It is not unusual for groups, foundations and organizations (even local and state government agencies) to be awarded grant money for use in community projects.  But the next step, of course, is getting the money from the group or foundation to which it was awarded to the individuals who actually need the money.  In order to do this many groups award what are known as “mini grants.”

How Do Mini Grants Work?

Mini grants are small amounts of money (usually under $5,000 per person) that are awarded for a specific purpose from a group, organization or foundation.  This kind of money is normally earmarked for specific purposes such as home renovation or health recovery.

Available Health Recovery Mini Grants

Mini grants for health recovery are usually monies awarded for enabling persons to go through some sort of counseling or recovery program such as drug or alcohol rehabilitation; programs that can cost a good bit of money if one is trying to pay for them on their own.  To these ends many states award grant money to local municipalities or local health organizations with the specific purpose of passing those monies on to individuals who can use them for recovery programs.

If you are interested in benefiting from a mini grant for a health recovery for your group or organization to use to help those people you work with, then you can apply directly to your state or even to the federal government for grant money (www.grants.gov).  However, if you are looking for money to use as an individual, you would want to look closer to home.  Check with your local health organizations (clinics, hospitals, community service programs and the like) to see what sort of monies or subsidized programs you may be eligible for.

Some examples of the kinds of health recovery mini grants available in different areas include:

• Batavia, Ohio.   The local Cleremont County Mental Health and Recovery Board recently offered over $40,000 in mini grants to programs throughout the county that serve county citizens.  Any organized Cleremont County group was eligible to apply provided that their project or program was designed to positively impact mental health or prevent substance abuse for any age group.
• Northern Lakes Community Mental Health (NLCMH) in Michigan also recently offered mini grants designed to transform the public mental health system.  Monies were awarded to an author who was writing a book about the mental health recovery of certain local individuals, purchase of tools and supplies for members of certain organizations who want to create organic gardens, purchase of YMCA memberships for a number of individuals in various organizations and other organized programs.
• Washington State is another area that has taken federal grant money for mental health recovery and has dispersed it to a number of organizations within the state and city systems so that the monies can be distributed to individuals who can most benefit from it.