin your application early to ensure it is submitted on time. Detailed information on using the FastApps system can be found by scrolling to the bottom of this application resource page.  

Resources
Call for Proposals
How to Apply
Frequently Asked Questions
The Official Digital Media and Learning Website