2022 ONS Mini-Grant Awardees

Posted on August 18, 2022 by Alyse Horn

Pittsburgh, PA — This year, One Northside (ONS) was able to distribute 24 mini-grant awards for small-scale community projects. These $1,000 grants were given to Northsider’s whose projects demonstrate pledged support of their neighbors, help strengthen connections, increase accessibility to resources, and/or activate significant places in their community.

The projects and project leads are:

#PghCatFolx – Northside, Susan Kerr | 5th Annual Youth Christmas Concert, Charlene R. Fields | A Marvelous Transitional Living Home, Shayla Bryant | Alpine Parklet Native Perennial Demonstration Garden, Laura Winter | By Her Own Design: A Writer’s Workshop and More!, Brett Monae Searcy | Creating A Sense of Community in Summer Hill, Jacob George | Daniel’s Den Cancer Foundation, Roxanne L Robinson | Fall Festival, Karen Lucarelli | Family Childcare Home, Yolanda Ann Davis | FEDERAL STREET FLOWER ISLANDS 3, Anna Yoder | Fierce and Fabulous Sewing Club, Ruby Helvy | Financial Literacy Workshop Series 2; Business Training Camp, Jamara White | Floral Arrangements and Wreaths, Charlene Anderson | GOALS (Getting Over Adversity to Live Successfully), Danielle Lynn King | Heir Force Community Holiday Celebration, Russell L. Bynum | Mattress Factory Presents: Northside Futures, Kemuel Benyehudah | Mindfulness Writing: Workshops to Overcome Trauma, Shalace N Moore | Northside Public Safety Council Technical Support, Joanne Pomietto | Observatory Hill Community Gardens, Leslee Schaffer | Pittsburgh VegFest, Leila Sleiman | Senior Serenade, Carla Arnold | Storyburgh: DMZ Storytelling, Pamela Monk | Tabitha’s Daughters, LLC October Weekend Retreat, Maxine Garrett | Together We Stand, Tangerine McDaniel.

This is the only round of mini-grants for 2022. It was previously stated that 15 mini-grants were available. Given the number of applicants, New Sun Rising (NSR) was able to redirect funding to the program to back an additional 10 projects.

About New Sun Rising: New Sun Rising supports nonprofits and small businesses to build vibrant communities through culture, sustainability, and opportunity. NSR believes that people and communities hold the knowledge and power to make positive change. We envision a future where regenerative community development practices create the conditions for true social, environmental, and economic justice.

About One Northside: One Northside is a community-driven initiative to improve the quality of life in all 18 neighborhoods of the Northside. Since early 2014, hundreds of Northside residents have engaged with local leaders and stakeholders in community-wide conversations to create a shared agenda for the revitalization of this vital component of the greater Pittsburgh region.

September 8, 2022: This release previously stated that 25 mini-grants were awarded. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Pop Up Play Event: An Amazing Day of PLAY!, Twila Simmons-Walker was a unable to accept the mini-grant, leading to 24 mini-grants being distributed.

Upcoming ONS Mini-Grant deadline June 2022

Posted on May 23, 2022 by Alyse Horn

Above: A student involved in the Believe & Achieve Learning Hub, which received mini-grant funding in 2020.

Pittsburgh, PA — The next One Northside (ONS) Mini-Grant application deadline is Thursday, June 30, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. Project applications submitted to New Sun Rising (NSR) by this date will receive a decision on Friday, July 29, 2022.

This will be the only round of mini-grants for this year and there are 15 award agreements available.

The mini-grant program awards Northsider’s up to $1,000 to support small-scale community projects that demonstrate pledged support of their neighbors, help strengthen connections, increase accessibility to resources, and/or activate significant places in their community.

For mini-grant applicants, the preferred method for submitting your application is to use the online form. Application must be received by the grant deadline.

In regards to community support, please have three different Northside residents or business owners email vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org with their name, the project they are supporting, their Northside address and their phone number; or have them call 412-407-9007 with the same information.

In pre-approved circumstances, project leaders may submit for additional mini-grants. Only one mini-grant per project leader may be active at one time. To close your open grant, please fill out the report online form. Please contact vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org for additional information.

Nonprofit Resilience Program a welcomed respite for Northside leaders

Posted on November 10, 2021 by Alyse Horn

For the organizational leaders who participated in the third cohort of New Sun Rising’s Nonprofit Resilience Program, many said the experience was unparalleled compared to other programs they’d been involved in.

Not only was it tailored to the Northside community, but this cohort was created for leaders identifying as Black, Indigenous, and people of color.

*Cecelia Ware, a Northside leader and member of the Nonprofit Resilience Program’s third cohort.*

“I had not been a part of something like this before,” said Rick Mason. “It was a great opportunity to just connect with other African American leaders, and for there to not be any judgement when talking through and discussing honest feelings. That was the biggest value of the program.”

Mason said he believes the instant connection and understanding amongst the seven individuals in the cohort allowed the group to “dig deep pretty quickly.”

Similar to previous iterations, the One Northside Nonprofit Resilience Program began with an Emotional Intelligence Assessment that helped program facilitators create Development Sessions based upon the needs of the leaders in the program.

“It allowed us to see where we needed to care more for ourselves and we felt comfortable having that discussion, like, ‘Yes, I definitely feel like I’m not caring for myself in these ways and that is affecting my professional activities and interactions,’” said Angela Williams, president of Charles Street Area Council.

Williams said self-care was at the forefront of the program throughout the remainder of the sessions and one-on-one consultations with coaches, which each participant received outside of the classes.

Ashlee Carter, development director at Northside Christian Health Center and member of the Nonprofit Resilience Program’s third cohort.

Ashlee Carter, development director at Northside Christian Health Center, said she was impressed by the professional diversity of the coaches who were selected to support the participants, and how they allowed individuals to learn “different techniques of how to be a better leader in [their] community.”

This Northside edition of the Nonprofit Resilience Program was made possible with funding from The Buhl Foundation, which also gave participants a stipend to use on additional executive coaching after the cohort concluded. Carter said she is grateful for the opportunity to sign on for additional services that are tailored to her and her growth as a Northside leader.

Eric Acosta, project manager at Urban Strategies Inc., said he was one of the younger participants and he felt fortunate to be part of the program because he “had never been in a space like that before.”

“I’m really happy that I was part of this program and I hope it doesn’t become a one-off thing. I think there are a lot of people who could benefit from it in the Northside, but also Pittsburgh in general,” Acosta said.

Mason said he knows there is value in programs having a time limit, but there were some “really great conversations” that participants didn’t have a chance to finish or follow-up on, and he thinks spending more time together and continuing to forge those relationships “would have been beneficial.”

Carter felt similarly. She said she found a lot of the conversations “very thought provoking” and believed it would be valuable for the program to be scaled around “different communities in different areas.”

“This program isn’t all talk. This program provided a warm and welcoming environment where we felt comfortable, and it also provided real strategies and tools for how to overcome challenges that we were experiencing personally that would affect our professional roles,” Williams said.

One Northside Mini-Grants close out 2021 with 20 funded projects

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Alyse Horn

Pittsburgh, PA — The 2021 One Northside Mini-Grant’s have come to a close with a total of 20 funded small-scale community projects that demonstrated support of their neighbors, helped strengthen connections, increased accessibility to resources, and activated significant places in their community.

Including these projects, the total number of those completed since 2018 is 161.

This funding year challenged mini-grantees to create projects that adhered to COVID-19 guidelines while still supporting and interacting with their communities.

One project, Community Breakfast, was led by Victoria Tyus and they served hot food to the homeless and anyone in need of a meal. During the pandemic, they have fed over 825 families monthly.

Tyus wrote, “Every first Tuesday, every fourth Wednesday, and every fourth Saturday, food [was] given out of the door of the church… We have been doin this for a long time but the only challenge is getting funds to keep purchasing food and supplies.”

Another project, Daniel’s Den Cancer Foundation, has been in operations for 13 years and supports cancer patients and families. Their goal is to continue to reach out to the cancer community that is searching for support, financial help, and informative medical literature.

Led by Roxanne Robinson, the foundation built on what they historically offer, and supplied cancer patients with stipends for $500 and gathered information to help patients with their diagnosis and proposed avenues to get additional help. They have a yearly luncheon coming up this October to help draw more support towards their cause.

Both Community Breakfast and Daniel’s Den Cancer Foundation were previously funded by a ONS Mini-Grant.

A new project during 2021 included Women’s Way: Stories of Motherhood in the Time of Covid, led by Sloane Davidson and Hello Neighbor. The project has partnered with other local nonprofits including City of Asylum, Sharing our Story, and Pittsburgh Hispanic Development Corporation to facilitate digital storytelling workshops for refugee and immigrant mothers and U.S. born mothers to share their experience of navigating motherhood in the time of COVID.

The event is scheduled to occur in 2022, and it is simultaneously being planned to be held virtually depending on the status of in-person events due to the pandemic.

The complete list of 2021 ONS Mini-Grant projects include:

Art From The Heart – Sheila D. Collins
Bee-Loved Bees – Mercedes Velasquez
Brighton Arts – Puppets and Poetry – Char Fields
Cedar Point – Char Fields
Community Breakfast – Victoria Tyus
Daniel’s Den Cancer Foundation -Roxanne L Robinson
Eat, Play, Love – A Family’s Journey to Wellness on the Northside – Gorman Gregory Searcy and Maria T. Searcy
Family Support Center – Stephen Weiss
Fierce & Fabulous Fashion Sewing Design Club – Ruby Helvy
Financial Literacy Workshop – Jamara White
Granny Tees and Things – Marlo Jones
Pittsburgh VegFest 2021 Northside – Leila Sleiman Head
Pjs Playhouse – Patricia Morgan
Spring Hill Community Garden – Melanie Sandoval
Spring Hill Gateway – Ruth Ann Dailey
Spring Hill Greenway Entrance – Karen Lucarelli Braden
Tabitha’s Daughters, LLC/A Day of Mindfulness & Kindfulness Too! – Maxine Garrett
The Garden Circle – Rose Thompson
Women’s Way: Stories of Motherhood in the Time of Covid – Sloane Davidson
Write Pittsburgh Online Journal – Vivian Lee Croft

For more information about ONS Mini-Grants, click here.

About New Sun Rising

New Sun Rising supports nonprofits and small businesses to build vibrant communities through culture, sustainability, and opportunity. NSR believes that people and communities hold the knowledge and power to make positive change. We envision a future where regenerative community development practices create the conditions for true social, environmental, and economic justice.

About One Northside

One Northside is a community-driven initiative to improve the quality of life in all 18 neighborhoods of the Northside. Since early 2014, hundreds of Northside residents have engaged with local leaders and stakeholders in community-wide conversations to create a shared agenda for the revitalization of this vital component of the greater Pittsburgh region.

2021 One Northside Mini-Grant Deadline June 13

Posted on May 17, 2021 by Alyse Horn

Pittsburgh, PA — The next One Northside (ONS) Mini-Grant application deadline is June 13, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. Project applications submitted to New Sun Rising (NSR) by this date will receive a decision in July 2021.

Since 2018, there have been 141 completed ONS Mini-Grant projects. To view past projects, click here.

For mini-grant applicants, the preferred method for submitting your application is to use the online form, but printed applications are accepted by postal mail. You may also submit your applications as attachments to vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org. Postal mail submissions should be addressed to New Sun Rising, Attn. One Northside Mini-Grant, P.O. Box 58005, Pittsburgh, PA 15209 and must be received by the grant deadline.

In pre-approved circumstances, project leaders may submit for additional mini-grants. Only one mini-grant per project leader may be active at one time. Please contact vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org for additional information.

For more information about ONS Mini-Grants, click here.

About New Sun Rising

About One Northside

Mini-grantees adapt projects to meet Northside residents needs

Posted on November 14, 2020 by Alyse Horn

Above: a student working at the Believe & Achieve Learning Hub in Spring Hill.

Sometimes, a little bit of funding can go a long way.

For those who live or work on the Northside, $1,000 is available to create projects that empower their communities and increase their quality of life.

Many of the programs this year had to rework their original projects to adhere to Covid-19 restrictions, but were able to overcome the challenges and meet the needs of both adult and youth residents. We talked to three current mini-grantees about how they adapted their projects and the importance of community during uncertain times.

Have an idea to better your community? The next deadline to apply for a mini-grant is November 20, 2020.

*Photo courtesy of Ebony Lunsford-Evans*

Growing with Farmer Girl Eb – Ebony Lundsford-Evans
Instagram @FarmerGirlEb

Gardening started as something to do with her children, and after successfully growing 30 varieties of produce and teaching other youth in the neighborhood to grow their own food, Ebony Lundsford-Evans developed the nonprofit 1sound for the continuation of providing thriving skills to communities.

This year she applied for a One Northside Mini-Grant to host youth and adult programming around how to successfully grow vegetables, fruits, and herbs, but had to change direction due to Covid-19.

“I was stuck on what to do and then one of the senior citizens I had been working with in this program reached out to me during the pandemic,” Lundsford-Evans said.

The individual was unable to access fresh food without putting themselves at risk by getting on a bus to go to the grocery store, so Lundsford-Evans decided to use her mini-grant to buy the supplies needed to build a raised garden bed outside of the Northside seniors home. After that, someone else asks Lundsford-Evans for help building raised beds outside of her church, which led to another community member walking up to Lunsford-Evans and asking how to garden.

“And that’s how it grew into 10 families,” Lunsford-Evans. “I had to put a cap on it.”

She said the ONS Mini-Grant has been “really great” in giving her the opportunity to educate first time gardeners and for others to learn about her nonprofit; she is currently looking for funding to expand the program and help people in other communities learn how to grow their food.

Her advice to gardeners?

“First and foremost, share anything that you learn with other growers,” Lunsford-Evans said. “Also, if you make a mistake don’t let that be so discouraging. You can sometimes throw seeds in the ground and grow a whole lot of something, but sometimes you put a lot of work into something and get nothing. Don’t let that defeat you; use it as a tool to keep going because eventually if you keep going, you’ll keep growing.”

PREP – Theodora Cotten

Being a certified reading specialist with a doctorates degree, Theodora Cotten is highly aware of the impact Covid-19 is having on children, especially those in kindergarten and first grade.

“My experience with [this age group] is when they miss out at the beginning, they have a hard time catching up later on,” Cotten said. “I like to see them get a firm foundation right at the beginning so they do well as they go through school.”

To ensure young students are getting enough interactive reading material, Cotten applied for a One Northside Mini-Grant to purchase a one year subscription of Highlights High Five Magazine for 25 children ages 5 and 6 years old. She said her project, PREP, “encourages and empowers parents to help their children with literacy.”

The colorful magazine includes stories, puzzles, cartoons and hidden pictures that aim to get children excited about reading, and because Cotten is purchasing so many subscriptions with the grant, Highlights is able to give her a discount allowing her to reach more students.

During her career, Cotten has made a point to give books to preschoolers and newborn babies, once passing books out at Allegheny General and McGee-Womens Hospital in the maternity ward. She strongly advises parents to begin reading to their children at birth, because regardless of the baby not being able to understand what the parent is saying, “the baby learns speech from [the parent] and the baby will learn to like reading if [the parents] do.”

“This time I’m giving out books because [children] aren’t getting the firm foundation they normally get when they go to school and I don’t want any child to fall behind if I can help it,” Cotten said.

Believe & Achieve Learning Hub – Stephen Weiss

Stephen Weiss, executive director at His Place, is no stranger to One Northside Mini-Grants. His organization has been able to utilize the opportunity for a handful of projects over the years like the implementation of their Peace Room, which is a dedicated space for students to decompress and learn different strategies of social emotional regulation. Or the Comic Book Shop, an after school reading program to enhance student literacy.

“It’s a fairly small investment in terms of grants, but it’s still able to have a really profound impact,” Weiss said.

This year, Weiss applied for a mini-grant to create the Believe & Achieve Learning Hub in Spring Hill where 10 elementary and middle school students are able to safely and virtually attend class during the weekdays with Weiss and His Place Data Analyst Melanie Sandoval standing by for support. When the kids get breaks between their class assignments, Weiss and Sandoval hold “multiplication ninja’s” and test the kids for fact fluency. Once they’ve mastered a different fact family they get a ninja belt, which is “surprisingly motivating,” Weiss said.

The learning hub builds off of the organization’s after school and summer programs, which some of the students have been attending for almost nine years.

“We wanted to be able to support them as much as possible with their school work, but also with the educational priorities we have set for kids,” Weiss said. “We have 12 different key outcomes for the kids in that program based on the data for what kind of academic, social, and emotional metrics coordinate with students succeeding later in life, especially students who are underserved.”

Alternations needed to be done to the space before allowing children in the hub, like purchasing individual desks and adding ventilation, but the mini-grant was used to help cover supplies for the students like headphones and the addition of a second interest line and boosters to keep all the kids online. Weiss said the learning hub has a capacity of 25 students, which they hope to reach once they have sufficient and stable internet connections.

“From the administrative side, it’s relief to know we have a little cash to help cover the expected and unexpected expenses,” Weiss said.

New Sun Rising’s One Northside Mini-Grant Program is made possible through support by The Buhl Foundation.

One Northside 2019-2020 Mini-Grant Showcase, upcoming mini-grant deadlines

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Alyse Horn

Pittsburgh, PA — At 12 p.m. on Monday, August 24, New Sun Rising (NSR) and One Northside (ONS) will host a showcase of resident-driven mini-grant projects that have been completed in 2019 through August 2020.

The event will be virtual and hosted via Facebook Live. Attendees should visit this link and RSVP to receive reminder notifications from Facebook.

The upcoming application deadlines for the rest of the 2020 ONS Mini-Grants are:

Friday, August 21 at 11:59 p.m.
Friday, October 16 at 11:59 p.m.
November 20 at 11:59 p.m. (pending fund availability)

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and reviewed bi-monthly.

The mini-grant program awards Northsider’s up to $1,000 to support small scale community projects that demonstrate pledged support of their neighbors, help strengthen connections, increase accessibility to resources, and/or activate significant places in their community.

In lieu of the 15 required signatures for applications, grantees must have three references email vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org or call NSR at (412) 407-9007 to give their full name, Northside home or business address, and the name of the project they are supporting. References cannot be from the same Northside home or business address.

If you are working towards COVID relief projects, please reach out to vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org for an application noting what your project will help.

Contact

NSR encourages prospective applicants to email vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org with any questions or concerns about the mini-grant process in advance of preparing their application.

For mini-grant applicants, the preferred method for submitting your application is to use the online form accessible at: www.newsunrising.org/project/ignite-northside/

Printed applications are accepted by postal mail. You may also submit your applications as attachments to vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org. Postal mail submissions should be addressed to New Sun Rising, Attn. One Northside Mini-Grant, P.O. Box 58005, Pittsburgh, PA 15209 and must be received by the grant deadline. All projects must be completed by August 31, 2020.

About New Sun Rising

About One Northside

One Northside Mini-Grant adjustments amid COVID-19

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Alyse Horn

The upcoming One Northside (ONS) Mini-Grant application deadline will remain March 31, 2020. Project applications submitted to New Sun Rising (NSR) by March 31 will receive a decision in April 2020.

In lieu of the 15 required signatures for applications, grantees must have 3 references email or call NSR (412-407-9007) to give their full name, home or business address, and the name of the project they are supporting. References cannot be from the same Northside home or business address.

At this time, all grant deadlines have been extended to August 31, 2020.

NSR encourages prospective applicants to email vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org with any questions or concerns about the mini-grant process in advance of preparing their application.

Contact

For mini-grant applicants, the preferred method for submitting your application is to use the online form accessible at: www.newsunrising.org/project/ignite-northside/

About New Sun Rising

About One Northside

ONS Mini-Grants ’empower’ community members, support projects

Posted on January 7, 2020 by Alyse Horn

Above: Marlo Jones helps women learn how to crochet at a senior citizens home on the Northside.

Northside neighbors with small-scale projects are able to utilize the One Northside Mini-Grant program to get their ideas off the ground, with the next application deadline being January 30, 2020.

The program awards Northsider’s $1,000 for their projects that demonstrate pledged support of their neighbors, help strengthen connections, increase accessibility to resources, and/or activate significant places in their community.

Cecelia Ware has been an advocate for the mini-grant program since she began applying for different projects several years ago, and believes that community members can feel “empowered” by engaging with their neighbors in this way.

“If you’ve got something that you want to share with the community, why not apply for a mini-grant and go ahead and do it?” Ware said.

The mini-grants were first supervised by The Sprout Fund, and when the nonprofit sunset, New Sun Rising took over the process in 2018. Ware applied for funding with both organizations, initially because she “needed to do work in [her] community” and wanted to help kids that may be navigating difficult experiences.

Ware has been awarded several mini-grants over the years, her first being the Saving Our Sons and Daughters after school program at Propel Northside that focuses on violence prevention and coping skills for high school students. Her current mini-grant project is an extension of the first, and is a Teen Drop in Center at 3577 McClure Ave. to ensure that students are supported beyond the school year. She said they are always looking volunteers, and those interested can email infinitelifestylesol@gmail.com.

“We still focus on violence prevention, but also social justice and African American history as well as leadership skills,” Ware said. “We provide the kids with a free meal, and we have a food bank and clothing bank so they can take those things home if needed.”

For Marlo Jones, this was the first year she applied for a mini-grant. As a talented crocheter, Jones wanted to share her craft through The Crochet Group, where she visits senior citizens each week and teaches them the basics of crocheting to create a beginner scarf or hat.

Jones said the mini-grant has helped her cover the costs of supplies, so each participate can choose and take with them several different yarn colors and their own pair of needles. She also uses a projector to present the different crochet techniques in an easy to digest fashion. She said the experience has been great for those involved.

“This is a safe environment, and people can talk and share what’s been going on in their lives” Jones said. “ It’s therapeutic… to start from nothing and create something beautiful with your hands.”

Project applications submitted to New Sun Rising by January 30, 2020 will receive a decision in February 2020. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until the mini-grant funding pool is depleted, and the next mini-grant deadline is March 31, 2020.

The preferred method of submitting applications it to use the online form accessible at: www.newsunrising.org/project/ignite-northside/. Printing applications are accepted by postal mail, or via email attachment sent to vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org. Postal mail submissions should be addressed to New Sun Rising, Attn. One Northside Mini-Grant, P.O. Box 58005, Pittsburgh, PA 15209 and must be received by the grant deadline. All projects must be completed by August 1, 2020.

Upcoming ONS Mini-Grant deadline January 30, 2020

Posted on December 3, 2019 by Alyse Horn

The upcoming One Northside (ONS) Mini-Grant application deadline is January 30, 2020.

Project applications submitted to New Sun Rising (NSR) by this date will receive a decision in February 2020. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and the next mini-grant deadline is March 31 of 2020.

For mini-grant applicants, the preferred method for submitting your application is to use the online form accessible at: www.newsunrising.org/project/ignite-northside/

The ONS Street Team will launch early next year. Stay tuned for future announcements. Those with questions may email vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org.

About New Sun Rising

About One Northside

Next One Northside Mini-Grant deadline October 31, 2019

Posted on October 14, 2019 by Alyse Horn

Pittsburgh, PA — The upcoming One Northside (ONS) Mini-Grant application deadline on October 31, 2019 is the last for this calendar year. The following deadline is January 30, 2020.

Project applications submitted to New Sun Rising (NSR) by Oct. 31 will receive a decision in November 2019. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but those submitted after the Oct. 31 deadline will not receive a decision until February 2020.

NSR encourages prospective applicants to attend the next Open Office Hours to learn more about the mini-grant process in advance of preparing their application, which will be Monday, Oct. 21 from 1-2:30 p.m. at Woods Run Library, 1201 Woods Run Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15212.

Contact

For mini-grant applicants, the preferred method for submitting your application is to use the online form accessible at: www.newsunrising.org/project/ignite-northside/

About New Sun Rising

About One Northside

ONS Mini-Grant applications being accepted now through 2020

Posted on July 31, 2019 by Alyse Horn

Above: Melanie Sandoval reads with Aaron, a student from Spring Hill Elementary School involved in the after school reading program the Comic Book Shop, which received a 2018 ONS Mini-Grant.

Sometimes a lot of funding is needed to get a project off the ground, and sometimes it isn’t.

For those small-scale community projects, New Sun Rising’s One Northside Mini-Grants are back. Created to support community members in their efforts to elevate their neighborhoods, Northsiders can apply to receive $1,000 in funding to support initiatives that strengthen connections, increase accessibility to resources, and activate significant places in their community.

Applications will be released on August 1, 2019, accepted on an ongoing basis, and reviewed bi-monthly. Deadlines to submit applications is 11:59 p.m. on: August 31, 2019; October 31, 2019; January 30, 2019; March 31, 2020; May 31, 2020 based on the availability of funds.

One Northside Mini-Grants will be announced in September 2019, November 2019, February 2020, April 2020, and June 2020.

Grant recipients may also receive additional support through New Sun Rising and the One Northside Mini-Grant Street Team to develop their project and secure additional resources. Applications are currently being accepted for those who would like to join the Street Team; they must be Northside residents and will support community members in their efforts to advance the ONS vision.

Members of the Street Team will receive a stipend of $1,500 and must be able to commit 60 hours in total, including training, throughout the months of August, September, October, November in 2019 and February 2020. Individuals of the Street Team are expected to educate and support community members about ONS Mini-Grants and help submit applications, as well as communicate the mini-grant program with residents and program partners individually and at neighborhood events.

Individuals who are awarded mini-grants may be able to find additional funding through ioby, which gives local leaders the ability to crowdfund the resources they need to build real, lasting change from the ground up. Pittsburghers specifically have raised over $500,000 for community programs. Currently, the ioby One Northside Crowdfunding Challenge will double donations to Northside projects.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to attend Information Workshops to meet with New Sun Rising staff and the One Northside Mini-Grant Street Team to learn more about the application process. Additionally, the Street Team will be available for informal meet-ups at community locations as requested. Check the schedule online at www.newsunrising.org/project/ignite-northside for workshop locations, dates, and times. Contact New Sun Rising staff with your inquiry or other questions by phone (412) 407-9007 or email vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org. If you’re interested in hosting an information session in your neighborhood, please let us know.

Interested applicants are invited to attend the One Northside Community Project Support Slam Kickoff event from 6-8 p.m. on August 21 to honor past grantees and share information about ONS and ioby. Location is to be decided and updates will be posted on New Sun Rising’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.

New Sun Rising is also seeking up to five community members to serve on the Mini-Grant Evaluation Committee, which will review applications virtually and meet six times over the coming year to discuss and approve them.

Those interested in becoming a member of the ONS Mini-Grant Street Team can send their resume or questions to vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org. This email can also be used to contact NSR for those interested in being on the Mini-Grant Evaluation Committee.

The preferred method to submit mini-grant applications is online at www.newsunrising.org/project/ignite-northside.

Printed applications will be accepted at the Allegheny and Woods Run Carnegie Libraries during normal business hours and by postal mail. Individuals can also submit their application as attachments to vibrancyfunds@newsunrising.org. Postal mail submissions should be addressed to New Sun Rising, attn. One Northside Mini-Grant, P.O. Box 58005, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15209 and must be received by the grant deadline. All projects must end by August 1, 2020.