Wellbeing Microgrants for Community-Led Action!

You can make a difference by donating today to Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council - Wellbeing Microgrants fund.

 

 

Wellbeing Microgrant projects are small-scale, short-term action projects led by community members of the Santa Monica Bay Area. Project leaders pitch their ideas and are selected to receive $500 microgrants to make their ideas a reality.

 

Their ideas span the dimensions of community wellbeing:

 

COMMUNITY

COVID has made it difficult for people to stay connected. In particular with the holidays approaching, leaders can bring creative solutions to issues of isolation and loneliness. Past leaders have hosted a class (virtual or in-person with safety precautions), launched a community benefit campaign, or commemorated community loss through a vigil.

 

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

Even before the pandemic, Santa Monicans were worried about paying rent or mortgages. While economic issues require big solutions, microgrants can spark small economic growth for individuals and communities that have a big impact. Leaders have used microgrants for skills training to increase employment options, or to kickstart a new business.

 

HEALTH

At the top of mind nowadays is our collective health - both physical and mental. Leaders have developed campaigns to support public health efforts or a class series to help alleviate daily stress or give participants a space to have honest conversations about health and habits.

 

PLACE & PLANET

Many have taken up gardening or environmental sustainability efforts as a way to take action during times of uncertainty. Microgrant leaders may encourage neighbors to take an active role in on Santa Monica's environmental progress, get involved in a composting project, or deepen their understanding of the natural world locally.

 

LEARNING

Arts, cultural opportunities, and social justice and equity initiatives have sprung up during COVID. Microgrants can provide new learning opportunities in the community, whether it's a new skill like 3D printing or knitting, or a cultural initiative to capture the lived experience of people in the Santa Monica area.

 

 

The Microgrants seek to advance community level wellbeing as a major end goal of racial equity, inclusion, and accessibility work. For this reason, the Microgrant applications are open to all people, with a focus on communities that have been hardest hit by the pandemic and ongoing social inequities.

We plan to open the next round of applications in early 2022. Help us make this program possible today!

 

We welcome your support - please join us in advancing wellbeing collectively.