[OMS_MANAGERS] Citizens Institute on Rural Design grant opportunity

Thu Jan 17 11:44:49 PST 2013

FYI: this email is being sent over the OMS listserve

http://www.nea.gov/news/news13/CIRD.html

Citizens' Institute on Rural Design Issues RFP for Rural Communities
Facing Design Challenges
Partnership of federal agencies and national organizations offers
workshop funding, technical assistance, and additional resources
Thursday, January 10, 2013

Contacts:
Cynthia Nikitin
CIRD Program Director
Project for Public Spaces 
212-620-5660 ext. 328 ( tel:212-620-5660%20ext.%20328 )
cnikitin at rural-design.org
John Barstow
CommunityMatters and the Orton Family Foundation 
802-388-6336 ( tel:802-388-6336 ) 
jbarstow at orton.org

Washington, DC -- Today, the Citizens' Institute on Rural Design (CIRD)
is issuing a request for proposals to rural communities facing design
challenges to host local workshops in 2013.  
Successful applicants will receive a $7,000 grant and in-kind design
expertise and technical assistance valued at $35,000. The Request for
Proposals is on the new CIRD website: www.rural-design.org.
The deadline for submitting a proposal is Tuesday March 5, 2013 at 5:00
pm EST.
CIRD (formerly known as "Your Town") works to help rural communities
with populations of 50,000 or fewer enhance their quality of life and
economic vitality through facilitated design workshops. The program
brings together local leaders, non-profits, and community organizations
with a team of specialists in design, planning, and creative placemaking
to address challenges like strengthening economies, enhancing rural
character, leveraging cultural assets, and designing efficient housing
and transportation systems.
Since the program's inception in 1991, CIRD has convened more than 60
workshops in all regions of the country with results that range from the
development of public art plans and business improvement districts, to
funding for the design of waterfront parks and pedestrian-friendly
streetscape improvements. 

Each community selected to participate in the Institute will receive
$7,000 to support planning and hosting a two-day workshop. Communities
will be required to provide approximately $7,000 in matching funds (cash
or in-kind). CIRD will work with the communities to assemble teams of
specialists based on the communities' individual needs. The workshops
will be augmented with conference calls and webinar presentations led by
experts who will cover topics related to rural design. The calls will
also be open to the general public through CommunityMatters.
The new website at www.rural-design.org is a portal for resources on
rural design gathered from diverse organizations across the country. It
will be a place for interested citizens to connect with one another and
get information about improving design in their own communities.
Find the RFP and application guidelines at www.rural-design.org/apply.
Selected communities will be announced in May 2013, and the workshops
will be held during the summer and fall of 2013.
  ( http://www.nea.gov/news/news13/rurdev.usda.gov )   (
http://www.nea.gov/news/news13/pps.org )   (
http://www.nea.gov/news/news13/orton.org )   (
http://www.nea.gov/news/news13/communitymatters.org )

CIRD will offer three free application-assistance calls to answer
questions and guide interested applicants in assembling their proposals.
The first of these calls will take place on Wednesday, January 23, the
second will take place on Thursday, February 7, and the third will take
place on Thursday, February 28, 2013. Participation in each call is free
but registration is required. To register, visit
www.rural-design.org/application-assistance.
The Citizens' Institute on Rural Design is a National Endowment for the
Arts leadership initiative in partnership with the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and Project for Public Spaces, Inc., along with the Orton
Family Foundation and the CommunityMatters® Partnership. A task force of
national experts in rural design and planning is also being assembled to
help shape the CIRD program.
*****
About the National Endowment for the Arts 
The National Endowment for the Arts, established by Congress in 1965,
is an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has
awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity,
and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. Join the
discussion on how art works. Visit the NEA atarts.gov (
http://www.arts.gov/ ).
About the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Rural Development
USDA Rural Development administers and manages housing, business and
community infrastructure programs through a national network of state
and local offices. Rural Development has an active portfolio of more
than $176 billion in loans and loan guarantees. These programs are
designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities,
businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of
life in rural America. rurdev.usda.gov (
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/Home.html )
About Project for Public Spaces 
Project for Public Spaces (PPS) is a nonprofit planning, design, and
educational organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain
public spaces that build stronger communities. Founded in 1975, PPS has
completed projects in over 2,500 communities and all 50 US states.  PPS
has become an internationally recognized center for resources, tools,
and inspiration about Placemaking. pps.org
About the Orton Family Foundation 
The Orton Family Foundation, founded in 1995, helps small cities and
towns harness the inherent ability of citizens to imagine and achieve a
culturally and economically vibrant future for their community. The
Foundation's Heart & Soul approach supports citizens in steering their
town's future by discovering the characteristics and attributes valued
most in their community and, then, by placing those shared values at the
center of local decision making. orton.org
About CommunityMatters 
CommunityMatters is a national partnership of seven organizations with
the common goal of building strong communities through the improvement
of local civic infrastructure. The partners are: Deliberative Democracy
Consortium; Grassroots Grantmakers; National Coalition for Dialogue &
Deliberation; New America Foundation; Orton Family Foundation; Project
for Public Spaces; and Strong Towns.communitymatters.org

Return to News Index ( http://www.nea.gov/news/index.html )

Sheri Stuart, Coordinator
Oregon Main Street
725 Summer St., Suite C
Salem, OR  97301
503.986.0679
www.oregonheritage.org

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Office, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.

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