JAMS Foundation: ACR Initiative for Students and Youth

JAMS Foundation seeks initial proposal ideas for its Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) 2022 funding cycle. The JAMS Foundation-ACR Initiative seeks to provide financial support for conflict resolution education and training (CRE) for Pre-K through 12th grade students and youth. The populations to be served by the funding streams will be both (1) youth in Pre-K through 12th grade age range and (2) adults working with these youth populations in ways that directly transfer CRE skills for adults to the youth populations. Projects should focus on youth between the ages of 13 and 18 years old.

The contexts for projects may include community, schools, alternative education (online education, charter schools, after school programs), government (juvenile justice facilities, courts) and NGO settings. While some proposals may be able to secure and guarantee access to or cooperation from traditional K-12 school districts/schools, this funding opportunity is intended to provide potential financial support for CRE work in other contexts as well.

The pandemic is shifting, and our society is loosening the restrictions put in place. As we transition, we must recognize the challenges in education, housing, economics, food, and health security that remain. Changes have occurred in every area of life, resulting in high levels of uncertainty and stress, especially among high school aged adolescents.

The proposed project would help to increase adolescents’ capacity to engage in and respond constructively to these challenging times by providing them opportunities to both be trained in and use conflict resolution skills in one of the following settings:

• domestic violence shelters
• foster care
• homeless shelters
• school/after school programming organization
• youth correctional facilities

The measures of success will be adolescents reporting increased capacity and opportunity, because of conflict resolution education, training, or services, to:

1. use conflict resolution skills to develop, explore, and make choices in addressing conflict arising regarding issues heightened during the pandemic, either in the focused setting or in the larger community.

2. engage with other adolescents and adults within a framework of constructive engagement and reconciliation to assist with de-escalation of potentially divisive or violent conflict and increase civic engagement.

Priority will be given to projects in which:

1. youth play a significant or substantive role in the delivery of conflict resolution training, education, or services.

2. youth will develop leadership skills by getting themselves and other young people involved in helping themselves.

3. partnerships with a foster care agency, homeless shelter, the domestic violence shelter, school/after school programming organization or the youth correctional facility currently exits for the applicant.

4. creative means of documenting and demonstrating the project are used so as to inspire other organizations to replicate the project.

ACR seeks a small number of high-quality projects with likely or proven impact and the potential of regional and national impact upon completion. Preference for funding is given for those that may bring existing programs or exciting new ideas to a level of scalability and sustainability on a regional or national basis.

Note: This opportunity is for interested organizations or individuals to submit an Initial Project Idea description. Full proposals are due in May, 2022. See solicitation for details.

Amount: Funding may range from $15,000 – $40,000 for the first year of the potential two-year funding cycle. Year Two funding requests may be for no more than $20,000.

Eligibility: Nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and public agencies working in conjunction with nonprofit educational institutions or organizations.

Link: https://www.jamsadr.com/files/uploads/documents/jams-foundation/acr-2022-nofa.pdf

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