Exciting New Grant Opportunities!

Strong Families Grants

Strong Families grants will provide up to $200,000 in funding to support high-impact, multi-sector initiatives that address the most pressing barriers to family health: Affordable Housing, Transportation, Workforce Development, High Quality Early Care and Education, Youth Mental Health or Systems of Social Supports for Families.

Strong Families grants are designed to provide seed funding for agencies leading efforts to build sustainable systems that improve family health. Grants will support collaborative needs assessments, planning or implementation efforts. Given the scale and complexity of addressing these barriers, the Foundation anticipates supporting one or two proposals. Priority will be given to proposals aimed at improving family self-sufficiency and kindergarten readiness rates. 

GWHCF invites proposals from local partners or state and national agencies partnering locally to improve outcomes for Dodge and Jefferson County residents. There is a four-stage application process beginning with a mandatory consultation with Foundation staff by May 29. Strong Families Grants will support collaborative efforts between multiple agencies. View more information here.

Born Learning Trails

To further the impact of TalkReadPlay With Your Child Every Day, a community effort supporting parents in their role as their child’s first teacher, GWCHF and Every Child Thrives are seeking two communities to pilot outdoor Born Learning Trails, which are an evidence-based series of 10 interactive stations that offer fun, physical learning activities for young children and their families. Applications for Born Learning Trail Grants are due May 29. View more information here.

Water Bottle Refill Stations

Water Bottle Refill Station Grants will support schools in creating healthy learning environments and will ensure every public or private school in GWCHF’s service area has at least one station installed. These grants will be awarded to schools currently without a station. Applications for Water Bottle Refill Station Grants are due May 29. View more information here.

Community Collaboration Grants

In addition to the new grant opportunities detailed above, GWCHF continues to accept applications for Community Collaboration Grants. These grants are designed to support collaboration and build community connections. They support up to $10,000 for partnerships that build a sense of belonging between community members or enhance community spaces where individuals can be active together. View more information here.

Questions about any of these grant opportunities may be directed to GWCHF Grants Coordinator Andi Merfeld at 920-390-4682 or

[email protected] .

Building a Strong, Resilient Community

The Every Child Thrives effort includes more than 40 organizations across Dodge and Jefferson counties that have pledged to build a strong, resilient community by implementing trauma-informed practices. See the list of organizations who have made this commitment here. Join the effort if you haven't already!

To bring greater awareness to our community about the impacts of trauma and how resilience can be built through positive relationships, we are pleased to be offering the following learning opportunities.

FREE DINNER, MOVIE SHOWING &

PANEL DISCUSSION

Dinner, seating and childcare are FREE!

Click here to get your dinner & movie tickets

Help us promote this learning opportunity!

Click here for the flyer to display in your workplace or in the community.

Trauma & Resilience 101

Training Sessions

As a follow-up to the movie screening of Resilience and based on requests made at the Every Child Thrives November 2019 community conversations on building resilience, we are pleased to be offering basic training sessions on trauma and resilience.

Trauma & Resilience 101 covers the science of early brain development, the impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), the basics of trauma-informed care, and the importance of strengthening families and building positive relationships to promote resilience.

Thursday, May 28

Madison College Community Room



1300 W Main Street, Watertown

Breakfast Session (8-9:30 a.m.) or Lunch Session (11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.)

Register here for a session.

If this date/time/location is not convenient for your organization and you are interested in scheduling an on-site training, please contact [email protected].

More than $7 million

has been invested to date by the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation in its strategic, child-focused priority areas.

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