We are pleased to announce that applications are now available for The Harry Chapin Self-Reliance Awards (HCSRA), a national grant program providing economic resources and networking opportunities to outstanding community-based organizations for their creative and effective approaches to fighting hunger and poverty in the United States. Since 1985, WhyHunger has been working with the Harry Chapin Foundation to identify and champion these model programs.

Cash grants of up to $7,000 will be awarded to ten community-based organizations around the country to support innovative programmatic work in the fields of hunger and poverty.   Applicants must provide a detailed description of the work they wish to fund, a plan for implementing their work, and a description of how the work will directly benefit the local community. Organizations must be community-based, located within the United States, have their own 501(c)3 tax exemption or a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)3 status, and identify a specific project/program with a budget of $500,000 or less that will benefit from the award money.  Applications are due July 1, 2011.

HCSRA applicants are included in WhyHunger’s national online directory, and HCSRA winners are honored at the annual WhyHunger Awards Dinner in New York City. Winners are also invited to attend a Networking Day where they, along with current and past winners, WhyHunger staff, and local NYC-based partners, will network, share best practices and inform WhyHunger’s programmatic direction. They day will include a  tour of New York City’s community food initiatives, such as urban farms, community gardens, and successful local food retail outlets and restaurants.

For more information, guidelines, and a downloadable Microsoft Word application, visit our webpage at: /HCSRA.