Grant Application for
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan
Mission Statement:
Create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
Fiscal agent if applicant is not tax exempt:
Tax ID Number:
23-7043163
Contact First Name:
Contact Last Name:
Address:
Email:
Phone Number:
Website:
Project Name:
Bigs Female Youth Mentorship
Project start and end dates:
September 1, 2024
August 31, 2025
Amount Requested:
$
15000
Project Description:
Within the next year we anticipate matching 40 female youth with 40 female volunteer mentors in Emmet and Charlevoix Counties. Our program provides every child with a caring, adult mentor who plays an important role in the development of their Little by serving as a consistent presence in their lives and supporting them in setting and achieving goals that help ignite their full potential.
Goal of the Project
How many people will you reach?
120
What percentage are female?
65
If your program serves both males and females, how will Hestia funds specifically target women and girls?
We anticipate a total of 60 children and their 60 mentors in Charlevoix and Emmet Counties will be mentored during the grant period. On average, 65% of our matches are female. This is due in part to a greater number of females volunteering from the community. Female youth are matched in a one-to-one relationship with a female mentor.
How are recipients identified or selected to receive services? Is financial need considered?
Bigs matches children ages six through young adult, referred by parents, teachers, doctors, and school social workers, who could benefit from an encouraging mentor who listens, an introduction to new opportunities, help identifying and developing their skills, and consistent time with a positive, caring adult. Local schools rely on our program to support their students’ academic, social-emotional and behavioral needs. In addition, some families learn of our program from friends with children who have a Big.
Bigs continues to support youth past age 18, to provide them with resources and support from adolescence to young adulthood.
Each match is supported by a dedicated Mentoring Specialist who is always there to provide resources, guidance and support specific to the child’s and family’s needs. Our average match length between a Big and a Little is 32.3 months, longer than the national average for agencies our size. Our process is meticulous, ensuring that Littles have committed, car
What do you hope to achieve? What difference will this make in the lives of women and girls?
How will this project meet Hestia's mission statement?
Our Bigs provide critical emotional support to their Littles. Mentoring builds key social and emotional skills youth need to succeed in school and in life. Girls mentored in our program are more likely to form stronger relationships with family and friends, which fosters confidence and improves decision-making skills. They have improved school attendance and academic performance, and better attitude towards life, avoiding risky behaviors and choosing healthy relationships. Children benefit from an overall sense of belonging within a positive community. They become more responsible, more productive and understand the importance of a good education, resulting in their continued education or training, introduction to career opportunities, and breaking the circle of poverty.
Bigs is uniquely positioned to be a timely and resourceful part of the solution for the needs of area youth. In Emmet and Charlevoix counties specifically, we have a Mentoring Specialist and an Advocacy/Development Specialist dedicated to expanding our programming to reach more children and increase funding to enable the support of a significant increase in the number of youth served in Charlevoix and Emmet counties. Additionally, our Board of Directors is guidin
How will you evaluate or measure your success:
A commitment to ongoing evaluation helps us measure the program’s success. Progress is tracked in the Bigs’ customer relationship management (CRM) database. Mentoring Specialists assess and document individualized, ongoing match support contacts with the parent/guardian, youth, and mentor on a monthly basis to ensure the safety of all parties involved. In addition, annual survey tools will measure the quality of our programs and strength of the mentoring relationships we create. Bigs’ team members document, collect, manage, and report annually on the survey data. The results are utilized to evaluate how we train and coach our volunteers and inform the design of our strategies to meet the overall mentoring goals for the Littles.
Blending quantitative and qualitative methods, Bigs’ defin
Grant Project Budget Form
REVENUES
Revenue Item
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
TOTAL REVENUES
Proposed Revenue
Pending or Confirmed
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
EXPENSES
Expense Item
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
TOTAL EXPENSES
Proposed Expense
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$