Northern Lakes Economic Alliance • info@northernlakes.net • www.northernlakes.net
The Elk Rapids DDA plans to install on-street bike parking similar to that pictured thanks to a local grant from Cherry Capital Cycling Club.
Amanda Baker, Downtown Development Coordinator
It might be true that big dollar projects get all the media, but we all know that big fish are harder to catch. While Federal and State funded grants offer more money, they also require more input in time and investment, sometimes pushing the eligible projects out of reach for smaller communities. That’s why it’s important to work within your network to leverage grant opportunities from your local sources.
The Elk Rapids DDA recently received a $1200.00 local grant from the Cherry Capital Cycling Club to replace aging bike racks located on River Street. This project is being undertaken as part of a larger overhaul to create a more “bike centric” community including marked bike routes, parking, and accessibility. While the community has an entire plan, working on the smaller pieces one at a time allows them to access local funding that would not cover a larger project without the requirements that would come from the higher dollar amounts.
The best ways to be sure you don’t miss out on these local granting opportunities is to foster relationships with the granting organizations in your area. Build up this network before you need to request money in order to create trust and understanding about your organization’s mission. Share your newsletters and annual reports with local organizations to let them know what work you’re accomplishing and why you’re a good investment, because that’s what a grant is for them – an investment. And once you’ve gotten the money, be sure to thank them and do so publicly. We all want to receive credit for what we’ve done, and showing other groups the groups that believe in you will only increase their opinion of you.
If your community or business is looking for resources for a specific project, but doesn’t have the network built up to find them, reach out to Northern Lakes Economic Alliance at info@northernlakes.net.
