News - The Sparkplug Foundation - A Prospect for Community Radio
The Sparkplug Foundation: A Prospect for Community Radio
April 12, 2010
When approaching foundations, the trick is always to find the funders that are most like your organization in three key ways:
- Mission: what they say they do.
- Action: what they actually do – i.e., who they support.
- Spirit: how they view the world and their role in it.
The Sparkplug Foundation is a small foundation that is a good candidate for smaller, community-based radio stations. Note that the Foundation does not fund video/film. The Sparkplug Foundation supports grassroots, "on the ground" organizations in three areas: music, especially new voices and ideas, education and grassroots organizing. It focuses on providing start-up and capacity-building funds to new organizations and prefers to support small organizations that run on small budgets. The Foundation wants to make one-time grants that help organizations become more sustainable. It has a strong social justice orientation and looks for projects that fit into that framework. Grants are $10,000 and below.
All interested applicants must call the Foundation to discuss their proposed project prior to submitting a proposal. The next deadline to call the Foundation to talk through an application is 6:00 PM EST on Friday, May 7, 2010. All calls made before May 7, 2010 will be returned in sufficient time for application submission. Once you have spoken with a Foundation representative, the Organization Application form should be completed and mailed in. Complete proposals must be received by the Foundation by Friday, May 21, 2010.
For more information on foundations in your region that support equipment needs, contact Amie Miller, DEI Foundation Development Advisor, at amie@deiworksite.org.
