Apply by May 7, 2014

National Arts Strategies believes that arts and culture are vital to community life. We also believe that community is vital to arts and culture. We’ve seen that the leaders who thrive are the ones who understand and connect with their communities. They partner with other local organizations and take part in civic initiatives. Most importantly, they listen to community members. This kind of connectivity and relevance is the key to sustainability.

With the support of The Kresge Foundation, the Creative Community Fellows program is built for leaders working at the intersection of culture and community. These individuals are using culture to respond to local needs and contribute to healthy neighborhoods.

The Creative Community Fellows program brings together a unique community of innovators committed to using arts and culture to design solutions for community problems. Led by experts and world-renowned thought leaders in social innovation, design thinking and creative placemaking, Fellows gain the tools, skills and networks to activate the ideas that will transform their communities.

More: artstrategies.org/programs/creative_comm…

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA-ECAPEC-14-052
Opportunity Category: Discretionary
Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement
Category of Funding Activity: Other (see text field entitled "Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity" for clarification)
Eligible Applicants: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education | Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education | Private institutions of higher education | Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Agency Name: DOS-ECA
Closing Date: 2014-05-23
Award Ceiling: $420,000

Description: Executive Summary: ECA intends to award one cooperative agreement for up to $420,000 to fund a multi-phased exchange program that supports English Language teaching.  Program design and implementation will involve three workshops to be presented to consecutive groups of competitively selected students participating in ECA-funded academic year high school exchange programs, the training and inclusion of former alumni as peer trainers starting with the previously funded spring 2015 workshop, and follow-on activities.  The overarching workshop goal is to provide each participant the skills to actively engage and teach others upon their return home; therefore, alumni support and follow-on is in many ways the most important component in this program.  Program development and planning should begin in September 2014 with the transparent and merit-based recruitment strategy to identify workshop alumni who will travel to the United States starting in the fi
rst half of 2015 to participate in teaching at a series of U.  S.  workshops that will take place in the spring of 2016, 2017 and 2018.  .  The theme of the workshops will be the teaching of English as a foreign language.  A similar award was made in FY12 for workshops taking place in 2013, 2014, and 2015.  Alumni should undergo training and preparation for their participation through a virtual component.  ECA will assist the FY14 award recipient in reaching out to workshop alumni and building on resources developed through the FY12 project.
Link: www.grants.gov/view-opportunity.html?opp…