More than a decade ago Sappi Fine Paper North America— the maker of McCoy, Opus, Somerset and Flo — established the Ideas that Matter grant program to recognize and support designers who use their skills and expertise to solve communications problems for a wide range of charitable activities. Even today, Ideas that Matter remains the only grant program of its kind in the industry. Since 1999, Ideas that Matter has funded over 500 nonprofit projects, contributing $12 million worldwide to causes that enhance our lives, our communities and our planet. Sappi believes that the creative ideas of designers can have an impact beyond the aesthetic and that those ideas can be a powerful force for social good. Working together with our customers, we aim to make a difference.

 

Deadline

Ideas that Matter is an annual program. Call for Entries is announced every year in the spring. Applications are due by July 19, 2013. Judging takes place in August and grants are announced in September and awarded in October. Projects must be fully implemented within six months of receiving awards.

Application needs

Your application must include the following:

• IRS 501 (c) 3 letter or Canadian equivalent of the nonprofit organization with which you are working.
• Completed call for entry form which includes:
  • Design applicant’s contact information and designer company if applicable (must be a NA designer)
  • Nonprofit organization’s name and address and contact person (must be a NA nonprofit)
  • Information about the nonprofit
  • Written description of the proposed project, plans for implementation and a visual presentation of your idea
  • List of proposed project’s components as well as a budget and timeline
  • Signatures from both designer and nonprofit contact
• Your resumé
• Samples of your previous work
• Title of the project

For both the visual presentation and samples of previous work, please do not send CDs or a website URL as judges will not have access to computers and will have no way to review your work.

All of the requested information except the samples may be submitted using the online call for entry form, the pdf version of the call for entry form or you may reformat your application in a separate presentation. If your application is reformatted, please make sure to include all information in the order in which it is requested. All applications must be submitted by mail.

Please note that the online form does NOT automatically enter your proposal into the competition. Please PRINT and SIGN the completed form and MAIL it with your samples to the address below.

Where to send entries

Send your completed application form and requested supplementary materials to:

Ideas that Matter
Sappi Fine Paper North America
89 Cumberland Street
Westbrook, Maine 04092

All submitted materials will be returned to the addressee in the application.

Who may apply

Ideas that Matter is open to individual designers, design firms, agencies, in-house corporate design departments, design instructors, individual design students and design student groups.

What kinds of projects may be submitted

All communication projects that support the needs of the nonprofit and meet the conditions and requirements of the Ideas that Matter program will be considered. At least a portion of the project must be printed. Additional elements may include a variety of communication mediums such as outdoor signage, t-shirts, banner advertising, print advertising, websites, html campaigns, or other media.

What budget items may be submitted

Grant awards range from $5,000 to $50,000 per project. Budget items may include implementation and out-of-pocket costs, including photography, illustration, paper, printing, mailing and related expenses. Budget items may not include travel, hardware or overhead elements, such as computers or rent.

You may also include up to 10% of the total budget as an honorarium for your design fees.

Selection process

Applications are reviewed by an annually selected, independent committee comprised of leaders in the design industry. Evaluation of project concepts and design will be based on creativity, potential benefit for the nonprofit, impact on the nonprofit’s target community, and effectiveness of the implementation plan. The decisions of the judges are final.

Conditions & restrictions

• All grant monies must be used within six months of receipt.
• No charity may cite Sappi or Ideas that Matter as a supplier of a grant without prior written permission from Sappi.
• Sappi employees and family members and agencies conducting business with the company are ineligible.
• Grant recipients who find they are unable to execute the project may enlist the help of the nonprofit organization to complete it.
• Submitted concepts not awarded a grant will remain the intellectual property of the applicant. However, Sappi has the right to retain copies of and reproduce the submissions as part of its promotion of the Ideas that Matter grant program.
• Sappi reserves the right to reproduce and promote the selected projects as case histories.

Grants are not paid out as a lump sum. As expenses for the project are incurred, either the designer or the nonprofit must submit a request for payment on official letterhead, along with the supporting invoice(s).

Publication rights

Sappi reserves the right to publish and promote the completed work made possible by the Ideas that Matter grant. Grant recipients may also be asked to participate in Sappi educational seminars and conferences, or to share their programs with others in the graphic arts community. Sappi reserves the right to reproduce any design submissions, along with pertinent case histories, in materials produced to promote and support the Ideas that Matter program.

For more information

Call 800-882-4332 or visit www.na.sappi.com/ideasthatmatterNA.

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