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FAQ

Find answers to common questions about our grants, application process, and how we support teens in unlocking their potential.

How old do I have to be to apply?

13+

For any deployment we make – the max award is $500 per person

Any teen aged 13-18 can apply – but funding is only going to go to teens in underserved communities nationwide. We determine underserved based on crime, poverty, and education statistics available to the public.
No. But we do focus our funding on the underserved community. Please see earlier comments on the topic.

You apply via the link on the microgrant.org website page

We advise you talk with people you trust or use tools – like spotivity – to find programs that fit your interest and skills. There is a lot out there if you know how to look!

You need to find the activity because we want you to identify for us what activity interests you the most. Research shows that individually directed activity results in much better personal outcomes.
This is why we work with spotivity. Check out their pocket genie and see what plays to your strengths or addresses your weaknesses. Always a good place to start!
We do not fund remote experiences, equipment-only requests, travel-only costs, or tuition support. Our focus is on experience exploration – as in depth as possible.
We look at a one month turn-around once we close applications. It takes the board a while to review applications, make recommendations, and connect with program providers. We will be in touch with you over the passage of time to keep you informed of progress before we pass on the program relationship to you (the applicant).

No. We create relationships directly with the targeted program provider the applicant has identified and organize all payments through them. Once successful we connect each provider with the successful applicant so that schedule can happen and the grant has been paid.

At present we are looking at quarterly deployments. Right now that means a March / June / September / December schedule.
You can apply for additional rounds of funding if you have already received funding previously – but you must be in good standing in order to do so. Meaning, you must have demonstrated clear participation in your previous grant funding (ie: we can audit your check-ins via spotivity). Other requirements for follow-on funding also exist.

Yes. See earlier answer. But if you are asking for an additional round of funding at a later stage you must also have a fully filled out spotivity profile (the pocket genie). Information found at https://www.spotivity.com/pocket-genie/ This includes a complete personal profile (Full and current Pocket Genie) and a history of checking into programs previously paid by Microgrant.org

Check-ins are extremely important as it is the only way we track attendance at the activity we have agreed to fund. Without check-ins we do not know that you have participated and will assume you have not. Failure to check in will bar you from future potential funding.
We partner with spotivity so that a) we can audit participation at the activities we are paying for and b) you (teens) can utilize the free spotivity service to learn more about yourself and find activities that might interest you that you have never considered before.
Yes. The only information we share is with program providers that need to book successful grant recipients for proper enrollment in thier program. We also ask that spotivity audits funded fapplicants so that we receive reporting on successful program participation by way of check-in data.
Why Micro Grants?

Because they are hugely effective at engaging teen youth and providing a pathway through financial barriers which leads to a higher rate of passionate engagement in activities.

Yes. You can see our foundation details at Goodstack

We have set up a Zeffy account to make donations as easily as possible. If you would rather send a check you can do so (please email us at [email protected]). Additionally, if you would like to set up your company as a matching gifts contributor or use donor directed giving to the benefit of teens please reach out directly and we can talk through each avenue in detail.

Great! Please send them our zeffy account information and they can choose how they want to donate.

Yes! Please reach out to us directly at [email protected] and we can discuss in detail.

Our partnership with spotivity allows us to ask for detailed audits of specific teens where we can directly look at each of the check-ins they have done over a specific period of time. These check-ins are independently time stamped and location dependant so we have a very high degree of confidence in attendance based upon this data.

We are in the process of writing up our first deployment report – that will be published EOY 2024.

Yes. The Zeffy platform provides an automatic donation receipt that you can use for tax purposes any time you make a donation.

No. Right now our focus is on providing Micro Grants to underserved teens.

How are we picked as a program of interest by teens?

The teens found you! Through their own efforts teens supply us with the target of their interest – congrats, your marketing worked!

Micro Grants reaches out to each potential provider after a successful application is made and conversations ensue that create the acceptable parameters of payment and engagement. Ultimately, Micro Grants will pay the provider directly.

Teens check-in to all activities by way of their use of the free spotivity teen app. This provides location triangulation and a time stamp that can be audited. Teens can easily input program providers into the system for acceptance (spotivity audits all additions before acceptance) and/or program providers can preemptively upload program particulars. With these details known, the Check-in functionality of the app allows the teen to check-in every time they attend a practice/session and Micro Grant can be assured of positive attendance.

Yes. Please reach out to [email protected] to discuss how engagement with your program might work.

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Positive Outcomes of Self-Initiated Engagement

Research consistently shows that teens engaged in afterschool activities of their choice demonstrate better academic and social outcomes. For instance, students who participate in extracurricular activities have a 21% higher GPA on average than those who do not​. The autonomy in selecting these activities drives intrinsic motivation, which translates to greater commitment and perseverance​.

Self-directed engagement is also linked to increased resilience and emotional well-being. Teens participating in arts, sports, or STEM clubs report higher levels of self-esteem and problem-solving skills. Qualitative studies highlight how personal passion projects instill a sense of purpose and identity, which are crucial during the adolescent years​.

Negative Outcomes of Non-Engagement

The absence of structured afterschool involvement is strongly correlated with negative behavioral and academic outcomes. Teens without such activities are 30% more likely to engage in risky behaviors, including substance abuse and truancy​. Additionally, they are at a higher risk of experiencing social isolation, which exacerbates mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression.

For underserved teens, systemic barriers such as lack of access to affordable programs and transportation worsen the issue. Data from community-level studies reveal that low-income youth without engagement opportunities are 24% more likely to drop out of school than their peers​.  

References

  1. National Center for Biotechnology Information. The Impact of Afterschool Activities on Youth Development. PubMed Central, 2019. 
  2. Pilot studies on micro-grants and their effects on minority youth participation and skill development. Journal of Community Interventions, 2020​