The little BIG Idea Grants
What’s your idea for fun?
This is your chance … that cool thing that all your friends think is a little goofy? Well, we want to know more about it. If we like it enough, we might give you up to $1,000 to pull it off.
Whether you’re 8 or 88 or somewhere in between, we want to bring more beauty, more playfulness, and more surprise to Elkhart County’s sidewalks, streets, downtowns, parks, schools … you name it.
There’s a catch?
OK, before you apply, ask yourself these questions:
- Will this be fun for lots and lots of people?
- Is this the kind of activity that could get passers-by to get involved?
- Does your event involve something that would be visible to the public and get people talking i.e. telling their friends and neighbors about it?
That’s kind of what we’re looking for, so if the answers to these questions are “Yes!” we want to hear about it.
Grant Highlights
Ready to apply?
- Apply here anytime (seriously, no deadlines).
- Applications are reviewed monthly or thereabouts by a really cool team of community volunteers (so keep in mind it could take more than a month for us to get back to you).
- If you’re a younger than 18, we just need to double-check this is all OK with your parent or guardian.
- Please be specific about what you’re going to spend the money on for the project.
If you’re looking for help starting your own business, or doing a fundraiser, we wish you luck but this is not the grant program for you. Try looking here instead.
We’re interested in funding projects or new activities and not the continuation of an existing organization. If your organization still wants to apply, think of a specific and creative $1,000 project which we might support!
Grants Awarded
Date Awarded |
Applicant |
Award |
Name of Event |
July, 2017 |
Clarke, Kim |
$1,000 |
Pumpkin Races |
July, 2017 |
Bennett, Tom |
$1,000 |
Waky Gardens |
August, 2017 |
Cooper, Joshua |
$500 |
Goshen Rocks |
August, 2017 |
Schroeder, Leah |
$1,000 |
Goshen Youth Art |
August, 2017 |
Judd, Macey |
$1,000 |
The Makery |
August, 2017 |
Ulloa, Nayo |
$750 |
Encuentro in the Alley |
August, 2017 |
Smart, Damond |
$1,000 |
Memory Cups |
September, 2017 |
Stillson, Rocki |
$1,000 |
Countywide Treasure Hunt |
September, 2017 |
Sokolowski, Elizabeth |
$1,000 |
Central HS Casting Kits |
October, 2017 |
Meeks-Wade, Susie |
$1,000 |
Lunar Lunch |
October, 2017 |
Poling, Betsy |
$1,000 |
Litte Library Boxes |
October, 2017 |
Allen, Laury |
$1,000 |
Heroes of Hope |
November, 2017 |
Joldersma, Banita |
$1,000 |
Pots of Grace |
November, 2017 |
Taylor, Robert |
$1,000 |
Canvas and Kool-Aid |
November, 2017 |
Clarke, Kim |
$1,000 |
Faces of Middlebury |
December, 2017 |
Ambrosen, Kelsey |
$1,000 |
Scavenger Book Hunt |
December, 2017 |
Bienz, Delilah |
$250 |
Positive Posters |
December, 2017 |
Kroening, Lindsey |
$750 |
Goshen HS Guinea Pigs |
December, 2017 |
Stofleth, Jalyn |
$1,000 |
Shine through Slime |
December, 2017 |
Thompson, Trot |
$1,000 |
No Bullying Club |
December, 2017 |
Kovach, Wendy |
$1,000 |
Makerspace Supplies |
December, 2017 |
Munoz, Virginia |
$1,000 |
Spanish Play Date Class |
January, 2018 |
Blosser, Tricia |
$1,000 |
Multi-Dance Concert |
January, 2018 |
Bawtinheimer, Sally |
$650 |
Little Library |
January, 2018 |
Korte, Gregory |
$1,000 |
Windmill in Goshen |
January, 2018 |
Rauch, Elisha |
$1,000 |
Kids Sports Podcast Update |
January, 2018 |
Rothshank, Justin |
$1,000 |
Vase Giveaway |
February, 2018 |
Miller, Annika |
$1,000 |
Student Mural |
February, 2018 |
Stillson, Jeff |
$1,000 |
Flower Gardens Art in Bloom |
March, 2018 |
Beachey, Carrie |
$1,000 |
Fiber Art in Art Alley |
March, 2018 |
Wagner, Amanda |
$1,000 |
Youth Art Sale |
March, 2018 |
Coleman, Stephanie |
$1,000 |
Parent Literacy Night-Elkhart Schools |
March, 2018 |
Czarnecki, Jamison |
$1,000 |
Elkhart Bike to Work Day |
March, 2018 |
Parker, Paula |
$1,000 |
CAPS Cookie & Canvas |
May, 2018 |
Gull, Carla |
$500 |
Nature Play Days |
May, 2018 |
Stemm, Brooke |
$1,000 |
Kits & Canvas |
June, 2018 |
Lackore, Mary |
$1,000 |
Pedal Power Bike Shop |
June, 2018 |
Anderson, Carol |
$1,000 |
Bristol Library Grand Opening |
June, 2018 |
Finefrock, Branston |
$1,000 |
Friendly Friday |
June, 2018 |
Scharf, Adam |
$1,000 |
Art in the Barn |
July, 2018 |
Beauchamp, Desiree |
$1,000 |
Imaginarium Spectorium |
September, 2018 |
Miller, Mekenna |
$1,000 |
Refresh Church Community Services Food Pantry |
October, 2018 |
Dechnik, Stacy |
$750 |
Goshen Artisan Holiday Market |
November, 2018 |
Kramer, Kelly |
$500 |
St Pat's Scavenger Hunt |
November, 2018 |
Clarke, Kim |
$1,000 |
Recyclable Boat Races |
January, 2019 |
Agutu, Achieng |
$1,000 |
NONE Art Event |
January, 2019 |
Kauffman, Darla |
$1,000 |
Night of Nostalgia |
January, 2019 |
Brow, Liz |
$250 |
Lemonpalooza Nappanee |
February, 2019 |
Beachey, Carrie |
$1,000 |
Public Art Piece |
February, 2019 |
Mitchell, Michael |
$1,000 |
Bristol Christmas Decorations |
March, 2019 |
Pieri, Chuck |
$1,000 |
Elkhart Library Party in the Moonlight |
March, 2019 |
Brubaker, Phoebe |
$1,000 |
Celebrate Mothers |
March, 2019 |
Enright, Tom |
$1,000 |
Wild Animal Show |
April, 2019 |
Short, Ida |
$1,000 |
Pirate Printing Day |
April, 2019 |
Beauchamp, Desiree |
$1,000 |
Puppet Parade |
April, 2019 |
Worsham, Amy |
$1,000 |
Downtown Murals/Social Media |
May, 2019 |
Davis, Jo Ellen |
$1,000 |
Sprouts Kids Club |
May, 2019 |
Busari, Oluwatobi |
$1,093 |
Children's Radio Show |
May, 2019 |
King, Amy |
$1,000 |
Buddyboxes |
June, 2019 |
Egan, Allison |
$1,000 |
Elkhart River Cleanup |
June, 2019 |
Bodenhorn, Suzanne |
$1,000 |
Camp Crafty |
June, 2019 |
Musley, Shaima |
$1,000 |
Recycle Fashion Show |
July, 2019 |
Beachey, Carrie |
$1,000 |
Public Art Program |
August, 2019 |
Steury, Paul |
$998 |
Nature Journals |
September, 2019 |
Freeto, Steve |
$1,000 |
Melting Pot of Coffee |
September, 2019 |
Rothshank, Justin |
$1,000 |
Pottery Giveaway |
September, 2019 |
Pairitz, Stephanie |
$1,000 |
Epic Holidaze |
September, 2019 |
Boucher, Marcus |
$1,000 |
Acrylic Panels |
September, 2019 |
Graber, Viki |
$1,000 |
Living Willow Structure |
Have questions? Contact us.
Kids and Teens, please be sure to have a parent or guardian send us an email with any questions you may have. We want to be sure they are in the loop, you know, legal reasons and all; the government makes us do it. We will contact you soon and are looking forward to your idea!
