2023 grant guidelines

FAQs and guidelines for grant applications

The New Jersey Civic Information Consortium (NJCIC), a first-in-the-nation initiative to grow access to local news and information, is accepting applications between Feb. 1, 2023 and March 31, 2023, for its spring 2023 open round of funding for grants up to $100,000, focusing on the following key areas. Please note that the Consortium seeks especially to prioritize projects that address information gaps and news deserts, educate aspiring media makers of color, and/or serve marginalized communities.

— The journalism pipeline, specifically projects that train students, professionals and community members to provide civic information and become community storytellers. The Consortium encourages collaboration among and between such groups.

— Programs/projects that encourage/support civic engagement in New Jersey communities, especially those that have been traditionally marginalized.

— Nonpartisan civic voter information, election reporting, and election-related projects, particularly those that address mis- and disinformation and seek to get trustworthy, relevant, and timely information to the public toward more informed and participatory elections.

ELIGIBILITY

— The state law that created the Civic Information Consortium requires that groups receiving grants must work in partnership with a faculty member, graduate student, or program, center, or institute at one of the Consortium’s member universities: Montclair State University, Rutgers University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rowan University, The College of New Jersey, and Kean University.  We strongly encourage you to reach out to potential partners as soon as you begin the application process. They may be helpful in shaping the proposal and providing other valuable advice regarding your idea/proposal.

If you have difficulty, or don’t know how to reach out to potential university partners, the Consortium can assist in connecting you with an interested faculty member, graduate student or staff member at a program, center or institute at a member university. Preference will be given to applicants who have a partnership or an agreement on a partnership already in place when applying.

— The Consortium cannot make grants to individuals. The lead organization applying for a grant must be nonprofit, tax exempt 501(c)(3) organizations, or fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) organization. The Consortium will consider applications from partnerships between a for-profit and non-profit on projects that serve a public good.

— Organizations that have already received a grant from the Consortium are eligible to apply again.

The Consortium, the member universities and the State of New Jersey will not hold any financial or ownership stake in any project and cannot exercise any editorial control in any project.

PROCESS

The application deadline is 5 p.m. EST on March 31, 2023.

— After the deadline applications will be screened by Consortium staff, with possible assistance from members of the Grants Committee of the Board of Directors. During the review process, you may be contacted for follow-up information.

— Final decisions will be made by the Consortium Board of Directors.

— All applicants will be notified of the board’s decisions.

OPEN PUBLIC RECORDS ACT (OPRA)

The Open Public Records Act (OPRA) is a New Jersey statute that governs the public’s access to government records in New Jersey. Because NJCIC receives funding from the State of New Jersey, applicants should be aware that all grant applications are subject to OPRA requests.

IMPACT TRACKING

As part of your grant with the Civic Information Consortium we will ask you to work with us to track the impact of your project. We want to learn about the impact from CIC-funded projects on three levels:

— Impact of grantee work on communities. (Is the work being done by grantees having the desired impact on the community? Any local- or state-level policy outcomes as a result of grantee work? Has there been a noticeable/measurable increase in civic participation?)

— Impact of CIC program on individual grantees. (Grantee learnings and/or development as a result of the grant.)

— Impact of CIC program/grant on local news and information ecosystem(s). (Were there any new investigations begun? Were new relationships formed among grantees?)

We are encouraging grantees to think from the beginning (or even before you begin) about impact and how you can track impact, so that it occurs organically throughout the progress of the project rather than in retrospect, at the end, when information may have been lost or missed.

To this end we are asking all grantees to agree to the following, as a condition of the grant:

— Work with our researcher by promptly scheduling calls, and responding to requests for information.

— Complete full and timely pre-, mid-, and post- project surveys.

— Make impact data available to our researcher.

Please see the application document for further detailed questions about impact tracking as part of this grant.

TO APPLY

To apply, visit our application page. All applicants will need to first create an account before proceeding with the application.

CONTACT THE CONSORTIUM

If you have technical difficulty with accessing or completing the application, please email [email protected] for assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who is eligible to apply for funding?

The Civic Information Consortium provides grants for initiatives to benefit the State’s civic life and meet the evolving information needs of New Jersey’s communities. All grantees must have evidence of a collaboration between at least one member of the faculty, graduate student, or staff member of a program, center or institute of a Consortium member university. Preference will be given to applicants who have a partnership or an agreement on a partnership already in place when applying.

Funding can only be provided to nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. If your organization does not have 501(c)(3) status, then you must be fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) organization.

Do I have to have a university partner to initially pitch a project?

You do not need a university partner to apply for a grant from the Consortium, but you will need one to receive a grant. If you do not have a university partner we will work to connect you with an interested faculty member, graduate student, or staff member of a program, center, or institute at one of the six member universities. The universities make their own decisions on whether or not to work with an applicant.

Does the university partner have to be in the journalism or communications departments?

No. We realize that at times the best partner may be in another department or school at a member university. A project may need subject matter expertise in a particular academic discipline or have a project that requires advice or a skill set in an area outside of journalism and/or communications. We encourage you to find the best fit.

What role does the university partner play?

The role of the university partner is up to you and your university partner to develop. The role can be one of an advisor or consulting resource that you can tap for advice and guidance. It could be one of a more hands-on manager or resource to provide strategic direction or research assistance, or it simply could be to provide administrative support.

When will I hear back from you about the status of my application? 

The review process will start after the application deadline. We may reach out to you during the review process with any questions. Grant awards are anticipated to be made in mid-May.

Who should fill out the application? Do you need one application per project?

The application should be completed by the project manager or leader, ideally a member of the project team who is the best point of contact. Applications should be limited to one per project.

What is the grant period? 

In most circumstances, the grant period is for up to one year of application approval, and projects should be completed during this time period. In limited cases, multi-year grants will be considered.

Grantees are expected to be in communication with the Consortium to provide updates on their activities and anticipated timeline. The Consortium will work with grantees to develop a timeline for updates during the grant period.

Will I have to file a report after the grant period ends?

Yes, you will need to submit a report to the Consortium after the grant period ends. We want to build impact tracking into all grants, so our work together can be documented. The Consortium will work with grantees to determine appropriate documentation for your project.

How will I reference the source of this money in any publication?

To name how your grant is funded, you can say something along the lines of: “This project is funded by a grant from the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium, an independent nonprofit organization that received public funding to support quality local journalism, promising media startups and other efforts meant to better inform people and encourage civic participation.”

How detailed of a budget do you need?

We’d like to know how you plan on spending the grant, but we understand there may be unexpected costs. So, please show how you anticipate the money will be spent, which could include staffing, payment of freelancers or community members, events, and any overhead costs.

What can I use the money for?

The money can be used for project costs such as back office support, research, staffing, student support, etc. We don’t need to know the exact details, but we do need an estimated budget and how the money is shared among project partners.

What if we need more than the maximum amount allowed to do our project?

Unfortunately, at this time we can’t provide additional funding to projects beyond their grant. We know the grants may not cover everything you intend to do, so we encourage you to be intentional about how you are budgeting for this project. We’ll have future opportunities to apply for grants, and we’d encourage those who received initial funding to continue to apply for more funding at that time, if they are interested.

What if we don’t spend all the money?

Money awarded by the Civic Information Consortium should be used to support the project you apply for. If you haven’t spent all the funds awarded, we’ll work with you to return them, extend the timeline of your project, or find other ways that the funds can be used to achieve the outcomes you anticipate for your project.

How should the money be split between entities? Does it have to be split in any certain ways?

No. That will have to be determined by the collaborators on the project.

What paperwork will you need from me to disburse the grant?

Proof of your organization’s IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, or that of your 501(c)(3) nonprofit partner as the fiscal agent.

What if our project runs into problems after it starts and we need to change its focus?

Things change, and we will work with grantees in case any major shifts in focus occur. We are investing in your project and project partners, so we’re confident that you’ll be able to do excellent work, even if it looks a little different from what you originally pitched.

Does state money mean state control?

No. While we receive public funding, we are an independent nonprofit overseen by a board of directors. The state law creating the Consortium specifically states that the State of New Jersey, the Consortium and the member universities do not have editorial control or any ownership stake in any project funded.

Can an organization submit multiple distinct projects for consideration?

Yes. You can submit an application for any project that you believe would meet the criteria to receive a grant.

What if you haven’t answered my question in these FAQs?

Let us know! We know we haven’t anticipated everything. Email [email protected]. You can also sign up for updates by clicking here.