17Strong Hamilton neighborhoods group accepting applications for grants

Credit: Provided/17Strong Facebook

Credit: Provided/17Strong Facebook

The 17Strong Neighborhoods Microgrant Program will consider projects for this year until March 17.

The microgrant program serves the city’s residents by providing materials or reimbursable financial support for programs, projects, or events that promote citizen engagement, enhance the beautification of the neighborhood, improve safety within the community, or address neighborhood needs and aspirations.

Projects can be awarded between $500 and $2,500, and are selected by the 17Strong Microgrant Committee.

Peggy Bange, the city’s liaison to the 17Strong Microgrant Committee, said the microgrant program started in May 2016 and has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars to the benefit of Hamilton. In 2022, she said there were 10 traditional grants awarded and five sponsorship grants.

“And many of those grants have had a citywide impact,” she said, adding that 2022 “was the biggest year of microgrant applicants.”

Microgrants that were awarded include the 2nd annual Hamilton Juneteenth Celebration, Clean Compost, Berry End, Chalk it Up Hamilton, CHIPs Experience Hamilton Tour, Dayton Lane Promenade Trolleys and Bicycles, Defeating Period Poverty, Hamilton Through the Looking Glass, Station 7 Revival, and the Youth Expo & Community Feed.

Jermain Summerour received a microgrant in 2022 for his Youth Expo and Community Feed event, where he has professionals, like doctors and lawyers, come out to the community to provide their services for free. He’s been helping the city through his For the Community By the Community organization.

“This is the thing that I hope I can continue to do with the help of the community and the help of 17Strong,” Summerour said, who also gave 17Strong an award.

“They helped me move this project along, so I thought it would be fitting that they win an award on behalf of my group and friends and colleagues,” he said.

For the Community, By the Community, a major contribution from 17Strong because your generosity and our event made it success for

The microgrant program provided five sponsorships in 2022 to the Corn Stand Jam Outreach, Back to School Block Party, 7th Annual Crafts and Critters Cruise-in and Car Show, Hamilton Ohio Pride, One City One Book.

Monique Runzer with Corn Stand Jam said they rely heavily on word of mouth for their late summer concert that supports mental health awareness and support. They have smaller spin-off events that promote the word-of-mouth advertising for their marquee event, and one of them, the Corn Stand Disc Jam, a disc golf fundraiser, utilized the microgrant sponsorship money.

They used the funds for T-shirts for their volunteers because “they live on.”

“People still wear them to this day,” Runzer said, adding they were printed locally at Unsung Salvage.

To apply or learn more about the 17Strong microgrant program, visit 17stronghamilton.org/microgrants.

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