Charlottesville Sister Cities Commission
Subcommittee Minutes
Meeting May 24, 2021
Zoom



Grants Committee (4:30 - 5:15)

Participants: Amanda Folsom, Daman Irby

Notes:

1) Reviewed Grants annual goals

   ● 2020-2021 Grants cycle completed
   ● Next focus area is to develop guidelines for Travel Scholarships

2) Status updates on 2020 and 2021 grants projects

   ● Reviewed draft “dashboard” for 2019-20 and 2020-21 grants projects.
   ● All grants projects are expected to proceed in 2021.

3) Project liaisons and check-ins with grantees

   ● Discussed need to clarify point of contact/liaison for each grant project (to be named at grant award and
     to follow up periodically for project updates)
   ● Amanda to develop draft description of grant liaison role

4) Process improvements for next grants cycle

   ● Adapted process in light of COVID-19 (flexible and adaptable)
   ● Started late, pushed back timeline (need to confirm schedule for 2021-22 cycle, recommending we get
     back to old schedule)
   ● Grants review process went well - and all sub-committee members mobilized to connect with applicants
     to seek clarifications on their proposals, as needed
   ● Need to clarify differences between grants, sponsorships, and scholarships (FAQ)
   ● Need to clarify expenditure guidelines for grantees (Kyna typically fields those questions)
   ● Need to clarify points of contact for grantees (“grant liaison role”)

5) Travel scholarship guidelines development (see draft scholarship principles and process the Subcommittee
worked on last year)

   ● Grants sub-committee members need to review and discuss draft guidelines, determine if we want to
     discuss at next Commission meeting

6) AOB

Outreach and Communications Committee (5:35 – 6:05)

Participants: Michael Grinnell, Stella Mattioli
Notes:

   1) Status Update on website renewal
          a) Michael to research how to do the 2022 renewal via invoicing
   2) Review Outreach Goals - CSCC Goals 2020-2021
          a) Still need to complete some items
   3) Review CSCC Outreach List - Sister City Outreach List
          a) Made a few updates
   4) Review the Outreach Ideas - Outreach Ideas
          a) Divide the list up and do some followup research

Education Committee (6:05 – 6:45)

Participants: Daman Irby, Neely Minton, Elizabeth Smiley, & Erin Hughley-Commers, Kate Kogge (arrived at
6:26 p.m.)

Notes:

   ● Reviewed goals:
        ○ Goal #1:
               ■ Need International Space Station project update from Kate (Kate to identify someone we
                  could partner with in her place)
        ○ Goal #2:
               ■ Pivot to an in-person event
               ■ Students who have been historically underrepresented (potentially World Languages)
               ■ Spanish-speaking population of Charlottesville: connection with Huehuetenango
               ■ Maybe connect with grant project that was going to be spearheaded by SPEAK Language
                  Center
                     ● Elizabeth needs to reach out to Christina from SPEAK; if she does, Elizabeth can
                          let her know that we have an interest in seeing if the project you’re putting
                          together might be able to dovetail with our goal
               ■ Creative expression project (Rachel M.): target underrepresented students who are
                  Spanish-speaking
        ○ Goal #3:
               ■ Plan an educational event that would engage local students and enunciate their
                  connection between Charlottesville and our sister cities: participation in young authors’
                  and artists’ showcase from National Sister Cities organization
                     ● Partnered with Charlottesville High School and Aaron Eichorst (Fine and
                          Performing Arts Coordinator); 3 students submitted pieces; we’ll find out the
                          results in June
                     ● Proposal: pull together a working group of interested community partners to meet
                          with members of the community so that we can plan for next year (and recruit
                          students to participate) [involve students at Buford and CHS]--start meeting
                          regularly in the fall (create community buy-in)

Finance Committee (6:45 - 7:11)
Participants: Michael Grinnell, Kate Kogge (left meeting early), Daman Irby

Notes:

   ● How long do Grantees have to request funds? 1 year from the award of the grant (Feb/March 2022)
   ● We still have unclaimed funds from FY20. Work with Grants subcommittee (Amanda) to understand if
     we already established a deadline. Review the notes from June/July 2021 meetings to see if we specified
     a date
   ● Did we give any money to the VA Festival of the Book this year? March 2021

   ● Did we give any money to the Festival of Cultures this year? May 7-13 2021

   ● Set budget for next fiscal year!

          ○ FY22 Budget is here - FY21 and FY22 Budget
FY20 Encumberances (2019-2020 Grants)

Description                                                 Grant Award      Actuals           Balance
Storie Musicali: An Exchange (Poggio a Caiano)
Wes Swing, Kelley Libby                                         $ 4,000.00        $ 2,534.30       $ 1,465.70
Charlottesville-Winneba Fire Safety Partnership (Winneba)
Andrew Baxter                                                   $ 4,000.00               $-        $ 4,000.00
Peace, Love, Poetry Workshop (Winneba)
Myra Anderson                                                   $ 2,500.00        $ 2,223.18         $ 276.82

Total                                                                                              $ 5,742.52