United Way of Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region has awarded $2,500 mini-grants to 10 local leaders as a part of a new program called Seeding Leaders.

These grants are intended to support the wellness, leadership, and professional development of nonprofit leaders and primarily focused on leaders who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color), an individual with a disability, LGBTQIA+, and/or an immigrant.

The Seeding Leaders grants were designed with the flexibility to support the resilience, wholeness, and success of the leader. Uses for the grant can include conferences, executive coaching, leadership/nonprofit management credential, college courses, enabling rest via compensation for time off, healthcare costs, or reimbursement of personal resources utilized for professional/leadership development in the past two years.

“We are excited about the flexible nature of the grants, and that they can be used for things like rest (paid time off) and healthcare, which are expenses often overlooked by funders, including United Way,” said Alyssa Stewart, VP of Impact and Engagement at UWBCKR “We are also excited to learn through applicants what gaps and needs exist, which can inform our efforts and the efforts of our funder peers across the region.”

The recipients of the Seeding Leaders mini-grants are:

• William Atkinson: Co Founder, Men of Purpose, Inc.
• Leatrice Fullerton: Board President, First Day Shoe Fund 
• Robin Greymountain: Kalamazoo County Native American Family Meet-Up and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
• Grace Cowens: Founder and CEO, Gracious Homes
• Qynce Chumley: Kalamazoo Collective Housing
• Dana Canales- Jamierson: CEO, Joys Charitable
• Rev. Millard Southern III:  Pastor, The Historic Allen Chapel AME Church
• Tiffany Burns: Executive Director, Smile Savers Mobile Dental Health
• Kimberly Holley: Executive Director, Sojourner Truth Center for Liberation and Justice
• Takisha Johnson: Founder and Director, Kings and Queens

“The Seeding Leaders mini-grant is providing a critical resource for individuals like me that are working for under-resourced grassroots organizations,” Holley said “Helping to alleviate some of the financial burdens such as having to pay for my own health insurance, provides a level of sustainability for my leadership role within the organization, which in turn supports my ability to focus on executing transformative programming.”

Johnson said, “Being a recipient of these funds makes me feel seen for doing the work being a nonprofit founder requires. I will surely take time to rest and invest in my self-care.”

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