Organization List – West Shore Aware

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Organization information
Organization Name	The Lakeshore Community Chorus
Please tell us the amount of funding you are requesting Aware to raise for your organization from the Aware annual fundraising event.	$5,000
If your organization received Aware funding in the previous years, how many clients were serviced and/or how many services were provided with those funds. If you receive Aware funding this current year, how many clients will be serviced and/or how many services will be provided with these funds?	We have not previously received an AWARE grant.
Please provide a listing of the Officers and Board members of your organization.	David Lincoln, President Karen Graves, Vice President Holly Little, Treasurer Kristie Noguera, Secretary Kathleen Piggins, Board Member Wendy Van Tassell, Board Member
Your Contact Information	Kathleen Piggins
Phone	616-405-1708
Email	Email hidden; Javascript is required.
Scoring Criteria
1. Description of the Organization (maximum 5 points, please limit to ½ pages)	The Lakeshore Community Chorus (LCC) is a community of 56 singers and staff from Saugatuck/Douglas, along with Grand Rapids, Holland, South Haven and Benton Harbor. Our age range is even greater than our geographic range with singers from 16 to up to 80-something. We are an LGBTQ supporting and affirming community as well (34 percent of our members identify as LGBTQ). We provide a choral opportunity for high school students from the Saugatuck High School where Choir is only offered for one term each academic year. As a result of our broad membership, we draw audiences from as far as neighboring states and we also have a loyal following. We have sold-out or nearly sold-out at each of 2023-24 performances. It is our goal this year to expand on our relationships with community partners, including the Saugatuck Center for the Arts,Saugatuck High School and area senior living facilities.
2. Funding Request (maximum 35 points, total, please limit to 1 page)	Our audience members often comment on our professionalism and song selections, two things that require ongoing investment. We maintain a music library, but need to purchases new music for each performance session depending on the theme. We also desire to acquire more contemporary compositions so that we can provide fresh music for our audiences. As we have grown to over 50 members we often need to purchase additional copies of existing selections in our library. Along with the sheet music, we purchase rehearsal or practice tracks to be added to our member web site. Since we have only 12 rehearsals for each performance, these tracks enable members to practice between rehearsals ultimately polishing our performances. Our performances are held at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. Quality performances require support by sound, lighting and stage-management professionals.
3. Funding Justification (maximum 40 points, please limit to 1 page)	As a growing non-profit, we are faced with increasing operating costs for staff salaries, venue expenses, licensing fees, equipment costs, and marketing - to name a few. By helping us offset some of these expenses, AWARE frees us up to focus on providing uplifting musical experiences for our audiences and members. The amount we request is based on actual costs from our 2023-2024 season. Precise expenses depend on the artistic director's concert themes and the number of singers participating in each season. (Each singer/member pays a $50 participation fee each season.) If our costs exceed the amount granted by AWARE, we will augment the grant with donor or corporate donations. Should the opposite occur and our expenses are less, we will certainly return the surplus back to AWARE or utilize those monies on other LCC expenses, with your permission. 2024 Funding Organization grants - 3% Government grants - 0% Individual donations - 41% Corporate donations - 1%
4. Summary	"Music has healing power.It has the ability to take people out of themselves for a few hours." Sir Elton John In these volatile times, music and community are more important than ever. And that is who we are, a community of musicians sharing uplifting music with our community. The Lakeshore Community Chorus (LCC)k is a geographically- and generationally-diverse, LGBTQ affirming community.We provide music at our twice-yearly concerts, at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts Farmer's Market, at the Douglas Tree Lighting and at area senior centers. We provide students with the opportunity to sing with a choir and be part of our band during concerts. The impact of singing on singers and audiences is well-researched and has been documented to show positive cognitive, emotional and social effects. The feedback we receive from our audiences include; "What an extremely talented group of musicians", and "Such a magical experience". To continue to provide these quality performances at this critical time, we need to maintain or purchase additional music and tracks. This will enable the LCC to remain fresh, well-rehearsed and as professional as possible for our community. We also need to assure that the sound and lighting is as professional as possible so our community can get the best sound quality and lighting that enhances that sound. Music unites and uplifts, as the talented Sir Elton John has said. With the help of AWARE, the LCC can provide the community and music that enables healing.
Application Agreement	This is an application, otherwise known as a Request for Funding (RFF), from West Shore Aware. This RFF is a request from your organization to Aware, for Aware to host a Fundraising Event for your organization. By completing this RFF, your organization is requesting to be considered by Aware’s membership for an Aware fundraising event to be held during the summer of this year, also known as the White Party. If your organization is chosen for a fundraising event by the Aware membership, your organization will agree to the following terms and conditions for the said fundraising event. 1. Aware will be given and provided full credit for the fundraising event in all of you organization’s publicity and advertising for said event, to include but not limited to event posters, newspaper advertising, handouts, radio and television advertising for the event, and organizational announcements concerning the event. 2. Your organization will only use the funds raised by Aware from said event for the purpose described in the RFF submitted to Aware. 3. Your organization understands that West Shore Aware is a philanthropic organization of LBGTQ+ individuals and their supporters, and that the funds your organization receives from Aware will be coming from the West Michigan lakeshore community. 4. The funds received from Aware as a result of the fundraising event will be net, after expenses for said fundraising event are paid. 5. Aware may use the name of your organization in its own advertising and publicity as a recipient of funds.. 6. Your organization will supply Aware with written approval to hold, or be part of a fundraising event held by Aware. 7. West Shore Aware reserves the right to audit any organization that receives funding to determine whether the funds were used as described in its RFF. 8. Your organization will allow West Shore Aware to use you organization’s name on the West Shore Aware website. In addition, if your organization has a website, you will link that website to the West Shore Aware website and allow West Shore Aware to link to your organization’s site. West Shore Aware’s web site link must remain on your web site for a full year from the date of the monetary disbursement. Failure to do so will disqualify you from requesting future funding. Once you have completed the RFF and agreed to the aforementioned, please submit it. Please sign this document below, indicating acceptance of the aforementioned terms and conditions. By signing the document, you acknowledge your organization is a registered 501(C) 3 Charitable organization.
Signature
Date	03/27/2025
Ready to Submit	Yes