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How to apply for a Try This Minigrant

Traditional Minigrants and Youth Leadership Minigrants available. Traditional minigrant applications due June 27th, 2024 at 11:59pm. Youth minigrants available on a rolling basis, so apply anytime!

Funding available statewide! Email director@trythiswv.com or fill out the form at the bottom of the page to set up a consultation.
NEW! YOUTH LEADERSHIP MINIGRANTS

Are you a young West Virginian between the ages of 13-22 that wants to help get folks in your community healthier? Do you want to learn leadership skills and learn how to pull off a project? Do you work with young people that you think might be interested in this opportunity? Check out our new Youth Empowerment Project and Youth Leadership Minigrants page spotlighting the newest Try This project in partnership with the West Virginia Prevention Research Center's Youth Advisory Board.

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These pilot projects will follow the same application process so keep reading to see what it takes to apply for a traditional Try This minigrant or a Youth Leadership Minigrant. Youth minigrants are available o a rolling basis, meaning you can ignore all the dates and apply anytime!

MINIGRANT CRITERIA

  • Your project must make it easier for people in your community to eat healthy food or be physically active. Research has shown that physical activity and healthy food lower the risk of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, depression and many other chronic diseases.

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  • Your team will create at least three SMART Objectives for your project. These goals help you measure success, so this is important. Not everyone knows what SMART Objectives are, but most funders now require them.

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  • Your team must include at least one developing leader, somebody who has not had the opportunity to help guide a project before. Try This minigrants are intended to help empower people actively working for a healthier community, so finding someone who will build new leadership skills is exciting.​

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  • Your team will draft a budget. This budget will outline how you'll spend the up to $3,000 you could get from Try This and help you see what you already have and what else you will need to fundraise or get donated.

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  • You will need at least three Letters of Support. These letters must go beyond simply endorsing your project. Each letter must tell specifically what that partner will contribute to the project. We use these letters to help us understand how much community support you have for your project.

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  • You must have a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is willing to receive and disperse the minigrant funds for your project. The non-profit will act as your fiscal sponsor or fiscal agent. This is required for us to legally be able to provide grant funding to your team. Try This has a cap of 10% for any administrative fees associated for all grant and contract funding, sometimes called an F&A (facilities and administrative) rate.

PREPARING TO APPLY
OUT TEAM CAN WALK YOU THROUGH YOUR APPLICATION BY SETTING UP A COSULTATION BELOW
You will need these tools as you fill out your application:

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  • A consultation. Not sure if your project fits our criteria? Want to brainstorm your idea and get feedback directly from Try This? The BEST way to craft a quality application is to speak with someone who creates and reads them. Scroll to the form at the bottom of this page for more info.

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  • A download of the Try This WV Minigrant Packet. It has all the information you need to complete the application process. This document contains all relevant links, a pre-application checklist, a set of definitions, and examples of the documents you will be asked to submit. Please read through this page and the packet in its entirety before applying.

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  • At least three SMART Objectives for your project. These are the objectives that you will use to measure your success, so these are VERY important. Here’s a helpful guide​ to help you learn to craft good ones, and you can always request a consultation to see if your team is on the right track.

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All applications must be submitted online thrugh Survey Monkey. Prepare all attachments in advance. Use the PDF version to prepare your answers, then paste them into Survey Monkey and submit.
APPLYING IN SURVEY MONKEY
​Remember:

  • Survey Monkey does not allow you to save and return to an application. Please make sure you have everything you need before clicking the button.

  • Have all attachments ready to upload to Survey Monkey.

  • Use the Microsoft Word version of the application to take your time and revise it until you’re satisfied. Then paste it all into Survey Monkey in one sitting.

NOW WHAT?

  • Celebrate! Submitting a minigrant application is a big achievement. Even if Try This is unable to fund your project, you've put together a team and an idea, found supporting partners who are excited about it, and have a better sense of what is already happening in your community. Be proud of yourself and your team.

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  • A team reviews applications. After you submit, a team of judges will read and score your application. This review team is made up of Try This staff members and supporting partners. Here is the scoring sheet they will use. This will help you know what they will be looking for.

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  • You'll hear from us. You should know by the mid-July 2024 whether your project will be funded or not. The project timeline will run from August 1, 2024-July 31, 2025. If your application is successful, we will follow up with an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) that outlines what your project will accomplish, what Try This will provide in return, and when your reports will be due. Here is a blank copy of our MOU template.

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  • Next steps. If your project isn't funded, we will offer a chance to set up a consultation to go over what the review team had to say. We want to give you the best chance to fix any issues so you can reapply in 2025 or help you find another way to fund your project. If your project is funded, you'll hear from your Minigrant Helper - someone who will be there to check in monthly, help you with roadblocks, and visit your project if possible - and we will post your project description to our minigrant page. Your project team will be added to our mailing list, you'll join our Facebook Group to share your progress, and you will be an active part of the network of folks working together to make WV a healthier place.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

  • Midyear and Final Reports. If awarded a Try This WV Minigrant, you will be required to submit two reports. One will be a midyear progress report and one will be a report of your entire project year. Here is an example of the grant reporting forms.

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  • Keeping track of information. Try This wants to ensure our projects are set up for success. This means planning for your reports before your project begins. If you would like support developing a way to keep track of your project's data, Try This is happy to help. We will offer the chance to join a Zoom call with other minigrant recipients to give advice and answer any questions your team.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND CONSULTATIONS

We want to help! If you have questions about the application process or required documents, email melissa.young@trythiswv.com

Get a consultation. We strongly encourage you to get feedback before applying, especially if this is your first time. If you would like to discuss your project idea and get advice, please fill out the form below.

Request a minigrant consultation with
Try This WV Director Brittney Barlett

Thanks for submitting!

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