The Greater Milwaukee Foundation is inviting applications for its Thriving Communities Grant Program.
Donor Name: Greater Milwaukee Foundation
State: Wisconsin
Neighborhood: Sherman Park and North Division
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/17/2022
Size of the Grant: $250 to $7,500
Details:
Sherman Park is a young community, where more than 1,600 people between the ages of 15 and 24 are preparing to enter high school and the workforce. Several programs in the area serve young people at that critical time of early adolescence when they are transitioning into high school. However, according to residents and community leaders, fewer programs have successfully engaged older adolescents (ages 16 to 24) as they prepare to graduate high school and enter the workforce.
With a quarter of the population in North Division under age 14, they need the appropriate tools to successfully develop their social and emotional learning skills.
Community stakeholders agreed that support for youth development and youth engagement activities is a priority within both neighborhoods.
Funding Priority Area
- Professional skills and career development for youth and young adults (16-24 years old): Youth and young adults ages 16 to 24 have greater impact in their community when there are resources and opportunities to develop professional skills to succeed in the workforce. When they do not invest in the talents and potential of youth and young adults, there is chronic underemployment, which can lead to increased adverse interactions with police.
- After-school programming for youth, social and emotional support and health and wellness activities for youth or young adults (10-18 years old): Youth ages 10 to 18 are best equipped for positive engagement at school and in their community when there is access to safe and supportive spaces to learn and develop. By taking action to address challenges youth face and transforming values and attitudes to support youth development, families and communities are changed in a positive way. Given all the challenges that young people in North Division and Sherman Park neighborhoods face, the lack of programming before and after school reveals a major gap in their social support systems.
Funding Information
Grant amounts may range from $250 to $7,500.
Who is eligible?
- The Foundation seeks to reach groups and organizations based in Sherman Park or North Division that demonstrate a record of hiring and engaging with community members. Priority will be given to initiatives that fall within the priorities identified and with organizations that place the voices of people who are traditionally left out of community decision-making at the center of the planning, implementation and results of the proposed project, event or activities. Groups and organizations representing these respective neighborhoods are encouraged to apply.
- Successful proposals may include the following:
- Age-appropriate programming and/or activities for the following age groups for the Sherman Park and North Division neighborhoods:
- 10 to18 years old
- 16 to 24 years old
- An outreach plan that includes strategies for recruitment and retention of youth
- Demonstration of an understanding of how to provide programming that is responsive to the interests and culture of youth in Sherman Park or North Division
- Partnerships that leverage existing resources to improve outcomes for youth.
- Organizations must be considered charitable organizations as determined by the IRS internal revenue code 501(c)(3). Please note: Organizations that do not have this designation may use a fiscal sponsor (organization recognized as a 501(c)(3) charitable entity) to serve as the recipient and manager of the grant. Eligible nonprofits are required to have board membership that is at least 10 percent people of color. The term “people of color” refers to all persons who are not categorized as white by the U.S. Census.
For more information, visit GMF.
