The following was published in The Herald-Dispatch (www.herald-dispatch.com) on January 20, 2010. It is part of a regular series of columns presented by Create Huntington.

Create Huntington Launches Micro Grant Program

Get ready for an amazing year.

Let’s be honest, when we began the Chat ‘n Chews in November 2008 we had no idea if anyone would participate or if we’d be able to complete a single project. Frankly, we couldn’t find any other communities that had tried (or at least published information on) this type of grassroots community development venture.

To say that 2009 exceeded our expectations is somewhat of an understatement. Nearly 50 teams formed to work on projects. Many have begun making a real difference in our community. They did all of this with very limited support from Create Huntington. We did what we could: we provided a forum for people to meet, helped them network with others and plugged them in with people who could assist. Most of all we empowered people to articulate what they thought would make Huntington better and to find ways to bring their dreams to reality.

However, we weren’t able to provide any financial support, mentoring, or training. I’m thrilled to report that much of that is about to change.

Last week, at Create Huntington’s celebration of the first anniversary of the Chat ‘n Chews, we announced the launch of a matching micro grant program to aid community teams and individuals. The goal for the micro grant program is to give Create Huntington project teams, community organizations, and other groups of volunteers, an extra nudge to help them imagine, consider and complete projects that benefit the community.

Community Project Grants are generally open to any community organizations or group of volunteers working on projects that they believe will improve the quality of life in Huntington. The grant applications will be reviewed by the Create Huntington Board of Connectors and will be awarded based on criteria such as the project’s impact on the community, the ability of the group to complete and sustain the project, the quality of project plan, and the support for the project as documented by in-kind and volunteer support. Community Project Grants are provided on a one to one matching basis, up to $500 and require the group or person requesting assistance to raise at least as much as they are requesting.

Scholarship Grants are open to individuals and representatives of community groups who are participating in training or attending seminars and conferences that will benefit one of the Create Huntington initiatives. For instance, individuals who would like to attend the 2010 Create West Virginia conference, the upcoming Creative Cities Summit in Lexington, or other similar conferences, training or seminars may apply for grants. Scholarship Grants are limited to 50% of the total cost, up to $250.

Funds for both programs are limited. You will find information on the programs and grant applications on Create Huntington’s website at http://www.createhuntington.com/matching_funds.php. Of course, anyone interested in the program may also join us at the Create Huntington Chat ‘n Chews, where you’ll meet other project leaders and hear about the work of other teams.

 Create Huntington Chat ‘n Chews are held every Thursday, 5:30 – 7:00 pm, in the lobby of the Frederick Building. They are free and open to everyone. Chat ‘n Chews are Create Huntington’s weekly forum where engaged people meet and work on projects they believe will improve the quality of life in Huntington.