Share Your Story Video Challenge

The Share Your Story Video Challenge is an award program established by the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville. This program aims to support arts and culture initiatives within the community by providing unrestricted grants to qualified organizations. The foundation's mission, though not explicitly detailed, aligns with supporting charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes as described in IRS code 501(c)(3) public charities, schools, religious institutions, or government agencies within the Greater Huntsville area. This grant directly contributes to the foundation's strategic priorities by fostering community engagement and providing financial assistance to organizations that may have limited access to funding for their arts and culture programs. The primary beneficiaries of this grant are organizations supporting arts and culture programs, specifically those serving low-income members of the Greater Huntsville area. The program focuses on organizations located in Jackson, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, and Morgan Counties in Alabama. The impact goal is to empower these organizations to share their stories and highlight the work they are doing, particularly in serving low-income communities. The grant encourages a direct spotlight on community impact and the positive change these programs bring, aligning with a theory of change that believes in the power of storytelling to raise awareness, garner support, and ultimately, strengthen community programs. The grant prioritizes organizations that can effectively demonstrate their service to low-income community members through a compelling 60-second video. Key focuses include adherence to video guidelines such as avoiding copyrighted materials, making specific references to low-income service, and including an impact story. The program also offers recommendations for creating an effective video, such as shooting on location, using a microphone, and being enthusiastic, all designed to ensure a high-quality submission that clearly communicates the organization's purpose and impact. Expected outcomes for the Share Your Story Video Challenge include increased visibility for arts and culture programs serving low-income communities, enhanced storytelling capabilities of participating organizations, and the distribution of $1,000 unrestricted grants to support their efforts. Measurable results would include the number of organizations participating, the quality and reach of the submitted videos, and the direct impact reported by the grant recipients. While specific long-term impact metrics are not detailed, the program's emphasis on demonstrating service and impact stories suggests an underlying goal of fostering sustainable community development and cultural enrichment.