Reading and Discussion Program Grants

2010-11 Application Deadline:

Friday, June 18, 2010
Apply Now

What dialogue would make a difference to your community?

What conversation would you like to catalyze?

The Council awards Reading and Discussion (R&D) Grants of up to $1,000 to support text-based facilitated discussion programs hosted by New York state tax-exempt organizations. A collaboration between the host site and a local scholar-facilitator, R&D Grants are intended to help organizations both large and small conduct reading and discussion programs that engage community members in meaningful conversation around humanities-based texts. Applicant organizations must have previously hosted the Council's Reading Between the Lines program. Learn more in our Common Questions.

Who is eligible?

R&D Grants are available by application to any New York state tax-exempt organization that has previously hosted and successfully completed at least one of the Council's Reading Between the Lines series.

When should I apply?

The application deadline for 2010-2011 R&D Grants is Friday, June 18, 2010. Applicants will be notified within four weeks of the application deadline.

How do I apply?

Read the R&D Grant guidelines in their entirety before beginning your application. The application requires you to submit the resume of your proposed scholar-facilitator and a budget for your proposed program. All applicants are encouraged to discuss any questions about these guidelines or application materials with Program Officer Anna Links by email or by phone at 212.233.1131 ext. 28.

If my application is awarded, when will I receive the grant funds?
Funded programs will receive their award in two payments. The first payment is made on or after November 15, upon receipt of the signed grant agreement, and the submission of your session dates to our calendar of events. The second payment is due upon completion of the grant-awarded program sessions and submission of the required final reporting.

How to apply for a Reading and Discussion Grant

Determine a theme or topic for in-depth text-based exploration.
For more information, please read How do we develop a Reading and Discussion Grant program syllabus? in our Common Questions.

Identify a scholar in your community to to serve as the program's scholar-facilitator.
For more information, please read Who qualifies as a scholar-facilitator? in our Common Questions.

Develop a reading and discussion program syllabus.
For more information, please read How should we identify an R & D Grant topic/theme? in our Common Questions.

Apply to the Council.
Complete and submit the R&D Grant application and budget form, online in March 2010. You must also include the resume of the scholar you have identified with your application. Application deadlines are listed at the top of this page.

Schedule, promote and host your R&D Grant program.

Follow-up
Within three weeks of the end of your series, return the Host Site and Participant evaluation forms.