United Way of South Central Michigan has awarded $2,500 mini-grants to its second cohort of 10 local Kalamazoo & Battle Creek leaders as a part of its program, Seeding Leaders.
These grants are intended to support the wellness, leadership, and professional development of nonprofit leaders and primarily focused on leaders who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color), an individual with a disability, LGBTQIA+, and/or an immigrant.
“We are happy to provide these non-traditional, unrestricted awards to these community leaders,” said Lyonel LaGrone, Director of Community Impact at UWSCMI. “Historically, the restrictive nature of grants has resulted in non-profit leaders being forced to neglect their own self-care. We believe that caring for the whole person will result in a stronger organization and translate to more robust services in the community.”
The recipients of the 2nd cohort Seeding Leaders mini-grants are:
- Kristie May – NOW Kalamazoo
- Isabelle Sanhou – The African Resource Center
- Sicily McLaughlin – Battle Creek Community Foundation
- Destine Price – Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaboration
- Janine Seals – Black Arts and Cultural Center
- Maritza Miranda – Community Healing Center
- Gabriel Giron – Speak it Forward
- Santos Ramos – The MASA Center
- Summer Summerville – Hope through Navigation
- Samantha Liang Zhang – Kalamazoo Chinese Resource Center
“I’d like to thank the United Way of South Central Michigan for supporting local non-profit leaders,” said Samantha Liang Zhang of Kalamazoo Chinese Resource Center. “The Seeding Leaders Mini-Grant offset many expenses, and enables me to continue dedicating my time and efforts in helping KCA provide more opportunities to the community.”
The Seeding Leaders grants were designed with the flexibility to support the resilience, wholeness, and success of the leader. Uses for the grant can include conferences, executive coaching, leadership/nonprofit management credential, college courses, enabling rest via compensation for time off, healthcare costs, or reimbursement of personal resources utilized for professional/leadership development in the past two years.
Isabelle Sanhou of The African Resource Center plans on using the leaders grant to obtain a medical interpreter certificate in French to be able to continue to help immigrant families within Kalamazoo more efficiently.
“It is such a relief and a blessing being able to use the money for these things,” she said.
Kristie May of NOW Kalamazoo added, “Growing my skills and resources will give me the confidence to lead our organization through this journey. Thank you United Way for pouring into me, so that I can pour back into my community.”