The Bonner FoundationSam Ha & Elvis Diaz

The Community Fund and Social Innovation Fund: Best Practices, Resources, and Future Ideas

AgendaCOMMUNITY FUND

• What is the Community Fund?

• Resources and Best Practices

1. Initial Knowledge and Motivation

2. Completion of Proposals

3. Approval and Selection Process

4. Tracking and Evaluation

• Questions/Feedback

SOCIAL INNOVATION FUND

• What is the Social Innovation Fund?

• Tentative Process/Ideas

• Questions/Feedback

What is the Community Fund?• Each semester, $50 per Bonner Scholar is set aside in

an accumulating reserve called the Community Fund

• Three intended uses:

Community ProgramBenefit program partner, donations to community-based organizations

Student ProgramExpenses to support/implement student-led service projects or programs

TrainingExpenses to support students to attend conferences or workshops

• Student initiated and managed process

4 Stages of Community Fund ProcessInitial

Knowledge & Motivation

How do you get applicants to know about the fund, its qualifications, and the process, and also be motivated to apply?

Completion of Proposals

What does an effective proposal look like, and how do you prepare and support applicants through this process?

Approval & Selection Process

What is an effective committee structure that will work for your campus?

Tracking and Evaluation

How do you track the progress or completion of funded projects? How do you evaluate the project’s impact?

Initial Knowledge and MotivationOne reason why students may not apply to use the

funds is because they do not know or have access to what these funds can be used for.

Recommendations:• Allot time for a Community Fund session or

workshop into Bonner Orientations or meetings• Facilitate a training on “Idea Generation”

Data collected from Community Fund usage:

~46%

~20%

~29%

Initial Knowledge and Motivation

Most usage of funding (~50%) is for small expenditures such as supplies, food, and background

checks.

Challenge CF applicants to use this fund for more creative, problem-solving projects.

Examples of CF-Funded Projects:• Davidson Refugee Support: Davidson students are partnering with Refugee

Support Services to build capacity within the organization and offer additional services for the refugee community. The students will develop ESL and test prep courses, nutrition and cooking classes, a community garden and community social events.

• Madison County Partnership for Children and Families: Madison County Partnership for Children and Families is one of our community partners. This organization received a $1,000 grant from us to purchase new children's books and literacy education materials/supplies.

• Heavy Industry Pollution Africatown: The Exposing Heavy Industrial Pollution in Africatown winter term project will allow Bonner Scholars to continue supporting the Africatown community in Mobile, Alabama, as they file a legal suit to hold industries accountable for the environmental and health detriments as a result of the over-pollution from those industries. Bonners will engage with the community and learn laboratory techniques to share with community members.

• Printed Book to Support Local Homeless-Support Nonprofit: Funds to print published interviews conducted of homeless clients at the local non-profit partner The Neighborhood Center by Jason Cruz. Printed books were sold to raise funds for new emergency bed space at the shelter.

Completion of ProposalsTitle of Proposal Student Name Student Email

Type of Community Fund Request

Community Program

Student Program

Training

• Goal Statement

• Project Overview

• Key Stakeholders

• Community Collaboration

• Student Motivation and Roles

• Sustainability

• Budget

• Workplan

Community Program

Completion of ProposalsResources:

• Template Community Fund Proposal is available for modification and use on the wiki

• Will eventually be programmed directly into BWBRS

• The Bonner Wiki also has many other examples of other CF proposal forms, among other resources and examples

Student submits application for funding

Committee approves applicationCommittee denies application

Application is reviewed by committee

Committee asks for

clarification

Bonner Coordinator reviews the committee’s recommendation

Coordinator denies application

Coordinator asks for

clarification

Student submits receipts for expenses

Funding approved

Approval and Selection Process

Approval and Selection Process•Bonner Senior Intern chairs the committee with one elected representative from each Bonner class (i.e. one first year, one sophomore, one junior, one senior).

•The committee is composed of two student representatives from each class (eight total students).

•One or two students convene the committee. Other students choose to participate. There are typically 4-6 members on this committee.

•One of the three Congress Representatives leads the committee and other Bonner Scholars are invited to be a part of the committee. At least three Bonner Scholars must review an application.

Tracking and EvaluationImportant, Overlooked Piece of the Community Fund Process

• What follow up occurs post-funding?

• Submission of receipts

• Student reflection questions

• Follow up with community partner: Did the project effectively achieve its goals?

• How will the impact be sustained? What are next steps?

• Best Practices:

• Have students who have received funding present their projects to the Bonner group

• Community partners should play an instrumental role in helping students develop and implement projects under ‘Community Programs’

• Keep a public log of previously funded projects (e.g. Macalester’s Action Fund)

Tracking and Evaluation

Questions• What aspect of the Community Fund process is the

most challenging for your campus?

• What does the funding process look like for your campus?

• Do you have any resources or best practices to share?

New source of funding open to Bonner students to develop and implement Social Innovation Projects

What is the Social Innovation Fund?

Refining Our DefinitionBonner Social Innovation Project:

Community-based projects that can be completely new, or seek to improve or expand upon current, existing programs, structures, or initiatives

Tentative ProcessApplicants submit a one page “concept paper” by two deadlines/year.1

Foundation reviews concept papers and invites full proposals after discussion with applicants.2 Applicants submit

full proposals.3Foundation reviews proposals, with flexibility for discussion, updates, and clarifications. 4

Finalist proposals are forwarded to Foundation Trustees.5

Foundation Trustee review and select proposals to fund.6

One year funding disbursed to applicant’s Bonner Program.7

Follow up and evaluation after one year. Potential renewal for additional year of funding.8

Things to Note• Begin with a pilot program with smaller grants

(~$1,000-2,500), which may be renewed the next year for up to $10,000

• Students required to have both a faculty/staff advisor and community partner advisor

• Sustainability is a key factor. Applicants are encouraged to think about how to improve and expand existing programs, not just create their own programs for the sake of doing so

Examples of Applicable Projects

• Reaching Out, Supporting, and Empowering Southeast Asian Immigrant/Refugee Families, Women's Initiative for Self Empowerment (WISE)

• Oral Histories and College Access: A Family-Based Collaboration, Casa de Esperanza

Feedback, Suggestions, or Concerns?• Do you think there would be student interest this

fund?

• Are the guidelines for the funding process clear?

• What staff capacity is needed to support students in this process?