Documentation
Being able to calculate and articulate concrete evidence of the impact of your program on your community is vital to its ongoing community support, high reputation, and continued funding. The following four aspects of documentation are highly encouraged for all grant programs.
Impacts
Both numerical and narrative impacts should be recorded in order to track your program’s success in achieving its goal of both environmental impact and youth development.
Obtaining numbers to quantify the total environmental impact of all funded projects combined is an incredibly powerful way to show how much your program is making a difference. We have spent a lot of time creating an “Impact Assessment” spreadsheet by which you can calculate the numerical impacts, particularly amount of money saved and the carbon dioxide emissions prevented from entering the atmosphere, of common types of projects, including tree planting projects, recycling programs, water bottle reduction projects, shopping bag reduction projects, CFL bulb distributions, organic gardens, and more. Calculations not shown in the “Impact Assessment” spreadsheet are shown in the “Impact Assessment Calculations” document. For further help with impact calculations not included in these files, see the EPA Clean Energy Calculations webpage.
Once each project is completed, you can send them the “Project Impact Calculation Guide” so that they can calculate the impact of their project to put into their “Project Report Form.” However, because project reports unfortunately do not get returned 100% of the time, because some younger groups need extra help with calculations, and because numerical calculations will not always be done in the same system of measurements (ie, some groups will give the amount of carbon diverted rather than the amount of carbon dioxide diverted), it helps to be able to quickly plug project information into the “Impact Assessment” spreadsheet yourself to get out a solid number.
Numerical impacts will be crucial to awards applications, increased press, and continued program support.
Separately, quotes, stories, and personal reflections make help people connect on a more intimate level with the program. Hearing a bunch of numbers can be impressive, but hearing a story of a young person growing significantly or finding her passion for service through this program can be more emotionally appealing. Gathering quotes from applicants can be great, too. Keep a pencil handy during grant award ceremonies to record insights spoken by each projects’ youth spokesperson and use these in press releases, project webpages, and as general inspiration. One of our favorite quotes from the Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program award ceremonies, spoken by a Cub Scout awardee named Sam, is, “A small change made by small people can make a big difference.” Quotes and insights like this give those who hear it a sense of joy, inspiration, and hope. They make the program and its impacts more real to us, and they give board members a feeling of fulfillment, that what they are doing makes a difference in the lives of young people.
Both numerical and narrative impacts should be recorded in order to track your program’s success in achieving its goal of both environmental impact and youth development.
Obtaining numbers to quantify the total environmental impact of all funded projects combined is an incredibly powerful way to show how much your program is making a difference. We have spent a lot of time creating an “Impact Assessment” spreadsheet by which you can calculate the numerical impacts, particularly amount of money saved and the carbon dioxide emissions prevented from entering the atmosphere, of common types of projects, including tree planting projects, recycling programs, water bottle reduction projects, shopping bag reduction projects, CFL bulb distributions, organic gardens, and more. Calculations not shown in the “Impact Assessment” spreadsheet are shown in the “Impact Assessment Calculations” document. For further help with impact calculations not included in these files, see the EPA Clean Energy Calculations webpage.
Once each project is completed, you can send them the “Project Impact Calculation Guide” so that they can calculate the impact of their project to put into their “Project Report Form.” However, because project reports unfortunately do not get returned 100% of the time, because some younger groups need extra help with calculations, and because numerical calculations will not always be done in the same system of measurements (ie, some groups will give the amount of carbon diverted rather than the amount of carbon dioxide diverted), it helps to be able to quickly plug project information into the “Impact Assessment” spreadsheet yourself to get out a solid number.
Numerical impacts will be crucial to awards applications, increased press, and continued program support.
Separately, quotes, stories, and personal reflections make help people connect on a more intimate level with the program. Hearing a bunch of numbers can be impressive, but hearing a story of a young person growing significantly or finding her passion for service through this program can be more emotionally appealing. Gathering quotes from applicants can be great, too. Keep a pencil handy during grant award ceremonies to record insights spoken by each projects’ youth spokesperson and use these in press releases, project webpages, and as general inspiration. One of our favorite quotes from the Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program award ceremonies, spoken by a Cub Scout awardee named Sam, is, “A small change made by small people can make a big difference.” Quotes and insights like this give those who hear it a sense of joy, inspiration, and hope. They make the program and its impacts more real to us, and they give board members a feeling of fulfillment, that what they are doing makes a difference in the lives of young people.
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Website
A program website keeps you in touch with your grant applicants, grant awardees, and the general public. Although it may seem daunting to start and run an entire website, rest assured that it is not nearly as difficult as it sounds. We have a model website on which you can base your project website, and we can direct you to incredibly easy-to-learn, easy-to-use website builders. Depending on your comfort level with computers and websites, you can explore builders such as Weebly, Strikingly, Jimdo, Wix, Moonfruit, WordPress, and more. The easiest website builder, in my opinion, is Weebly, the builder that I used to create this entire website in about one work day (text written in advance). Weebly has an incredibly intuitive interface that involves dragging and dropping elements onto the page, working far more like PowerPoint than anything else. For example, if you want to add a photo onto your website, you simply drag the icon that says “Image” from the Weebly building sidebar to the location on the website that you want to see that image, then click on the box that says “Upload Image” in order to upload your image. If you want to edit the image or add a caption, simply click on the image to see your options. Easy enough, right?
Additionally, all of the website builders listed above have an option that allows you to have a free sub-domain (example.weebly.com, example.strinkingly.com, etc.) with a large number of editing options and website templates available. Unless you want to purchase your own independent domain (example.com) or you want to have more advanced editing options, you won’t have to pay a cent for your website. If you want those extra options, you can choose to pay monthly for these options.
We have set up our Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program model website to contain the pages that we see as important. You may add or delete pages to your own website as you see fit, according to your program’s needs. Have fun with it, and be sure to oversee your Website and Documents Committee as they start up and maintain the website.
If you are confused about editing your webpage, we highly recommend searching your website builder’s online support center. If you still have questions remaining, you can contact us. Please know that none of us are expert website builders or coders. We have just played around with the website builders and used their online support to create what you see as your template, but we will do our very best to help you.
A program website keeps you in touch with your grant applicants, grant awardees, and the general public. Although it may seem daunting to start and run an entire website, rest assured that it is not nearly as difficult as it sounds. We have a model website on which you can base your project website, and we can direct you to incredibly easy-to-learn, easy-to-use website builders. Depending on your comfort level with computers and websites, you can explore builders such as Weebly, Strikingly, Jimdo, Wix, Moonfruit, WordPress, and more. The easiest website builder, in my opinion, is Weebly, the builder that I used to create this entire website in about one work day (text written in advance). Weebly has an incredibly intuitive interface that involves dragging and dropping elements onto the page, working far more like PowerPoint than anything else. For example, if you want to add a photo onto your website, you simply drag the icon that says “Image” from the Weebly building sidebar to the location on the website that you want to see that image, then click on the box that says “Upload Image” in order to upload your image. If you want to edit the image or add a caption, simply click on the image to see your options. Easy enough, right?
Additionally, all of the website builders listed above have an option that allows you to have a free sub-domain (example.weebly.com, example.strinkingly.com, etc.) with a large number of editing options and website templates available. Unless you want to purchase your own independent domain (example.com) or you want to have more advanced editing options, you won’t have to pay a cent for your website. If you want those extra options, you can choose to pay monthly for these options.
We have set up our Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program model website to contain the pages that we see as important. You may add or delete pages to your own website as you see fit, according to your program’s needs. Have fun with it, and be sure to oversee your Website and Documents Committee as they start up and maintain the website.
If you are confused about editing your webpage, we highly recommend searching your website builder’s online support center. If you still have questions remaining, you can contact us. Please know that none of us are expert website builders or coders. We have just played around with the website builders and used their online support to create what you see as your template, but we will do our very best to help you.
Photos
As simple as it sounds, taking photos to document your board members, your award ceremonies, and your funded projects is one of the best ways to show others the impact of your program.
Photos of children with big checks and big smiles, big group photos of all funded groups, photos of young grant recipients explaining their projects to an audience from behind a podium, and images of grant winners shaking hands with a distinguished guest are great ways to showcase your grant award ceremony. These photos can be used on your website and in press releases as images of the power of youth.
At least one group photo of the board should be taken each year. Put this on the website, too, to show appreciation for your board members.
Photos of funded projects are the most important photos to take. These help to document the progress of the project and youth leaders in action. They are also vital to the funded project webpages on your website. If at all possible, try to have at least one board member present when each project is being completed. The board member shows program support for and interest in the project, and they can also take photographs while the project is taking place. Be sure to get a group photo of all people who helped to complete the project. “Before & After” photos are good, too, if applicable to the specific project.
As simple as it sounds, taking photos to document your board members, your award ceremonies, and your funded projects is one of the best ways to show others the impact of your program.
Photos of children with big checks and big smiles, big group photos of all funded groups, photos of young grant recipients explaining their projects to an audience from behind a podium, and images of grant winners shaking hands with a distinguished guest are great ways to showcase your grant award ceremony. These photos can be used on your website and in press releases as images of the power of youth.
At least one group photo of the board should be taken each year. Put this on the website, too, to show appreciation for your board members.
Photos of funded projects are the most important photos to take. These help to document the progress of the project and youth leaders in action. They are also vital to the funded project webpages on your website. If at all possible, try to have at least one board member present when each project is being completed. The board member shows program support for and interest in the project, and they can also take photographs while the project is taking place. Be sure to get a group photo of all people who helped to complete the project. “Before & After” photos are good, too, if applicable to the specific project.
Awards
Although it may sound shallow, earning recognition for your program is highly important and recommended to help encourage continued support from funders and continued press from various media sources. For more information about why awards are important, how to apply for awards, and where to start looking, please see the “Recognition and Awards” folder in the program package.
In the past, the Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program generally had the program manager and the founder applying for awards on behalf of the program. However, this job could be assigned to any committee or individual that has some extra time. The Media Outreach Committee might be particularly well-suited for the job because of their experience writing about the program in a clear, concise manner.
Although it may sound shallow, earning recognition for your program is highly important and recommended to help encourage continued support from funders and continued press from various media sources. For more information about why awards are important, how to apply for awards, and where to start looking, please see the “Recognition and Awards” folder in the program package.
In the past, the Carmel Green Teen Micro-Grant Program generally had the program manager and the founder applying for awards on behalf of the program. However, this job could be assigned to any committee or individual that has some extra time. The Media Outreach Committee might be particularly well-suited for the job because of their experience writing about the program in a clear, concise manner.