FAQ’s - Frequently Asked Questions

 

Q. How do I apply? Am I eligible or do I qualify? What are my chances? 

Apply for a grant at BeachBind.com/RESFapply. Your chances depend on the number of applications received and the amount of funds available. After the application deadline, the Grant Selection Board will decide how many grants it will give, and the amount of each grant. The RESF is a need-based grant, so primary consideration will be  the applicant’s need. If an applicant volunteers information showing that they have had less access to rope educational opportunities, the board will consider those factors. Other factors may include the applicant's time and commitment to their rope journey, service to the rope community or their local kink community, references and vetting results, prior consent incidents and the way they were handled (including their accountability process), and other factors the board deems relevant or useful. RESF and its board endeavor to acknowledge and embrace diversity, convey respect to all people, be sensitive to differences, promote equal opportunities, and to provide the highest standards of ethics, integrity, safety, consent protocol, and inclusion.

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Q. What is the deadline? When will I find out if I am awarded a grant?

The deadline to apply is January 5, 2020. Grant winners will be notified no later than January 26, 2020.

 

Q: I have a job! Can I still apply? 
A: Yes! Having a source of income does not disqualify you from receiving funds from RESF. We aim to work with those of various budgets. Not sure if your qualify? Apply anyway! 
 

Q: What can funds be used for?
A: Applications will be considered for almost anything rope education related. Use our grant to offset costs for: things like

• Plane tickets to conferences

• Intensive, workshop, or conference registration fees

• Offset the cost of hosting a rope educator

• Obtaining private lessons.

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Q. How much can I apply for? Are there set amounts?

You may apply for funds starting at $100+. The committee can award a "full ride" to an event or give partial tuition to offset some of the cost, if you can cover a portion too.  There are not set amounts, but the fund amounts are limited. The Grant Selection Board will attempt to help as many people as possible and endeavor to pay out grants to supplement, not necessarily pay the total cost of, each applicant’s chosen event. Applicants can apply for any amount of money up to the total fund amount, but the grant is generally intended to offset some expenses for one event, allowing the grant winner to contribute what they can. In some cases a grant may be awarded for full expenses for the event. Consideration will be given to the needs of the applicant, the amount of available funds, and the needs of other applicants. Therefore, it is better to propose an event that you will pay at least a part of, e.g. ask for a grant to help you pay for something that was otherwise out of reach for you. 

 

Q. Can I apply for multiple events? 

No, the grant is generally intended to supplement the cost of one event, intensive, con, etc. If you apply for multiple events, the committee will ask that you pick one so that other people can have a chance at getting a grant as well. 

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Q. Can I apply for a grant to any event? 

Yes! While BeachBind is funding the grants and we would love to have you, the grant is available for other rope-related education opportunities, like intensives or other education-centric events. Grants can be awarded for top and/or bottoming education or rope-adjacent/kink topics such as negotiation and consent, community leadership, safety and first aid, and physiology and nerves. You can specify what you want to do with the grant on your application. 

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Q. Can I apply for a second grant after I receive a grant? 

You can only receive one grant in a three year period. After that you are welcome to apply again. 

 

Q. What if I have been involved in a consent violation? Will I automatically be disqualified?

No, general consent incidents or violations will not automatically disqualify an applicant from the grant process, but they may factor into the overall decision. In determining the relative weight of the incident, the Grant Selection Board will consider the nature and extent of the circumstances, the way the incident was handled by the parties, and any accountability process of the parties. However, any person who is then-currently banned from BeachBind or RopeLab or any person who has been convicted of a sex or violent crime or is a designated sex offender will not be considered.     

 

Q. Who is the Grant Selection Board? Can I reach out to them to provide more information? 

Award decisions will be made by a Grant Selection Board that is independent of BeachBind organizers and staff. The facilitators will elect 1-3 members, who will then select other members. The Board will decide its process. In order for the Grant Selection Board to remain unbiased, its members will not be announced until after the award grants are announced. Likewise, the Grant Selection Board will not see the names of the applicants so that there is no chance of bias or favoritism. All personally-identifying information will be removed from each application, which will be assigned a number before being submitted to the Board, and the facilitators will conduct any vetting for the Board. While applicants cannot speak to the Board directly, if they wish to provide additional information, they can send that to the Facilitators at Ropelab@gmail.com, who will then provide it to the Board.

 

Q. Where did RESF get its money for the grants?

BeachBind and its organizers have funded RESF ($7550 to date), but RESF also accepts donations. Please help if you can! 

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Q. What if I get a grant but can’t use it? Can I use it for something else?

Not likely. The board awards grants after considering many factors, one of which is the grant purpose. Therefore a grant recipient must use the grant for the grant purpose as awarded or return the grant. In most cases the grant will be paid directly to the event. In certain situations with extenuating circumstances, RESF may waive repayment or allow a change in the grant purpose. If you are awarded a grant and can no longer use it for the grant purpose, you should contact the RESF facilitators immediately to discuss options.

 

 

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RESF INFORMATION

 

Established in 2019, The Rope Education Scholarship Fund (RESF) is a need-based grant fund intended to help offset rope educational expenses for individuals including bottoms, tops, switches, and anyone else looking for any type of rope-related education) but who has limited access to such opportunities for financial and/or other reasons. Grants for rope education are not limited to hard skills (e.g. "how to tie" or "how to bottom"), but may include other relevant or related rope or kink education such as negotiation and consent, safety, physiology and nerves, first aid, community leadership and organizational training, etc. Local rope groups can also apply for a grant, for example, to help bring in a presenter they could otherwise not afford.

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Grant awards will be made periodically in grant award rounds as funds become available. Grant awards will be available for use for a portion of, or in some circumstances, all, event or tuition fees for specific rope educational opportunities, including but not limited to BeachBind or other rope cons, intensives, and private tuition. Each applicant will specify the opportunity they seek and the amount of funds needed to offset the required event or tuition to make the opportunity feasible for the applicant. The award winners must attend the event and complete the educational opportunity, which will be verified. 

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Funding. RESF will be funded by BeachBind and outside donations. BeachBind will donate an initial amount equal to 100% of all non-refundable deposits for BeachBind canceled registrations for BeachBind 2020, as well as other amounts from time to time depending on its available funds. 100% of the money in the fund will be distributed and used for rope education grants (i.e. to the extent that the fund incurs fees such as banking fees, BeachBind will cover those fees).

 

Blind Selection. The award grant process will be "blind", meaning that applicants will be selected by a grant selection board that will not see the names of the individual applicants, only their application information.The grant selection board will generally be comprised of members of the rope community, a majority of whom will be individuals that are not BeachBind organizers or staff. The grant selection board will receive applications with names removed (a number being assigned in their place) during each grant application period. The members of the grant selection board will be announced after the awards are made to ensure the process remains blind. The complete grant application process is below. 

 

Diversity and Inclusion. BeachBind and RESF endeavor to acknowledge and embrace diversity, convey respect to all people, be sensitive to differences, promote equal opportunities, and to provide the highest standards of ethics, integrity, safety, consent protocol, and inclusion. To the greatest extent possible, that grants will be inclusive of all people regardless of their various identifications, including but not limited to their racial, ethnic, gender, or sexual identities, expressions, or orientations, and regardless of their beliefs, values, fetishes, kinks, lifestyle, or their physical or mental abilities or disabilities (this list is not exhaustive). If an applicant volunteers information showing that they have had less access to rope educational opportunities for financial or other reasons, the grant selection committee will also consider those factors.

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RESF Administration and Board Volunteers:

 

Facilitators: DireWo1f & Ankrah

 

The Facilitators are responsible for the overall administration, organization, and promotion of the grant application process and awards. The Facilitators will select the initial two or three Grant Selection Board ("GSB") members (who will then select others). The Facilitators will manage the fund, announce and open application rounds, receive applications, and compile the information in a blind format for the GSB to consider without reference to any personally identifying information. If applications contain references and the board requests reference checks or additional vetting, the facilitators shall conduct such validations and report the information, other than the personally identifying information, to the GSB. The Facilitators will generally assist the GSB with any questions, concerns, rule interpretations, disputes, and may fill roles on an emergency basis. The Facilitators may sit on the GSB on an ad hoc basis at their discretion and  as practical, needed, or helpful, as non-voting members and assist with the scheduling of meetings and grant selection process.

 

Grant Selection Board ("GSB"): (Announced after awards are made)

 

The GSB will select the award winners and amounts, assist with the creation of and revisions to the grant selection process, and generally advise the Facilitators at their request with respect to general matters involving RESF.

 

The Facilitators will initially select 2-3 GSB members, who will then select 1-3 or more GSB members.  the GSB  members will generally not be BeachBind organizers or staff. The GSB should endeavor to maintain an odd number of board members if possible. The GSB or Facilitators may elect to add or remove GSB members at its discretion, so long as there are at least 3 GSB members. If the number of GSB members falls below 3, the GSB members shall select additional members. If GSB fails to fill a vacancy after 30 days, the Facilitators shall fill the vacancy. 

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RESF Grant Process and Terms

 

When a new grant process is opened, the total amount of available funds will be announced, along with the minimum and maximum number of grants that may be available. After the close of the application period, the grant selection board will review the applications and decide who will receive grants and in what amounts. The grant selection board will have considerable discretion as to how to allocate grant funds, but with the largest factor being financial need (e.g. the applicant's ability to otherwise obtain rope education without the grant). The grant selection board may consider other factors such as time and commitment to their rope journey, service to the rope community or their local kink community, references and vetting results, prior consent incidents and the way they were handled, and other factors they deem relevant or useful.

 

When the Facilitators determine that there are sufficient funds to begin a new Grant Selection Round (GAR), the Facilitators will schedule a GAR. The Facilitators will determine the opening and closing dates for grant applications and the award announcement deadline. Awards may be made and announced on a rolling basis after the application deadline, but must be completed by the award announcement deadline. The GSB may begin meeting at any time but may not make any awards until after the application deadline. As awards are made, the GAR will notify the Facilitators, who will then notify the winner. The Facilitators will announce all winners and the GBS names following the lcompletion of the award process and facilitate payment of grants. 

 

The GBS shall have the general discretion to choose its process. The Facilitators shall provide application information to the GBS as received, scrubbed of any personally-identifying information. If the GBS determines that any investigation would be helpful, including contacting references, vetting, etc., the GBS may request the same and the Facilitators shall conduct any reasonable investigation requested or appoint a staff member to conduct the same. 

 

Grant Selection Criteria

 

The RESF is a need-based grant; therefore the GSB should first consider the applicant’s need and their access and opportunity, or limitations thereto, to rope or rope-related educational opportunities. The GSB may otherwise make award grants at its discretion, considering other factors it finds relevant, including high consideration to items such as the applicant's time and commitment to their rope journey, service to the rope community or their local kink community, references and vetting results, prior consent incidents and the way they were handled (including their accountability process), and other factors they deem relevant or useful.

 

The GSB must generally adhere to principles of ethics and inclusivity as follows: BeachBind and RESF endeavor to acknowledge and embrace diversity, convey respect to all people, be sensitive to differences, promote equal opportunities, and to provide the highest standards of ethics, integrity, safety, consent protocol, and inclusion. To the greatest extent possible, that grants will be inclusive of all people regardless of their various identifications, including but not limited to their racial, ethnic, gender, or sexual identities, expressions, or orientations, and regardless their beliefs, values, fetishes, kinks, lifestyle, or their physical or mental abilities or disabilities (this list is not exhaustive). Therefore, if an applicant volunteers information showing that they have had less access to rope educational opportunities for financial or other reasons, the grant selection committee should consider those factors. In addition, if a GSB member learns of a conflict of interest, or is able to link or possibly link an application to the applicant, they must notify the Facilitators and recuse themselves from further board action until the conflict matter is ethically resolved.

 

Awards

 

The GSB may choose the grant winners and awards amounts. The Facilitators will notify the GSB of the total available award funds. The award amounts should consider the cost of the proposed education, the amount requested (e.g. was it the full amount or a percentage such that the applicant will contribute), and the ability of the applicant to attend on a partial award. The Committee should consider the fact that where possible, the applicant should contribute to the cost of their proposed education and look to RESF to supplement where their ability to pay ends. RESF prefers to view the awards as a partnership in that the grant winner will also be contributing what they can, even if only a small portion of the amount. Moreover, by awarding partial grants, the GSB will be able to make more awards, and thus help more people. However, this does not preclude the GSB from awarding full tuition for the proposed educational opportunity where the circumstances warrant (e.g. the applicant notes they have no ability to pay any amount). The Board is welcome to request that the Facilitators contact the applicant to request further information, verification, or clarification as to what they are able to contribute. 

 

As awards are made, the Facilitators will notify the winners by sending a Grant Award Letter and Acceptance Agreement. Awards must be used for the rope education opportunity as described in the application and the Grant Award Letter. When generally possible and practical, the Facilitators shall cause the grants to be paid directly to the event or educator as applicable. Proof of registration and attendance shall be provided satisfactory to the Facilitators. In the event the grant winner can no-longer attend or receive the applied-for education, the grant will be forfeited and must be returned to RESF by the applicant. In the event the grant has already been paid and is non-refundable and the applicant does not attend, the applicant must repay the RESF. Waivers to this repayment obligation may be granted by the Facilitators upon good cause shown at the Facilitators' sole discretion after consultation with the GSB if requested. Award winners will also agree to cooperate at their comfort level to reasonably assist with the promotion and publicity of the RESF (e.g. social media posting showing their education or progress that raises awareness of the grant, their educational items they learned, and/or encourages others to apply for the grant in the future).

 

No grant will be made to 1) the same person more than one time in any three year period; 2) any person that is then-currently banned from any BeachBind or RopeLab; 3) any person that has been convicted of a sex or violent crime or is designated as a sex offender.  General consent incidents or violations will NOT automatically disqualify an applicant from the grant process. In determining the relative weight of the incident in its decision to issue an award, the GSB shall consider, among other factors it deems relevant, the nature and extent of the circumstances, the way the incident was handled by the parties, and any accountability process of the parties.

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BeachBind nor this fund is currently a charitable organization, but BeachBind is attempting to create a partnership with a 501(c)3 organization so that your contributions might be tax deductible. Until and unless that happens, they will not be. 

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The Application terms and agreement can be found here.