Programs

  • Program 1 [2020]

    TO SPUR ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY BY GIVING STRATEGIC GRANTS TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE OF POTENTIAL THROUGH PARTNER AGENCIES. BY DISTRIBUTING GRANTS THAT ELIMINATE FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT, MICROGRANTS HELPS LIFT PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY. MANY TALENTED AND MOTIVATED PEOPLE JUST NEED A SMALL BOOST TO TAKE THAT FIRST STEP OUT OF SURVIVING INTO THRIVING. GRANTS RANGE FROM REPAIRING A VEHICLE, TO OBTAINING A JOB, TO CREATING A BUSINESS. MICROGRANTS COLLABORATES WITH ITS PARTNER AGENCIES, WHICH ARE LOCAL NONPROFITS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND SCHOOLS, TO REACH PEOPLE WITH VARIOUS BACKGROUNDS AND PURPOSES. PARTNER AGENCIES' MISSIONS RANGE FROM VOCATIONAL TRAINING, TO BUSINESS GUIDANCE, TO PROVIDING HOUSING THAT HELPS CREATE GREATER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. OUR PARTNER AGENCIES CAREFULLY IDENTIFY PEOPLE OF POTENTIAL WHO COULD USE A SMALL GRANT IN ORDER TO ATTAIN THEIR OBJECTIVES. EVEN AFTER THE GRANT IS AWARDED, OUR PARTNER AGENCIES TYPICALLY MAINTAIN LONG-LASTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH GRANTEES AS MENTORS AND FRIENDS. IN 2020, MICROGRANTS GAVE OVER 1 MILLION DOLLARS IN GRANTS FOR THE FIRST TIME. THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE FOR THE ORGANIZATION, AND WE HOPE TO CONTINUE GIVING AT THIS CAPACITY EVERY YEAR OUR PROCESS: (1) OUR 50 PARTNER AGENCIES TRAIN INDIVIDUALS FOR BUSINESS AND CAREERS. THEIR RELATIONSHIPS RANGE FROM SEVERAL WEEKS TO SEVERAL YEARS; (2) PARTNER AGENCIES RECOMMEND THEIR BEST QUALIFIED CLIENTS FOR WHOM A GRANT WILL BE A TURNING POINT IN THEIR LIVES AND RECOMMEND THEM TO MICROGRANTS; (3) MICROGRANTS REVIEWS GRANT APPLICATIONS AND SWIFTLY DISTRIBUTES FUNDS TO SELECTED GRANTEES; AND (4) PARTNER AGENCIES MENTOR RECIPIENTS, MONITOR GRANT UTILIZATION, AND REPORT PROGRESS TO MICROGRANTS. IN 2020: 54% OF GRANTEES WERE AFRICAN OR AFRICAN-AMERICAN; 70% OF GRANTEES WERE FEMALE; AND 80% OF GRANTEES HAD ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOMES BELOW 10,000.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $1.6M

  • Program 2 [2020]

    LIGHTS ON IS A RESPONSE TO THE UNNECESSARY DEATH OF PHILANDO CASTILE, WHO WAS PULLED OVER FOR A BROKEN LIGHT. LIGHTS ON REPLACES TRAFFIC TICKETS WITH REPAIR VOUCHERS, REDEEMED FOR FREE REPAIRS, UP TO 250, AT PARTICIPATING AUTO SHOPS. COMMUNITY-FUNDED, LIGHTS ON TRANSFORMS THE TENSION OF TRAFFIC STOPS INTO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HELP AND HEALING. LOW-INCOME DRIVERS FACE DISPROPORTIONATE POLICE ENCOUNTERS BECAUSE THEY DRIVE OLDER CARS, PRONE TO EQUIPMENT FAILURE. THEIR LACK OF RESOURCES OFTEN LEADS TO A DOWNWARD SPIRAL, ENDING IN POVERTY AND LEGAL TROUBLE. WITH LIGHTS ON, POLICE AND DRIVERS ARE SUPPORTED AND TRANSFORMED IN THE PROCESS, FOR A WIN-WIN-WIN OUTCOME. THE PROBLEM: IF YOU'RE A LOW-INCOME DRIVER THAT GETS A TICKET TO FIX A BROKEN LIGHT OR BLINKER, IT'S EXPENSIVE TO BE POOR. THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL BEGINS: IF YOU DON'T PAY THE TICKET AND CAN'T FIX THE PROBLEM, FINES PILE UP THAT COULD RESULT IN JAIL TIME. DRIVERS AREN'T INTENTIONALLY AVOIDING THE FINE - THEY ARE CHOOSING BETWEEN THE TICKET AND BUYING GROCERIES THAT WEEK. THE BIGGER PROBLEM: LOW-INCOME PEOPLE ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IN NEGATIVE ENCOUNTERS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMONLY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. TENSIONS BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE COMMUNITIES ARE AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH. THE SOLUTION: LIGHTS ON TURNS VIOLATIONS AND PUNISHMENT INTO SOLUTIONS AND RESTORATIVE INTERACTIONS. WITH LIGHTS ON, INSTEAD OF PUNISHING DRIVERS FOR BROKEN LIGHTS, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS GIVE DRIVERS A VOUCHER TO GET THE LIGHT FIXED FOR FREE, UP TO 250, AT PARTICIPATING AUTO SERVICE PROVIDERS. THIS PROGRAM TURNS DREADED TRAFFIC STOPS INTO AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE POSITIVE AND RESTORATIVE INTERACTIONS. THE BIGGER SOLUTION: THE FINANCIAL BENEFITS TO THE DRIVER MAKE AN IMPACT, BUT THE REAL BENEFIT IS HEALING THAT IS SPARKED BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE, ESPECIALLY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. RATHER THAN ADDING TO NEGATIVE, ALIENATING PERCEPTION OF POLICE, LIGHTS ON CREATES A POSITIVE, COMMUNITY-BUILDING INTERACTION. IT'S EQUALLY IMPACTFUL FOR OFFICERS WHO FEEL POSITIVE ABOUT MAKING SOMEONE'S DAY INSTEAD OF RUINING IT. IT'S A NEW TOOL ON THE DUTY BELT. ACCOMPLISHMENTS: NEARLY 5,000 VOUCHERS REDEEMED TO DATE; 98.5% OF VOUCHER RECIPIENTS WERE SATISFIED OR VERY SATISFIED WITH THEIR INTERACTION WITH THE OFFICER WHO GAVE THEM THE LIGHTS ON VOUCHER; 1 IN 3 VOUCHER RECIPIENTS HAVE HOUSEHOLD INCOMES BELOW 30,000; 35.8% OF VOUCHER RECIPIENTS IDENTIFY IS BIPOC; 115 PARTICIPATING LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO DATE (AS OF OCTOBER 2021); AND 21% OF VOUCHER RECIPIENTS WOULD HAVE BEEN UNLIKELY OR VERY UNLIKELY TO FIX THEIR LIGHT WITHOUT THE VOUCHER.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $130K

  • Lights On! Program

    LIGHTS ON!: LIGHTS ON! IS AN AWARD-WINNING PROGRAM WITH THE MISSION TO HEAL POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS. THE PROGRAM WAS FOUNDED IN 2017 AFTER THE UNNECESSARY DEATH OF PHILANDO CASTILE WHO WAS SHOT DURING A TRAFFIC STOP. THE POLICE RATIONALE FOR THE STOP WAS A BROKEN TAIL LIGHT AND THAT SPARK INSPIRED THE SIMPLE, YET POWERFUL CONCEPT FOR THE LIGHTS ON! PROGRAM - REPLACE EQUIPMENT VIOLATION TICKETS WITH VOUCHERS FOR FREE REPAIRS. TRAFFIC STOPS ARE OFTEN A SOURCE OF STRESS, BOTH FOR OFFICERS AND DRIVERS. LIGHTS ON! TURNS THE DREADED TRAFFIC STOP INTO A POSITIVE, RESTORATIVE INTERACTION AND AVOIDS PENALIZING LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS FOR VEHICLE CONDITIONS.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2023
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $554.3K