University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
IN-1: Innovation 1

Purpose: To generate excitement and action around community-building projects in Oshkosh via a contest through which the person or group responsible for the idea is awarded a cash grant and momentum to implement the idea.

Eligibility: Any individual, existing organization, or new group from Oshkosh (campus and non-campus community) with a good idea about how to improve local quality of life and build community can apply.

All applicants submit the following information:
Contact Information
Budget:
Financial Need (funding needed for full project implementation) and Additional Potential Sources of Funding
Explanation of Proposed Use of Funds (specify how CSCC funds would be used)
Project Category:
Sustainability
Community-building (bringing different types/groups of people together)
Justice
Volunteerism
Increasing civic/political awareness
Social Entrepreneurship (using entrepreneurial principles to organize, create and manage a venture to achieve social change)
Narrative (no more than 2 single-spaced pages providing an explanation of the following elements):
Opportunity or Issue Being Addressed
Relevance to Campus and/or greater Oshkosh (City of Oshkosh and immediate surrounding area) Community
Plan for Action
Intended Results
Engagement of Campus and/or greater Oshkosh Community Members in the Project
Criteria:
Innovation (demonstrates creative ideas and new approaches)
Relevance and Impact (directed towards an issue of importance to the campus and/or greater Oshkosh community and has potential to address it)
Feasibility (will lead to concrete action within one year)
Engagement (involves a significant level of engagement by people from UWO and/or the greater Oshkosh community)
Congruence (is consistent with the purpose of the contest)

Events: All entrants will have multiple opportunities to display their project plans. The entire campus/Oshkosh community is invited to these events, which will provide valuable networking opportunities for all participants. At the CSCC Finals Event, the finalists will compete for the cash (to date, all first-place winners have been awarded a minimum of $1,500 in seed money), which will help fund their project, making a five-minute pitch as well as displaying any posters or other supporting information they have created. Attendees will be encouraged to make a minimum contribution ($5 for students, $10 for non-students) to the award pool and those who contribute will be able to vote for the winner (so you should encourage your supporters to come and vote for your project!)

Accountability: The winners will be required to submit a brief midway progress report six months after the award that will be sent via email to all sponsors and voters. It will explain:
How the grant money has been spent;
How many and what groups of people have actually been involved in implementing the project, the amount of time and type of activities;
What concrete milestones have been achieved; and,
Their plans for the remainder of the project period.

They will also be expected to make a presentation about the results of their project at the following year's event, a final report that should report on the same matters as the midterm report.

Creating A Stronger Community Contest Winners 2013!
2nd Annual Creating a Stronger Community Contest Winners:
1) Growing Oshkosh [urban agriculture start-up, founded by UWO graduated Dani Stolley]: $1,500

2) Party.o [alcohol-free house party biz started by current UWO students]: $750

3) Oshkosh Arts Collective [art and music space collective spearheaded by local people included a UWO art student]: $350

3) Oshkosh Blues in the Schools [PBS blues history curriculum, blues music lessons, and after-school program for middle-schoolers created by Oshkosh Native Sons Blues Society]: $350