Winners Announced: Mid-Atlantic Leadership Conference (MALC) Civic Ignition Grant

April 29, 2025

Congratulations to the 2025 The Mid-Atlantic Leadership Conference (MALC) Civic Ignition Grantees!

We received 13 submissions with a total financial ask of $42,000. These grants were discussed in a consensus-based workshop with approximately 60 community leaders. 

photo by Jeff Stoltzfus

The MALC committee wishes to express deep gratitude to an anonymous donor who contributed a 100% matching gift ($1500) through Fire Pony Collective Society, which enabled MALC to double the grant-making capacity. 

The winners are:

Co-Creating Community Open Kitchen Sculpture Garden
Philadelphia, PA

“CO-CREATING COMMUNITY” is a project intended to address the present need for people to get involved and grow together. The Open Kitchen Sculpture Garden’s mission has always been to initiate a movement of collaboration, education, and sustainability through the use of art and food. We are proposing a series of  “CO-CREATING COMMUNITY” events throughout the year that focus on three vital site-specific areas of the garden that need to be enhanced. The events will be designed to stimulate participants to be totally interactive / participatory working in groups, learning and sharing skills, and nurturing a sense of belonging and connection to space.

Hanging Gardens NYC
Brooklyn, NYC

The Hanging Gardens of Brooklyn is a traveling art installation serving as a creative commons for artistic expression, public wellbeing, and collective stewardship.  Our organization facilitates free programming in NYC parks by and for the hosting community.  We provide space, funding, and support for those seeking to create programs that engage the public with their local community and environment. 

Nebula Health STD testing
Mid-Atlantic Region  

Nebula Health provides free, confidential STI/HIV testing, treatment, and education to underserved communities, ensuring equitable access to sexual health care without stigma. In addition to our services, we offer interactive workshops on consent, empowering individuals with the knowledge and skills to navigate healthy relationships, communicate boundaries, and make informed decisions about their bodies with confidence and respect.

Dover Days Tapestry and Fabric Swap
Dover, Delaware 

As part of the upcoming Dover Days celebration, this project will host an Art & Art Supply Swap, which will also feature a collaborative community tapestry project. In addition to fostering creativity and connection, the event will include a resource table offering print materials on a range of support services. These will include information on food banks, housing assistance, mental health resources, substance use support, trans youth services, and know-your-rights materials, helping ensure community members have access to vital tools and support.

Feed My Neighbors
Elk Park, North Carolina

To build and maintain a chicken coop to provide eggs to all my neighbors who suffered from Hurricane Helene. The aim is to give back to this community with all I can.

Iris’ Postal Portal
North East, USA

Iris’ Postal Portal is a fully immersive educational mail station housed inside a larger-than-life, 9-foot tall mailbox with a working flag arm. Our mission is to foster the next generation of letter writers.

LOCATION: Philadelphia PA 

What is the Mid-Atlantic Leadership Conference (MALC) Civic Ignition Grant?

A program aimed at funding innovative community & civic projects within the Mid-Atlantic Region (​​Specifically, but not limited to: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, D.C.) 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 allows anyone to submit a collaborative, creative, and principle-focused project with a chance to receive up to a $1,500 grant.

Timeline:

• Grant Opportunity is announced on March 4th, 2025

• The deadline for grant submissions is March 31st, 2025 (Eastern Time)

• Workshop Participants will review the grant proposals at the Mid-Atlantic Leadership Conference (MALC) (Weekend of April 4-6, 2025)

• The winner(s) will be announced the week of April 7th, 2025 

Apply here: https://forms.gle/ohvM6RBvWLNmemud7

What’s unique about the Mid-Atlantic Leadership Conference (MALC)  Civic Ignition Grant?

Submissions to the Mid-Atlantic Leadership Conference (MALC) Civic Ignition grant cycle will be workshopped and judged by a group of participants and community leaders that attend this year’s Mid-Atlantic Leadership Conference. This group will use the submissions as material to review and workshop while learning how to administer their civic grant programs.

Who is eligible to apply?

Anyone! Individuals, Groups, and Not-for-Profits are all eligible. You do not need to be a participant in the leadership gathering to apply, but the project must take place within the states listed above. 

How much can you ask for?

The maximum grant that may be awarded is $1,500. We encourage your project’s viability to not solely depend on this grant. Think about other sources of funding that might be available. Grants awarded could be less than the amount requested in the application. 

What types of proposals will likely not get funded by this program?

Programs 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 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.

Suggestions for a quality grant proposal:

• Look at the BWB Grant Impact & Criteria Document to see how we think about grants.

• Reach out to your local Burning Man Regional Contact and ask if they might be an advisor.

• Watch our video “How to write Quality Grants: Burning Man 101”(Starts rough but gets going at (9:00 min)

• Listen to our podcast  “Targeted Grant Writing: with Meta-Regional Jacqui Latendresse”

Who won the Civic Ignition Grant in 2018?

This will be the second Civic Ignition workshop to be held at MALC. Read about the 2018  winners to get inspired to apply for the 2025 cycle.

How long will it take to receive the funds if selected?

In order to process your grant funds, we’ll require contracting and payment information about the Grantee, including tax information as applicable. Once all grantee information has been collected, it may take an additional 2-8 weeks to process your payment. We strive to complete all grant payments as quickly as possible.

Are the funds taxable?

Yes, grants are considered income and are taxable for organizations and individuals.

More Info about MALC 2025 can be found here

When: Friday, April 4 – Sunday, April 6, 2025
Where: JKRP Architects: 100 East Penn Square, Suite 1080, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Cost: $100
Estimated Attendance: 60-90
Tickets on Sale Now: https://peacock.firepony.org/