Help the first conversations happen.
A modest seed investment can create space for Virginians to be heard, connect people across difference, and test a thoughtful model for community storytelling.
$1,000
Proposed seed budget
3–4
Recorded conversations
1
Listening gathering
3 months
Proposed pilot duration
Small in scale. Specific in purpose.
The VAPLP mini-grant proposal brings community organizing and narrative strategy together. The pilot will surface individual experiences and the relationships that make belonging possible.
The project lead proposes contributing time, outreach, interviewing, coordination, existing equipment, and established relationships as in-kind support.
01 Three to four recorded conversations with Virginians.
02 Short audio, written, or visual stories, shared with consent and participant review.
03 One small listening gathering for participants and community partners.
04 A record of lessons, promising practices, and opportunities for continued connection.
A transparent starting budget.
Amounts are from the supplied $1,000 mini-grant proposal. Funding is not confirmed.
Count the work. Listen for what changed.
The proposal tracks participation, stories produced, community reach, new or strengthened relationships, and practices that support belonging. A target of at least 10 new or strengthened relationships is a learning goal, not a reported outcome.
“Did this create an opportunity for you to be heard that you would not otherwise have had?”
“Did hearing someone else’s story change or complicate how you understand another community?”
A few good questions.
Has the pilot received funding?
The supplied materials describe a submitted $1,000 seed-grant proposal. They do not confirm an award. This website presents the proposed pilot and budget.
Is there a confirmed fiscal sponsor?
The discovery materials do not identify a confirmed fiscal sponsor. Legal structure, payment arrangements, and any eligibility requirements need to be confirmed before funding is accepted.
How will the project assess what happened?
The proposal calls for tracking participants, completed stories, community reach, relationships developed, and promising practices, alongside feedback about being heard and understanding other communities.