Competition FAQs | Search by Topic
Qs about Proposal
Do you have examples of proposals that you're looking for?
Here are some examples to inspire you. As you'll notice, however, these are examples that emerged out of a set of conditions specific to another community's local challenges.
Does it cost anything to submit my proposal?
What if our team's proposal involves out-of-pocket/material costs?
All selected teams are responsible for any out-of-pocket/material costs beyond materials that are provided by Montclair Design Week.
What criteria are you using to evaluate proposals?
Here are questions we use to consider the strength of your proposals, we invite you to do the same!
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Do you have a strong idea? -
Do you have an ambitious idea? -
Do you have a diverse mix of team members? -
Is your team capable of developing the idea in Stage Two? -
Is your idea clear and legible? -
Is your idea scalable? -
Does your idea address a pressing concern? -
Does your idea take any risks while addressing it? -
Does your idea engage the community at large in an accessible way? -
Does your proposal align with this year's theme? -
What scale of impact does your proposal have, and for what duration? -
Does your proposal awaken spaces or opportunities that have been historically unlikely or underused?
Qs about Team and Eligibility
What are you looking for in a team?
We believe that diversity of perspectives, skills and backgrounds is key to how we approach the challenges and questions we face. For that reason, we are looking for teams that are composed of that diversity, built with the following three (3) roles at minimum, with a maximum of six (6) members total:
Do team members need to be from Montclair?
What if members of our team can't attend Stage Two or Three?
This competition is designed to be an integral part of Montclair Design Week's programming, and as such, the dates for Stage Two and Stage Three are fixed. If a member of your team is unable to attend, please find a replacement so that you maintain the minimum requirement of three team members.
Qs about MDW and Theme
Why do you have a Code of Conduct?
Montclair Design Week is committed to a kind and inclusive experience for all of its participants. Whether your an attendee, volunteer, sponsor, partner, event host, MDW representative, showcase exhibitor or organizer, we value participation that is free from harm and harrassment. Please read our full Code of Conduct here.
What is this year's theme?
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UNWRITTEN is everything we do and make without pausing to give or receive explanation--all the systems and rituals that we participate and move within, but rarely see. It’s those unspoken gestures and actions between us that make and break our community.
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UNWRITTEN is about working together to uncover what’s been hidden or forgotten. It calls us to lay it bare, unearth, get naked, be curious. To encounter each other.
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UNWRITTEN means that nothing is set in stone--that when we connect, we can discover things we never could have imagined. It means we can rewrite the story and our futures for the better.
What is Montclair Design Week?
Montclair Design Week (MDW) is the town’s official celebration about design. MDW connects and engages our community in a week of thought-provoking, playful, and inclusive events that celebrate how design enriches our lives in ways both large and small, visible and unseen.
Qs about Categories
What are the four categories?
The competition will be structured around 4 focus areas in an effort to address the multitude of ways that design helps shape meaningful experiences in the city. The categories outlined below are direct outcome of a series of community-centered design events conducted during MDW 2018:
How did you determine these four categories?
In MDW's inaugural week of programming - 2018, the Year of Messy Design - several events were loosely designed as opportunities to gather insights about what challenges we face, as well as turning points to transform those challenges into forward-thinking possibilities for change.
Qs about Timeline
What is the full timeline?
What if members of our team can't attend Stage Two or Three?
This competition is designed to be an integral part of Montclair Design Week's programming, and as such, the dates for Stage Two and Stage Three are fixed. If a member of your team is unable to attend, please find a replacement so that you maintain the minimum requirement of three team members.
Qs about Stages Two and Three
What does Montclair Design Week provide to teams during Stage Two?
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Plotter for 24"x 36" prints -
Printer for 8.5" x 11" and 11" x 17" prints -
Rolls of trace paper -
Pads of newspaper print -
Packs of color markers -
Wall space (dimensions TBD) -
Tables (equally distributed to each team) -
Mounting and Scotch tape - Sheets of chipboard
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Glue guns
Can you describe what to expect during Stage Two?
Can you describe what to expect during Stage Three?
In Stage Three, team proposals that have been developed and presented during Stage Two will remain on display in the Hub until Sunday, October 27. On this day, the final day of Montclair Design Week, all teams will reconvene to present their proposals to the public, who will vote to decide whose proposal will advance into action with a $1,000 micro-grant from the Awesome Foundation.
MDW 2019 Competition Submission - Stage One
Submissions deadline for Stage One is September 23, 2019, 11:59pm EST.
Before Submitting
For complete instructions and FAQs, including, eligibility, deadlines/timelines, team formation, categories and criteria, please review Competition FAQs on this page, or click here to download printable version.