Kick Butts Day 2012 Mini-Grants

UPDATE: The Jan. 27, 2012 deadline for mini-grants has passed. We are no longer accepting applications and are reviewing all completed entries. We plan on notifying all entrants of our decision as we make them.

You can energize your 2012 Kick Butts Day event with a $250, $500 or $1,000 minigrant, made possible by the United Health Foundation.

Once you have registered your event, the mini-grant application form will be available for you to complete. Simply fill out the online form by telling us more about your proposed Kick Butts Day event along with a budget detailing your anticipated expenses.

We will only consider completed grant applications associated with a fully completed event registration.

Start planning your event and budgets now. We will stop accepting applications on January 27, 2012.

Frequently-Asked Questions

What is the purpose?

To fund Kick Butts Day events that would not take place if not for additional funding.
To engage youth across the country on Kick Butts Day, and ensure that Kick Butts Day events will happen in every state (March 21, 2012).
To ensure that there are even more Kick Butts Day events than usual in 2012. Our goal is to have over 1,100 events!

When is the application due?
In order to apply for a mini-grant you must register a Kick Butts Day event and complete several additional questions at the end of the application process no later than January 27, 2012.

Who can apply?
Anyone who is planning a Kick Butts Day event is encouraged to apply! To apply for a grant, simply register your event and then complete a few additional questions at the end. The more details that you can provide, the better. Please note that we will be looking for a combination of creativity, youth involvement in planning and implementing events, detailed description, a strong communications/media plan, and demonstrated financial need.
Please note: the grants cannot be used for direct lobbying of legislators. We do, however, encourage events and activities that educate policy makers and the public about the importance of policy change.

Can I apply for multiple grants?
Yes, event organizers can apply for multiple grants for multiple events. If an event organizer is holding similar events, like 2 "They Put WHAT in a cigarette!?" events in different locations or at different times — but still targeting the same audience (high school students, the general public, etc.), this could be funded under one grant of $250, $500 or $1000. In cases where an event organizer is doing multiple events that are NOT similar, they must apply for separate mini-grants for each event.

Can I use one mini-grant on multiple events?
If you are holding multiple events with small budgets, you may use one mini-grant for all events. Again, these events must be similar in nature, target the same audience, and may only vary by date/location. Please note that you are applying for a mini-grant for multiple events on your application.

Can an organizer/event receive more than one mini-grant?
If the event is organized by multiple groups, there is a chance that large-scale events can receive more than one mini-grant. If an organizer is planning multiple events and applying for multiple grants, they may receive more than one mini-grant as well. Again, in order to receive a mini-grant at all, you must be planning a STELLAR event!

Can I apply for less than $500, or between $500 and 1,000 mini-grants?
At this time, you can apply for $250, $500 and $1,000 mini-grants. If your event budget falls between $500 and $1000, for example, you should apply for $500. We want to be able to fund as many events as we can!

What is the difference between direct lobbying and educational advocacy?
Direct lobbying: Direct contact (e.g. meeting, call, email, letter) with policy makers encouraging them to vote for a specific policy or piece of legislation, usually with an applicable bill number.
Educating policy makers: Holding an event with youth that educates policy makers and the public about the importance of policy change (such as smoke-free air laws, raising tobacco taxes or sustaining prevention funds). We encourage any events that educate youth to use their voices! Don't worry, you can still do a Kick Butts Day Anti-Tobacco Rally.

What can you use the grant for?

Local transportation for youth participating in event;
Administrative expenses such as communication (phone, fax, e-mail, postage), copying and print services that are directly related to event;
Materials needed for the event (trash bags, paper, art supplies, etc.);
Educational Items (brochures, palm cards, flyers etc that can be handed out at events);
Refreshments and recognition that are integral to the project — the total amount should not exceed $150.

Note: Recognition items include T-shirts, certificates, plaques, and similar items. Every effort should be made to secure funding from other sources for larger food costs and celebration activities.

What can you NOT purchase with grant funds?

Honoraria to specialists/associates, stipends/salaries, financial gifts or donations, salaries for entertainers, facilitators, DJs, students’ time, etc;
Equipment unrelated to the event;
The inclusion of any "miscellaneous expenses" without explanation;
Long-range program expenses/ overhead that are unrelated to the proposed project.

What does a sample, acceptable budget look like?

Rally at the State Capital:

Transportation: $200- We need 2 school buses to take us to the state capital. We are going to have 100 students go on the trip.

Administrative expenses (phone, email, postage): $0.

Art supplies/materials: $150-We are going to create a banner with our group’s name for our press conference and to use as a visual during our rally. We are also going to make posters and have a visual Numbers campaign on the lawn of the capital, which we received a permit for.

Advertising/marketing: $50- We will create palm cards to hand out at our event to people who pass by during our event.

Refreshments: $0

Recognition: $100- We are going to award our allied representatives with plaques at our press conference.

Total: $500

How do I apply for a grant?

You must be a registered Kick Butts Day user (with a login and password) and have a Kick Butts Day registered event. At the end of the Kick Butts Day registration process, there will be several additional questions related to the mini-grants. Please think through these questions and plan out your Kick Butts Day event as much as possible before applying for your mini-grant.

What kind of reporting is expected?
Grant recipients will be required to provide a post-event report, (including your materials/use of funds, if applicable) as well as pictures of the event to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids via email and flickr.

How many applications do you expect?
We’ve never had a mini-grant program before, but in the past we’ve had over 1,000 events registered in the Kick Butts Day event database, so we expect a lot!