The Affari Edge Blog

Affari Edge
Social Media Grant Program

Affari Edge, a local authority on using social media, is offering a grant up to $5,000 in social media consulting and training services for Tampa Bay area non-profit organizations. These services, to be offered over the course of six months, will include:

• An initial consultation with the selected organization to review the organization’s mission, current needs and challenges, and current outreach efforts, including marketing and advertising.
• A comprehensive social media plan, analyzing all forms of social media for the propriety in furthering the mission, meeting the needs, or complimenting the outreach efforts of the organization.
• Presentation of the plan to the Board of Directors of the organization.
• Training of select organization staff or volunteers on the use of the various social media.
• Ongoing technical support for 6 months of the grant.
• Initial plan to advertise and market the social media aspect of the organization.

Some services will not be included in the free consultation, but may be offered at a reduced rate to the selected organization. These services include, but are not limited to:

• Production of audio (podcasts) or video (vlogs or viral videos);
• Hosting of social media site, if the service is not compatible with the existing website; and
• Web or graphic design, if appropriate, for any new web presence (i.e. blog, MySpace profile, etc).

Any applicant that is not awarded the grant may apply for future grants from Affari Edge, if any are awarded. Additionally, Affari Edge may propose other options for any applicant, when appropriate.

» ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Any organization submitting an application must:

• Be registered with the Florida Division of Corporations;
• Be a 501(c)(3) designated nonprofit organization, with designation prior to December 31, 2003;
• Be based in the Tampa Bay area (Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, or Polk Counties);
• Not be a political, labor, fraternal, governmental or educational organization;
• Not be a religious organization without a community designation ; and
• Not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, race, religious creed, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, martial status, age or gender in both its hiring practice and its mission.

» PROCESS

1. Applicants must fully complete and submit the application at the end of this document. Incomplete applications will not be returned, regardless of their submission date.

2. Only one application may be submitted per organization.

3. Applications must be received by 5:00pm on May 15, 2007. An email acknowledgement will be sent within 24 hours of receipt.

4. Applicants must include proof of 501(c)(3) status with their application.

5. All applications become the property of Affari Edge and are not subject to non-disclosure agreements.

» AWARD ACCEPTANCE

The process for reviewing applications and granting the award will be as follows:
1. Applications will be reviewed for completeness as they are received.

2. On or shortly after May 16, 2007, Affari Edge will review applicants for meeting the minimum requirements. Those that meet the requirements will be reviewed by Affari Edge staff.

3. The grantee will be selected on or before May 23, 2007 and will be notified via telephone.

The grantee must sign a consulting contract for the period of the grant that will spell out, in greater detail the terms of the grant.

The organization selected for this grant agrees to be a case study that Affari Edge can use as necessary for any future activity.

» APPLICATION
Please download, complete and return the application (PDF) to Affari Edge by May 15, 2007.
For more information contact

Jim Johnson, Director of Public Strategies
4601 West Kennedy Blvd, Suite 303 • Tampa, FL 33609
(813) 282-3611