The Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado announced that the application session is now open for The Sky is Green \u2013 a new grant opportunity that supports innovative, unconventional youth programs in Cortez and Ignacio.<\/p>\n
A new fund holder at the Community Foundation seeks to support youth programs that serve kindergarten through 12th-grade students and will award five to 10 nonprofits $50,000 in grants that range from $2,500 to $10,000. Funding will be awarded in August before the school year starts.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis opportunity seeks to support pioneering, visionary youth programs,\u201d Briggen Wrinkle, Community Foundation executive director, said in a news release. \u201cOur motto is: \u2018Don\u2019t think outside the box; think like there is no box.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Ideal candidates are programs that inspire creative thinking, feature a hands-on component, cater to an imaginative learning environment, build self-confidence, celebrate the originality of each student and challenge kids to be explorers.<\/p>\n
Programs should be resourceful, interactive and geared toward students who do not thrive in a traditional classroom. The programming can be after-school enrichment, during the school day or summer opportunities.<\/p>\n
To apply, organizations must be tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, or be a project or organization under the fiscal agency of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Organizations also must serve Ignacio or Cortez, complete the online application, provide a program budget and produce a showcase that will creatively represent the program. It needs to be a stand-alone product that the grant application committee can review without in-person interpretation.<\/p>\n