New Grants Impact Mental Health and Youth
20 September 2016 at 11:23 am
A philanthropic collective is addressing mental health and youth with $200,000 of grants.
After only two years of operation in South Australia, Impact100 SA, which pools together contributions from at least one hundred members, has announced it will offer two $100,000 grants in 2017.
Each grant will support a project that creates positive outcomes for the youth sector (12 to 24 years) and / or mental health.
Speaking at the theme launch, Impact100 SA ambassador and chair of SAHMRI and the South Australian Economic Development board Raymond Spencer talked about impacts on mental health, in particular triggers that are close to home for many South Australians.
“Evidence has shown that an increase of just 1 per cent to the unemployment rate can lead to an increase in suicide of 0.7 per cent,” Spencer said.
“As South Australia adjusts to the loss of the auto-industry, we are determined to build resilience in our population.”
Spencer said resilience was a critical part of addressing mental health and it was important to develop it from a younger age.
“Skills for resilience not only help protect against deteriorating mental health, but also build an individual’s capacity to enter new employment, innovate, and succeed in our challenging and dynamic economic environment,” he said.
“Evidence suggests that three in four mental health conditions emerge by 24 and half by age 14, meaning it is imperative that mental health conditions and triggers are addressed from a younger age.”
For the latest round of grants Impact100 SA will consider applications for projects that:
- support a project or initiative under the two focus areas of mental health and youth (ages 12 to 24 years), acknowledging that projects may fit into both categories
- have specific measurable goals to be achieved
- create significant impact for the South Australian community and applicant organisations.
According to the application, grants will only be awarded to a small to medium organisation where the transformative nature of such a grant can be demonstrated.
Priority will also be given to projects that are new – not the sole continuation of an existing program and which benefit an identifiable group of people over projects that benefit a specified individual or small group.
The latest grants from the South Australian chapter, which has seen record membership, brings the total amount gifted by members to $520,000.
Members each donate $1,000 annually, with the contributions then pooled to make large, high impact grants to South Australian-based projects, collectively chosen by the members at an annual grants awards event.
Earlier this year, members awarded a $100,000 High Impact Grant to the Zahra Foundation.
In addition,$20,000 was awarded to each of other three finalists which included The Australian Centre for Social Innovation, YWCA Adelaide and Raising Literacy Australia.
The Impact100 method of giving has been proven around the world, with established Impact100 chapters in other regions of Australia and in the United States.
Expression of interest applications close on 7 October 2016. See here for more information on how to apply.
