Bay Ridge Cares, a community-centered organization that supports southern Brooklyn residents and communities, has introduced a new grant program to support local groups and looking to bring positive change to the neighborhood.
According to BRC president Karen Tadross, the Bay Ridge Cares Community Micro Grants Program will invest in “impactful projects” that foster creativity and community engagement. Grant winners will be awarded $1,500 grant to launch their proposed program.
“At Bay Ridge Cares, we believe in the power of grassroots initiatives to make a significant impact on the well-being of our community,” Tadross said in a statement. “The Community Micro Grants Program is our way of investing in the incredible ideas and projects that our neighbors are passionate about. We’re excited to support initiatives that will contribute to the vibrancy and resilience of Bay Ridge.”
Tadross, who has worked with Bay Ridge Cares for 12 years, said the group knew how hard it could be for nonprofits and community groups to secure city and state funding — so they wanted to make that tedious process a little bit easier for other organizations. They are specifically looking for groups who address community needs within education, healthcare, arts and culture, senior services, youth programs, environmental sustainability and social justice initiatives.
“Our goal is to encourage people to take [their] ideas and run with it,” Tadross told Brooklyn Paper. “Whoever applies for this grant has to have a vision for the community that their project will have an impact on.”
Applicants must be based in Bay Ridge and their projects should align with the program’s focus areas of encouraging unity and support with Bay Ridge. Interested groups can contact Bay Ridge cares through its website to request an application for the grant program.
A committee of BRC representatives will go over each application and announce winners by the end of each quarter — March 31, June 30, Sept 30 and Dec. 31.
“We’re hoping that people use their imaginations … there’s so many great ideas out there and nothing’s off the table,” Tadross said. “They could change the life of someone. They can change the demographic’s life.”
