Micro-Grants have been a special program offered in Walnut and Church Row Neighborhoods for several years. Starting back in 2021, Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity has partnered with neighborhood associations to help provide seed funds as well as administrative support to help see neighbors' dreams come true in their neighborhood--all for a relatively small grant of up to $500.

Neighbors gather to form a Micro-Grant Committee, which is a team of residents who represent their neighbors. The Committee spreads the word about Micro-Grants, shares applications with others, and ultimately approves the applications.

In Fall of 2023, Church Row Residents put on 7 projects and Walnut Residents did 3 projects. I'm excited to share some examples of their projects.

In Church Row, Eva Marie Dunlap created a grant to make Christmas wreaths with everyone on her street. She held several gatherings to make wreaths, and in the end, everyone on the street was offered a beautiful wreath to add to their Christmas cheer. She gives a special shout-out to her neighbor Loletta for her help with this project!

Another Church Row Resident, Mary, used her creative inspiration to pull together a crafty event called Holiday Hoopla. This party was on a Saturday afternoon. Mary offered older children an opportunity to try numerous festive activities, including frosting cookies, making paper chains, beading a bracelet, and enjoying some refreshments all with the chance to make new friends. In the picture below, one resident enjoyed jewelry-making!

A new favorite in the neighborhood that Walnut Residents have put together because of the Micro-Grant program is the Walnut Thanksgiving Dinner. Spearheaded by Alice, a full Thanksgiving dinner is lovingly prepared and served at Harvest Vineyard Church, located in the neighborhood.

In Spring of 2023, Church Row residents applied for and received 3 Micro-Grants. Walnut did 6 more grants during the same timeframe!

In Church Row, a neighbor on Belmont named Loletta created a beautification project by planting circles of perennials in the easements along the street for all to enjoy.

All in all, Micro-Grants have allowed access to dollars for neighbors to think outside the box and get creative!

While the Micro-Grants program is optional for residents of participating neighborhoods, we think it is an empowering opportunity. It has been exciting to see people put their time and efforts towards new ways to bless their neighborhood and serve their community.