You can help Erie County nonprofits secure grant funding. Here's how. – GoErie.com

Three Erie County nonprofits are in a position to earn grants that could help to transform how they serve the community.
All they need first is your support.
Organizations across the country that are looking to better their communities are fundraising until Aug. 12 as a part of the Gannett Foundation’s A Community Thrives crowdfunding and grant program. The foundation is an arm of Gannett, the corporate parent of the Erie Times-News and hundreds of sites in the USA TODAY Network. More than 700 organizations have applied for the $2 million initiative in hopes of implementing community-building ideas.
The nonprofits have one month to raise money through the online platform Mightycause to reach a minimum of $3,000 or $6,000, depending on the group’s operating budget, in order to qualify as a grant recipient. 
Through the site, users can donate to an organization of their choice by filtering the cause type, location and category. Donors have the opportunity to help these organizations advance their safe spaces for teens with cancer, toexpand no-kill animal sanctuaries, toimprove musical training programsand more.
“A Community Thrives has been an excellent way for Gannett to leverage its platforms to raise attention and funds for participating nonprofit organizations,” said Sue Madden, director of the Gannett Foundation. “Over the past five years, the program has contributed more than $17 million to community-building projects and local operating expenses of service organizations across the country.”
The organizations will get to keep the money they raise, and top projects also will qualify for additional grants to support their change-making ideas. Top fundraisers will receive a total of $200,000 in grants and all eligible organizations will qualify for consideration of the National Project and Local Operating grants.
A Community Thrives:Gannett Foundation calls for applications in national, local crowdfunding and grant program
One of last year’s $50,000 grant recipients, Ciudad Nueva Community Outreach in El Paso, Texas, was one of 16 organizations to receive a National Project Grant. The group was able to support their program’s expansion by 10%, according to A Community Thrives website.
The organization seeks to advance “the renewal and development of central El Paso’s Rio Grande neighborhood through the empowerment and transformation of its residents,” as stated on the organization’s website.
In addition to funding, A Community Thrives raises the visibility of participating organizations with national and local media coverage and exposes the organizations’ missions to new potential donors. 
“This is a national program with equal opportunity for small and nascent organizations and well-established organizations alike. Building community through connections and helping communities thrive are key program drivers,” Madden said.
2021 grant recipients: New Jersey urban farm project, refugee organization in Ohio among 2021 recipients in Gannett Foundation’s A Community Thrives
Here’s how each of the three Erie County applicants say they would use the grants and a link to each organization’s fundraising page. You can also search applications nationwide at acommunitythrives.com.
Harvest912 Inc., North East: Harvest912 provides monthly foot-care clinics, staffed by volunteer podiatrists and other medical volunteers, for homeless or economically disenfranchised individuals. Each clinic attendee also receives a new pair of shoes or boots and two pairs of socks as well as a backpack stocked with a blanket, hygienic supplies and other seasonal necessities. Your support could help Harvest912 expand its mobile clinics to twice-monthly to meet community needs. “In order to expand our services, we need to obtain storage for our vehicle and inventory as well as funding for clinic and backpack supplies,” according to the application. “Each clinic costs approximately $1,000 for clinic supplies, shoes/boots, backpacks and supplies as well as fuel for our mobile clinic vehicle. In addition to the aforementioned financial needs, we are currently a 100% volunteer organization, and need to provide a modest salary for management.”
Learn more and donate at: acommunitythrives.mightycause.com/organization/Harvest912
Northwestern Pennsylvania Humane Society: The Erie Humane Society is an animal shelter operating under no-kill standards. It helps orphaned, injured and abused pets by focusing on rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming; keeping them safe, providing shelter, care and nutrition; and helping them lead happy, healthy lives. The Humane Society would like to create BarkYard n’ Brews on its campus. “The Erie Humane Society currently owns 6 acres of property in Millcreek Township nestled behind the animal shelter. Three acres of the property is already set up as a premier dog park on beautiful Walnut Creek. BarkYard n’ Brews would serve as Erie’s first coffee shop and off-leash dog park. BarkYard n’ Brews is a way to create a safe and fun environment to promote the socialization between people and their dogs while encouraging adoptions from local shelters.”
Learn more and donate at: acommunitythrives.mightycause.com/organization/Northwestern-Pennsylvania-Humane-Society
Youth Leadership Institute of Erie: The Institute connects youth with resources that enable them to become servant leaders who are educated, motivated and committed to their communities. Evidenced-based training curriculum starts in ninth grade and continues through 12th grade. The institute says outcomes show 65% of participants will increase their overall GPA; 65% will decrease school truancy; 80% of seniors will apply for post-secondary training; 80% will demonstrate increased knowledge of community service involvement, and 90% will demonstrate team-building skills. Donations or grants would support Connected in 5, an individualized student-centered strategy that engages students based on their unique strengths, interests, and talents, while helping them appreciate the relevance of education to achieve their future successes. Connected 5 activities are directed toward marginally performing African-American teenagers and those who are academically challenged with GPAs below 2.0.
Learn more and donate at acommunitythrives.mightycause.com/organization/Youth-Leadership-Institute-Of-Erie.com.
To learn about all of the 2022 A Community Thrives participating organizations and to make donations, visit acommunitythrives.mightycause.com.

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