About AUX's Community Navigator Pilot Program

https://www.sba.gov/partners/counselors/community-navigator-pilot-program

How your non profit will serve Fulton County with mentoring services - The Artistic Unified Exchange (AUX) provides leadership meetings, workshops, training curriculum and work opportunities that help underserved Atlanta youth (12-24) gain marketable skills and creative assets for use as content creators and entrepreneurs.

Timeline - AUX’s Start-Up program will provide scholarships to participate in a Mentorship program that will guide their professional and personal development in a highly-structured and highly-engaging environment. The Start-Up program will utilize Create4Me’s mobile app to register participants, deliver curriculum, analyze progress and track the redemption of vouchers that can be used on approved business and personal expenses. Participants will be guided by media and business professionals as they develop and apply skills in content creation, entrepreneurship and personal responsibility. The programming schedule and protocols are as follows:

• 10/1/2021 - Early Registration - The three-month registration window for the AUX 2022 Pilot Program begins by inviting participants with an interest in content creation and entrepreneurship. Opportunities will include free training and mentorship sessions with creative professionals, community service and job opportunities and vouchers that can be used to access creative and business expenses. participantship is unlimited as long as registrants are residents of Fulton County between the ages of 12 and 24.

• 1/1/2022 - AUX Vouchers #1 - On the first day of every month, vouchers worth $8,333.33 (1/12th of yearly $100,000 donation budget) will be given to registered participants. Vouchers can be redeemed or used for reimbursement of business and approved personal expenses for participants who complete the full registration process including producing one piece of original content (text, photo, audio, video), publishing it (social media, private domain) and protecting it (LLC, trademark, copyright) using AUX’s free IP services. The first voucher ceremony will introduce all participants and highlight their skills and interests. For the rest of the year, monthly vouchers will be split by select participants ($2,083.33 each) who win organization-wide contests which are set and judged by board participants and trustees. Voucher contests will require full participation in weekly workshops and competitive application of the skills and lessons gained during mentorship and curriculum.

• 1/8/2022 - Safe Space Mentorship Meeting #1 - On the second Saturday of every month, participants and staff will meet in person (via ZOOM in case of emergency) for the Safe Space Mentorship meetings that focus on instilling life lessons, social skills and leadership qualities in all community members. Participants will have the opportunity to meet and fellowship with local leaders, professionals and mentors who can model personal development and guide participants in developing their personal and community service interests. Meetings will be held at The Legacy Center in East Point (11 am - 2 pm) and will include snacks, refreshment and recreation time including games, sports competitions and creative exhibits.

• 1/15/2022 - The Administrative Program - The Administrative Program is a month-long curriculum that will give participants access to free legal and accounting services and teach them how to manage the administrative tasks associated with being a creative Entrepreneur. participants will learn how to legally protect their intellectual property, pay taxes, receive tax write offs for business expenses and insure their creative assets. Program instructors will include certified accountants, lawyers and executives with experience in the media industry.

• 2/1/2022 - AUX Vouchers #2 - The second vouchers will be split by four participants ($2,083.33 each) who win contests that measure their application of the administrative program. Contests will require full participation in administrative workshops and competitive application of the skills and lessons gained during mentorship and curriculum.

• 2/12/2022 - Safe Space Mentorship Meeting #2 

• 2/15/2022 - The Content Management Program - The Management Program is a month-long curriculum that will give participants access to free artist and business management services and teach them how to manage the executive tasks associated with being a creative Entrepreneur. participants will learn how to strategically manage their content and brand with best business practices that prevent them from being mismanaged or exploited.

• 3/1/2022 - AUX Vouchers #3 - The third voucher pot will be split by four participants ($2,083.33 each) who win contests that measure their application of the Management program. Contests will require full participation in management workshops and competitive application of the skills and lessons gained during mentorship and curriculum.

• 3/12/2022 - Safe Space Mentorship Meeting #3

• 3/15/2022 - The Content Production Program - The Production Program is a month-long curriculum that will give participants access to free production tools and training for creative text, photo, audio and video content. participants will learn professional techniques and philosophies that will improve their creative output for life.

• 4/1/2022 - AUX Vouchers #4 - The fourth voucher pot will be split by four participants ($2,083.33 each) who win contests that measure their application of the Production program. Contests will require full participation in production workshops and competitive application of the skills and lessons gained during mentorship and curriculum.

• 4/9/2022 - Safe Space Mentorship Meeting #4

• 4/15/2022 - The Content Marketing Program - The Content Marketing Program is a month-long curriculum that will give participants access to free content marketing tools and training for monetizing and scaling their content. participants will learn professional techniques and philosophies that will improve their media and business acumen for life.

• 5/1/2022 - AUX Vouchers #5 - The fifth voucher pot will be split by four participants ($2,083.33 each) who win contests that measure their application of the Content Marketing program. Contests will require full participation in content marketing workshops and competitive application of the skills and lessons gained during mentorship and curriculum.

• 5/14/2022 - Safe Space Mentorship Meeting #5

• 5/15/2022 - The Content Distribution Program - The Distribution Program is a month-long curriculum that will give participants access to free content distribution tools for their content. participants will learn professional techniques and philosophies that will improve their business acumen for life.

• 6/1/2022 - AUX Vouchers #6 - The sixth voucher pot will be split by four participants ($2,083.33 each) who win contests that measure their application of the Content Distribution program. Contests will require full participation in content distribution workshops and competitive application of the skills and lessons gained during mentorship and curriculum.

• 6/11/2022 - Safe Space Mentorship Meeting #6

• 6/15/2022 - The Financial Program - The Financial Program is a month-long curriculum that will give participants access to free financial management tools and training. participants will learn professional techniques and philosophies that will improve their financial literacy and investment practices for life.

• 7/1/2022 - AUX Vouchers #7 - The seventh voucher pot will be split by four participants ($2,083.33 each) who win contests that measure their application of the Financial program. Contests will require full participation in Financial program workshops and competitive application of the skills and lessons gained during mentorship and curriculum.

• 7/9/2022 - Safe Space Mentorship Meeting #7

• 7/15/2022 - AUX Board Meeting - AUX leadership will meet to discuss progress of each individual participant and to agree on calendar and protocols for following year.

• 8/1/2022 - AUX Vouchers #8 - The eighth voucher pot will be split by four participants ($2,083.33 each) who show exceptional leadership qualities as identified by AUX Board participants. 

• 8/13/2022 - Safe Space Mentorship Meeting #8

• 8/15 - AUX Summer Showcase - A digital showcase of the content participants have created will be promoted for potential scholarships and job opportunities.

• 9/1/2022 - AUX Vouchers #9 - The ninth voucher pot will be split by four participants ($2,083.33 each) selected by viewers of the Summer Showcase. 

• 9/10/2022 - Safe Space Mentorship Meeting #9

• 9/15 - AUX Community Service Program - The Community Services Program is a month-long curriculum that develops a sense of responsibility artists and entrepreneurs have to their communities. participants will research and participate in service initiatives that improve the lives of others.

• 10/1 - Early Registration 2023 - The three-month registration window for the AUX 2023 Pilot Program begins by inviting participants with an interest in content creation and entrepreneurship. Opportunities will include free training and mentorship sessions with creative professionals, community service and job opportunities and cash vouchers. participantship is unlimited as long as registrants are residents of Fulton County between the ages of 12 and 24.

• 10/8/2022 - Safe Space Mentorship Meeting #10

• 11/1/2022 - AUX Vouchers #10 - The final voucher ceremony of the year will triple the pot size to $6,249.99 per winner. Four participants who are selected by the board, trustees and other participants will receive these vouchers for exceptional participation in the program including improvement, content performance and participation.

• 12/1/2022 - AUX Review Report - A document reviewing the progress made by participants will be published and shared to chart development and growth.

• 1/1/2023 - AUX Vouchers #1 (Repeat Cycle) - The calendar used for 2022 will repeat using the same budget and protocols for 2023.

Budget Overview: $250,000.00 to be used from October, 2021 until December 2023 for the following budget items:

2022 Budget: ($125,000)

• ($10,000) Contractors - $10,000 will be paid to provide curriculum, security and Human Resources tasks that are outside of board member and volunteer scope.
• ($5,000) Meeting Venues - $5,000 will be used to book 24 meetings at The Legacy Center in Atlanta including Safe Space Mentorship Meetings and annual Board Meeting.
• ($2,500) Personnel - 5 AUX Board members and volunteers will receive up to $500 in reimbursements for expenses associated with their services ($2,500 total).
• ($100,000) Vouchers/Equipment $100,000 - All software, production equipment or intellectual property services bought for the program will be made available to participants via vouchers.
• ($2,500) Travel - Select participants will be provided or reimbursed for travel up to $2,500.
• ($5,000) Event Expenses - $5,000 Refreshments and recreation expenses will be used to pay for 24 catered meals for participants ($208.33 per event).

2023 Budget: ($125,000)

• ($10,000) Contractors - $10,000 will be paid to provide curriculum, security and Human Resources tasks that are outside of board member and volunteer scope.
• ($5,000) Meeting Venues - $5,000 will be used to book 24 meetings at The Legacy Center in Atlanta including Safe Space Mentorship Meetings and annual Board Meeting.
• ($2,500) Personnel - 5 AUX Board members and volunteers will receive up to $500 in reimbursements for expenses associated with their services ($2,500 total).
• ($100,000) Vouchers/Equipment $100,000 - All software, production equipment or intellectual property services bought for the program will be made available to participants via vouchers.
• ($2,500) Travel - Select participants will be provided or reimbursed for travel up to $2,500
• ($5,000) Event Expenses - $5,000 Refreshments and recreation expenses will be used to pay for 24 catered meals for participants ($208.33 per event).