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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGrant Request - Icon CityEconomic Development Fund Discretionary Grant Program Organization: Icon City Organization Description: This organization, which was established in 2009, works to create awareness and solutions for urgent social needs. Awareness is created through outreach events such as Tower Theatre Concerts, weekly food and supplies distribution and the "Be Remedy" texts. The group also works directly with homeless teens and adults through weekly food and supply distribution. Project Name: "Be Remedy" Text Initiative Project Description: "Be Remedy" is a text line which works to connect locally available resources with the individuals and families who are in need. Through "Be Remedy," a weekly text message is sent to the community asking for help meeting a specific need. Recipients respond indicating their ability to meet the need. This organization coordinates getting the items to those in need. Thus far 25 requests have been made. All were met within a week of the message being sent. The grant funds will be used to purchase a platform license ($1,200); sending 75,000 text messages ($1,500); 5 Keyword Leases ($450); Data Tracking Application ($1,000); Outreach Video ($1,500). Project Period: July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012 Amount of Request: $5,000 (Estimated annual cost $5,600) Previous Grants: None Deschutes County Board of Commissioners 1300 NW Wall St., Bend, OR 97701-1960 (541) 388-6570 - Fax (541) 385-3202 - www.deschutes.org DESCHUTES COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION Direct Application to: Commissioner Tammy Baney Commissioner Anthony DeBone Date: 418111 Project Name: Project Beginning Date: Amount of Request: Applicant/Organization: Address: Commissioner Alan Unger All Three Commissioners r\st4cov ley.; 5r cora Project End Date: Date Funds Needed: Tax ID #: City & Zip: =Gc�tl C T i P.o . 8©x '7322_ Contact Name(s): Fax: chit BACH Alternate Phone: Telephone: 641-848466-1 Email: 01101 t 1 21-Z1Ai-I 1-4h gC.-4L 91 08 404— 86D I - 3.205 fim iConc. , uS On a separate sheet, please briefly answer the following questions: 1. Describe the applicant organization, including its purpose, leadership structure, and activities. 2. Describe the proposed project or activity. 3. Provide a timeline for completing the proposed project or activity. 4. Explain how the proposed project or activity will impact the community's economic health. 5. Identify the specific communities or groups that will benefit. 6. Itemize anticipated expenditures*. Describe how grant funds will be used and include the source and amounts of matching funds or in-kind contributions, if any. If the grant will support an ongoing activity, explain how it will be funded in the future. Attach: Proof of the applicant organization's non-profit status. *Applicant may be contacted during the review process and asked to provide a complete line item budget. Tammy Baney: Amount: Signature: Anthony DeBone: Amount: Signature: Alan Unger: Amount: Signature: ICON City 1. Organizational Information a. Organization Icon City began its work in June of 2009 and received formal 501(c)(3) status in March of 2010 as a community outreach organization. Icon City began as a group of Bend residents who were seeing the needs in their community grow while at the same time resources were diminishing. Icon City saw this as an opportunity to create a paradigm shift. The question was asked, "What if the resources that are needed are already here? What if they are in us? What if they are in our communities and their residents?" As these questions arose, Icon City began to move. The first awareness event was held at the Tower Theatre in March of 2010 and has consistently take place on the first Sunday of each month. These events make use of music and the arts as a platform for community education on issues relating to poverty. Every Sunday, Icon City distributes meals and provides supplies to local homeless youth, adults and families in downtown Bend. In ongoing efforts to provide an outlet for community participation, Icon City began to utilize the text to give line now known as "Be Remedy". "Be Remedy" has become a major part of what Icon does to connect the needs of the community with viable solutions (see info on "Be Remedy" under Activities below). b. Purpose The purpose of Icon City as fully stated in its mission is to "create awareness and solutions for urgent social needs". Awareness is created through outreach events such as Tower Theatre Concerts, weekly food and supplies distribution, and the BE Remedy "text to give" campaign. Solutions are created through a facilitated community response to the needs highlighted during Tower Theatre Concerts and through the "Be Remedy" texts. Icon city also works directly with homeless teens and adults through, weekly food and supplies distribution. c. Leadership & Organizational Structure Leadership and direction are provided to Icon City by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Directors are integral in the creation of Icon City programs as well as resource development. The Board has a wide range of non-profit, business, housing and strategic planning experience. The current Icon City Board of Directors are: Tim Bach, Manager, Stillwater Fly Shop and Icon City Executive Director/Board Chair Lonnie Chapin, Clear 101.7 Morning Show Host, Combined Communications Wade Williams, Cultural Architect, Once Upon a Napkin, LLC Brooke Williams, Demand Creation Assistant, FRONTLINE Selling, LLC Kenny LaPoint, Housing and Resident Services Director, Housing Works and Families Forward The Executive Director is critical to an organization's capacity to develop and provide programs and resources. Icon City's Executive Director, Tim Bach brings over 20 years of non-profit and community outreach experience. This experience includes leading large venue concerts as well as motivational speaking in public schools and at youth camps. Tim's leadership and communication skills help raise awareness while also driving volunteer leaders and support to the social needs of Central Oregon As an organization, Icon City functions without any paid staff or leased office space. This structure facilitates low overhead cost which allows a majority of resources to be dedicated to direct service and/or programming d. Activities A major activity of Icon City is a monthly outreach event, which is held at the Tower Theatre in Bend. This event is designed to bring awareness to the needs of our community through the use of music and the arts. Each event is designed to bring awareness ending in a call to action that provides opportunity and encouragement for public participation. The event also provides a platform for local agencies to educate the community on what they are doing in the poverty reduction arena. The community is encouraged to come alongside these agencies through volunteer support and donations. As Icon City continues to grow, these outreach events will span beyond the Tower Theatre and out into community activities (e.g. Summer Fest, Munch and Music, Sagebrush Classis). Another regular activity of Icon City is weekly food and supply distribution in the downtown Bend area. Every Sunday afternoon, Icon City volunteers provide warm meals and supplies to homeless and less fortunate individuals and families. Regularly distributed supplies include blankets, sleeping bags, clothing and toiletry kits. Volunteers also provide resource information for local housing, employment and other social service agencies. "Be Remedy" has become a major part of Icon City's regular community outreach. "Be Remedy" is a text line which works to connect locally available resources with the individuals and families who are in need. Through "Be Remedy", Icon City sends a weekly text message out to the community asking for help meeting a need (e.g. single mother needs crib and mattress for newborn). Recipients respond to the text, via text, letting Icon City know that they have the ability to meet the need. Icon City then coordinates getting the needed items into the hands of the household requesting help. Currently there are 443 registered individuals signed up to receive the weekly "Be Remedy" texts. To sign up, an individual must text the word "ICON" to 80565 on their mobile phone. That person will then be on the list to receive the weekly message. To stop this service, the person may text the word "STOPIT" to 80565.Since program inception in June 2010, the "Be Remedy" text line has sent out over 5400 text messages, highlighting over 25 community needs. We are proud to say that all needs sent out have been met within the week they were sent. 2. Proposed Project "BE Remedy" (see above under Activities) The project we are proposing is the "Be Remedy" text line. Over the next year, Icon City foresees expanding the "Be Remedy" text line to include the greater Deschutes County area. Icon City has a goal of signing up over 1,000 individuals and families by June 2012. In order to reach the expansion goal, outreach will be necessary. This outreach will educate additional communities and agencies on the use and benefits of "Be Remedy". Targeted outreach areas include Bend, LaPine, Sunriver, Redmond and Sisters. Outreach will be conducted through a video awareness campaign, highlighting the efforts of "Be Remedy". The video will include start to finish instructions on how to become a part of the "Be Remedy" movement. As an outreach tool, video has proven to be a very effective, economical way to engage people throughout the community. The "Be Remedy" Bend video may be viewed at: http://www.iconcity.us/BeRemedy 3. Project Timeline July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012 4. Community Impact We anticipate the "Be Remedy" text line to have a two -fold impact on our community. This impact stretches from low-income families to social service agencies. First of all it will provide much needed items for low-income families in our community. This will relieve the financial strain low-income families experience trying to meet the needs of their households, thus allowing income earners to focus their attention on basic essentials (e.g. bills, employment, transportation, etc). Second, providing for these needs will free up resources from social service agencies. For example, a recent "Be Remedy" beneficiary, a formerly homeless family, was provided with a washer and dryer for their new home. If the family had purchased a washer and dryer on her own, it would have taken away from monies available to pay rent and utilities. When the time came to pay these bills, the family may have needed to seek out the help of agencies such as Neighborlmpact, who provides assistance for both rent and utilities. This would have reduced assistance available to other vulnerable families in the community. Therefore the provision of "Be Remedy" prevented this family from needing such assistance or possibly becoming homeless again. 5. Benefiting Groups and Communities "Be Remedy" will provide benefit to low-income individuals and families in Deschutes County as well as local social service agencies. 6. Anticipated Expenditures Currently, all Icon City programs and outreach events are funded through the investment of private donors. As programs grow and thrive, local communities are asked to assist through volunteer efforts and/or monetary donations. a. Be Remedy Costs Operational Costs Platform License = $1,200.00 75,000 individual text messages (bulk pricing) = $1,500.00 (sufficient to provide for expansion) 5 Keyword Leases (for individual communities) Keyword Lease (e.g. "Bend", "La Pine", "Sisters", "Redmond")= $450.00 Data Tracking (personalized user face, tracks specified information for specific communities) Tracking Application: $1,000.00 Outreach and Production Outreach Video=$1,500.00 Total Estimated Annual Costs $5,650.00 Total Funds Requested $5,000.00 b. Sustainability Icon City will continue to request for monetary contributions from private donors while also identifying and applying for available grants to fund the operation of "Be Remedy". Currently, Icon City has funding available to operate "Be Remedy" on an on-going basis in the Bend area. Funding made available by Deschutes County would provide the resources needed to expand into the great Deschutes County area. Other Icon City Info Website: www.iconcity.us Be Remedy Video: http://www.iconcity.us/BeRemedy INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE P. O. BOX 2508 CINCINNATI, OH 45201 Date: )UL 08 2010 ICON CITYINC 925 NW WALL ST STE 202 BEND, OR 97701 Dear Applicant: DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Employer Identification Number: 27-2141146 DLN: 600131026 Contact Person: JOHN JENNEWEIN ID# 31307 Contact Telephone Number: (877) 829-5500 Accounting Period Ending: December 31 Public Charity Status: 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) Form 990 Required: Yes Effective Date of Exemption: March 17, 2010 Contribution Deductibility: Yes Addendum Applies: No We are pleased to inform you that upon review of your application for tax exempt status we have determined that you are exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to you are deductible under section 170 of the Code. You are also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under section 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the Code. Because this letter could help resolve any questions regarding your exempt status, you should keep it in your permanent records. Organizations exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Code are further classified as either public charities or private foundations. We determined that you are a public charity under the Code section(s) listed in the heading of this letter. Please see enclosed Publication 4221 -PC, Compliance Guide for 501(c)(3) Public Charities, for some helpful information about your responsibilities as an exempt organization. Letter 947 (DO/CG) -2 - ICON CITY INC We have sent a copy of this letter to your representative as indicated in your power of attorney. Enclosure: Publication 4221 -PC Robert Choi Director, Exempt Organizations Rulings and Agreements Letter 947 (DO/CO)