United Way of Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region is announcing the availability of 10 $2,500 mini-grants as a part of a new Seeding Leaders mini-grant opportunity.

Intended to support the wellness, leadership, and/or professional development of nonprofit leaders, these grants will focus on leaders who identify as being Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color (BIPOC), an individual with a disability, LGBTQIA+, and/or an immigrant.

“Seeding Leaders is a reflection of our learning through the Executive Leadership Lab (ELL) that we have done for the past two years. These mini-grants are designed to be more customized and responsive to the unique needs of nonprofit leaders—especially leaders from smaller organizations and identities that sometimes receive less access to monetary supports,” said Alyssa Stewart, VP of Impact and Engagement of UWBCKR.

These grants are designed with the flexibility to support the resilience, wholeness, and success of the leader. Uses could 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. 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,” Stewart added.

Applicants may apply through Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, at noon (12 p.m.) EST.

To be eligible to apply, an individual must have documented affiliation with an organization: With a 501 (c)3 status as determined by the IRS or a fiscal sponsor 501(c)3, an annual budget of less than $250,000, and that serves individuals within Kalamazoo County and/or Battle Creek.

The application process is projected to take between 5-10 minutes and is suggested to be completed in one sitting to avoid content being lost. These applications will be reviewed by a team of United Way staff and community volunteers, and applicants will be informed of the outcome by Tuesday, February 15, 2022. If awarded, grants will then be provided in March of 2022.

If you have any questions, please reach out to communityimpact@uwbckr.org. We encourage you to share with any in our community who you feel may meet the above criteria!

CLICK HERE TO APPLY