| Organization information | |
|---|---|
| Organization Name | 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. | Music acquisition $2,000 |
| 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 received funding from AWARE in the past. Our key programs, and member preference based on a January 2024 LCC survey, include: |
| Please provide a listing of the Officers and Board members of your organization. | Shirley Sutton, President |
| Your Contact Information | Shirley Sutton |
| Phone | 269-214-7863 |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Scoring Criteria | |
| 1. Description of the Organization (maximum 5 points, please limit to ½ pages) | Our approximately 55 Lakeshore Community Chorus (LCC) members and staff represent nine communities surrounding the Saugatuck/Douglas lakeshore reaching from West Olive to South Haven, and as far east as Allegan. Our members range in age from 16 to 80+, and approximately one-third of our members identify as LGBTQ. Program participants include brass, percussion, and string accompanists, visual and audio technology, and occasional guest soloists. LCC Chorus Goals LCC Community Goals As a result of our broad membership representation, we draw audiences from geographic locations as far away as neighboring states, which offers great exposure to our community. Event attendees always include partners, families and friends of the chorus participants, and families of the high school choruses with whom we collaborate. Because our community is a tourist destination, we often see new faces in the audience. Most of our performances reach near venue capacity. |
| 2. Funding Request (maximum 35 points, total, please limit to 1 page) | Music acquisition - Although we maintain a music library inventory, we purchase new pieces for each performance session depending on the theme and desire to acquire more contemporary compositions. All newly purchased music is added to our library collection. Musician accompanists - With rare exception, we incorporate professional musicians for our performances. The addition of brass, percussion, strings, and other instruments add much to a vocal ensemble. This exposes the audience to instrumental music, and also acts as a positive influence for young audience members who might consider instrumental performance as an occupation or avocation. Sound and Lighting - Our performances are held at Saugatuck Center for the Arts. Quality performances in this venue require support by sound and lighting professionals. Access to a contemporary and well-rounded music library, professional instrumentalists, and professional sound and lighting technicians are essential to high quality choral performance for our community. |
| 3. Funding Justification (maximum 40 points, please limit to 1 page) | Amounts requested are based on relevant expense line item costs from the performances in fall 2022, spring 2023, and fall 2023. Precise expenses depend on the artistic director’s concert themes and other variables such as the number of singers participating in each session. Should these line items - music, musicians, and sound/lighting - cost more than estimated, we will fund the excess via our revenue stream. That stream includes donor contributions, participation fees, ticket sales, and grants. Should the same line items come under the estimated amount we could certainly return the unused funds, or apply that money to other worthwhile LCC expenses with your permission. As a growing nonprofit arts organization, we find ourselves faced with increasing operating costs for staff salaries, venue expenses, licensing fees, equipment costs, health and safety initiatives, marketing, and website presence, to mention a few. By offsetting the costs of our requests, it frees us up to focus on Our Mission - to foster community engagement by performing diverse choral music and sponsoring related programs for the education and enjoyment of members and audiences in our surrounding lakeshore communities. 2023 Operating Funds Calculations: |
| 4. Summary | Lakeshore Community Chorus recognizes that choral music is an important part of our arts community. The impact of singing on singers and audiences members alike is well researched and documented, including positive cognitive, emotional, and social effects. We provide inspiration, reflection, and joy as consistently reported by concert attendees and musicians. A community supportive of and sensitive to excellence in the arts deserves performances that demonstrate excellence in singing quality, varied and up-to-date selections, superior acoustic and lighting support. Listening to choral performance unites and uplifts the audience. Audience members have declared, “What an extremely talented and dedicated group of musicians. Their concerts are a Must See!” and “Such a magical experience. I’m ready for the holidays to begin!” Lakeshore Community Chorus singers anticipate both rehearsal and performance, reporting stress relief, a sense of belonging, acceptance, a creative outlet, opportunity for growth at any age, delight at interactions across generations, support, challenge, and improved self-esteem. One LCC member observed, "In order to make beautiful music none of us can create harmonious chords on our own, we must do so with a sense of community." |
| 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 | 04/29/2024 |
| Ready to Submit |
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