| Grants Management System (Fluxx) Registration Deadline | 11:59 pm Central Standard Time (CST), Monday, May 13, 2024 |
| Scholarship Application Deadline | 1 pm CST, Monday, May 20, 2024 |
| Awardee Selection & Notification | June 2024 |
| Scholarship Grant Term | Thursday, August 1, 2024 – Thursday, July 31, 2025 |
The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health is offering two $5,000 scholarships, in honor of Stephany June Bryan, to support the financial impact of living with a mental health challenge and/or caring for a person with a mental health challenge and the need for financial aid to advance education or training.
Who Was Stephany?
Stephany was a beloved Senior Program Officer and Consumer & Family Liaison at the Hogg Foundation for over 12 years, until her passing in 2021 from COVID-19 and other health complications. She brought incredible insight, transparency, and humor to her work and to everything she touched. Stephany spent over 20 years fighting for equitable services, supports, and systems change for persons historically denied a seat at the table.
Stephany attended Southwest Texas State University on a music scholarship. However, life got in the way of continuing her education. Stephany spent years caring for loved ones with mental health challenges, while also striving to achieve her own wellness and continue her journey of recovery.
Even with her many gifts and contributions, as a life-long learner Stephany always wanted to complete her college degree. But due to her circumstances, Stephany was unable to afford the cost of returning to school.
The Stephany June Bryan Bold Spirit of Achievement scholarships were created to help others in the way Stephany needed help. They address the financial impact of living with a mental health challenge and/or caring for a person with a mental health challenge by providing financial support to advance education or training.
Decision Criteria
Awards will be chosen based on:
- Lived experience with a mental health challenge and/or caring for a loved one with a mental health challenge
- Financial impact of living with a mental health challenge and/or caring for a loved one with a mental health challenge
- Need for financial support to advance education or training
- Impact of living as a person representing a historically excluded group
Application Information
Applicants are asked to respond to the following questions in our Fluxx online grant management system.
- Please share your experience living with a mental health challenge and/or caring for a loved one with a mental health challenge. Discuss how this experience has impacted your ability to further your goals of education or training.
- For example: How the need to prioritize paying for wellness supports (for example: therapy, medication, etc.) and basic needs (for example: food, rent, etc.) has impeded your ability to pay for education or training.
- For example: How managing the stressors of daily life, including caring for a loved one with a mental health challenge, has made your educational goals unattainable.
- Please share how your lived experience as a person representing a historically excluded group or underserved population has impacted your life, financial situation, mental health, and/or the mental health of a loved one.
- What educational or training program are you enrolled in or planning to enroll in? How long will you need to complete the program? If awarded the scholarship, will you be able to provide an enrollment verification document from the educational or training institution or organization?
- This scholarship is a $5,000 award. How do you intend to use the scholarship funding and over what time period?
- Applicants should have one letter of reference submitted directly to hogg-grants@austin.utexas.edu. It should be submitted by the individual who writes it, not by the applicant. Anyone who has known the applicant for over a year (for example: a friend, a peer supporter, etc.) and can speak to the reasons the applicant needs financial assistance is qualified to write the letter. The letter should also include the reference writer’s contact information. By submitting an application, the applicant gives the Hogg Foundation permission to contact the letter writer.
Application Process
Step 1. Register
The Hogg Foundation uses an online grants management system called Fluxx. You must register in Fluxx no later than 11:59 pm CST on Monday, May 13, 2024. This is before the application due date of 1 pm CST, Monday, May 20, 2024.
Please follow the instructions on the right side of the screen, then go to Step 2.
Or, if you have previously registered in Fluxx, please enter your username and password to confirm your registration, then go to Step 2.
Or, if you have previously registered in Fluxx, but have forgotten your Fluxx username or password, please follow the instructions on the right side of the screen, then go to Step 2.
If you experience technical difficulties registering in Fluxx or have questions about the application process, please email the grants management team at hogg-grants@austin.utexas.edu.
Step 2. Complete Application Information
Complete the application information online in Fluxx. To be considered for the scholarship, you must answer all questions on the application. All narrative responses must be answered in the open fields in Fluxx’s Grant Application Details section.
Frequently Asked Questions
In an effort to provide a fair and equitable application process, the Hogg Foundation does not accept phone calls except to answer questions related to online technical issues in Fluxx. Questions about the scholarship or application process must be emailed to hogg-grants@austin.utexas.edu.
Answers to questions that may be helpful and relevant to other potential applicants will be posted below. Check this page before your final submission for additional helpful information.
Definitions
Consumer & Family Liaison:
The Consumer & Family Liaison is a full-time staff position at the Hogg Foundation. The position was created in 2008 to include the voices of mental health consumers and family members in all work of the foundation.
Historically excluded group or underserved populations:
Groups of people who have been linked to discrimination or exclusion because of their racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health status; cognitive, sensory, or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; or geographic location or country of origin.
Mental health challenge:
The Hogg Foundation uses the phrase “mental health challenge” to encompass mental health diagnoses as well as experiences that relate to mental health symptomology but are not necessarily diagnosed.
Senior Program Officer:
Senior Program Officers are full-time staff positions at the Hogg Foundation. Officers review and monitor proposals and grants; engage in issue exploration; develop and participate in community and statewide events; and foster community and grant partner relations. Officers help maintain a smooth-running, efficient, impactful grants process. The ‘Senior’ designation implies years of service.
Key Dates
Fluxx Registration Deadline: 11:59 pm CST, Monday, May 13, 2024
Scholarship Application Deadline: 1:00 pm CST, Monday, May 20, 2024
Scholarship Awardee Selections: June 2024
Scholarship Awardee Notifications: June 2024
Scholarship Grant Term: August 1, 2024 – July 31, 2025
Please refer to the CFA for more details.
Eligibility
Who is eligible to apply?
Individuals from Texas who have lived experience of a mental health challenge and/or caring for a loved one with a mental health challenge, who are enrolled in or plan to enroll in an educational or training opportunity for personal or professional goals, and who are in need of financial assistance are eligible to apply.
What types of training and education are allowed?
Any educational or training opportunity that moves the applicant toward personal or professional goals is allowed.
Do I have to be enrolled in an educational/ training opportunity when I apply?
You do not have to enrolled at the time of application, but enrollment verification will be needed if you are awarded the scholarship.
I applied last year and did not receive an award. May I apply again?
Yes.
Funding
Are there any restrictions on the use of funds?
Funds may be used for reasonable needs that move the applicant toward educational or training opportunities for personal or professional goals (for example, cost of tuition, cost of car repairs to get to and from school, cost of computer for online classes, etc.).
What if I can’t enroll in college (or university, trade school, classes, etc.) without the funds?
Let us know your situation and we will work with you.
Application Requirements
What should be included in the letter of reference?
The letter of reference should include the applicant’s name, the reference writer’s name, the relationship between the applicant and the reference writer, and the length of time of the relationship. Any details the reference writer can include about the applicant’s experiences with mental health and/or living as a historically excluded or underserved group are encouraged.
Who should write the letter of reference?
The letter of reference should be written by someone who has known the applicant for at least one year and who is aware of the applicant’s education/training needs for personal or professional goals.
How much detail should the budget include?
A formal budget is not necessary. A simple list of planned expenses is sufficient. For example:
- Gas for traveling to and from school $500
- Laptop $2,000
- ACC tuition $1,500
- Books $500
- Home internet service $500
Additional Questions
Will there be an informational teleconference?
No, the foundation will not host an informational teleconference for this funding opportunity. Any questions can be emailed to hogg-grants@austin.utexas.edu. Questions will be answered by email within 48 business hours and will be posted here if they may be helpful and relevant to other potential applicants.
Related Links
- Stephany J. Bryan: Peer, Advocate, and Trailblazer for Mental Health and Recovery
- Keneisha Johnson, 2021 – 2022 awardee
- Elliott Niblack, 2021 – 2022 awardee
- Crystal Rhodes, 2022 – 2023 awardee