Grants for Small Town & Rural Area Projects
Start small. Think big. Apply for a STaR small project grant today.
The Small Town & Rural (STaR) Division of the American Planning Association is pleased to announce the availability of small project grants. Any community organization, local not-for-profit, government agency, student group, or individual may apply for STaR seed money to assist with getting your project, program, study, activity, or initiative off the ground. Criteria for grant awards include:
STaR's Executive Committee evaluates applications and determines grant awards. The number and value of awards is based on: 1) funding availability; 2) number and quality of applications received; 3) and grant applications for $500 or less receive preference.
Applications are accepted and reviewed on a quarterly submission cycle with the completed application cut-off of February 15, May 15, August 15, and November 15 to ensure that the Executive Committee has time to review applications and can make timely decisions as part of the quarterly conference calls.
Criteria and Questions for Applicants:
- The applicant must be a STaR member and / or a student doing research in an area that may benefit STaR's Mission
- STaR's Executive Committee may consider the STaR membership served/represented from an applicant's state or region and the benefit of the proposed project to the larger membership of STaR.
- Awards may be given for projects that are either proposed or currently underway.
- Total support from STaR for a particular project is not to exceed $2000.
- Grant recipients are expected to submit one or more articles for publication in the STaR newsletter that highlights their project (depending on the nature of the project, this may be in the form of project updates or a summary article).
- Whether the project is suitable for a more detailed STaR case study, which would be authored by the applicant and made available on STaR's website.
- STaR's participation in project funding shall be recognized in final product and in presentations where other sources of funding are recognize.
- Additional information may be requested by STaR's Executive Committee.
- Applications should be self-contained and be no more than 2 pages (including all text, graphics, images, charts). Electronic submissions are preferred
A complete grant application should include the following sections.
- Name(s) of the STaR member(s) affiliated with the project.
- Name(s) and contact information, including email and phone numbers, of the STaR member(s) affiliated with the project.
- AICP Membership status. Membership is not criteria for funding.
- Student applicants shall include information for their college/university program, degree sought, their expected date of graduation, name and contact information of their student advisor(s), and a letter from the academic advisor who is sponsoring the application.
- Project title.
- Project summary, including the details such as how STaR funding would be used to further the project; project schedule/timeline; target outcomes/anticipated products; and beneficiaries of the work.
- How would the proposed project further the goals and objectives of STaR and its mission of supporting small town and rural planners?
- Proposed budget including total cost of the project and funding received or committed to date, the dollar amount requested from STaR, and an explanation of how the requested funds would be used.
- How would STAR's contribution be acknowledged?
- What commitment does the applicant make to provide a report, summary, conference presentation, or newsletter article once the project is complete? (Be specific about the most appropriate outreach related to this project.)
Grant application will be reviewed using a point system that emphasis the programs ability to promote the mission of the STaR Division.
To submit your application or questions, send an email to: Mickey Rhoades mrhoades@warrentonva.gov
Additional information may be requested during the review process.
