What could be better for veterans than eating ice cream and making positive social changes within your community? Not a lot, making the $25,000 Ben & Jerry’s Social Change Grant a great option for those who love ice cream and see there are social issues that need improving where they live. The grant is intended to help organizations make improvements in their community. You can apply for the grant online. To apply, click here.
While people know the Ben & Jerry’s company for their ice cream, they are also a corporation that does a lot to help give back to communities around the country. They started the grant program to create a grassroots route to making positive changes around the nation. The mission of their grant program is to fund projects that will make improvements in the areas of human rights, environmentalism, as well as social justice. While the program was first started in their home state, to motivate their own employees to make positive social change, they later expanded it to the whole country and opened it up to everyone who qualifies.
About the Grant
The grant program through Ben & Jerry’s awards nearly $2 million in funds every year. The grant funds are disbursed through two programs, one that focuses on their home state of Vermont, and the other one that gives grants to projects around the country. The grants are only given out to small organizations that are focused on improving social conditions in their community.
The grants are not awarded to groups that are religious in nature. The groups or organizations can be associated with environmental issues, homeless action groups, animal focused groups, etc. If you are unsure if your type of organization qualifies, contact them for clarification.
How to Apply
In order to apply for the Ben & Jerry’s grant program you have to belong to an organization. The grant is not open to individuals. That should not stop you from wanting to move forward with your social change project. You can either easily create your own organization or you can team up with an existing organization. Many organizations hire people to work there and most are happy to have volunteers to help further their mission. If you do not work at an organization, consider starting one focused on the cause you are passionate about, or contact one with the same mission so you can team up with them.
When applying, you have to be sure to include an analysis about the root cause of the issue you are addressing. You will also need to have a plan for leadership, community outreach, and how you will use the funds to meet your goal. Veterans who have a passion for a social justice or environmental issues should consider creating an organization that focuses on those issues, and then they can apply for this grant.
You can apply for the Ben & Jerry’s grant online. Once they receive all the application information, they may contact you for additional information. They may inquire more about the organization, mission, and what you will do with the grant funds. You can re-apply for the grant every year. Once the grant applications have been received, it is the Ben & Jerry’s employees who will review them and decide who they think should get the grant funds.
There are two times per year that you can apply for the grant. The first one is from February 1 to April 15. The second application window is from August 1 to October 15. It’s important that when you apply, you are submitting for funds that support their mission. This means it must be focused on making positive changes in your community. Your mission can focus on anything that is not associated violence. Good areas to focus on include social change, sustainability, and the environment.
Ben & Jerry’s may be known for their ice cream, but as you can see, they are also responsible for a lot of positive social change around the country. Their grassroots grant program helps many people to carry out their mission of helping people, animals, the environment, and their community. Veterans with an interest in these issues many want to apply for the grant and be a part of making positive changes in their area.