Nonprofits working to help mental health urged to apply for $35,000 Champions in Action grant

Citizens Bank, Trib Total Media and Pittsburgh Cares are asking small local nonprofits dedicated to mental health to apply for the Champions in Action grant for $35,000.

The Champions in Action award program is part of Citizens Helping Citizens, the bank’s initiative designed to help local communities prosper.

The bank partners with Trib Total Media and Pittsburgh Cares to provide additional support to grant winners with volunteer resources, public relations and more.

The grant program announced it will focus on nonprofits that provide mental health support and awareness for the current round of grants. Areas of focus for the program change twice yearly.

“Mental health awareness, support and education have never been more crucial than it is today,” the Champions of Action program said in a news release. “As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, millions of individuals are still struggling to cope with their mental health, and they look to trustworthy organizations for assistance.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises residents to find ways to cope and destress. While acknowledging that social distancing has been necessary to reduce the spread of covid-19, it has come at a cost. The pandemic restrictions have made some people feel isolated and lonely, which increases stress and anxiety, according to the agency.

“There has never been a more crucial time to focus on the importance of mental health,” said Mark Rendulic, Pittsburgh market president of Citizens Bank. “The challenging events of the past year and a half have exacerbated a growing mental health crisis, creating an unprecedented demand for support and education.”

To that end, the Champions in Action program is encouraging nonprofits working in mental health to apply for grants.

Eligible nonprofits typically work in collaboration with partners, neighborhood groups, schools or other organizations to address social concerns while working to achieve balance for its immediate community and those surrounding them.

Applicants must be a legal nonprofit based in Western Pennsylvania with an operating budget of $5 million or less.

The application should include specific and measurable goals for the nonprofit’s program.

The selected Champion in Action will receive $35,000 in unrestricted funds from Citizens; media coverage from TribTotal Media, including public service announcements; volunteer support from Citizens colleagues and Pittsburgh Cares; promotional support highlighting the Champion in Action in Citizens branches; and exposure on the Citizens and TribTotal Media websites.

Apply by Aug. 20

Applications can be completed online at www.citizensbank.com/community/champions-in-action.aspx and must be submitted by Friday, Aug. 20,2021.

The winner for the first half of 2022 will be announced in January.

Citizens Helping Citizens Strengthen Communities is part of the bank’s broader Citizens Helping Citizens engagement platform.

The intent is to allow the bank to build partnerships to develop neighborhoods, transform lives and stimulate economic renewal. There’s a focus on three key areas: fighting hunger, teaching money management and strengthening communities.

Trib Total Media is a multimedia network of daily and weekly newspapers, weekly shoppers and websites delivering news and advertising to more than 1.2 million readers across Western Pennsylvania every week. Trib Total Media’s targeted direct mail, promotional products, commercial printing, media planning and digital services deliver a variety of marketing solutions for advertisers big and small.

Founded in 1992, Pittsburgh Cares is the largest volunteer agency in the Pittsburgh region. The nonprofit provides opportunities for adults, youth, businesses and nonprofit organizations to connect and serve together to address pressing social needs.

The nonprofit offers a free public resource that connects the general public to hundreds of one-time and skills-based service projects per month.