Funding Initiative

Investing in the Future of Rural Illinois
Funding Initiative – 2014

Mission of Rural Partners

Rural Partners is a member-driven forum that links individuals, businesses, organizations and communities with public and private resources to maximize the potential of rural Illinois.

Purpose of Funding Assistance

Rural Partners seeks to:

• Support and leverage investments of communities, agencies and organizations to maximize the potential of rural Illinois.
• Develop models of successful development or innovation that could be useful in local communities, or across the state.
• Create incentives for collaborative approaches to issues of importance to rural areas.
• Develop venues for rural issues to gain statewide visibility.
• Develop efficient processes to address issues of importance to rural communities.

Rural Partners wants to support collaborative, change-oriented projects that respond to or address a need evident or identified at the community level. Rural Partners would like to announce $15,000 in available funding for such projects, beginning in 2014.

Eligibility:
Proposals must be recommended by a member of Rural Partners.

Review Process:
Preliminary Applications will be reviewed by the Board of Directors of Rural Partners. The Board will invite selected project proposals to submit complete applications.

Reporting:
Within sixty days of the conclusion of the project, Rural Partners requires a report of expenditures and a final report on the project activities to be presented at a board meeting.

Preliminary Application:
Preliminary Applications shall be submitted to Rural Partners. Rural Partners will review the Preliminary Applications and contact applicants for more information which shall be included in a Project Proposal. Preliminary Applications shall be no more than four pages and shall include the following:

• Title of the project
• Name and contact information for the project manager and all project partners.
• Describe why the proposed project is relevant to the goals of Rural Partners.
• Describe how the work will be carried out.
• Capacity of the project team. Describe the capacity of the project partners and supporting agencies or organizations.
• Anticipated outcomes. Describe how the project will benefit stakeholders.
• List major budgeted items.

Deadline for Preliminary Applications: Expired

Read the Rural Partners Funding Assistance criteria for proposals.

Funding Amounts
Rural Partners has committed $15,000 in funding for projects in 2014.

Submit Preliminary Applications to:

Rural Partners
PO Box 7317
Springfield, IL 62791

Or (preferred):
As an email attachment sent to info@ruralpartners.org

Rural Partners will contact applicants for more information toward completing a Project Proposal and Application. No project will be funded without a completed Project Proposal.