Local Heroes

Gesa in the Community —

Local Heroes

Supporting our Local Heroes

With every swipe of a Local Heroes co-branded Gesa Visa® Debit Card, Gesa members earn funds designated for grants in that card’s Local Heroes category (Firefighters, Healthcare Workers, Law Enforcement, Teachers, and Veterans).

The Local Heroes Grants Program awards these funds to eligible organizations that support Local Heroes in regions where Gesa is active.

The funding amounts each year are dependent on the number of funds raised the prior year through the Local Heroes co-branded Gesa Visa® Debit Cards. Grants are awarded in September.

How do I know who is eligible?

To qualify for a Local Heroes grant, an organization must provide proof that the requested project funds will support a Local Heroes population (Firefighters, Healthcare Workers, Law Enforcement, Teachers, and Veterans) in a Gesa community. A Gesa community is defined as a community where Gesa has a physical location.

What is required to complete an application?

Budget for the program or service you’re requesting funds for
W-9 copy with EIN number
Gesa Publicity and Authorization form signed

Ineligible Requests

Grants will not be awarded for the following:

Activities, groups, or events not in a Gesa Community
Administrative expenses or expenses such as conference and travel
Projects whose primary purpose is religious or political
Sponsorship requests that benefit or fund a single individuals’ participation in an event or activity

You can inquire about your grant status or request information by e-mailing localheroes@gesa.com.

Organization*

Address*

City*

State*

Zip Code*

Organization's Mission*

Primary Contact's Name*

Primary Contact's Email*

Phone Number*

Region*

Local Heroes Population*

Amount Requested (up to $5,000)*

Summary of program or services funds are being requested for and when funds will be used*

Summary of need including overall project budget and proposed breakdown of funding sources*

If awarded a Local Heroes Grant, you agree to share impact stories, quotes, pictures, and/or videos with Gesa Credit Union to use in program promotion and report-out efforts to membership.* YesNo

To help convey your funding request, please submit a video up to three minutes in duration that addresses the following:
• Tell us about your organization in one minute
• What do you need the funds for?
• How will your funds make an impact in the community?

Video URL*

Still have questions?

What are the eligible Local Hero populations?

Gesa Credit Union’s Local Heroes Affinity Debit Cards recognize Firefighters, Healthcare Workers, Law Enforcement, Teachers, and Veterans.

What types of programs does the Local Heroes Grant Program fund?

The Local Heroes affinity debit cards fund programs, projects, and initiatives that support Local Heroes populations identified by Gesa: Firefighters, Healthcare workers, Law Enforcement, Teachers, and Veterans. This might include equipment, training, or program support for fire departments, healthcare facilities, police departments, schools, and organizations that work with firefighters, healthcare, law enforcement, teachers, and veterans.

Where does the funding come from?

Every time a Gesa member swipes their Local Heroes affinity debit card, Gesa makes a donation to the fund for that card’s Local Heroes category. Funds accumulate over the course of a year and are disbursed annually. Total amounts given are dependent on debit card usage, so some Local Heroes categories may have more available funds than others.

How does Gesa decide which grants to fund?

The Grants Giving Committee is made up of Gesa employees and community members who work together to evaluate every grant request annually. We use the following criteria as guidelines for our decision-making: connection to a Local Heroes population, financial need, and anticipated impact

What is the application timeline?

Applications closed July 31, 2021. The Grants Giving Committee will meet during the month of August to read and score applications and select recipients. Your organization will be notified by September 7 if your request was funded or not.

My grant wasn’t funded. Can I apply again?

Yes! Eligible organizations can apply annually whether you are awarded funding or not.

I am a Healthcare organization, but I don’t see a grant option for this category.

The Healthcare Heroes card was added to the Local Heroes suite in June 2021. Over the next year, Gesa members will have the opportunity to use a Healthcare Heroes affinity debit card to raise funds to help us fund grants for this Local Heroes category during the next grant application submission round.