Competition Summary
The voices of our youngest children cannot be heard on their own; others have to speak for them and tell their stories. While we have made significant advances in investing in early childhood education and opportunities in Southwestern Pennsylvania, we can do more to ensure that we are fulfilling the needs of young children in Pittsburgh.
Goals
Participants are asked to design a project that meets at least one of the following goals:
- Builds upon the importance of "play" in the healthy development of young children through active and/or creative interaction;
- Creates opportunities for the "voices" of our youngest citizens to be heard and/or acted upon by our policymakers;
- Raises awareness of the impact of children's early life experiences on the economic development of the region by creatively engaging businesses and/or the general community in dialogue and action; or
- Celebrates young children and their remarkable abilities to learn and grow as expressed through new media and/or other unique means of storytelling
All projects must have an activity where young children are the focus of the project and where the project has the potential to impact positive early life experiences for all young citizens in our community.
Entry Format
To complete an entry, participants will need to respond to the following 5 questions:
- What is your goal?
Tell us what you want to change or accomplish. Explain what makes it important. - What is the social impact of your project?
Tell us what you would want to see as a result of your project. Think about the impact of your project on young children in our community. Think about ways to involve others in your project. Think about how you would evaluate your project's success. Remember that it is important that your project does not have a negative environmental impact. - What is your plan?
Tell us about how you would implement your project. Think about what obstacles you might face and how you would accomplish your goals. Describe your project's activities. - What makes your project innovative?
Tell us what makes your project different. Think about the ways it will help our community think or engage differently with young children. Consider how your project engages diverse voices and perspectives from Southwestern Pennsylvania (see eligible counties). Describe what makes it exciting to you and why others should want to get involved. Projects may use the arts and/or technology in new and unexpected ways to carry out the project and/or ensure youth participation. - Can your idea live on?
Tell us a little bit about what might happen if you were chosen as a winner. Describe how you and your partner organization would use the $15,000 to implement your plan for action. Think about whether or not your partner organization could continue and/or expand your project after funding has been exhausted. Consider whether other organizations would be interested in replicating your project.
Responses to each individual question are limited to 1,000 characters a piece. Entries can (but are not required) to include the following supporting materials: up to 3 images and 1 video. Specific data limitations can be found within the entry form.
Funding Awards
UNDER 4FT TALL: Through the eyes of young children. Be their voice. Once the panel has selected the finalists from the field of entries, the online community will vote for one winner from the slate of finalists. The winning entries will each receive up to $15,000 in grant funding to turn their idea into action. The grant should only be used to implement the winning projects unless otherwise expressly approved by the Pittsburgh Foundation.
