Application Checklist

All items are required for an application to be considered complete. Incomplete applications will affect the outcome of an application. Email and faxed materials are not acceptable.

1. Review the Program Guidelines to ensure that you understand the YouthReach Program rationale.

2. Contact YouthReach Program Manager H. Mark Smith to confirm eligibility and to discuss any questions you may have about the program.

3. Create an organizational profile to be able to access the online application system. (Please note: Usernames/Passwords used for Adams, Mass. Stimulus, and Cultural Facilities Fund applications can all be used.)

4. Complete the online application, comprised of the following elements:
   
             Project Overview
             Collaborator Form
             Application Narrative
             Recent Findings (Returning Applicants Only)
             Key Staff
             Organizational Budget Summary
             Project Budget Summary
             Support Material Inventory Form
   
   
5. Click the "final submission" button of the online portion of the application by the deadline on February 10, 2010. The electronic component of your application will then be automatically received by the MCC.

6. Mail or hand deliver the following additional materials to the MCC, by the deadline - February 10, 2010:

   ____ YouthReach Grant Cover Sheet

   Print page 1 of the PDF of your electronically submitted application materials to serve as a cover sheet.

   ____ Program Logic Model

   The logic model is designed to summarize the underlying theory and assumptions upon which you program is based and the connection between your intended outcomes and the activities you propose.
   
   The logic model is a critical component of this application and is the first item the panelists review. Applications without a logic model will not be reviewed by the panel.
   
   If you are unfamiliar with the logic-model approach to program planning and evaluation, you should consult the MCC's website for tools and reference materials.
   
   Sample logic models and a working template are available, as well.
   
   Your logic model does not need to follow the format of the samples and working template, but it should include a description of the participants, current conditions, program activities, outcomes, and indicators.
   
   Your logic model must be no longer than two pages (single-sided, 8.5" x 11").

   ____ Curriculum or Program Schedule

   Include a curriculum or program schedule that outlines the scope and sequence of your instruction and does not exceed three pages (single-sided, 8.5" x 11"). Be as detailed as possible. For example, "Week 1: Trust-Building Poetry Exercises; Week 2: The Poet as Social Commentator; Week 3: How to Offer and Receive Constructive Criticism," is more informative than "Weeks 1-3, Introduction to Writing Poetry." If this is a multifaceted project, be sure to highlight how the various activities relate to each other.
   
   The panel will not review curriculum material exceeding three pages. If you need additional pages, provide an overview in these three pages and additional details in your printed support material (see below).

   ____ Evaluation Material

   Include up to 10 pages (single-sided, 8.5" x 11") of student assessment and program evaluation materials, such as a logic model chart, student assessment rubric, forms, interview outline, and/or database print out. Use Narrative Question 6 to explain how and when these materials are used.
   
   The panel will not review evaluation material exceeding these page limitations. If you need additional pages, include the most important pieces here and include the remaining evaluation materials as one of your support materials.

   ___ Detailed Project Budget for 2011

   Include a breakdown of all expected earned and contributed income, and in-kind contributions. Project expenses generally include, but are not limited to, program and administrative personnel, youth stipends, space rental or maintenance, program and office supplies, food, and transportation for the youth. See a detailed budget sample (PDF).
   
   NOTE: If you anticipate significant variations in your program from one year to the next, include a detailed project budget for both FY2011 and FY2012. For example, if in the second year of the funding cycle you project a significant increase in the number of students or plan to add another component, detailed budgets for both years will be important. For most projects, however, the FY2011 budget will be sufficient for the panel's review.

   ___ Work Sample & Support Material

   Applicants seeking funding for an existing program should present examples of youth work. Applicants for funding of new programs should submit examples of youth work produced in similar projects and/or the work of the lead instructors.
   
   In general, panelists benefit from material that demonstrates both the educational process and product, such as a video that shows both instructional time and the final performance; writing samples that include the edited drafts leading up to the final publication; or a portfolio that demonstrates student progress over time. Select material carefully and emphasize your core program activities. Work product materials should reflect current activities and should not be more than two years old.
   
   Submit two copies of the work sample and additional printed material. One copy will be sent to the panelist assigned as your primary reviewer in advance of the panel meeting; the other will be shared with the full panel at the time of their meeting. The time spent reviewing your support materials during the panel meeting will be determined by the panelists but will not exceed ten minutes. Select the media that best conveys your student’s learning in the arts, humanities, or sciences. For guidance in selecting a work sample, contact H. Mark Smith, at 617-727-3668 x253.
   
   Work samples and printed material will not be returned, except under special circumstances.

   ___ AUDIO/VISUAL WORK SAMPLE

   (Submit only one of the following)
   
   1. VIDEO OR DVD
   All video documentation must be clearly labeled with the following information, as applicable:
   ___ Name of applicant
   ___ Name of class or performance shown
   ___ Date
   ___ Total running time
   Indicate which portions you would like the panel to review. (For videos, please cue the tape to the point at which you want the panel to begin.) While panelists will focus on these sections, the entire content submitted is subject to review.
   
   2. AUDIO MATERIAL
   All audio submissions must be clearly labeled with the following information, as applicable:
   ___ Name of applicant
   ___ Name of group or artists performing (first names only for youth)
   ___ Title
   ___ Date
   ___ Length of each work and total running time
   Indicate which selections you would like the panel to review. While panelists will focus on these sections, the entire content submitted is subject to review.
   
   3. DIGITAL IMAGES
   Submit up to ten digital images on a CD in PC format. A combination of images showing student work and the context of the work (events, rehearsal or studio shots, etc.) may be used, but it is important that student work be evident. On a separate sheet, identify each image with the following applicable information:
   ___ Name of event or artist (first names only for youth)
   ___ Location (of event)
   ___ Medium/Media (if artwork)
   ___ Date (of event or artwork)
   ___ Brief description
   
   4. SAMPLES OF STUDENTS' PRINTED WORK
   Submit one bound example of printed student work. This may be a bound anthology of youth work or a binder containing edited drafts of selected pieces. (As an alternative, you can bind the published anthology together with edited drafts.) Clearly label each item with:
   ___ The applicant’s name
   ___ The date of publication or production

   ___ Printed Support Material

   To give panelists a fuller understanding of your project, organization, and/or community, include in your application a limited amount of additional printed material. Examples of printed support material includes brochures, catalogues, newsletters, annual reports, programs, newspaper articles, or testimonials from students, parents, or community members. You may also use printed support material to present curriculum or evaluation material that exceed of the page limitations for the material presented earlier in the application.
   
   Whatever you submit, you must include two identical sets, and each set is limited to two items. However, you may bind together similar items, such as a collection of newspaper articles or an evaluation report; a binder and its content counts as one item.
   
   For guidance in selecting your printed material, contact H. Mark Smith at 617-727-3668 x253.

   ___ First-time applicants to the MCC only

   Submit one copy of the following items in the order listed:
   ___ IRS Tax-Exempt Letter and Articles of Incorporation
   
   ___ Financial statements for the most recently completed fiscal year:
   An audit is required for all applicants with revenues exceeding $500,000.
   OR
   Statement of Activities (income and expense statements), along with a Statement of Financial Position (balance sheet), are required for applicants with revenues less than $500,000.

   Address mail to:
   H. Mark Smith
   YouthReach Program Manager
   Massachusetts Cultural Council
   10 St. James Avenue, 3rd Floor
   Boston, MA 02116

   The electronic submission of all the application pages, and the mailing or hand delivery of the materials listed above constitutes the final application.

Proceed to the Online Application