Announcing 2015-2016 NYSPEP Mini-Grant Awardees

NYSPEP is pleased to award eight mini-grants, of up to $2,000 each, to help providers increase access to evidence based and promising parenting education programs that impart knowledge, skills and resources to nurture children. Congratulations to our recipients!

Funding is provided by the New York State Office of Mental Health (NYS OMH). Twenty qualified applications were carefully considered and scored by a team. At least one application from each NYS OMH region met application criteria and eligibility requirements. Awards were based on thoroughness and quality of the following:

• Documentation that the program is research-based, proven or promising and builds on one or more of the Protective Factors

• Clear description of the problem or need in supporting parents’ access and how the funds would address the problem or need

• Clarity on how funds would be used to collaborate and / or augment other funds for sustainability

WESTERN REGION

• Niagara Falls City School District Focus on Families to provide summer parenting classes using the Incredible Years curriculum 
• Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tioga County to begin implementation of Incredible Years: Parenting Toddlers series in two Family Resource Centers
• Jewish Family Service of Buffalo and Erie County Refugee Parent Support Program to obtain the Incredible Years: School Age Basic Parenting curriculum and conduct a class

CENTRAL REGION

• Opportunities for Otsego Building Healthy Families to hold a Community Baby Shower that provides prenatal and early childhood development education and resources to expecting / new parents

HUDSON RIVER REGION

• Catholic Charities of Columbia and Greene County for the Father’s Parenting Program to hold classes, which do not require a referral and are based on the Nurturing Father's Program 
• Community Maternity Services of Schoharie Otsego for Maternity Outreach, which incorporates multiple evidence-based curricula, to serve women who fall outside the program's age parameters yet demonstrate a need for assistance

NEW YORK CITY REGION

• Henry Street Settlement for Neighborhood Resource Center / Parent Center, which provides several evidence-based curricula including ACS / Family Court approved Parenting Journey, to provide metro-cards that previously helped increase completion rates by 20 percent

LONG ISLAND REGION

• Family and Children's Association Family Center to upgrade Active Parenting curriculum materials and facilitator training, and provide child care and transportation support