CIVICS EDUCATION INITIATIVE

*** Next sponsorship round opens July 1, 2023 ***

TEACHING THE VALUE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

A sponsorship program to expand knowledge of and appreciation for the fundamentals of Oregon’s government.

The Oregon State Capitol Foundation established the Civics Education Initiative sponsorship program to fund projects and programs that educate adults and students about Oregon’s legislative process, budgeting, executive and administrative functions, governmental history and the essential importance of citizen involvement in all phases of public policy decision-making.

The Capitol Foundation encourages organizations with existing or aspiring civics education projects and programs to apply for support from this initiative. The Capitol Foundation and its Education Committee believes that the more Oregonians learn about, appreciate and directly involve themselves in the processes of democracy, the more effective our state’s government will be.

The Capitol Foundation Education Committee will evaluate CEI applications for their alignment with the Capitol Foundation’s mission to preserve our Capitol, share its history and engage Oregonians in our democracy. In addition, the Committee will evaluate applications for the quality of their proposals, funding plans, community need and participation.

CEI sponsorship amount

The Capitol Foundation budgeted $50,000 for fiscal year 2022-23 for CEI sponsorships. The Capitol Foundation anticipates that the CEI budget will be shared among several successful applicants but has no minimum or maximum limits on individual applications.

Types of eligible programs

The Capitol Foundation expects to receive a variety of creative proposals designed to:

Expand civics education classroom and extracurricular activities.
Provide experiences for Oregonians to learn about the fundamentals of government.
Inspire civic engagement and public service.
Support travel costs for groups to visit the Oregon State Capitol.
Share the history of our Capitol and local and state governments.
Tell the stories of Oregonians who made a difference in Oregon’s civic life.
Support research or advanced study of significant public policy topics.

Evaluation criteria

Applicants must provide evidence of:

A need for and benefits of the program.
Community and partnership support of the program.
Adequate skill and capacity to administer and manage the program, including project management, financial planning, budgeting, administration and progress reporting.
Clear program objectives, timelines and measures of success.
Core values of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Application review, selection and award process

The Capitol Foundation will confirm receipt of CEI application.
The Capitol Foundation staff will screen applications for completeness, contacting the applicant if additional information or clarification is required prior to the formal review process.
The Capitol Foundation Education Committee will evaluate and score applications.
The Committee will bring its recommendations to the Capitol Foundation Board for final evaluation.
Once an award decision is made, Capitol Foundation staff will notify the applicant.
Applicants may check on the status of their application 75 days after submission by contacting the Capitol Foundation at 503-363-1859.

Sponsorship agreement

Shortly after notification of an award, the successful applicant will receive a Sponsorship Agreement form from the Oregon State Capitol Foundation. By signing the Sponsorship Agreement, the applicant accepts the award for the purposes outlined in its application and those purposes described in the Agreement.

Sponsorship management reporting

After the signed Sponsorship Agreement is received, the Oregon State Capitol Foundation will transmit the entirety of the approved sponsorship award to the applicant. Applicant will return unused funds to the Capitol Foundation within 60 days of completion of the project or program.

The applicant will provide the Capitol Foundation with a program status report halfway through the program or project completion. When the applicant completes the program or project, they will provide a final report to the Capitol Foundation detailing accomplishments and revenues and expenses per the Sponsorship Agreement. Report details will be tailored to individual awards.