Defend Wisconsin Fund Request for Proposals
Teaching Assistants’ Association
Defend Wisconsin Fund Request for Proposals
August 2011
**Note: The final Defend Wisconsin proposal deadline has been changed from August 31st to September 15th.**
Statement
The occupation of the Wisconsin State Capitol revitalized the Wisconsin labor movement and inspired citizens from around the state to loudly protest the attacks on public sector workers and workers’ rights by Governor Scott Walker and Republicans in the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate. Walker launched the opening salvo with his budget repair bill, a piece of legislation which proposed to all but eliminate collective bargaining for public sector employees, make Wisconsin a right-to-work state, and debilitate public employee unions. The bill also contains provisions to eliminate major funding for Badger Care and enable no-bid sales of power plants, a potential threat to environmental health. In response, tens of thousands of state workers – including teachers, nurses, police officers, firefighters, and graduate employees – descended on the Capitol to protest the bill. Those protests resulted in the nearly three-week occupation of the Capitol and historic protests, the sizes of which rivaled those of the Vietnam era.
In order to sustain the Capitol occupation, a Paypal account was started by the Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA) and placed on defendwisconsin.org, a website started by the TAA in order to publicize the campaign against Walker’s attacks on workers. Those needs of the Capitol occupation were met, and since the end of the occupation, the TAA has been using the fund to support expenses and activities such as food, supplies, and general organizational expenses that have arisen due to the occupation. The aim of this proposal is to make sure the fund continues to provide support for building a pro-worker, pro-union movement that can effectively and successfully defeat the attack on workers’ rights from the Walker administration.
Program Description
We are soliciting project-based proposals that sustain the progressive, pro-labor movement inspired by the Capitol occupation. Our goal is to use the strong outpouring of support for the occupation to continue sustaining this movement well past the end of the current struggle against Walker. To that end, we are accepting proposals from the larger community to come from the Defend Wisconsin fund that will sustain the movement. Proposals can fund parts of or whole projects. It is possible to submit a proposal for an event or action that has occurred in the past and for the proposal to reimburse expenses incurred for the event.
Projects may focus on single events and actions – such as marches, educational forums and panels – or long-term campaigns – such as periodic demonstrations and informational tabling. The funds can be used on food, venue and equipment rental, advertising, media, capital expenditures, honoraria, reservation of space, signs, t-shirts, buttons, and phone banking.
We will not accept proposals that promote vandalism, defacement, theft, violence, or any other illegal activity. We also cannot accept proposals that advocate for a particular political candidate due to restrictions on political campaign contributions.
How to Apply
Proposal Submission Process
For your proposal to be considered, you will need to supply the following:
- Team/Organization overview. Provide a one-page review of the team/organization, and a review of team members.
- A one-page description of the project and how it falls under the scope of work as outlined in this request.
- An itemized budget for the project. Please be as specific as possible. If the event has already happened, include documentation of all expenses such as receipts, invoices.
- Contact information. The last page of the submission should list the name, telephone number, and email address for you or your primary contact.
You can deliver all materials by e-mail or to the TAA office. Email all materials to taa@taa-madison.org and enter “Defend Wisconsin Proposal” in the Subject line.
Alternatively, you can deliver all materials to the TAA office, either by hand or by mail, addressed as follows:
Teaching Assistants’ Association
Attention: Defend Wisconsin Proposal
254 W. Gilman St.
Madison, WI 53703
Pertinent Date
The deadlines for proposals is:
September 15th, 2011
Here is a download-able PDF version of the request for proposals: