RFF Tally – West Shore Aware

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Organization information
Organization Name	MiPOTS Network
Please tell us the amount of funding you are requesting Aware to raise for your organization from the Aware annual fundraising event.	We are open to any funding amount.
If your organization received Aware funding in the previous years, how many clients were serviced and/or how many services were provided with those funds. If you receive Aware funding this current year, how many clients will be serviced and/or how many services will be provided with these funds?	Depending on the amount received, we can help up to 10 families per quarter with their needs. We attempt to offset $250 to $1000 dollars of expense for the families that apply for assistance.
Please provide a listing of the Officers and Board members of your organization.	President Michelle Brown Secretary Anthony Jacob Brown Treasurer Tony Brown
Your Contact Information	Michelle Brown
Phone	3305756217
Email	Email hidden; Javascript is required.
Scoring Criteria
1. Description of the Organization (maximum 5 points, please limit to ½ pages)	Our non-profit organization comprised of local public servants, who volunteer their time to spread hope, encouragement, provide educational resources, and support to individuals with POTS. POTS is a type of condition associated with Dysautonomia, which is an umbrella term used to describe any disorder of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) leads to an abnormal increase in heart rate when standing up. This can cause dizziness, fainting, and a range of other symptoms. We also raise funds for research to find better treatments and eventually a cure for POTS. We work directly with families here in Michigan. We help offset out of pocket expenses that aren't covered by insurance. Families may have extended stays at Devos, Mary Free Bed, U of M, Cleveland Clinic or Mayo and through our Network they can ask for assistance with that. One of our goals is to help take some of the stress out of a very strenuous time for families seeking medical treatment. Our long-term goal is to continue helping with financial assistance and build a resort style get away for families to have respite at no cost to them, even if only for a weekend.
2. Funding Request (maximum 35 points, total, please limit to 1 page)	We are requesting funds to be used to help offset financial struggles for up to 10 families here in West Michigan. This assistance from us can be in the form of gas cards, or visa cards to help with other financial struggles. We just had a request from a family that after a 10 day stay at Mayo, they returned to a furnace that could not be repaired and needs replaced. The cost of the travel and food incurred on the stay put them in a deficit. These are the projects, and things we are trying to help with. Our goal is to help take away some of the strain derived from long term medical care and expenses associated with that treatment.
3. Funding Justification (maximum 40 points, please limit to 1 page)	If awarded, the funding received from AWARE will go to West Michigan applicants only. We are able to sort those applicants out. Our goal is to help people Statewide in Michigan, and we can use general donations and fund raising to help in other areas of the State. MiPOTS is a relatively new nonprofit that started in 2024. The funds received to date have been 10% of funding has been from other local foundations, with the remaining 90% of funds coming from private donations. The funds received from AWARE will go directly to West Michigan families after they apply for assistance. We would only use your funding outside the area if permission was granted by you and your foundation.
4. Summary	Our mission is to raise awareness about the condition, spread hope, love, encouragement and understanding to those affected by POTS. Through your award we will serve families in the West Shore area Michigan that have family members diagnosed with Dysautonomia/ POTS through financial assistance with medical expenses and other financial needs during and after medical treatment. This support will be in the way of gas cards for travel to and from hospital stays, home improvement costs like physical barrier removal, or ramp building for entrance and egress of homes, as well as help with hotel stays when hospitality house stays are not available. Part of our long-term vision is to provide graduating students with POTS scholarships as well as acquire a lakeshore property, whether a house, condo, or campground—that will generate income to support the organization's mission. This property will also serve as a haven for individuals with POTS and their families, offering free respite experiences. These initiatives will be fully funded through generous donations. Thank you for your consideration. Michelle and the MiPOTS Network Team
Application Agreement	This is an application, otherwise known as a Request for Funding (RFF), from West Shore Aware. This RFF is a request from your organization to Aware, for Aware to host a Fundraising Event for your organization. By completing this RFF, your organization is requesting to be considered by Aware’s membership for an Aware fundraising event to be held during the summer of this year, also known as the White Party. If your organization is chosen for a fundraising event by the Aware membership, your organization will agree to the following terms and conditions for the said fundraising event. 1. Aware will be given and provided full credit for the fundraising event in all of you organization’s publicity and advertising for said event, to include but not limited to event posters, newspaper advertising, handouts, radio and television advertising for the event, and organizational announcements concerning the event. 2. Your organization will only use the funds raised by Aware from said event for the purpose described in the RFF submitted to Aware. 3. Your organization understands that West Shore Aware is a philanthropic organization of LBGTQ+ individuals and their supporters, and that the funds your organization receives from Aware will be coming from the West Michigan lakeshore community. 4. The funds received from Aware as a result of the fundraising event will be net, after expenses for said fundraising event are paid. 5. Aware may use the name of your organization in its own advertising and publicity as a recipient of funds.. 6. Your organization will supply Aware with written approval to hold, or be part of a fundraising event held by Aware. 7. West Shore Aware reserves the right to audit any organization that receives funding to determine whether the funds were used as described in its RFF. 8. Your organization will allow West Shore Aware to use you organization’s name on the West Shore Aware website. In addition, if your organization has a website, you will link that website to the West Shore Aware website and allow West Shore Aware to link to your organization’s site. West Shore Aware’s web site link must remain on your web site for a full year from the date of the monetary disbursement. Failure to do so will disqualify you from requesting future funding. Once you have completed the RFF and agreed to the aforementioned, please submit it. Please sign this document below, indicating acceptance of the aforementioned terms and conditions. By signing the document, you acknowledge your organization is a registered 501(C) 3 Charitable organization.
Signature
Date	03/04/2025
Ready to Submit	Yes