Frequently Asked Questions

Applications will open in late winter/early spring 2025.  The first step will be submitting a Letter of Intent or LOI for your project.  If a project fits the Mission of Kingston Common Futures and is within the scope of funding, you will be invited to submit a full application in spring of 2025. Sign up for our mailing list to be notified about when applications open!

Individuals (18 years and older), groups, businesses, and organizations with projects or ideas that serve the Kingston community and align with our vision are eligible to apply for funding.

Our vision: We envision a future where all people are woven into an inclusive community, offering their gifts and working together in stewardship of our abundant planet, for the common good. 

Priority will be given to projects that struggle to get funding in traditional ways, are led by people who have historically been excluded from funding and opportunity, and show in their budget that the funds will stay local.

Individuals who are 18 years or older are eligible to apply.  Groups, businesses, and non-profits are also eligible to apply for funding. 

Kingston Common Futures may encourage folks applying with similar projects to meet,cross-pollinate, and consider collaborating or applying together.

Each LOI and application are first read and evaluated by several volunteers in the community trained to use a rubric to determine benefit to the Kingston community, mission alignment, and project readiness.

The final decision will be made by a group of 10-12 community members who will volunteer as jurors.  Jurors will not be involved in other parts of the application process.  This jury will read finalist applications, interview finalists, and make a decision together through discussion.

You may submit a Letter of Intent with just an idea and an amount of funds requested.  However, the next step is to submit a full application.  For the full application, you will need to prepare a budget and demonstrate that your project is ready to get started.  If you need help getting your idea ready, come to one of our application events where volunteers can work with you on your application.

We define “common good” as projects and initiatives that put into practice ways of building and managing shared resources to meet our community needs in a regenerative way.

David Bollier, an expert on “commoning” has a definition that has helped guide our thinking.  In his book The Commoner’s Catalogue for Changemaking, his descriptions ring true for us: 

“Commons are generally bottom-up initiatives that prioritize meeting people’s needs over market exchange and capital accumulation.  They stress the importance of stewarding the earth and its ecosystems, especially in contrast to market-based extraction.  Commons show a special commitment to the local, and to participation, inclusion, and fairness. Reliance on markets, state power, formal law, and policy are kept to a minimum.

“Columnist George Monbiot has summed up the virtues of the commons nicely:  “A commons…gives community life a clear focus.  It depends on democracy in its truest form.  It destroys inequality.  It provides an incentive to protect the living world.  It creates, in sum, a politics of belonging.”