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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHRC Packet 1 25 22Human Rights Commission January 25, 2022 Formal Meeting – 5:30PM Emma J. Harvat Hall, Iowa City City Hall Agenda: 1. Call the meeting to order and roll call 2. Reading of Land Acknowledgment 3. Approval of the November 23, 2021 meeting minutes 4. Introduction of New Human Rights Commission Members 5. Vote for Chair and Vice Chair of Human Rights Commission for 2022 6. Introductions of Newly Hired Iowa City Police Officers 7. Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda. (Commentators shall address the Commission for no more than 5 minutes. Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with the public concerning said items) 8. Funding Request: Night of 1000 Dinners (March 8, 2022) 9. Youth Awards (May 11, 2022) 10. Review of Current Commission Subcommittees & 2020 Strategic Plan 11. Black History Month Proclamation (February 2022) 12. Social Justice & Racial Equity Grant Submissions FY22 a. Conflict of Interest b. Date of Completion for Rubrics 13. Staff/Commission Announcements (Commissioners shall not engage in discussion with one another concerning said announcements) 14. Adjournment If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate in this meeting please contact Human Rights Coordinator, Stefanie Bowers, at 319-356-5022 or at stefanie-bowers@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION JANUARY 25, 2022 MEETING PACKET CONTENTS AGENDA ITEM #2 • LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AGENDA ITEM #3 • DRAFT MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 23, 2021 AGENDA ITEM #8 • FUNDING REQUEST: JOHNSON COUNTY UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION AGENDA ITEM #12 • SLIDEDECK FROM SJRE GRANT INFORMATIONAL SESSION FY22 FROM NOVEMBER 9, 2021. • SJRE GRANT SUBMISSIONS FOR FY22 Draft Minutes Human Rights Commission November 23, 2021 Emma J. Harvat Hall Commissioners present: Mark Pries, Siri Bruhn, Jason Glass, Jessica Andino, Bijou Maliabo, Tony Sivanthaphanith. Commissioners not present: Roger Lusala, Ashley Lindley, Adil Adams. Staff present: Stefanie Bowers. Recommendation to City Council: No. Meeting called to order: 5:32 PM. Land Acknowledgement: Sivanthaphanith read the land acknowledgement. Approval of the minutes from the October 26, 2021 meeting: Bruhn moved; the motion was seconded by Pries. Motion passed 5-0. (Maliabo not present). Public comment of items not on the agenda: None. American Rescue Plan & The Excluded Workers Fund: Commissioners briefly discussed that Johnson County approved 2 million for the Excluded Workers Fund but how and when it will be dispersed has not yet been decided. Review of Current Commission Subcommittees: Moving forward the Commission will plan to rework their subcommittees to be more subject matter focused. Future suggestions for subcommittees include a program committee, policy committee, and a planning committee. Because the Commission will have two new members as of January 2022, the Commission will wait to define the roles of subcommittees and try to stagger members to reflect the length of terms for each Commissioner. Staff will work with commission members to identify a strategic planner that will work with the Commission to identify future initiatives and implementation of those plans. Human Rights Awards: The recipients were: Sara Barron, Tracy Jon Sargeant, Kirkwood Community College Student Services, Iowa City Catholic Worker House, Jama Lidral, and Brian Finley. The Commission plans to hold future Award Ceremonies at The Vue. The Commission will also work on soliciting more nominations from the community for all the great work that is occurring in Iowa City for next year. Pries will remain on the selection committee for 2022. Coralville Pride: The event was held at Tavern Blue. Commissioners Lindley and Bruhn represented the Commission at the event and accepted the Award the City received. Lindley and Bruhn were able to do outreach on the Social Justice and Racial Equity grant and on the Commission in general. Social Justice and Racial Equity Grants: The Commission held two informational sessions on the grant via Zoom on November 9 and November 16. Commissioners Lusala, Pries, Andino, and Bruhn led the discussion on the grants. The Commission plans to allocate the FY22 up to the $75,000 limit but also ask City Council to consider funding additional applicants for a total of $150,000. Staff will work with current recipients of the grant to select a time and venue for them to present to the Commission on their project. Staff will also work on a Survey Monkey to send out to participants of the Informational Sessions to get feedback on ways to improve it. Commissioners reviewed the progress reports from the Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition, Sankofa Outreach Connection, Open Heartland, Iowa City Bike Library, University of Iowa Labor Center, and the University of Iowa Food Pantry. Reports of Commissioners: Sivanthaphanith will be participating in a softball tournament this coming Friday. Sivanthaphanith also is retiring from Iowa City Pride, after 16 years of working with them, the last 2 ½ as a Board Member. Bruhn only has two more courses to complete to receive a Masters Degree in Legal Studies. Bruhn is looking forward to being able to serve a full 3 years on the Commission after being reappointed earlier this month. Andino presides as Chair for the Human Rights Commission for the last time at this evenings meeting. Andino has served three years on the Commission. Andino has recently started attending the Equity Meeting of students within the ICCSD. This is in addition to volunteering with the Center for Worker Justice. Maliabo recently completed her CPR training and received her Foster Care Certificate. Pries will begin working in Washington, Iowa in the month of December. Pries also is the Rotary Heart Safe Community Campaign Manager. The Rotary-Kerber HeartSafe Campaign's mission is to increase the survival rate of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in Iowa City and Coralville by motivating laypersons to intervene effectively using CPR and AEDs. Staff Reports: None. Adjourned: 6:25 PM. Human Rights Commission ATTENDANCE RECORD YEAR 2021 (Meeting Date) NAME TERM EXP. 1/26 2/23 3/23 4/27 5/25 6/22 7/27 8/24 9/28 10/26 11/23 12/28 Adil Adams 2021 X X E X X X E E E X E Jessica Andino 2021 X X X X X X X X X X X Siri Bruhn 2021 - - - - - - - X X X X Jason Glass 2022 X X X X X E X X X E X Ashley Lindley 2022 X X X X X X X E X X E Roger Lusala 2023 X X E X X X X X X X E Bijou Maliabo 2023 X X X X X X X X X X X Mark Pries 2022 X X X X X E X X X X X Tony Sivanthaphanith 2023 - - - X X X X X X X X KEY: X = Present O = Absent E = Absent/Excused NM = No meeting --- = Not a Member Human Rights Funding Request Cover Letter (required reading) Thank you for your interest in seeking sponsorship from the Iowa City Human Rights Commission. The Commission provides funding to organizaons to offset the costs of organizing, planning, and facilitang educaonal public forums or programs and acvies that are designed to eliminate racial, religious, cultural, and other intergroup tensions. Please note that this sponsorship is for reimbursement of expenses. If an organizaon is awarded funding they must: 1. Submit invoices and/or statements of items/services paid prior to receiving reimbursement. 2. Send their W9 to staff prior to receiving reimbursement. 3. Submit a full (one page) summary of funding impact, including but not limited to, number of persons involved in your project, anecdotal stories to share about the event, frequency of the event, and other essenal informaon. If you have any quesons about the applicaon process, please do not hesitate to contact Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at 319-356-5022 or Stefanie-bowers@iowa-city.org. Sponsorship requests are due by 5PM on the third Monday of each month. The Iowa City Human Rights Commission will review the request at their monthly meeng and staff will contact you to let you know whether the request has been approved. Please sign here to verify you have read the cover letter to this form.* Application Date* Group/Organizaton Name* Contact person* Phone number* Email * Date of activity/event/program * If your event occurs on multiple dates, list here Event location and address* Is the event wheelchair accessible?* Is the event accessible to individuals with visual impairments?* Describe the activity/event/program and how it contributes to Human Rights.* Amount of funds requested. Attach an itemized budget (field below).* Attach itemized budget.* List other funders below: Has this organization applied for any other City of Iowa City funding for this activity/event/program? 1/15/2022 Johnson County Chapter, United Nations Association - USA Jim Olson 319-512-0007 jimolson921@gmail.com 3/8/2022 Virtual Yes No Yes No Night of 1000 Dinners is a community celebration of International Women's Days.; We will honor 3 local groups advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) founded by, led by, and/or serving women: Inside/Out Re-entry Program, Iowa City Compassion, and Open Heartland. Proceeds will be donated to these groups plus the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The event recognizes the contributions of women and builds awarensess of the SDGs including greater equality, economic & social justice 500.00$ N1KD22 Budget.docx 14.26KB Confirmed Hills Bank & Trust, GreenState Credit Union, Veridian Credit Union, UI International Programs, Blank & McCune Real Estate, Unitarian Universalist Society. Many more pending Yes No If yes, what department were the funds requested through? How much funding was requested? Was this request granted? Has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City in the last year?* If yes, what department were the funds requested through? How much funding was requested? How will this activity/event/program be marketed? Will sponsors be mentioned and/or logos be used in the marketing of the activity/event/program? Is the activity/event/program a fundraiser?* If yes, explain:* $ Yes No Yes No Human Rights Commission for Night of 1000 Dinners 2021 300.00$ Marketed through co-sponsoring organizations, JCUNA website and Facebook, media advisory, City of IC news release Yes No Yes No Net proceeds donated to honored groups and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Night of 1000 Dinners 2022 March 8, 2002 Budget Income Sponsorships, individual & business $3,200 Ticket sales and donations 2,500 Total: $5,700 Expenses Postage/Printing/Supplies (including posters & table top tent cards at UI) $200 Gift Cards 200 Online Advertising 100 Eventbrite Transaction Fees* 200 Donations to honored organizations 5,000 Total: $5,700 *fees for selling tickets online. Covering these fees will make the event more accessible to attendees. Zoom account and expertise for this virtual event donated by the University of Iowa School of Social Work. Informational Session on the Social Justice & Racial Equity Grant 2021 1 November 2021 Agenda Welcome. Who & What is the Human Rights Commission? History,Purpose,Process for the grant. Tips on writing a successful grant application. Q &A 2 Human Rights Commission Nine residents of Iowa City who are appointed by the City Council to serve 3-year terms. Commissioners, all committed to civil rights, reflect a broad cross section of the community, thus insuring diversity of ideas and interests. Outreach & Education on Human Rights Commissioners 5 Youth Awards 2019 Human Rights Awards 2021 Annual Programs & Events Programs & Events Background and History of the Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant In 2017, the City Council created the Social Justice and Racial Equity (SJRE) Grant to assist community- based organizations in building capacity to address social justice and racial equity needs. Seventy-five thousand dollars has been allocated yearly for the SJRE Grant since fiscal year 2019. FY17 & FY18 Grantees FY19, FY20, FY21 Grantees Organization FY20 Successful Living $18,000.00 Sudanese Community Center $13,520.00 Labor Center $15,500.00 Little Creations Academy $7,360.00 Center for Worker Justice $8,975.98 Antelope Lending Library $6,644.00 Inside Out Reentry $5,000.00 Organization FY21 Johnson County Affordable Housing $15,000.00 Open Heartland $14,749.00 Labor Center $20,000.00 Sankofa Outreach Connection $15,000.00 U of I Food Pantry $6,075.00 Bike Library $4,000.00 Purpose & Definitions •PURPOSE: Encourage, Empower, and Engage Social Justice and Racial Equity Initiatives to Eliminate Inequities •DEFINITION: The goal is full and equal participation of all groups and individuals in a society that is mutually shaped to meet their needs,allow them to reach their full potential, and limit/decrease barriers. This definition includes a vision of society that is equitable, and where all members are physically and psychologically safe and secure. Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice by Adams,Bell and Griffin (2007). 4 Priority Service Areas PROPOSAL SHOULD ADDRESS ONE OR MORE OF THESE AREAS. Building Communities Criminal Justice Education Employment Health Housing Requirement of the SJRE Grants 1. physically located in Iowa City. 2. Proposal should seek to eliminate an inequity in the community (individual, institutional, or structural). 3.New project,that assists individuals or groups that have been marginalized. Restrictions of the SJRE Grant 1.Not considered a permanent funding source but if awarded funding, an organization can reapply a second year for that project to be funded. 2.Governments, public schools, and colleges/universities cannot be primary applicants. 3.Applicants can request no more than $25,000. ***There are no restrictions on whether applicants are for profit or not for profit. Important Information 12 The intent and purpose of the SJRE grant is to serve and benefit persons in Iowa City as much as reasonably possible. The Commission will consider whether there is a sustainability plan for after the grant funding has ended. The Commissioners may submit questions to applicants via staff during the review process if necessary. Recipients of the SJRE grant must present to the Commission and the community on their project after completion of the grant cycle. Start early. Late applications are not reviewed. Cut and paste the application into a Word or similar document and then cut and paste back when ready to submit. Suggestions Please be sure you are communicating the background and goals of your project clearly. Keep in mind the reader may not be as familiar with the important needs of the population that you are focusing on. Provide a good comprehensive background for your proposal with as much data as possible so the reader has all the facts and information. Have someone proofread the application for you to make sure it’s grammatically clear and that you have met all the guidelines. Think of your proposal as offering a solution to the issues you are presenting. Be clear and specific about the outcomes you’re hoping for. 13 Budget Maximum reward is $25,000 per grantee. Try not to ask for more than you really need. Everything in the budget should be reflected in the narrative,and vice versa. No more than 25% of total funding requested should be for operational costs.i.e.payroll,rent,office supplies,utilities, insurance,and taxes Partial funding may be allocated, if the applicant has clearly stated on the application form that the project can be completed with less funding. The Commission will factor into its recommendationwhetheranorganizationhasorwillreceivefundingfromtheCity,if so the amount and duration. 14 15 Timeline December 1 through January 7 The Human Rights Commission will send a recommendation to the City Council for review and approval no later than March 31, 2022. Funding allocated by June 1, 2022. 17 •Mission Statement •Year of Operation •Annual Budget •Past Projects •Proposal •People Served •Cost to Participate •Collaborative Effort •Timeline •Outcomes with Indicators The Application https://www.iowa-city.org/Forms/SJRE_Grant Scoring 18 3 Sections Organizational Information, 10 points Proposal,60 points Funding Amount,30 points. The highest score =100 points. Section 1: Organizational Information 1.Goals of the organization align with Social Justice or Racial Equity. 2.Mission statement of the organization align with Social Justice or Racial Equity? Section 2: The Proposal 1.Does it advance social justice or racial equity? 2.Is there a community need? 3.Will it have a significant impacton community members? 4.Is it sustainable? 5.Are there specific outcomesand performance measures? Section 3: Amount Requested 1.Amount requested covers the service, project, or activity? 2.Would it need to be supplemented to cover the service,project or activity? 3.Timeline for project? Rankings 22 What to do between now and December 1? 1.Look at the past applications whether funded or not?Duplication? 2.Priorities of your organization?Indicators,needs,gaps in service or problems?That your organization can address. 3.Think of ways you can provide proof or evidence of the inequity. Community trends?Data?What does it show or demonstrate. 4.Develop an action plan: 1.How can you address the inequity? 2.What supports are needed? 3.What funding is needed? 4.Can you do it without full funding? 5.How will success be measured? 23 Expectations if awarded 1.Required to submit 2 program reports on progress towards the stated goals (November 1, 2022 and April 1, 2023). 2.An annual accounting report describing,at minimum,the uses of funds received during the prior year (July 31,2023). 24 Conditional Status The Equity Director,with the approval of the City Manager,may place the Recipient on conditional status when one or more serious problems are identified that puts the Recipient’s agreement with the City of Iowa City in jeopardy.Problems may be in service delivery,board activity,agency administration,fiscal management, cooperation with other agencies,compliance with this agreement,or any other failure to further the stated goals of the grant request. Following the placement of the Recipient on conditional status,the Equity Director will meet with the Recipient’s director and board members to discuss the concerns/problems as identified by the Equity Director.The Equity Director will provide the Recipient with a written memo outlining the concerns/problems,specific corrective action steps,and time frames for completion.The Recipient will provide periodic reports and meet with the Equity Director during this period to ensure that satisfactory progress is being made. If the Recipient fails to meet the requirements of this agreement and/or the action step memo within the appropriate time frame as specified,the Equity Director may recommend to the City Manager that recipient be barred from receiving any future funding from the Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant for a minimum of 2 years. 25 Sources Used &Cited Grant Writing 101,Eric Christianson The Only Grant Writing Book You Will Ever Need,Anthony Hollis. Race and Social Justice Initiative Racial Equity Fund;2016 Info Session 27 Follow the Office of Equity & Human Rights on Instagram!!! Follow Up Questions? Email humanrights@iowa- city.org or Call 319- 356-5022 29Questions? Organization Page Requested Amount Past Recipient Year Amount Mediation Services of Eastern Iowa p. 3 $24,255.00 No Iowa City Area Chinese Association p. 15 $3,000.00 No University of Iowa's Iowa Youth Writing Project p. 21 $7,300.00 No League of Women Voters Johnson County DEI Committee p. 37 $5,000.00 No University of Iowa Mobile Clinic p. 43 $15,000.00 No Houses into Homes p. 57 $15,900.00 No Corridor Community Action Network p. 68 $9,708.00 No Multicultural Development Center of Iowa p. 75 $10,000.00 No ICCOMPASSION p. 84 $15,000.00 No Iowa City Catholic Worker p. 91 $25,000.00 No Kirkwood Iowa City Food Pantry p. 98 $23,000.00 No Iowa City Community School District (Southeast Junior High)p. 106 $4,864.00 Yes FY18 $12,300.00 Great Plains Action Society p. 114 $5,000.00 No Center for Worker Justice p. 120 $19,017.04 Yes FY18 $10,900.00 FY20 $8,975.98 Open Heartland p. 130 $9,285.00 Yes FY21 $14,749.00 Willowwind p. 140 $18,725.00 No Sudanese Community Center p. 149 $15,000.00 Yes FY20 $13,520.00 Iowa Chapter of American Student Dental Association p. 157 $5,440.00 No Chapin House p. 162 $18,000.00 No Astig Planning, LLC p. 167 $18,400.00 No Total amount requested $266,894.04 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organizational Information Mediation Services of Eastern Iowa City Iowa City State / Province / Region Iowa Postal / Zip Code 52246 Country USA Street Address c/o 91 Prairie Hill Lane Address Line 2 319 541-9434 admin@mediateiowa.org https://mediateiowa.org/ Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Annie Tucker Executive Director 319 541-9434 admin@mediateiowa.org Organization's Mission Statement * How many years has the organization been in operation?* This is a joint project between Banjo Knits Empowerment, Astig Planning, and Mediation Services of Eastern Iowa (MSEI). MSEI is the lead organization and will be responsible for all communications and grant documentation and Banjo Knits Empowerment will manage all financial grant responsibilities. Mission statements for each entity are included below. Mediation Services of Eastern Iowa (MSEI)- MSEI Vision and Mission Statement Mediation Services of Eastern Iowa’s Vision is to be a leader in promoting public awareness and use of mediation for cooperative conflict resolution. To foster effective conflict resolution, MSEI may, among other things, do the following: a. Administer court-connected mediation services in the Iowa District Court for the Sixth Judicial District. b. Expand court-connected mediation services in other judicial districts. c. Provide training, mentoring and professional development for practicing mediators. d. Help assure the existence of affordable mediation services, within both the court system and the community at large. e. Foster development of mediation and conflict resolution programs in the community. f. Establish mediation as the community norm for resolution of disputes, and increase awareness of cultural diversity and the effect of cultural differences on the dynamics of conflict. g. Conduct research and disseminate information in furtherance of developing the field of conflict resolution. h. Work cooperatively with other organizations to accomplish these goals. *19 years in operation as a 501(c)3 and 27 years unincorporated with same responsibilities Astig Planning is led by V Fixmer-Oraiz. Our planning services are aimed at transforming communities and landscapes through engagement, empowerment, and advocacy. We work toward a world of activated communities, healthy ecosystems, and lasting equity. A world in which those most impacted by today's social problems are at the center of creative, community-based solutions that lead to full and dignified lives. 3 years in operation as an LLC. Banjo Knits Empowerment is led by Angie Jordan. We are all about intentionally knitting together community and resources. Areas of focus: Community Building, Entrepreneurial Empowerment, and Patience & Mindfulness. 1 year in operation as an LLC, 7 years established in the community. 19 Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* The following projects initiated by MSEI have had community impact and are the foundation for the project for expanding access to community-based Circles by providing Circle Keeper training for diverse community members. While Adult Corrections had been offering restorative justice Circles since 2001, providing community Circles in Iowa City began when Laura Cottrell Gray, ICCSD, and Annie Tucker, MSEI, returned from a four-day Circle training in the southside of Chicago the week after the 2016 Presidential election. In December 2016, they began offering community Circles monthly, which continued for a year. The purposes were to give community members a chance to experience Circles, to build community and also to focus on community issues and needs together. Participants in every Circle were diverse and they ended up sharing across their Iowa City ‘silos’. For example, in a Circle focused on what would help the youth in our community, when asked “What would help the youth in our community?” three separate Black parents shared that they knew a Black parent who was not allowed into their child’s school building because the staff was afraid of them. The three parents mentioned were not the same people. And a fourth Black parent said that she was a parent for whom that happened and she had taken her children out of the school district. That was an example of people in a diverse Circle sharing across their silos. In the fall of 2017, MSEI received a JJYD (Juvenile Justice Youth Development) grant and used grant funds to hire a nationally known trainer to provide two three-day Circle keeper trainings for people who worked with children or families in the Iowa City. Participants paid a reduced rate of $50 and scholarships were available. Nearly 50 people were trained. Most of them were teachers, counselors or staff in the Iowa City Community School District. Also attending were a Community Outreach officer and other professionals who worked with children and families. Since then, those ICCSD teachers and staff trained in Circles have provided Circles in their and others’ classes, and have worked with the administration to provide Circle Keeper training to other teachers and staff. This year the ICCSD Equity Department has rolled out a plan to increase Circle use in the district. MSEI has participated in these activities. Related work: MSEI started a Restorative Justice Conferencing Program at the request of the Johnson County Attorney’s Office and Juvenile Court Services in 2014. We provided training for a diverse team of facilitators, with the goal of having our facilitators represent the diversity within our community. MSEI is still providing RJ conferences in referred juvenile cases/situations and sometimes uses Circles. Circles are a restorative justice practice. The Johnson County Attorney referred three cases to MSEI in 2021, as part of an ongoing pilot program using Restorative Justice. These prior and current projects provide an experience base and the inspiration to provide Circle keeper training and increase access to Circles throughout the Iowa City community. Proposal Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* The program will provide training, mentoring and ongoing support to diverse Circle Keepers that represent the people in our community so they can provide access to Circles for diverse community members throughout the Iowa City area. We are seeking funding for training, mentoring, and supporting diverse Circle Keepers. This program is a direct outgrowth of Circle work and Restorative Justice work MSEI has already done (mentioned as project examples in the previous section) and is greatly strengthened by the partnership with Angie Jordan of Banjo Knits Empowerment and V Fixmer-Oraiz of Astig Planning and their successes in community organizing, providing leadership in the South District Neighborhood Association and in the development of the South District Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District (SSMID), leadership in racial and social equity-focused planning, the initiation of the Diversity Markets, and more. First, an explanation of Circles and their origin. Circles are done by indigenous people around the world. It is our understanding that on this continent, Circles were first shared with white people by First Nations People in the Yukon in the 1990’s. At that time, the Canadian judicial and corrections systems were destroying individual lives, families, and communities with the consequences they imposed on First Nations people for transgressions. First Nations people invited representatives of these institutions to come to Circles, where they explained that in their culture/community, when there was a transgression, they did not send people away. They included them in a community Circle process to better understand the situation and find a resolution/healing. Many of the white people who learned about Circles integrated them into their institutions, including the judicial, corrections and educational institutions in the Yukon, Minnesota, and beyond. The Circles that we are using here and intend to teach local community members is not an exact replication of what the First Nations peoples shared. In an Indigenous community, all share a common culture, world view, and an understanding of the process. Here, we all come from different life experiences. Hence, the Circles start with participants creating their own ‘culture’ by each participant sharing a value that they think would be helpful in their Circle. Often, Circle participants say honesty, respect, vulnerability, non-judgment, etc. All participants then have a chance to ask questions about the proposed values and then to state whether they will work to keep these values while in the Circle. This creates common agreements intended to create a safer space and some initial trust, which increases as people share their truths. The purpose of a Circle can be community-building, relationship-building, problem-solving, learning, resolving conflict or celebration/acknowledgement. When introducing Circles into a school with the purpose of changing a culture and behaviors, 85% of the focus and time is spent on community-building and relationship-building Circes. That creates a foundation and familiarity with Circles. Only 15% of Circles are spent on dealing with conflicts. Hence, the use of Circles as a restorative justice practice. The talking piece is at the heart of what distinguishes Circles from other forms of meeting. A Circle Keeper will ask a question, take their turn answering, and then pass the talking piece to the person next to them. When a person has the talking piece, they have a choice: They can share anything they choose or they can pass, which is a legitimate choice. When participants do not have the talking piece, their role is to listen to understand. The implicit message and experience of the talking piece is that every voice matters, every perspective matters. Hierarchy is flattened. The experience of that is rare, remarkable, and transformative. We have included funds in our budget to provide to the Yukon First Nations men who provided the original Circles experiences to white government employees. This is a small way in which we can acknowledge the origin and tradition of Circles. What is the program, service, or activity?* How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* The intention of the project is to provide a wrap-around training and mentoring program for people interested in providing Circles in our community. We have local Circle trainers who have been working in the Iowa City School District and they will provide the training and assist in the mentoring and practice process of the program. We would like to see 60 people engaged in this project and plan on hosting four trainings with 15 people each. Our strong preference is for training sessions to be in-person with extensive Covid-19 protocols in place, such as mask requirements, vaccination status, smaller groups, social distance in a large room, and air purifiers. We recognize that we may have to provide them online. During the training session, participants will be introduced to the background and function of the Circles, there will be paired partner sessions to provide one-on-one engagement, group activities, reflections and writing, and opportunities to practice hosting a small Circle. After the training, each participant will continue to meet in Circle with a small group and paired partner to further their education and gain experience hosting Circles. They will also have an opportunity to co-facilitate with an experienced Circle Keeper. Circles is a Restorative Justice practice that not only raises racial awareness, but as Dr. Keiko Ozeki, (a member of Huayruro, a Seattle-based group skilled in organizational leadership, criminal legal systems, and grassroots and healing work), points out, “In addition to raising racial awareness, building relationships is one of the most crucial elements for restorative practices…Once we sit in the Circle together and share the stories, these collective experiences transform our perspective ‘I’ to ‘We’. (Circle Forward: Moving Toward Racial Equity in Schools- Starting with the Adults”, 2020)”. Our goal with training and mentoring more community members into Circle practitioners is to create a community that is steeped in restorative justice practices that center relationships. It is much more effective to recognize and address harm when people are able to see and hear one another in a supportive space. Circles are a framework for healing. More specifically, our team has recently hosted a series of Circles in the community and afterwards we asked people a few questions. Here are some of their responses: From a Black, female business-owner in our community: -What was your experience when you were in Circle? "It was a very calming place, it allowed me to speak freely without judgment" -What do you think would benefit other community members or the whole community if Circles were accessible and widely used? "It would allow individuals to work out their grievances, whether it’s personal or professional." From a formerly incarcerated Black male in our community: -What was your experience when you were in Circle? "I felt I was in a safe space with people I already knew but in that safe space I felt I could say more than I usually say to the people I know in the Circle." -What were some of the benefits of Circle for you? "It helped me see people outside of titles. Learned to trust others with private information about myself. I have started reading about different Circles throughout history." -What do you think would benefit other community members or the whole community if Circles were accessible and widely used? "It would help resolve conflict by allowing others to actually get to know the people they may not agree with. It also can be used in family settings and also politics." From an older, white male in our community: “My Circle experience led me to a deep appreciation of a group process that expected my attentive listening to other group members speaking in turn of especially meaningful times and circumstances in their life and, at the appropriate moment, my finding comfort and support when my turn came to relate to the attentive group the experiences I wished to share. As we spoke in turn I felt a deepening insight into the essence of all those in the Circle.” From an older, white female in our community: -What was your experience when you were in Circle? How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* What was your experience when you were in Circle? "My Circle was small, which I loved. I knew about half of the participants. It really gave us the opportunity to get to know the others (whether I knew them before or not) at a deeper level and to see the humanity in each individual." -Would you recommend the Circles practice to others? If so, to whom? "Absolutely! I think Circles could be particularly useful in breaking down some of the artificial barriers that we, as a society, erect. Victims could begin to see their perpetrator as a fully human person with hopes and dreams, challenges and responsibilities. Perpetrators could begin to understand the impact of their actions on their victims and to see them as whole human beings. Circles could be very useful in breaking down racial, economic, political, and cultural barriers and in increasing the capacity for empathy for all participants." From Teachers who offer Circles within ICCSD schools: From a Black male teacher, about Circles when there has been a harm: "When I do Circles I let people know from the beginning it is not about right or wrong/ good vs. evil. I want people to walk away from a Circle knowing that they have just been in community with others. From that experience of community we grow in understanding, self worth and community worth. The other alternative is not community. I try to get across that Circle is not about rendering punishment for perceived crimes. Every person is driven by or follows a simple set of rules, a Circle allows these rules to permeate what is the best in all of us and use that, BEST, to navigate in good times and not so good times. Now for my short version: The effects of Circles allows us to sit and witness something that is greater than our moment in time of hurt, pain, joy or celebration." From a white male teacher: "Circles have a magic. That magic helps us to be more authentic, vulnerable, and healing than other social spaces. The magic of Circles can help us repair harm that has been done, process the impact of prejudice, celebrate an accomplishment, resolve a conflict, discuss a complex topic, etc. And here’s the secret behind the magic: Circles give us the structure to “be real” in safe ways. Circles have to be seen and experienced to be appreciated. Words alone cannot describe them. The magic can only be appreciated in community." From a Black female Circle Keeper: "Circles have played a huge part in how I see and navigate through my world. It’s afforded me the gift of unconditional empathy for everyone, even when I originally did not want to let go of my position about a thing. Circles are what our community needs to heal." These reflections highlight the importance of Circles as a way to address racial injustice that makes people feel supported, generates trust, and ultimately allows people to see and hear people across different life experiences. In addition, we will advance social justice and racial equity by bringing a speaker on Transformative Justice to the Iowa City area via Zoom. This speaker will be available to the Circle Keepers free of charge, and will be available to and financed by the broader community for a registration fee. It is said that “There is a concern that restorative justice approaches run the risk of sustaining, rather than challenging, systemic injustice” (Mariame Kaba, p. 320, Colorizing Restorative Justice). We want our Circle facilitators and the broader community to recognize the context of systemic inequity in which we live and to provide processes (Circles and other restorative processes) that have the capacity to acknowledge and address that. This program addresses Community Building, Education, and Health most acutely. There are obvious ties to community building, particularly when addressing racial inequity at the personal and systemic level. There are also educational aspects that fulfill the need for our community to have different ways to come together, connect, and increase understanding. Finally, when people can tell their truth and feel more connected, their mental and physical health benefit. What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* -This program fulfills unmet human needs throughout the community at a time of high stress, unpredictability, and isolation due to Covid. Giving people a safer place to connect and speak their truths is empowering and can lead to increased self-awareness, relationships, and information that will further empower them. -As BIPOC and people of other marginalized identities are disproportionately affected by the health and economic effects of Covid and the ongoing structural inequities in this country and community, we are prioritizing our outreach to them to give them a chance to be in a Circle and choose to become a Circle Keeper. -https://equityimplemented.sites.uiowa.edu/sites/equityimplemented.sites.uiowa.edu/files/2020- 11/Student%20Survey%20Report%202020%20Final.pdf This is the 2020 ICCSD Climate Survey from students, indicating what kind of support or lack of support they experience in schools. Since there are over 15,000 students in ICCSD, many community adults are parents with students in schools. The survey results show that students with marginalized identities re: race, gender, economic status (FRL), language (ELL), etc. have a greater percentage of complaints about the climate and how they or others are treated. Parents of children in K-12 would benefit from being in a Circle with people from a similar background where they could choose to speak openly about these issues and perhaps gain support for dealing with them at the schools. In addition, since the use of restorative practices is increasing in the schools, participation in a Circle will familiarize them with their students’ experience. -https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/iowa-city-ia-population: This source provides demographic information about Iowa City and provides snapshots that indicate percentages of people on the margins in different categories: 1. For example, with education, 59% have a graduate or bachelor’s degree, 6.85% have an associates degree, 15.% have some college and 13.65% have a High School diploma. 2. Poverty in Iowa City is much higher for BIPOC people. 3. 85% of Iowa Citians are ‘Native born’ (and 47.4% of those are born in Iowa City); while 14.29% are foreign born (and 10.46% of them are not citizens). 4. 82.32% speak English, 17.68% speak other languages 5. This information and other information at this site highlight the varying ways people are on the margins in Iowa City. Due to our siloed housing and (often) workplaces, having Circle Keepers who look and sound like the participants can provide a safe place for people to speak up, hear others’ experience, make connections and possibly be better able to navigate life here. 6. In addition, the trained Circle Keepers will also co-facilitate with someone of a different identity and provide Circles with diverse participants from different parts of our community. These Circle experiences will increase connections across differences and increase awareness of inequities. This could lead to collaborations for change. Local nonprofit Mediation Services of Eastern Iowa is collaborating with Angie Jordan of Banjo Knits Empowerment and V. Fixmer-Oraiz of Astig Planning. Both businesses are owned by women of color with a track record of successes in the community and many skills and talents. We have known each other for a few years and are excited about what we can accomplish together, and have already accomplished! We have already provided Circles for diverse members of our community, including one Restorative Circle where there had been harm done. We will continue providing Circles together as a way to give people the experience of Circles so they can make an informed choice about whether to become a Circle Keeper. Additionally, other organizations and partnering groups currently looking to be involved in this initiative include: Dream City, Open Heartland, South District Neighborhood Association, Johnson County Interfaith Coalition, Johnson County Moms Demand Action, Iowa City Community School District, and City Commissions focused on racial justice. Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** We want diverse teams of Circle Keepers who are capable of providing diverse Circles with different parts of our community. However, given the power dynamics of racial inequity, we are prioritizing community demographics that highlight vulnerable populations, such as high school students, immigrants, People of Color, Returning Citizens, low income and LGBTQ+ community members. We will also include non-vulnerable people in the Circle training as it is important to have Circle Keepers who look like/represent all community members and who can hold different spaces. We know this essential, because a repeated message from the Living Justice Press’ “Colorizing Restorative Justice'' Conference on July 9, 2021, was the importance of people being in Circles with Circle Keepers who look like them and speak their language. In order to further address systemic racial inequities, we will also conduct specific outreach to attract business owners, police officers, elected officials, city commissioners, and government employees to this project/these trainings. We recognize that individual relationship-building across racial experiences can be powerful and can lead to change in the policies and practices within these systems. That could have a powerful impact on our community. Training 60 community members means that more of the community can have access to Circles. The trainings will occur over a six to eight month period. We recognize that we are still in a global health pandemic and want to make sure we can be flexible with regard to Covid-19 impacts. As a ripple-out effect, the trained Circle Keepers will provide face-to-face or zoom Circles with an average of 15 people participating. If we train 60 new circle keepers and each provides a Circle for 15 people, that is 900 new Circle participants in our community. There is no charge to the training participants. We intend to provide a meal provided by a BIPOC-owned business, to provide childcare, and translation services. We also intend to offer the trainings at times that accommodate a variety of work schedules. 1. An increase in the number of Circles offered after the training 2. An increase in the number of community members involved or experienced in Circles 3. An increase in the number of people that want to become Circle Keepers after experiencing the resulting Circles offered by the recent trainees of this program 4. An increase in the number of organizations/business/agencies that use Circles in their work 5. Collaborative actions and ideas may be generated in Circles that participants may want to work on, such as an issue or project, which could lead to outcomes we cannot initially foresee. 6. An increase in the positive, self-reported effects of Circles 1. Number of Circles held 2. Number of community members involved in Circles 3. Number of organizations/business/agencies that use Circles in their work 4. Pre/Post Circles Survey to collect testimonials/qualitative data for reporting purposes and to promote and improve the Circle practice. What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* Circles will create a safer space for sharing, which inevitably increases awareness and understanding of racial and social inequities in our community. People experience that there can be safer spaces for them to explore and express their personal truth, and that every voice matters. This experience is in direct opposition to racial and social inequities and could lead people to behave differently or change policies and practices in their workplace, community, etc. Further, people will be in all kinds of Circles--some Circles will have people with similar experiences of racial and social inequity, and they will make connections and may end up working together on these issues. There will also be Circles where participants are from different parts of the community with different lived experiences. This can increase people’s awareness and understanding of racial and social inequities and lead to them working on them, perhaps together. Circles is a relationship-based process and much of the meaningful training results will be distributed via word- of-mouth, as people experience Circles they are more likely to talk about it with their friends and family. Our team will also present results to the City Council and/or the Human Rights Commission, and post information widely on social media as it is merited. We will also conduct outreach to non-profit organizations, places of worship, the Iowa City Area Business Partnership, etc. to offer new trainees an opportunity to talk about Circles or provide Circles with experienced Circle Keepers, co-facilitating and/or mentoring the trainees as they gain this experience. This outreach will also provide other community members an opportunity to hear about Circles and become involved, and it will publicize Circles and Circle Keeper training to businesses and organizations who will pay for Circles and training. This will provide a sustainable funding stream for future Circles and training sessions. Yes. Our team is committed to finding public and private funds to further our capacity to provide Circles and Circle Keeper Training to the community. We will create a donation webpage for private entities to donate funds. In addition, we will seek further funding from: -Greenstate Credit Union Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Grant -Midwest One Bank -Johnson County Community Foundation -Unitarian Universalist Society -Target Community Grants -Project Better Together Long-term, we will also provide Circles and Circle training sessions for a fee to businesses and interested organizations who want their employees to gain this experience and these skills. The publicity surrounding the initial four community trainings and the subsequent offering of Circles will increase public awareness of and interest in Circles and Circle Keeper training. Our team consists of three different organizations plus trained Circle Keepers from our community. All of these individuals and organizations are crucial to the success of this project. The fees for the trained Circle Keepers are indicated in the proposed budget. These professional services advance the project by providing experienced, diverse Circle Keepers to increase the unified practice of Circles throughout Iowa City and beyond Additionally, our team’s professional service fees are provided as an in-kind donation (a total of $7,500) in lieu of receiving further Circle training and building a stronger collaborative environment between entities. Funding Amount Request 24,255.00$ How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* The funding will be used to pay for professional services and facility fees for the (4) proposed trainings along with a First Nations Acknowledgement donation. 1. Professional Services include: -(2) Circles Trainer fees for (4) proposed trainings $4,500 per training which totals $18,000 -Child-care fees at a rate of $15/hour for 15 total hours for the (4) proposed trainings which totals $900 -Translation Services of community outreach materials in Spanish, French, Swahili, Arabic and Lingala which totals $1,000 -Interpreter Services at a rate of ~$23/hour for 15 hours for the (4) proposed trainings which totals $1,400 -Food catering services and snacks which would include 1 meal plus snacks at the (4) proposed 3-day trainings which totals $1,200. 2. Facility fees include the cost of space for the (4) proposed trainings at $150 per training which totals $600. 3. First Nations Acknowledgement donation will be %5 of this proposed budget which totals $1,155. $28,000–Mediation Services of Eastern Iowa Operational Budget 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Other Revenue 0.00$0.00$0.00$ Professional Services 7,500.00$7,500.00$7,500.00$ Rentals-Facility Fees 150.00$150.00$300.00$ Professional Services--First Nations Acknowledgement donation 385.00$385.00$385.00$ The majority of the training will occur over the summer and fall of 2022. We anticipate the highest rate of participation to be over a series of weekends. The funds for the training, support services (the trainers, translation, printed materials, child care, training food, etc.) will be spent during the summer and fall of 2022. The First Nations Acknowledgement donation will be spent throughout the duration of the funding cycle. MSEI has not received any funding from the City of Iowa City. Banjo Knits Empowerment has not received City Funding before. Astig Planning has partnered with the Multicultural Development Center of Iowa City in the past received $2,435 for their joint work on the Extreme Weather Event funded by a 2021 Community Climate Action Grant. In 2021, Astig Planning also partnered with the Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition to execute a Housing Advocacy Initiative that was awarded through the 2021 SJRE grant cycle and received $9,875.50. Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Please Explain: Authorization* Signature* Date* No. Yes, we will look for additional funding opportunities if we do not get all that we need for the four trainings. To provide four initial trainings, and the support of the trainees we want to provide, we will need more than the possible $25,000 the SJRE can provide. We will apply for other grants to supplement anything we get from the SJRE. We may, for example, ask local businesses to provide the Circle Keeper supplies we would like to provide for the newly trained Circle Keepers. We have considered what we will do if the total amount of grant funding we receive does not cover our projected costs for four training sessions. One option is that we may provide fewer initial training sessions. Even two training sessions - thirty people trained in providing Community Circles - will be a big jump in capacity for our community. In addition, there may be people who want to participate in the Circle training that are able to pay. Our priority is training community members who have marginalized identities or are otherwise vulnerable or impacted by systemic inequity. We will also be training some community members who do not have those vulnerabilities so that we do have a team of Circle Keepers that represent our community. We may ask them or their employer to pay for their training, thus enabling more free training slots for those who cannot afford any tuition. Yes No As just mentioned, we could start by providing fewer than four free trainings. I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. 1/5/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organization's Mission Statement * How many years has the organization been in operation?* Organizational Information Iowa City Area Chinese Association City iowa city State / Province / Region IOWA Postal / Zip Code 52245 Country United States Street Address 331 N. Gilbert st. Address Line 2 3193317487 naliiowa@gmail.com www.icaca.info Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Na Li President 3193317487 naliiowa@gmail.com The organization is organized for the purpose of affording a forum where the members of the public, regardless of their countries of origin, may learn about and appreciate aspects of Chinese culture and heritage in forms including performances, concerts, exhibitions, festivals, and lectures. 3 Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* What is the program, service, or activity?* How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* We organized Music of Love, a youth charity concert benefiting the United Action for Youth, a local non-profit that provides services to support teens from ages 12 to 18 last September in Ped Mall Iowa City. The event is in partnership with Cadenza, a classical musical charity club at West High School in Iowa City, and partnership with Iowa City Downtown District. We have about 200 community members present. The goal is to raise $1,000.00 but we raised $2,000.00 and gave it to UAY. Here is the link to the report. https://www.press- citizen.com/story/entertainment/2021/09/22/things-do-johnson-county-weekend-band-141-charity-concert- childrens-museum-iowa-football/8384709002/ Proposal Last November, our school district recognized the Lunar New Year as a school district holiday. We applaud such a great decision, as we see ICCSD is making another important move embracing diversity. At the same time, we are very much alarmed by the fact that the Asian community is the largest minority group in Iowa City, but most people don’t know about this Asian holiday. Therefore, we feel the urge to celebrate the Lunar New Year/LNY on a larger scale so that our community members can know more about us. Our final goal is to do the show at Hancher. Lunar New Year Gala in February or March and AAPI Festival in May During the past year, as the anti-Asian hatred diffused rapidly across the country, we especially see the urgency for us to take actions to honor Asian heritage. This April, Iowa City has proclaimed May 18th the day of AAPI Day Against Bullying. We are grateful for that. In the long history of anti-Asian racism, Asian Americans have been portrayed as perpetual foreigners. In the COVID-19 pandemic, the divisive language from various elected officials instigated the rampant scapegoating of people of Asian descent. We have witnessed growing fear among community members and identity crises among young Asian generations. Some children of Asian descent were confused about their identities, feeling lost and excluded. These adverse effects significantly undermine the shared values of diversity, inclusion, and equity, which make this country great. Stopping anti- Asian racism requires efforts from both legislative and community levels. It is at this pivotal time that we the community respect the cultural values of Asian Americans and give recognition to LNY. This will be a critical move to deconstruct stereotypes and foster mutual understanding among families in the school district. We are proud members of this diverse and inclusive school district community. Being able to take a day off to celebrate the largest holiday of our culture means a lot to us. At the same time, as far as we know, Iowa City is determined to educate and inspire a new generation of global citizens. Therefore, we are very excited to introduce the Lunar New Year, a festival celebrated by over 1.5 billion people around the world, to K-12 students from various backgrounds in our school district. This initiative is not just about further embracing diversity within our local community; it is also about how we are shaping global-minded leaders for our future. Lunar New Year to Asians is comparable to Christmas to Americans. It is the day that all family members gather and celebrate a year of hard work and express good wishes for the coming year. This tradition has been passed on from generation to generation for thousands of years in China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, as well as many Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, and Malaysia. The Asian population has been growing rapidly in the Iowa City Area. According to the US Census data, Asians accounted for 7.3% of the population in Iowa City and 11.1% of the population in Coralville, which ranks the top minority group. Making LNY celebration a community event is an important step towards recognizing the cultural heritage of this largest minority community and to further shape Iowa City into a welcoming, inclusive, and diverse community. Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* Nolte Academy kindly provides the studio space for our dance practice. It is projected for people of all ages, races, gender, and income. Performers will be mainly K-12 students, college students, and middle-aged Chinese community members. We estimate 400 maximum attendance at the event. Yes, the admission ticket is $10 for kids, college students, seniors. $14 for adults. The charge is to maintain the high quality of the performance. The Gala performance consists of about 12 pieces, including music performance and dances, such as professional saxophone duet, violin duet, youth string ensemble, Children's Chorus Club, Chinese Classic Dance Group, Chinese Folk Dance Club, Qipao Club. Themes range from the delicate elegance of different ethnic ladies to the folk hero of Hong Kong, from the love of parents to the appreciation of kids. Some pieces also touch upon the topic of today’s China, shedding light on the desire and wishes of modern Chinese. The attendance, media report, audience reaction, and comments. We believe this celebration will benefit not only the Asian families but also help stop hatred or misunderstanding in the community. We hope to make America a better place and to build Iowa City into a safe and inclusive community for everyone to live and thrive. There will be 400 audiences. It's a good opportunity for other minority groups to be included and share their culture at this festival event. We'd love to invite community members to come to enjoy the event with us, esp. to share their cultural heritage. The Lunar New Year Gala is a brilliant artistic celebration of Asia's largest holiday. The rich cultural heritage will be displayed at the annual Lunar New Year Gala and hope to bring good luck to the audience in the year of the tiger. These tales of devotions and good wishes for the new year are often what audience members find the most touching and encouraging. Yes. Will reduce the cost of the stage reservation by moving to a smaller stage. Raise the ticket charge. To maintain the high-quality show, we invite professional musicians, such as the tenor, saxophone player, west music piano accompanist. We also invited Note Academy nutcracker dancers. Funding Amount Request 3,000.00$ How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Please Explain: Authorization* Pay for theater reservations, professional performers, food, and marketing. $10,000.00 including other events 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Grants 3,000.00$$$ Marketing/Advertising 500.00$$$ Rentals 5,500.00$$$ Professional Services 1,000.00$$$ Lunar New Year Gala in February or March and AAPI Festival in May Nov. -reserve the theater, marketing/advertising January-March-pay the rest of the theater fee, professional performances NO Yes, $2800 for 2019-2021 No $2000. Yes No Rent a smaller theater I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. Signature* Date* 1/6/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organization's Mission Statement * How many years has the organization been in operation?* Organizational Information University of Iowa’s Iowa Youth Writing Project City Iowa City State / Province / Region IA Postal / Zip Code 52242-1320 Country United States Street Address 2 Gilmore Hall Address Line 2 112 N. Capitol St. 319-335-2123 era@uiowa.edu iywp.org Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Jane Huffman Grants and Funding Manager 319-576-5060 jane-huffman@uiowa.edu The University of Iowa’s Iowa Youth Writing Project (IYWP) is an arts outreach organization based at the University of Iowa that empowers, inspires, and engages K-12 youth throughout the state using language arts and creative thinking. 12 Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* In 2021, the Iowa Youth Writing Project (IYWP) completed its biggest project to-date, a collaboration with Hancher Auditorium and the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) Foundation that touched the lives of nearly 750 elementary school students and their families. The project, called “Wellspring,” was inspired by the installation of thirty beautiful granite fish sculptures, created by artist Colette Hosmer, on the Hancher Auditorium grounds. In late summer 2020, Hancher Auditorium Director Chuck Swanson approached the IYWP with a mission. These thirty fish sculptures, he told us, needed names. We sprang into action, designing a fun, thoughtful lesson plan that invited students to consider the creative and social significance of naming, then work together to choose a name for their classroom's very own fish. From March through May of 2021, IYWP staff and volunteer instructors met via Zoom with third-grade students in twenty-eight classrooms at twenty-five schools in eight cities and towns across the state. These Zoom sessions shared a common mission: to name and write origin stories for each group’s assigned fish, igniting a love of creative literacy along the way. Students came up with amazing names for each of their fish and worked collaboratively to craft their fish’s origin story. Students participated in a voting process to select the winning names from a list of multiple suggestions, and they built their origin stories as a group, with each student contributing to the plot. Students also responded to the essay prompt, “Who or what is your wellspring?” and submitted their work for consideration in an essay contest. Six winners were chosen by local author Tess Weaver and local illustrator Jennifer Black Reinhardt, (Fishtastic! A Tale of Magic and Friendship, University of Iowa Press, 2021). IYWP staff collected all thirty origin stories as well as the six “wellspring” essay contest winners into a beautiful, professionally designed and bound anthology that we distributed to all 750 student participants along with a commemorative bookmark and broadside. The fish's names are now permanently on display outside of Hancher. * Project press (selected): [1] Maquoketa Community School District. Briggs Elementary. Briggs Student Earns Fifth Place in Essay Competition. Online: https://www.maquoketaschools.org/briggs-student-earns-fifth-place-in-essay-competition/ [2] Swanson C. Iowa City Press Citizen. The Fish at Hancher's Doorstep Tell a Story, and Soon Will Have Names. Sep 1, 2021. Online: https://www.press-citizen.com/story/opinion/2021/09/01/fish-hancher-auditoriums- doorstep-tell-story-and-soon-have-names-university-iowa-wellspring/5684979001/ [3] International Programs. University of Iowa. WorldCanvass. Wellspring: The Power of Partnerships. Sep. 10, 2021. Online: https://welcomingamerica.org/welcoming-week-events/worldcanvass-wellspring-the-power-of- partnerships/ Event video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eumVcpZIdjA [4] Iowa City Noon Rotary. Hancher’s Wellspring — Fishtastic! + the Iowa Youth Writing Project. July 1, 2021. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tzKQqRFLQY [5] Hamlet I. Iowa City Press Citizen. Hancher Auditorium Statues Inspire Fishtastic! New Children's Book from Iowa City Duo. May 6, 2021. Online: https://www.press-citizen.com/story/life/2021/05/06/iowa-city-hancher- auditorium-fish-statues-inspire-childrens-book-fishtastic-weaver-reinhardt/4929062001/ Proposal Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* Since the beginning of 2020, the IYWP has been continuously brainstorming innovative ways to safely bring meaningful arts programming to Iowa’s most in-need K-12 students in COVID-adaptive ways. In 2021, we conceived of a new writing workshop program that would take place outside, where COVID transmission is far less likely. We drew on our track record of success with hosting an annual “Outdoor Poetry” writing camp every summer. The new program, titled “Writing on the Environment,” would engage students with the intersection of creative writing and environmentalism, and it would offer them hands-on opportunities to explore local environments. We immediately decided that we would like to focus on reaching Iowa City’s students of color to help close the “nature gap” that is discussed in this application. It was essential, we thought, to connect young students of color and students from low-income households to the local environment, opportunities for creative growth and self- expression, and the many life-enhancing benefits of spending time outdoors, especially because the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected these underserved communities. A 2021 report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control states that “to promote fair access to health […] we have to work together to ensure that people have resources to maintain and manage their physical and mental health in ways that fit the communities where people live, learn, work, play, and worship” [1]. Certainly, at the top of this list are public schools and outdoor spaces. The IYWP’s development of “Writing on the Environment” coincided with bringing on our new Associate Director, Michelle Wiegand, who joined us after a successful tenure as Education Manager at St. Louis' Audubon Center at Riverlands (National Audubon Society), where her outreach focused on environmental justice, youth empowerment, and engaging historically marginalized groups in environmental science and outdoor adventure programming. As a masters-level social worker, Michelle brings to the IYWP a unique competency in community building and outdoor education, making her the ideal leader for this project. An Iowa City native with a lifetime interest in environmentalism, Michelle also brings many connections to local groups and contacts in the environmental sector, including Johnson County Conservation (JCC). Thanks to Michelle’s outreach efforts, JCC is now a committed partner on this project and is providing thousands of dollars of in-kind value donations to this effort. Our "Writing on the Environment” program sprang from a need we see in the Iowa City community to connect young people of color to opportunities for (a) outdoor activity that enhances mental and physical health and quality of life; (b) extracurricular programming that inspires their interests in science, writing, and art; and (c) age- appropriate environmental advocacy projects that allow them to take an active role in combating climate change. This last aspect is of particular importance because communities of color are disproportionally affected by climate change, which is discussed later in this application. Also provided in later sections of this application are data and analysis that substantiate the fact that students of color tend to be systemically barred from these opportunities. For example, a 2020 study reported that in Iowa, 74% of people of color live in a nature-deprived area (via census tract demographics in the United States) compared to only 15% of white people [1]. The same study shows that children are particularly vulnerable to the “nature gap;” in 49 states, including Iowa, “families and individuals with young children were more nature deprived than families and individuals without young children” [2]. The IYWP can actively resist and work to reverse this problematic trend by engaging Iowa’s young people of color directly with environmentalism, outdoor activity, and creative writing. * Sources: [1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health Equity Considerations and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups. National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. Division of Viral Diseases. Nov. 30, 2021. Online: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/race-ethnicity.html#print [2]. Rowland-Shea J, et al. The Nature Gap: Confronting Racial and Economic Disparities in the Destruction and Protection of Nature in America The Center for American Progress Jul 21 2020 Online: What is the program, service, or activity?* Protection of Nature in America. The Center for American Progress. Jul. 21, 2020. Online: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-nature-gap/ In spring of 2023, the IYWP will conduct our second-annual “Writing on the Environment” series for approximately 150 fifth graders from majority non-white, low-income elementary schools in the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD). This program is four-tiered: first, (a) we will engage students at their schools to teach them about the intersections between creative writing and the natural world; then, (b) we will take these students on a field trip to a local nature preserve where they will get a hands-on learning experience engaging with the outdoors; next, (c) we will publish the work they produce in our sessions in a professionally designed anthology booklet, which we will distribute to all participants; and finally, (d) we will honor that work with a public celebration and reading. This project will promote education, health, and community building for Iowa City’s students of color by engaging them with the connections between creativity and nature, promoting a love for local environments and an interest in combating climate change, engaging them with meaningful opportunities for self-expression, and exposing them to new career opportunities and role models. Detailed descriptions of the four tiers of this project are outlined below: (a) In March and April 2023, we will engage fifth graders in “Writing on the Environment” workshops in their classrooms that will teach students about the fields of “eco poetics,” “nature journaling,” and “environmental journalism.” We will visit each of our 5 participating fifth-grade classrooms twice. To enrich these sessions, the IYWP will hire guest artists who are experts in these fields to assist with instruction. The first session in each classroom will present an Intro to “Writing on the Environment.” Together, we will explore the different ways in which writing and nature are connected and practice “nature journaling” and “eco- poetry” with a prompt from instructors. Instructors will share some examples of authors and types of writing in the different genres. IYWP staff and volunteers will be joined by a published “eco poet” who will help facilitate learning. The second section will focus on “environmental journalism.” Instructors will highlight the ways in which this field allows for expression, creativity, fun experiences, and advocacy. They also will expose students to science writing careers –– including a survey of historic and contemporary environmental science leaders and writers of color –– and ways that young people can get involved in environmental issues through art and science. Students will practice descriptive and persuasive writing on an “environmental journalism” topic with a prompt from instructors. IYWP staff and volunteers will be joined by a career “environmental journalist” who will help facilitate the session. (b) These in-school sessions will culminate in field trips to Cangleska Wakan, a 132-acre park in Johnson County that features “high quality oak forest and unique architecture, including several round barns, a stone arch, a stone amphitheater, and a brick labyrinth” [1]. Each of the five classrooms will get their own field trip. Students will travel to and from the preserve on ICCSD buses, and fifth-grade teachers and volunteers will be present to chaperone. From approximately 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., naturalists from Johnson County Conversation (JCC), our partners for this project, will provide students with educational and fun outdoor activities that will complement the prior in-school engagement sessions. These activities will include dip-netting for macro-invertebrates, a spring ephemeral hike, rotten log observation, and a “creek stomp.” Students will be given time for writing reflections and journaling throughout each activity station. JCC naturalists will discuss the conservation issue they’d like students to help them promote: the need for the preservation of public lands for habitat and healthy, bountiful ecosystems. Students will be introduced to the sign-making project and writing exercise they will complete back in their classrooms. (c) In the days after the field trip, students will complete a writing assignment back in their classrooms, as follows: Choose a medium (“nature journaling,” “eco-poetry, or “environmental journalism”) to reflect on your experience in the program and/or promote a message of conservation of public land to wider audience. Students will have the chance to submit their work to an IYWP-sponsored contest, judged by the guest writers who helped facilitate the in-school sessions and by IYWP staff. Winning responses will be included in a professionally designed and bound anthology that will be distributed to all participants and attendees at our end- of-program reading. More information about how we will produce this anthology –– and the pedagogical How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* importance of publishing student work –– is discussed in detail later in this application. Students will also be asked to work together to create signs promoting messages of conservation and other take- aways from the “Writing on the Environment” program that will be installed along a trail at Cangleska Wakan for public enjoyment. These opportunities give students an active role in advocacy by sharing impactful messages written in students' unique voices and styles with a wide public audience. (d) Then, in late May 2023, the IYWP will host a student reading and celebration at the Cangleska Wakan celebration barn, where selected students will share their work with an audience of 100+ community members. In advance of this celebration and reading, IYWP staff members will print student work from the project on semi- permanent signs and install them along a hiking trail at Cangleska Wakan. Event attendees will be invited to walk the trail. For the 2022 iteration of this program, the IYWP has confirmed that all fifth graders from three ICCSD schools will participate in this program: Hills Elementary, Mark Twain Elementary, and Alexander Elementary. These schools were chosen because their student body demographics are majority non-white and majority low-income. The IYWP has reached out to the other two schools in the ICCSD that fit this description, Kirkwood Elementary and Grant Wood Elementary, and although they have not yet confirmed participation for 2022, we are hoping to secure participation for 2023. Grant funding will support the second iteration of this project in 2023, which we will pilot in 2022 in order to achieve proof of concept and collect participant feedback. SJRE grant support will help the IYWP make it a sustainable, annual event. More information about the sustainability plan of this project is discussed in the appropriate application section, below. * Sources: [1] Johnson County, Iowa. Cangleska Wakan. Johnson County Conservation. Online document: https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-05/Cangleska_Wakan.pdf This project advances social justice and racial equity by providing Iowa City’s low-income students and students of color with opportunities to meaningfully engage in creative writing and the exploration of nature, two life-giving activities from which they have been systemically barred by high access barriers. Despite its many world-renowned writing programs and status as a UNESCO “City of Literature,” Iowa City offers few low- or no-cost resources for its K-12 students to partake in its culture of reading and writing. This barrier is especially high for students of color, who might, due to structural discrimination, lack access to the information, funds, transportation, time, or other support necessary to participate in at-cost extracurricular activities. The same can be said about opportunities to engage with nature. A 2020 study by the Center for American Progress and the Hispanic Access Foundation reported that “communities of color in the U.S. experience ‘nature deprivation,’ or lack of access to nature, at an average of 3 times the rate of white communities” [1]. In Iowa, 74% of people of color live in a nature-deprived area compared to only 15% of white people. By providing creative writing and nature-exploration opportunities at no cost; integrating this program into the school day (meeting students, literally, where they are); and providing free transportation, the IYWP makes its programming radically accessible, eliminating the barriers to access that often bar students of color from these activities. This program engages young people of color with the many physical and mental health benefits of outdoor experiences, which are well-documented. A 2009 article from the scholarly journal Organization and Environment, titled “Childhood Development and Access to Nature: A New Direction for Environmental Inequality Research,” states the following: “The positive effects of nature exposure include improved cognitive functioning (including increased concentration, greater attention capacities, and higher academic performance), better motor coordination, reduced stress levels, increased social interaction with adults and other children, and improved social skills [2].” Additionally, it is well-documented that communities of color are disproportionately affected by issues of climate change, making it increasingly important that these communities are at the forefront of and meaningfully d i th f d l i l ti t li t i i A S t b 2021 t f th engaged in the process of developing solutions to our climate crisis. A September 2021 report from the Environmental Protection Agency found that “African American individuals are projected to face higher impacts of climate change for all six impacts analyzed in this report [e.g., air quality, extreme temperature, disruptive weather, and flooding], compared to all other demographic groups” [3]. The IYWP’s “Writing on the Environment” program combats this trend by inspiring future stewards and advocates of our environment. The first step is connecting young people of color to their environments, conservation efforts, and opportunities to engage in environmental justice. Myriad evidence suggests that in Iowa City, and in the school district in particular, non-white students are often overlooked, disrespected, and dismissed. This issue spans generations, but it gained mainstream attention in 2020, following the murder of George Floyd. On December 13, 2021, The Daily Iowan published an article titled, “Black students search for a sense of belonging in Iowa City schools, expand Black Student Unions.” In the article, Shay Church-Roberts, a senior and president of the Iowa City Liberty High School Black Student Union, said that she and other Black students are often overlooked and underestimated by their majority-white teachers: “In a lot of our AP classes I’ve had teachers that have made me feel as though I don’t belong in that class, as if I don’t deserve to be in there just as much as one of my white classmates,” Church-Roberts said [4]. Mayasa Hamid, Iowa City West High School junior, said she struggles to connect with the resources she needs to thrive in school. “Whenever I go to find resources,” she told the reporter, “I just feel like I have to go find it by myself, every single one. Nobody’s going to tell me because nobody wants me to succeed, being a Black Muslim woman” [4]. Both Church-Roberts and Hamid are high-school students, and it’s uncertain whether they were once elementary schoolers in the ICCSD, but their stories demonstrate that Iowa City is not doing enough for its students of color. By providing culturally compassionate, thoughtful curriculum and supportive extra-curricular role models in science and art, this program will offer young people of color a path to become feel more involved within their school communities. * Sources: [1] Rowland-Shea J, et al. The Nature Gap: Confronting Racial and Economic Disparities in the Destruction and Protection of Nature in America. The Center for American Progress. Jul. 21, 2020. Online: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-nature-gap/ [2] Strife S, Downey L. Childhood Development and Access to Nature: A New Direction for Environmental Inequality Research. Organization & Environment. 2009;22(1):99-122. doi: 10.1177/1086026609333340 [3] EPA. 2021. Climate Change and Social Vulnerability in the United States: A Focus on Six Impacts. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA 430-R-21-003. Online: https://www.epa.gov/cira/social-vulnerability-report [4] Parkey A. Black Students Search for a Sense of Belonging in Iowa City Schools, Expand Black Student Unions. The Daily Iowan. Dec. 13, 2021. Online: https://dailyiowan.com/2021/12/13/black-students-search-for-a- sense-of-belonging-in-iowa-city-schools-expand-black-student-unions/ How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* EDUCATION: This program directly contributes to the education of students of color by teaching them about the intersections between creative writing and environmentalism and exposing them to experts in each field, including many writers and naturalists of color. The program will also engage students in conversation about careers in these two fields, supporting their goals and ambitions for future education and work. This is an interdisciplinary program that fulfils two tenets of “STEAM” programming and connects two often exclusionary fields: science and the arts. During project development, the IYWP worked with ICCSD’s science, language arts, and library Curriculum Coordinators to do outreach for this program. These coordinators also plan to work with participating fifth grade teachers to develop supplemental lesson plants to support the program's theme in between sessions with the IYWP. In the partnership section of this application, we discuss how this program will also provide a steppingstone for fifth grade students who will participate in the ICCSD’s “School of the Wild” program in sixth grade, integrating further continuity and depth to the district’s outdoor education curriculum. BUILDING COMMUNITIES: Students of color will build community by working together as they explore the possibilities of creative writing and environmentalism. This program will allow students to express themselves and tell their stories in creative ways, helping them recognize the connections they have with others and with the natural world. This project also builds community by connecting ICCSD students with Johnson County environments and organizations (e.g., JCC) that they might not otherwise encounter. HEALTH: The physical and mental health benefits of spending time outdoors are myriad and well-documented (see analysis from Strife, S. and Downey, L., above). By spending time and learning about local conservation at Cangleska Wakan, students will gain new understanding and appreciation of local environments, promoting future engagement with outdoor activity. In addition, this program will connect many families of color to resources offered by JCC, such as outdoor recreational opportunities at local nature preserves and parks. What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* To our knowledge, no program like this one currently exists in eastern Iowa. This program fulfills a community need for our young people of color to meaningfully engage with creative writing and nature in ways that will support their well-being, health, education, community involvement, and career goals. Participation in this program is free, and it will be built into students’ school schedules, eliminating cost and transportation barriers that might otherwise prevent students from being able to participate. Iowa City offers multiple high-quality arts and environmental learning programs for students, but most are cost- prohibitive for low-income families. For example, Iowa City’s wonderful “Taproot” program offers opportunities for children to engage with nature, but tuition ranges from $200.00 to $1,200.00 per week per child, often making it inaccessible to children from low-income families [1]. “Writing on the Environment” also addresses wider community needs, as discussed above: communities of color are disproportionally affected by climate change, and yet, these same communities tend to lack access to engage with conversation efforts, outdoor recreation, and interaction with nature. This program helps to close this “nature gap” by connecting young people of color with the natural world, instilling in them a love for the environment and offering them the myriad physical and mental health benefits of time spent outside. This program also addresses a gap in eastern Iowa’s otherwise vibrant writing community: often, students of color are barred from participating in Johnson Country’s many writing and creativity opportunities due to high cost and other barriers. For example, our world-renowned l sister program, the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio, also based at the University of Iowa, offers creative writing opportunities to minors, but tuition for the two-week, in- person program is upwards of $2,000.00 per child [2], and the two-week online program is $575.00 per child. We celebrate these at-cost programs, but we seek also to provide high-caliber writing opportunities to children from low-income families to close this access gap and provide access for all. * Sources: [1] Taproot Nature Experience. About our Programs. Online: https://taprootnatureexperience.org/programs/ [2] Iowa Young Writers’ Studio. How to Apply: Online Courses. Online: https://iyws.clas.uiowa.edu/apply/how- apply-online-courses Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* We’re partnering with Johnson County Conservation (JCC) and the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) on this project. As their third engagement session, ICCSD students will take a field trip to a JCC nature preserve, Cangleska Wakan. On this field trip, JCC naturalists will provide our students with hands-on instruction. JCC is allowing us to install semi-permanent student-made signage on the Cangleska Wakan grounds. JCC is also providing us with event space at their beautiful Cangleska Wakan celebration barn for a student reading and dinner at the end of the program. The ICCSD is an ongoing IYWP partner; they welcome us into their schools and provide us with access to their students. We’re eager to explore how we can deepen this partnership by connecting our “Writing on the Environment” program to the ICCSD Foundation’s “School of the Wild” program, in which ICCSD’s sixth graders enjoy a “summer camp-like adventure where they tag and release birds, study the woodlands and wetlands native to Iowa, learn about gardening and prairie sustainability, and […] gain a greater appreciation for wildlife and the world’s ecosystem” [1]. Our “Writing on the Environment” program, which engages fifth graders, could provide a steppingstone to “School of the Wild.” Additionally, we’re partnering with the Iowa Flood Center, who is helping us by advising us on local environmental resources and building professional connections, as well as with local author Cornelia Mutel, a prolific local science writer and University of Iowa employee. As the project progresses, we will be reaching out to others in eco-journalism and children's literature including local illustrator/author Claudia McGehee. We see lots of possibilities for expanding our partners on this project including Bur Oak Land Trust, Iowa City Parks and Recreation, Iowa City Poetry, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, University of Iowa Department of Sustainability, University of Iowa Black Student Union, and University of Iowa Biological Interests Organization. * Sources: [1] Iowa City Community School District Foundation. School of the Wild. Online: https://iccsdfoundation.org/school-of-the-wild/ Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* Provided below are data from the three schools that have confirmed participation for the 2022 pilot project. At the time of writing, we are working to secure two additional schools to participate in 2022. We are enthusiastic that these three schools, as well as two additional schools, will participate in 2023. Race, gender, and income demographics are broken down here by school. Classroom-specific demographics are not available. All participants will be fifth graders, ages 10 and 11. The following race and gender demographics are based on 2021-22 school census data provided by the Iowa Department of Education. Income demographics are provided by 2021-22 school snapshots provided by the district. A. ALEXANDER ELEMENTARY: 36 enrolled fifth graders a. RACE: 74% students of color (of 319 students, 58 identify as Hispanic, 11 as Asian American, 141 as Black, and 26 as multi-racial) [1] b. GENDER: 160 male, 159 female [1] c. INCOME: 63.3% low socioeconomic status students [2] B. MARK TWAIN ELEMENTARY: 24 enrolled fifth graders. a. RACE: 60% students of color (of 227 students, 73 identify as Hispanic, 46 as Black, 1 as Pacific Islander, and 16 as multi-racial) [1] b. GENDER: 115 male, 111 female, 1 non-binary [1] c. INCOME: 62.9% low socioeconomic status students [3] C. HILLS ELEMENTARY: 10 enrolled fifth graders a. RACE: 55% students of color (of 172 students, 62 identify as Hispanic, 23 as Black, and 9 as multi-racial) [1] b. GENDER: 71 male, 101 female [1] c. INCOME: 72.7% low socioeconomic status students [4] D. Schools 4 and 5 TBD; we can report demographics once we have secured participation * Sources: [1] Iowa Department of Education. 2021–2022 Iowa Public School Building PreK-12 Enrollments by School, Grade, Race and Gender. Excel document. Online: https://educateiowa.gov/documents/public-school-building- prek-12-enrollment-grade-race-and-gender/2021/12/2021-2022-iowa [2] Iowa City Community School District. Alexander Elementary School 2021/2022 Snapshot. PDF document. Online: https://www.iowacityschools.org/cms/lib/IA01903939/Centricity/domain/19/2021- 22%20snapshots/Alexander_Snapshot_2021.pdf [3] Iowa City Community School District. Mark Twain Elementary School 2021/2022 Snapshot. PDF document. Online: https://www.iowacityschools.org/cms/lib/IA01903939/Centricity/domain/19/2021- 22%20snapshots/Twain_Snapshot_2021.pdf [4] Iowa City Community School District. Hills Elementary School 2021/2022 Snapshot. PDF document. Online: https://www.iowacityschools.org/cms/lib/IA01903939/Centricity/domain/19/2021- 22%20snapshots/Hills_Snapshot_2021.pdf How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** 100% of fifth-grade students at our five partner schools, or approximately 150 students. Participation is 100% free. a. Educate 150 fifth-grade students about different methods of writing that build a connection to and love for nature and raise awareness of environmental issues such as climate change b. Expose 150 fifth-grade students to diverse career options that incorporate writing or center around writing about the environment or natural world (e.g., journalism, eco-poetry, non-fiction writing) c. Support the physical and mental health of 150 fifth-grade students by connecting them to the local environment and the many benefits of spending time outdoors d. Educate 150 fifth-grade students about their access to safe and free parks and green spaces in their community; in turn, expose 150 families to opportunities for outdoor recreation e. Publish 25 fifth graders’ writing in a professionally bound anthology f. Distribute 500 copies of the anthology to community members and participants g. Publish 15 fifth graders’ writing on semi-permanent signs on the Cangleska Wakan grounds, exposing it to a wider audience h. Give 10 fifth graders the opportunity to build confidence and public speaking skills by reading their writing to 100+ attendees of student reading i. Connect 150 fifth-grade students to new mentors and positive role models j. Build stronger community connections and friendships among 150 fifth-grade students Students will do an “heads-down/hands-up” style survey, led by their teachers, after the program has ended. Teachers will report results back to the IYWP. Questions might include: a. “How many of you learned something new about nature?” b. “Who learned about the connections between writing and the environment?” c. “How many of you are more excited about creative writing than you were before the program?” d. “How many of you are more excited about nature than you were before the program?” e. “How many of you told a friend or family member about what you learned or experienced in the program?” f. “How many of you would like to return to Cangleska Wakan with friends or family?” g. “Who would like to someday learn more about creative writing?” h. “Who would like to someday learn more about nature?” We will also create paper surveys to distribute to participants that will ask similar questions but with quantitative answer scales, such as “On a scale of 1 to 10, how much did you learn about your local environment during your trip to Cangleska Wakan?” The IYWP will distribute paper surveys to fifth grade teachers and collect them once they have been filled out. Paper surveys give us a more tangible means of collecting data and offer students an opportunity to provide feedback and testimonials in their own words. What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* Through this project, the IYWP will create new culturally compassionate environmental education curriculum for fifth graders, which we would be happy to share with other organizations and the wider community on our website. At the end of the project, the IYWP will create and distribute an anthology of student writing that will be available to students’ families and the public. Additionally, students’ work will be printed on semi-permanent signs that will be installed at Cangleska Wakan for public view. With consent from students and their parents/guardians, the IYWP will advertise the signage on our social media platforms to invite more community members to visit the preserve, read students’ work, and learn about the project. Both the anthology and the signs will include contextual information about the “Writing on the Environment” project. Additionally, the IYWP will host a student reading at the end of the project, which will be open to students and their friends and family. The IYWP will create recordings of students reading and share them on our social media platforms, with consent from students and their parents/guardians. Yes, we will continue to host our “Writing on the Environment” series in future years after the SJRE grant period ends. By supporting the 2023 iteration of this project, the SJRE grant helps us incubate the program as we build support and partnerships and achieve a strong proof of concept. This solid foundation will allow us to lock “Writing on the Environment” into our annual programming. After the SJRE grant period, we will rely on other sources of fundraising to support this project, including potentially dedicating our annual “GOLDrush” crowdfunding campaign to covering its costs, which we have found very successful in the past. Discussed below is our plan to proceed with this annual series, in a limited capacity, without SJRE or other funding. Regardless of grant funding, we hope to continue partnering with JCC, which will make continuing the program possible. By donating their expert naturalists to provide instruction to students, offering us their celebration barn for our end-of-project reading, and agreeing to display student work on semi-permanent signs, they enable the bulk of the project’s programming. [1] This proposal includes $1,114.00 ($1,000.00 stipend plus 11.4% fringe) to pay our anthology designer, Kimberly Maher. Kim, who is a professional book artist and educator at the University of Iowa, will design the interior and exterior of our student writing anthology to make it a truly special commemorative artifact. An anthology designed by a book artist adds an element of professionalism and dignity to student work. Publishing student anthologies advances the project by giving our young students of color the unique opportunity to see their names and stories in print. This gives students a boost of self-confidence and allows them to share their creative work with friends and family. They provide permanent evidence of students’ accomplishments and commemorate their engagement with the IYWP. These anthologies often become treasures in our students’ lives, and they can inspire in them a love for writing and publishing. [2] The proposal requires transportation services of $1,500 to transport student participants to and from the planned field trip. This includes the cost of the vehicle and the professional licensed drivers. [3] For this proposal the IYWP requires grant accounting and processing support from the university, this will include a professional service fee to the university amounting to $711. We will account for these three expenses as professional service costs in the budget form. Funding Amount Request 7,300.00$ How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Funding will be used to cover the following project expenses: (1) $975.00: environmental writing kits for 150 students (including paper, writing utensils, and a magnifying glass in a sling pack); (2) $500.00: workshop materials for participants for 10 in-school engagement sessions (including paper, utensils, art supplies, printed handouts, and other supplies); (3) $1,500.00: ICCSD buses to transport students to and from Cangleska Wakan for field trips; (4) $1,114.00: stipend and temp fringe to compensate our anthology designer, Kimberly Maher, who will design the interior and cover for our student writing anthology; (5) $2,000.00: anthology printing from the University of Iowa Printing and Mailing Services; (6) $500.00: signage printing from the University of Iowa Printing and Mailing Services; and (7) $711.00: UI grant accounting and processing fee. For a total of $7,300.00 The University of Iowa’s Iowa Youth Writing Project (IYWP) annual budget is $47,388.40 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Other Revenue 0.00$0.00$0.00$ Educational Materials 1,475.00$0.00$0.00$ Professional Services 0.00$3,325.00$0.00$ Outside Printing 0.00$2,500.00$0.00$ Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* 2022: Nov: Secure logistics with JCC and ISSCD, confirming student participation and venue; confirm with JCC/Cangleska Wakan and make any necessary revisions to 2022 curriculum 2023 Jan.: Hire guest speakers for in-school sessions (funds not requested in this grant); design session curriculum using 2022 surveys to hone practices and implement feedback; arrange field trip transportation logistics with ICCSD Early Feb.: Purchase and assemble nature writing kits; recruit IYWP volunteers to help with in-school workshop sessions All Mar.: Conduct 10 2023 in-school sessions, 2 at each of our 5 participating schools Apr.: Conduct 5 student field trips at Cangleska Wakan; work with JCC and other partners to plan student reading and showcase dinner Early May: Collect student writing, collect surveys; select student reading to feature on signs and at reading; send semi-permanent signs to print Mid May: Send student writing anthology to print; IYWP staff install semi-permanent signs at Cangleska Wakan Late May: Student reading and showcase dinner at Cangleska Wakan, distribute student writing anthology; distribute and collect surveys from participants June: Send grant report to SJRE administrators February 2023: -$975.00: The IYWP will purchase nature writing kits. Late February 2023: -$500.00: The IYWP will purchase writing and art materials for in-school sessions April 2023: - $1,500.00: The IYWP will pay ICCSD for bussing to Cangleska Wakan for field trips. Early May 2023: -$500.00: The IYWP will send semi-permanent signs to print at University of Iowa Printing and Mailing and pay invoice in advance of job. Mid May 2023: -$2,000.00: The IYWP will send student anthology signs to print at University of Iowa Printing and Mailing and pay invoice in advance of job. June 2023: -$1,114.00: The IYWP pays student anthology designer for her work, including fringe April – June 2023: A $711.00 UI grant accounting and processing cost will be assessed. No No Yes, the IYWP is seeking other external funding from foundations, other grantors, and sponsors to cover project expenses not included in this grant request. If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Please Explain: Authorization* Signature* Date* This project can and will be completed annually with or without funding from SJRE and elsewhere, but without that funding, the program would be significantly scaled down –– see details below. Yes No Yes, the IYWP will host “Writing on the Environment” with or without full funding from this grant request, but without the funding, the project will be limited, as will its ability to affect local students of color. For example, without financial support, the IYWP won’t be able to produce the student anthology, which would deprive students of a confidence-boosting opportunity to see their name in print and share their writing with friends and family. That said, without funding, we will prioritize the in-school and field-trip engagement sessions only, and with the support of JCC, we should still be able to have a scaled-back version of the student reading event. I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. 1/6/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organization's Mission Statement * Organizational Information League of Women Voters Johnson County: DEI Committee City Iowa City State / Province / Region Iowa Postal / Zip Code 512240 Country USA Street Address PO Box 5452 Address Line 2 319-321-1218 jclwvoters@gmail.com lwvjc.org Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Anne Spencer LWVJC Co-President; Chair of DEI Committee 319-321-1218 spencerfarms@gmail.com The mission of LWVJC DEI Committee is to increase awareness of diversity, equity and inclusion issues within our community by offering opportunities for both LWVJC members and the community to educate themselves, engage in dialogue and address inequities that exist in Johnson County. Through this process, we strive to increase diversity in our membership and board representation and create an inclusive environment for all community members. How many years has the organization been in operation?* Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* What is the program, service, or activity?* How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* 100 The DEI committee was formed in the fall of 2020. Due to the pandemic, we successfully tested the first session of our series for virtual effectiveness with a volunteer group and a parent group from Clear Creek Amana school district. We have facilitated a three session DEI Workshop for the Affordable Housing Coalition of Johnson County to provide information and encourage discussion of DEI issues and how they affect our community. We are in the process of offering this experience to local Rotary groups. Proposal With the leadership of Deborah Turner, President of the National League of Women Voters since 2020, the League established a strong commitment to ensuring compliance with the LWVUS DEI policy in principle and practice in 2020. Our committee was formed in October of that year and we embraced that commitment wholeheartedly, creating our mission statement with the goal to educate and activate members of our community. Our committee has chosen to be active locally, identifying organizations that would benefit from learning more about the issues in our community and identifying how they can improve the opportunities for all community members in education, housing, health, and community. We offer a workshop of three 1.5 hour sessions that includes interactive exercises and brief reading assignments from recent publications to heighten self-awareness and to stimulate discussions to better understand the issues involved and determine actions that can be taken locally. The workshop may be held in person or virtually. Resources and discussions focus on the role of privilege in our society, defining oft-used terms such as social location, intersectionality, prejudice, racism, discrimination, and Critical Race Theory and how these relate to issues in Johnson County. The program encourages participants to process what they think, define what they need to understand and what specifically they can do, as a community member as well as an organization, to affect change. Through education using thoughtfully chosen resources and experiences (ex: Privilege Walk, White Privilege video, Shared Common Language, articles from Learning for Justice, recent editorials), we aim to provide participants with information to examine and clarify issues of racial and social justice. By offering our workshops to local organizations whose goals focus on community efforts, we hope to support their work by providing opportunities to better understand the local systemic issues related to justice and equity. Part of the workshop includes identifying what they, as an organization can DO to affect change. While local institutions such as the ICCSD and University have DEI Coordinators, there is a need for community support to affect change. By offering this opportunity to local groups and organizations, we can meet the needs and interests of those who are in a position to affect policy and speak up for justice. We will provide resources and encourage discussion among the participants to develop understanding and identify actions. We have collaborated with a parent group of the Clear Creek Amana School District to provide a Privilege Walk. There has been interest in our workshop as well. We collaborated with the JC Affordable Housing Coalition Board and Astig Planning, facilitating our three session workshop. Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* How will the funding be utilized* Demographics will be comparable to those involved in local organizations: adults of all ages and genders, mixed race but predominately white, middle to upper income. As this workshop works best with a group of less than 30 participants and we do this as volunteers, it is reasonable that we would serve up to 200-250 community members over the course of a year. No charge is expected. Participants will complete all three sessions and will identify at least 3 goals/actions to move themselves and their organizations forward to become more diverse and inclusive while advancing justice and equity within local business and government entities. LWVJC DEI will complete workshops with at least 200 people in the grant year. Workshop evaluations will have at least a 90% positivity rate. Organizations we have worked with will provide feedback that demonstrates some inclusion of BIPOC members or policy change or public issue addressed that will affect positive change. Open dialogue of sensitive issues that have been repressed in our society. The work is mainly targeted to raise self awareness and understanding in people of privilege with the intent that they will employ that knowledge to lead fundamental change in systems such as education and housing. Materials will be kept current and will continuously evolve based on feedback from individuals and groups. LWVJC DEI will identify opportunities to partner with local organizations to further justice and equity in our community. We will reach out to local groups, churches and other volunteer organizations to offer our program. Trained facilitators will continue to identify members of the community in leadership positions to advance justice and equity locally. We do not plan to charge for future workshops. As additional LWVJC members desire to pursue training, we will set aside money in the budget. none Funding Amount Request 5,000.00$ We would like to be certified as DEI coordinators to better understand the issues and strategies for supporting our work. Our goal is to certify 5 members the first year. We have printing expenses for the materials that we provide for participants to read and process. We will require space for workshops, incurring rental fees. We may have need for other office supplies (nametags, poster board, markers, stickies, etc.) when meeting in person. What is the organizations annual budget?* Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Authorization* We have no budget currently for this project. 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget none $$$ Professional Services 3,750.00$$$ Outside Printing 150.00$150.00$150.00$ Rentals 250.00$250.00$250.00$ Misc. Supplies 50.00$$$ Provide 7-8 group programs over the year. Some groups may be overlapping as we plan to work with the schedule of the organizations as much as possible. For example, groups may take 6-12 weeks to complete three sessions and may meet any day of the week. summer-fall 2022: training for 5 DEI facilitators fall 2022-spring 2023: conduct 7-8 workshops with local organizations; we have budgeted for space rental if it is pandemically-possible to conduct the workshops in person, if not they will be virtual No No No No Yes No I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. Signature* Date* 1/6/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organizational Information The University of Iowa Mobile Clinic City Iowa City State / Province / Region IA Postal / Zip Code 52242 Country United States Street Address The University of Iowa 1216 MERF Address Line 2 319-651-9554 mobileclinic.ui@gmail.com https://iowamobileclinic.org Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Darian Thompson Program Coordinator 319-651-9554 Darian-thompson@uiowa.edu Organization's Mission Statement * How many years has the organization been in operation?* The University of Iowa Mobile Clinic is a student-led, faculty-supervised, volunteer-based organization that incorporates students from almost all individual health colleges at the University of Iowa that serves to increase healthcare access throughout the state of Iowa. Mobile Clinic was established in 2002 with the intent to progress health equity by providing free healthcare services to underserved populations in our community through healthcare screenings, preventative care services, health education dissemination, and much more. Our organization strategy has been to establish partnerships with existing community-based organizations to simultaneously meet patients where they’re at and to integrate ourselves into the existing social services. We are currently operating out of 12 various community centers (Columbus Junction, CommUnity Food Pantry, Coralville Food Pantry, Ecumenical towers, IC Compassion, Open Heartland, Pheasant Ridge, Shelter House, St. Patrick’s Church, West Liberty, Dream City, and Free Medical Clinic). 20 Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Early in 2021, Mobile Clinic was identified by the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) as an asset in the State of Iowa’s efforts to disseminate the COVID-19 vaccination in an equitable manner. With the financial support from this partnership and IDPH’s COVID-19 Equity Mini-Grant, we secured the supplies necessary for this project, including vaccines, freezer, refrigerator, temperature monitoring devices and subscription, transport cooler, safety needles and sharps bins, Band-Aids, alcohol prep pads, gloves, and hand sanitizer. This project required multidisciplinary volunteers to run clinics most efficiently. Volunteers included a clinic coordinator, a member on our student board who coordinates with community partners to establish dates and times for clinics and recruits the necessary volunteers; translators for languages spoken by patient population at the community organization of focus; registration volunteer; vaccine preparation volunteers, pharmacy or nursing students/staff experienced in preparing COVID-19 vaccination doses; vaccine administrators, medical/PA/nursing/pharmacy students under the supervision of corresponding faculty members; pharmacy, nursing, or medical faculty providers; and wait-time monitors to monitor patients for adverse reactions during 15 minutes following inoculation. We developed multiple adverse events protocols and disseminated these to volunteers, including exposure to blood or bodily fluids protocol and adverse patient reaction protocol. As volunteers were students and faculty from the University of Iowa health colleges, we disseminated the university’s protocol for exposure to blood or bodily fluids. For the adverse reaction protocol, we developed guides for identifying and treating allergic and anaphylactic reactions and stocked epinephrine auto-injector devices, diphenhydramine tablets, blood pressure cuffs (adult regular, large, and pediatric), stethoscopes, glucometers and test strips, water, and snacks. In addition to these technical considerations, we implemented intention efforts to diminish the racial disparities evident in COVID-19 vaccinations. From the many peer-reviewed publications highlighting this disparity, we knew that when age and sex were controlled, racial minorities in the United States were much more likely to die from COVID-19 infection compared to their White counterparts (Black Americans were 37%, Asian Americans 53%, Native Americans 26%, and Hispanic Americans 16% more likely to die) (Melillo, 2020). This inference is further supported by the CDC’s 2020 report that 37.7% and 22.2% of deaths were among Hispanic and non- Hispanic black adults, respectively, despite making up just 19.4% and 12.7% of the total US population. Additionally, some minority populations were more likely to refuse the vaccination for a multitude of reasons, including concerns regarding vaccine safety and efficacy, lack of financial resources or health insurance, and prior COVID-19 infection (Callaghan et al, 2020). Furthermore, in a report on COVID-19 vaccination preparedness, health experts frequently cited immigrant and non-English-speaking populations as hard-to-reach populations, leading to the conclusion that “partnering with local community and volunteer organizations can be critical to establishing trusted relationships with vulnerable communities and responding to their unique needs” (Hosangadi et al, 2020). With this data in mind, we adapted our clinic operations to meet vulnerable populations in a setting familiar to them. To increase to our target population, we concentrated our advertising efforts on our partner organizations and limited social media advertisement. This simultaneously prevented overcrowding at vaccination clinics and ensured our intended populations were being served. To further accommodate our target population, we made our clinics walk-in to reduce the barrier of adhering to rigid appointment times. Furthermore, we collaborated with our partner organizations who had preexisting rapport with their clients to serve as patient advocates and translators during clinics to mitigate medical distrust. Prior to clinics, we worked with partner organization leaders to decide which vaccination (Moderna or J&J), which dates and times, adn what modes of contact would be best for their clients. For example, one organization took initiative to call their own clients due to and community understanding that calls from an unknown number would increase distrust. Additionally, we created and disseminated mythbusters fliers and held Q&A sessions with community partners prior to vaccine clinics. With these adaptations, Mobile Clinic held 31 vaccine clinics and administered 1,098 COVID-19 vaccines in 2021. These contributions are furthered by the fact that we predominantly serve hard-to-reach populations. Of those patients we vaccinated, 75.2% who self-identified as a racial/ethnic minority, 47% identified a non-English preferred language, 57% were uninsured, and only 32.1% endorsed receiving routine medical care from a primary care provider. Given the prevalence of iatrophobia and distrust of medicine due to various previous and current medical abuses, services like Mobile Clinic that have established relationships with the community have been and continue to be imperative to mitigating the impacts of COVID-19. Proposal Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* What is the program, service, or activity?* How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* The University of Iowa Mobile Clinic was founded in 2002 with the purpose of increasing access to basic healthcare services throughout Eastern Iowa to progress health equity. This was identified as a need based on the considerable number of un/underinsured individuals in Iowa. It is currently estimated that 6.1% of Iowa’s population is uninsured, translating to over 190,000 individuals. In conjunction with the uninsured population, there is a prominent underinsured population which is more challenging to quantify. The number and healthcare needs of undocumented persons are also difficult to measure, but it is estimated that there are over 50,000 undocumented persons currently living in Iowa. Mobile Clinic was established to bring awareness to these populations and to provide them the care they are being neglected from receiving. At the inception of Mobile Clinic, our name was representative of a physical structure, as we operated our clinics out of a vehicle. We have since transitioned to a clinic that partners with existing community-based organizations to host clinics in locations already serving our target population, allowing us to meet our patients where they’re at. We focus on vulnerable patient populations including un/underinsured individuals and families, unhoused, refugees, and undocumented populations. We aim to reduce the multiple barriers our patients face, including, but not limited to, lack of health insurance and access to comprehensive primary care, language and cultural differentials, lack of health literacy, and lack of transportation. Mobile Clinic provides basic healthcare services to underserved populations in the Iowa City area. We predominantly provide services to un/underinsured persons, non-English speakers, low-income persons, and undocumented persons. Currently, we have twelve partnerships with various organizations in which we host, on average, monthly free, walk-in clinics. The services provided at each clinic site vary to the needs of each patient population and the capacity of the mobile clinic at a given time. The entirety of our services include: provider appointments, point-of-care A1C and cholesterol screenings, basic vision screenings, blood pressure checks, HIV and HCV screenings, translation (Spanish, French, and Arabic), vaccinations (Influenza, COVID-19), physical therapy, medical reconciliation, dental, Respectacle reading glasses, general health education, social work assessment, dietetics, talk therapy, and general gynecology. Newly after the onset of COVID-19, we also offer telemedicine services for patients across Iowa to increase accessibility and decrease COVID-19 transmission. We also operate a comprehensive referral system to local and statewide resources for health and social services outside the scope of Mobile Clinic. The COVID-19 pandemic has further demonstrated the prevalent healthcare disparities in our society. Through the services provided at Mobile Clinic, we are able to progress health equity in our community by ensuring more persons have their basic healthcare needs met. In the 2021 calendar year, we conducted 604 in-person patient encounters. Among those with specified racial/ethnic identities, 38% self-identified as Hispanic/Latino(a), 19% as Black, 11% as Asian, and 32% as White. In addition to these in-person encounters, we have also provided COVID-19 vaccination appointments and telemedicine appointments. As previously mentioned, our efforts have mitigated the racial inequity in COVID-19 vaccination rates and therefore in COVID-19 outcomes by providing vaccinations to the most vulnerable members of our community. As aforementioned, of the 1098 patients we vaccinated, 75.2% self-identified as a racial/ethnic minority, 47% identified a non-English preferred language, 57% were uninsured, and only 32.1% endorsed receiving routine medical care from a primary care provider, while 38.2% endorsed receiving no routine medical care and 29.2% endorsed receiving their routine care at either Mobile Clinic (7.5%) or Iowa City Free Medical Clinic (21.7%). Another new service we offered in 2021 is telemedicine clinics, through which we have conducted 587 encounters. Among those with specified racial/ethnic identities, 64% self-identified as White, 22% as Hispanic/Latino(a), 13% as Black, and <1% Asian. Despite our successful efforts to reach the underserved populations in our community, the Mobile Clinic executive team recognizes that free healthcare clinics like ours are not the ideal answer to mitigating health inequities. To further our work in establishing health equity, Mobile Clinic engages in advocacy against systems of oppression, including the medical-industrial complex, that subjugates persons to a life without healthcare. In order to advocate against such oppressive systems, in 2022 we will be offering education on health systems and population needs to our volunteers and board members, planning community round tables to gain increased perspectives on health needs remaining unmet in our community, sending Mobile Clinic representatives to City Council meetings, and monitoring proposed health legislation in Iowa to increase awareness of the legislative process among our volunteers. Therefore, we aspire to provide care that is needed now while simultaneously taking part in the larger movement for health justice. How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* The most direct priority area that Mobile Clinic addresses is health. Mobile Clinic offers free, walk-in primary healthcare services at twelve different community organizations identified to have clients that would benefit from free health services. At our clinics, we offer provider appointments, point-of-care A1C and cholesterol screenings, basic vision screenings, blood pressure checks, HIV and HCV screenings, translation (Spanish, French, and Arabic), vaccinations (Influenza, COVID-19), physical therapy assessments, medical reconciliation, dental assessments, Respectacle reading glasses, general health education, social work assessments, dietetics counseling, talk therapy, and general gynecology. We additionally have a robust referral system to additional health and social services locally and statewide, including the Free Mental Health Clinic, Healthy Kids, and Iowa City Free Medical Clinic. In addition to addressing community health needs, Mobile Clinic has a predominant role in community education. At each clinic, we have health education volunteers who are trained in motivational interviewing to help our patients understand their health and set individualized health goals. The education provided varies per patient, but overarching topics include nutrition, exercise, preventative care guidelines, and specific health information related to the patient (e.g. lab/vital values and new/existing health diagnoses). In conjunction with providing education to our patients, Mobile Clinic is an active learning experience for our student volunteers. Despite providing care to underserved communities being the main motivation for Mobile Clinic’s existence, clinic and health education of students is a secondary benefit. The educational opportunities for students are predominantly interpreter training, cultural humility development, lab/vital collection, and patient interviewing and examination. The foundation of Mobile Clinic is based on fostering community and partnership. Therefore, community building is another prominent component of Mobile Clinic. This is in part evident through the structure by which we operate. The twelve established partnerships with community-based organizations further develops the interconnected social services that exist within the Iowa City area. The longstanding partnerships developed have and will continue to serve and foster community. This structure not only provides more connection and communication between existing organizations, but it exposes our patient population to additional resources they may otherwise not be knowledgeable about. Furthermore, a community is internally developed among our student and healthcare provider volunteers. Our interdisciplinary volunteer pools further deepens the relationships among students and faculty at various health colleges at the University of Iowa and increases our students’ understanding of the benefit of an interdisciplinary healthcare team. These relationships often manifest in collaboration, projects, and research that progress equity in healthcare. Healthcare, especially during a pandemic, is a need in every community in the United States. Without some iteration of a universal healthcare system, there are inevitably persons subjected to live without healthcare entirely, live with untreated or poorly managed morbidities, and/or amass incomprehensible medical debt. Currently, a reported 6.1% of Iowa’s population is uninsured, translating to over 190,000 individuals. Additionally, there are an estimated 50,000 undocumented individuals in Iowa whose access to affordable health insurance is difficult to quantify. Mobile Clinic ensures access to basic primary care services to many persons that otherwise wouldn’t have access to sustainable healthcare. Our ability to narrow this gap is demonstrated by the patients we reached during our COVID-19 vaccination campaign, of which 57% of patients were uninsured, and only 32.1% endorsed receiving routine medical care from a primary care provider while 38.2% endorsed receiving no routine medical care and 29.2% endorsed receiving their routine care at either Mobile Clinic (7.5%) or Iowa City Free Medical Clinic (21.7%). Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* Carver College of Medicine: The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine is one organization that supports Mobile Clinic. The support of the college predominantly manifests through our mentorship from faculty advisors, a pool of student and faculty volunteers, and some financial support. Our clinic sites: Columbus Junction, CommUnity Food Pantry, Coralville Food Pantry, Ecumenical Towers, IC Compassion, Open Heartland, Pheasant Ridge, Shelter House, St. Patricks, West Liberty, Dream City, Free Medical Clinics Description of our partnership with Clinic Sites: For each of our site partnerships, mobile clinic provides medical expertise, supplies, and health equipment. The facility is responsible for providing the space, tables, chairs. Both Mobile Clinic and sites help with advertising of clinics. Referral Organizations: For services beyond the scope of what Mobile Clinic can provide given our limitations on the equipment we are able to transport and the expertise of our faculty as primary care providers, we utilize our formal referral systems with Free Mental Health Clinic, Healthy Kids, and Iowa City Free Medical Clinic. Referrals to Free Mental Health Clinic are utilized when more in-depth psychiatric expertise is required for the medication management of mental health disorders and when longer-term mental health counseling is required, as the talk therapy offered by the University’s PsychD students is limited to a span of 4-5 sessions. Referrals to Iowa City Free Medical Clinic are categorized as labs-only or a full medical appointment. When labs that Mobile Clinic do not offer are required for diagnosis or monitoring of a patient’s condition, the patient is referred to Iowa City Free Medical Clinic to get labs drawn within one week. Results are then sent to the Mobile Clinic’s continuity coordinator and treatment plan is discussed with a faculty advisor and relayed to the patient. For services and diagnoses outside the Mobile Clinic’s scope of practice, patients are referred to Iowa City Free Medical Clinic for a full appointment and/or to establish routine care. More recently, we established a partnership with Healthy Kids and have developed a referral protocol. Healthy Kids has a relationship with the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, in which all care for children is free. This referral process is utilized when children need more specialized care (e.g. MRI) than Mobile Clinic has the capacity to provide. Our partners are essential to the care our patients receive. Age: under 18: 6% 18-24 13% 25-34: 20% 35-44: 23% 45-64: 32% 65 and older: 6% Race: American Indain or Alaskan Native: 0% Asian: 3% Black/African American: 15% Hispanic/Latin@: 31% Muti-racial: 5% White: 42% Other: 0% No Answer: 3% Sex: Female: 53% Male: 47% Not Given: 0% Income: At mobile clinic we do not collect income as a way to avoid being invasive to patient's privacy. With that being said, most of our patient population are un/underinsured which is an indication of socioeconomic level. How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* We anticipate similar numbers of patients served over the calendar year 2022 as seen in the calendar year 2021. As previously mentioned, we conducted 604 in-person patient encounters, 587 telemedicine encounters, and provided 1098 COVID-19 vaccinations. While it remains uncertain the number of these patients who will require the proposed new services of transportation funding, eyeglasses prescription screening, HPV vaccination, and pneumococcal vaccination, we can estimate based on the patients seen in 2021 who would qualify for these services. Pneumococcal-23 vaccination: Recommended for everyone >65 years old or younger for patients at high risk such as those who are immunocompromised or have preexisting pulmonary disorders. In 2021, we saw 107 patients >65 years of age. Their pneumococcal-23 vaccination status is currently unknown. We also anticipate receiving referrals and requests from new patients specifically for this service. Gardasil-9: For the extended adult criteria, everyone aged 19-46 who has not been previously vaccinated and is considered by their provider as at risk. In 2021, we saw 653 patients aged 19-46. Their HPV vaccination status is currently unknown. We also anticipate receiving referrals and requests from new patients specifically for this service. Eyeglasses Prescription: It is recommended that everyone be screened every 1-2 years. For children, it’s recommended to have their first eye exam at 6 months of age, again at age 3, and again before the start of first grade. If a child is not at risk, they can continue having their eyes examined every year until age 18. Children with risk factors for vision problems may need their first eye exam earlier than 6 months of age and may need eye exams more frequently throughout childhood. Therefore, we anticipate screening the majority of our patients (approximately 1100) in the first year of having an autorefractor. As the only free optometry service in the area, we would anticipate receiving referrals and requests from new patients specifically for this service as well. Transportation reimbursement: We anticipate that this will be needed mostly for patients being referred to Free Medical Clinic or our semesterly Gynecology Clinic as these are the clinics we cannot bring to the organizations our patients are accessing. In 2021, we referred 24 people to the Iowa City Free Medical Clinic and 20 patients to the two gynecology clinics. We anticipate increasing referral ability as the transportation barrier is reduced with this reimbursement option. There is no charge associated with being a patient or volunteer for Mobile Clinic. What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* The anticipated outcomes include but are not limited to: Autorefractor: Outcome 1: Increased access to optometry care within our various patient populations Outcome 2: Improved quality of life for our patients of all ages who previously did not have access to eye care. Outcome 3: Improved management of one of the many morbidities associated with diabetes (the most prominent health outcome we manage). Outcome 4: Increase the capacity of Mobile Clinic to analyze patients’ refractive error and subsequently provide patients with an accurate eye prescription and prescription glasses at no cost. Adult Vaccines (Pneumococcal-23 & Gardasil-9): Outcome 1: Increased vaccination rates within patient population for streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria and human papillomavirus (HPV). Outcome 2: Reduction of incidence, morbidity, and mortality from pneumonia and HPV. Outcome 3: Reduce vaccine hesitancy within our patient populations through widespread vaccine education programs. Outcome 4: Reduction in downstream costs of curative and emergency care services. Butterfly Ultrasound: Outcome 1: Decreased incidence of referral to Free Medical Clinic and other external resources for imaging which subsequently decreases wait times, as Free Medical Clinic frequently has a >1 month wait, and therefore improves health outcomes. Outcome 2: Increase healthcare providers’ ability to diagnose and treat soft tissue morbidities. Transportation Fund: Outcome 1: Decrease the cost associated with receiving care from Mobile Clinic. Outcome 2: Decrease the impact of transportation as a barrier to obtaining medical care with Mobile Clinic. Outcome 3: Increase our patient population. Outcome 4: Increase utilization of the Mobile Clinic services that cannot be brought into the community, such as the gynecology clinic housed at Free Medical Clinic Outcome 5: Decrease the cost associated with and impact of transportation as a barrier to following through with referrals to outside organizations. What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Autorefractor: Metric 1: Number of patients who utilized the autorefractor within the 2022 fiscal year. Quantity obtained through electronic medical records. Metric 2: Number of patients who obtained prescription glasses through our partnership with Respectacle care which provides free prescription eyeglasses. Quantity obtained through electronic medical records. Metric 3: Community assessment completed by patients and community partners to evaluate if the eye care services remain a prominent need in the community. Adult Vaccines (Pneumococcal-23 & Gardasil-9): Metric 1: Number of patients vaccinated with Pneumococcal-23 within the 2022 fiscal year. Quantity obtained through electronic medical records. Metric 2: Number of patients vaccinated with Gardasil-9 within the 2022 fiscal year. Quantity obtained through electronic medical records. Butterfly Ultrasound: Metric 1: Number of referrals to external organizations for imagining. Metric 2: Provider volunteer evaluation (through the form of survey) of effectiveness and usefulness of butterfly ultrasound machine through the 2022 fiscal year. Metric 3: How many times was the butterfly ultrasound machine used throughout the 2022 fiscal year. Quantity obtained through electronic medical records. Transportation Fund: Metric 1: Number of times the transportation fund was utilized in the 2022 fiscal year. Metric 2: Community needs assessment evaluating if transportation remains a barrier to care for our patient population. Data collected from patients and community partners. Metric 3: Number of patient visits throughout the 2022 fiscal year. If allocated funding from the SJRE Grant, the capacity gained by Mobile Clinic will translate into an increased capacity for other community-based organizations. One predominant iteration of this will occur from our increased capacity to provide for patients. As of now, we are frequently obligated to refer patients to external organizations for services we cannot provide (e.g. to obtain an eye prescription). Although this process is not innately bad, it has a direct impact on our partners and patients. For example, patient referrals to the Free- Medical Clinic exacerbates their long wait times and patients are frequently loss to follow up. By increasing our capacity to provide additional services to our patients, we will less frequently utilize our referral process and subsequently, our partner organizations will benefit from reduced wait times. Contrastingly, by increasing the services and capacity of Mobile Clinic, we will be better suited to have patients referred to us! We will advertise our new services in addition to our existing services within our partner organizations, who routinely advertise services to their clients. Additionally, we advertise our services on our social media platforms, including events on Facebook that are shared by our volunteers and community partners, Instagram, and Twitter. We also keep an updated list of upcoming clinics on our website’s calendar, which includes a list of the special services scheduled to be present. Finally, our community outreach volunteers advertise our services by hanging fliers in local businesses and organizations, including religious organizations, gas stations, grocery stores, and more. Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* Three out of four of the initiatives Mobile Clinic plans to establish with the financial support from the SJRE Grant are dependent on one-time purchases and therefore will be sustained indefinitely after the grant funding ends. The autorefractor is an easy-to-use tool that provides eyeglass prescriptions that can subsequently be entered into the Respectacle website for patients to receive free, donated glasses of their prescription. As we are a volunteer-based organization, the technicians to run this equipment and assist patients in finding glasses will not require payment. Additionally, the pneumococcal-23 and Gardasil-9 vaccinations will require a one-time payment to receive an initial stock. After this initial stock is received, Mobile Clinic will utilize the patient reimbursement program with the pharmaceutical company to administer the vaccine free to patients without alternative access and maintain our stock. Recurrent costs for this will include only low-cost equipment such as safety needles, Band-Aids, and alcohol prep pads, which are already currently included in our annual budget for influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations. Finally, the butterfly ultrasound is a one-time cost to purchase the probe, which we will be able to continue using for years to augment our point of care diagnostic ability. Our transportation initiative, being new, will require additional funding after the SJRE Grant concludes. However, this grant will allow us the flexibility to get this initiative off the ground and assess the recurrent annual cost we should incorporate into future years’ budgets. To cover the cost of this and the low-cost vaccination equipment we will incur when the SJRE Grant concludes, we will utilize our recurrent annual funding. We have newly secured annual funding of $15,000 from the Carver College of Medicine and $2300 from the University of Iowa Graduate and Professional Student Government, starting in FY22, which affords us the ability to maintain our basic operational costs and support some small initiatives. Our assurance of sustainability is furthered by the numerous annual fundraising efforts we host throughout the year, including our Goldrush fundraiser in the fall, bringing in greater than $10,000 annually, apparel sale in the winter, generating approximately $1500 annually, silent auction in the spring, generating approximately $5000 annually, and the DocDash 5k in the spring, generating over $10,000 annually. These fundraising efforts allow us to expand our ability to pursue and sustain additional projects. Mobile Clinic has also been awarded micro grants for the initiation or expansion of past projects (e.g., COVID-19 vaccine dissemination from the Iowa Department of Public Health). This potential to obtain future grants ensures that Mobile Clinic will be able to build upon the foundation from the SJRE Grant. N/A Funding Amount Request 15,000.00$ How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* There are numerous costs associated with operating a free health clinic. As of now, we have the financial capacity to maintain our current services. However, there are numerous services, initiatives, and needs that we do not have the capacity to provide for our patients. If the Human Rights Commission grants Mobile Clinic the requested $15,000, we intend to utilize this newly held financial capacity to purchase an autorefractor, vaccine supply (Pneumococcal-23 & Gardasil-9), a butterfly ultrasound device, and establish a transportation fund. An autorefractor is a medical device utilized during eye examinations to determine an accurate eyeglass prescription. Mobile Clinic currently has a partnership with Respectacle, which generously provides free reading and prescription glasses to all patients. Despite being an incredible service, the prescription glasses portion is widely underutilized because patients must have a prescription prior to obtaining glasses from Respectacle. As a consequence of our patients’ lack of access to optometry services, eye prescriptions are often unattainable. However, through the purchase of an autorefractor, Mobile Clinic will be able to obtain a prescription for patients and subsequently a pair of free prescription glasses. This will have profound impacts on patients’ quality of life. Given the loss of eyesight is a frequent morbidity associated with diabetes, the most frequently managed morbidity at our clinic sites, we anticipate this would be a widely utilized service. In conjunction with the autorefractor, funding would enable the purchase of a supply of Pneumococcal-23 & Gardasil-9 vaccines. Pneumococcal-23 is a vaccination that protects persons against the bacteria that results in pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis. The Pneumococcal-23 vaccination is particularly important among persons who live in highly concentrated areas (e.g. apartment complexes and shelters for persons experiencing homelessness), as it is spread through contact with respiratory droplets from infected persons. Healthcare professionals currently recommend this vaccination to everyone aged 65 and older as well as certain individuals with medical comorbidities placing them at high risk. Gardasil-9 is the vaccination that protects persons from human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection that manifests in the development of warts and various cancer types. The Gardasil-9 vaccine’s extended criteria for adults includes all adults aged 19-46 who have not been previously vaccinated and who are identified by their provider as having the infection and/or being at risk for future infection. Following the initial purchase of both Pneumococcal-23 and Gardasil-9 vaccines, Mobile Clinic will be eligible to have our stock reimbursed by the designated pharmaceutical companies. The funding obtained from the Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant would enable Mobile Clinic to provide Pneumococcal and Gardasil vaccinations within the Eastern Iowa community for years to come. Ultrasounds are often associated with pregnancy examinations, but they are also a powerful tool for diagnosing other chronic and acute morbidities. Through the one-time purchase of a butterfly ultrasound machine, our healthcare providers will be better able to examine, diagnose, and treat the morbidities our patients come in with. As of now, our providers frequently have to refer patients to external forms of care. On the surface, referral seems like a viable option (and sometimes it is), but when working with marginalized populations who may have limited language proficiencies, financial capacity, and transportation barriers, referrals are not always feasible. From our anecdotal experience, referrals substantially reduce the utilization of follow-up of patients and subsequently diminish their healthcare access. Furthermore, when patients are referred, more frequently than not, they are subjugated to wait a month(s) to be seen. This not only prolongs the diagnosis period, but if there is an unmanaged morbidity, it may progress while they wait to be seen. The acquisition of a butterfly ultrasound machine will not fully eliminate these iterations of inequity, but it will diminish their impact, and subsequently improve the health and safety of our patients. There are numerous barriers that patients face to obtaining healthcare services, one of which is transportation. To mitigate the financial burden associated with obtaining care at Mobile Clinic (and our referral system), we hope to create a transportation fund of $3,000. The transportation fund would serve as a form of reimbursement (proactive or retroactive) for our patients. As of now, we do not collect data on the number of patients without access to transportation (public or private), but transportation has been cited as a barrier to care by numerous patients, community partners, and clinic coordinators. Furthermore, transportation as a barrier to healthcare access is widely supported in medical and public health scientific literature. Despite not being able to mitigate the systematic barriers that prevent persons from obtaining care, Mobile Clinic aspires to use this transportation fund to increase healthcare access. Starting this year, Mobile Clinic will receives 15,000 annually from Carver College of Medicine. Other than this annual allocation, Mobile Clinic fundraises the rest of its budget which is subjected to substantial variation per year. A more comprehensive budget breakdown from the 2021/2022 academic year can be seen below. Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget GoldRush (Fundraising Event)3,500.00$3,500.00$3,500.00$ DocDash (fundraising Event)1,417.00$1,417.00$1,417.00$ University of Iowa Student Government 803.00$803.00$803.00$ Carver College of Medicine 5,000.00$5,000.00$5,000.00$ Apparel Sales (TBD)$$$ Auction for Action (fundraising event) (TBD) $$$ Doxy.me (telehealth platform)70.00$70.00$70.00$ Google Suite 26.00$26.00$26.00$ Adobe 40.00$40.00$40.00$ Signup Genius 48.00$48.00$48.00$ Website Management 34.00$34.00$34.00$ Basic Supplies 2,000.00$2,000.00$2,000.00$ VISTA Salary 1,833.00$1,833.00$1,833.00$ WiFi 160.00$160.00$160.00$ Laboratory Fees 60.00$60.00$60.00$ Fridge Temp Control Monitoring 101.00$101.00$101.00$ Misc. Supplies 580.00$580.00$580.00$ Given that our intended projects are largely one time purchases (auto refractor, Pneumococcal-23 and Gardasil- 9 vaccines, and the butterfly ultrasound), the project will start upon purchase and be self-sustaining. Many medical medical devices come with insurance and warranties that enable them to be replaced. The only project that is not self-sustaining is our transportation fund which would be created upon funding allocation. At this point in time we are uncertain how long this fund would last, and what the community response will be. If this project is successful and deemed an essential component to Mobile Clinic by our patients and community members, we will aspire to continue it following the use of the original funding allocated through the SSRE Grant. A bulk of the funding would be spent upon allocation given the auto refractor, Pneumococcal-23 and Gardasil-9 vaccines, and the butterfly ultrasound are all one-time purchases. Contrastingly, the transportation fund would be spent throughout the fiscal year of 2023 as patients need. N/A Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Authorization* Signature* Date* Mobile Clinic received 6,562.75 from the Johnson County Public Health Department to administer COVID-19 Vaccinations in the fiscal year of 2021 and 2022. No. N/A Yes No I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. 1/6/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organization's Mission Statement * Organizational Information Houses into Homes City Coralville State / Province / Region Iowa Postal / Zip Code 52241 Country USA Street Address 401 6th Ave., Suite 1 Address Line 2 31943510765 directors@housesintohomes.org housesintohomes.org Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Lucy Barker Director of Operations 3194351075 lucy@housesintohomes.org Houses into Homes provides gently-used beds, furniture, and household items for families and individuals in Johnson County who are exiting homelessness, domestic violence, and other crisis situations. Our mission is to help people feel the comfort of home and to do so in a way that honors their experience and engages them with unconditional positive regard. We also proudly offer volunteers, recipients, donors, and staff a unique opportunity to meet and impact those with whom they share our community. How many years has the organization been in operation?* Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* 4 Our recent project to increase volunteer engagement – by hiring two part-time volunteer coordinators – has had a significant impact on the community. Volunteers have always been vital to Houses into Homes’ work, but the magnitude of need in the community required a more organized and directed effort to leverage volunteer interest and expertise. BACKGROUND Houses Into Homes has accomplished a great deal since its inception just four short years ago. In February 2018 we used a borrowed truck to make our first delivery of beds to three families. Our organization had no financial resources or infrastructure to address a great unmet need in our community. Fast forward to January of 2022, we now have the equivalent of 3 full-time staff, a 10,000 square foot warehouse, a box truck, policies and procedures, and an active board of directors. The organization has had a great reach into the community; to date, Houses into Homes has served 650 households, providing beds and other household items to 2200 individuals. Our recipients report better sleep, better health, and feeling welcomed and supported by the community. THE IMPORTANCE OF VOLUNTEERS TO OUR MISSION Volunteers have been crucial to Houses into Homes’ ability to provide its services to a growing number of households. The benefits do not accrue only to recipients. We have been gratified to see the impact of our program on those who volunteer. Adults and youth alike have described their involvement in the program as an eye-opening experience. Volunteers report being more aware of the inequities in our community and of the resiliency and strengths of our recipients. Our youth volunteers in particular report gaining valuable lessons on service and how to honor and respect those in need. THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATION PROJECT However, the organization’s growth made it impossible for the Managing Director and Director of Operations to oversee volunteer efforts while focusing on their primary tasks. The organization was actually faced at times with the enviable problem of having more people eager to contribute their time than could be managed. In response to that challenge, with grant funding, we were able to hire two part-time Volunteer Coordinators in July of 2021 to develop and expand our volunteer program. The charge of coordinators has been to create an organized and streamlined volunteer process and experience. Together they have created a Warehouse Tasks manual, a volunteer application and waiver, and a volunteer orientation. They have managed hundreds of (new and returning) volunteers, including 15 weekly volunteers, over the last six months. We have hosted small and large volunteer groups from Rotary clubs, churches, and businesses. During one week in November, we had 50 new volunteers. For one December delivery weekend, we had 50 volunteers over 2 days. Harnessing these volunteer efforts has two benefits: it allows us to remain fiscally efficient and it provides a unique opportunity for members of our community who genuinely want to directly help those in need. The success of our volunteer program is also evident in the inquiries we’ve had from groups, including the Carver College of Medicine, small businesses, and Iowa Children’s Museum leadership, to provide community service related to MLK Day. In the last 4 months of 2021, we had an average of 100 volunteers/month and an average of close to 400 volunteer hours/month. The volunteer coordinator project has made it possible to leverage the interests and passions of community members to address a vital community need, and we expect volunteer contributions to increase. Proposal Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* Our proposed Youth Volunteer Academy arose in four ways: 1. Successful experiences with student volunteers 2. Creation of Houses into Homes Club West 3. Knowledge of critical service learning 4. Our goal of building capacity to meet the increasing demand for services STUDENT VOLUNTEERS Students from West, Liberty, City, Regina, and Solon High Schools have volunteered with us, and many have returned to become frequent volunteers. Often their volunteer time with us goes toward their silver cord hours (200 hours earns a student a silver cord around their neck at graduation), but frequently students continue to work with us because they enjoy the experience. Houses into Homes’ youth volunteers have the opportunity to see that there are people in our community and in their classrooms who need services, that there is a lot of effort that goes into meeting those needs, and that they can make a difference for individuals as well as the broader community. HOUSES INTO HOMES CLUB WEST In September 2021, students at West High School formed Houses into Homes (HiH) Club West. Students meet after school on Mondays and carpool to our warehouse to volunteer for an hour. In that weekly hour they have made kitchen sets and towel bundles, organized toys, painted furniture, delivered holiday trees, and more. CRITICAL SERVICE LEARNING We collaborated with a UI Strategic Communication Writing class in Fall 2021. Each student was required to volunteer with us for 4 hours, and to use a critical lens to reflect on their time spent with us. The approach for this class was critical service learning, which is distinct from traditional service learning in that “the goal, ultimately, is to deconstruct systems of power.” The important aspects of critical service learning are: “working to redistribute power amongst all participants in the service-learning relationship, developing authentic relationships in the classroom and in the community, and working from a social change perspective.” BUILDING CAPACITY Every year since our inception in early 2018, the need for our services has grown, and we will need to continue to build our capacity to meet the need. We started by taking referrals from the Iowa City Community School District, and now take referrals from 34 agencies. We continue to receive requests to become referral agencies, and we plan to add 2-3 more in early 2022. In 2020, we delivered to 204 households, a 40% increase in deliveries over 2019. In 2021, we delivered to 253 households, which was a 24% increase over 2020. Keeping the warehouse stocked requires constant, well-coordinated effort. We have seen the number of bed, furniture, and smaller item donations rise from year to year. In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, we completed 350 pickups. In 2021, we completed over 515 furniture pickups. As demonstrated by these numbers, there is clearly a need in our community for beds and furniture, and there are many social workers and case managers from many agencies who rely upon Houses into Homes for this service. In turn, our organization relies on the efforts of community volunteers, who help us manage donations, keep the warehouse organized, and prepare for deliveries. As we build capacity, we hope to emphasize critical service learning principles to develop more reflective and impactful volunteer opportunities. What is the program, service, or activity?* PROPOSAL Volunteering with us has often led to realizations and/or growth from our student volunteers. One volunteer, Mallika, said, “I didn’t realize how furniture could’ve helped people so much until I saw the reaction of community members after Houses into Homes offered them aid. It was very eye-opening.” We have talked with volunteers about privilege and systemic disadvantages, by telling stories and lessons we’ve learned from our own lives and from the people we have served. Simply knowing the various reasons that people are living without furniture can be a revelation for some. Our goal, going forward, is to structure information and lessons about systemic racism and social justice into a formal program, and connect it to our student volunteers. Houses into Homes’ proposed Youth Volunteer Academy expands HiH Club West to the other high schools in Iowa City (City HS, Tate HS, Regina HS), and formalizes learning about social justice. Administrators at City, Tate, Regina, and West High Schools have all written letters of support and have agreed to partner with us to create or continue volunteer clubs. (The letters of support have been sent to the Equity Director.) Houses into Homes’ Youth Volunteer Academy will bring together a diverse group of students from across our community to volunteer, get to know each other, and learn about social justice. Weekly volunteering will be accompanied by a monthly learning experience (i.e., Maslow’s hierarchy of needs) or restorative circle (i.e., reflecting on your experience today). The $15,900 requested funds would support curriculum development, teacher advisors for the school clubs, and workshop facilitators. Students will have a unique opportunity to participate in learning activities with students from different schools, different racial and ethnic groups, and different socio-economic backgrounds. Together students will examine historic and current structures and causes of systemic racism and injustice. The development of the curriculum will be a collaborative effort. Over the summer of 2022, we will form a steering committee of school and community leaders to develop the curriculum and select speakers for each monthly workshop. School sponsors and Houses into Homes staff will be responsible for the mini-lessons and reflections. OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS After graduating from the Youth Academy, students will be able to: -understand root causes of social problems -think critically and empathetically about solutions for social justice -understand the role of identity, life experiences, and systems in perpetuating inequality -develop authentic relationships, especially with peers, but also with others in the community OUTCOMES FOR HOUSES INTO HOMES Youth will celebrate that, through their volunteer work, Houses into Homes will be able to serve our community members in need more efficiently. This program will provide a reliable, consistent, and eventually experienced volunteer group. Having experienced, regular volunteers allows our organization to plan ahead and thus more efficiently serve those on our waiting list. Our work promotes equity by lowering stress, improving health, and creating a sense of community. How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* Houses into Homes Youth Volunteer Academy will advance social justice and racial equity by combining community service with deliberate learning, using the principles of critical service learning and the steps of sensemaking theory. Traditional service learning, defined as “a community service action tied to learning goals and ongoing reflection about the experience,” is one way to tie learning in the classroom to community service. Tania Mitchell, in “Traditional vs. Critical Service-Learning: Engaging the Literature to Differentiate Two Models,” notes that students who participate in service learning are “more tolerant, altruistic, and culturally aware; … have stronger leadership and communication skills; and … (albeit marginally) earn higher grade point averages and have stronger critical thinking skills than their non-service-learning counterparts.” We plan to go further than traditional service learning, however, and follow critical service learning. Mitchell explains that critical service learning (CSL) is “unapologetic in its aim to dismantle structures of injustice.” CSL has three important features: 1. A redistribution of power among participants from a give-take relationship to a more equal one, 2. Authentic relationships within the learning environment and in the community, and 3. Work done through a “social change perspective” that encourages students to see themselves as “agents of social change.” We will also use Social Justice Sensemaking Theory to inform our Academy’s social justice curriculum. In “How Service-Learning Enacts Social Justice Sensemaking,” Tania Mitchell describes how students use the process to “consider and conceptualize issues of justice.” The steps in this process are: self-awareness and an examination of one’s own identity, reflection on one’s service experiences, inclusion of resources (i.e., individuals, readings), and dialogue within a group. Further steps include reflecting on contradictions between earlier understandings and new information, and coming to a meaning of justice that one can act on. Houses into Homes will provide the opportunities and structure for volunteering and community service, and will partner with high schools in the Iowa City area and social justice experts to implement the curriculum created by our Steering Committee. In addition to the impact on our youth volunteers, this project will continue to promote social justice and build equity for our recipients. How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* Our program addresses all six priority areas. Houses into Homes provides beds, furniture, and household items to individuals and families in need in Johnson County. Houses into Homes is the go-to resource for providing beds, furniture, and all other items needed to turn a house into a home. The comforts of home (Housing, Criminal Justice), plus the knowledge that one is part of a community that cares (Building Community), leads to less stress (Health), and better productivity at work and at school (Employment & Education). HOUSING We believe that beds, furniture, and other items like lamps, dishes, and pots and pans, are an integral part of shelter/housing. We have heard from recipients and referring social workers that an empty apartment feels like home only after it is filled with furniture. One recipient told us they considered returning to the shelter because it seemed better than their empty apartment. Johnson County Social Services Navigator, Steve Nachazel, said that, “For these individuals and families [I refer], looking at an empty apartment often may seem nearly as bleak as life on the street even though they are now indoors. The fact that their new homes are quickly and efficiently furnished helps them get a much-needed leg up and drastically improves their outlook on life.” HEALTH, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION Evidence indicates that improved sleep quality produces decreases in stress, reductions in depression, improved mental health and decision-making, and better performance at school and at work. To measure the effects of receiving beds and furniture from Houses into Homes, research assistants working with Dr. Walid Afifi (University of California-Santa Barbara) have conducted seventy interviews with a sample of Houses into Homes recipients (delivered to in either 2020 or 2021). The results indicate that receiving beds and furniture from Houses into Homes contributes to an improved quality of life. Some indicators of improved quality of life include: —Better sleep: -57% reported sleeping longer -74% reported sleeping better -84% reported improved sleep for their children —Better health: -64% reported improved overall health —Less stress: -58% reported less stress -64% reported a drop in parenting stress -83% reported decreased stress among their children -74% reported overall stress in the house decreased following HiH delivery CRIMINAL JUSTICE Returning to and becoming an active member of society after being in prison is extremely challenging. Houses into Homes collaborates closely with Inside Out Reentry to give these individuals the support they need to reach their goals. Having the comforts of home certainly makes these goals more attainable. To date, 42 households (72 individuals) referred by Inside Out Reentry have been served, with 20 households served just in 2021. We have also furnished 8 households referred by the Sixth District Department of Corrections. BUILDING COMMUNITY In addition to supporting Housing, our Youth Volunteer Academy will address the priority area, Building Community. Anecdotally, in many ways, volunteering with Houses into Homes or receiving items from us, has given people a sense of being part of the larger community. One of our student volunteers, Drew, told us, “[Volunteering] made me feel a much more personal connection to all members of the Iowa City community, and helped me to be a more empathetic community member.” Our recipients feel a greater sense of belonging to the community as well. Results of the interviews mentioned above also include secondary community and social benefits: -33% reported increased visitors to the house -47% reported a greater sense of feeling welcome in the community -49% reported an improved relationship with their children After receiving a full furnish, one recipient told us, “[My children] were very surprised and happy, they had never seen anything like it. Where we come from this doesn't happen.” The results of the surveys indicate that there is significant benefit to the individuals served When individuals in What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* The results of the surveys indicate that there is significant benefit to the individuals served. When individuals in our community do better, our whole community benefits. HiH’s Youth Volunteer Academy will fill three needs in our community: the need for basic comforts of home, the need for community service opportunities, and the need for young people to learn about social justice. BASIC COMFORTS OF HOME As stated earlier in this application, there is a clear need for beds, furniture, and household items in our community. We serve people who have experienced some form of hardship and are currently without beds, furniture, or other items. Many have been in shelter, incarcerated, unsheltered, or doubled up with another household, and many have experienced domestic violence and have had to move into a new home. We also serve community members who have been hospitalized for mental health issues or substance abuse disorder, or are under medical care for pregnancy or other health reasons. Other recipients are low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities. We provided basic comforts of home to 253 households in 2021. COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES Many students in the ICCSD are looking for opportunities to earn silver cord hours, and have found that volunteering with Houses into Homes is enjoyable and rewarding work. Other students simply enjoy giving back. When asked if he learned anything about himself, one volunteer, Drew, said, “Houses into Homes taught me that something I care about is helping others, and even when you are tired while doing it, it feels so good to look back at the work you have done after you have volunteered your time.” LEARNING ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE Houses into Homes’ Youth Volunteer Academy also addresses the need among our young people to gain a greater understanding of social justice. Being outside of the classroom to do this powerful work will provide more time and flexibility to delve more deeply into complex issues. Young people will have hands-on opportunities to learn and reflect and will develop substantive relationships with others outside of their usual social circles. As an organization, we have many partnerships and collaborations. We take referrals from 34 agencies, including the Domestic Violence Intervention Program, Inside Out Reentry, United Action for Youth, the Iowa City VA Hospital, several clinics at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Johnson County Social Services, and all of the Iowa City Community School District schools. Social workers and case managers at our referral agencies often help people find housing, or are providing support such as mental health services. They identify needs for basic comforts of home and refer those households to us for furniture provision. We are collaborating with the Coralville Community Food Pantry to provide furniture and food at the same time to Coralville and Tiffin residents. We also work with businesses such as Slumberland, Ashley Furniture, Mix Home Mercantile, and Dwell Home Furnishings, all of whom refer their customers to us to donate the furniture being replaced. These partnerships help us maintain our inventory of gently used, but good condition, mattresses, boxsprings, furniture, linens, and household items. We collaborate also with individuals, businesses, and philanthropic groups. Namely, we offer many volunteer opportunities, including loading and unloading furniture on delivery days, warehouse work, furniture repair and rehab, furniture pick up assistance, and more. We have established positive and productive relationships with several of the retirement communities in our area, as well as with downsizing consultants and moving companies who do estate clear-outs. We have also collaborated with the Iowa City Landfill and Recycling. In 2020 we received a DNR grant that supported rent on our warehouse for several months, with the goal of mattress reuse. During summer 2020, we also participated in three Pop Up Donation Drop events, the replacement for Iowa City’s Rummage in the Ramp. Through our proposed Youth Volunteer Academy, we will maintain our partnership with West High School, and we will develop new partnerships with Tate, City and Regina high schools. We will also collaborate with local organizations and community leaders to form the steering committee and develop the social justice curriculum. Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** HOUSEHOLDS SERVED BY HOUSES INTO HOMES 66% of recipient households are extremely low-income, or 30% AMI, and another 23% are very low-income, or 50% AMI. An estimate of the racial makeup of our recipients is 80% Black or African American, 12% Hispanic, and 8% White. An increasing number of our recipients are immigrants, most often referred through the Iowa City Community School District and Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County. 60% of the individuals we serve are children. All of our recipients are, in some way, living without the basic comforts of home. Most individuals we serve are sleeping on the floor or an air mattress. Most of our recipients are also living without basic furniture, such as a couch and a table and chairs, a place to do homework, or even decent lighting in living rooms and bedrooms. Additionally, most homes we furnish are without the dishes and pots and pans needed to provide a meal for their families. PARTICIPANTS Participants in the Youth Volunteer Academy will be youth from our local high schools, will include all income levels, and will be ethnically and racially diverse. Twenty-four youth volunteers will participate in the academy each trimester, an average of six from each participating school. The total number of students for the entire 2022-23 school year will be 72. In 2021, Houses into Homes served an average of 21 households per month. We expect to serve at least as many households in 2022. The number of households served specifically by the Youth Volunteer Academy cannot be predicted, but the students’ volunteer work will support our mission overall and serve specific households. Participation for all services will be free of charge. For participants in the Youth Volunteer Academy, we expect the following outcomes: 85% of youth will report an increase in self-awareness 80% of youth will report understanding privilege 85% of youth will report an increased awareness of underlying social justice issues 80% of youth will report seeing that all people have value and how some forms of charity can further marginalize vulnerable populations 90% of youth will report developing authentic relationships with those who have a different background than their own For our recipients, we anticipate that with additional volunteer support, we will be able to process our referrals more efficiently. It is our goal that 85% of recipients will receive furnishings within 2 weeks of being referred. In 2021, the average wait time from referral to delivery was 2.6 weeks. As process measures, we will record the attendance of youth participants and the number of volunteer hours logged. To measure our expected outcomes, we will conduct a pre- and post-survey with youth participants. Youth will also provide reflections on their experiences, which, with their permission, will be shared in quarterly reports. We will consult with Dr. Affifi and our Steering Committee to develop our pre- and post-surveys. To measure the impact of our services for recipients, research assistants, under the direction of Dr. Affifi, will continue to conduct post-delivery interviews. The Director of Operations will track data on the time between referrals for service, making contact with the recipients and the delivery of furnishings. What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses We anticipate that through this pilot program we are creating a model that could be used by other organizations to promote social justice. A number of non-profit organizations rely on volunteers, so our model of critical service learning, related activities, and curriculum could be shared with other Iowa City organizations, both for youth or adults. Likewise, the pre- and post- survey that we develop could also be shared with others. We anticipate that we will learn a great deal through this process and we will happily and candidly share lessons learned. We have a strong social media presence, with 2400 followers on Facebook and just over 1000 followers on Instagram. Our monthly newsletter is sent to 1400 email addresses. We have a good working relationship with our local media outlets, and have been successful at receiving press from both television and newspapers. We have been, and will continue, collaborating with the University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communications to produce video and written information and promotional materials. We will work with students to document our Youth Volunteer Academy and to place stories in local media. Yes, we expect the program to continue after the SJRE grant funding ends. The cost to develop the curriculum will be a one-time expense. Once it has been developed, we can use it repeatedly. We expect that once the volunteer clubs are established at the high schools, the stipend for the teacher-advisors will be covered by the schools. Once the project is running, Houses into Homes will provide the balance of the costs as part of our overall budget for maintaining and organizing volunteer activities. We will engage professional services for our Steering Committee, teacher-advisors, and workshop facilitators. Houses into Homes’ mission is to provide the basic comforts of home to people living without them. We can provide the volunteer opportunities and the environment for critical service learning, but we will require social justice practitioners to help us create an outstanding curriculum and meaningful monthly workshops. Teacher- advisors will be instrumental in carrying out the weekly reflections and/or restorative circles. Funding Amount Request 15,900.00$ Funding will be used to support our Steering Committee, the high school club advisors, and the workshop facilitators. $200,000 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Grants 7,950.00$3,975.00$3,975.00$ Other Revenue 5,828.00$2,914.00$2,914.00$ Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Please Explain: Authorization* Signature* Date* Professional Services 5,350.00$2,675.00$2,675.00$ Supplies 5,828.00$2,914.00$2,914.00$ Professional Services 2,600.00$1,300.00$1,300.00$ If funds are granted, we expect to start developing a Steering Committee in May 2022. The committee will meet in June, July, and August, and will create the social justice curriculum over those months. The clubs will be created at the start of the school year, and the Academy will run for the school year, with breaks associated with school breaks. Funds for curriculum development will be spent in the first three months of the grant cycle ($2000). Teacher- advisors will receive $500/trimester ($1500x4=$6000). Workshop facilitators will be paid as the workshops take place, once a month throughout the school year (9 sessions x 3 hours x $100/hour=$2700). Staff time would be paid through normal payroll. City of Iowa City (2019) $3,983.43 - Climate Action Grant City of Iowa City (2020) $15,000.00 - Support Hiring 1st Employee City of Iowa City (2020-21) $5,438.00 - Emerging Aid to Agencies City of Iowa City/DNR (2020) $10,000 - Mattress Reuse No funding was received for this program. No, we do not plan to apply for additional funding. n/a Yes No With less funding, the project can be completed on a smaller scale. We would form a Steering Committee to develop the curriculum and hold the monthly workshops, but would focus our efforts on a smaller number of schools. I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. 1/6/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organization's Mission Statement * Organizational Information Corridor Community Action Network City Iowa city State / Province / Region IA Postal / Zip Code 52240 Country United States Street Address 870 S Capitol St Address Line 2 c/o Iowa City Fab Lab 3196771153 director@corridorcan.com corridorcan.com Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Mandi Nichools Director 319-677-1153 director@corridorcan.com Corridor Community Action Network serves to facilitate resident participation and empowerment, raising awareness about opportunities to improve the quality of life for all individuals in the Iowa Corridor. We take action to promote individual and community equity and quality of life through policy and advocacy work, service projects, volunteer efforts, and the formation of alliances, partnerships, and coalitions with other organizations. How many years has the organization been in operation?* Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* What is the program, service, or activity?* How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* 2 Corridor Community Action Network (CCAN) launched a free mobile clothing closet in November of 2021 that has served over 150 individuals and families in its first month of operation. This project fills a previously existing gap in services across the Corridor. The closet's mobility, along with partnerships with other organizations, allow the service to have a wide community reach and impact. Proposal During our winter gear drive and distribution the winter of 2020-2021, community members expressed a need for basic school and work clothing. After inquiring with partner agencies across the Corridor, we discovered that a community-wide resource to meet these needs did not exist- so CCAN created one. CCAN Clothes Cruise is a 33-foot RV purchased by CCAN and converted (with the help of Iowa City Fab Lab) into a mobile clothing closet that distributes free clothing, face masks, hand sanitizer, mail-in covid tests, and self-care/health supplies to individuals across the Corridor. We coordinate with other agencies and student- family-advocates to schedule routes and pop-up events, allowing us to take clothing directly to locations that are convenient for a wide range of community members. Poverty is a pressing social justice issue, particularly in this time of economic turmoil when more and more people find themselves facing financial difficulty. The need for appropriate interview and work clothing is a common barrier to employment equity, which is directly tied to financial equity. The free mobile clothing closet advances social justice and racial equity by directly addressing this need as well as the clothing needs of our unhoused population and of children in our community whose academic performance and overall wellness may be affected by a lack of appropriate clothing, particularly in inclement weather. Additionally, the mobile closet addresses health equity by providing access to health and covid safety supplies to those disproportionately affected by the pandemic. CCAN Clothes Cruise addresses education and employment by eliminating barriers created by a lack of appropriate clothing. It also improves community health by ensuring that residents have access to covid mitigation supplies as well as clothing and gear that is appropriate for the weather. This program fulfills a need for quality clothing among residents in our community. While the Iowa City area is fortunate to have multiple resources available to address other needs, we did not previously have a community- wide free clothing program. Clothing Closet of Iowa provides professional clothing for University of Iowa Students only. Clients of CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank may receive thrift store vouchers once every six months, if they are available. However, these vouchers do not meet the needs of our community as they run out quickly (within the first two business days of every month per CommUnity program staff) and come with barriers to use, such as a need for photo identification and the ability to get to the store within a narrow range of dates.While CCAN was searching for clothing resources, agencies such as Dream City Iowa, Iowa City Catholic Worker House, Iowa City Mutual Aid Collective, United Action For Youth, and others indicated that they are regularly asked about clothing and did not have a resource. Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* This program functions largely through partnerships and collaborations with other organizations as a primary part of CCAN’s mission is to facilitate the collaboration of community organizations towards shared goals. The mobile closet allows us to take large amounts of clothing directly to events held in collaboration with other organizations so that individuals can select the items they need. Since starting service in November of 2021, we have participated in distribution events in partnership with Johnson County Social Services, CommUnity Crisis Services, Eastern Iowa Diaper Bank, Together We Achieve, Dream City Iowa, Chatham Oaks, and UI Mobile Clinic. We are also planning coordinated distributions with Antelope Lending Library, South District Neighborhood Association, UI Student Care & Assistance, and others. This program serves low-and-moderate-income individuals in our community of all ages, races, and genders. Families and Black, Asian, and female residents in Iowa City face higher rates of poverty than single men and white residents1, so it can be projected that a high percentage of those served will be the former. We are also focusing on reaching areas where people often experience barriers to transportation, such as Chatham Oaks, the Iowa City South District, and the West Side apartment complexes that receive limited City Transit services. * Based on our first month of service, it is estimated that approximately 1,800 community members will be served by this program over the course of its first year. There is no charge to participate in the service. Outcomes and performance for this program are measured based on the number of individuals served per month. Indicators and metrics identified to measure outcomes and performance include the number of events attended, and individuals served per month. As part of this service, CCAN serves to eliminate racial and social inequities by bringing multiple resources together in a convenient and coordinated fashion. So far, we have participated in events where people could get free holiday food, packed lunches, foot exams, and clothing; free monthly food boxes and clothing; free medical checkups and clothing; and free diapers and clothing. We look forward to expanding our partnerships to bring as many resources as possible together where they are accessible to those who need them. This free clothing service is shared with the targeted community and the larger community through the vehicle’s presence at events as well as through social media, emails, news outlets, and administrators of other organizations serving low-income populations. CCAN is currently exploring providing mobile closet advertisements/information in Spanish, French, Arabic, and other languages commonly used in the area. Yes, the free mobile clothing service will be continued after the SJRE Grant funding ends. In 2021, CCAN raised $12,395.23. Since the majority of that funding came from community partners (businesses and financial institutions) that have indicated a desire to continue supporting the mobile closet, it can be projected that we will raise a similar amount of money in 2022. Since that is more than the projected annual operating costs of this service, this grant will allow us to put money raised in 2022 towards our budget for 2023, leaving us in a position to always be approximately one year ahead of expenses. If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* The mobile closet has had a mechanical inspection but needs a specialized RV inspection to ensure longevity. Funding Amount Request 9,708.00$ The funding will be utilized to pay for a specialized RV inspection (a mechanical inspection has been completed and paid for), to insure, fuel, and maintain the clothing closet vehicle through 2022, and to improve the Corridor Community Action Network website in order to enhance our virtual reach and to attract donations of or purchase high-need items more regularly/frequently. Corridor Community Action Network’s current annual budget is $12,000 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Grants 9,708.71$$$ Other Revenue 10,000.00$5,000.00$4,000.00$ Marketing/Advertising 2,419.00$$$ Professional Service 650.00$$$ Rentals 825.00$375.00$300.00$ Marketing/Advertising $$$ CCAN Clothes Cruise began service in November of 2021. Service will continue long-term, with multiple distribution events offered every month. June, 2022: Inspection by Fun N Sun RV’s- $650 $525.20 into payroll account- formally hire a paid driver to work approximately 5 hours per week at $10.10 per hour ($525.20/year) $ 290 gas & maintenance $ 75 parking $2,329 Improve website and online productivity - More efficient theme format life time use- $249 - Website donation processor annual cost- $270 - Cloud backup annual cost- $80 - HootSuite annual cost- $350 - Schedulicity annual cost- $1380 July, 2022: $290 gas & maintenance $ 75 parking August, 2022: $290 gas & maintenance $ 75 parking September, 2022: $290 gas & maintenance $ 75 parking $437 Renew vehicle registration October, 2022: $290 gas & maintenance $ 75 parking November, 2022: $290 gas & maintenance $ 75 parking $390 Renew general liability insurance $165.73 Renew auto insurance December, 2022: $290 gas & maintenance $ 75 parking January, 2023: $290 gas & maintenance $ 75 parking $605 storage shed renewal $ 29.88 website domain renewal February, 2023: $290 gas & maintenance $ 75 parking March, 2023: $290 gas & maintenance $ 75 parking April, 2023: $290 gas & maintenance $ 75 parking May, 2023: $ 290 gas & maintenance $ 75 parking Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Please Explain: Authorization* Signature* Date* No, Corridor Community Action Network has not received any previous funding from the City of Iowa City. Yes, CCAN received $2,000 towards the purchase of the vehicle from the City of North Liberty. This purchase has been made. Yes, CCAN plans to continue to seek additional funding to establish, expand, and improve this service. CCAN will continue to seek funding opportunities for the mobile closet as it is intended to be a permanent service and as such, will have ongoing expenses. The service is not dependent on receiving both SJRE and additional funding as receiving the SJRE grant would allow us to establish a year's worth of expenses as a safety net. Yes No The $2,329 for website improvements would improve our virtual reach, raising awareness of mobile clothing services to community members who could benefit from them as well as those who would like to support such a service. However, those improvements are not necessary for the mobile closet to function. Similarly, a paid driver would provide a broader availability of service hours than continuing to rely on volunteers, but we can continue to function without one. I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. 1/6/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organizational Information Multicultural Development Center of Iowa City Iowa City State / Province / Region IA Postal / Zip Code 52240 Country United States Street Address 136 S. Dubuque St Address Line 2 319-333-0600 info@mdciowa.org https://www.mdciowa.org Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Tracy Jon Sargeant Founder and Executive Director 920-312-8408 tracyjon@mdciowa.org Organization's Mission Statement * How many years has the organization been in operation?* Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* The Multicultural Development Center of Iowa’s mission is to empower a diverse and inclusive community through strategic programs that address racial equity, the Digital Divide, wealth gaps, and socioeconomic barriers by providing consistent access to tools, training, resources, and support at no cost to the community. Our goal is to create a multicultural society where diversity is recognized as a strength and marginalized people have the support of a community that promotes cultural humility and allyship. MDC Iowa addresses racial equity and social justice in each of its four programs. INCubate – BIPOC Business Accelerator STEM Factory – Project-based, hands-on learning to address the Digital Divide and lack of diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) MDCI Connect – Mentoring program designed to connect allies with underrepresented students and young adults in three program areas: career development, entrepreneurship, and technical skills the_collective – A NextGen cybersecurity training program designed to address the pipeline problem through focused outreach, gamification of learning, and streamlining career pathways 5 The inaugural cohort of the BIPOC Business Accelerator program, INCubate, graduated in December 2021. It had a wide-reaching impact on the Iowa City community. Throughout the course of the program, it was clear that there was a lack of a formal support system that existed for communities of color in the small-business landscape. Each participant was taking proactive steps to gain control of their financial and business future but was met with many obstacles. There were few programs available with the flexibility and necessary resources to provide the support needed to help them succeed. The INCubate program not only provided the overarching support and instruction for the whole group but examined each individual and their business aspirations to break down barriers to success. The success of the program is evident by the growth that the cohort has already achieved during and after the program. Several program participants have increased product/service offerings, expanded market presence, increased sales revenue, and expanded staffing. Additionally, the minority-owned businesses are now part of the INCubate and 24/7 BLAC alumni that provide support and mentorship for each other and future entrepreneurs. Proposal Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* What is the program, service, or activity?* How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* Mr. Tracy Jon Sargeant, the Founder and Executive Director of MDC Iowa, is a Black man who has achieved success and freedom through starting his own small businesses. The Sargeant family operated a small manufacturing company during his childhood and constantly struggled with the challenges of being a minority- owned business. When Sargeant was 18-years old the family business closed, his father filed bankruptcy, and spent the next seven years paying off debt for a business he no longer owned. Tracy Jon learned firsthand the wrong way to operate a business but also experienced what many minoritized people deal with today. Systemic racism, discrimination, and bias in commercial banking were factors that led to desperation and risky financing options that made it impossible to pay his father a living wage. This life lesson stuck with Tracy Jon as he started his adult life but did not discourage him from becoming an entrepreneur. Several startups later, Mr. Sargeant uses his life experience, time, talent, and treasury to help aspiring entrepreneurs start and grow their own businesses, the right way. The current economic system traps non-white Iowans in a perpetual cycle of intergenerational poverty but programs that provide tools to close the racial wealth gap can help the city's economic productivity. A business accelerator program that focuses on minoritized groups in Iowa City can improve the quality of life, create generational wealth, promote racial equity, and solve economic injustice. These were the goals Mr. Sargeant had in mind as he developed INCubate and with the help of allies and partners the BIPOC Business Accelerator program was born. MDC Iowa has developed a BIPOC Business Accelerator program (INCubate) that provides an intensive training program designed to accelerate the growth and development of new and existing minority-owned businesses in Iowa City. MDC Iowa believes that representation matters and continues to lead by example as an organization with Black leadership, and staff and training delivered by Black, Indigenous, People of Color. Participants in the INCubate program learn business fundamentals, assess an existing business model or create a new business model canvas, learn about supply chain management, competitive landscapes, identify distribution channels and partnership opportunities, practice presentation skills, work on presentation skills, develop a marketing plan, as well as build a 30-60-90-120-day strategic plan. The entire 16-week program is designed to give the participants the tools required to self-actualize their business dreams using the skills learned during the program. Each graduate is matched with a mentor and connected with the INCubate and 24/7 BLAC alumni network for support throughout the program and beyond. In addition to the adult-focused INCubate program, a youth-centered program is in development. It will focus on BIPOC students ages 13 and up who have an interest in learning the basics of entrepreneurship or have a business idea that has not fully materialized. The program will help validate the need for the business or service and give support and structure to developing it if they choose to move forward. The program will be organized as a cohort, similar to the INCubate program but sessions will be shorter, and youth-centered. Disparities still exist in access to resources and financing received by Black and Latinx business owners compared to white borrowers. MDC Iowa works with local financial institutions to address the ongoing systemic racism in the banking industry. The INCubate program helps prepare minority-owned businesses to secure working and growth capital through relationships with small local lenders who are committed to making changes to lending practices and offering new loan products appropriate for small businesses. The focused effort in education and support of BIPOC businesses addresses racial equity, social justice, and economic justice that continue to limit opportunities for non-white Iowans. The program and curriculum focus on entrepreneurs of color and provide the requisite tools that can help establish scalable business ventures, enhance access to capital, and facilitate equitable economic growth and wealth building in our underserved communities that are disproportionately people of color. The program is a critical first step in establishing a viable business model canvas which is the basis for successful growth and a critical asset that financial institutions consider during the lending process. How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* The INCubate program addresses all six priority service areas as outlined in this Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant. The primary focus of the program is education, employment, and building community. The program's goals not only support individual participants in self-actualizing their business dreams but also help drive the economic growth of minority-owned businesses for the broader Iowa City community. Education and financial literacy are cornerstones of the INCubate program. MDC Iowa understands that participants will enter the cohort with varying levels of business knowledge, skill, and experience. The program is designed to lay the foundational groundwork for aspiring entrepreneurs as well as challenge existing business owners with a more established framework. The majority of the material is presented by experts that identify as a person of color and teach through a social justice lens. MDC Iowa has collaborated with many community partners to ensure valuable material is included in the program, avoid duplication of services, and tap into the many resources available in Eastern Iowa. In addition to these collaborations benefiting the development and continuity of the program, the relationships and partnerships can benefit the individual participants. The mentorship, connections, and expertise offered by these partners build a community of support around each participant. Having successful and meaningful employment including self-employment is a strong factor in ensuring stable housing, affordable health care, and avoiding or recovering from the criminal punishment system. These issues are all interconnected and having a solid understanding of business fundamentals is the focus of the INCubate program and contributes to the success in all these areas. A recent study ranked Iowa as the worst state for minority businesses, with only one minority-owned small business for every 43 minority residents. Black families with no or negative wealth (their debts exceed assets) rose by over 8% since 2016 to 37% according to “Facts Racial Economic Inequality” published by inequality.org. The proportion of Latinx families with zero or negative net worth is declining but is still more than twice as high when compared to white families. A research firm showed that families who own a business have a higher median net worth compared to families who do not. Additionally, the collaborative efforts between the Iowa City Economic Development department and MDC Iowa show a clear need for small business support. A combined public/private effort is required to provide a scalable business accelerator and equitable economic development growth model in Iowa City. A business accelerator program that focuses on minoritized groups in Iowa City can improve the quality of life, create generational wealth, promote racial equity, and solve economic inequity. Out of the 75 minority-owned businesses surveyed in Johnson County, 64 business owners stated that they would benefit from a business accelerator program if offered today. When the same respondents were asked what skills or training topics would benefit them the most, 100% of them identified three or more topics covered in MDC Iowa's business accelerator training program. The INCubate program content is the result of a collaborative effort with UNI Business and Community Services, 24/7 BLAC, and other economic development stakeholders in Iowa City. Each program has provided invaluable guidance, advice, and experience to draw upon. In addition to the guidance provided by the above-noted organizations, the following partnerships allow MDC Iowa's INCubate program to continue to evolve and stay relevant: Johnson County, City of Iowa City, John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (JPEC), Iowa City Area Development Group, Iowa City Business Partnership, and Iowa City Downtown District. MDC Iowa’s INCubate is the next step for entrepreneurs that successfully complete the Builders and Backers program through ICAD and prepares INCubate graduates to move on to programs like JPEC’s Venture School. A key member of MDC Iowa’s leadership team serves as a faculty member at the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center and provides guidance to ensure that the INCubate program prepares graduates for further entrepreneur training like that offered by JPEC’s Venture School. This collaborative approach with an open and transparent relationship helps both organizations operate efficiently and avoid duplicating services. Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* The INCubate program focuses on the needs of adult entrepreneurs from underserved communities and disadvantaged backgrounds. It is primarily focused on those who identify as persons of color. MDC Iowa encourages and welcomes all, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disabilities, or another marginalized status. By Q3 2022 BIPOC youth age 13 and up will be served through the youth-centered entrepreneur program. The first cohort of participants graduated from the INCubate program in December 2021. This cohort consisted of 12 participants. The goal is to support a cohort of 12-15 participants each quarter, serving approximately 60 entrepreneurs per year. In addition to the INCubate program tailored to adult business leaders, a youth business leadership program is in development and will serve an estimated 100 aspiring entrepreneurs in 2022. No, there is no charge for any MDC Iowa programs including the INCubate program. Prior to being accepted into the program, a pre-assessment is performed to establish a baseline for each participant with an existing business. The INCubate program success is defined as the successful completion of each 16-week program by 80% of program participants. The program's success is measured by annual impact reports, data from local business development organizations, and ongoing data collection on the post-graduation milestones of participants. Each program graduate commits to quarterly health checks to assess business solvency, cash flow, bottom line analysis, and funding progress in addition to a mandatory report of the 30-60-90- 120-day strategic plan effectiveness and documented outcome of the action items established during the program. Success or Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for second-stage business owners is defined as sustained Year Over Year (YOY) revenue growth by at least 10%, an increase in Gross Profit Margin (GPM) by 10%, and an increase in the established customer base by 10%. Success for new business owners is defined as a minimum of a 5% increase in GPM after six months and an 18% increase in sales revenue within 12-months of graduation. Since small business development is a proven strategy that closes the wealth gap, stimulates economic development and job creation, the impact on our community would be measured by the increase in Median Household wealth by BIPOC families, as well as the number of new jobs reported by the Iowa Economic Development Authority for Johnson County. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows a national job creation rate of 1.9%, but success for the MDC Iowa INCubate program is defined as a 5% increase in job creation by businesses that completed the program. To achieve accurate and granular data, MDC Iowa will provide a self- reporting tool that will allow program participants to provide metrics at regular intervals after graduation. A data anonymizing policy and collection tool will be created as a result of PII and proprietary or sensitive information that may be obtained during the program. The program embraces the open-source framework model and the tools, content, and resources created will be shared with select community partners that have demonstrated a commitment to address racial, social, and economic justice. Additionally, the data collected, and impact reports will be shared with the Iowa City Economic Development team for use in budget planning and funding of similar programs in the future. How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 INCubate success stories will be shared on the MDC Iowa website and social media outlets. Representation matters. Showcasing the successes of the graduates of the program will not only serve to highlight the hard work and dedication that the participants put into this endeavor but will also feature and promote the businesses they have built which will increase their public profile ideally leading to an increase in sales. Supporting and advancing business owners of color in Iowa City and the surrounding areas will allow young and aspiring entrepreneurs to see powerful examples of underrepresented community members as successful business leaders. As part of the MDC Iowa marketing plan, the results of the INCubate program will be openly communicated with local business leaders and educators to emphasize the success of the program while simultaneously supporting the ongoing need for such programs. The Executive Director, staff, and volunteers will share the program's success on social media. This will also serve to highlight the businesses and entrepreneurs who were part of the INCubate program. MDC Iowa is committed to the success of the INCubate program and its participants. We continue to work with Iowa City to establish an annual budget to support business accelerator programs. MDC Iowa has a partnership with the University of Iowa and will be receiving an intern who will be focused on seeking out racial equity grant opportunities and gathering data to support the ongoing need for programs such as INCubate. Additionally, MDC Iowa continues to work with the city and county to guide the distribution of ARPA funds to support and sustain annual program expenses. Lastly, private entities have committed to providing ongoing financial support to help maintain program operations. These entities include Green State Credit Union and Target Corporation. Partial funding will be used for professional services that further the goals of the INCubate program. The program includes in-person presentations from entrepreneurs, business professionals, and subject matter experts. In some instances, supplemental materials and speaker engagements may be purchased to allow participants in-depth training on complex topics. When professional services such as accounting and legal services are needed to support the program, these professionals are paid an honorarium. Funding Amount Request 10,000.00$ The funding will be used to cover the program cost for the business accelerator program and the youth-centered entrepreneurship program in 2022. Funds are specifically needed to help cover the cost of training materials, technology resources, professional services, and economic assistance for small businesses. MDC Iowa’s overall annual budget for the fiscal year 2021 was $65,000. The estimated annual program budget for INCubate running four cohorts is $72,000. 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Grants 10,000.00$$$ Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Authorization* Signature* Professional Services 3,000.00$$$ Educational Materials $$$ Marketing/Advertising 300.00$$$ Equipment/Hardware 3,100.00$$$ Supplies 2,400.00$$$ Outside Printing 800.00$$$ Misc. Supplies 400.00$$$ The original cohort of the INCubate program graduated in December 2021. MDC Iowa is actively accepting applications for the Q3 2022 cohort. The start date is dependent on when funding is received but the tentative schedule is Cohort #3 Jun-Aug. The youth-centered entrepreneurship program is tentatively scheduled to run Jul-Aug. Most of the grant funds will be utilized at the beginning of the cohort which is tentatively scheduled for June and July (respectively) based on funding. Yes, MDC Iowa received $25,000 from the City of Iowa City to help develop the initial INCubate curriculum and support the operating expenses of the program. No Yes, MDC Iowa is actively pursuing multiple funding sources to ensure the success and sustainability of the INCubate program and future cohorts. MDC Iowa is committed to the INCubate program and will continue to pursue the funding necessary for the program and its participants to succeed. The amount of funding received will determine how frequently the program will be offered and how many participants can be supported as well as how quickly a youth-centered program can be initiated. Yes No I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. Date* 1/7/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organization's Mission Statement * How many years has the organization been in operation?* Organizational Information ICCompassion City Iowa City State / Province / Region IOWA Postal / Zip Code 52240 Country United States Street Address 1035 Wade St Address Line 2 3193309883 teresa@iccompassion.org www.iccompassion.org Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Teresa Stecker Executive Director 3193309883 teresa@iccompassion.org IC Compassion is a faith based organization that engages culturally diverse communities together through hope, opportunities and partnerships. Together we equip people at their point of need to move out of poverty and inspire them to be of service to others. 16 Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* What is the program, service, or activity?* With our mission of engaging culturally diverse communities with opportunities, we started our pilot program, Global Food Project last year with 28 immigrant families having garden plots at the Johnson County Farm. We hired project manager that assisted with gardening and providing necessary supplies/equipment for successful year of families providing food for their families. A Hispanic family of 5 stated" we are so grateful for the opportunity to have land, to grow fresh food and to use that to can salsa for the whole winter. Thank you!" Due to this success in 2022, we are expanding with the following: •Double the number of plots at the gardens, with new families and more plots for returning families (from approx. 35 plots to approx. 70 plots) • Establishment of communal plots with perennial herbs and fruits (mint, oregano, rosemary, strawberries, raspberries, etc) • Pilot program for scaling up to approx. 1/8 plots and growing for sale. Will include 3-4 families and involve mentorships, more training and workshops. Program manager will help with marketing which could include a stall at the Iowa City Farmer’s Market or a possible new market at the Poor Farm, among other opportunities explored in coordination with those growers. This was an incredible successful year that we are excited about expanding into 2022. Proposal Early in 2021, our support group of Latino parents with special need children presented the problem of their young adults with disabilities lacking job opportunities that are culturally sensitive and safe. They stated that when high school programs end, their children struggle to find work opportunities that accept English learning applicants and focus on interpersonal skills. They have ended up staying home without hope for the future. Dayrin Lovan has experienced this problem herself with her 20 year old autistic child so with passion and vision, she presented the concept of Jabez Cafe, a training cafe for young adults like her son. With funding and grant in 2021, we were able to remodel and establish a commercial kitchen in which to launch Jabez cafe this year in 2022. Our vision is to create a training café within our facility at IC Compassion. The café, the Jabez Café, is to provide a place for young adults with disabilities and mental health illnesses to work and gain the skills they need for future job opportunities. Adults with an intellectual disability often struggle to find work. Many are under- employed or not working at all. The Jabez Café will train individuals 16 years or older, teaching them to live independent lives and provide a place for them to be. It will stimulate a positive environment which does not focus on the things that they cannot achieve, but those that they can. As with IC Compassion’s mission, the mission of the Jabez Café is to work with people from multi-cultural backgrounds. The café will not only impact the trainees, but also the community in which it serves. The café will help to provide awareness of the barriers people with disabilities face and stimulate the local economy through purchasing and selling of food and coffee. The Jabez Café will allow any individual who has a disability or mental health illness to participate in our program in order to receive work training, and our goal is start training 10 individuals immediately. As our project grows, we will open up this opportunity to even more participants. Our mission: The Jabez Café will consist of a group of young adults who have a disability cooking, working with money, cleaning, and serving others. The parents of those young adults will make up the committee for The Jabez Caffe, establishing rules and regulations for the program. The café will provide training to young adults for three years. Applications will be available which will address each applicant’s necessary accommodations, availability, and why they desire the position. We will also have a coordinator who is in charge of the program. How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* We define social justice as equal access to wealth, opportunities and privileges within our community. Based on feedback from our Latino parents, the high school, Center for Disability at the University of Iowa and Vocational Rehab, there is an inequity of employment/training opportunities for minority low income disabled young adults. We not aware of any other training programs that is targeting this group. In 2021, we aligned ourselves with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. ICCompassion has been working to support refugee and immigrant communities in Iowa since 2006, and in the last 15 years we have provided services that work towards global efforts to keep our Earth and its people happy and healthy. The UN Sustainable Development Goals have provided us with clear targets to meet by 2030. Through the start up of Jabez Cafe, we are committing ourselves to Goal 8: employment, decent work for all and social protection. This includes target goal of 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. https://sdgs.un.org/goals. This program is addressing employment opportunities for Latino disabled young adults. With the cultural focus and safety of the environment of Jabez Cafe, we will increase independence of low-income immigrant young adults with disabilities by learning job skills and building confidence. . Statewide, the Disability and Health Data System shows that 28.4% of Hispanic individuals have a disability (which is higher than the state average of about 23%).Based on Johnson County population of 152,854 x 5.8% (which is the percentage of residents who are Latino) x 28.4% (which is the statewide percentage of people who are Latino who have a disability) = This would indicate that approx. 2,518 Latino individuals in the Johnson County area have disabilities. Many families report that the only job opportunities that they have are cleaning jobs and many without interpretation for their children. First partner is Iowa City School District: Judy Warth, Employment Training Specialist Iowa City Community School District Work Experience Coach/University of Iowa Health Care and others. They are part of the ICCSD working with Disability community. We are working together with the students who will become the trainees with the goal of independence in the community. They are practicing with students in classroom setting and will send coaches to help us with the trainees. Vocational Rehab is assisting with training for our volunteers and educational opportunities for our students. They are also a resource for our parents for assistance for their young adults. Initially, this program is targeting Latino high school students between the ages of 16 to 21 who are low income. Our first 10 students already signed up include both male and female. Due to working relationship with City High School, we are starting with students attending this high school with the hopes to expand in year two to include students from the other high schools in Iowa City District and other ethnic groups. We are starting with 10 students and their families. Our hope would be with a successful first year, we would expand to include more students and families. There is no charge to participate in the program. What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* To measure the effectiveness of our program, we will collect data for trainees on a weekly basis. The data will be collected by the program coordinator and include how each trainee is meeting their responsibilities, what responsibilities they had for the week, how they are doing in the program, how they are doing with time management skills, if they are receiving the support they need, their growth and improvement with their training, and how they are working with others. Our criteria for an effective program is one in which trainees will feel supported, comfortable, and confident in their training space. It will ensure that trainees are improving upon their skills and feeling successful with their responsibilities. Lastly, trainees will feel fulfilled in their work and stick with the program for the full three years. By the end of the funding period, we hope to have developed a positive and safe environment for young adults with disabilities to feel welcome. 1. Trainees will demonstrate increased comfort and confidence with training at Jabez Cafe 2. Trainees will demonstrate increased job skills in the food service area 3. Parents will indicate increased satisfaction with knowledge of resources in the community. 4. Parents and trainees will indicate increased satisfaction with their lives as they find dignity and purpose in Jabez Cafe and hope for the future. As we seek to copy some models across USA regarding training and employment with this target group, we hope our success can also serve a model for other organizations in addressing the issues of social inequities within immigrant and refugee families with members with disabilities. Our vision is that other employees will make accommodations for immigrants and refugee families with disabled adults. Our goal is that those, who participate in the training in our cafe, will find a employment that they enjoy and provides equal pay. Our last goal is that individuals eating at the cafe will be educated about disabilities especially with our immigrant families and maybe even develop friendships. It will continue with support of revenue from cafe, support from donors and fundraising from sell of specific Latino food such as tamales. We are asking for help this first year towards the start up of the Cafe. We believe that once people become aware of the cafe, its purpose and it excellent food/service, we will be able to support the program with donations from the daily food items. With the number of volunteer parents and trainees while working with City High School, we have determined that we need to have a parttime coordinator. This is also critical due to issues of consistency and food safety with a cafe open to the public. The rest of the funding is providing for gift cards (rewards) for the trainees. We want trainees to begin to see the value of employment, their worth in the job market along with our need as a community for their presence in services areas such as food service. Funding Amount Request 15,000.00$ We are planning to use the funds from this grant to promote the cafe, to provide educational material to the public regarding disabilities, for operating cost that includes coordinator and rewards for the students along with cost of food as we seek to establish a donation based cafe. $224,000 Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Grants 36,000.00$$$ Other Revenue 26,000.00$$$ Professional Services 38,000.00$$$ Educational Materials 3,000.00$$$ Marketing/Advertising 4,000.00$$$ Equipment/Hardware 12,000.00$$$ Supplies 10,000.00$$$ Outside Printing 1,000.00$$$ Misc. Supplies 3,000.00$$$ Steps to implement Jabez Cafe project: Jan. 1, 2022 Remodel kitchen for commercial license completed Feb. 1, 2022: Inspection completed and approved Feb. 15th, purchases completed along with proactice on menu foods March1, 2022 soft opening for Jabez cafe April1 , 2022 Grand Opening for Cafe starting with 10 students Sept 1, 2022 Evaluation of program and adjustments to program if needed. We will use the grant money for the second half of this year. This will assist in promotion/advertising to build clientele/business for the cafe, operating costs, education of the public on disabilities and to assist with cost of food as we develop the concept of donation based cafe. We have not received any funding from the city. In 2021, we received over $90,000 from grants including Amerigroup for $28,000 and CARES Act money from state of Iowa that supported the remodel and establishment of the commercial kitchen. This money has been spent with the remodeling and purchase of commercial appliances. We applied for Johnson County Mental health grant. We will be applying for other grants such as Kessler Foundation. Our budget which we indicated in this information is 62,000 for 2022. We believe that we will find the appropriate funding if we don't' receive SJRE grant. Amerigroup, City High, LEND at the University, our volunteer parents are all committed to this project along with ICCompassion. Can the project be completed with less funding?* Please Explain: Authorization* Signature* Date* Yes No Most of the program is being done by volunteers - volunteer parents, community members and students so we and volunteers are committed to making this cafe and its mission possible. I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. 1/7/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organization's Mission Statement * How many years has the organization been in operation?* Organizational Information Iowa City Catholic Worker City Iowa City State / Province / Region Iowa Postal / Zip Code 52244 Country United States Street Address PO Box 3324 Address Line 2 319-499-8929 iowacitycatholicworker@gmail.com iowacitycatholicworker.org Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * David Goodner Organizer 3194998929 iowacitycatholicworker@gmail.com The mission of the Iowa City Catholic Worker is to build a culture of love thy neighbor and walk with both feet of God's love in action - charity and justice. 5 Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* What is the program, service, or activity?* How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* In the last three years the Catholic Worker has sponsored dozens of refugee families over the U.S. / Mexico border and helped them rebuild their lives in Iowa through resettlement, supportive housing, leadership training, and connection to other resources including education, legal, language, and employment. In the last three years, Catholic Workers have also defended dozens of undocumented and at-risk immigrants from deportation, and provided protective accompaniment to keep their community safer from Iowa. Since the pandemic started in 2020, the Catholic Worker has served hot meals, showers, laundry, and coffee 4x a week for dozens of homeless and very poor city residents to get what they need to survive. Catholic Workers have also raised and distributed tens of thousands of dollars in rent assistance. Proposal In 2022 the Catholic Worker is launching a new program called Escucha Mi Voz Whole Worker Organizing Project, an immigrant-led initiative that will publish a Spanish-language newsletter and train immigrant workers in community leadership, identify issues impacting them, and take action to address them, including lobbying, letter-writing, direct action, going on strike, and voting. The Escucha Mi Voz Whole Worker Organizing Project came to be through the Fund Excluded Workers Coalition in 2021 that trained dozens of immigrant leaders to win millions of dollars in pandemic relief and racial equity for excluded workers. The organizing committee of immigrant leaders began to call themselves Escucha Mi Voz and develop and expand an immigrant-led vehicle for community improvement. The Escucha Mi Voz Whole Worker Organizing Project is an immigrant-led project that identifies, recruits, and trains immigrant workers in the community to become leaders at church, in their neighborhood, family, workplace, and in society, to identify the issues that impact them, and to take effective action to participate in the social, political, and economic decisions that impact their lives. Immigrant workers are lower income, face higher negative impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic, and are marginalized or disenfranchised in many of the political and corporate decisions that effect their lives. Building a base of trained community leaders will advance social justice and racial equity by involving hundreds of more people in the democratic process so that they can have a voice in decision-making. This can include educating members of their own community about the importance of pandemic mitigation, vaccines and booster shots, how to have 1on1 conversations, how to have an effective meeting, money and fundraising, and more. The Escucha Mi Voz Whole Worker Organizing Project addresses all six priority areas but most directly building community and popular education. Our Spanish-language newspaper and leadership trainings will develop immigrant workers' capacity to run their own organizations and campaigns; deepen their knowledge and skillsets on all aspects of public health, the democratic process, and organization-building; and equip traditionally marginalized people with the ability to act on their own to achieve equity and justice in areas such as employment, health, housing, and criminal justice. What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Immigrant workers in Iowa City are traditionally disenfranchised from the democratic process and the political and economic decisions that impact their lives at work, at home, and in the community. Research and data are clear that immigrant workers have faced a higher disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, struggle to access resources, face more racial discrimination at work and in the community, and are lower-income without health insurance or benefits. This program will go beyond the typical "know your rights" or "English-language classes" approach of service- oriented methodologies and train immigrant workers in the how's and why's of grassroots power. There is currently no Spanish-language newspaper centered on immigrants as workers, or any mass-based popular education to reach out to hundreds of directly impacted people to train and coordinate pandemic mitigation, public health, and community empowerment to scale. Yes, local Hispanic churches such as St. Patrick Parish, Iglesia Pentacostal Unida LatinoAmericana, and media services such as El Trueque Spanish News. Immigrant men and women workers of Hispanic descent between the ages of 18-65 who make less than $40,000 a year will be the primary demographic served by this project. Over the next 12 months, the program will publish 6-12 newsletters, distributed in Spanish-speaking churches, and mailed to hundreds of households. 250 immigrant workers will attend at least one leadership training, retreat, seminar, summit, or organizing meeting. No How many newsletters were published, how many households was the newsletter mailed to, how many people attended weekly core team or organizing committee meetings, or attended regular trainings. Registrations, databases, and sign-up sheets will be used to track attendance, and delivery. Leadership trainings, core team and organizing committee meetings will include regular evaluations to incorporate feedback, and organizers will use a 1-5 leadership scale to determine how many new leaders are being recruited and moved up the engagement ladder. Community leaders will be trained in the art of 1on1 conversations, power and self-interest, how to run effective meetings, the importance of organization, and other issues and will in turn share the skills and knowledge they have used with others. Everyone brought into the program will have their address recorded so they can receive a copy of the popular education newsletter. Copies and information will be distributed at Spanish-speaking church services. All of these activities will exponentially increase the base of people the program is communicating with and developing. Catholic Workers will update our existing base of 1,800 supporters and 400 donors about the progress of our work, and immigrant leaders will share their results at community forums, on social media, and in the mainstream news outlets. Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 The Catholic Worker has already raised $250,000 to sustain this program over the next 18 months and has a plan to raise another $250,000 from new sources before the end of this year. The $25k SJRE grant will be used on unfunded but one-time start-up costs such as logo development and design, social media platform creation, newsletter formatting, equipment, technology, and other needs. Approximately 25% of the grant will be used on professional contract services from El Trueque News to design and develop an Escucha Mi Voz logo, social media platforms, lay out the permanent newsletter format, communications plan, and source equipment and tech needs. Funding Amount Request 25,000.00$ 75% will be used on one-time start-up costs, primarily equipment and technology to design and print a Spanish- language newsletter, logo design, computers, xerox machines and printers, banners, and other materials. The Escucha Mi Voz Program Budget is $275,000. The total Catholic Worker budget for 2022 is $600,000. 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Grants 7,500.00$7,500.00$7,500.00$ Grants 75,000.00$75,000.00$75,000.00$ Fees 4,000.00$4,000.00$4,000.00$ Other Revenue 100,000.00$100,000.00$100,000.00$ Professional Services 6,000.00$$$ Equipment/Hardware 12,000.00$$$ Educational Materials 1,000.00$1,000.00$1,000.00$ Outside Printing 1,000.00$1,000.00$1,000.00$ Staff Salaries and Fringe 60,000.00$60,000.00$60,000.00$ Supplies 5,000.00$5,000.00$5,000.00$ Marketing/Advertising 5,000.00$5,000.00$5,000.00$ Educational Materials 5,000.00$5,000.00$5,000.00$ Outside Printing 4,000.00$4,000.00$4,000.00$ Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Please Explain: Authorization* Misc. Supplies 1,000.00$1,000.00$1,000.00$ January 2022 - begin weekly core team meetings at Hispanic Churches February 2022 - hold first leadership institute, design logo, flyer, brochure, newspaper template March 2022 - Mail first bimonthly newsletter to 500 Spanish households and distribute at Spanish churches April 2022 - Leadership training May 2022 - congressional candidate issue briefings June 2022 - Annual Convention July 2022 - Summer School August 2022 - Door Canvass Training September 2022 - Issue-Based Congressional Candidate Forum October 2022 - Quarterly Leadership Training November 2022 - Program Evaluation December 2022 - Issue Meeting with Congressional-Elect The SJRE grant is for one-time start-up costs related to logo, brochure, and newspaper design, and equipment purchase, therefore the majority of the funding would be spent almost immediately upon receipt. No For 2022, the Catholic Worker received a $250,000 grant for this program for the next 18 months Yes No Yes No Less funding will limit our one-time start-up implementation but we will use whatever funds are approved towards these one-time start-up costs I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. Signature* Date* 1/7/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organizational Information Kirkwood Iowa City Food Pantry City Iowa City State / Province / Region Iowa Postal / Zip Code 52245 Country USA Street Address 1816 Lower Muscatine Rd Address Line 2 319-887-3611 food.pantry.ic@kirkwood.edu https://www.kirkwood.edu/explore/services/dean-of-students/student-food-pantry Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Margorie Gutierrez Food Pantry Program Specialist 319-887-3611 margorie.gutierrez@kirkwood.edu Organization's Mission Statement * How many years has the organization been in operation?* Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Kirkwood IC Food Pantry Mission Statement: To fight food insecurity by providing nutritious & culturally diverse food to Kirkwood Iowa City students in need. Kirkwood Community College (KCC) is a public community college in Cedar Rapids, with a secondary campus in Iowa City, and several additional regional and county centers, serving approximately 13,000 students. KCC also offers a rich complement of community service programs on campus and at satellite locations. Our mission states; Kirkwood Community College identifies community needs; provides accessible, quality education and training; and promotes opportunities for lifelong learning. Our Vision is to be the community college leader in regional, national, and global education. With the important conversation of racial equity and social justice long needed but just now gaining traction in our country and community, Kirkwood has chosen to proactively advocate for our students, faculty, staff and community at large by adding to our Strategic Plan the creation of an Equity Team by 2022. This initiative will roll out in January 2022 on Martin Luther King Day and is a positive much needed step forward in the institutions effort to champion social justice and take a responsibility towards achieving racial equity on our campus and in our community partnerships. 1 Kirkwood Community College’s Iowa City campus Food Pantry was established in January 2021. This IA City Pantry was modeled after the Cedar Rapids campus Food pantry which was established in 2018. The Pantry came into existence due to the large number of Iowa City Kirkwood students and their families that were facing perennial food insecurity. At the heart of a healthy community is access to basic human needs of food, clothing and shelter. In just one year of existence, the Kirkwood Iowa City Pantry has faced a huge demand for food and child care products. We have been proactive in seeking resources to supplement the donations we receive from HACAP in the way of food products. In 2021, the Iowa City Pantry received funding from the IA Food Bank Association that has gone a long way in mitigating food security for our students and their families in the Iowa City area. In addition, through a competitive grant from Alliant Energy, we were able to secure one refrigeration unit which enhanced the variety of food we could stock in the pantry to include perishable, fresh foods. This allowed us to provide fresh farm products that improved the nutritional quality of the food we could provide to our students and their families. A previous project that inspired the opening of the Kirkwood Iowa City Pantry was the Cedar Rapids campus Food pantry in 2018. Due to a growing food insecurity problem among Kirkwood students, the college established a Food Pantry on the Cedar Rapids campus in 2018. The space occupied by the Pantry was small. The college stocked the Pantry with food and personal care and essential needs products which were also a wraparound support area of great need amongst students. In September 2020 the Cedar Rapids campus Pantry served 178 family members and by 2021 the number of family members served rose to over 436. This same trajectory in demand for Pantry services is now facing the Iowa City pantry and at a higher rate, prompted by increase in economic hardships for families due to the pandemic. As a community college, Kirkwood’s mission is also rooted in building our community. In 2021, Kirkwood and applied for and was funded on two five year cycle Department of Education grants, the Education Opportunities Centers (EOC) and Education Talent Search (ETS) grants totaling over $2 million. Both these programs are community focused with the EOC working to support underrepresented populations individuals in the community who are no longer participating in and education program with completing high school, preparing for and transitioning to a post-secondary program. The ETS works with high schools students in the Free and Reduced lunch program with acquiring the postsecondary readiness. Both these programs use tutoring, mentoring, cultural exposure, financial literacy, ACT/SAT tutoring and testing preparation, and skills exploration as interventions. These are programs are focused on increasing literacy and education levels in the community, and are programs that Kirkwood plans to maintain and serve the community for decades to come. Proposal Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* What is the program, service, or activity?* How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* The Kirkwood Iowa City Food Pantry was started to fight food insecurity in our community and to provide equal resources similar to the Cedar Rapids campus pantry to our Iowa City students. We learned that food insecurity among college students is at an all-time high. However, barriers to pantry access faced many of the students in the Iowa City campus. These barriers include lack of transportation, lack of funds to access public transportation, childcare needs while they travel to Cedar Rapids, and a feeling of shame at seeking help. Understanding this, Kirkwood recognized the dire and immediate need to provide local food and child product services to our students in Iowa City. In a 2019 study, 39% of college students reported having been food insecure in the prior 30 days. There are several factors that contribute to the growing number of students that are food insecure. Some of those are; growing population of low-income college students, high cost of college and insufficient financial aid, more financial hardship among many low and moderate income families, weak labor markets for part-time workers, and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) policies that exclude college students. At a quick glance we are a food pantry serving the students of Kirkwood Community College Iowa City campus. In reality we are so much more. We are an important resource and retention tool that helps students stay in school and gets them closer to their goal of graduation. Data shows that students with food insecurity experience low GPAs, delayed graduation, and higher dropout rate. It is important to mention that the number of non- traditional students attending Kirkwood is greater than the traditional student count. We’ve made ending the stigma around food insecurity a priority and we’ve done so by the individualized and friendly experience we provide each of our students. In doing so we’ve connected and gained our students trust which allows us to help them in other areas not just in providing food. They share with us some of their barriers and we connect them with resources on and off campus. We’ve cultivated the feeling of community at the Kirkwood Iowa City Pantry. The majority of our pantry users are students with children, families, traditionally underrepresented populations, low income, first generation and immigrants. The diverse cultural clients that we serve have different food needs from the traditional student. Most of our students cook meals from scratch, do not use canned or processed items, and feed large families. Unfortunately, the food we get donated doesn’t always meet their unique needs. In order to continue to provide nutritious and culturally diverse foods that meets their needs we need funding. Another dimension we feel we will mitigate through availing nutritious food options is a reduction in health challenges borne from insufficient nutrition. The students and their families that we serve are also facing healthcare affordability barriers. In addition to mitigating food insecurity we also hope to in tandem mitigate nutritional health challenges. The service we want to achieve is always having the items that make the base for most of their meals constantly available at our pantry. If awarded money we would utilize it to purchase high valued items like tomatoes, onions, peppers, oranges, apples, jasmine rice and chicken. For reasons such as money, space, and transportation we are limited in the number of culturally diverse items we carry in the pantry. To meet the need for culturally diverse items we will use the grant funds to create market vouchers for students to use at culturally diverse markets in Iowa City. These market vouchers would be pre-paid and allow students to shop at one of three stores of their choice. Not only would this help our students but it would also help three small businesses in our community. By providing nutritious and cultural diverse food we are helping close the social, economic, and racial equity gap. Studies show that students at higher risk of being food insecure identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), students identifying as non-binary or transgender, students enrolled part-time, and students who are former foster youth, have faced homelessness or are returning citizens. Some of the negative effects facing food insecure students are; adverse health effects due to the consumption of lower cost calorie dense foods, high levels of stress, and psychological trauma due to the stigma/shame surrounding food insecurity. Furthermore, students who are food insecure have lower GPAs, experience delayed graduation, and have lower persistence rates and higher dropout rates. Most students who fail to persist and post-secondary programs and eventually dropout, will almost certainly never return to complete their degree or certificate credentials. We assert that our work promotes student success, which leads to more vibrant, healthy, and productive communities, and we recognize that our work is mutually beneficial to students and to us as individuals. How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* The existence of the Kirkwood Iowa City Food Pantry directly addresses three priorities; education, health, and building communities. Our pantry is a resource that will serve as a retention tools by increasing the persistence and ultimately graduation rates for our students by eliminating food insecurity which is a major contributor of college dropout. Through better nutritional food products in the pantry we will eliminate an increase in health issues due to malnutrition or other health complications that afflict individual with poor or no nutrition. Finally by creating a food secure community, we will see an increase in healthier students who complete college, attain credentials and enter into the local workforce and there by building the I.A city community This project will address the high rate of food insecurity in the Iowa City area. The primary goals is the elimination of food insecurity within the college and broader community. In addition, secondarily this project addresses Education and Health priorities as it will foster better college completion rates and less health issues by advancing healthy food choices. In 2019, 10.5% of households in the US experienced food insecurity. In that same year 39% of college students reported having been food insecure in the prior 30 days. The Pew Research Center states that only 9% of 25-29 year olds with a bachelor’s degree or higher are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color). Being food insecure is directly linked to low GPAs, delayed graduation, and higher dropout rates. By providing this service we are doing our part in making Kirkwood Iowa City a more equitable institution that acknowledges the different barriers BIPOC students face that delay or prevent graduation. We have partnerships with HACAP and Table 2 Table, both of these organizations donate food to our pantry. We are extremely grateful for the support we receive from these organization but also understand that the demand is still unmet. We especially recognize the existing unmet need for perishable foods such fresh produce, fruit, and chicken our students need. The Kirkwood Iowa City Food Pantry is available to 1,997 students. The demographic breakdown is as follows: Age o Under 18 Years of age: 30 (1.68%) o 18 to 23 Years of age: 1,294 (64.96%) o 24 Years of age or older: 673 (33.36%) Race o American Indian or Alaskan Native: 8 (0.34%) o Asian: 67 (3.36%) o Black or African American: 503 (26.07%) o Hispanic/Latino: 212 (10.31%) o Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 1 (0.04%) o Non-Resident Alien: 124 (6.13%) o Two or More Races: 51 (2.47%) o Unknown: 80 (4.07%) o White: 951 (47.22%) Gender o Female: 1,003 (50.09%) o Male: 994 (49.91%) First Generation o First Generation: 702 (36.72%) o Non First Generation: 1,282 (62.57%) o Unknown: 13 (0.71%) Parental status: o Non Single Parent: 1,797 (90.44%) o Single Parent: 200 (9.56%) English Language Acquisition (ELA) course Participant: o ELA Participant: 446 (23.57%) o Non ELA Participant: 1,551 (76.43%) How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? On average we have 156 monthly visits to the pantry and our food helps feed 283 individuals. Most of our students use our pantry to help feed their entire household. We are steadily growing; we’re seeing a monthly 15% increase in pantry usage. Our campus serves approximately to 2000 students per academic year. In addition to individual students, our Pantry serves their families. In total, we estimate the project will have a positive impact on approximately 1.900 individuals. There is no charge to use the food pantry. Participants are required to be enrolled in classes for the current semester. This includes students taking classes in ELA (English Language Acquisition), ESL (English as Second Language: a free program), ABE (Adult Basic Education: also a free program) HiSET (High School Equivalency classes) and continuing education classes. 1. The Kirkwood food pantry seeks and outcome of producing healthy and culturally supportive foods at all times. Our performance measure will be: 2. Increase the number of students and families served by the pantry by 5% each month. 3. Meet the demand for cultural or unique foods 90% of the time By carrying culturally diverse items and giving out market vouchers to ethnic markets in our community we hope to create an inclusive food pantry that caters to the unique needs of our culturally diverse pantry user population. We want to create a food pantry that promotes inclusivity and the representation and participation of different groups of individuals. We hope that these changes will help give students a feeling of belonging not just in our campus but in our community. Studies show that students who feel a sense of belonging are more engaged and set up for long-term success. Academic success is our ultimate goal for all our students but specially for our BIPOC student population who are graduating at an alarmingly lower rate compare to other students (12% vs. 43%). The majority of students who report being food insecure identify as BIPOC, we believe that making our food pantry more diverse will have a positive impact in their education and personal life. If we succeed we would be helping close the social equity gap not only in education but in our community. We created a survey that our pantry users filled out. From that data we were made aware that we are not meeting all their needs. The biggest piece of feedback we got is that we are missing the mark in providing culturally diverse items and some of the fresh produce staples they use to cook with. This survey along with monthly pantry user data will serve as our baseline. After the changes have been made with the grant money we will send out another survey. This new survey will tell us if the changes made improved the students’ pantry experience, met their needs, and gave them a sense of belonging. We will also track monthly pantry usage to see if the changes implemented led to new clients and increased pantry attendance. The measures of outcome and performance will be increasing the number of students and families served monthly through outreach/awareness efforts. We hope that the data we collect shows that making food pantries more culturally diverse and inclusive is the direction all food pantries should move towards. We plan on sharing our findings with other college and university food pantries in hopes that they see the positive impact changing the structure of their food pantries can have on the students they’re serving. Through the creation of market vouchers to local ethnic market we would be supporting small businesses in our community. Our initiative can show other pantries how working with businesses in our community can be beneficial to both parties. We will communicate the service through email, on the campus newsletter, and on Talon (a platform all students use to access class information). Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* The service will continue after the SJRE Grant funding ends. We will approach sustainability on two ways. 1. We will collect performance data and consistently communicate the positive outcomes the grant has generated with Kirkwood’s President’s cabinet and Board of Director. In so doing, we will be able to request and receive additional annual operational funding for the pantry operations. 2. We will continue building new partnerships with organizations that can donate food items meeting our student’s needs. 3. We will increase our food drives. 4. Having been successful in securing grant funding, we will continue to pursue external grant funding. There are no fees for professional services included. Funding Amount Request 23,000.00$ a. $12,000 used for grocery shopping for high valued items (tomatoes, onions, chicken, etc) b. $250 for grocery shopping per week = $1,000 per month = $12,000 for the year c. $10,000 used to buy 400-$25 market vouchers to culturally diverse markets in Iowa City Kirkwood Iowa City Food pantry has $0 budget 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Other Revenue 0.00$0.00$0.00$ Professional Services 0.00$0.00$0.00$ Activity Timeline Staff Responsible -Work with local markets to develop market vouchers June 2022 Food Pantry Specialist -Purchase $250 worth of groceries weekly June 2022 – May 2023 Food Pantry Specialist -Purchase and distribute two hundred (200) $25 market vouchers to students September 2022 Food Pantry Specialist -Purchase and distribute two hundred (200) $25 hundred market vouchers February 2023 Food Pantry Specialist -Complete final report June – July 2023 Food Pantry Specialist Activity Dates Cost breakdown Total Cost -Weekly groceries June 2022-May 2023 $250 x 52 weeks $13,000 -Purchase of 200 market vouchers September 2022 $25 x 200 $5,000 -Purchase of 200 market vouchers February 2023 $25 x 200 $5,000 Total $23,000 Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Authorization* Signature* Date* No We received $23,988.60 in funding from the Iowa Food Bank Association in collaboration with HACAP in 2021. These funds were used to cover cost incurred for the purchase of a food freezer for the pantry due to an increase in demand during the pandemic. We also used the funds to cover acquisition of a commercial fridge, deep freezer, shelving, costs incurred during our expansion to a bigger space, and food purchases. Kirkwood will in future years seek external funding to support the growing food and supplies demands for the pantry, however for this current activity, we are not seeking additional funding beyond the requested amount. No Yes No I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. 1/7/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organization's Mission Statement * Organizational Information Iowa City Community School District/South East Junior High City Iowa City State / Province / Region IA Postal / Zip Code 52245 Country United States Street Address 1725 N Dodge St. Address Line 2 3196881070 degner.kate@iowacityschools.org https://www.iowacityschools.org/ Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Kate Degner Mathematics Teacher 319-530-9857 degner.kate@iowacityschools.org The mission of the Iowa City Community School District is to ensure all students will become responsible, independent learners capable of making informed decisions in a democratic society as well as in the dynamic global community; this is accomplished by challenging each student with a rigorous and creative curriculum taught by a diverse, professional, caring staff and enriched through the resources and the efforts of families and the entire community. How many years has the organization been in operation?* Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* What is the program, service, or activity?* 163 During the 2019-2020 school year, we piloted the project for which we are seeking funding. We developed a 100% online curriculum for all middle school students to take asynchronously and voluntarily. Over 500 middle school (grades 6 - 8) students enrolled in the program. Completion rates, entry surveys, course work and exit surveys indicated an overwhelming success of the program with completion rates far beyond national averages for similar MOOCs. During the 2020 - 2021 an in-person version of this same course was taught to incoming 7th and 8th grade students at South East Junior High and an abbreviated 1 day version of this program was taught virtually as part of the Iowa City Public Library Summer Reading Program. Proposal This program came to be through anecdotal and research evidence that underrepresented students do not see themselves as mathematicians and are likely to opt out of advanced coursework starting in middle school and persisting in high school and post secondary course selection. National and local rates of STEM coursetaking by underrepresented students supports this claim. The proposed project “What do mathematicians do?” is based on the work and research of Dr. Jo Boaler, Dr. Tracy Zager, and the Standards for Mathematical Practice from the Iowa Core Curriculum for Mathematics. Dr. Boaler and Dr. Zager outline strategies and behaviors mathematicians use when they are working on mathematics problems. They are; Mathematicians: Pick a smaller case (SMP 1), Work together and alone (SMP 1 & 3), Draw a picture (SMP 1), Use resources (SMP 1 & 5), Take a risk and try something--think outside the box! (SMP 1), Struggle, but don’t give up!, Make mistakes and learn from them, Work slowly and think deeply. The purpose of What do mathematicians do? is to teach program participants these strategies and behaviors to help them become independent, successful mathematicians. Additionally, this project seeks to teach students about living mathematicians currently working in the field of mathematics. The objectives of this project are: Objective 1: Teach program participants eight strategies and behaviors to use when working on mathematics problems. Objective 2: Provide program participants with a framework to work through challenging problems in the classroom. Objective 3: Teach program participants the importance of perseverance and sense making in mathematics. Objective 4: Teach program participants about mathematicians who use the stated strategies and behaviors when doing mathematics. What do mathematicians do? addresses the need for students of mathematics to become independent learners. It empowers students to use a variety of tools and strategies to learn how to become mathematicians. Rather than focusing on a set of memorized procedures to complete, the curriculum provides students with a variety of strategies to use to think about and do mathematics. This curriculum is meant to be a supplemental summer program for middle school students. The program is a 6 session, in person for middle school aged students with the option to complete 4 follow up sessions online. The project seeks to bring underrepresented students in STEM fields together to learn about their mathematics brilliance. The program also includes a partnership with the Iowa City Public Library, as the host site for the summer program, as well as partnering with STEM pre-service teachers to help deliver the program for students. The program also seeks to bring practicing mathematicians to come speak to the participants as part of the program. A general outline for the program is included below (names of guest mathematicians were obtained from the Center for Minorities in the Mathematical Sciences database who work in Iowa. If these mathematicians are unavailable we will reach out to mathematicians using the database): Project Activities In Person Lesson 1: What do mathematicians do? (Objectives 1, 4) Evaluate: Pre-assessment: Student Math Mindset Survey and MARS 7th grade questions Engage: Notice and Wonder--What do you notice/wonder about these people? Explore: Learn about various mathematicians (Tae Danae-Bradley, Pamela Harris, Aris Winger, John Urschel, Kelvin Doe, Paul Erdos, Vi Hart) by watching videos & reading stories about them Explain: Make a list of things these mathematicians did in the stories. Examples include (Ask questions, Be creative, Think outside the box, Try new things, See numbers everywhere, draw pictures, etc) In Person Lesson 2: Mathematicians pick a smaller case (Objectives 1, 2, 3) Engage: How do you see this pattern growing? Explore: Total number of squares in: Case 5? Case 10? Case 100? Explain: How does picking a small case help to determine the total number of squares in Case 100? Guest Mathematician: Dr. Michael Young In Person Lesson 3: Mathematicians work together and alone (Objectives 1, 2, 3, 4) Engage: How do you see this pattern growing? (work alone--students get different patterns) Explore: Pair students together to talk about their different patterns, then pair students together with the same patterns Explain: What was helpful about explaining your pattern to someone else? What was helpful about working with someone who has the same pattern as you? Make a Connection: Learn about Andrew Wiles (Fermat’s Last Theorem) and Francis Su & Christopher Jackson In Person Lesson 4: Mathematicians draw a picture (Objectives 1, 2, 3, 4) Engage: Prime Climb--Notice and Wonder Explore: Play Prime Climb Explain: Proper coloring of graphs in mathematics Make a Connection: Vi Hart and Tae Danae Bradley In Person Lesson 5: Mathematicians take risks and try something (Objectives 1, 2, 3, 4) Engage: Types of Numbers: Notice and Wonder Explore: What does 00 equal? Explain: What does undefined mean in mathematics? Guest Mathematician: Kimberly Hadaway In Person Lesson 6: You are a mathematician! (Objectives 1, 2, 3, 4) Explore: Make an I am a mathematician poster Evaluate: Post-assessments: Student Math Mindset Survey and MARS 7th grade questions Guest Mathematician: Shree Shah Virtual Lesson 1: Mathematicians struggle (Objectives 1, 2, 3, 4) Engage: Hailstone Sequence: Notice and Wonder Explore: Make a conjecture about the Hailstone Sequence Explain: Open problems in mathematics Guest Mathematician: Pamela Harris Virtual Lesson 2: Mathematicians make mistakes and learn from them (Objectives 1, 2, 3, 4) Engage: What’s going on in this graph? Explore: Dr. Patil--Making Mistakes in Mathematics Explain: Mistakes are Good for your Brain Guest Mathematician: Aris Winger Virtual Lesson 3: Mathematicians work slowly and think deeply (Objectives 1, 2, 3) Engage: How do you see this pattern growing? Explore: Math Myth: Being fast at arithmetic = good mathematician Explain: The difference between memorizing and understanding Virtual Lesson 4: Mathematicians use their resources (Objectives 1, 2, 3) Engage: Learning Pit: Notice and Wonder Explore: What does it mean to be in a learning pit? E plain What reso rces do o ha e to get o t of the pit? How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Explain: What resources do you have to get out of the pit? This program provides students with the opportunity to participate in summer mathematics enrichment programs, similar to programs that their counterparts are able to participate in through other university programs, or area programs like College for Kids. Many times these programs are either cost prohibitive or serve as gatekeepers by using standardized test scores and school grades or behavior reports as a way to identify students who are able to participate in such programs. This program seeks to offer this supplemental enrichment opportunity to students who are otherwise exempt from such summer programs. The program address the priority areas of education, building community, and employment. This program addresses the area of education by providing educational opportunity to students who are systematically left out of summer enrichment programs. The summer program seeks to offer the same opportunity to equally able students. This opportunity has the potential to benefit students as they continuing their formal and informal school experience beyond this summer program. This program addresses the area of community as it seeks to partner with the Iowa City Public Library, as well as high school students in the community and it seeks to engage families in the program as well. The program also addresses the area of employment because the lasting effects of a students' K-12 STEM experience has been shown in impact students' choice of career path and willingness to persist in STEM fields. During the 2018-2019 (last data available) school year, a majority of Asian and white students were enrolled in above grade level courses in middle school and majority Hispanic and Black students were enrolled in grade level courses. The mathematics track that students start in determines the rest of their mathematics course taking throughout high school, and in some cases during their post secondary experience. Sonnert, Barnett, and Sadler (2020) describe an important link between student attitude toward mathematics and the amount of success students experience in mathematics coursework (measured in course persistence and course grades). Notably, improved attitudes lead to better performance in mathematics, regardless of preparation for the course, or grades earned in previous mathematics courses. In this way, an important part of math intervention is to equip program participants with an improved attitude about mathematics, including how to be successful in mathematics as a proactive measure for program participants. As evidenced by the demographic information available for course taking patterns among high school students in middle school in the Iowa City Community School District, there is a need to increase the number of underrepresented students in advanced mathematics courses. Yes. This program is made possible through a partnership with the Iowa City Public Library and the Iowa City Community School District. The Iowa City Public Library agrees to be the host location for the summer program. The Iowa City Community School District will provide the curriculum, staff training for the program, and to provide outreach to recruit program participants. The goal of the program is to recruit program participants that do not exceed the demographics of the Iowa City Community School District. Program goals are: no more than 6% Asian at least 12% Hispanic at least 20% Black no more than 55% White 50% Female 50% Male at least 30% FRL Approximately 40 program participants are estimated to be served by this program each time the program is offered (6 sessions throughout the summer and 4 online sessions). Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* How will the funding be utilized* There is no charge for this program. The objectives of this program are: Objective 1: Teach all program participants eight strategies and behaviors to use when working on mathematics problems. Objective 2: Provide program participants with a framework to work through challenging problems in the classroom. Objective 3: Teach program participants the importance of perseverance and sense making in mathematics. Objective 4: Teach program participants about mathematicians who use the stated strategies and behaviors when doing mathematics. To measure the attainment of these objectives we will use the Student Math Mindset Survey, developed by Jo Boaler to measure change in student beliefs about mathematics. We will also use 3 released questions from the MARS 7th grade mathematics test to measure student growth in mathematics as both a pre- and post-assessment. The curriculum and online course that will be created will be available for other programs to use. Additionally, the curriculum will be share at the Iowa Council of the Teacher's of Mathematics Fall 2022 conference. Eventually we hope to expand our program to other summer library programs around Iowa. The results of the project will be shared through articles, social media, and professional conferences. Yes, we plan to continue offering this program after SJRE Grant funding ends. This grant seeks to help offset the startup costs of the program. The anticipated cost moving forward will be paying honoraria for guest speakers and replacement materials. The proposal includes fees to pay honoraria for guest speakers. This advances the program because their work and insight is an invaluable part of the summer program experience. Funding Amount Request 4,864.00$ Materials: ($3,663.94) Pattern Blocks ($105.57) Poster Paper ($77.49) Markers ($57.39) Prime Climb Game ($320=$40 x 8 games) Pencils ($12.49) Notebooks ($91) Program T-Shirts ($1000) Honorarium ($1200) Guest speaker honoraria ($200/speaker) What is the organizations annual budget?* Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Please Explain: Iowa City Community School District is a non profit organization. 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Grants 0.00$0.00$0.00$ Misc. Supplies 0.00$0.00$0.00$ April 1, 2022: Work with ICPL tween and teen librarians to include program information in the Summer Reading Program marketing materials. Reach out to guest speakers. April 15, 2022: Reach out to students in grades 5 - 8 in Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty to invite them to participate in the program. Work with classroom teachers identify and invite students to participate in the program (the program is open to all children as part of the Summer Reading Program), but we will work to target underrepresented students to make sure they are invited to participate in the program. April 30, 2022: Order Materials. June 1, 2022 - August 15, 2022: Offer in person programming weekly at Iowa City Public Library. Launch virtual lessons as well. August 15, 2022: Awards for students completing the program. September 1, 2022: Apply to speak at Iowa Council for Teachers of Math April 30, 2022: Order materials June 1, 2022 - August 15, 2002: Pay guest speakers No. Yes. No No Yes No The project could be completed with less money if we do not pay guest speakers to come and speak with the program participants. However, this is an important part of the program as it is meaningful for students to see mathematicians who represent scientists that live in Iowa and are also underrepresented. Authorization* Signature* Date* I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. 1/7/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organization's Mission Statement * How many years has the organization been in operation?* Organizational Information Great Plains Action Society City Iowa City State / Province / Region Iowa Postal / Zip Code 52245 Country USA Street Address 412 Kimball Road Address Line 2 3193318034 sikowis@greatplainsaction.org https://www.greatplainsaction.org/ Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Sikowis Nobiss Executive Director 3193318034 sikowis@greatplainsaction.org Indigenous Folks Resisting Colonization, Indigenizing Communities, and Abolishing White Supremacy 4 Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* What is the program, service, or activity?* How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* For the past five years, GPAS has been providing folks in Iowa with a better way to celebrate the harvest season by promoting Truthsgiving. Thanksgiving perpetuates white supremacy and romanticized notions about Indigenous Peoples. To celebrate the current Thanksgiving mythology is to celebrate the theft of land through ethnic cleansing and enslavement. The truth is that real history has been whitewashed and so GPAS celebrates Truthsgiving in order to reject colonial holidays and provide space for real Indigenous historical narratives and BIPOC voices. In 2021, to celebrate Truthsgiving, GPAS partnered with HMH to organize a fashion show and political engagement event focused on demanding an end to the ban on critical race theory in Iowa. If the truth about racist holidays, practices, and institutions is suppressed there is no way for BIPOC folks to break free from the violence of white supremacy. The event generated awareness of anti-racism work, uplifted the voices of BIPOC folks, and brought together Iowa community members for an evening of arts and culture focused on political awareness. It took place on November 20, 2021, in Des Moines and The Truth Will Not Be Whitewashed Fashion Show featured the work of Indigenous, Black, and Latinx clothing and jewelry designers and musical performances by BIPOC musicians. The show was punctuated by the words of powerful speakers empowering Iowans to get involved and act on ending white supremacy and the ban on critical race theory and it was a huge success. You can learn more at www.truthsgiving.org. Proposal Our organization, Great Plains Action Society works throughout Iowa and the Great Plains to increase the visibility and inclusion of Indigenous populations. In Iowa City, the University of Iowa faculty, staff, and students hold event programming for Native American/Alaskan Native populations, however, there continues to be a lack of space and community for us. There is also little to no celebration of Indigenous histories and culture here in Iowa City, yet the government is intent on carrying out land acknowledgments. These acknowledgments are meaningless if there is no action or reparations taken alongside them. Furthermore, though the state of Iowa officially recognizes Indigenous Peoples Day, it still proclaims Columbus Day every year on the same day, which makes this important day devoid of true meaning. For these reasons and many more, Great Plains Action Society is intent on organizing an Iowa City Indigenous Peoples' Day celebration on or before Monday, October 10, 2022 (most likely on Saturday, October 8, 2022). The activity is a one-day Indigenous People’s Day celebration to be held in downtown Iowa City to promote an Indigenous worldview through a community event that includes traditional music and dance, first foods, and cultural activities. This celebration will highlight Iowa City’s multicultural efforts through a collaborative effort that aligns with existing organizations and businesses in the area. It will also encourage city-based efforts to improve the visibility of Native American and Alaskan Native populations and issues in the area. Indigenous communities in the United States suffer from the highest rates of missing and murdered people, youth suicide, unemployment, police murders to name a few prominent issues facing our people. It is because we also suffer from extreme erasure by the government and media that these issues are ignored and largely go unknown by settler descendant society. Our event programming will increase community cultural awareness and connectedness through activities, education, and conversations. Our activity falls into the Building Communities, Education, and Health priority areas as it is creating space for Indigenous Peoples who are historically overlooked in Iowa City. It also takes the first steps to truly celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day in Iowa City, which provides important historical and anti-racism education, which in the end benefits the mental health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples in the area. What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* There is little to no data on Indigenous Peoples in Iowa City and their involvement in building programming in this community, owning businesses or in government oversight besides what happens through the University. For example, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which should seek out diverse representation, initially denied the one, very qualified Indingeous applicant for the commission. This event will actually work towards truth and reconciliation by allowing the world-views of Indigenous Peoples in the area to be heard and seen for the first time in a festive setting. In our efforts, we will collaborate with existing local organizations and businesses. We have already successfully collaborated with Humanize my Hoodie, Perez Family Tacos, and The House of DOTL’IZHI, Trumpet Blossom, and the University of Iowa Native American Student Association. With Humanize my Hoodie we have an ongoing relationship based on our “Truth Will Not Be Whitewashed '' hoodie campaign. With The House of DOTL’IZHI, we organized an Indigenous People’s Day event for 2021 and have ongoing projects with them. Perez Family Tacos and Trumpet Blossom have been amazing supporters of our work and have offered their space multiple times for us to host our annual Truthsgiving events. We have also partnered with the University of Iowa Native American Student Association on multiple projects for many years. The Indigenous Community of Iowa City is made up of Meskwaki folks from the nearby settlement, students from all over the US attending the University of Iowa, local businesses such as The House of DOTL’IZHI and Perez Family Tacos, local Native Americans from their various respective tribes, Indigenous migrants from south of the border and from all over the world. Indigenous Peoples' Day is a Native American celebration, however, colonial borders have cut off Indigenous Peoples from traditional migration routes coming from Canada, Central, and South America affecting their nationhood and identities. We also want to welcome Indigenous Peoples from other parts of the world to sell their art, food, etc, to help foster important bonds within the global Indigenous community. Just like any downtown event, we hope there will be great participation from Iowa City businesses and the community. There will be no event entry charge. Success will be measured by community participation and the response from Indigenous singers, dancers, artisans, etc. The most important input will come from the Indigenous community and how they feel about the event as the point is to make them feel seen and honored by the Iowa City community. Recorded event attendance and participant feedback will serve to measure the success of the event. The process of truth, reconciliation, and reparations will come out of this event as it will be the first time the City of Iowa City recognizes Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Peoples' Day in a deep way. The resulting relationships and increased community engagement, as a result of this event, will surely lead to much more programming in the future and hopefully an annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day event. Participants will have the opportunity to participate in a community round dance, hear from speakers and singers, and try multicultural food. How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* All event programming will be open to Iowa City community members and the general public to ensure inclusive community building. Events will be shared by the City of Iowa City, various businesses, and in collaboration with the outreach efforts of participating organizations. If given the opportunity, we would be thrilled to make this an annual event. We will provide honorariums to Indigenous dancers, singers, performers and knowledge bearers. This will advance the activity by making sure that we do not take advantage of Indigenous expertise. The cultural expertise of Indigenous folks must be honored. Funding Amount Request 5,000.00$ The funding will be used to pay for expert honorariums, infrastructure, media, and all other expenses that go into organizing a similar one-day event in downtown Iowa City. We know that the event will cost more than $5,000, which is why we will also ask local businesses and organizations for support. $175,000 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Grants 20,000.00$$$ Marketing/Advertising 2,000.00$$$ Professional Services 6,000.00$$$ Educational Materials 1,000.00$$$ Rentals 7,000.00$$$ Outside Printing 2,000.00$$$ Misc. Supplies 2,000.00$$$ We will start planning in February and the event will be held on October 8, 2022. Most of the funds will be spent close to the time of the event. Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Authorization* Signature* Date* no no yes $20,000 Yes No I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. 1/7/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organizational Information Center for Worker Justice of Eastern Iowa City Iowa City State / Province / Region Iowa Postal / Zip Code 52240 Country USA Street Address 1556 1st Ave #C, Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Address Line 2 319-954-7593 info@cwjiowa.org www.cwjiowa.org Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Mazahir Salih Executive Director 571-282-5188 mazahir@cwjiowa.org Organization's Mission Statement * How many years has the organization been in operation?* Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Mission Statement (Summary): The Center for Worker Justice of Eastern Iowa (CWJ) unites low-wage workers across race, ethnicity, and immigration status to promote and defend workers’ rights on the job, human rights to housing, just immigration policies, and more equitable communities. Since our founding in 2012, CWJ has led campaigns to raise minimum wages, combat wage theft, prevent unjust deportations, improve local law enforcement policies, and preserve affordable housing. Organization Description and History: The Center for Worker Justice of Eastern Iowa is a coalition of labor unions, faith-based organizations, and workers who are dedicated to ensuring that all members are treated with respect and dignity. Our community places a high value on social and economic justice, as CWJ empowers low-wage workers and immigrants to improve their communities and workplaces through leadership development, issue campaigns and strategic alliances. Current CWJ priorities include preserving affordable housing, combating wage theft, raising wages and preventing unjust deportations. In January 2012, CWJ started up in Iowa City as a grassroots movement called the Immigrant Voices Project (IVP). Through the IVP, residents in the community from various international origins banded together after identifying shared priorities, creating a new alliance for change. One of the first actions was creating a community-wide survey that highlighted problems that residents faced, such as widespread concerns about injustices at work, abusive landlords, negative interactions with law enforcement, and lack of access to information in their native languages. Thus, IVP leaders formed committees to address these issues. In July 2012, the organization became formalized with its current name, the Center for Worker Justice of Eastern Iowa. Then, CWJ elected its first Board of Directors and raised funds to send a number of its members to national leadership training with Interfaith Worker Justice. CWJ members drafted by-laws requiring a majority of Board members and the President to be low-wage workers, which reflects the Center’s fundamental belief that low-wage workers must provide the leadership behind any effort to address the causes of their poverty. Since its founding, CWJ has worked with thousands of low-wage workers and other partners in accomplishing great victories to improve the quality of life in our community. For example, CWJ was responsible for helping to pass Iowa’s first county minimum wage increase and worked with local businesses to voluntarily maintain the new wage. Another example is the establishment of the first inclusive local government issued Community ID in the Midwest – recognizing factors that may prevent someone from acquiring an ID otherwise. Wage theft is something that CWJ devotes countless hours to, now having recovered over $180,000 in unpaid wages. Moreover, CWJ has worked to form tenants’ associations to protect affordable housing and settle disputes. 10 One of our recent successful projects is the project, “From My Home to Yours,” where we asked people to donate their stimulus checks to help support workers who were not eligible for stimulus funds. We collected over $500,000 and distributed the money to over 700 families to pay their rent and utilities, food, and other essential needs. Proposal Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* What is the program, service, or activity?* How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* The Center for Worker Justice requests $19,017.04 to help provide access to technology, internet, and safety-net programs that marginalized residents disproportionately lack access to due to the digital divide. The project is to create a space with a computer lab that would specifically help address those issues as well as provide further education. The impact is advancing social justice and racial equity in the community. During the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, CWJ was one of the only organizations that kept its doors open for the general public to come in to receive help. Because of the pandemic, many needs programs have shifted online as in-person services slowed down. CWJ has continued to help people going through financial hardships by providing workshops that help people fill out applications for needs-based programs. These programs include the Iowa Rent and Utility Assistance Program, Shelter House Applications for those without documents, energy programs, and many more. However, there is a current stress on resources as the applications that we assist with are all online. Many people who come to CWJ for help do not have their own computer or internet access and there are not enough computers at the office for everyone who asks us for help. This strain has been extensive enough to the point where volunteers have offered to bring in their personal laptops to let people borrow while filling out applications, yet this should not be an expectation. For context, CWJ currently only has two desktops for administrative work. Therefore, CWJ is requesting funding for seven desktop computers and associated materials that would solely be for the public good. The significance and need of the project is to mitigate the digital divide worsened by the pandemic for low-income and immigrant workers in Johnson County. According to CWJ demographic data, 55.7% of people we served in 2021 were Black/African American, 38.3% were Hispanic/ Latino, 4% were white, and 1.5% Other. The majority of our help consisted of assisting people to fill out financial assistance program forms. By addressing the goal of aiding people in the community to receive access to financial help and assistance without their internet access as a burden, CWJ addresses five out of six of the priority service areas listed in the grant to advance social justice and racial equity in the community. The program involves the development of a public computer lab for community members. The computer lab would have 7 computers for public use, as well as a printer. The lab would offer assistance with filling out/printing forms and applications, and basic computer literacy training and English classes. The lab will provide a shared learning environment providing workshops and educational courses in computer literacy, English language, and other educational subjects. Also, the lab will offer knowledge and assistance to access government assistance programs that contribute to increasing awareness about and reducing illiteracy as a key factor of social inequities. CWJ is requesting funding for seven desktop computers and associated materials that would solely be for the public good. The significance and need of the project is to mitigate the digital divide worsened by the pandemic for low-income and immigrant workers in Johnson County. According to CWJ demographic data of people we served in 2020-21, 55.7% self-identified as Black or African-American, 38.3% as Hispanic or Latino, 4% as white, and 1.5% as indigenous or American Indian. The majority of our help consisted of assisting people to fill out financial assistance program forms. By addressing the goal of aiding people in the community to receive access to financial help and assistance without their internet access as a burden, CWJ addresses five out of six of the priority service areas listed in the grant to advance social justice and racial equity in the community. In order to promote social justice and racial equity, it is imperative to directly target the lack of access to the internet in our area. By providing a safe space for marginalized people to connect online and learn valuable skills, we will increase accessibility in our community and can prevent future disadvantages while allowing for greater assistance to current issues the community is facing. How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* The program addresses five of the six priority service areas listed in the grant to advance social justice and racial equity in the community. Education–we will teach people basic computer skills and also how to navigate online systems to access resources. Building Community–we will provide a safe space for constituents to gather, share information, learn new skills, and share their experience and expertise with each other in relevant languages. Housing– We will help people to fill out forms to access assistance with housing and utilities (IFA, other applications) and thus prevent homelessness and enable people to stay in their own homes safely. Health– To improve direct healthcare access, we will also help connect people with appointments at Eastern Iowa and Iowa City Free Clinics. Furthermore, housing and health are interconnected. Keeping people in their own homes, with water and electricity, improves their access to health. Employment–We will improve people’s access to employment in three ways: providing basic technological training for jobs, enabling people to do online job searches and applications, and help writing resumes. In 2019, The Gazette reported that about 2,000 people in Johnson County do not have access to any wired internet and about 6,000 Johnson County residents do not have access to 25 Mbps wired broadband. This lack of access to computers and the internet has only been worsened by Covid as many needs programs have shifted online as in-person services slowed down. In 2021, The Gazette reported further on the issue, finding that internet usage in Iowa has surged since the onset of the pandemic. Now, Iowans are finding it more necessary to work and carry out their livelihoods at home. However, this presents issues of quality, speed, availability, reliability, and cost that highlight the inequities in the digital divide. For reference, Stanford defines the digital divide as the “growing gap between the underprivileged members of society, especially the poor, rural, elderly, and handicapped portion of the population who do not have access to computers or the internet; and the wealthy, middle-class, and young Americans living in urban and suburban areas who have access.” BroadbandNow, an organization that analyzes internet coverage and availability, ranks Iowa as the 45th most- connected state in the United States, which is worrying as high-speed broadband is becoming associated as critical infrastructure. Speed tests from BroadbandNow find that Iowa's average download speed is 78.9 Mbps– the second-slowest in the nation. Lawmakers in the Iowa Legislation accordingly say they plan to push forward funding and measures to facilitate the expansion of high-speed broadband internet, yet much progress has not been made since January of the legislative session. Therefore, in order to directly improve the quality of life in Johnson County for those most crippled by a lack of access, it is imperative to provide solutions through this project. The digital divide is a major problem that must be prioritized as everything increasingly becomes more reliant on the internet. A connection for this project is the fact that the digital divide reinforces gaps in other vital services, worsening current inequities. This problem is endemic nationwide. According to reports by Harvard Business School, nearly half of Americans without at-home internet were in Black and Hispanic households. According to surveys by Marketplace, 70% of Black and 60% of Hispanic respondents report feeling underprepared with their digital skills, impacting their employability. Correspondingly, the digital divide has economic implications since access to reliable internet is a strong predictor of economic opportunities. In order to promote social justice and racial equity, it is imperative to directly target the lack of access in our area. By providing a safe space for marginalized people to connect online and learn valuable skills– accessibility increases, the problem becomes remedied, and we can prevent future disadvantages while allowing for greater assistance to current issues the community is facing. Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** The initial program of establishing the computer lab does not include any partnerships or collaborations. The long-term activities of the project, such as helping to fill out assistance forms, will be ongoing since there is always an assistance program available to help a member with. Volunteers are crucial to these activities and will be allocated to this project for success. CWJ also partners with agencies, such as the Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition and Iowa Legal Aid, as well as the University of Iowa Labor Center, to help with workshops and to recruit volunteers. Based on information collected during intake, demographics of those we have assisted with UI, Rent and utility assistance program, and other computer-used assistance in 2020-2021 were as follows: Race: 55.7% self-identified as Black or African-American, 38.3% as Hispanic or Latino, 4% as white, and 1.5% as indigenous or American Indian. Gender: 59.7% identified as men and 40.3% as women Age: 4% were 18-24, 18.9% were 25-34, 41.8% were 35-54, and 21.9% were 55 or older Education: 26.4% indicated less than a high school degree, 39.8% high school diploma or equivalent, 14.4% some college, 4.5% associates’ degree, 7% bachelor’s degree, 5% graduate degree, 1.5% technical certificate, and 0.5% other vocational training Language: In response to the question “What language do you speak?” 46.6% said Arabic, 28.4% Spanish, 12% French, 9.9% English, and 3.1% Other We expect hundreds of people to use the lab. For example, even without extra computers–using our 2 computers and volunteers’ personal equipment–in 2021 we and Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition helped over 500 people apply for IFA assistance. The objective also entails reaching at least 50 individuals for formal training in the first three months after the creation of the lab. By June, CWJ plans to deliver educational classes in English for non-native speakers and computer literacy. We estimate we will serve at least 50 people in the first 3 months for workshops specifically, and higher numbers subsequently. Workshop activities will be conducted in the general conference room at CWJ as the lab is set to be placed there. Number of People Expected to benefit from the lab (200-350/1st year) No, there is no charge to participate in the programming. We would prefer if participants are members of CWJ, which includes annual membership dues of $20.00 in order to be involved in our other activities. Annual membership dues allow our staff to expand current programming and pay essential bills associated with our nonprofit. However, we will provide services to non-members as well. We will collect the demographics and numbers of assisted individuals using the computer lab overall. For application assistance, we will track the number of applications completed; the service or agency applied to; amount of aid requested, based upon category; and amount of aid approved, based upon category. For workshops/lessons, we will collect data on attendance, and conduct pre and post-test of knowledge (intake and exit forms for language assessments and basic computer training). To measure outcomes and performance, we have identified input indicators (funding, computer purchase and installation, staff, volunteer and partner engagement) to measure the needed inputs; process indicators (numbers of users, applications completed, and workshop attendees) to assess if the program is happening as planned; and outcome indicators (successful applications, aid received, change in knowledge) to measure success in the short and intermediate-term. Moreover, we would do a one-time member survey on process measuring satisfaction with services. What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* How will the funding be utilized* We can share the processes we develop to set up the lab, fair-access processes for users, and the structures to help users sign up for programs or aid. We can also share materials used in basic computer literacy classes with other organizations that are interested in similar initiatives. Finally, we can share intake forms for demographics with other agencies (de-identified information only). We will disseminate information about the lab and training opportunities through our email and social networks, with partner organizations, and through flyers at the Public Library and other community locations. We will continue to operate the program. Once the equipment has been purchased, we will continue to use volunteers and staff to maintain the lab, offer workshops, allow community members to use computers, and assist community members in using the computers, filling out forms, etc. In March 2023, CWJ plans to hire IT workers to install the computers ($1,728.82). This will be one of the last steps in setting up the program and will ensure that the computers are properly installed and ready to be used by the public. Funding Amount Request 19,017.04$ Expenditure Category Fund Request 7 Desktop Computers: HP ENVY All-in-One - 32-a1035 $1,799.99 x 7 = $13,355.93 after tax 1 Printer: Brother MFC-L8900CDW $599.99 x 1 = $635.99 after tax Printer Ink: Brother TN431 Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Standard Yield Toner, 4/Pack (TN4314PK-VB) $307.96 4/Pack x 3 = $979.31 after tax 3 Boxes Printer Paper: Xerox Digital Color Xpressions Elite Laser Paper, 28 lb $28.73 x 3 = $91.36 after tax 7 Table: NS direct 63" Large Computer Desk $159.58 x 7 = $1,184.08 after tax 7 Chairs: Black Fabric Office Chair with Arms $140.37 x 7 = $1,041.55 after tax Professional Services: IT services/Lab sitting 10% of the fund = $1,728.82 What is the organizations annual budget?* Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* $304,000.00 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget $19,017.04 SJRE Grant received by 06/01/22 13,355.93$5,661.11$0.00$ Equipment/Hardware 13,355.93$635.99$0.00$ Supplies 0.00$1,070.67$0.00$ Lab Sitting/ Tables and Chairs 0.00$2,225.63$0.00$ Professional Services 0.00$1,728.82$0.00$ Program Timeline: January 2022 - Apply for the grant June 2022 - Receive funding Aug 2022 - Start ordering the equipment November 2022 - 1st Quarter Report to the IC HR January 2023 - Receive and install all the computers and printer February 2023 - order tables and chairs March 2023 - IT/lab setting to Create the lab in the CWJ main conference room April 2023 - Lab is ready to be used by the public for different purposes. April 2023 - 2nd Quarter Report to IC HR May 2023 - Advertise new services and enroll participants for programs/ workshops June 2023 - deliver education: First workshops on introductory-level computer literacy classes June 2023 - Prepare and record enrollment, and demographic data to send the report to the City July 2023 - Final Project Report to ICHR Budget Timeline: $19,017.04 - June 1, 2022 - receive funding $13,355.93 - Aug 1, 2022, to start ordering computers and printer $3,932.29 - February 2023, order tables, chairs, and other supplies needed $1,728.82 - March 2023 IT/lab setting: CWJ main conference room $0,000.00 - April 2023, Lab is ready to be used by the public for different purposes Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Please Explain: Authorization* Signature* In 2018 a Social Justice and Racial Equity grant for $10,900 was awarded to CWJ to fund the Work Skills Initiative, a series of four ten-week classes for hands-on work skills training for low-income youth and adults. The program was carried out in conjunction with the STEAM Fab Lab, a collaborative workspace providing materials and services to support invention, innovation and entrepreneurship in the local community. In 2020, we received an Aid to Emerging Agencies award of $5,000 for the project, "Redevelopment of Forest View Mobile Home Park." This funding was used to support the efforts of the Forest View Tenants' Association to preserve affordable homes in their current neighborhood, keep the neighborhood together, improve their living conditions and have the opportunity for access to homeownership. In 2020, a Social Justice and Racial Equity grant for $8,975 was awarded to support the CWJ Social Enterprise, a program whose aim is to provide opportunities for members of our immigrant and low-income community to use their cooking skills as a means to support themselves and achieve economic independence. The funding was to be used to purchase specific items of mobile kitchen equipment as well as support for bookkeeping services and an individual to provide oversight for the project. In 2020, the City Council of Iowa City provided three rounds of support totaling $62,500 for our "From My Home to Yours" COVID relief initiative that provides direct payments to individuals. In 2021, we received an award of $15,000 in Aid to Agency Emerging funds to support wage theft recovery programs and actions. In 2021, we also received an Emergency Grant award of $12,900, this funding will pay for a bilingual part-time employee to assist Iowa City residents in their efforts to fill out applications for the Iowa Finance Authority Assistance Program (IFA) and other various COVID-19 assistance programs for the next four months (December 2021 through March 2022). No, we have not received any funding for the proposed program. No, we do not have plans to apply for additional funding for this program. Not applicable Yes No Yes, the project may be completed with less funding; however, we would not be able to complete the program as designed without full funding. Modifications would need to be made if less funding was given, and less community members would be served. For example, we could start with fewer computers (purchasing five instead of seven). However, there is a critical need for community members to have improved access to digital technology. I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. Date* 1/7/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organization's Mission Statement * How many years has the organization been in operation?* Organizational Information Open Heartland City Iowa City State / Province / Region IA Postal / Zip Code 52240 Country United States Street Address 3 East Benton Street Address Line 2 3193215528 debdunkhase@gmail.com www.openheartland.org Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Deb Dunkhase Co-Director 3193215528 debdunkhase@gmail.com Open Heartland is dedicated to serving Latino immigrant families living in Johnson County, Iowa who have escaped violence, extreme poverty, and lack of access to educational and health resources for their families. 2 Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Open Heartland is dedicated to fostering inclusivity, building relationships, and reaffirming our shared humanity throughout every segment of Johnson County. We chose to begin our work by targeting the local Latino immigrant community (many of whom are undocumented) with the facilitation of Box Party play in the summer of 2018 for families living in five of Johnson County’s most economically disadvantaged mobile home communities. Our team of community volunteers visited each mobile home community bearing huge stacks of cardboard, markers, and tape to facilitate STEM play experiences with resident kids helping them to build both their STEM skills and increase their connection to the community. Our goal was certainly to give these severely underserved immigrant children a positive “playing to learn” experience, but the larger goal was to build relationships in an effort to determine the unmet needs of these primarily Central American and Mexican families who are living in our community undocumented and in constant fear of deportation. Our thinking was that any positive change would begin by creating trusting, respectful relationships. By Fall of 2018, we discovered that the families we were serving felt stressed that their children didn’t have the necessary school supplies required by the ICCSD. Open Heartland recognized that all schools will provide supplies to students when asked, but we wanted to help empower our Latino students on Day 1 of school to feel equal to their classmates by going to school fully prepared. So Open Heartland collected enough supplies and backpacks to equip 90 students for a first day of school without barriers! As Winter of 2018 approached, we heard from our new friends living in Forestview, Regency, Hilltop, Cole’s, and Breckenridge mobile home communities that due to their lack of financial resources they couldn’t provide coats, hats, and mittens for their children and feared the impact cold weather would have on their family’s health. Once again, Open Heartland was able to respond to need and provided 120 Latino children with winter gear. Once the pandemic hit we discovered that as difficult as Covid-19 was making life for everyone, it was much worse in the Latino immigrant community. These families are some of the most vulnerable in terms of food and housing security in good times. Now they were losing their jobs and didn’t qualify for any unemployment, medical, or government support. In March 2020, Open Heartland began weekly deliveries of food staples (rice, beans, oil, maseca flour, soap, and toilet paper) to the Latino immigrant families who were losing their minimum wage/no benefits jobs. Open Heartland was also able to help with rent subsidies thanks to a grant award from the Community Foundation of Johnson County. These weekly deliveries also included clothes, household items, toys and children’s books, and many hours spent building relationships with these families. Our vision has always been to create opportunities for immigrant families to become immersed in a community that offers them equal participation in all aspects of their lives. We were establishing bonds that offered our severely economically disadvantaged, non-English speaking families a lifeline to friendships that would try to help them survive the pandemic. By late August, the families we’d been serving were becoming panicked about the ICCSD’s Return to Learn online programs. These families didn’t have the resources to purchase strong internet and relied on the free but very “iffy” hot spots provided by their children’s schools which simply didn’t provide working internet connections. In addition, the majority of the parents we serve do not speak English so were not receiving communications from the schools about how online learning works and what their role would need to be to support their children. The amount of confusion, misunderstanding, and fear for the education of their children held by these parents was significant. Once again, responding to need, Open Heartland found a way to increase participation of our Latino community by opening an 8,000 square foot “Nido de Aprendizaje” (Learning Nest) in Pepperwood Plaza with space donated by Faith Academy in September 2020. This Learning Nest has been essential to students, providing free internet, tutoring support, school supplies, and a community devoted to helping these first generation Latino students reach their full potential in achieving an education without barriers. Additionally, we invited the Broadway Neighborhood Center team to share our space so that they could assist neighborhood students with online learning. Our students are approximately 75% Latino and 25% Black. Our adult parents/caregivers/volunteers are approximately 60% Latino, 20% Black, and 20% White. In the past four months, Open Heartland has also used our Learning Nest to provide free English classes for the parents of our students, facilitate free trainings for parents on how to navigate the ICCSD online learning, and formed a Women’s Leadership Team representing each of the seven mobile home communities we serve. We also continue to provide basic food, clothing, and hygiene supplies to these Latino community members whose extreme level of vulnerability has only increased with Covid-19. The services Open Heartland has been able to provide for the Latino immigrants living invisible lives here in the so richly resourced Iowa City area have been made possible through dedicated volunteers and generous donations made by community members. I can’t begin to express our gratitude to the people of Iowa City for supporting the work of Open Heartland to encourage, empower, and engage social justice and racial equity for the Latino immigrant community Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* the Latino immigrant community. Proposal Open Heartland’s “We Belong” project was birthed by our Women’s Leadership Team. This team is comprised of one parent from each of the seven mobile home communities in Johnson County served by Open Heartland and has been meeting monthly since September 2020. The team’s purpose is to identify issues faced by their immigrant community and potential solutions to these problems and challenges. The Women’s Leadership Team identified the following needs as most imperative to their well-being: • Access to English Classes for Adults • Cultural Classes to Promote Integration Into the Johnson County Community • Computer Education Classes • GED Preparation Classes • Training Workshops for Specific Skills (woodworking, gardening, home repairs, smoke alarm installation, etc.) • English Conversation Groups with Community Members to Practice New Language Skillls • Childcare for all Adult Programs, and • Mental Health Support for Families At the Open Heartland Leadership Team’s December 2021 meeting, these emerging community leaders unanimously agreed that Access to Quality Adult Programs was the highest priority for their families. As with many families, Covid is severely impacting the families living in our community’s mobile home parks. These families are not only living in poverty, but are also isolated from the larger community due to the challenges of being undocumented in this country. These families face incredible challenges when trying to assimilate into the local culture due to lack of English, lack of financial resources, and the constant fear of deportation that would separate them from their children. What is the program, service, or activity?* How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* The Open Heartland We Belong project was created to serve the Latino immigrant adults who are living in the most economically disadvantaged Johnson County apartment complexes and mobile home communities including Forestview, Hilltop, Lakeridge, Cole’s, Regency, Modern Manor, and Breckenridge. Through participation in the “We Belong” project participants will build self-esteem and a sense of belonging to a new culture and community. The majority of the adults served by Open Heartland were not able to finish school in their home countries due to lack of access, the necessity to go to work at a very young age, or poverty. The proposed project programs and activities, all with free childcare provided, will accessible to our clients in their native Spanish language at no cost to increase and promote access. The program activities will impact families by allowing adults and teens opportunities to; • improve their abilities to speak and understand English, • participate in community conversation groups with native English speakers • become computer literate, • gain understandings about the US culture, • earn their GEDs, • learn new skills to contribute to their economic stability and ability to care for their mobile homes that are in disrepair, and • improve their mental health with active involvement in support groups. All We Belong programs are free and will be facilitated during evenings and weekends when kids are not in school during calendar 2022. Though most programs will be held on site at Open Heartland, the We Belong project also includes enrichment field trip experiences to introduce client families to local resources like Wilson’s Apple Orchard and the Devonian Fossil Gorge at Coralville Lake. Program facilitators will be recruited locally and include both Spanish and non-Spanish speakers to increase community member participation. Project activities will be both one-time events as well as weekly programs, such as: • English Classes: Saturdays at 5pm, child enrichment provided by Antelope Lending Library Wednesdays at 8:30 am • Intro to US Culture Family Events: Monthly on Sunday afternoons (5 sessions) • Computer Education Classes: Tuesdays at 6pm, childcare provided • GED Preparation Classes: Provided to Individuals as requested by community volunteers • Skills Training Workshops: Provided monthly by community members (6-10 workshops) • English Conversation Groups: Weekly with community members • Mental Health Support Group: Monthly with support from local mental health professional Why are programs to advance the integration of Latino immigrants into their new US communities so important to advancing social justice and racial equity in this community? According to the Center for American Progress, “The national conversation on immigration tends to be on the rules and laws regarding admissions (who can enter legally) and enforcement (what to do with those here illegally), but it rarely mentions the integration of those who are here and how to move them from newcomer to new American. In July of 2008 Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) tried to take up integration by introducing a bill in the 110th Congress that would have provided newcomers with tools to integrate into America’s social and economic fabric through English language education, civics instruction, incentives for businesses that invest in the education of their non-English speaking employees, and federal support for state and local plans to integrate new immigrants”. Racism is so embedded into our systems that it isn’t always so easy to see, and it gives Latinos a separate and unequal experience in the United States. At the same time, the Latino perspective has gone largely missing from ongoing public discussions on civil rights and racial equity. In order for our Latino community members to have a voice and be heard in Johnson County, to become visible, it’s critical that they have access to the tools that are required to make their voices heard. Racial equity is achieved when a person is no more or less likely to experience society’s benefits or burdens based on their race or national origin, the proverbial “level playing field.” The proposed We Belong project empowers Latino immigrants with the basic tools, speaking a common language and cultural competency, that are required to integrate into society. How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* Open Heartland’s We Belong project addresses two of the six priority areas of Iowa City’s Social Justice and Racial Equity grant: education and building community. Education: Access to educational programs is highly dependent on family income. Not only should we be worried about the gap in terms of inequitable access, but we should also be concerned about outcomes. Educational enrichment activities help build human and cultural capital and develop and define a person’s interests and skills. By participating in activities otherwise not readily available to them, the extremely low-income immigrants (whose estimated average household income is $15,600 per year) served by Open Heartland’s We Belong project will now have access to new and enriching educational experiences designed to provide lasting, long-term developmental benefits to them and to their families. Building Community: We live in a world today where we are more divided than ever before. Yet we live in a more connected world than at any other point in history. The simple truth is that as we build relationships, create friendships, and become good neighbors with diverse populations of community members we’re introduced to new cultures, ideas, and philosophies. By equipping our Latino immigrants with the basic tools necessary for building community (language, education, relationships), We Belong is increasing the benefits that cultural diversity bring to Johnson County. Open Heartland’s We Belong programs serve the Iowa City community by providing high quality, accessible programming to adults from one of our most vulnerable community constituents –Latino immigrants. These community members are living in extreme poverty, isolated from the economic and cultural fabric of the community, and in constant fear of their legal status being discovered, which could lead to deportation to the country from which their family fled. They need support and help from the Iowa City community. The 2019 Census data reports that 5.8% of Johnson County residents (151,140 people) are Hispanic or Latino. This amounts to 8,766 adult Latino immigrants living in a community where the median household income is $62,542 but their families are averaging $15,600 and that’s only if they don’t get sick and miss work or if their hours aren’t cut due to the pandemic. These community members belong to the staggering statistic of 16% of all Johnson County families who live in poverty. According to the US Federal Poverty Guidelines for Iowa, a family of five whose income is $30,680 is living in poverty. Yet the average Latino immigrant family of five living in one of Johnson County’s most economically disadvantaged mobile home communities earns a mere $15,600 each year (This data has been collected by Open Heartland interviews with the 175 families we have served 2019- 2020). Latino immigrants are living with daily threats of food insecurity, housing insecurity, and being separated from their families through deportation. The amount of stress this puts on a human is tremendous. Open Heartland is committed to creating high quality adult programs that are both welcoming and accessible to our Latino immigrant community, while advancing their ability to become immersed contributing community members. Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* The Open Heartland We Belong adult programs rely heavily on community partnerships in an effort to capitalize on the good work of community organizations and continue working towards increased collaboration of the Latino immigrant community with the rest of Iowa City. The following is a list of some of the partnerships currently being developed for the kick-off of We Belong programs in late spring and summer of 2022. Each partner will be involved with both designing and facilitating the program for maximum engagement and impact. Sewing Club: Partnering with local artists who have volunteered to teach sewing classes weekly English Classes: Partnering with local teachers who have volunteered to teach English classes weekly Computer Education: Partnering with local teachers volunteering to teach computer classes weekly Cultural Classes & Field Trip Experiences: Partnering with local businesses and organizations to expose project participants to the greater Iowa City community. Examples include: Collaboration with Film Scene to present a private showing of a family movie with Spanish sub-titles this summer and an apple picking field trip to Wilson’s Apple Orchard in the fall. GED Prep Classes: All program participants who express a desire to attain their GED will be paired up with a retired ICCSD teacher who will serve as a tutor in preparation for the GED test. Skills Workshops: A group of local volunteers and nonprofit organizations will facilitate a variety of workshops to help individuals develop skills that can benefit them in their work and/or home life. Examples include gardening classes with Grow Johnson County, cooking classes with West High School Students at CommUnity’s commercial kitchen, woodworking workshops with local carpenters, fire safety and smoke alarm installation workshops with the Iowa City Fire Department, and home repair projects with Habitat for Humanity. English Conversation Groups: Local volunteers will be paired up with project participants for weekly sessions where participants can practice speaking English. Not only will participants’ language skills improve – but everyone involved with increase their cultural understandings. Mental Health Support Group: A local mental health professional has volunteered to lead regular support groups to improve the emotional and mental well-being of project participants. Child Care Provided for All Programs: Antelope Lending Library will provide literacy enrichment programs weekly during our We Belong English classes. In addition, University of Iowa students and local high school Interact (Rotary) students will provide additional childcare as required. We Belong is designed to serve the following community members. • Adults of all ages • Latino immigrants from Central America and Mexico living in Iowa City’s economically disadvantaged mobile home communities or apartment complexes • All genders • Families that fall into the Iowa Poverty Level of $30,680 or less for a family of five. We Belong programs will not require social security numbers, a condition that could easily prevent families from registering for the program due to fear of deportation. The only information required for adult participants is contact information including phone and address, and an emergency contact. Open Heartland currently serves 240 Latino families living in poverty in Johnson County with an estimated 75% or 180 families from Iowa City (Forestview, Hilltop, Cole’s, Lakeridge, and Modern Manor). It is our goal to engage 50% of these Iowa City families (100 individuals) in our We Belong programs from June 1 through December 31, 2022. 100% of Open Heartland’s We Belong programs are free of charge in order to provide maximum accessibility to the families served. In addition, Open Heartland will provide free transportation when necessary for participation. What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* Anticipated We Belong Outcomes and Performance Measures: 1) Increased interest and participation in new experiences and opportunities as evidence by Pre-participation and Postparticipation student surveys 2) Increased skill development as evidence by Pre-participation and Postparticipation Skill Student Surveys 3) Increased academic achievement as evidenced by interviews with class instructors and self-assesement surveys of participants 4) Increased positive attitudes about immersion into the Iowa City community as evidence by Pre-participation and Postparticipation surveys gauging potential changes in attitudes 5) Increased levels of happiness and fulfillment in life as a result of relationship building as evidenced by Pre- participation and Postparticipation survey The We Belong programs will be deemed successful in meeting program goals if the following percentages of change are achieved. Outcome #1: 75% increase in interest in new experiences and opportunities for all program participants Outcome #2: 75% improvement in skill development for all program participants Outcome #3: 50% improvement in educational program proficiencies for all participants Outcome #4: 75% improvement in attitudes about increased immersion into the community Outcome #5: 75% increase levels of happiness and life fulfillment for all program participants Once all of the We Belong programs are piloted during Year One, program curriculum and associated evaluation tools will be shared with the greater Johnson County community, on our website www.openheartland.org and in social media posts with the hope that more community organizations will engage in programs to help eliminate racial and social inequities. Open Heartland will post regularly on social media platforms about our We Belong project and our efforts to improve social justice in Iowa City. These posts will feature the voices of the Latino adults participating in the programs, as well as community members volunteers. Our intent is to give our Latino immigrant community a voice that will be heard, thus helping to empower these individuals to become more integrated into Johnson County. In addition, the We Belong “Family Stories Bi-lingual Literacy Club” will publish their family history projects, which will be available for purchase by community members. Any proceeds from this project will go back into We Belong for future programming financial needs. These projects will also be videotaped and available on social media and the Open Heartland website. Our immigrant families have incredibly stories to tell of their journeys to Iowa that Open Heartland is eager to capture and share with the rest of the community. All projects developed by this program will help the greater community gain increased understanding of the challenges faced by these first generation immigrant families who left their extended family and history behind due to violence, poverty, or with the hope of giving their children an education. It is our hope that this storytelling program will truly help our community live the words the pandemic has inspired us to say when we assert that “We’re All In This Together”. Yes, it is the intent of Open Heartland to continue providing the We Belong programs after the SJRE grant funding ends. This will be achieved by: 1) developing and training our core volunteers to provide programming content; 2) developing adult leaders to become program facilitators; 3) relying on Open Heartland’s fundraising to replenish any consumable program materials and supplies; and 4) creating We Belong fundraisers that showcase how efforts on behalf of social justice and racial equity enrich the lives of all community members. If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Not applicable. Funding Amount Request 9,285.00$ Grant funds will be used to purchase program supplies and equipment, pay the cost of GED test registration, establish an adult ELL Open Heartland library, provide a minimum of five family cultural experience events, provide internet service for the computer classes for 6 months, and purchase We Belong t-shirts for all program participants. All program supplies will remain with Open Heartland for continued use with future programs. In 2021, Year Two of Open Heartland, the annual budget was $50,000. $22,702 in restricted income and $27,298 in unrestricted income. Our annual budget is minimal due to the fact that Open Heartland has no paid staff and is 100% volunteer driven. 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget In-Kind Donations 1,300.00$0.00$0.00$ Donations from Individuals 500.00$500.00$500.00$ Grants for Chromebook Purchase 1,790.00$0.00$0.00$ Educational Materials 3,875.00$0.00$0.00$ Supplies 1,300.00$1,300.00$1,300.00$ Expense for Cultural Experiences 1,000.00$1,000.00$500.00$ Professional Services, Internet 170.00$170.00$170.00$ We Belong Programs will officially begin on April 1, 2022. Each of the programs will be facilitated during the rest of calendar 2022. Programs will be either single occurrences or an ongoing weekly series depending on the nature of the program. Programs are being designed so that the program theme or topic, amount of time, and location offer maximum diversity to the adult participants. Registration for all programs will take place from March 15 to 31, 2022. Acquisition of all program equipment, materials, and supplies will be facilitated in late April after registrations are closed. All funds will be totally expended by December 31, 2022. Yes, in 2021 Open Heartland received a Social Justice and Racial Equity grant award to support youth enrichment programs in the amount of $14,749 Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Please Explain: Authorization* Signature* Date* Not applicable. No. The amount requested is sufficient to support the We Belong project as it relies heavily on community volunteers to facilitate programming. This project is specifically designed in the manner to promote inter-cultural exhange and relationship building. NA Yes No With less funding, program size will be reduced and number of participants diminished. I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. 1/7/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organizational Information Willowwind City Iowa City State / Province / Region Iowa Postal / Zip Code 52245 Country USA Street Address 950 Dover St. Address Line 2 (319) 338-6061 info@willowwind.org www.willowwind.org Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Michelle Beninga Head of School (319) 338-6061 michelleb@willowwind.org Organization's Mission Statement * How many years has the organization been in operation?* Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Willowwind is a nonprofit independent school. Our mission is to be “a joyful learning community where children develop their unique potential through child-led inquiry.” Our core values are: - Self-direction: We each develop our own unique potential by applying curiosity, goal-setting, and persistence to learning. - Community: Understanding that we are stronger together, we foster healthy connections among members of the Willowwind community as well as between Willowwind and the broader community. - Flexibility: We respond with creativity to the needs of our people and educational programs and to opportunities that arise. - Inclusiveness: We welcome all with kindness and with an appreciation for diverse perspectives, circumstances, experiences, abilities, and potential. - Stewardship: We practice and promote responsible planning and care for the resources of our community and for the natural world around us. In 2020, we adopted our first Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) strategic plan. Our DEIJ mission is as follows: Willowwind seeks to create a diverse learning environment through: (1) increasing diversity among students, staff, and faculty, (2) nurturing an environment in which diverse opinions are shared respectfully, (3) promoting equal opportunity for students, staff and faculty from all diverse backgrounds, (4) ensuring that students have an understanding and appreciation of diversity in our world, (5) educating future community members and leaders who will have the lifelong commitment and skills to promote social justice. 50 In April 2019, Willowwind received a Climate Action grant from the city of Iowa City. The “Children-to-Children Climate Actions” project involved: composting and waste reduction; gardening on raised beds and promoting local food and healthy plant-based diets; stormwater management through green infrastructure by rehabilitating and showcasing our prairie and bioswale areas; and student-created communication and outreach materials about environmental and climate action. For Willowwind students, stewardship and activism are built into the curriculum so it was a natural step for students to develop meaningful imagery, messaging, and concrete action steps for their peers. Willowwind students created PSA posters to reach other children and raise awareness on some critically important climate issues, including plastic usage, the coral and kelp forests, air pollution, processed meats, renewable energies. Despite the pandemic, our students and teachers were able to incorporate this project into the curriculum. The PSA posters are available here: www.willowwind.org/climate-action. Due to the COVID pandemic, and with permission from the City of Iowa City, we have not yet formally submitted this report, but we have been in communication with the City about the project and continue to provide updates as requested. Proposal Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* In response to political, parent, and community pressures, some Iowa school districts are considering removing certain books from their libraries. The targeted books primarily address race relations and LGBTQ+ topics. For example, "All Boys Aren't Blue," "Gender Queer," "The Hate U Give" and "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part- Time Indian" are being reviewed by different school districts for potential bans (KCCI Des Moines Dec 9 2021 "Iowa schools are considering banning certain books" kcci.com). Iowa state legislators have expressed support for felony charges being brought on teachers who allow students to read LGBTQ+ themed books. This state- wide debate comes in the context of the wider national discourse on Critical Race Theory which, while not taught in K-12 classrooms, is being hailed as a major national educational threat to a narrowly constructed view of what civic pride and patriotism may entail. While public school districts review books and teachers struggle with potential threats to their curricular autonomy, as an independent school Willowwind is intentionally bringing topics of identity and systems into the classroom by centering our curriculum on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and the role that race and racism have played in the history of the United States, Iowa, and Iowa City. Our students learn about the history of discrimination in the US, to be open to diverse ways of being and thinking, to be sensitive to historical traumas, and discuss how to actively challenge racism. Given the combination of the current statewide political discourse around race and social justice along with Willowwind's educational mission of promoting inclusiveness and community focus, we believe this is an opportune time for us to contribute meaningfully to the Iowa City community-wide exchanges on race relations, diversity, inclusion, social justice, and anti-racism. While Lucie Laurian, member of Willowwind's board of Directors and of Willowwind's DEIJ committee, is submitting this proposal on behalf of the school, it reflects plans made in conjunction with many others, including: Michelle Beninga, Head of School; Jennie Schmidt and Erin Lane, chair and member of the Willowwind DEIJ committee; the teachers' representatives; and the 3rd-4th grade and 5th-6th grade teachers. What is the program, service, or activity?* How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* We propose three activities for a three-pronged approach to children-led discussions on diversity, equity, and justice in Iowa City. The first activity will be the production of a children-to-children short book on the complex history of Iowa City. Pedagogically, we know that students are best placed to teach other students because they have the words, imagery, and concepts that best connect with their peers. Willowwind 3rd and 4th graders learn about the history of Iowa City. They learn about and tour major Iowa City sites, including, for instance, the site of the trading posts along the Iowa River at what is now Napoleon Park where Native Americans and European settlers first interacted. They learn about the Indian Wars of the 1820s-50s. They learn about the place of Iowa City on the Underground Railroad network and about the ways African Americans who escaped North from slavery communicated information about safe homes and passages. With this grant, our 3rd and 4th graders will write and illustrate a brief “Children’s History of Iowa City” book to be distributed in pdf format to the Iowa City Public Library and to all schools, teachers, parents, and students who are interested in learning about Iowa City history and in sharing the information with their students and peers. Second, Willowwind will sponsor a Social Justice summer book club for students grades 3-6 dedicated to discussing books addressing race relations and to LGBTQ+ topics from anti-racist, anti-sexist, and anti- queerphobic perspectives and open to the whole community. The anti-racist, anti-sexist, and anti-queerphobic (AR/AS/AQ) book club will meet in person or online (depending on COVID progression) throughout the summer and be led by Willowwind teachers experienced in discussing those topics with 3rd-6th grade students. The book club will meet for 5 or 6 60-minute sessions with up to two groups of 15 to 20 students each group (for 30-40 students in total). Third, with this grant, Willowwind will invite Tiffany Jewell to be a speaker for a day of open discussions at the Iowa City Public Library - or a similar community-based setting - during the 2022-23 academic year. Tiffany Jewell is a Black biracial writer and anti-bias/ anti-racist educator. Her book “This Book Is Anti-Racist” discusses taking action and actively engaging in the work of becoming antiracist, and is a #1 New York Times and #1 Indie Best Seller book. Willowwind 5th and 6th graders read this text as part of our curriculum. It has engaged our students in meaningful personal growth and helped add to school-wide discussions in recent years. We seek to bring Tiffany Jewell to share her insights with the whole Iowa City community. After her talk, Willowwind students will lead a discussion with the whole community, present their “Kids’ History of Iowa City” book, and introduce the Iowa City Social Justice Book Club so that conversations that start this day can continue long term. The program aims at generating children-to-children content about the complicated history of Iowa City with regards to relations with Native Americans and African Americans, to create a forum for a community-wide conversation about injustice in Iowa City, empower children to learn and become active antiracist, antisexist, and anti queerphobic teens and adults, and to continue those conversations long-term through a a summer Willowwind-sponsored Social Justice book club that directly tackles race and LGBTQ+ topics. The program relies on the power of books, storytelling, ongoing conversations, and peer-to-peer learning because we believe learning, reading, and discussing ideas are the most powerful tools for long-term social change. The program contributes to the priority areas of education and community building. We are a PreK-6 educational institution. We propose to develop educational materials with the student-created Iowa City History book, and create community-wide educational opportunities through the author talk. These proposed activities will also have community-building benefits as the whole community will be invited to participate in the initial discussion grounded in Tiffany Jewell’s author talk as a starting point. This event will be free, open to all, and located in a local Iowa City venue. We aim for an initial multigenerational discussion, and for engaging interested students in grades 3-6 to continue the conversation through the summer Social Justice book club. What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* The program fills two distinct community needs. First, it meets the need for Iowa City children to understand the complex history of our city, to understand how national-scale events played (and play) out locally, and to situate their daily experiences in the broader context of US and Iowa history. Second, it meets Iowa City students’ needs to read challenging antiracist and anti-queerphobic works that are not taught in public schools due to the current political climate in the state. While we have not formed formal partnerships for this program, we hope to use Iowa City Public Library (or another free and welcoming Iowa City area public facility) to host the Tiffany Jewell author talk and community discussion. We will also provide printed and electronic copies of the “Children’s History of Iowa City” to the Iowa City Public Library. Our program is designed to serve Iowa City School District students, families, and teachers of all races and income levels. The book on the history of Iowa City will be available to all residents and educators through the Iowa City Public Library. The Author talk and discussion will be a free community-wide event. The Social Justice book club will be open to Iowa City School District students in grades 3-6. Attendance to all events and participation in the book club will all be free of charge so that income is not a barrier to participation. All three programs will be advertised through the free magazine Little Village so that all residents have access to this information. We hope to reach about 100-200 community members with the Tiffany Jewell talk and discussion. We plan to distribute 200 copies of the “Children’s History of Iowa City” book to local teachers, students, and families. We plan on having 20-40 students participate in our Social Justice Summer Book Club. No, there will be no charge. We will distribute free copies of the "Children's History of Iowa City" book. Attendance at Tiffany Jewell's talk and community discussion will be entirely free to all participants, and we will provide free refreshments. Book club participation will be free and students will receive Tiffany Jewell's book free of charge. Since there is no charge, we anticipate no revenues in the budget. Each program has its distinct outcomes and performance criteria. The “Children’s History of Iowa City” book should be completed and distributed widely to all interested Iowa City residents, students, and educators. Tiffany Jewell’s author talk and the following community conversation should be well attended and lead to engaging and productive conversations. The emerging topics of those discussions will be summarized by students and provided to the Iowa City Human Rights Commission so that future programs can build on the knowledge about what Iowa City youth find more important and urgent. The Social Justice Summer Bookclub should engage many students and lead to personal growth and students’ ability to pursue antiracist, antisexist, anti queerphobic actions in their lives. We expect the book club discussions to trigger actual change in participants' knowledge, attitudes, and skills over the summer. What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* Each program will be assessed using distinct outcomes and performance metrics. Those are: - the completion of the “Children’s History of Iowa City” book; - the number of copies of the "Children's History of Iowa City" book being distributed through the Iowa City Public Library and other public venues; - the number of participants in Tiffany Jewell’s author talk and follow up community conversation; - the range of topics discussed in this open community conversation day (tracked by Willowwind students and volunteers and provided in a short report to the Iowa City Human Rights Commission); - the number of student participants in the Social Justice Summer Bookclub; and - the proportion of book club participants’ who report personal growth, desire, and perceived empowerment to pursue antiracist, antisexist, anti queerphobic actions in their lives following the book club discussions (as self- reported through pre and post surveys completed at the first and last meeting of the book club). The “Children’s History of Iowa City” illustrated book will be a tool directly created as part of this program. Tiffany Jewell’s talk and the following children-led community discussion event and the book club will be processes created as part of this program. All will be shared with all interested community members, free of charge, and advertised through the Iowa City Public Library or a similar community venue. These activities aim at eliminating racism, sexism, and anti-queer sentiments by educating children to listen to different perspectives, respect and appreciate different views and perspectives, and actively resist prejudice and become active antiracists. All Iowa City residents will be invited to the event at the Public Library or a similar Iowa City public venue. All students in grades 3-6 will be invited to join the book club. All Iowa City area teachers, children, and parents/guardians will have access to the Children’s History of Iowa City book by request. Information about all programs and resources will be shared through ads placed in the Little Village and through the community calendar and reminders. The book club will continue past the SJRE grant period. Should the book club become too large, we will split it into a 3rd-4th and a 5th-6th grade book clubs. No fees/ not relevant Funding Amount Request 18,725.00$ - Printing “Children’s History of Iowa City” book: $130 (100 copies of a 10-page colored book at $0.13 per page, Staples price) - Tiffany Jewell in-person public talk (including travel): $16,000 - Book purchases to provide free of charge to each book club member: $160 (40 copies at $4 per book, Scholastic price) - Teacher Stipend for moderating Summer Book Club: $1000 - Little Village Ads to advertise all programs: $1035 (quarter pages ads for 3 months at $345*3 per month) $1,556,890 (gross profit in FY 2021-22) 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* No revenues generated because all programs are entirely free for all participants. 0.00$0.00$0.00$ Printing “Children’s History of Iowa City” book (100 copies of a 10-page colored book at 0.13c per page, Staples price) $130.00$$ Tiffany Jewell honorarium for in-person public talk (honorarium: $15,000. Travel: $1000) $16,000.00$$ Refreshments for community discussion following talk: $400.00$$ Book purchases to provide free of charge to each book club members (40 copies at $4 per book, Scholastic price) $160.00$$ Teacher Stipend for moderating Summer Book Club $$1,000.00$ Little Village Ads to advertise all programs: $1035 (quarter pages ads for 3 months at $345*3 per month) 345.00$690.00$$ Children's History of Iowa City: Research and writing in Fall 2022. Illustrating, editing, publishing in Spring 2023. Tiffany Jewell Speaker and day of community discussion: April 2023 Social Justice Book Club = June 2023 Funding will be primarily spent in April-July 2023 as Willowwind spends the Fall establishing the foundations for broad community events (Tiffany Jewell Speaker tentatively planned for April 2023 and Social Justice Book Club for June 2023). Fall expenditures are limited to publicizing events. Spring expenditures cover printing book, speaker fees and community event, and purchasing books for the nook club. Summer expenditures are limited to teacher compensation for facilitating the summer book club. Yes, 2019 Climate Action Grant, $4200 No, none of those programs exist yet. No If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Please Explain: Authorization* Signature* Date* NA Yes No Tiffany Jewell could give her talk via Zoom. Her honorarium would be reduced to $10,000 and travel costs to zero, reducing the total costs by $6,000. This is less engaging, but possible. I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. 1/7/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organizational Information Sudanese Community Center City Iowa City State / Province / Region IA Postal / Zip Code 52240 Country Johnson Street Address 536 Southgate Ave, Iowa City, IA 52240 Address Line 2 319338-5377 SudaneseCommunityCenter2016@gmail.com www.SudaneseCommunityCenter2000.org Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Bakhit Sabil President of the Sudanese Community Center Office 319-855-9231, Cell 347-977-9269 bakhitsabil9@gmail.com Organization's Mission Statement * How many years has the organization been in operation?* Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* ● Foster a Community of education, stay informed and engaged with the City of Iowa City. ● Assist our Community to strengthen life in a democracy for all new Sudanese families and children to have the opportunity that they need for success. ● Involve all the Community in sports for health. ● Build a bridge between our old members and the newcomers. ● Preserve the Sudanese cultures and traditions among the communities, while adopting appropriate cultures and traditions from the local community. ● Collaborate with the rest of the communities in the City of Iowa City ● Empower our local Community to be self sufficient in order to be financially independent 4 Celebration of the graduation high school and colleges Sudanese Community Center held a graduation ceremony for college and high school graduates. Officials from KirkWood Community College and the City of Iowa City were among attendees. Local traditional foods from Sudan were served. Speakers from the Sudanese Community Center introduced the ceremony followed by many other speakers. Also, the guests had chances to speak. Furthermore, there was a party with a Sudanese singer. At the end, certificates were handed to graduates. Proposal This program serve the Sudanese community and their families, we don't have an accurate a statistics about the Sudanese community in Iowa City areas, but recently we have witnessed many families from Sudanese descendants moved to the area, and the main drives for the move are the economic opportunity, good schools and colleges. Also, Iowa City areas is considered among the safest places to raise kids. This program is very vital to our community, it will keep our kids and youth busy, that will help them to get out of trouble, as the juvenile detention is rising, it's significant for us to have this program funded. What is the program, service, or activity?* How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* Community Assistance Program for Sudanese Immigrants and their families, (CAPSI) The program has three parts: 1) Education: ● Language 2○ Arabic Classes ○ ESL Classes ● Culture ○ Graduation ceremony for college and high school ● Citizenship Classes ○ 2) Health: ● Physical (sport) ○ Youth Winter and Summer Soccer ○ Gym Equipments for men and women ○ PeeWee games for kids ● Physical (doctors) ○ Free clinics ● Social Activities ○ Social program ■ Eids celebration (two) ○ Services referrals ○ New immigrants ○ Relationship building ( public relationship ) 3) Standard of living: ● Job searches ○ Job search classes ○ Communication sessions ● Financial services ● Future planning As a Sudanese Community, we’re a minority community, and we feel we are under represented in many ways. We need to improve the standard living of our members and to reflect that in local government positions. Also, our median income is very low. If it’s compared with the median income in the United States of America, we need to educate members to increase our income, to be independent and free of government assistance. As a Sudanese Community, we’re a minority community, and we feel we are under represented in many ways. We need to improve the standard living of our members and to reflect that in local government positions. Also, our median income is very low. If it’s compared with the median income in the United States of America, we need to educate members to increase our income, to be independent and free of government assistance. Our Community goals and plans are to create a better adults and a better citizens of Iowa City. We have already provide services by volunteers including sports for kids, education adults, and arts programs and citizenship classes. To meet our goals we need to expand that including buying equipment, computers and buying gym equipment. Currently members contribute money but our community is poor and there is limited money. What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** Many of our community members depend on government assistance to make their living. Also, they hold very low paying positions, mostly labor positions, even though a lot of them are college graduates. We need to create an educational program to break the barrier. Funds from the grant would expand our adults English classes to improve job prospects, to eventually get off government assistance. Also, funds would create sustainability of culture, music and athletic programs to enhance life for our children in a supportive and safe environment and promotes family and community values. Research shows that young people are less likely to be involved in bad habits (alcohol, drug, crime) if they are active in community activities. Because of the language barrier and cultural differences, Sudanese children and their parents are isolated from the Traditional programs in Iowa City. By improving our Community Center our families will eventually be able to successfully integrate with non-Sudanese families and community offering and truly become citizen of the City of Iowa City. Currently, we are the sole holder of the program. We are hoping to develop partnership in the future. Our members increased to 351 person in the Sudanese Community Center who are Sudanese descendants,including women, men and children. However, we are expecting many members to join our organization. We don’t have enough data about our income, other than low income, as many members of us depend on the government assistance such as housing, food stamp, medicaid...etc. Around 351 People, over the period of one calendar year. There is no charge to participate in the proposal program. Sudanese families do currently contribute $50 per family to be able to pay for the monthly rent, social events and utilities. Goal: Reduce expenses for ELA classes at the college. Outcome: Adults would test at level 3 or higher (out of 5) in college level test for ELA classes. Goal: Increase participation in sports and integrate into other sports. Outcome 1: Double the number of girls participating 2: Offer 3 levels (beginning, intermediate, advance) for current soccer program. 3: Begin softball, baseball, football, running programs. Goal: Community members will obtain higher paying jobs. Outcome: within a year 80% of members participating in ELA classes will report they have obtained higher paying jobs because of improved language skill We have a board of trustees to monitor our works, also we evaluate the programs monthly. Improving English language communication of our Community. Involving our both genders in different types of sports. Increasing the median income of our members. What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* We will be having ESL classes that will fill the language barriers. We also will be interesting in integrating our Sudanese cultures in American cultures (incorporate). In addition, the organization is intending to create sports teams for kids and adults (both genders). Our goals are to have sustainable programs to empower our local Community. Again, we will be looking for other resources after SJRE Grand funding ends to keep our programs carry on for both genders. Our goals are to have sustainable programs to empower our local Community. Again, we will be looking for other resources after SJRE Grand funding ends to keep our programs carry on for both genders. Our volunteers are limited, so we need to hire professionals and pay them in order to run some of our programs. For examples, we need an ESL teachers, sports coaches ... etc. We reflect that on our programs proposal. Funding Amount Request 15,000.00$ How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 will be having twelve passionate programs in different areas, including education, sports, building relationships with other communities, communication sessions, job search, celebration events as mentioned below: ESL classes is very important for our new Sudanese immigrants and their families. Also, we will be having Youth Winter and Summer Sports for 25 kids. In the area of education, we will be holding Arabic Classes for 40 kids. Furthermore, being a citizen is an ultimate goal for all of the immigrants and their families, the naturalization test is not easy, so we will be having Citizenship Classes including history and governments for 20 students. In addition we be having Job Search Classes for 20 students to help our community members to build their resumes and to find the reasonable jobs, our final goal is to help our members not to depend on the government assistance. Every year, we have in our local community students graduate from high schools and colleges, we be having Graduation Ceremony to appreciate their efforts, and to encourage them to continue their education process or enter the marketplace. Physical health is essential for our members for both genders, we have enough spot in our place, so we want to utilize that to have a gym, for that reason our plan is to buy Gym Equipments for Women and Men. PeeWee Games is fun games for kids ages from 4 to 7 years old, the goal of the games is to introduce our kids to different types of games including soccer, football, baseball and basketball to discover their sports preferences early. We will be having a partnership with other organizations to hold Free Clinics for our community, once every three months. As mostly Muslims and Sudanese, our community observe two holidays called (Eids) to celebrate them, so that we will be arranging the Eids Celebrations for our members and their families. Communication Sessions are very necessary for our members, we have many members that holding college degrees from outside of the United States, unfortunately they can’t have professional jobs to corresponds to their degree, so the communication sessions are the short path get our members decent paying jobs that eventually will help them and lift them from the government assistance. Building Relationships with others is a brilliant idea, already we have a good relationship with the Kirkwood Community College, we will take that as an example and we will be building beyond and above of that, our goals are to have a good relationship with other communities and organizations such as, sports associations, public libraries, local government, police authority ...etc, also we will trying to adapt new cultures as well as display our Sudanese cultures to others. Around $42,000.00 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Grants 5,000.00$5,000.00$5,000.00$ Other Revenue 9,000.00$9,000.00$9,000.00$ Professional Services 1,000.00$1,000.00$1,000.00$ Educational and Materials 1,500.00$1,500.00$1,500.00$ Equipment/Hardware 700.00$700.00$700.00$ Supplies 400.00$400.00$400.00$ Youth sports 800.00$800.00$800.00$ Misc. Supplies 900.00$900.00$900.00$ Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Authorization* Signature* Date* Marketing/Advertising 200.00$200.00$200.00$ Rentals 6,800.00$6,800.00$6,800.00$ utilities 1,803.00$1,803.00$1,803.00$ July 1st 2022-June 30th 2023 As from 07/01/2022-10/15/2022, 11/01/2022-01/15/2023 03/01/2023-06/30/2023. Yes, the organization has received funding of $13520 from the City of Iowa City. It was specifically for the Sudanese Community Activities. Yes, the organization has received funding of $13520 from the City of Iowa City for the duration of 2020-2021 No $ 15000 Yes No I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. 1/7/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organization's Mission Statement * How many years has the organization been in operation?* Organizational Information Iowa chapter of American Student Dental Association City Iowa City State / Province / Region Iowa Postal / Zip Code 52246 Country USA Street Address 801 Newton Rd Address Line 2 3194914317 studorg-iasda@uiowa.edu https://www.iowaasda.com/ Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Arshi Munjal DEI Chair 3194914317 arshi-munjal@uiowa.edu The American Student Dental Association is a national student-run organization that protects and advances the rights, interests and welfare of dental students. 51 Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* What is the program, service, or activity?* How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* A project initiated last year that had wide community reach and impact was a book read where IASDA bought So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo for every dental student at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry with previous savings. This allowed IASDA to facilitate a school wide book read to spark discussions about disparities that exist in our own school and community. This has had a community impact because many students were able to reflect on their own biases and learn about racial injustices that exist to this day. This has had a wide community impact because it allowed students to improve their patient interactions as dental health care providers that treat patients from numerous backgrounds that come to receive care from all across Iowa. Proposal This activity partially came to be in response to a highly debated email thread where professors and students debated the purpose of an Executive Order from President Trump that aimed to combat offensive and anti- American race and sex stereotyping and scapegoating. After the College of Dentistry put out a letter to faculty, students, staff, and residents condemning an Executive Order, a student questioned the college’s response. Several of the college’s members weighed in on the email thread where one faculty member wrote, “I for one can not support Black Lives Matter,” prompting a call for more diversity, equity, and inclusion training and education within the college. The activity is another school wide book read to further provoke discussion amongst students. This activity advances social justice because it encourages future oral health care providers to look inwards and address biases they may hold against people that come from races and cultures that are different than their own. The University of Iowa College of Dentistry's student body is predominantly white and has many students that come from small towns across Iowa. Many students have had little exposure communicating with people that are different than them before coming to dental school. It is important that they learn about acceptance and ways they can change their thinking because it is likely that they will be treating patients in the future that come from different backgrounds than them. The program addresses the education priority area. The activity focuses on increasing awareness and knowledge using educational materials that emphasize being open to change through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This activity fulfills the need for education at the College of Dentistry.The College of Dentistry is currently behind in numerous aspects of DEI. Due to the controversy surrounding diversity training, the College of Dentistry has not had the opportunity to invest time and effort into DEI education. The College of Dentistry is far behind other health care disciplines such as Carver College of Medicine in terms of DEI which is something that needs to change. The College of Dentistry is the only dental school in the state therefore, the COD is the only place many patients can get affordable dental care. For this reason, cultural competency is essential amongst students. No, this activity does not include partnerships or collaborations with other organizations. Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* The projected demographics of the community members that will be served by the activity are widespread. The University of Iowa dental clinics have more than 170,000 patients visits per year. The college also has 26 community programs focused on children, patients with special needs, and seniors. The College of Dentistry serves patients of all ages, races, genders, and socioeconomic statuses. Three hundred and twenty students will be able to participate in this activity over the course of their fall semester (August 2022-December 2022). The intention is that these oral health care providers in training will be able to carry what they learn to positively impact the patients they serve on a larger scale. No charge would be required to participants. A survey will be administered before the book read that will ask questions about how participants feel regarding their knowledge on social justice racial issues prior to the book read. The same survey will be administered after the activity to measure the effectiveness. The survey will also include a qualitative portion asking participants to answer short answer questions about their experiences with the activity in order to gage effectiveness. A 0-10 scale on a survey will be used to measure outcomes and performance. IASDA will work with the College of Dentistry Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee to create an updated set of standards regarding DEI for the College of Dentistry. The updated set of DEI standards for the College of Dentistry will be shared on the official website so that they are accessible by the community. This will likely be a one time event and not be continued after the funding ends. The proposal would not include any fees for professional services. Funding Amount Request 5,440.00$ The funding would be utilized to buy paper back copies of Think Again by Adam Grant for all students at the College of Dentistry. The organizations annual budget is approximately 4,800$. 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Authorization* Signature* Date* Fees 4,800.00$0.00$0.00$ Educational Materials 600.00$600.00$0.00$ Misc. Supplies 150.00$150.00$150.00$ Supplies 1,000.00$1,000.00$0.00$ The book read is to begin August of 2022 and continue monthly until December 2022. The grant money would be spent to buy books right away for next years book read. No funding has been received from the City of Iowa City. No funding has been received outside of member funds.` The organization does not plan to apply for additional funding. N/A Yes No I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. 1/7/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organization's Mission Statement * Organizational Information Chapin House (at Augusta Place City Iowa City State / Province / Region Iowa Postal / Zip Code 52241 Country USA Street Address 10 South Gilbert Street-Iowa City, Iowa 52240 (anticipated rental of former Unitarian Universalist Church) Address Line 2 1503 10th Street-Coralville, Iowa 52241 (residence of grant applicant 319-359-1551 dsimonton@verizon.net not yet established Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * Donna Kaye Simonton Founding Director 319-359-1551 dsimonton@verizon.net Chapin House is a place where all peoples can celebrate the past, create the present, and design the future. It is a multicultural, multiethnic meeting, exhibit, and performance space named for Rev. Dr. Augusta Chapin, 1st woman in America to receive a Doctor of Divinity, was a charter member of the American Woman Suffrage Association, and one of the first woman ministers in Iowa (serving the church on the corner of Gilbert and Iowa St from 1870-73). How many years has the organization been in operation?* Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* What is the program, service, or activity?* How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* 0 This is a newly established organization, as the founding director moved to Iowa in late August 2021. I had hoped to rent office space in the former Unitarian Universalist Church-Iowa City, for the Universalist Heritage Network (founded in January 2020) but found that the building has been empty since purchase of it and surrounding property. The current complex is named Augusta Place after Augusta Chapin. The church building is on the Iowa Historic Places Registry. It's now been empty more than 3 years. Prior Project: The Universalist denomination celebrated its 250th anniversary in America in 2020. I founded the Universalist Heritage Network in early 2020 to add to the celebration and to continue national understanding of Universalism. Of the more than 1000 Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations in America, less than 150 have only Universalist or Universalist Unitarian in their hame. I sent letters to all of those congregation and had response from New England states, Georgia, and California. Since that time the group has met bimonthly via Zoom, has done a number of projects, including Covid mask design, fused glass paperweights, multiple articles written for the Universalist Herald and participation in numerous national UU meetings. I also established a Universalist library and archives in Washington DC, at Universalist National Memorial Church (16th & S St-a few blocks from the White House). My sudden move to Iowa is based on family health issues, fortunately not as serious as anticipated. My wish is to continue the Heritage Network, but the fact that the former Iowa City UU church is empty has given me the Chapin House idea. Proposal The former UU church was designed to look like a house. The current owner named the new development Augusta Place after Augusta Chapin. Thus the name, Chapin House. When I heard that the church was empty I thought what "universal' thing might I do regionally to bring people together. My idea is to provide meeting, exhibit, and performance space from any group, (interfaith, intercultural, interracial, gender inclusive, resident, visiting, refugee) interested in collaborative value based activities. Initially the service is to provide space for groups that may not currently have or want their own space for meetings, church services, music performances, art exhibits, dinners, receptions, celebrations. The building has 2 large spaces, some smaller spaces, 2 ADA accessible restrooms, a new elevator and entry way and a large kitchen. I expect that collaborations will develop that will build communities that will work and play together in ways that benefit social justice and racial equity. I believe the strength of this program/service will be to bring peoples together to develop small and large group community events in the hub of the city. This place is not for any select group. The most basic tenet of Universalism is that there are no "chosen people". There is room for everyone to "find harmony with ones beliefs , neighbors, families". Community Building-Though this activity is housed in a former church, it is a building that looks like a house. This is NOT a Unitarian Universalist activity...this is an activity for building communities. It's a beautiful building for peoples to use to celebrate traditions, create new ones, and imagine futures where all communities coexist in peace, love, and understanding. As I've not lived here long enough to know much about community needs, my response is that it is, in my experience, it is often difficult to find places for small meetings, performances, gallery shows, events that are not attached to a church denomination, a restaurant, bar. Rentals are often out of the reach of many small newly formed or established groups. Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* No, none planned at this point, though grant funding may be sought from the Unitarian Universalist Association and current members and friends of the Unitarian Universalist Society (now in Coralville). I cannot provide projected demographics. The demographics will define themselves as people respond to advertising, contacting groups and making peoples aware of Chapin House availability. Too early to predict Initially, free will offerings will be accepted. Later, regular users will be asked to help support building lease cost, utilities, advertising/announcements, equipment, supplies. Not clearly defined at this time. Not identified at this time. To be identified and created by participants. It's too early to determine this answer, but, certainly, results will be shared electronically, in written form, verbally by event participants, and, hopefully, media coverage. I hope funding will come from event admissions, grant funding (non SJRE), capital campaign, maybe even local UUs and the building owner. This proposal does not include professional fees. Funding Amount Request 18,000.00$ building rental, tables & chairs, computer, copier, phones, piano rental, organ check, advertising, communication supplies Unknown, as building rental cost has not been determined 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Authorization* Signature* Date* Grants $$$ Donations $$$ Rentals $$$ Equipment/Hardware $$$ Educational Materials $$$ My intention is to develop this program for 3 years to determine if is a viable concept that can eventually be self sustaining. I cannot complete the numbers requested above at this time. rental agreement, equipment, supplies, advertising within the first 3 months, communication methodologies over the entire year. No-the organization didn't exist. No Yes Depends on building rental cost. Yes No I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. 1/8/2022 FY22 Social Justice and Racial Equity Grant Application Applications must be submitted by January 7, 2022. Questions about the application form or review process should be directed to Equity Director Stefanie Bowers at stefanie- bowers@iowa-city.org or 319-356-5022. Name of Organization* Address* Phone Number* Email * Website Address Contact Person Organization's Mission Statement * How many years has the organization been in operation?* Organizational Information Astig Planning, LLC City Iowa City State / Province / Region IA Postal / Zip Code 52240 Country United States Street Address 437 S. Governor St. Address Line 2 3198005050 vfixmeroraiz@astigplanning.com www.astigplanning.com Name* Title* Phone Number* Email * V Fixmer-Oraiz CEO & Founder 319-800-5050 vfixmeroraiz@astigplanning.com Astig Planning works toward a world of activated communities, healthy ecosystems, and lasting equity. A world in which those most impacted by today's social problems are at the center of creative, community-based solutions that lead to full and dignified lives. Our planning services are aimed at transforming communities and landscapes through engagement, empowerment, and advocacy. 3 Provide an example of a project initiated by the organization in the last three years that had a wide community reach and impact. If a newly established organization, provide an experience with a prior project that inspired this proposal.* Our planning firm has worked on several projects that are community-based. Our outreach and processes are oriented to be inclusive, through providing translation and interpretation services, as well as ensuring accessibility to events and programs, whether that is by providing childcare, food, and access to gathering spaces for bodies of all abilities. We have partnered with the Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition to work in the South District on affordable housing advocacy, as well as the Multicultural Development Center of Iowa City to provide climate change education and resources through our extreme weather events. Additionally, we have won a statewide award for our Flood Resilience Action Plan for the city of Coralville. This plan also included a Flood Resilience Action Plan Guidebook for Planners that can outlines the steps that planners can take to overcome barriers of language, culture, compound disasters, access to technology, etc. when working with communities on flood resilience. Both of these, the plan and guidebook, won separate awards for their unique approach and positive impact on communities at our statewide planning association conference in 2021. Proposal Provide a narrative on how the program, service or activity came to be. The narrative can be descriptive or based on city or statewide statistics.* Last year, The City of Iowa City funded the first Affordable Housing Advocacy initiative project that was intended to be a pilot project in the South District. This project was very successful, as it assisted over 30 households in receiving direct housing services, and several residents indicated that they were interested in attending the housing advocacy training event. While only a handful of participants were able to attend on the day of the advocacy training, all residents responded positively to the information that was presented as well as the opportunity to engage with city and county leadership during the closing panel session. In fact, one resident came to speak at her first city council meeting two weeks later to address the full council and tell her story, something she had never done and her five year-old son was witness to his mother standing up in front of community leaders. All participants are now members of the Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition and have a trusted resource and community partners to connect to. This powerful project is one that our team and project partners would like to continue in a different area of Iowa City. We would now like to roll out this project in the Pheasant Ridge neighborhood, as there is substantial need seen there (more information on demographics in that section of the application). While many residents are in subsidized housing, the management of the apartments is lacking and the residents there currently feel powerless to stand up to any authority figures because they are afraid of losing their housing. The significant difference with this project and other affordable housing efforts that we have seen is bringing the events to the neighborhood, instead of inviting residents to an event. Our team set up tables and chairs inside the apartment complex area, had food available, and offered one-on-one consultations with housing resource experts- people who knew where to send people for resources and then followed up with them to make sure they were connected to what they needed. These events included translated materials and on-site interpreters who could help them fill out forms and ask questions. The initial outreach included flyering apartment complexes and nearby residences with flyers in different languages. We had people show up to the events with the flyers folded to their language, people who said they were visiting friends and saw the flyer on the coffee table and just walked downstairs to see if they could be helped, people who came because they got an email from habitat for humanity in their native language. And you could see the impact on people’s faces, the relief, the tears, the tense conversations, and our housing resource experts stayed later than the event, talking with people as we were packing up chairs and tables two hours after we were supposed to end. The need is strong and as the pandemic continues, we know there is more information and resources that are not reaching all that need it. This project will use the toolkit that was created during the initial pilot project and we are fortunate to continue to have strong partnerships with the Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition and Habitat for Humanity. Our aim is still to elevate the voices of BIPOC and low-income residents. Housing professionals and decision-makers need to know the housing challenges, priorities, and dreams of our BIPOC and low-income communities, and housing professionals need to share all the resources and knowledge available so that BIPOC and low-income communities can become our own most powerful advocates. This includes knowledge about the structural roots of racism in housing in Iowa City and the United States as well as information about civic engagement strategies, available resources, etc. We want the process used for this project to embody the values of equity and leadership development that we seek to catalyze. That means our process has to be reciprocal and accountable to BIPOC/low income voices, which will result in reflecting the desires of the people we are centering. What is the program, service, or activity?* Much like the pilot project, the proposed activities for this grant funding are aimed at taking inventory of specific housing needs and issues from BIPOC/low-income residents and providing advocacy training at the household level. This will be accomplished in two parts: 1) household intake and resource outreach and; 2) community advocacy training for community members. Household Assessment: Purpose: To take inventory of specific housing needs and issues from BIPOC/low-income residents and contribute to advocacy at the household level. Impact: Develop understanding of housing issues to inform future policies and work, and provide direct services/information to inform participants. The intake will implement a door-to-door intake approach. As we talk with people and they share their experiences, we will continue to modify our follow-up advocacy training and resources based on the issues that they raise. The intake will be completed through a mixed-mode approach, such as paper and in-person resources. Typically, when engaging low-income residents, there is a digital divide and that is why this project utilizes a multi-faceted and in-person approach. Participants will be provided with potential resources based on their answers. We have prepared a collaboration with Johnson County Social Services and their “social services navigator,” whose role specializes in assisting residents in accessing existing resources, well beyond a simple referral. Community Advocacy Training: Purpose: To increase BIPOC/low-income residents’ capacity to engage with housing issues and advocacy. Impact: Build BIPOC/low-income community capacity so that members from this group are prepared to take leadership and advocacy roles within community non-profits/government agencies/commissions and facilitate change. Too often community members are asked to give their time and share experiences without tangible reciprocity. In order to give back to community members, we propose launching a pilot summer program focused on teaching community organizing and research/analysis skills on issues related to housing/health and planning. More specifically, we have developed interactive material on systemic and historic issues related to housing and planning that we will provide while training community members in organizing and advocacy techniques. This training will be facilitated through one in-person event outdoors and online materials that will be made available to all residents on the JCAHC website. At the conclusion of the training, participants will be given (a free) membership into the Affordable Housing Coalition and will receive updates about housing initiatives that may impact them, notifications about openings on city commissions and the boards/staff of local nonprofits. We will continue to cultivate these relationships, providing support for participant engagement in housing advocacy and staying connected through the ongoing work of Habitat for Humanity and other social services partners. *Covid-19 Realities. We understand that there are many unknowns regarding the impacts of Covid-19, particularly when it comes to small gatherings and one-on-one interactions. We have designed our timeline to coincide with seasonal changes that may be more appealing to people meeting outside. We are also fully equipped to wear and provide any personal protective equipment that would make safe our interactions with the public. We are confident that we can remain agile and adjust to any Covid-19 realities that are present during the duration of this grant. How does the program, service or activity advance social justice and racial equity? Be specific.* How does the program, service or activity address one or more of the six priority areas?* What community need does this program, service or activity fulfill? Response should include information or data that demonstrates the need.* Does the program, service or activity include partnerships or collaborations with other organization(s)? If so, what organization(s)? Provide a detailed description of the partnership/collaboration.* This project advances social justice and racial equity in two ways. The first focuses on a household approach, wherein our team engages in a one-on-one interaction with community members and a social services navigator to identify gaps in services and provide resources. This door-to-door interaction was HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL during our pilot program as it brings tools and information directly to people so they can be informed about available services and receive the follow-through they may need to navigate those services. This door-to-door approach directly addresses the barriers to access that many marginalized communities face when dealing with housing and health issues. Second, when looking at the configuration of local housing non-profit organizations and their Board of Directors’ membership, there is a very low number of BIPOC and immigrant community members serving in these positions. The advocacy training segment of the project is a leadership development opportunity for people already engaged in the first segment and encouraged to further empower themselves. As a coalition of local housing and community health organizations, JCAHC is well-positioned to assist in the integration of emergent leaders to become involved in its partner organizations. This program will primarily address housing and will also address health and community building. The program will address housing and health by evaluating housing needs, including how their housing impacts their health, for residents of Iowa City, especially low-income, BIPOC, and immigrant households. The program will also address housing by educating residents about existing housing resources, funding, and assistance opportunities. Finally, the program will address housing and community building by developing with residents the tools and pathways needed to more fully engage in the pursuit of housing justice. Our hope is that participants will be empowered to engage in new ways, which may include creating new housing initiatives, assuming leadership roles within existing housing organizations, and advocating for their community priorities in the city’s housing decisions and funding allocations. Despite being the intended recipients of many housing initiatives, BIPOC and low-income residents are underrepresented in city government; local nonprofit staff, volunteers, and boards of directors; and other spaces where housing ideas and decisions are developed and vetted. In our discussions with local nonprofit members of JCAHC, they have shared that they continue to struggle to recruit and retain BIPOC and low-income residents for their boards. City commissions such as Planning and Zoning and Housing and Community Development can also benefit from more voices of underrepresented residents. When housing and planning decisions are made, the perspectives of low-income and BIPOC residents are often unaddressed. (And, it’s worth noting, that when BIPOC and low-income residents have participated in larger numbers in city decisions---such as with the redevelopment of Forest View and the creation of the South District Homeownership Program--the process and outcome were greatly enhanced because of their advocacy.) In line with the City of Iowa City’s own Government Alliance on Race & Equity (GARE) commitment, our project will achieve several benchmarks for advancing racial equity in housing, including using a racial equity framework, building organizational capacity, implementing racial equity tools, being data-driven, partnership among entities and communities, and operating with urgency and accountability. This program will include partnerships with the local housing nonprofit members of the Affordable Housing Coalition, including Habitat for Humanity, Shelter House, the Housing Fellowship, DVIP, the Housing Trust Fund, and Horizons. These partners will collaborate by providing education and short- and long-term engagement opportunities to participants, as well as offering services to residents who identify a housing need. Habitat for Humanity will be an especially key partner. Habitat for Humanity has also made a commitment to working with community members on housing-related issues in this neighborhood. They fully support this application and are committed to working with us on ongoing neighborhood investment and revitalization. We will also continue to partner with the social services navigator located at the Johnson County Social Services office to assist participants in accessing local housing services. Provide the projected demographics of community members that will be served by the program, service or activity (response should include age, race, gender and income).* How many community members are estimated to be served by this program, service or activity and over what period of time?* Is there a charge to participate in the program, service or activity? If so, what is the cost per person? Why is the charge needed?* What are the outcomes and performance measures for the program, service or activity?* What indicators or metrics have been identified to measure outcomes and performance? ** According to ACS 2019 5-year estimates, our focused project area, the Pheasant Ridge neighborhood (Census Tract 4) has (1) higher than average number of family renters, especially for non-White households. Our project area also includes (2) a higher than average number of households that speak another language and do not speak English very well, and (3) although the area has lower housing cost, there is still a high percentage of cost-burden households. In other words, our project area is a highly diverse community with higher than average family renters. Much of our population are people of color who are disproportionately renters, and who experience a higher burden of cost for housing. Efforts that engage this community must also account for a wide range of languages spoken, including, French and Spanish due to the high percentage of households with limited English speaking ability. Statistics Project Area Iowa City Metro Area, IA Renter Families with Children 26.4% 19.19% Non-White Owner Occupied 24.7% 8.24% White Owner Occupied 75.3% 91.76% Rent 30% + of income 50.27% 50.47% $800-$999 Monthly Housing Cost (Johnson County FY2019 FMR $870) 7.0% 23.79% Limited English Speakers 9.92% 4.21% Black Households 9.4% 5.28% Hispanic/Latine Households 1.6% 4.21% Our initial pilot project reached ~50 residents in the South District and we seek to directly assist that same number of people, if not more. This estimate is based on the project focusing on a household by household approach. During the training process, we aim to engage an additional 20-30 people. This project also includes longer term outcomes focused on leadership development for BIPOC, immigrants, and other marginalized community members. More specifically, we aim to create lasting pathways that increase the number of BIPOC people serving on local boards, commissions, and decision-making positions. These most recent pandemic times have focused a light on the deep need to strengthen the fabric of connection during times of crisis and we must further ensure that BIPOC and immigrant community members are at the decision-making table. This project will begin in June, 2022 and end in November, 2022. There will be no fee to participate in the intake/engagement process or the training opportunities. 1. We will provide resources to community residents and report the outcomes to city stakeholders 2. Participants will learn about existing housing resources and be connected with resources that can address their needs or housing goals 3. We will conduct trainings/workshops, and participants will receive information, tools, and new platforms for housing advocacy 4. Membership in JCAHC and ongoing communication with support for training participants Short-Term Indicators/metrics: 1. Number of participants in the workshops/townhalls, number of programs identified 2. People having a better understanding of the resources that are available. 3. Number of participants that got their needs met during the assessment Long-Term Indicators/metrics: 1. Increase the number of BIPOC people reporting readiness to apply knowledge to work on behalf of housing initiatives. 2. Increase the number of BIPOC people involved in decision-making roles at affordable housing organizations What processes or tools will be created as a part of the program, service or activity that can be shared with others in the community to eliminate racial and social inequities?* How will the good or service produced as a result of a project be shared and/or communicated with the targeted community and the larger community? Will the program, service or activity be continued or expanded after the SJRE Grant funding ends? If so, how? The sustainability plan should be specific on future funding and not simply state the agency will continue to look for support.* If the proposal includes fees for professional services, please explain how this advances the program, service or activity and its goals.* Amount of Funding Requested* How will the funding be utilized* What is the organizations annual budget?* Revenue Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 This project will use the toolkit created by the initial pilot project, which was intended to be used in other neighborhoods across the city. This will be the first opportunity to use the toolkit after its initial creation and we are excited to see it proliferating in the community. We are certain there is more that can be learned and changed about the toolkit to make it user-friendly and adaptable. This project will have a formal online presence on the JCAHC’s website and social media. Updates will be presented at JCAHC’s monthly Community Meetings that are open to members and the public. The findings from the project will be shared with all of Coalition members and presented to Iowa City Council and Human Rights Commission at the conclusion of the project. Participants in the household assessment and training will receive ongoing communication and support from JCAHC. Housing is not an isolated issue for BIPOC and marginalized community members; therefore, we will share this information widely with other service non-profit organizations, in order to inform their practices/programs and to improve upon the project for the next round. The project will be completed within the grant period using the allocated funds. However, the impact of the program will extend far beyond this initial round of funding, because program participants will be able to lead and join in housing advocacy and decision-making. We are fortunate in our community to have the Affordable Housing Coalition as a hub of information and a committed resource for future activities with all participants. The professional services provided by Astig Planning are critical to the success of this project. Based on our collaborative approach during the pilot program, it was noted that the Coalition has one 30-hour/week staff person who is responsible for every aspect of the organization, and this project would not be possible without the services, knowledge, skills, and staff time provided by Astig. Astig will collect and analyze data; organize and implement the training; and collect information for the report to Council and stakeholders. The role of JCAHC will be to engage with residents, share project results with partners, stakeholders, and the general public, and further develop ongoing relationships with program participants. Funding Amount Request 18,400.00$ $7,995: Creating the housing assessment & conducting neighborhood household outreach $4,530: Create and conduct advocacy training and online materials $2,475: Organizing, marketing, facilitating, advising, and partnership development from JCAHC $600: Language translation and interpretation services $2,800: JCAHC staff time to assist in organizing trainings and one-on-one direct service with participants Astig's Operating budget for 2021 was $191,539.55, including all income and expenses 2022 and 2023 Proposed Budget Grants 18,400.00$$$ Expenses Type*1-Nov-22 1-Apr-23 31-Jul-23 Provide a timeline for the program,service, or activity.* Provide a timeline for how grant money would be spent over the next year.* Within the last five years, has the organization received any funding from the City of Iowa City? If so, for what purpose and how much?* Within the last five years, has the organization received funding for this program, service or activity from a non- City of Iowa City source? If so, how much was received and what is the duration of the funding?* Does the organization plan to apply for additional funding for this program, service or activity?* Professional Services 17,150.00$$$ Educational Materials 450.00$$$ Marketing/Advertising 200.00$$$ Supplies 600.00$$$ June: Project Kickoff Meetings with Johnson County and Habitat for Humanity and other potential community partners, such as the Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County July: Refining Resource Document Begin Door-to-Door Intake & Advocacy in Neighborhood August: Complete Neighborhood Intake & Advocacy Create & Translate Advocacy Training Materials September: Intake Analysis Host In-Person Training Event October: Analyze Data & Create Report Support Participants in Engaging with Each Other and Decision-Makers November: Co-Present Project Results to City Council & Human Rights Commission We anticipate much of the funding to be spent in the summer and fall months of 2022 as we conduct the bulk of the outreach and community engagement with potential Covid protocols making people feel more comfortable in an outside setting: June: $2,725 July: $4,855 August: $4,725 September: $3,940 October: $1,100 November: $1,055 Astig Planning has partnered with the Multicultural Development Center of Iowa City in the past received $2,435 for their joint work on the Extreme Weather Event funded by a 2021 Community Climate Action Grant. In 2021, Astig Planning also partnered with the Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition to execute a Housing Advocacy Initiative that was awarded through the 2021 SJRE grant cycle and received $9,875.50. No. No. If so, how much is needed? Is the program, service, or activity dependent on receiving both the SJRE and additional funding?* Can the project be completed with less funding?* Authorization* Signature* Date* Yes. We do not see other housing advocacy funding resources currently available, much of the resources are focused on direct services, which we understand is a great need in our community. We also feel empowering community members to advocate for themselves to create change within the systems of decision-making and resource allocation are critical to long-term change making. Yes No I agree that the following electronic signature is an electronic representation of my signature for all purposes; just the same as traditional pen-and-paper signature. 1/7/2022