What is a mini grant?
A mini grant is simply a small amount of grant money. Amounts vary between organizations. Typically mini grants are similar to the average sponsorship amount: $500- $10,000.
Many mini grants are created from extra budget funding, or one time budget funding. The way to maximize impact in multiple communities would be to provide smaller awards.
Mini grants are also created as a tool for equity. Funders understand that the typical grant application process can be tedious. Therefore to help diversify the pool of grant awardees, mini grant programs are created.
Mini grants can also be created to expand eligibility. Most grants are offered to nonprofit organizations with a federal tax exempt status know as the 501 (c) 3 exemption.
With mini grants often individuals or businesses can freely apply. If you are a graduate student doing research, there are mini grants for you as well.
The Advantages of Mini Grants
Here are a few advantages to mini grants. Jump on them as soon as you see an opportunity!
1.Shorter Application
Mini grant applications tend have 2-4 questions or objectives. Much better than the usual 10-25 questions you will see with City, County, & State applications. But mini grants help, because you still get experience answering grant application questions. Typically a mini grant application takes 1-3 FOCUSED hours. This is why the turnaround/ deadline is shorter.
2. Personal Approach
Some mini grant funders will have Meet & Greet sessions so that you can share your idea and get immediate feedback.
You may also have the option of 1 on 1 check-ins through your grant term, virtually or physically.
3. Reporting Experience
Everyone wants money, but people forget about the reporting aspect. To be clear all nonprofits are required to file tax reports, and accounting audits are becoming a common component to grant applications. Therefore, it is good to have some basic guidance on what your future grant funder will be expecting.
Report Types for Mini Grants usually require 1-2 of the following:
final presentation
written reports about what you did and how you spent the money
timeline of activities
an outreach schedule
budget table showing items you plan to purchase
pictures/fliers
All are great training for full grants which require ALL of these during your year(s) of funding.
4. Develop Your Strategy
The world of teaching, nonprofit programs, and entrepreneurship can be extremely unpredictable no matter how much you plan (but yes, please definitely have a plan.)
I have found that mini grants allow me a level of flexibility and trial and error that a normal grant would not have allowed.
5. Building Organization History
There are 2 questions you will ALWAYS be asked in a grant application:
Give an overview of your organizations mission, history and programming.
Share your experience or involvement with your target community
Both of these questions are very hard to answer IF you have no experience. To be very honest, funders will not believe you can do the work you are proclaiming to do without some track record.
6. Funders Know Funders
Whether you like it or not, who you have been funded by matters in the grant funding sphere. It is ALWAYS helpful to be able to "name drop" when you reach the question about who you have received funding from in past. Please always make sure however, that you specify the type of grants or funding that you have received (i.e., mini grants).
Mini grants in your community will help you begin your work. Remember small beginnings are a BEGINNING! Do not despise your small beginnings, just start! Mini grants are not just for beginnings though. They also serve as a great source of sustainability.
Share this info with a friend or family member who could use it. Embrace the mini grant and before long, you will view them as
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