APPLY FOR FUNDING
Dear Community Entrepreneurs,
While the Civic Innovation Lab continues to assess and strengthen the program we will be postponing our Fall deadline. Demand for the Lab's mentoring and funding has reached an all time high, with an application increase of 30% from the previous round (Fall ’09 to Spring ’10). The quality and competitiveness of your applications has been impressive with incredibly creative and innovative ideas. The Lab remains committed to providing support to community entrepreneurs.
We will continue to hold our free Developing Your Idea sessions (previously titled Application Prep Workshop) in order to allow you to take your ideas and initiatives to the next level. We are creating a culture of entrepreneurship and invite you to take part in the movement! We will have email sign-up sheets at every session to make sure we are able to communicate Lab developments with you going forward. We appreciate your patience and support through this exciting phase in Lab history.
Sincerely,
The Lab Staff
TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THE LAB:
- Review our tips below on submitting and presenting your idea.
Tip: Attend App Prep and Communicating Your Idea sessions
- Download the Proposal Application Form (below). Click on the icon and save it to your hard drive.
- Name the file as LastnameFirstname.doc (i.e. SmithJane.doc).
- Complete the proposal application, answering all questions in 10 pages or less.
- Once finished, resave your document and e-mail it as an attachment to apply@civicinnovationlab.org. We will notify you regarding application receipt.
FINAL DECISIONS:
Our process takes two months. You will receive either a call stating that you have been awarded funding or a letter stating why you were not chosen.
We will contact you if there are questions or concerns regarding your proposal. If you have questions, use the Contact Us section to submit your inquiry to the Lab.
APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY
TO apply@civicinnovationlab.org FOR CONSIDERATION.
PROPOSAL APPLICATION FORM:
Proposals to the Civic Innovation Lab must be submitted electronically. Click on the "Download Form" button below to begin working on your application!
TIPS FOR SUBMITTING AND PRESENTING IDEAS:
The following questions should be considered as you formulate your idea. The mentors will expect you to include this information in your application. These tips will help you explain your idea's outcome and the impact it will have on the economy.
- Define your idea - What service are you offering to the Cleveland community?
- Know your audience - Who is going to use this service?
- Explain demand - Why does your audience need this service?
- Market your message - How will you reach your audience?
- Know your space - Do some research to be sure your idea is unique and innovative. Who are your competitors?
- Understand Costs - How much will it cost to launch this idea?
- Address Sustainability - Can you charge for the idea or will you need to raise funds?
- You, the Champion - You will be the one to make your idea a reality! Considering the above questions will help you define how much time, energy and risk you can give to your idea.
WORKSHOPS:
The Lab offers two free sessions to all applicants. We recommend applicants attend the sessions to improve written and oral expression of ideas.
- Application Prep. This one-hour session gives you insight on writing a clear and concise application. You will learn the process, how the Lab evaluates applications, and topics the mentors expect you to cover.
- Communicating Your Idea. This interactive three-hour session focuses on an elevator pitch and other verbal communication strategies. Space is limited to 10 applicants per session. Preference is given to individuals who have submitted an idea to the Lab.
To Register:
Send an email with "Register" in the subject line to info@civicinnovationlab.org. Include your name and company. Remember to include the date and time of your workshop.
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:
To promote integrity and fairness in the submission process, we ask that you read and understand the following before you submit ideas to the Civic Innovation Lab. Our goal is to be a potential source of support and funding for civic projects that we believe will have an economic impact in Cuyahoga County. If you submit a proposal to the Lab, we will not acquire any ownership interest in your idea. That being said, it's possible that we could receive proposals that are similar to yours and we reserve the right to accept such alternative proposals.
Second, we expect to receive many proposals requesting support and/or funding from the Lab. While we will consider all proposals submitted to the Lab, we will have sole discretion to accept or reject proposals. No proposal will be entitled to priority based on its subject matter or the order in which it was submitted relative to any other proposal we receive. If we do select your proposal for support and/or funding, you will be asked to agree to additional terms and conditions before we accept your proposal for implementation or funding.
Third, we reserve the right to make policy and procedure changes from time to time that we deem appropriate.
THANK YOU. |