Committees
The board is divided into committees in order to allow board members to build an expertise in a subject and in order to more efficiently delegate tasks. The following six committees are those used by the Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program, but they can be altered or supplemented as needed.
Award Ceremony and Review Session
The Award Ceremony and Review Session Committee, as its name suggests, works to plan the two major events for the grant program, the grant award ceremony and the grant review session, as well as carry out other event planning as needed.
A detailed list of tasks for this committee is outlined in the “Award Ceremony and Review Session Committee Checklist” document. Deadlines should be assigned for each task at the beginning of each grant cycle in respect to when the grant applications are due. For your convenience, the checklist has been recreated and edited here:
Grant Review Session
Grant Award Ceremony
Award Ceremony Program
Award Ceremony Big Checks (checks should be completed for each grant one week prior to ceremony)
In addition to completing these tasks, this committee can invite special guests to attend and, if desired, speak at, the grant award ceremony. Special guests make the award ceremony exciting to those youth grant award winners who recognize them and also show community support and endorsement of the program. Invite your mayor, your school superintendent, principals, and teachers to come see all that your program and the youth of your city can and will accomplish.
The Award Ceremony and Review Session Committee, as its name suggests, works to plan the two major events for the grant program, the grant award ceremony and the grant review session, as well as carry out other event planning as needed.
A detailed list of tasks for this committee is outlined in the “Award Ceremony and Review Session Committee Checklist” document. Deadlines should be assigned for each task at the beginning of each grant cycle in respect to when the grant applications are due. For your convenience, the checklist has been recreated and edited here:
Grant Review Session
- Establish date and time of interview session
- Reserve room for interview session
- Confirm with location - number of chairs, tables, as well as ability to provide food
- Confirm with location - ability to place sign to direct interviewees to location
- Ensure there are enough power strips for laptop computers
- Provide "Tips on Interviewing Applicants" document to board members
- Make copies of "Interview Checklist" document for board members
- Make 2-3 hard copies of grant applications for reference
- Ensure that the board has enough laptops to share for applications
Grant Award Ceremony
- Establish date and time of grant ceremony
- Confirm availability of any special guests
- Reserve a location for your award ceremony
- Identify alternate location in case of inclement weather (if original location is outside)
- Approach local stores for food donations for the ceremony using "Donation Request Template" as a starting point for a letter
- Confirm that the location has a microphone, podium, and electricity
- Confirm that the location has tables for refreshments
- Coordinate 1-2 photographers for ceremony pictures to be used on website and press releases
Award Ceremony Program
- Confirm sponsors for back of program
- Provide draft of program to the grant program manager and to all Award Ceremony & Review Session committee members once donors and awardees are identified. Use "Award Ceremony Program - Inside" and "Award Ceremony Program - Outside" as a starting point.
- Upon completion of program, send program to board members and to any sponsor requiring pre-approval of their logo
- See if printing of the program can be donated by a local company, office, or organization
- Coordinate opening comments, guess speaker(s), and closing comments with the board
- Coordinate the length of time available for remarks with guess speaker(s)
- Assign a committee member to write a brief script based on "Speech - Presentation of Checks" to present each grant's project
Award Ceremony Big Checks (checks should be completed for each grant one week prior to ceremony)
- Update prior year’s "Big Check" with current year’s sponsors
- Create a big check for each grant awarded, with mentors signing and assigned to present the checks to the project that they will be mentoring
- Get checks printed on 11x17 paper and trim to check size. Support with heavy stock paper
In addition to completing these tasks, this committee can invite special guests to attend and, if desired, speak at, the grant award ceremony. Special guests make the award ceremony exciting to those youth grant award winners who recognize them and also show community support and endorsement of the program. Invite your mayor, your school superintendent, principals, and teachers to come see all that your program and the youth of your city can and will accomplish.
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Board Member Recruitment
Please read Selection Process to see a description of the steps to be taken to select new board members. This committee will serve as the point people in carrying out these steps.
Board members are recruited via personal recommendations, nominations, and particularly positive impressions from past project leaders. The board application will not be available online publicly but is instead sent individually to recommended people, those who have been nominated, and impressive leaders from projects that your program funded in the past.
This committee’s main task is to identify and follow up with potential board members.
To identify potential new board members, this committee sends out the “Email – New Board Member Solicitation” to trusted groups and teachers. The committee can choose to require recipients of this email to fill out an official “Board New Member Nomination Form” if they wish to recommend someone for the board, but note that this requirement might deter some individuals from recommending someone. An easier way is to make the nomination form optional and allow recommenders to simply suggest a person by name and, with the consent of the recommended person, put the board in contact with that person. The committee can then send them an invitation to apply to the board along with the “Board New Member Application” form, the “Board Charter,” and the board meeting schedule for the next year.
The board can then periodically follow up with these applicants, asking if they have any questions about what it means to be on the board, what the time commitment is, or how to apply. A reminder email should also be sent to applicants in the few days before the application is due.
After the board application deadline, the committee will send all received applications to the rest of the board for review. If more information is needed about the applicants before making a decision about whether or not to accept the applicant to the board, an informal meeting can be set up during which the applicant and a few members of the board recruitment committee can meet in a public place and chat. The committee members will ask questions on behalf of the board, and the applicant can ask the committee members any remaining questions about the board.
After this, the interviewing committee members report back to the rest of the board with the answers that the applicant provided and a recommendation on approving the applicant for the board, approving the applicant for a liaison position, or denying the applicant. Each applicant will then be sent an email with their decision (“To Board Applicants – Welcome to the Board,” “To Board Applicants – Liaison Position Offering,” or “To Board Applicants – Application Rejected,” respectively).
This committee will then help to match new board members with more experienced board member mentors, matching youth with youth and adults with adults.
Please read Selection Process to see a description of the steps to be taken to select new board members. This committee will serve as the point people in carrying out these steps.
Board members are recruited via personal recommendations, nominations, and particularly positive impressions from past project leaders. The board application will not be available online publicly but is instead sent individually to recommended people, those who have been nominated, and impressive leaders from projects that your program funded in the past.
This committee’s main task is to identify and follow up with potential board members.
To identify potential new board members, this committee sends out the “Email – New Board Member Solicitation” to trusted groups and teachers. The committee can choose to require recipients of this email to fill out an official “Board New Member Nomination Form” if they wish to recommend someone for the board, but note that this requirement might deter some individuals from recommending someone. An easier way is to make the nomination form optional and allow recommenders to simply suggest a person by name and, with the consent of the recommended person, put the board in contact with that person. The committee can then send them an invitation to apply to the board along with the “Board New Member Application” form, the “Board Charter,” and the board meeting schedule for the next year.
The board can then periodically follow up with these applicants, asking if they have any questions about what it means to be on the board, what the time commitment is, or how to apply. A reminder email should also be sent to applicants in the few days before the application is due.
After the board application deadline, the committee will send all received applications to the rest of the board for review. If more information is needed about the applicants before making a decision about whether or not to accept the applicant to the board, an informal meeting can be set up during which the applicant and a few members of the board recruitment committee can meet in a public place and chat. The committee members will ask questions on behalf of the board, and the applicant can ask the committee members any remaining questions about the board.
After this, the interviewing committee members report back to the rest of the board with the answers that the applicant provided and a recommendation on approving the applicant for the board, approving the applicant for a liaison position, or denying the applicant. Each applicant will then be sent an email with their decision (“To Board Applicants – Welcome to the Board,” “To Board Applicants – Liaison Position Offering,” or “To Board Applicants – Application Rejected,” respectively).
This committee will then help to match new board members with more experienced board member mentors, matching youth with youth and adults with adults.
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To Board Applicants - Application Rejected | |
File Size: | 11 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Media Outreach
The Media Outreach Committee’s job is to bring your grant program into the public eye by writing press releases, submitting them to publications, and encouraging grant awardees to do the same.
The most important press release of the year is that which advertises the availability of the grants. Without this press, there will likely be far fewer applicants. A press release should be written two months before the grant deadline and should be sent out to various press sources at least a month and a half before the grant deadline. If personal connections with local media have been or can be cultivated, that will definitely increase your chances of getting published. Visit or call publications to pitch your story idea, following the instructions on “Press Release Tips” to maximize your chances of getting published. Keep track of media contacts on the “Master Email List” provided in the grant package.
School newspapers, newsletters, etc., should also be approached about including information about grant availability in their publications. If there are students in a school that have either gotten funding for a project or have served on the board, the school newspaper can write a human interest story about the funded project or the board member’s experience on the board and then include information about grant availability.
Local and school newspapers often also have places for advertisements. Approach the editor of the newspaper, explain your program (highlighting the good it does for your community and the student involvement in leading it), and ask about whether they would be willing to donate an advertisement space to your program to help you get the word out about your program in hopes of funding more projects. Even if they are not willing to donate a space, they may at least provide you with a discount.
Once project applications have been submitted and funding has been decided upon, another press release should be written and sent out to local media. This release should congratulate the projects that earned funding and announce the award ceremony that will be occurring to celebrate.
Finally, once the ceremony is completed, a press release should be written and distributed describing the ceremony and including quotes from board members, grant winners, and potentially an important guest speaker, if applicable. Photos of the ceremony should also be included with this press release.
In addition to writing press releases, the Media Outreach Committee should contact grant winners to encourage them and assist them in the writing of press releases about their specific funded project. Give each project the “Why and How to Publicize Your Project” document, checking back with them periodically to see if they need additional assistance in writing the release.
Photographing the award ceremony and projects in action can also be a part of this committee’s job description. These photos can accompany the press releases.
Finally, the committee should make and maintain a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and/or other social media pages in order to connect with more potential youth applicants. Weekly posts are recommended.
The Media Outreach Committee’s job is to bring your grant program into the public eye by writing press releases, submitting them to publications, and encouraging grant awardees to do the same.
The most important press release of the year is that which advertises the availability of the grants. Without this press, there will likely be far fewer applicants. A press release should be written two months before the grant deadline and should be sent out to various press sources at least a month and a half before the grant deadline. If personal connections with local media have been or can be cultivated, that will definitely increase your chances of getting published. Visit or call publications to pitch your story idea, following the instructions on “Press Release Tips” to maximize your chances of getting published. Keep track of media contacts on the “Master Email List” provided in the grant package.
School newspapers, newsletters, etc., should also be approached about including information about grant availability in their publications. If there are students in a school that have either gotten funding for a project or have served on the board, the school newspaper can write a human interest story about the funded project or the board member’s experience on the board and then include information about grant availability.
Local and school newspapers often also have places for advertisements. Approach the editor of the newspaper, explain your program (highlighting the good it does for your community and the student involvement in leading it), and ask about whether they would be willing to donate an advertisement space to your program to help you get the word out about your program in hopes of funding more projects. Even if they are not willing to donate a space, they may at least provide you with a discount.
Once project applications have been submitted and funding has been decided upon, another press release should be written and sent out to local media. This release should congratulate the projects that earned funding and announce the award ceremony that will be occurring to celebrate.
Finally, once the ceremony is completed, a press release should be written and distributed describing the ceremony and including quotes from board members, grant winners, and potentially an important guest speaker, if applicable. Photos of the ceremony should also be included with this press release.
In addition to writing press releases, the Media Outreach Committee should contact grant winners to encourage them and assist them in the writing of press releases about their specific funded project. Give each project the “Why and How to Publicize Your Project” document, checking back with them periodically to see if they need additional assistance in writing the release.
Photographing the award ceremony and projects in action can also be a part of this committee’s job description. These photos can accompany the press releases.
Finally, the committee should make and maintain a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and/or other social media pages in order to connect with more potential youth applicants. Weekly posts are recommended.
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Why and How to Publicize Your Project | |
File Size: | 331 kb |
File Type: | doc |
School and Youth Group Outreach
The School and Youth Group Outreach works directly with groups of young people to give them presentations about the grant program, to encourage them to apply, to assist them through the process of applying for a grant if necessary, and to follow up with them when the grant application deadline is nearing. The committee also works to design and put up posters in and around schools and other frequented locations, with the consent of the locations. Flyers are also designed and distributed to young people who might be interested in applying for a grant
The “Committee – School and Youth Group Outreach” folder in the grant program package is full of documents created to help your committee members get started.
Committee members can begin by identifying groups that would potentially be interested in leading an environmental project and applying for a grant for funding. Are there any school clubs that focus on leadership, environmentalism, or service? Are there any nearby scouting troops? Are any local scouts looking to complete a Girl Scout Silver or Gold Award or a Boy Scout Eagle Scout Project? Are there any religious service groups in the area? Don’t forget to look for nontraditional schools as well, such as private schools, boarding schools, special needs schools, etc. Reach out to these sorts of groups by either talking to group leaders or adult advisors in person (recommended) or by email (using the “Presentation Solicitation Email” and the “Email – Advertising Grants to Scouts” as a starting point) to see if their group would be interested in hearing from you about your grant program at the group’s next meeting. Make sure to be extra polite and thankful, regardless of their response.
The “Example PowerPoint Presentation” and “Example PowerPoint Presentation Notes” can both be used as templates for committee members to edit according to your program’s needs before using them to present to interested school clubs and other youth groups. Bring along flyers (examples included in the folder) and/or brochures (also in the folder) to give to those who request them, bearing in mind the environmental and financial costs of printing out too many flyers. After presenting to a group, ask if they have any questions or if you can help them brainstorm potential project ideas. Remember, the program aims to fund as many projects as possible, not to reject as many projects as possible. The committee members can help encourage these projects and give advice to make their applications as successful as possible.
Follow up with a group the day after the presentation saying thank you and again making yourself available to answer questions. You can also offer to read through their application ahead of time if they send it to you more than a week before the grant deadline.
While offering to do presentations with youth groups, committee members should also be putting up posters advertising grant availability. The “Committee Poster Assignments” document can help you organize who is putting up posters where so that all important locations can have posters and so that locations are not double-postered. Beyond posters, “Locker Signs” can be taped to the lockers of board members (if their schools have lockers) to bring further attention to the grant program.
The School and Youth Group Outreach works directly with groups of young people to give them presentations about the grant program, to encourage them to apply, to assist them through the process of applying for a grant if necessary, and to follow up with them when the grant application deadline is nearing. The committee also works to design and put up posters in and around schools and other frequented locations, with the consent of the locations. Flyers are also designed and distributed to young people who might be interested in applying for a grant
The “Committee – School and Youth Group Outreach” folder in the grant program package is full of documents created to help your committee members get started.
Committee members can begin by identifying groups that would potentially be interested in leading an environmental project and applying for a grant for funding. Are there any school clubs that focus on leadership, environmentalism, or service? Are there any nearby scouting troops? Are any local scouts looking to complete a Girl Scout Silver or Gold Award or a Boy Scout Eagle Scout Project? Are there any religious service groups in the area? Don’t forget to look for nontraditional schools as well, such as private schools, boarding schools, special needs schools, etc. Reach out to these sorts of groups by either talking to group leaders or adult advisors in person (recommended) or by email (using the “Presentation Solicitation Email” and the “Email – Advertising Grants to Scouts” as a starting point) to see if their group would be interested in hearing from you about your grant program at the group’s next meeting. Make sure to be extra polite and thankful, regardless of their response.
The “Example PowerPoint Presentation” and “Example PowerPoint Presentation Notes” can both be used as templates for committee members to edit according to your program’s needs before using them to present to interested school clubs and other youth groups. Bring along flyers (examples included in the folder) and/or brochures (also in the folder) to give to those who request them, bearing in mind the environmental and financial costs of printing out too many flyers. After presenting to a group, ask if they have any questions or if you can help them brainstorm potential project ideas. Remember, the program aims to fund as many projects as possible, not to reject as many projects as possible. The committee members can help encourage these projects and give advice to make their applications as successful as possible.
Follow up with a group the day after the presentation saying thank you and again making yourself available to answer questions. You can also offer to read through their application ahead of time if they send it to you more than a week before the grant deadline.
While offering to do presentations with youth groups, committee members should also be putting up posters advertising grant availability. The “Committee Poster Assignments” document can help you organize who is putting up posters where so that all important locations can have posters and so that locations are not double-postered. Beyond posters, “Locker Signs” can be taped to the lockers of board members (if their schools have lockers) to bring further attention to the grant program.
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Sponsorship and Funding
The Sponsorship and Funding Committee’s task is to ensure the longer-term organizational stability and sustainability of the program. If your grant program does not seek to last more than two years, this committee may not be necessary. However, if the program seeks to continue for three or more years, relations with a long-term fiscal sponsor and a long-term funder should be cultivated.
This committee is new to but very active in our Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program because our original fiscal sponsor is no longer able to continue handling our funds. The committee therefore is working to identify new potential fiscal sponsors and to identify which potential sponsor is the best fit for our grant program.
Expanded funding should also be investigated by this committee. A “Funding Outreach Letter” has been included in the program package for your use in approaching potential funders. Edit it to match your program’s information.
The Sponsorship and Funding Committee’s task is to ensure the longer-term organizational stability and sustainability of the program. If your grant program does not seek to last more than two years, this committee may not be necessary. However, if the program seeks to continue for three or more years, relations with a long-term fiscal sponsor and a long-term funder should be cultivated.
This committee is new to but very active in our Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program because our original fiscal sponsor is no longer able to continue handling our funds. The committee therefore is working to identify new potential fiscal sponsors and to identify which potential sponsor is the best fit for our grant program.
Expanded funding should also be investigated by this committee. A “Funding Outreach Letter” has been included in the program package for your use in approaching potential funders. Edit it to match your program’s information.
Funding Outreach Letter | |
File Size: | 35 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Website and Documents
This committee is charged with maintaining the website and updating important board documents.
Before the beginning of each new grant cycle, this committee should carefully review the “Grant Selection Criteria (Detailed),” “APPLICATION FORM,” “Project Contract Form,” and “Project Report Form.” After reading through each document more than once, the committee will talk amongst themselves about any proposed changes that they might see as necessary. These proposed changes will then be brought before the board as a whole and voted upon at the next full board meeting or via email, as preferred. Other board members will also be invited to propose changes at this time. For most proposed edits, a majority vote will cause the change to go into effect and the edits to be made to the document, which will then be added in its edited form to the website. For major changes that would potentially shift the program’s focus or structure, three quarters of the board must vote in favor for the proposed change to occur before any changes are made. This should all be completed before major advertising for grant availability begins.
As described in Website, our model website has been provided to you so that you can base your website off of it. Website hosts listed in the website section, which are incredibly intuitive and easy to use, with a drag-and-drop interface to add things such as photos, text boxes, slideshows, and more, should enable most board members to be able to edit the website directly. If some committee members are uncomfortable editing the website directly, you could instead designate one committee member as the webmaster. The other board members could select the photos and write the text to be used for the webpage, potentially using the “Project Webpage PowerPoint Template” as a model, and then the webmaster could copy them into the webpage.
The majority of the work on the website occurs before advertising, when documents are being updated online, and after projects have been completed, when project webpages need to be created. Once a project has turned in their project report form along with project photos, the website committee will create a webpage for that project. (See an example an example project webpage here.) It will include 7-9 photos with captions describing the project and its impact. Once the webpage is created, the link will be sent to the youth project leader and adult advisor in the email “To Grant Recipients – Project Webpage is Up.” Be prepared to make edits to the webpage if the project leaders indicate that a caption is incorrect or that they would like additional information included. Also keep in mind when creating these websites that your project leaders are minors. Their full names should not be included anywhere on the website in association with their photo unless they specifically request it and have the permission of an adult guardian.
Besides reviewing grant documents and creating project webpages, the Website and Documents Committee can review the website as a whole to ensure that it remains up-to-date. Assign specific pages to specific committee members to read through carefully. Ask them to think about whether the text on the page would make sense if they were not familiar with the grant program and whether they have any questions remaining about the program after reading through the website information. If so, make necessary small edits to clarify or bring bigger edits before the board as a whole for a vote.
This committee is charged with maintaining the website and updating important board documents.
Before the beginning of each new grant cycle, this committee should carefully review the “Grant Selection Criteria (Detailed),” “APPLICATION FORM,” “Project Contract Form,” and “Project Report Form.” After reading through each document more than once, the committee will talk amongst themselves about any proposed changes that they might see as necessary. These proposed changes will then be brought before the board as a whole and voted upon at the next full board meeting or via email, as preferred. Other board members will also be invited to propose changes at this time. For most proposed edits, a majority vote will cause the change to go into effect and the edits to be made to the document, which will then be added in its edited form to the website. For major changes that would potentially shift the program’s focus or structure, three quarters of the board must vote in favor for the proposed change to occur before any changes are made. This should all be completed before major advertising for grant availability begins.
As described in Website, our model website has been provided to you so that you can base your website off of it. Website hosts listed in the website section, which are incredibly intuitive and easy to use, with a drag-and-drop interface to add things such as photos, text boxes, slideshows, and more, should enable most board members to be able to edit the website directly. If some committee members are uncomfortable editing the website directly, you could instead designate one committee member as the webmaster. The other board members could select the photos and write the text to be used for the webpage, potentially using the “Project Webpage PowerPoint Template” as a model, and then the webmaster could copy them into the webpage.
The majority of the work on the website occurs before advertising, when documents are being updated online, and after projects have been completed, when project webpages need to be created. Once a project has turned in their project report form along with project photos, the website committee will create a webpage for that project. (See an example an example project webpage here.) It will include 7-9 photos with captions describing the project and its impact. Once the webpage is created, the link will be sent to the youth project leader and adult advisor in the email “To Grant Recipients – Project Webpage is Up.” Be prepared to make edits to the webpage if the project leaders indicate that a caption is incorrect or that they would like additional information included. Also keep in mind when creating these websites that your project leaders are minors. Their full names should not be included anywhere on the website in association with their photo unless they specifically request it and have the permission of an adult guardian.
Besides reviewing grant documents and creating project webpages, the Website and Documents Committee can review the website as a whole to ensure that it remains up-to-date. Assign specific pages to specific committee members to read through carefully. Ask them to think about whether the text on the page would make sense if they were not familiar with the grant program and whether they have any questions remaining about the program after reading through the website information. If so, make necessary small edits to clarify or bring bigger edits before the board as a whole for a vote.
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