SOUP - a monthly dinner funding micro-grants for creative projects in Detroit
Detroit SOUP FAQ
What date is Detroit SOUP?
2012 Dates for SOUP:
May 20
June 10
July 8
August 12
September 9
October 14
November 11
December 9
Where is Detroit SOUP located?
2051 Rosa Parks. Detroit, Mi 48216
There is parking on Rosa Parks, directly across from the main doors.
To enter look for the Detroit SOUP signs about 30 feet to your left from the main doors.
How much does the dinner cost?
$5 get you soup, salad, bread, pie, and a vote.
Do I need to RSVP for the event?
SOUP does not take reservations for the dinner. It is first come first seated.
Do I need to buy a ticket?
Nope! You pay at the door with our good friend Tom!
What is the dinner seating arrangement like?
Our dinners happen around old doors converted into tables that sit low on the ground. We also have some tables with chairs, but they are limited. Feel free to bring a pillow to sit on or something more comfortable for your booty, most likely you will be on the floor.
What is the schedule for the evening?
We open the doors about 6:30 and start hearing proposals at 7:30 (give or take a minute or two but it really does begin at 7:30) The proposals last anywhere between 25-40 minutes. We eat when the proposals are finished and the diners are able to vote on what project would best benefit from the collected money. Around 9:00 voting closes, ballots are counted, and the winner is announced.
What will I expect to hear from the proposers/grant seekers?
You will hear a presentation no longer than 3-4 minutes from each grantee. The floor is then opened for 3-4 questions from diners.
I have an amazing idea that I think could really benefit from the Detroit community, how can I submit my idea?
Answer the questions below. We ask that each applicant keep their answers short and concise. No longer than one page. Applicants must be present to pitch their project proposals during the meal. Proposals are due the first Sunday of the month to detroit.soup@gmail.com
Applicant Name:
Applicant Email:
Project Name:
Project Summary:
How will you use SOUP grant funding ($600-900) towards the realization of your project?
Why does this project matter to the Detroit community?
What is the time frame for your project, and how could you share about its progress/completion at an upcoming SOUP?
My idea works really well on power point, do you have the capabilities to be able to use this presentation device?
While technology is helpful in many of our daily lives those involved in SOUP believe you can share your proposal without it. We do make exceptions every once in a while (like showing a movie trailer) but we highly encourage you to leave the laptop at home. You are more than welcome to bring in visuals to enhance your idea.
My idea is a work in progress, should I submit?
Think through what kind of project you are submitting. About 150 people show up each month to share ideas and resources with one another. The last few months we have had about 8-10 proposals from the community. If you don’t think you can pull together the idea, be able to implement this with the community, or be able to share (whether it succeeds or not) how the progress of the idea is coming along, than please wait a few months. We don’t like telling some groups yes and then having them drop out at the last minute. It’s a fairness thing. Cool? Cool.
How many proposals do you accept for the dinner each month?
We only have time for four proposals per dinner. Much more than that it is hard to have a constructive dialogue about each proposal as we are eating, as well as having short attention spans!
What if there are more than four proposals submitted for the dinner?
We have the deadline a week before the dinner to ensure that the executive SOUP committee votes on the project. This is a small group of active participants who help put on the dinner. There are about 13 people who get to read the proposals and vote through the online survey collection program Survey Monkey. Whatever proposals have the most votes get the stage to share at the SOUP dinner.
Where do I send my proposal?
detroit.soup@gmail.com
When are the proposals due?
The first Sunday of the month to detroit.soup@gmail.com
I want to make a soup or a salad, what do I need to do?
Awesome! Thank you so much for thinking about this. Please email detroit.soup@gmail.com and let us know what you want to do. We ask that the soup be vegan or vegetarian so that all can enjoy. Each soup/salad needs to serve about 75 people and so we ask for four volunteers each month. We hope that your soup or salad making abilities would be donated but if you would like to be reimbursed at the dinner, we can do that up to $50. Individuals, restaurants or businesses are welcome to share.
I am a local artist and I would love to share my work, can I?
Please inform detroit.soup@gmail.com that you are interested in sharing. We are often looking for local artisans to share their work. Painters, sculptors, designers (interior and graphic), writers, poets, etc. are encouraged to share. We do not have a budget at this time for materials but we could talk about what that means after inquiry.
I want to volunteer with setting up before the dinner, can I?
Booyah! Awesome! YES YES YES!!! Please email detroit.soup@gmail.com and let Amy know you have some time beforehand to lift some tables onto crates and help with set up!