Mental Health Mini-Grants Announced!

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Northern Lakes CMH is using part of its Michigan Department of Community Health Culture Change to Embrace Recovery block grant to offer mini-grants to help transform the public mental health system to one based on recovery principles by strengthening consumer choice and enhancing personal recovery.

NLCMHA is seeking to fund up to 10 grants, at a maximum of $2,000.00 each, up to the total of $10,000.00. The deadline to apply is March 15, 2011.

The mini-grants may provide the means and structure to harness the energy of people recovering from a mental illness to support recovery. We hope that offering mini-grants will generate excitement and energy and provide resources for people to connect and work on innovative, localized projects of common interest!

Any individual or groups of individuals who are recovering from a mental illness who live in our six-county service area of Crawford, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Missaukee, Roscommon or Wexford Counties are eligible to apply. The projects and activities funded through the mini-grant program must benefit people aged 18+ within these six counties.

There are two broad priority areas to be addressed:

  1. Community Membership, Inclusion and Participation – Projects may promote active involvement in the community (such as book clubs, participation in choirs); and/or promote awareness or understanding through an activity or event (stigma reduction/public education); and/or promote meaningful and satisfying work or volunteering or success in the educational setting; and/or promote meaningful relationships (strong circle of support).
  2. Wellness – Projects may promote good physical health, mental health, spiritual health or quality of life. For example: the project may address stress management, good nutrition, mindfulness, exercise, smoking cessation, reduction in psychiatric symptoms, etc.

The details are spelled out in the 2011 NLCMHA Mini-Grant Application Packet.

Questions may be addressed to Joanie Blamer, NLCMHA Chief Operations Officer, at 231-876-3309.