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UDF Transparency Report

On November 12, UDF  hosted over 75 guests and raised $ 800. Those funds will support the Hispanic American Council’s Circles of Trust initiative and ISAAC’s Future Leaders for Peace effort.

The crowd funding initiative has raised a  total of $3,424 since May 2015. As a result, Urban Democracy Feast provided cash awards to the following community projects as well:

Humans Beyond Boxes,Urban Exposure, MamaSutra Loving Arts, Majyck Radio, Raise the Age (S.E.E Change),Institute for New Leadership/Project X, Kalamazoo Peace Center

Next UDF, March 25, 2017

Kalamazoo, MI- As 2017 rolls in, UDF organizers are getting ready for their next FEAST. Grassroots organizations, non-profits and community members are encouraged to fill out an application, if they would like to receive “seed money” or a micro-grant to further their community initiative.

If you would like to present at the FEAST, on March 25, 2017 at First Congregational Church, you can download an application from the website or visit the following locations to pick up a hard-copy of the application.

Funding Social Justice Projects, One FEAST at a Time

The Urban Democracy Feast: Supporting Local Social Justice Projects 

Saturday, 12 November 2016 at 4:30 p.m.

Since 2015, a group of community organizations have started a face-to-face crowd funding process. This process occurs over a meal so we can exchange information about shared problems, common obstacles and ways to overcome them. Twice, in May 2015 and again in December of 2015, this urban FEAST raised more than $2, 000. 00 to support social justice projects demonstrating direct democracy and accountability. We define social justice as equal access to all the resources and services. More information about the FEAST and the awardees can be found at our web page,http://www.urbandemocracyfeast.org/

The goal of the organizers is to generate funds that kick start projects that might otherwise not get funded, or help them make a qualitative leap in their work. Such group projects submit an application, and four applicants are selected to make a five-minute presentation at the supper. Their presentations will exhibit evidence that they are addressing a shared need, with the support of other groups in the neighborhood, and that the project demonstrates direct democracy.

The next FEAST will be held 12 November 2016 at the 1st Congregational Church located at 345 W. Michigan Avenue (Bronson Park). Childcare for toddlers and pre-school children will be available in separate rooms. Tickets are available at the door or at the FEAST website, http://www.urbandemocracyfeast.org/, and with the ticket each attendee will be given a voting ballot.

On Saturday, 12 November the doors will open at 4:00 p.m. At 4:30 p.m. the event begins with an explanation of the FEAST process, followed by announcements from those organization donating the soups-salads-bread [about a social justice project or event they support, and to explain the food] before five-minute presentations by each social justice project applicant. While the attendees get a food plate, those waiting can post suggestions for the projects on a white board, sign up to bring a dish for the next FEAST, or ask questions of the applicants before voting. The date and place of the next FEAST will then be announced together with the voting results. Projects are awarded based on the percentage of votes received.  Applicants that are not awarded can apply again.

Future Urban Democracy Feast Events

We anticipate that the Urban Democracy Feast events will occur twice per year, in the fall and then again in the spring. For future FEAST events, applications in English and Spanish are available at the FEAST website (www.urbandemocracyfeast.org), and hard copy versions at the Arcus Social Justice Center, People’s Food Co-op, Kalamazoo Peace Center, and the Hispanic American Council. Completed applications need to be returned to the same place where they were acquired one month before the scheduled FEAST.

We welcome projects identifying public policies that prevent social justice and direct democracy, and that also propose replacement policies, which can be implemented here. Some examples of projects we look forward to considering, include: child care services for single parents who work the second and third shift; urban farms that sell to local restaurants; worker owned co-operatives; independent community media; and/or scholarship requests to study abroad and return to implement the research results in Kalamazoo (see http://www.urbandemocracyfeast.org/social-justice-community-projects-sought-for-funding/ )

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