Big As TEXAS Grant Program

NOTE: This program has been temporarily suspended

The BAT Grant Progran was founded in 2001 by two former attendees of the Big As Texas Conference, with the intent to raise funds to help people who could not otherwise afford to attend Big As TEXAS. We are wholly separate from the Big As TEXAS organizers, and have no vested financial interests in the event itself. Our primary focus is to help first-time attendees with the registration fee. On occasion we will consider bestowing grants to returning attendees with a special financial need.

Attending a size acceptance function can be a life-changing event, and we believe it is important for those of us who have attended this type of event to help others find the acceptance, friendship, and self esteem that comes from spending time with our fat acceptance family.

We are in need of both 1) contributions and 2) requests for grants, in order to make the program successful. Recipient disbursements are made after all applications for grants have been received and reviewed for the greatest need. We give as many BAT Grants as our finances will allow. If we have funds above and beyond the cost of the event, those monies will be carried over to the following year.

Helping people attend depends, of course, entirely upon the amount of donations we receive. There are no profits or wages within this foundation. Volunteers who are long-time size acceptance activists are staffing it. We remember our first size acceptance event and the difference it made in our lives. Perhaps you do, too.

Perhaps you might like to make a contribution either in honor of a friend, or in memory of someone who has passed away. If so, we have two different acknowledgement cards we send out, to the person you designate. What a great way to honor a loved one!

Please help us make this program work. Donate what you can, and tell someone you know who cannot afford all the expenses of Big As TEXAS about our BAT Grant Program. All grants will be anonymous, so applying need not embarrass anyone. Approved monies are sent by us directly to Big As Texas in the attendee’s name. [Note: we are not an official 501(c)3 organization, so contributions are not tax- deductible.]

SO EASY TO DONATE! This year we have implemented the convenience of making your donations online via Paypal! Simply log in to your Paypal account and enter Batgrantfund@sbcglobal.net as the recipient. Mastercard and VISA are accepted by Paypal, also, so now you may use credit cards for your donation!

Requests for grant applications may be sent to either of the following email address:

Batgrantfund@sbcglobal.net or
Batgrantfund@texasonline.net

Our snail mail address for our computer-less friends is:

BAT Grant Program
c/o RYAN
3950 N. Lake Shore Drive #506-B
Chicago, IL 60613.

Thank you for your consideration and your help.

Donna Marie Ryan and C.J. Schoenrock

Return to Big As TEXAS homepage.

10/00; rev. 7/01