2015-2016 Ananda Fund Hawaii Grant Competition

We are excited to announce our 2015-2016 Grant competition! Your nonprofit will star in an original production on stage. Think a little American Idol, a little Broadway, and a lot of nonprofit heart and innovation!

Ananda Fund Hawaii, a donor advised fund of Hawaii Community Foundation is seeking proposals from Hawaii based nonprofits for our first ever theater competition. After a first round of proposals, selected nonprofits will be invited to compete in a live performance that showcases your work.

To win a $20,000 grant, your organization should demonstrate how the arts (through a play) can be used to build public awareness about important issues affecting our island communities. This is a fun and informative way to share your mission and engage your communities and the larger public.

Around the world, community groups use the power of theater to illustrate their work–in fields ranging from public health to human rights, literacy to nutrition, and education to community leadership. This serves as the inspiration for our Hawaii-based competition. This is an opportunity for you to tell the story of your work through the voices of your community and promote your nonprofit through the arts, with a 15 to 20 minute performance.

There are two parts to the grant competition: 1) conceptualize and submit a grant proposal with your ideas (due January 27, 2016) and 2) The performance of a play that will be written by you and performed in the spring of 2016!

In January 2016 we will invite five nonprofits to compete in the second part of the grant competition. We will ask nonprofits to write and perform an original production that brings the work of your organization to life for an audience and demonstrates the impact of your work for the community and beneficiaries that you serve. The play will be presented at a theater before a live audience. Both the audience and a panel of judges will vote on the winners.

The winning prize is $20,000. Cash prizes will be awarded to participating organizations competing in the theater competition.

Your nonprofit may apply in one of two categories:

• ‘Aina Based – – your nonprofit focuses on helping the ‘aina –our land through clean-ups, cultural restoration projects, community workdays, preservation or conservation of our ecological resources. This includes the mountains, lo’i, the ocean, the reefs, beaches, farming, clearing of invasive species and planting of native plants, and caring for endangered animals.
• People Based – – your nonprofit works to educate, uplift and empower our communities. Nonprofits in this category include the following: teaching, educational outreach, skills training, personal development, cultural practices, literacy, mentoring, kupuna services, rehabilitation, family strengthening, and hospice care. You advocate or provide a service for the needs of certain groups of people or you work with elders, children, the disabled, underprivileged or communities at risk.

The Play

• Play duration: 15-20 minutes
• Production: The play can be one act or several acts
• Script: The nonprofit will be required to write an original play
• Actors: The nonprofit will be responsible to choose people from their community to participate. We strongly encourage staff, beneficiaries, volunteers and individuals whose lives have been touched or affected or closely connected to the work of the nonprofit. No hired or professional actors!
• Costume and set design: The nonprofit will be responsible to design sets and costumes. You can make your own costumes.
• Music and Dance: Can be used as part of the story-telling of your play, and should be choreographed for the purposes of this competition to tell the story of your nonprofit.
• Each nonprofit will be given $500 to help cover the costs of costumes, sets, and props.
• Each nonprofit will be provided with a professional mentor who will coach the nonprofit on developing and performing their play

Grant Proposal Submission Process

• Proposals will be accepted until January 27, 2016 (New Deadline)
• From the entries submitted, five nonprofits will be invited to participate in the stage competition.

The Competition

• Nonprofits selected to compete in the play competition will receive mentoring by a theater professional.
• Plays will be performed on May 26, 2016 on the island of Oahu.
• Voting will be decided by a panel of judges and a live audience vote.
• Judging will be based on originality, creativity, delivery, and story-telling of nonprofit mission, work, and content
• The coach whose nonprofit mentee wins the overall competition, will win $1,000 to donate towards the nonprofit group of their choice.

Requirements & Eligibility

1. Nonprofit theater groups or organizations who use theater and performances to showcase their work are not eligible to apply for this grant.
2. Organizations must be a registered nonprofit in the state of Hawai’i with a 501c3 tax-exempt status. Community organizations who have a fiscal sponsor are also eligible to apply.
3. On behalf of your organization you must be willing to participate in the writing of a play and its delivery on stage
4. Organizations cannot hire professionals to act, write, or produce your play
5. Organizations are encouraged to engage beneficiaries, volunteers and staff closely aligned with your mission to participate or be actors in the play.
6. Proposals from outer islands are welcome. Nonprofit groups will be provided with a $1500 stipend from Ananda Fund Hawaii to help cover travel expenses.

Click here to learn about the grant proposal process.