Timmissartok Foundation Travel Grant Proposal

Apia, Samoa – Marist Brothers Primary School’s submission for Big Picture Foundation’s 2018 “We are the World” global collaboration. BPF received permission from SONY/ATV, Kobalt Songs Music Publishing, and Brenda Richie Music Publishing to have 15 global groups perform “We are the World,” by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie   The Timmassartok Foundation grant will help me build and strengthen Big Picture Foundation (BPF) partnerships, by meeting with participating children, teachers, and school administrators in Oceania.  The valuable time away from home-distractions will also help me complete artwork for our 2019-2020 (US school year) website. BPF, a global kids’ arts 501(c)(3) nonprofit that I founded and direct, empowers kids from 29 countries to use the arts for local, national, and global community building initiatives.  Our global members include kids in refugee camps in Iraq, Jordan, and Zambia, homeless kids in India and Nepal, orphans in South Africa and the Dominican Republic, and kids from a wide range of socio-economic and religious backgrounds in all of our additional locations. For this project, I will travel to Apia, Samoa, over the summer, to meet children and teachers from the Marist Brothers Primary School, who have participated with our programs for the past three years.  The school administrators have requested a meeting, in order for me to help them understand how to integrate BPF into their curriculum.  Once I go as far as Samoa, it would be ideal to cover more territory before returning home, but I will adjust the plan based on the grant.  After visiting the Marist Brothers Primary School, I would also like to make arrangements to meet with potential collaborators from other locations, some of whom have expressed interest in joining the organization.  These groups are located in Samoa, Australia, and Indonesia. Aside from running Big Picture Foundation, I’m a middle school art teacher.  My salary is the most significant source of support for the nonprofit.    Our programs are free, in order to give opportunities to all children.  I don’t feel comfortable using the extremely limited BPF budget for travel, but making connections with kids and teachers in our global groups is essential for the stability and success of the nonprofit.   The Timmissartok Foundation grant will have far-reaching benefits to schools, children, and the entire Big Picture Foundation global kids’ network. Thank you so much for considering my request!