| Organization information | |
|---|---|
| Organization Name | Arbor Circle |
| Please tell us the amount of funding you are requesting Aware to raise for your organization from the Aware annual fundraising event. | $10,000 |
| 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? | In 2023, Arbor Circle received a grant of $10,000. These funds supported and sustained counseling/therapy services for youth working with and staying at The Bridge, bolstering staffing resources specific to these services while providing an initial connection to engage these young people with the potential for long-term support when needed. The Bridge, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, serves youth in both Kent and Ottawa counties. When paired with other funding resources, these funds supported Arbor Circle in serving over 50 youth. |
| Please provide a listing of the Officers and Board members of your organization. | Board Members: Judy Freeman (Chair), Dr. B. Donta Truss (Vice Chair), Pujita Sieplinga (Secretary), Matthew Boggiano (Treasurer), Mark Nettleton (Member at Large), Dr. Patricia Farrell-Cole, Regina Hill, Sonya Hughes, Sue Mason, Mandice McAllister, Carlos Pava, Melina Sinigos, Elliot Talen, Gwen Thomas |
| Your Contact Information | Taylor Greenfield |
| Phone | 6167456325 |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Scoring Criteria | |
| 1. Description of the Organization (maximum 5 points, please limit to ½ pages) | Arbor Circle was founded in 1996 when six nonprofit organizations united to better serve the community. Today, we are a leading provider of mental health, substance use prevention and treatment, child welfare, and family services in West Michigan. With an annual operating budget of over $23 million and a dedicated team of more than 300 social workers, psychologists, and support staff, Arbor Circle serves over 17,000 children, youth, adults, and families each year. We are accredited by The Joint Commission, ensuring the highest standards of care, and undergo an independent financial audit annually. With five physical locations in Allegan, Kent, Muskegon, Newaygo, and Ottawa counties—and additional services spanning several more counties through the Great Start to Quality Program—Arbor Circle provides a wide-reaching, community-based continuum of care. Our 50+ programs address a wide range of needs, including mental health counseling, substance use prevention and treatment, foster care and adoption, early childhood and family services, and emergency shelter and support for runaway and homeless youth. At Arbor Circle, diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to our mission. We offer specialized services tailored to meet the unique needs of historically underserved populations, including LGBTQIA+ youth, who often face barriers to affirming mental health and housing support. Our LGBTQIA+ affirming counseling services, inclusive foster family recruitment initiatives and targeted outreach for runaway and homeless youth, ensure that every individual receives care in a welcoming and supportive environment. Through strong community partnerships and evidence-based practices, we continue to create pathways for healing, resilience, and long-term wellbeing across West Michigan. |
| 2. Funding Request (maximum 35 points, total, please limit to 1 page) | Arbor Circle is committed to providing comprehensive, inclusive support to youth, with a strong focus on meeting the unique needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals. LGBTQIA+ youth often face higher rates of homelessness, mental health challenges, and discrimination, which can severely impact their wellbeing and future. With additional funding, we aim to enhance our existing youth services, ensuring equitable access to critical resources for this underserved population. Arbor Circle’s LGBTQIA+ Youth Support Program addresses critical gaps in services for LGBTQIA+ youth in West Michigan, where affirming resources can be limited. Requested funds will help provide services including housing support for youth experiencing homelessness, addressing both immediate shelter needs and long-term stability through case management services, as well as support for counseling services. Funds will support compassionate, trained case managers who provide guidance and connect them to essential resources such as education, employment, and healthcare, paired with mental health support to promote wellbeing. By focusing on the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ youth, we provide culturally competent and affirming support during a critical time in their lives. In addition to housing and case management, we provide mental health counseling services tailored to the needs of LGBTQIA+ youth. These services are offered in multiple settings, including in the community including schools and through our office locations, ensuring that youth can access support in the most comfortable and accessible way possible. By building on our current efforts, we will continue to create a safe, inclusive environment for LGBTQIA+ youth, empowering them to thrive emotionally, socially, and academically while building resilience and stability. These funds, when paired with other resources, would support Arbor Circle in serving approximately 30 youth over the course of the granting period. The following outcomes are projected for youth supported by this project: |
| 3. Funding Justification (maximum 40 points, please limit to 1 page) | This grant will be an integral part of a braided funding strategy designed to enhance our ability to support LGBTQIA+ youth in achieving stability and wellbeing. While this grant is not the sole funding source, it will complement and strengthen other funding streams already in place, enabling us to expand and enhance our existing programs. That said, these funds are especially critical in a time when funding sources for LGBTQIA+ youth are at risk due to policy shifts at the federal level under the current administration. The combined resources from multiple funding sources will allow us to effectively build on the capacity of our housing support, basic needs support, and mental health counseling services, ensuring that we can meet the identified goals and continue to provide comprehensive, competent care. By leveraging this multi-source approach, we are better positioned to provide sustainable, long-term support for LGBTQIA+ youth and their families. This request for funding is part of a larger effort to secure funds that can be delivered directly to the youth being served. The majority of our funding for Arbor Circle Youth Services is through larger State and Federal grants; these dollars are dedicated to staffing and program costs and do not allow for flexibility when addressing specific youth needs in this way. Arbor Circle's Funding Breakdown: Government Funding (52%), Private Grants (41%), Donations/Contributions (3%), Other Funding (4%) |
| 4. Summary | Arbor Circle has a long history of providing safe, affirming services to one of our community’s most vulnerable populations—LGBTQIA+ youth. This project, in support of our Youth Services programming, will provide critical housing support for youth experiencing homelessness, basic needs support, and mental health counseling tailored to their unique needs. By enhancing our existing program, we aim to provide the youth we serve with the resources necessary to thrive in a supportive, inclusive environment. These funds are especially vital as federal policy changes have placed funding for LGBTQIA+ youth at risk, threatening the sustainability of these crucial services. These funds, as part of a braided funding strategy, will allow us to enhance our capacity to support these youth, who are often at greater risk for mental health challenges, discrimination, and homelessness. Through this project, we will not only provide immediate relief but also empower LGBTQIA+ youth to build resilience, pursue education and employment, and access the mental health care they need to flourish. These funds, when paired with other resources, would support Arbor Circle in serving approximately 30 youth over the course of the granting period. With your support, we will be able to make a lasting impact on the lives of LGBTQIA+ youth, helping them build stable, healthy futures while combating the isolation and hardship they may face. |
| 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 | 03/13/2025 |
| Ready to Submit |
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