| Organization information | |
|---|---|
| Organization Name | Center for Dispute Resolution / DBA Mediation Services |
| Please tell us the amount of funding you are requesting Aware to raise for your organization from the Aware annual fundraising event. | We are requesting $4,500 from Aware to help with increased operating expenses associated with providing our service which promotes peace throughout Allegan County. |
| 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 never applied for funding from Aware. Last year, we served 252 Allegan County residents both adults and children of all ages. We have been serving Allegan County for 30-years and while each year this number fluctuates, we serve on average between 200- 300 Allegan County residents each year. |
| Please provide a listing of the Officers and Board members of your organization. | Mediation Services Board of Directors 2023 Judy Graff (President,) Conrad Mutschler (Past President, 12/2020) Jolene Clearwater, J.D. David Carbajal, CPA Susan Klooz, M.A., J.D. (Past President, 12/2020 Mike Van Ast , (Treasurer 1/2023) William Brown Sharmila Rajani, J.D. Robert Nida Charles Elwood Alberto Serrano Jennell Challa |
| Your Contact Information | Penny Shuff |
| Phone | 312-208-2706 |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Scoring Criteria | |
| 1. Description of the Organization (maximum 5 points, please limit to ½ pages) | We provide mediation or dispute resolution services for Allegan County residents of all walks of life. This service is facilitated by our trained volunteer mediators who lead discussions aimed at resolving entrenched conflicts. Our goal is to offer affordable, confidential, and successful mediation to anyone who needs it. In this highly conflicted world, Mediation Services is promoting peace at a time when Allegan County residents need it the most. |
| 2. Funding Request (maximum 35 points, total, please limit to 1 page) | Support from Aware would help make it possible for each mediation to take place by helping to financially support our staff. Our small team (4) work tirelessly to facilitate each mediation. This means they contact the participants and explain the process to each person and conduct a lengthy domestic violence screening to ensure a safe environment for the mediation. These 40 questions are required by state law. This can be a very heavy and emotional step. Our staff then schedules two volunteer mediators for each mediation and continues to facilitate, especially during on-line mediations. Staff provide logistical support by distributing electronic consent forms, participant surveys, and draft agreements. They then electronically sent agreements to everyone involved, for their endorsement. All documents are then sent to the Allegan County Court System. The AWARE funding would also make it possible for Mediation Services to train and coordinate our team of volunteer mediators. This ongoing training is expensive and requires private funding sources. |
| 3. Funding Justification (maximum 40 points, please limit to 1 page) | The funds requested will be used only to support a portion of our operating expenses for our Allegan Mediation Program. In 2022, this program cost a total of $93,040. We served 252 Allegan County residents last year, both adults and children. Dividing that cost by the number of people served results in a $369 per person cost including both cash and in-kind expenses. This year, operating expenses across the board have increased due to inflation and rising health insurance costs for our staff. We have trimmed budget projections for this year's budget to $75,299 by cutting back on in-person training and marketing and outreach items. Are agency budget is a mixture of both private and public sources. Government grants from contracts and the State Court Administrative Office make up about 26% of the budget for this program. But these state grant dollars do not match the actual cost of providing the service. The Allegan County Community Foundation and the Allegan County United Way are long term supporters providing another 25% of the funding for this program. The rest of our budget we raise through private individual and corporate donations. Last year, the United Church of Christ in Douglas MI recognized the value of our service and awarded Mediation Services our first grant. We remain laser focused on building relationships with other organizations like Aware to grow our base of financial supporters. |
| 4. Summary | In this conflicted world Mediation Services is promoting peace and stability. We offer a way for Allegan County residents to resolve their conflicts and maybe even avoid behavioral or mental health issues by participating in successful mediation. We never turn anyone away regardless of their ability to pay our low fee. But we need to partner with organizations like Aware in order to keep this commitment. Our strong volunteer base of nearly 45 mediators guides troubled residents through difficult mediation and need your support. Mediation Services is Efficient, Effective, Confidential and Reliable. |
| 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 | 04/25/2023 |
| Ready to Submit |
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