Elkhart County's Little BIG Idea Grant program helps community members bring their big ideas to life.
The program awards micro-grants to applicants with ideas for inventive, fun and important Elkhart County projects. A 2.0 version of the program starts in November. It will award micro-grants up to $500 to help inspire community engagement, connection and creativity.
The program has awarded over $50,000 to 59 Elkhart County projects submitted by local applicants. Seven people under the age of 18 have received Little BIG Idea grants.
Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Community Foundation of Elkhart County launched the grant program in 2017. The program encourages residents to submit creative, fun and effective ideas for community events, projects and gatherings.
“These jumpstart grants have helped so many residents, from all demographics, experience the joy and fulfillment of making things happen for their neighbors and for themselves,” Bil Murray said in a press release. Murray is the grant program project manager. “It’s important for our residents to feel included and to know that they have a say in defining and creating their experiences.”
Sally Bawtinheimer, a previous grant winner, created a free Little Library to lend books to people in her Elkhart neighborhood. Darla Kauffman, another grant winner, envisioned Night of Nostalgia, a community gathering celebrating games and foods of yesteryear. Former grant winner Elisha Rauch submitted his idea for a sports podcast as a Goshen pre-teen.
“We’ve seen this program encourage significant involvement among our younger residents, as well, and we are delighted by its direct, positive impact on youth participation,” Murray said. “That is a challenge these days.”
Residents of all ages interested in submitting ideas for the grant program can learn more here.
“Taking action is everything, and we want the community to know how invested we are in them, and their ideas,” Terry Mark said. Mark is Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau's director of communications and public relations. “We want Elkhart County residents to be able to bring their cool ideas to life, and sometimes that calls for some initial support to help them believe they can move forward and fulfill a plan of action.”
