How To apply

If you have any questions about this application please contact Davenport's Assistant Director, Ashley Trim, by email or by phone at 310.506.6878. Liz Joyner, co-founder of the Village Square, is also available for consultation as you develop your thinking and write your grant by email or by phone at 850.264.8785.

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Organization Details

Your Municipality/Organization

Contact Full Name

Contact Title

Contact Email

Contact Phone

Municipal Website

1. Briefly describe your organization or municipality (100 words max).

2. If you have engaged the public around a particular tough issue in the past (online or offline) then please describe that engagement process (100 words max).

3. What has motivated your city to consider applying for this program at this time?

4. How would your particular community benefit from building better capacity to have ongoing vibrant civic discourse across partisan and other divides? Include a brief description of the current state of civic engagement and public debate in your community. Are there important issues or relevant history we should be aware of in your hometown? (250 words max)

5. Imagine a series of programs held throughout the year in your community on a theme of interest to a wide variety of citizens in your hometown. This theme could be a local, state, or national topic, but must have broadly local relevance. What do you think a valuable theme might be. This is, in part, a brainstorming activity. Feel free to develop the idea, be creative, and take risks. You are not committed to execute your first brainstormed idea.

6. We hope this will begin an ongoing, multi-year relationship. Please confirm that your organization is interested in that possibility and tell us how you see Village Square programming benefitting your community in future years. Note that local Village Squares are free to develop their own programming ideas.

7. Central to the Village Square model is a core group of leaders with diverse perspectives - ideally with some friendly pre-existing relationships devoted to improving civil discourse and community engagement. Please describe the makeup of your Advisory Group, both those already committed and those you will seek out. (Note: if you are a non-profit applicant there must be government representation in this group. If you are an elected leader, please list another leader in your community on the opposite side of the aisle who will serve as co-founder with you for these events.

8. Tell us about the staff resources you will commit towards this engagement project.

9. What local organizations might you approach to partner with you in hosting this series of programs, remembering the requirements to draw citizens from a wide variety of ideologies and demographics? Include organizations that might make in-kind contributions like a facility for dinners, technical support, or other resources.

10. Local news organizations (print and online) can play a crucial role in covering/promoting your engagement effort. Do you have a relationship with the local press, which might promote this project?

11. Are there other resources you will bring to this project that you'd like to describe?