Volunteer NH is proud to congratulate the 18 mini-grant awardees for their work to help NH communities through volunteerism in 2024.
The Volunteer Engagement Mini-Grants ($1,000 – $4,000) are awarded to New Hampshire-serving organizations for a specific, one-time need. These funds can be used for categories like volunteer training, purchasing of volunteer management technology, and volunteer program development.
Their were two rounds of funding in 2024.
Volunteer NH will have four rounds of funding in 2025. If your organization is interested in applying, learn more here: https://volunteernh.org/apply-nh-volunteer-engagement-program/
Round I (June 7 – July 31, 2024) Awardees:
Family Promise of Greater Concord
- Organization Mission/Activities: FPGC empowers families experiencing homelessness in the Greater Concord area by providing comprehensive support services and fostering long-term stability.
- Located In: Concord
- Area(s) Served: Belknap, Hillsborough, and Merrimack Counties
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To purchase computers, software (including the Adobe Suite), iPads, a cellphone, a TV, projector, and necessary hardware for hybrid meetings so they can better recruit, train, and communicate with their volunteers.
Friends Program
- Organization Mission/Activities: Friends Program builds positive connections and solutions for at-risk youth, families, and seniors by addressing six focus areas: housing stability and shelter, improving educational outcomes for youth, inspiring confident kids, improving food security, increasing independent living for seniors and leveraging the power of volunteers to address community needs.
- Located In: Concord
- Area(s) Served: Belknap, Cheshire, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford, and Sullivan counties.
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To recruit more volunteers by improving their marketing and more widely circulating their print/online recruitment materials. Purchases include contracting with a photographer to take professional photos of their volunteer activities, printing rack cards/ post cards, creating updated banners/tabling supplies for recruitment fairs, and printing and posting ads for volunteer recruitment.
Gather
- Organization Mission/Activities: Gather, formerly the Seacoast Family Food Pantry, operated as a traditional brick-and-mortar food pantry. In 2014, the organization revolutionized its approach and expanded to incorporate cutting-edge Mobile Market programs that distribute fresh food at the neighborhood level. Shortly after, Gather launched its Meals 4 Kids program which provides healthy food to children and teens – with a particular focus on those eligible for free and reduced-price meals – when school is not in session.
- Located In: Portsmouth
- Area(s) Served: Rockingham and Strafford counties
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To purchase two iPads and contract with a Better Impact software consultant in order to conduct regular volunteer program evaluations in order to continue to retain volunteers.
Grafton County Senior Citizens Council
- Organization Mission/Activities: GCSCC seeks to engage and support older adults by operating eight senior center throughout Grafton County.
- Located In: Lebanon
- Area(s) Served: Grafton County
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To work with a graphics consultant to create advertisements that were printed in seven different newspapers in the county in order to aid their recruitment.
Harbor Homes, Inc. (d/b/a Harbor Care)
- Organization Mission/Activities: Harbor Care’s mission is to provide vital services, including housing and healthcare to all in our communities needing assistance. With this work, everyone gets to live safe, stable and healthy lives, filled with purpose, respect and dignity.
- Located In: Nashua
- Area(s) Served: Statewide
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To pay for in-person and online trainings for their new volunteer manager to attend.
Lakes Region Mental Health Center
- Organization Mission/Activities: LRMHC’s mission is to provide integrated mental and physical health care for people with mental illness while creating wellness and understanding in our communities.
- Located In: Laconia
- Area(s) Served: Belknap and Grafton counties
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To pay for a staff member to become an instructor in Mental Health First Aid, and then to pay for up-to 60 volunteers to undergo Mental Health First Aid training.
St. Joseph Community Service (d/b/a Meals on Wheels of Hillsborough County)
- Organization Mission/Activities: Meals on Wheels keeps low-income, older, and disabled participants live safely and independently in their own homes by providing healthy meals, wellness checks, social engagement and information on community resources.
- Located In: Manchester
- Area(s) Served: Hillsborough county
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To support two volunteer recruitment initiatives: the first is the targeted, digital distribution of a promotional volunteer recruitment video and the second is to create new print materials—rack cards, wallet cards etc.—highlighting the need for volunteers, especially as Meals on Wheels (MOW) drivers, and the fulfilling nature of the experience.
Ready Rides
- Organization Mission/Activities: Ready Rides helps seniors and the disabled get to medical related appointments and other essential services through curb to curb transportation services.
- Located In: Northwood
- Area(s) Served: Barrington, Durham, Lee, Madbury, Newfields, Newmarket, Northwood, Nottingham, Strafford, and Epping
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To create and print physical recruitment outreach materials and boost virtual posts in order to increase their number of volunteers.
Way Station
- Organization Mission/Activities: The Way Station supports homeless and housing-insecure populations of the Mount Washington Valley region, connecting and collaborating with resources statewide and within Carroll County New Hampshire.
- Located In: North Conway
- Area(s) Served: Carroll county
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To purchase volunteer software to more effectively run their volunteer program.
Round II (October 7 – December 31, 2024) Awardees:
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, New Hampshire Chapter
- Organization Mission/Activities: The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a voluntary health organization that saves lives and brings hope to those affected by suicide through research, education and advocacy.
- Located In: Nashua
- Area(s) Served: Statewide
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To pay for a trainer and training materials for their volunteers.
Ascentria Community Services Inc.
- Organization Mission/Activities: Ascentria’s mission is to eliminate inequity, create sustainable solutions and provide supports to our communities and workforce, empowering all people to thrive despite life’s challenges.
- Located In: Worchester, MA
- Area(s) Served: NH (Statewide)
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To pay for updated print and digital ads to aid in their recruitment.
Community Action Program Belknap-Merrimack Counties Inc.
- Organization Mission/Activities: Community Action Program Belknap-Merrimack Counties Inc. mission is to assist in reducing poverty, the revitalization of low-income communities, and the empowerment of low-income families and individuals to reach economic stability.
- Located In: Concord
- Area(s) Served: Statewide
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To pay for updated print and digital ads to aid in their recruitment.
Community Caregivers of Greater Derry
- Organization Mission/Activities: CCGD’s mission is to enrich lives and support older adults and those with disabilities to remain independent through a compassionate volunteer community.
- Located In: Derry
- Area(s) Served: Derry, Londonderry, Chester, Danville, Hampstead, Sandown, and Windham
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To purchase an updated computer set-up and tablet to improve their volunteer management capabilities.
Crisis Center of Central NH
- Organization Mission/Activities: The Crisis Center of Central NH (soon to be Thrive Survivor Support Center) has a mission to serve survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence and human trafficking through empowerment, safety, and support; and to promote prevention through education.
- Located In: Concord
- Area(s) Served: Merrimack county
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To pay for updated print and digital ads to aid in their recruitment.
DART Command Central
- Organization Mission/Activities: DART (Disaster Animal Response Team) Command Central was created to help communities prepare for and manage temporary emergency pet shelters opened in response to a disaster.
- Located In: Jericho, VT
- Area(s) Served: NH (statewide)
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To create and produce a series of instructional videos to better and more easily train volunteers.
Good Neighbor Health Clinic
- Organization Mission/Activities: Good Neighbor Health Clinic’s mission is to promote the health of individuals in the Greater Upper Valley who lack the means to pay for care, by providing free medical and dental services, mentoring aspiring healthcare professionals, and advocating for improved access to health and dental care.
- Located In: White River Junction, VT
- Area(s) Served: Grafton and Sullivan counties
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To pay for a trainer and training materials for their volunteers.
NAMI New Hampshire
- Organization Mission/Activities: NAMI’s mission is to improve the lives of all people impacted by mental illness and suicide.
- Located In: Concord
- Area(s) Served: Statewide
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To contract with a consultant to provide two trainings to increase the skills of their volunteers.
VNA at Home Healthcare Hospice and Community Services, Inc.
- Organization Mission/Activities: The mission of Home Healthcare, Hospice & Community Services (HCS) is to provide services which enable people to function throughout life at their optimal level of health, well-being and independence, according to their personal beliefs and choices.
- Located In: Cheshire, Hillsborough, and Sullivan counties
- Area(s) Served: Keene
- Purpose of Mini-Grant: To pay for updated print and digital ads to aid in their recruitment.