Glory Reitz
The city of Gainesville’s arts and wellness initiative, One Nation One Project (ONOP) GNV, is now open for Phase 2 project applications.
While Phase 1 projects were smaller scale, capping out at $5,000, Phase 2 projects will be larger. With $200,000 available for this phase, projects can apply for up to $45,000 any time before 5 p.m. on Oct. 2.
Non-profit organizations, schools, government agencies, religious or faith-based organizations and for-profit businesses are all eligible to apply.
One Nation One Project is a nationwide initiative of the National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education, and Families. Gainesville is one of eight participating cities chosen in 2022 to attempt to improve community health and resilience through the arts using American Rescue Plan Act funding.
“We learned a lot from the community about what they wanted to see from One Nation One Project moving forward through our twenty community listening projects,” said Brandy Stone, Gainesville’s community health director, in a video news release.
ONOP GNV chose to focus its arts and cultural programming on youth gun violence prevention and promotion of youth well-being. As it moves into Phase 2, the initiative created goals based on Phase 1 listening project results, deciding to fund projects that address the following categories:
- Work with youth at risk of or impacted by gun violence
- Involve dance, theater and music
- Cultural programs that represent minorities, diversity and inclusivity
- Encourage feelings of safety at the individual, relational/familial and community levels
- Leverage existing health resources to increase opportunities for arts and culture in under-resourced communities
- Help build skills for socio-emotional functioning, conflict-resolution and positive peer relationships
- Tie in interests like sports, nature, social activities, social media and animals
- Create experiences in photography, fashion, culinary arts, cosmetology, etc. for underrepresented youth
The One Nation One Project initiative runs through July 2024, and still has one step left. Phase 3 will be a large, coordinated community event showcasing the Phase 1 and Phase 2 projects, hosted in summer 2024. Gainesville’s 2024 event will adhere to the national theme of “There’s no place like home,” and will be presented in conjunction with the other seven cities across the country, which will have their own similar events, according to an ONOP press release from the initiative’s start.
ONOP GNV has partnered with the University of Florida College of the Arts, SPARC352, Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Alachua County Public Schools, UF Health Shands Arts in Medicine, Alachua County Crisis Center, Center for Arts, Migration and Entrepreneurship and the Gainesville Police Department.
All ONOP events are free and open to the public.
For more information, visit ONOP GNV or contact ONOP_Gainesville@GainesvilleFL.gov