KNOWLEDGE-NETWORKING AWARDS
- Application deadline: October 15, 2007
- Amounts: $30,000 base award, to a total of $75,000 if budget warrants
- Duration: Feb 1, 2008–Jan 31, 2009
- Other support: mentoring, end-of-year conference showcase
About Knowledge-Networking
The field of digital media and learning has already produced a number of brilliant ideas that deserve wider dissemination, circulation, discussion, translation, application, articulation, and customization. Not every inventor/developer is a good knowledge-networker. Knowledge-networking takes good ideas and circulates them widely, taking full advantage of the Web's potential for collaborative thinking. It enables communication in which many can contribute, shape, and share.
Knowledge-networking is “do-it-yourself” field-building, collective matchmaking across communities of those who have and those who seek information, so that each can teach and learn from the other.
Knowledge-Networking Awards
Knowledge-Networking Awards will go to proven communicators. Applicants will already be networking with others and are dedicated to digital learning through blogs, social networking, social bookmarking, podcasting, world-building environments (such as Second Life), or other on-line communities.
Knowledge-Networking projects:
- do not simply convey information.
- promote collaborative thinking.
- translate great ideas.
Journalists writing to assess developments in the field or journalistic researchers looking to inform creative journalism about the field should also feel welcome to apply. (Applying journalists or researchers will be precluded from writing about anything to do with the competition while applicants or award recipients, to avoid conflicts of interest.)
Knowledge-Networking applications must take one of two approaches, in which they propose to develop digital communications and collaboration for:
1. Previous Digital Media and Learning projects funded by the MacArthur Foundation.
The MacArthur Digital Media and Learning initiative has already funded many great ideas, several of which are ripe for knowledge-networking. Knowledge-Networking Awards are for communicators excited by these ideas who can help to build the field by opening them to contribution from and collaboration with new audiences, targeted niche audiences, or communities that would be eager to contribute to these ideas.
Review the list of Sample Knowledge-Networking projects based on previous Digital Media and Learning projects supported by the MacArthur Foundation or HASTAC.
2. Other existing projects, not funded by the MacArthur Foundation.
Applicants developing networking or communications plans for other projects are also welcome, so long as those projects contribute to building the field of digital media and learning. In these cases, applicants should identify the project, explain its importance to digital media and learning, and propose a communications strategy.
Review the list of Sample Knowledge-Networking projects based on other existing projects.
Knowledge-Networking Details
Partnerships are encouraged, but individuals are welcome to apply.
Approximately twelve Knowledge-Networking Awards of $30,000-$75,000 each will be made. Budgets will be required at any level of funding. Awards in excess of $30,000 must show particular justification for the additional funds.
As an additional resource to help projects succeed, all awardees will participate in peer-mentoring through an online discussion forum and bimonthly conference calls during the first phase of the grant term. Competition consultants will also be available to help with any aspect of the project, including budget and project management and technology advice.
Knowledge-Networking Award winners will convene at the completion of the grant period to showcase their work. Other digital innovators, representatives from industry, venture capitalists, foundations, and the media will be invited to view the work of awardees. This conference may provide the opportunity for networking which could facilitate next-phase project development. Awardees wishing to attend this conference (which is strongly encouraged) should allot funds for travel to a two-day conference in Chicago in their proposed budgets.
Click the links below for specific information about:
To begin the application process, click the Apply button below. Potential applicants are not required to finish an application once they begin. Only completed applications will be reviewed. Applicants are strongly urged to start the process well in advance of the deadline to allow time to resolve any questions they may have.
