Burners Without Borders

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Grant Programs

Grant Programs

The Community Micro-Grant program started in 2008 and has awarded over $250,000 since it began. Awards of $100-$1,500 are given to projects aimed at creating a positive impact in the world, by leveraging a relatively small amount of money to mightily empower the community’s capacity to make a difference.

This program is on hold as of 2023.

✒ More about the Community Micro-Grant Program

BWB GRANT PROGRAM VISION
Through BWB’s grant program, we are committed to jump-starting creative, civic projects that both grow community and make a positive impact. We know that real change starts at the grassroots level and healthy communities emerge from citizens participating in actively creating the kinds of communities they want to live in. BWB prides itself on accomplishing a lot with very little money by engaging the power of community and innovative problem solving to make a difference.

GRANT GUIDELINES
BWB hasn’t gotten to where we are at today by creating a lot of restrictive rules. BWB is about giving ourselves permission to evoke the wildest parts of our imaginations to tackle issues we care about. Really, the sky is the limit. You are encouraged to collaborate with members of your community and dream big! What do you care about? How can your community creatively address a particular issue to make a positive impact? What elements can you invite in that will make it engaging and fun?

✒ Find our past Community Micro-Grantees

The Civic Ignition Grant Program started in 2013 inspired by the BWB Chicago Community Grant Salon. These grant are regionally focused, typically associated with a Burning Man Community Leadership Conference, and are selected in a consensus driven workshop with participants directly connected to the region.

To learn about open opportunities, and read about past Civic Ignition cycles, visit the Grant News & Updates on our website.

✒ More about the Civic Ignition Grant Program

What is a Civic Ignition Grant?
A program aimed at funding innovative community & civic projects within a chosen geographical area.  We are interested in programs that create collaborations, produce direct actions, utilize several of the 10 Burning Man Principles, are reproducible, and creatively tackle local social problems. This grant gives anyone the opportunity to submit a collaborative, creative, and principle-focused project with a chance to win up to a $1,500 grant.

What’s special about the Civic Ignition Grant?
Submissions to the Civic Ignition grant cycle are workshopped and judged by a group of participants and community leaders that attend the Civic Ignition Grant Workshop at regional events. This group will be using the submissions as material to review and workshop while learning how to administer their own civic grant programs.

Who is eligible to apply?
Individuals, Groups, and Not-for-Profits are all eligible to apply.  We encourage projects to be endorsed by a local Burning Man Regional Contact.  The RC does not need to be a project lead, or heavily involved with the process; rather they are simply endorsing the project and the leaders who are submitting.  We recognize not all regions have local RC’s and we encourage you to apply even if no RC is able to endorse.

How much can you ask for?
The maximum grant that may be awarded is $1,500.  We encourage your project’s viability to not be solely dependent on this grant.  Think about other sources of funding that might be available.  Grants awarded could be less than the full amount.

What types of proposals will likely not get funded by this program?
Programs that are solely based on artistic endeavors and do not have a community or civic aspect will most likely not be considered for funding.  Funds should not be used for direct fundraising, chapter promotion efforts, or for paying people for their work.

What follow-up will be expected by grant recipients?
All recipients will be expected to submit written reports on what they have accomplished and learned in the course of their projects, along with accompanying visual media.  This media will be hosted on the Burners Without Borders website.

✒ Find our past Civic Ignition Grantees

If you’d like to collaborate on a Civic Ignition Grant at your event, contact us. Or learn how to host your own Civic Ignition Grant Program with our Toolkit

Grant Making Best Practices:

Fostering a more Connected, Creative & Resilient World

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