Fall 2012 Grant Requests
Name of Organization: / Adventure Works of DeKalb County, Inc. – Granted $3,144Contact Person/Title: / Lynette Spencer, Executive Director
Address: / 14 Health Services Drive
City/State/Zip: / DeKalb, Illinois 60115
Phone Number: / 815-758-8616, ext. 226
Fax Number: / 815-758-7569
Email: /
Website: /
Anticipated Project Dates:
A project completion goal date is set for January 30th, 2013
Total project cost:
$4,293.47
Amount Requested form DLRFF:
$3,143.50
Specific Purpose of Funds Requested:
Funds are requested for the capital purchase of camping gear including: 10 Therm-a-Rest Sleeping Pads $199.50 10 North Face Dolomite 3S Sleeping Bags $1,090.00 4 North Face Bedrock 3-4 Person Tents $1,436.00 2 North Face Rock 22 1-2 Person Tents $418.00
Evidence of need for your project:
Camping is a natural progression of the capacity building and program development for Adventure Works. It is an activity that offers the opportunity to teach self-sufficiency, personal responsibility, problem-solving, and to immerse our clients in nature. Many of the Adventure Works clients live in poverty and/or homelessness, which creates a poverty of experience. Without sufficient outdoor experience in childhood there is increased risk for inter-generational poverty, improper coping skills, and other problems, which can lead to substance use and/or mental health issues.
Plan for future funding of project:
Adventure Works (AW)groups are capped at a maximum of eight youth, which will prevent the need to purchase additional camping equipment in the future. The amount requested in this proposal will allow AW to implement the camping program and with proper handling and maintenance of the equipment AW will not need to make a similar purchase for many years. Any maintenance costs associated with the equipment will come from the operating budget, funded through a combination of revenue from donations, client fees, and the grant from The DeKalb County Community Mental Health Board.
Other grant or funding sources:
Adventure Works has $1,200.00 in savings earmarked for capacity building projects and will be used toward the purchases needed to complete the project. These purchases include: 10 Headlamps $199.99 Camp Lantern $79.99 Camp Stove $79.99 10 Hiking Packs $790.00
Targeted demographic group served by the project:
At-risk youth ages 11-21. "At-risk" includes but is not limited to youth living in poverty, homelessness, those exposed to domestic violence, as well as those who have a mental health or substance abuse diagnosis.
If collaborative, details of collaboration:
All of the programs provided by Adventure Works are collaborative in nature with Hope Haven and Safe Passage Shelters. Both organizations have representatives on the Adventure Works Board of Directors and their clients are given priority for all programs. Additionally, area counseling agencies such as Youth Service Bureau (YSB) refer clients to adventure therapy to assist their process with individuals and families. Group adventure therapy is a helpful accompaniment to the individual therapy process.
Activities planned to meet objectives:
Activities planned for the project are as follows: -Two and three day camping/canoeing river trips, local to the Northern Illinois area. -Overnight camping as a culmination activity for our six-week Wilderness Skills Therapy group, local to the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District. -One week Boundary Waters canoeing/camping expeditions for youth that can benefit from wilderness therapy immersion/expedition -Annual camping/kayaking weekend in Grand Marais, Michigan, funded by Kokotat and Downwind Sports kayaking communities.
General description of the project:
Adventure Works camping program will be launched in the spring of 2013. The DeKalb County Community Foundation has just granted Adventure Works funding for the purchase of canoes and associated equipment. Camping is a natural accompaniment to canoeing and will allow us to experience two and three day Kishwaukee River canoeing trips from May-October. Adventure Works is also fortunate to have donations for Boundary Waters guide services and the Great Lakes Sea Kayaking community donates registration and equipment for their annual symposium. All of these activities will be much easier to plan and manage with our own equipment, allowing more kids to participate while eliminating costs of equipment rental.
Expected benefits and outcomes of the project:
Camping allows Adventure Works to meet the various needs of the youth in our program. It provides benefits such as: -expanding personal vision and scope of possibility -helping kids learn care and respect for self, others, and the environment -developing self-sufficiency and self-discipline -learning to work with others through problem-solving, conflict resolution, and enhancing leadership -experiencing healthy risk-taking
Qualifications of key personnel involved:
Lynette Spencer is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Executive Director and Clinical Director of the agency, which she co-founded with Lesly Wicks, LCSW, Executive Director of Hope Haven. Patrick McMillion is a full-time therapist with Adventure Works and in addition to his Masters in Counseling from NIU, he is an EMT-Basic, Eagle Scout, and life-long experience in the outdoor/wilderness setting. Any additional staff needed for camping programs will be contracted through outfitters that specialize in the field of outdoor education and/or wilderness experiences.
How will you measure the results:
Adventure Works currently measures outcomes using the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale for Adolescents and the Daily Living Assessment (DLA-20) for children and adolescents. Both of these measures account for self-efficacy, personal responsibility, and others that are appropriate to the "40 Developmental Assets" and "Soft Skills" that are crucial to youth development. We are also in the process of program evaluation guided by two professors at the University of New Hampshire who are among the seven leading research scientists in the field of adventure therapy.
Approximate number of DeKalb county residents served by this project:
It is projected that this project will serve approximately 50-100 youth per year, with the potential to serve hundreds, if not thousands over the lifetime of this equipment.
Name of Organization: / Altrusa of DeKalb/Sycamore – Granted $325
Contact Person/Title: / Debbie Overbeck- Club Secretary
Address: / 1605 Carlisle Lane
City/State/Zip: / DeKalb, IL 60115
Phone Number: / 815-758-5042 or 815-751-5041
Fax Number: / 815-758-5042 (Call this number first, so that I can turn off answering machine to allow FAX to proceed)
Email: /
Website: / AltrusaInternational.com (our local website is presently under construction)
Anticipated Project Dates:
September 4, 2012 through May 10, 2013
Total project cost:
$325.00
Amount Requested form DLRFF:
$325.00
Specific Purpose of Funds Requested:
Five retired teachers desire to tutor/mentor students in a DeKalb School. By law, each needs to undergo a Federal Background check. The Regional Office of Education will do this at a cost of $65 per person. .
Evidence of need for your project:
This group of students was recommended to Altruas by Dr. James Briscoe, Superintendent. The administration applauded Altrusa's efforts to help.
Plan for future funding of project:
None at this time. Once our background check in on file with District #428, we can continue to worked with students in the district as volunteers.
Other grant or funding sources:
None. Altrusa is a service organization that contributes funding for Literacy Grants.
Targeted demographic group served by the project:
Middle School English Language Learners
If collaborative, details of collaboration:
This is the first time that DeKalb District 428 has collaborated with an outside organization.
Activities planned to meet objectives:
Volunteers will teach basic writing skills using The FOUR SQUARE WRITING Model to construct a basic piece of writing, including PERSUASIVE WRITNG And EXPOSITORY WRITING. Volunteers will assist students within Learning Centers.
General description of the project:
There is a population of students in the DeKalb School District who have been educated in their primary language of Spanish. Now, transitioning to Middle School, they will be expected to learn, speak, read and write in English. Presently in Illinois, these students do no qualify for any kind of Specialized Education. We propose that using skills of our volunteers will increase the learning time of these students and create positive role modeling.
Expected benefits and outcomes of the project:
Students will learn to learn, read, speak and write in English. Students will have a positive attitude toward education and their community. Students will become employable and contribute to the well-being of this community.
Qualifications of key personnel involved:
Each of the five volunteers are certified teachers and have experience working with special needs students.
How will you measure the results:
Reading word recognition, comprehension, and fluency will be pretested with age appropriate materials as deemed by Dist #428 administrators. Posttests will be given at the end of the year. Writing will be pre and posted using the Illinois State Standards rubrics for FOCUS, COMPOSITION, EXPANTION OF IDEA and CLOSURE.
Approximate number of DeKalb county residents served by this project:
At this time, 8-15 students. If the project is successful, we plan to expand the number of students served in following years.
Name of Organization: / DeKalb County KEYS Initiative – Granted $3,500
Contact Person/Title: / Mary Hess, Asset Specialist
Address: / 631 South First Street
City/State/Zip: / DeKalb, IL 60115
Phone Number: / 815.756.8501
Fax Number: / 815.756.5849
Email: /
Website: /
Anticipated Project Dates:
February 2013 - ongoing
Total project cost:
$14,500
Amount Requested form DLRFF:
$5,000 (amount changed to $3,500 11/19/2012)
Specific Purpose of Funds Requested:
To conduct Search Institute's Attitudes and Behaviors (Developmental Assets) survey in DeKalb and Sycamore middle and high schools.
Evidence of need for your project:
Since 2007, the KEYS Initiative has educated thousands of community members about the developmental assets, worked with local youth programs to develop ways to intentionally build assets, and has created programs and events specifically to promote and celebrate asset building efforts. This second survey will help us understand if our community has improved at developing these crucial assets in our youth.
Plan for future funding of project:
This particular project involving the surveys will not need to be conducted again for several years. However, KEYS will continue to seek funding (from private donors, grants, and through various annual fundraising activities) to continue operating the community initiative.
Other grant or funding sources:
Ideal Foundation (secured) DCCF (applied) Bickner Family Foundation (applied) KEYS fund (money raised from previous KEYS fundraisers)
Targeted demographic group served by the project:
DeKalb and Sycamore middle and high school youth will participate in the survey.
If collaborative, details of collaboration:
We have received overwhelming support of both DeKalb and Sycamore School Districts for this project. Letters of support from both districts are available for your review if necessary.
Activities planned to meet objectives:
- February 2013: Administer survey - April 2013: Receive/review reports - May 2013: Community event to release survey data - May 2013 and on-going: Additional survey results presentations to community groups
General description of the project:
As previously done in 2007, a survey prepared by The Search Institute will be given to students in DeKalb and Sycamore grades 6-12. The data from these analyzed surveys will tell us what areas of our community are fulfilling the needs of our youth, and where we may be perhaps lacking in particular areas. In addition, it will tell us if our community is performing better in regard to instilling developmental assets in area youth - per comparative data from the 2007 survey. The KEYS Initiative will share this information with the schools, community members, and many local organizations that can, in turn, evaluate and modify their programs to be more focused on positive youth development.
Expected benefits and outcomes of the project:
EXPECTED BENEFITS AND OUTCOMES The benefits of increasing the number of assets in DeKalb County youth include: 1. Young people will be less likely to experiment with risky and dangerous behaviors (drugs and alcohol, tobacco, violence, vandalism, and having premarital sex). 2. Young people with be more likely to act in positive ways (succeeding in school, exhibiting leadership qualities, and valuing diversity). 3. Young people will have a greater likelihood of bouncing back from difficult situations. This survey will allow us to have a better understanding of which assets are currently being met within our community, and which need to be addressed
Qualifications of key personnel involved:
Mary Hess has served as the Asset Specialist for DeKalb County KEYS for four years. Mary has a Bachelors Degree in Recreation and Park Administration and a Master’s Degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation. Mary has worked in the social services sector for 13 years, serves on many youth program committees and is an active volunteer in various organizations in the community. The KEYS steering committee is made up of key individuals from the non-profit, social service, business, education, and government sectors.
How will you measure the results:
The survey data will be compiled by the Search Institute and returned to us.
Approximate number of DeKalb county residents served by this project:
Approximately 5,500 youth will participate in survey. Dissemination of results will be to community members.
Name of Organization: / NIU Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability, and Energy (ESE Institute) – No Grant
Contact Person/Title: / Melissa Burlingame
Address: / 321 Health Services Building
City/State/Zip: / DeKalb, IL 60115
Phone Number: / 815-753-5987
Fax Number:
Email: /
Website: /
Anticipated Project Dates:
9/1/2012-8/31/2013
Total project cost:
$10,433
Amount Requested form DLRFF:
$4422
Specific Purpose of Funds Requested:
The funds will be used for the Green Lens Environmental Film Festival to cover marketing costs ($1000) and prizes for film festival winners ($2300). The marketing materials will include community posters, community banners, fliers, web-based ads to generate film submissions, and advertisements in the DeKalb Chronicle, WNIJ, and B95. Filmmaking is a costly venture and organizers want to reward brave and creative pursuits of artists and activists with worthwhile prizes. The amounts listed reflect prizes awarded by similarly-sized festivals: Best Narrative Short ($500); Best Documentary Short ($500); Audience Choice Award ($500); and Best Student Film ($300). In addition to these prizes, we will present a special award (which could be named after a funder) to honor the best film on sustainable agriculture ($500). We also request $1122 for Facilities and Administration costs. These costs are charged as a percentage of the modified total direct costs at a rate of 34.0% for other projects negotiated on September 21, 2011. This rate is set by the University’s Cognizant Audit Agency, the Department of Health and Human Services.
Evidence of need for your project:
Need for the Green Lens Environmental Film Festival is evidenced through the publicly-declared need for environmental literacy education in Illinois. The 2010 report “Environmental Literacy for Illinois: A Strategic Plan for Environmental Education in Illinois” acknowledged that limited grants are available for environmental education-related projects through a variety of funding sources, both private and public. The film festival meets the need for environmental literacy by providing several opportunities for non-formal education that include hands-on activities for participants of all age groups who are the current and future stewards of DeKalb County’s public spaces. Because so much of DeKalb County’s history and economy are tied to farming, organizers also want include works that speak to farmers about the environmental impacts and opportunities in agriculture. Additionally, the environmental film festival is needed because DeKalb County is an environmental non-profit desert; the only means for DeKalb County residents to gain an appreciation for environmental issues is through the Forest Preserve District, various Park Districts, student groups at NIU, or the newly formed DeKalb County Community Gardens organization.
Plan for future funding of project:
The plan for funding the Green Lens Environmental Film Festival into the future involves four main strategies: 1) submission fees will directly support the film portions of the festival; 2) excess funds from the 2013 festival will support the 2014 festival; 3) success from 2013 will be used to secure additional private donors from the community; and 4) long-term plans are being made to establish a university foundation account off of which interest will be used to pay for festival events.
Other grant or funding sources:
DCCF Grant ($4,838 pending), Community business donations ($750 anticipated), Film patron fees ($700 anticipated), Film submission fees ($300 anticipated), NIU Outreach ($1000 committed), NIU ESE Institute ($750 committed).
Targeted demographic group served by the project:
The goal of this festival is to provide an engaging cultural experience for people of all ages. Activities are being designed to engage young children, families, adults, senior citizens, educators, business leaders, and STEM professionals, as well as NIU students, faculty, and staff. Because some of the festival programming will focus on sustainable agricultural practices, we hope to attract local residents who might not normally attend a film festival. While the primary audience for the fest is DeKalb County, organizers hope that this unique educational and cultural experience will draw visitors from throughout the northern Illinois region.
If collaborative, details of collaboration:
The ESE Institute plans to work closely with the collaborating partners (NIU STEM Outreach, Re:New DeKalb, Egyptian Theatre, DeKalb Public Library, Tapa La Luna, and The House Cafe and to build relationships with additional partners in DeKalb County that have an interest in education, arts, culture, agriculture, and environmental issues. Organizers see this project as a great way to strengthen and expand ties between the Northern Illinois University and DeKalb County residents and businesses.