| Organization information | |
|---|---|
| Organization Name | Out On The Lakeshore |
| Please tell us the amount of funding you are requesting Aware to raise for your organization from the Aware annual fundraising event. | $10,000 |
| 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? | Out On The Lakeshore (OOTL) received Aware funding in 2016/2017. This funding was used as start up money for the OOTL LGBTQ+ Community Center. With this funding OOTL opened a center in Holland serving the wider lakeshore community that services hundreds of people through year round programming and thousands of individuals through major events. In 2023 alone OOTL served approximately 6,000 individuals at the PRIDE Festival in Holland and 300 individuals through year-round support groups, recreational programs, and case management services. |
| Please provide a listing of the Officers and Board members of your organization. | CY 2024 OOTL Board of Directors Name, Board Title, Affiliation Penny Jansen, Board Chair, SpartanNash |
| Your Contact Information | Kate Leighton-Colburn |
| Phone | (616) 994-8090 |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Scoring Criteria | |
| 1. Description of the Organization (maximum 5 points, please limit to ½ pages) | The mission of OOTL is to be a leading organization along the lakeshore providing expansive education, programming, partnerships, safe spaces, and advocacy to LGBTQ+ members and their allies to create a more inclusive and welcoming community that is filled with pride. OOTL provides services for all ages, including youth, young adults, adults, and the aging community. Programming includes, but is not necessarily limited to: Aged With Pride, a peer space for LGBTQ+ individuals 55+; Gender SAFE, a support space for the gender diverse community; Out Fighting Dragons; a youth group providing skill building exercises in the form of tabletop gaming; Parent Cafes, a support space for parents and caregivers of LGTBQ+ young people; Reading the Rainbow, a book club focused on LGBTQ+ literature; Adult Game Night, a recreational group for board game playing; case management services for individuals experiencing crisis and/or hardship; and Pride Nights; a rotating monthly arts and recreational event for all ages. |
| 2. Funding Request (maximum 35 points, total, please limit to 1 page) | Out On The Lakeshore has grown significantly since its inception in 2016/17. This growth is in direct response to an increase in need. We frequently hear from community members regarding the need for expanded community services specifically targeting the LGBTQ+ community, and we have responded to those requests by providing more robust case management, youth-oriented, and parent/caregiver oriented programming. With this increase in programming and impact comes increasing challenges in capacity. To continue meeting these needs well, OOTL leadership has identified a need to increase staff and program facilitator capacity, along with supplies for those programs. OOTL has been primarily volunteer run for the last 7 years. Currently the Center is staffed by one full time executive director, one part time administrative assistant, and one part-time, partial-year Pride event coordinator. OOTL is currently in the process of increasing its organizational capacity by hiring a program operations coordinator and by compensating part-time program facilitators to support with the coordination and implementation of year-round programming. While our volunteer base remains strong and we will continue to utilize volunteer support, OOTL recognizes that providing compensation for skilled labor creates a more sustainable future for the organization. OOTL frequently cycles through volunteer facilitators/coordinators. This cycle is not due to a lack of volunteer passion, but instead a lack of time and capacity to provide this service while balancing full time job responsibilities. The funds from Aware will allow OOTL to compensate facilitators, increased staffing for the Community Center Coordinator, and increased supplies, thereby creating a more sustainable future for LGBTQ+ community programming year-round. |
| 3. Funding Justification (maximum 40 points, please limit to 1 page) | OOTL will fund this project through funding from Aware along with multiple other grants and donations. We have obtained funding from CenterLink and Ottawa Health Equity Council, with some of this funding earmarked for increased staffing and facilitator stipends. The $10,000 from Aware will provide the additional financial support needed to make these positions sustainable. 30% of OOTL’s 2024 operating budget is grant-based, with the remaining funds coming from individual contributions and sponsorships. |
| 4. Summary | In summary, Out On The Lakeshore seeks to provide the robust, sustainable services needed to foster safe and supportive spaces for the LGBTQ+ community in Holland and the greater lakeshore area. To do this, OOTL requests $10,000 of funding to support with increased staffing and facilitation expenses. This will increase our capacity and reduce turnover rates, creating a sustainable future for programming and, most importantly, the individuals benefiting from these services. |
| 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 | 04/30/2024 |
| Ready to Submit |
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