Connecting Women in Business (CWIB), a Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce group, is proud to announce the launch of its summer series GO Grants for Girls on March 11, 2013. These Go Grants are for activities from May 1, 2013 – September 30, 2013. Download the application here. Applications must be postmarked by April 15, 2013.
Formed in 2007, Connecting Women in Business provides opportunities for area women business leaders and business owners to learn, form connections, share ideas, and find personal and professional growth. The key purposes of CWIB include:
• Provide professional development and leadership training;
• Strengthen and market area businesses;
• Offer networking toward strategic alliances, affiliations and business opportunities;
• Mentoring and support; and Provide opportunities for girls to dream big, thereby improving self-esteem and leadership.
It is through the last goal listed above that CWIB created GO Grants for Girls in 2007. GO Grants, or Girls Outreach Grants, reach out to young girls in our area who have an idea and passion to try something new. Grants will range from $100 to $500, and can be used as resources in any field of endeavor.
The purpose of the grants is to provide small grants to girls in grades 6 to 10 in the Char-Em ISD service area of Charlevoix, Emmet and northern Antrim counties. These grants will allow the applicant to pursue a special interest gain or improve a skill, participate in an outdoor experience and more. We encourage applications that will be challenging to the applicant.
Girls will be required to work with an adult mentor – a relative outside of the immediate family, teacher, youth pastor, social worker, etc. – who will help them fill out and submit the application, and will work with the girl to help her achieve her dream. The mentor will also work with each girl to submit her final report on her completed activity and what it meant to her.
The ideal applicants are girls who have not received awards for outstanding achievements. CWIB is seeking girls who do not ordinarily apply for awards. We are looking for under-represented girls who need more support to realize their potential. Girls need to clearly state their financial need, as well as describe a special interest that will spark their imagination, creativity, or follow a dream that they may not imagine possible.
It is important that the girls and their mentor fill out the application completely, answering questions on a separate sheet of paper. Incomplete applications will be rejected. Please read the rules and guidelines on the application carefully. The application and background information is available to download below. Applications must be postmarked is April 15, 2013.
Together we can help girls fulfill their dreams, and reinforce their importance to our community.
