WICHITA, Kan.–Volunteer Kansas is offering organizations in Kansas the opportunity to apply for Seed Grants in the amount of $500. Grants are given to help support service projects that will engage volunteers. This is the seventh year Volunteer Kansas has made Seed Grants available.
“It seems most organizations have plenty of projects to tackle; they just don’t have the funds to get them going. That’s why we began offering seed grants. It’s a great way to get something growing and to engage people in volunteerism,” said Volunteer Kansas Executive Director Nola Brown.
Ten grants will be awarded in May for use before December 31 of 2017. The application process is simple. Organizations interested in applying for a grant should email the following information to contact@volunteerkansas.org by April 14:
1. The name of your organization along with its address, website, and phone number; your name, title, email, and phone number.
2. A paragraph about your organization.
3. 1-3 paragraphs explaining the project you wish to fund, how volunteers will participate, and who the project will benefit.
4. A budget detailing how the $500 will be used.
Projects chosen for grants require listings as volunteer opportunities on www.volunteerkansas.org. Projects must utilize at least 20 volunteers. Winners are required to post project photos/videos to the Volunteer Kansas’ Facebook and/or Twitter pages with #comeandgiveit, #volunteerkansas. Winning projects must be completed by December 31, 2017.
2016 Volunteer Kansas Seed Grant recipients and service projects included:
1. TFI Family Services (Topeka) – Vegetable Garden Cultivation
2. Community Health Ministry (Wamego) – Farmer’s Market
3. Silver Cross Mission (Moline) – Outdoor Improvements
4. Garden Incubator (Lawrence) – Compost System Expansion
5. Stage 9 (Hutchinson) – Costume Room Organization
6. Rock Creek Valley Historical Society (Westmoreland) – Outdoor Improvements
7. Kiwanis Club of Liberal (Liberal) – Playground Build
8. Brauer Beavers 4-H Club (Bonner Springs) – Bus Stop Benches
9. The Green Prom Movement Foundation (Quenemo) – Dress Refurbishing
10. Youth Volunteer Corps of Greater Kansas City (Kansas City) – Multi-Cultural Mural
The vision of Volunteer Kansas is to move Kansas from the state ranking of number seven for volunteerism to number one. “Providing interesting project for groups of volunteers to participate in will help us achieve this vision,” said Brown.
Volunteer Kansas, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) charity based in Wichita, Kan. Volunteerkansas.org is the organization’s website devoted to increasing volunteerism in the state of Kansas and providing a hub for Kansans to find other Kansans who may need volunteer or material help. The website is a free service to individuals and organizations.