The letter must not be longer than 5 pages and needs to include the following information:
Organization's official name and contact information:
Urbana Champaign Independent Media Center (IMC)
202 S. Broadway Ave., Suite 100
Urbana, Il 61801
Phone: 217-344-8820
Contact: Nicole Pion, Outreach and Development Adviser
Nicole@UCIMC.org
Previous IDF Grant status
The IMC has received $4880: $2000 to Books to Prisoners and $2880 to the Public i. Both
projects are still on-going but have been successful in their endeavors.
Organization's Tax Exempt status, date of incorporation, and FEIN/Tax ID, if applicable:
The UCIMC is a 501(c)3 exempt public charity, as of June 2001. Our EIN is 37-1403593
Organization's mission
In its tenth year, the IMC is a grassroots organization committed to using art and media
production and distribution as tools for promoting social and economic justice. The IMC fosters
the creation and distribution of media, art, and narratives emphasizing underrepresented
voices and perspectives, and promotes empowerment and expression through media and arts
education. To this end, we own and operate a Community Media and Arts that includes: a
library, public access computer labs, bike repair center, meeting spaces, a radio station, media
production studios, a performance venue, art gallery and artist-in-residence studios. The
UCIMC runs a 24/7 low power radio station, publishes a monthly newspaper, operates a daily
website, and hosts numerous community listservs, all freely available to the community.
The roots of poverty lay in a lack of access to participation in the decisions that affect one's life,
including the decisions about the allocation of resources and power. The UCIMC works to
eradicate poverty through empowering ordinary residents to "become the media" - amplifying
unheard voices, inspiring and uniting those who work for change, and helping to shift and
reframe public discourse. For example, UCIMC "citizen journalists" produce content for the
local public access television channel, our low power community radio station, as well as for
national independent programs. Over 30,768 free books have been shipped to Illinois prisoners
through UCIMC's Books to Prisoners program. Serving as a free public access computer center
and media production center, the UCIMC is an official Community Technology Center in Illinois.
A brief summary of the organization's recent history
Grant size and type (project or general support) to be requested
A description of the problem to be addressed and the work to be performed
Organization's operating budget, and if applying for a project grant, a project
budget (attached budget spreadsheets are acceptable)
Only one copy of the Letter of Inquiry should be submitted. Please submit letters either on
organization letterhead or on white 8.5” x 11” paper. Pages must be numbered. Please use 12-
point type and 1” margins. In addition to (not in lieu of) sending the Letter of Inquiry to the
above address, please email a .pdf version of your LOI to
idf@ildisciplesfoundation.org.
The Illinois Disciples Foundation will respond to all letters of inquiry in writing by March 15th,
2010 (postmarked).