Mini-Grant

Community Health Improvement Workgroup Mini-Grant

Stay tuned for our next request for proposals.

Are you working to address the health of Monroe County? The CHIW would like to help! The CHIW Mini-Grant process will support one or more small-scale local, city-wide, or county-wide ongoing or new initiatives for a total of $20,000. The CHIW is especially interested in projects that address the identified needs of either the 2022-2024 Community Health Improvement Plan or social determinants of health. 

This CHIW Mini-Grant process will support one or more small-scale local, city-wide, or county-wide ongoing or new initiatives for a total of $20,000. Mini-Grants are short - up to one year duration.

Reporting requirements will not be burdensome; however, project leaders will report successes to the CHIW on a periodic basis both through brief written reports and by attending CHIW meetings quarterly.

2024 Awardees

Two awardees, including Rochester Hope and Common Ground Health, were recognized in 2024 with the mini-grant, to be used in 2025. Rochester Hope provides services to people in the inner city of Rochester, serving an average of 300 households per week. Services include monthly clothing distribution, assistance with acquiring household goods and furniture, and immigration support. The growing organization will use funding to cover costs associated with food, supplies, and overall support. 

 "Black Girls Matter/Latina Girls Matter," a Common Ground Health initiative, will serve Black and Latina girls, ages 10 to 18, and their adult mentors/caregivers. The nine-month curriculum, to be implemented at Rochester City School #22, #23, #53, and #54, will include workshops, activities, and facilitated discussion on topics around understanding emotions, building healthy relationships, learning family health history, and building a healthy future. Facilitators will work separately with the young women and their caregivers to build knowledge and competencies, and will then facilitate joint sessions between the two groups to ensure supports are built into family and community structures once the program ends.

2023 Awardee

In 2023, the CHIW awarded Rochester Refugee Resettlement Services (RRRS) with $15,000 as the mini-grant awardee, to be used in 2024. RRRS is a small community-based organization that helps New Americans become self-sufficient and successful community members. They own 85 homes in the Rochester area, and house more than 500 people. The goal of this project was to screen refugee children for behavioral health conditions through a CDC Mental Health screening, developed specifically for pediatric patients. Through this work, 206 refugee children were screened and connected to behavioral health services when indicated. 

2022 Awardees 

The first round of CHIW mini-grantees are the Wellness Associates of Greater Rochester (WAGR) and Metro Council for Teen Potential (MCTP). WAGR promoted mental health and well-being through training key stakeholders in Mental Health First Aid—an internationally-recognized program designed to increase awareness of the signs and symptoms of mental illness and decrease negative stigmas associated with these conditions. Five courses were held, with 61 individuals attending full training and 45 becoming certified in Mental Health First Aid.

MCTP addressed disparities in maternal and child health through relaunching a media campaign that supported the reproductive justice and autonomy of young women and prevent unintended pregnancy in the City of Rochester. The campaign had 2 million impressions, and more than 7,500 visits to the website.