The 2020 Better Together application window has closed. Grant recipients will be notified by July 31st.
Better Together Grants Program
2020 Program Overview
Program Flyer
Grant Application
(on next page, download form using the arrow in the top right corner before filling in information)
Resident-owned communities and their Members in our Network take pride in their neighborhoods. It’s part of what inspired them to purchase their neighborhood in the first place. The Better Together Grant Program mirrors that spirit, providing funding for projects meant to help ROCs thrive.
In October 2010, the ROC leaders who attended the Community Leadership Institute in Louisville developed a community grants program idea that would both help fellow ROCs as well as engage new leadership in the co-op. The ROC USA® Board of Directors has included the grants in the budget since 2010.
In 2019, the ROC Association funded a separate rebranding grant. This grant provides funding for communities to make improvements to public-facing portions of their ROC, such as naming, signage, websites, letterhead and print collateral materials. Why is rebranding important? Basically, it helps shape how people view your community. This grant also allows for ROCs to replace outdated wording with terms that better represent their resident-owned community.
This year, these grants are combined into one fund — the Better Together Grant Program for Community Projects and Rebranding.
COMMUNITY PROJECTS
Description: Projects should meet a compelling community need, with priority given to those that meet a health and safety need. Examples include security lighting, safety fencing, a bus shelter, playground, speed bumps, or repairs to a community center. The project should benefit your ROC in a visible way.
REBRANDING
Description: Rebranding projects can include legal name changes or new d/b/a (“doing business as” names), new signage, new letterhead and collateral material, a website redesign or new website (including ROC USA-provided websites). Basically, something that presents a new image to the Membership and general public that is a basic change in the outgoing message.
FUNDING
Individual grant amounts: Up to $2,000
Total funds available: $15,000
ELIGIBILITY
Any ROC with a current or past Technical Assistance Contract with a ROC USA® Network Certified TA Provider is eligible to apply. Awardees of last year’s Better Together Grants are not eligible for this year’s awards.
GRANT GUIDELINES
- ROCs must submit their application directly to ROC USA®, and must apply using the supplied application.
- Project Coordinators must explain how the project was identified and selected, present the project to the Board or Membership for approval, organize the project, oversee the project, and prepare a brief report following its completion. Directors may serve on the project team, but not in a leadership position. Given the need to socially distance, please describe if the process can be completed while providing proper distancing.
- The project must be voted on and approved by the Board of Directors.
- Before, during and after photos must be taken and provided to ROC USA as part of the grant reporting process.
IMPORTANT DATES
Application deadline: July 19, 2020
Approval announcement: July 31, 2020
Project completion deadline: December 31, 2020
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
ROC Association Directors will be responsible for approving grant applications. See ROC Association section of ROCUSA.org to learn more about these ROC leaders. In no case will these Directors comment or vote on an application from their ROC. Our goal is a fair process of project selection.
If you have questions, please email Lorie Cahill, Mountain-West ROC Association Director at west@rocassociation.org.