South Knoxville Alliance

Submit your proposals for the next Knoxville SOUP

Knoxville SOUP is a dinner and micro-funding event designed to raise money for creative projects that are proposed, voted on and enacted by members of the community.

Knoxville SOUP also showcases a local artist at each dinner. Artists of all disciplines are encouraged to complete our online application and have the opportunity to show their art or share their talent.

Proposals can be for anything that will benefit the community or society in general. Winning projects in other cities that have SOUP dinners have improved playgrounds, performed landscaping and beautification projects, created free lending libraries at area bus stops, sponsored educational programs, supported other charitable endeavors and even launched small businesses with a social focus. There are no hard and fast rules to what a proposal should be, only that someone envisions it, asks for it and the diners vote for it.

Complete an application to submit a proposal. The proposal application is simple. Just answer four questions about the project and why the project matters to Knoxville. Describe how the funds will be used and an estimate of how long it will take to complete the project. Project proposals should be submitted online no later than one week before the dinner. Four individuals or teams will be selected to present their project at the dinner. If a project is chosen, the presenters will give a brief oral presentation of four to five minutes and answer a few questions at the dinner. Winners will be invited back to report on the success of their project at future dinners.

Doors open at 6 p.m. for the dinner. Suggested donations of $5 are collected at the door. Proposals will be presented at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner. Diners then have about an hour to eat, share and connect with others while voting for the project they like best. By about 8:15, the votes will be tallied, and the winning project will be awarded all donations raised at the door.

Read more on KnoxvilleSoup.org.

Posted Tuesday, 09/06/2016, 10:38 AM -