Request for Proposals for Community Experts Funds (New York, Massachusetts)

Deadline: 08/31/2023

Size of the Grant: $5,000 -$25,000

Details:

This grant initiative has been developed by the Tower Foundation’s Community Experts Team, a 16-member group of young adults with lived expertise relating to the Foundation’s funding areas.

The design and administration of this grant opportunity is spearheaded by young adults with ties to the communities where services will be delivered. Their engagement in the grantmaking process both amplifies community voice and informs grantmaking with the concerns, insights, and priorities of the young people that are the focus of the work.

In 2023, this fund will focus on programs (new or existing) that support young people between the ages of 13-26 with either life, social, and communication skills; or  treatment and recovery support for mental health challenges and/or substance use disorder.

Funding Information

The Community Experts Team has a total of $200,000 to award in this cycle. Applicants may request any amount between $5,000 and $25,000.

Eligible Programs

• Population Focus: Young people with an intellectual disability, learning disability, mental health challenge, or substance use disorder.
• Age Focus: Eligible programs for grant funding must serve youth ages 13-18 and/or transition age young adults between the ages of 18-26.
• Programmatic Focus: Applicants may request support for projects or activities that fit within one of the following categories:
  • Life, Social, and Communication Skills
    • Essential skills for young people and transition-age adults to achieve their goals, help them build confidence, and build connections. These skills are defined as follows:
      • Life skills: Skills that impact us as individuals, including time management, emotional regulation, transportation navigation, independent living, academics, job-seeking, and vocational/workplace competencies.
      • Social skills: Skills that impact relationships with others. For instance, learning how to navigate friendships, how to talk with people you have just met, and how to learn and benefit from connections with mentors and trusted adults.
      • Communication skills: Skills that help them express themselves and advocate for themselves, including, non-verbal communication and conversation skills.
  • Treatment and Recovery
    • Support of treatment and recovery programs for young people facing challenges with mental health and/or substance use. This could include, but is not limited to:
      • School-based supports (e.g., re-entry, alternatives to suspension)
      • Peer-led supports and interventions (e.g., peer mentors, group therapy)
      • Community support and activities (e.g., sober living, wellness programming)

Additional Criteria

• The Community Experts Team has identified values and program components that they believe make programs stronger and more accessible. The Community Experts Team will give preference to applications that demonstrate one or more of the following:
  • Inclusion of youth/young people in program design and implementation
  • Diversity of organizational leadership and people served by organization
  • Creativity of the project design
  • Collaboration with other community partners
  • Environmental and nature-based program components
  • No-cost or low-cost fee structure

Applicants may apply for funding to support any of the following types of expenses, alone or in combination. This is not a comprehensive list. Other reasonable expenses for supporting your program work will be considered.

• Programming (e.g., stipends for peer advisors or funding for a portion of existing staff positions; costs of community programming/field trips)
• Transportation (e.g., transportation for young people to programming)
• Technology & Equipment (e.g., Laptop or zoom costs)
• Training (within or outside of agency)
• Events (e.g., space rentals, food costs, speakers)

Eligibility Criteria

• Work with young people with an intellectual disability, learning disability, mental health challenge, or substance use disorder; and Currently provide services in one or more of these regions
• Currently provide services in one or more of these regions:
  • Massachusetts: Barnstable County, Dukes County, Essex County, Nantucket County
  • New York: Erie County, Niagara County

For more information, visit Peter and Elizabeth Tower Foundation.