$1K Youth Mental Health Mini-Grant Application

$1K Youth Mental Health Mini-Grant Application
Welcome & About This Grant
$1K Youth Mental Health Mini-Grants for Community-Led Solutions & Mutual Aid

Welcome, and thank you for your interest in our $1K Youth Mental Health Mini-Grant!
Butterfly Dreamz and Rooted Research are excited to invest in the people and organizations that teens in Newark, NJ, and Gary, IN, already trust and turn to for support. This grant grew directly out of our inaugural Teen Mental Health Ambassadors Internship—six months of research, 219 surveys, and 34 peer interviews led by teens in our community.

What our Ambassadors’ research made clear:
- Teens are quietly holding each other up, even as they say, “I don’t want to be a burden.”
- Teens told us they most often turn to close friends, family, and the trusted adults in their day-to-day lives—not to formal mental health systems.
- 57% of teens in our study reported holding back what they were going through because they didn’t want to worry, upset, or burden the people around them.
That’s why this Mini-Grant funds local, community-led solutions and mutual aid that incorporate a reciprocal care model into teen mental health support.

Our Goals
1. Support and equip the people and organizations who teens instinctively go to for mental health support
2. Create fun, relatable, and affirming spaces and mental health solutions that enhance teens’ help-seeking and self-care capabilities
3. Strengthen our local youth support networks and policies to improve community health and well-being
The Details
- Grant amount: $1,000
- Locations: Newark, NJ and Gary, IN
- Who can apply: Youth leaders, parents or caregivers*, artists, and youth-serving organizations
- Applications open: Monday, September 15, 2026
- Applications close: Friday, October 31, 2026 at 11:59 pm ET
- Applications reviewed: November – December 2026
- Award decisions: Late December 2026
- Projects begin: January 2027
- Projects complete: By July 31, 2027 (a 6-month project period)
What Grantees Receive

Beyond the $1,000 in funding, every grantee joins our local mutual aid network and receives:
- Strategic capacity-building support to co-develop a sustainability toolkit—long-term fundraising, operations, and policy plans
- A local mutual aid network of fellow grantees, our Ambassadors, staff, and community partners to strengthen and support your project
- A storytelling and visibility partnership to help share your work with your community, funders, and elected officials. Every grantee shares their project story with our community through spotlights, social media, and reports.
Questions? Email Michaela Dennie at michaela@rootedresearch.group or visit rootedresearch.group.

About Your Project
Project title
In one or two sentences, describe your project. (This is your “elevator pitch.” We’ll ask for more detail below.)
Tell us about your project in more detail. What will you actually do with the $1,000?
Please help us understand: -What activities, events, materials, or supports will you create? -Where will your project happen (a school, home, church, community center, park, online, etc.)? -How often will it happen, and for how long? -Who is helping you make it happen?
Which teens will your project serve, and how many do you expect to reach?
Please tell us: -Age range of the teens you plan to serve -Neighborhood, school, or community they come from -Any specific identities or experiences your project centers (e.g., Black girls, LGBTQ+ teens, teens in foster care, first-generation college-bound teens, teens who have lost a loved one) -Approximately how many teens you expect to reach
How does your project support teen mental health, well-being, or emotional support?
Some examples of what teens in our study said helps them: -Music, movement, art, and creative expression -Time with close friends and family -Trusted adults who listen without judging -Faith, prayer, and spiritual practices -Fun, relatable, low-pressure spaces -Places that feel affirming of who they are. You don’t have to fit a specific mold; tell us what your project offers and why it matters for the teens you serve.
Community-Led + Mutual Aid
This grant funds projects that are community-led (designed with teens and the people they trust, not solely for them) and rooted in mutual aid (a reciprocal care model where everyone gives and receives).
How is your project community-led?
Tell us: -How were teens or the community involved in designing this project? -How will teens or community members continue to shape it once it’s running? -Are you from the community you’re serving, or connected to it in a lasting way? Tell us about that connection.
How does your project reflect a mutual aid model?
Some ways projects can reflect mutual aid: - Everyone involved gives and receives something (skills, food, care, time) -Teens are treated as leaders, contributors, and experts, not just recipients -The project builds relationships and networks that outlast the grant -Power, decision-making, and resources are shared. If this is a new way of thinking for you, that’s okay. Tell us how you’d like to grow toward it.
Who in your community is already doing this work with you, or would you like to build with?
We’re building a local mutual aid network across Newark and Gary. Tell us about the people, organizations, faith communities, schools, or informal groups you’re already connected to—or hope to build with—through this project.

Budget
The full grant amount is $1,000. Please tell us how you plan to use it. Your budget doesn’t have to be perfect or precise, but it should give us a clear picture of where the money will go.
Do you have any other funding, in-kind support, or partnerships that will help make this project happen? We don’t require matching funds; we just want to understand the full picture. If this $1,000 is your only funding, that’s okay too.
Total Project Budget: Please upload your total project budget here in whatever format works best for you.

Cancelof

Sharing Your Story
Teens in our study told us that stories, not statistics, are what made mental health feel real to them. Sharing what you and your community are building is a core part of this grant. It helps us reach more funders, invite more partners, inspire more community members to lead their own projects, and show teens that adults in their community are showing up for them.
How would you like us to share your project story?
All grantees will be featured in at least one Butterfly Dreamz + Rooted Research spotlight (a written profile, short interview, video feature, or social media takeover) during or after your project. Which format would you most enjoy?

Uploads (optional)
You are welcome (but not required) to attach anything that helps us understand your work.
Upload up to 3 files (project flyer, sample curriculum, short video, letters of support, photos of past work, resume, etc.)

Cancelof
If you’d rather share a link to a video, portfolio, or website, paste it here.
Agreements
I understand that this is a $1,000 mini-grant. If awarded, I agree to:
I confirm that everything in this application is true to the best of my knowledge.
Signature
Should be Empty:

$1K Youth Mental Health Mini-Grant Application

Welcome & About This Grant

Eligibility Check

About You

About Your Project

Community-Led + Mutual Aid

Budget

Success and Sustainability

Sharing Your Story

Uploads (optional)

Agreements