We rely on frontline, community-based organizations for leadership and partnership to advance our collective goals and coalition objectives. Therefore, we must resource these teachers, valued peers and mentors fairly and equitably. The AEO Fund can be used to increase leadership training, community organizing skills, staffing, fundraising development, and/or internal organizational infrastructure development.
The AEO Collaborative fundraising and allocation model is based on the establishment of two shared pools of funding (Community Capacity Fund & Project Fund).
Community Capacity Fund is intended to build and strengthen the capacity of both individual and organizational members. It can be used to increase leadership training, community organizing skills, staffing, fundraising development, and/or internal organizational infrastructure development. This Fund is critical to the growth and sustained impact of frontline community organizations, many of whom are deemed too small or under-prepared to be supported by major funders. Such organizations are left in a catch-22... too small to attract financial support to grow but unable to grow without financial support.
The application process for this Fund will be developed by the Collaborative Council with approval by Members. The process should be as simple as possible. It is recommended that it be limited to having applicants provide the following:
A statement of need, i.e. the purpose for which the funds will be used and how it will impact the applicant. Note - Awards from this Fund may be used for purposes that are not directly linked to the goals and objectives of the AEO Collaborative. The purpose is to provide general support and to strengthen the fabric of survival and resistance within our target communities.
A simple budget, i.e. what the funds will pay for.
Shared lessons i.e. how the applicant will share the benefits from the funds with a larger community. While awardees may not be required to submit formal written reports, every effort should be made to ensure that the lessons and skills developed as a result of this Fund are shared to build collective capacity within our communities.
Applications should be accepted on a rolling basis with funds awarded on a first come-first-served non-competitive basis for fairness.
It is recommended that 40% of all fundraising be placed in the Community Capacity Fund.
Project Fund supports the administrative and strategic work of the Collaborative. It holds 60% of all funds raised by the Collaborative (grants, event fees, individual donations, sponsorships, etc.)
In order to maintain alignment with the Collaborative’s mission and to ensure that we achieve our shared vision as identified in this strategic plan, allocations from this Fund must primarily serve to help organizations develop the capacity to help the Collaborative achieve our Objectives. In other words, this Fund is intended only to provide resources for work that is primarily within AEO’s stated goals and objectives.
Project Funding is primarily performance-based, i.e. amounts are determined by the willingness of Members to help achieve AEO’s Goals and Objectives. Awards are therefore to be given to organizational Members with annual operating budgets of less than $500,000 AND who have a signed Equity Impact Agreement (see Appendix D).
The Collaborative Council must submit a budget for approval by Members in good standing at least once annually. The budget should include the costs of paid AEO Coordinators and overhead for the Convening Member.