TSCA John Gardner Grants

The
Traditional
  Small
    Craft
      Association
                      P.O. Box 350
                      Mystic, CT  06355
                      Updated Apr 15, 2008

The TSCA John Gardner Fund
at the
Maine Community Foundation

Purpose

To preserve, continue, and expand the achievements, vision and goals of John Gardner by enriching and disseminating our traditional small craft heritage.
Scope

The John Gardner Grants are designed to support projects that broaden our traditional small craft heritage, and for which sufficient funding would otherwise be unavailable.
Eligible projects are those which research, document, preserve, and replicate traditional small craft, associated skills (including their construction and uses) and the skills of those who built and used them. Youth involvement is encouraged.
The John Gardner Grants are competitive and reviewed semi-annually by the John Gardner Grant Committee of the Traditional Small Craft Association (TSCA). The source of funding is the TSCA John Gardner Fund, which was established in 1997 at the Maine Community Foundation (MCF). MCF promotes active philanthropy by stewarding charitable funds and making effective grants. Funding available for projects will be determined annually. The funding for any individual project is estimated to be $200 to $2000.
Multiple grants will not be awarded to an individual or organization in a single year.

Donate to the Fund

Your donation in any amount to the TSCA John Gardner Fund will increase its endowment, and thus our ability to support these Gardner Grants. Tax-deductible donations to the TSCA John Gardner Fund may be sent directly to the Maine Community Foundation:

Maine Community Foundation
Attn: TSCA John Gardner Fund
245 Main Street
Ellsworth, ME 04605

We also encourage planned giving through bequests. Further information is available in the Ash Breeze (see Vol. 23 No. 2, Summer, 2002, page 13), or contact Ellen Pope at MCF or Sidney Whelan (former TSCA Council member):

Maine Community Foundation
Attn: Ellen Pope, VP for Development
245 Main Street
Ellsworth, ME 04605
Phone 207-667-9735
epope@mainecf.org Sidney Whelan
7 West Lane
Niantic, CT 06357
Phone 860-739-8423
SidWhelan@aol.com

Apply for a John Gardner Grant

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include historians, authors, boatbuilders, naval architects, designers, small craft specialists, archeologists, maritime heritage specialists, students, museums, educational programs, non-profit organizations, community based groups and anyone else with demonstrated interest in and knowledge of traditional small craft. No affiliation with a museum or other academic organization is required.
Awarded funds may only be spent on direct costs, including materials, supplies, heritage specialists, services, publication fees, and travel. Funds may not be used to supplant staff salaries. Overhead costs are not eligible for reimbursement.
Requirements

Projects must be centered around or very strongly related to traditional small craft.
Projects must have tangible, enduring results which are published, exhibited, or otherwise made available to the interested public. These results may include (but are not limited to) boats, written and graphical documentation (including boat plans), monographs, preservation of artifacts, exhibits, etc.
Recipients must furnish a report on the results of the project at the conclusion of the grant period, including published materials. A summary report must also be furnished which is suitable for publication in The Ash Breeze, the quarterly journal of TSCA. Periodic progress reports are strongly encouraged.
Recipients must acknowledge the support of the TSCA John Gardner Fund in all publications, printed programs and signage.
Recipients may be required to demonstrate satisfactory insurance coverage as determined by the John Gardner Grant Committee. Insurance requirements will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Recipients must comply with all appropriate federal, state and local regulations, ordinances, statutes and laws governing the sponsored project.
Documentation of the use of John Gardner Grant funds must be maintained and furnished upon request. A summary of the use of the grant funds must be reported at the conclusion of the grant period.
Application

Grant applications for the next round of reviews are needed by March 20, 2008.
Application forms and additional information can be found below. This specific form does not have to be used as long as the same information is submitted. Electronic applications are preferred, and can be submitted to Bill Doll at wendydoll@sbcglobal.net. Paper copies of an application should be sent directly to Bill Doll, and are not required if an electronic version is submitted.
Applications are available in MS Word, PDF, and HTML format.
Review Criteria

Expected results, both tangible and intangible
Planned dissemination of results and educational impact
Does the project cover new ground relative to traditional small craft?
Urgency: Will an opportunity be lost?
Impact: Will the project have a lasting impact?
Project quality: How effectively will the project preserve and expand the achievements, vision and goals of John Gardner? Does the project broaden our traditional small craft heritage?
Feasibility: Is the project well conceived and articulate? Is the applicant's experience relevant and sufficient?
Relevant experience of major participant(s): Those who will be executing the project, as well as those overseeing the project.
Youth involvement
Partnership: Will other sources of support be utilized? Will there be additional participants? Will a museum, school, community organization or other not-for-profit organization be involved?
Other funding: Will other sources provide a significant portion of the funds required? (Matching is not required but highly desirable.)
Schedule: Is the proposed schedule realistic?
Budget: Income, both cash and in-kind.
Expenses, both direct and overhead.

Definition

For all purposes hereof, "traditional small craft" shall mean boats built from design developed prior to the gasoline marine engine, for sail or manual propulsion. Modern or historical variants or adaptation of traditional designs fall within this definition. [Taken from TSCA Bylaws, Article II]
For Further Information

Bill Doll
3222 Santiago Street
San Francisco, CA 94116

John Gardner Grant Fund Report Update -- March, 2003:

From: Ben Fuller

I think I have heard back from every one except for Zell Steever regarding the Trumpy Gardner grant proposal. Recommendations seem to be to make a grant of $1,000 to $1,200.

As far as other grant business:

We lost less money than many in the last FY.

Year started with $43,679.22. Contributions $1,300. Ended with $41,606.12

We had a carry over grant budget of $250 giving a total of $ 2,300 for granting in 2002. We made no grants that year. We have a grant budget of $2,150 for this year, giving us a total of $4,450 for distribution.

Proposals on the table are thin.

A Rhode Island high school wants to build two El Toros and is looking for $1,600 for help. I am not sure that this is what we have in mind as there is not much traditional about it. I have had some other proposals like this which I have not circulated.

There are rumors of another proposal from the Center for Wooden Boats.

There was a proposal from Jon Persson for $500 to help in documenting shad boats. I made a couple of inquiries about this, got no reply.

John Gardner Grant Project Report Update -- March, 2001:

"Looking for a few Gardner Grantees"
It's Gardner Grant time again. TSCA is looking for proposals.
The purpose: "to preserve, continue, and expand the achievements, vision and goals of John Gardner by enriching and disseminating our traditional small craft heritage."
We want to "support projects that broaden our traditional small craft heritage, and for which sufficient funding would otherwise be unavailable. Eligible projects are those which research, document, preserve, and replicate traditional small craft, associated skills (including their construction and uses) and of those who built and used them. Youth involvement is encouraged."
Last year awardees included individuals, a club, and youth organizations. Projects included documentation, "scholarships" for youth, and resources or "tools."
Gardner Grants are not large ( yet) and they should be specific so that TSCA members can point to something where they made a difference. Chapters and TSCA members are encouraged to apply or to seek out projects that might be eligible. Deadline is 1 May. For more information see the TSCA Web site or contact Ben Fuller, Gardner Grant Coordinator, at bagfuller@compuserve.com.

John Gardner Grant Fund Report Update -- February, 2000

I wanted to bring the membership up to date on the Gardner Grant project. We wanted to make awards last year at the annual meeting and got in some interesting applications. But the committee felt that the applications as a group did not demonstrate well how the modest Gardner monies could make a difference, that there would be something concrete, a result that could be pointed to and say this is what the Gardner Grant did. Applications were also weak in discussing how the results would be reported in the Ash Breeze.
So we are going back to those applicants and suggest ways that applications could be improved and we have sent out materials to other requesting it. Publicity so far has been word of mouth and web site; if you, the members have some people you know might be interested, please let them know. Applications are due 1 May. The criteria were in the AshBreeze Vol. 20. #3.
This one person development office did not manage to get reminder notice out to people who had pledged, before the end of the year. Nevertheless, many of you remembered, and our balance at years end was $41,421. There have been contributions since then. We have about $3,000 to give away this year and with your help we will find some good programs.
Please note John Roche's offer; some nice boats and a good cause. Resonable offers considered.

Informally I have let some of you know that the Traditional Small Craft Association is soliciting applications for Gardner Grants. I wanted to make sure that everyone had the complete form. Those who have sent in background material in the past need not do so again. If you know of people and programs that might be interested in applying, please pass along the information.
Some of you sent in applications last year and I have been in touch with you about them. The committee felt that no one really showed how a Gardner Grant could do something tangible that TSCA could point to and say we did that. Applications need to be a bit more specific rather than of the general form of supporting a program. What is in the program that a modest grant could do? Applications also did not address how the results could be part of a publishable report to the membership in the Ash Breeze.
We have about $3,000 in total to give away this year. The Gardner Grant committee would like to be able to use this to support several programs or projects and would be reluctant to grant it all to a single recipient.
Applications will be due 1 May. Succinct is good, as is electronic form. We want to turn around and make an announcement at the year 2000 annual meeting in June.
If you have questions, please contact me.
Ben Fuller
John Gardner Grant Fund Report -- April, 1999

Work from the Gardner Grant working party and from you, the TSCA membership, means that we are finally able get the good part of the Gardner Grant Project underway. We will be able to start helping to continue John's work. Our bank balance at the end of 1998 was over $32,000 (more now), which means that we have the ability to make modest grants this year, totaling about $1,500. As the fund grows, so will our ability to help.
We want to try to make the first grant announcements by the Annual Meeting in June, which means that if you are interested, you need to move quickly. Contact me (Ben Fuller) for application forms which I will need back (preferably electronically) no later than May 15 (May 1 if you can do it). Applications need to go to the Working Party ( a.k.a. the John Gardner Memorial Fund Committee) for review. Their recommendations need to go to TSCA Council for a vote. We will have a second review later on in the year. Our long range goal will be to have spring and fall deadlines.