Public Engagement Grants: NIFI Announces Taylor L. Willingham Legacy Fund Grants Program

By Jen Domagal-Goldman, National Manager, American Democracy Project

The National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI), an ADP partner organization, announced today a new grants program. The Taylor L. Willingham Legacy Fund Grants are intended to assist individuals in developing a better understanding of public engagement and/or to plan and launch deliberative forums in their communities. Grants are for use in 2012 and are anticipated to be between $500 and $1,000.

Taylor L. Willingham was a pioneer in the public engagement field and in National Issues Forums (NIF) work and served as a National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI) director. She died on Monday, September 5, 2011 at her home in Salado, Texas, after a year-long battle with kidney cancer. NIFI’s new grants program honors Taylor and her legacy and will help others continue the important work of strengthening our democracy.

I encourage ADP faculty, staff, students, and community partners to apply for grants to aid you in your tireless efforts to educate yourselves and others about public issues and to foster deliberative dialogue on your campuses and in your communities. Details about the Taylor L. Willingham Legacy Fund Grants Program are below.

 

Taylor L. Willingham (1957-2011)

Details:

Applications are currently being accepted for a grant from the National Issues Forums Institute to enable an individual to develop an understanding of deliberative democracy and to launch one or more deliberative forums in their communities or organizations.  Grants are expected to be in the range of $500-1,000.

The application should consist of: (1) a resume describing your experience and education; (2) a cover letter that explains why you are interested in becoming involved in the deliberative democracy movement and what specific course of action you propose to become familiar with this work and how and where you would implement forums; and (3) a budget indicating how the grant would be spent.

Applications are welcomed from any U.S. Resident, with special consideration given to residents of Texas. The application should be received on or before December 1, 2011 and e-mailed to bmuse@nifi.org or mailed to:
National Issues Forums Institute
100 Commons Road
Dayton, Ohio 45459

Grants will be made by February 1, 2012 and will be for use during 2012.  A report on activities will be required on or before November 30, 2012.

Click here for more information about Taylor L. Willingham and her work.

Donations to the fund are welcome and can be made securely online.  All donated money will go toward grant awards.