Application materials for the 2016-2017 Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls seed grants must be postmarked or emailed by December 15, 2015. All applications must be submitted by active units of Women of the ELCA who are familiar with the Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls initiative and the criteria of this program.
The 2014-15 seed grant cycle of the Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls health initiative planted seeds with six congregational units, allowing them to engage women and girls in their church and communities in making and fostering emotionally, spiritually and physically healthy choices.
These six new health initiatives make a total of 57 units who have used Women of the ELCA Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls seed grants since 2010 to better their communities. The initiative was created in 2004.
The six congregational units that won 2015-2016 Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls seed grants included: Saint John’s, Jacksonville, Fla.; Mount Calvary, Johnstown, Pa.; Zion, Appleton, Wis.; Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, Greenville, S.C.; Trinity, Fresno, Calif.; and Saint Luke, Silver Spring, Md.
They will plant seeds of healthy living that include retreats, new clothes closets, self-awareness sessions, walking tracks and on-going exercise, lifestyle-change classes and support-group activities. The harvest of these efforts will touch more than 2,000 women and girls.
Applicants said the three-question seed grant application process “called them to think, do research, build relationships with people outside their congregation and act boldly.”
The requirements are simple. The program must:
- bring together women and in the congregational unit and community;
- meet the goals of the health initiative;
- be able to be replicated in other settings;
- agree to re-seed by making a financial contribution to the seed grant program; and
- agree to provide a final report.
Read inspiring stories of congregational units and their health initiative efforts supported by a seed grants in Planting Seeds For A Healthy Tomorrow: Sharing What Works, a free downloadable resource. Put some of the ideas into use in your congregational unit!