Grants
	Since the early 1920s, tens of thousands of donors have joined with their local community foundations, taking an active role in strengthening and enriching the communities in which they live. With expertise acquired from decades of grantmaking, community foundations can help donors direct their gifts where they will do the most good, and ensure that the grants made in their names will have just as much impact decades from now as they do today. Below is a sampling of grants that illustrate how community foundations throughout Michigan are making a difference in their respective communities. Albion Community Foundation Multiple Organizations - $20,700 We initiated a program called Extreme Community Makeover Days in 2010. We funded 7 projects where over 200 volunteers came out in a two day period to make major community improvements, such as renovating a school playground, creating community gardens, and improving local parks and green spaces. This was a great way to show what our community can achieve when we come together. Allegan County Community Foundation Hungry for Christ - $14,750 The Hungry for Christ organization operates as a food pantry but is also the food pantry for other food pantry organizations. They receive truck loads of items that they are able to redistribute to other organizations. This grant enhanced their ability to receive large quantities of food (especially frozen food). By helping this one organization we improved the quantity (and quality) of food many different organizations are able to provide to the people who continue to depend heavily on them. Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation Fair Food Netowrk - $25,000 This grant enabled the Fair Food Network to introduce their "Double Up Food Bucks" program into four local farmers' markets. This is part of a regional series of pilots that, if successful, could result in the program's inclusion in the next federal farm bill. Barry Community Foundation Barry County Economic Development Alliance - $19,270 This year, BCF changed our grantmaking strategy to priority funding. Forty percent of our grantmaking dollars, which was $19,269.84, were used to fund the priority grantmaking area of economic development in Barry County. These dollars were then used to fund the Barry County Economic Development Alliance whose funding had been drastically cut by the County Board of Commissioners due to budget cuts. If it weren't for these dollars, the Barry County Economic Development Alliance may not have been able to survive and thrive to make Barry County a better place to live and work. Battle Creek Community Foundation Family Health Center - $132,137 This grant was for expansion of their Primary Care & Dental Areas. The grant was a match 2:1 with state and federal funding. The Family Health Center provides access to community members that have little to no health insurance. Bay Area Community Foundation Bay Arts Council - $5,000 For many years, Bay Arts Council charged an entrance fee for the Wednesdays in the Park Concerts. The average attendance over the last three years had decreased from 400-500 to an average of 100 for many of the concerts. Many believed the drastic drop in attendance was because families could not afford the per person cost to attend the concerts. In the summer of 2011, with the help of Bay Area Community Foundation and other area sponsors, The Bay Arts Council was able to offer seven free concerts to the community. Attendance at the concerts increased from 100 to 1,500 attendees on a weekly basis. For the first time, families of all ages enjoyed the concerts while exploring Bay City's Downtown area. Not only did this grant help expose families of all ages to the area's arts and culture opportunities, but more importantly it gave families a place to enjoy all that Bay City has to offer. Branch County Community Foundation Foundation for Behavioral Resources - J.E.T. Program - $4,375 The Community Foundation provided with a local Michigan Works contractor to offer financial literacy training to JET and FAE&T participants. These Michigan Works! programs provide services to low income, unemployed or underemployed individuals who receive public assistance. The Financial Literacy Program included 7 workshops to provide Branch County participants with the tools necessary to make better financial choices, organize finances and become self-sufficient, opening or continuing a savings/checking account, recognizing the importance of budgeting in order to defeat financial obstacles, and the importance of identifying and reviewing your credit report at least once a year. Of the 212 participants who began, 83% successfully completed the course and established a relationship with a financial institution, learned how to open or continue a savings/checking account, understanding the importance of budgeting in order to defeat financial obstacles, and other financial goals. Cadillac Area Community Foundation Health Department #10 - $5,889 Matching grant money for a Wexford Adolescent Wellness Center to be established in the Cadillac Public Schools to serve all of Wexford county students. Canton Area Community Foundation Open Door Food Pantry - $8,000 Purchase of a 10x10 cooler and a electric pallet jack. This local food pantry receives food from Gleaners Community Food Bank and Forgotten Harvest. This cooler increased their capacity by a third so they could offer even more fresh produce to about 1200 local residents per week. Capital Region Community Foundation Allen Neighborhood Center - $75,000 The Allen Neighborhood Center will use its $75,000 grant to renovate a warehouse creating a regional food resource center and year round farmers market, build an incubator kitchen for use by food entrepreneurs and provide storage for harvest from community gardens. This center will address an identified "food desert" need on Lansing's east side. Charlevoix County Community Foundation Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council - $5,900 With proceeds from the grant, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council placed pharmaceutical drop boxes at local law enforcement offices county-wide. The proposal was a collaborative effort that engaged Tip of the Mitt with local pharmacies and law enforcement agencies to provide a very visible, accessible and safe way for local residents to dispose of unused or uneeded prescription drugs, thus eliminating the potential for the drugs to be misused or abused, while also eliminating the potential for the drugs to be absorbed into the ground water. Chippewa County Community Foundation Farmer's Market - $500 Funds were provided to assist with educating participating farmers and food stamp recipients that food stamps could be utilized to purchase food at the Farmer's Market. This was a benefit to the community by encouraging the purchase of local foods from area farmers and by encouraging low-income families, fixed-income seniors, and individuals to purchase healthy, nutritious foods. Community Foundation for Muskegon County Hackley Community Care Center - $20,000 This grant was provided to support a county-wide Teen Health Center, located on the campus of Muskegon High School. Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan Alcona Community Schools - $6,000 This grant was for interpretive signage at a natural area in Alcona County. The grant was made from our Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative Fund. This fund brings community partners together with students to do place-based education on environmental projects. This grant is one of a dozen similar grants we have given to schools all around northeast Michigan. Having the students learn by doing is a much better way for them to really understand the importance of protecting and preserving our fragile environment. Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan ArtServe Michigan - $75,000 over three years In March 2010, the Community Foundation trustees approved a three-year, $75,000 grant to support the Michigan Cultural Data Project (CDP), a statewide web-based data collection system for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations developed by the Pew Charitable Trusts. The CDP will enable arts and cultural organizations to quickly and easily generate consistent, reliable reports for funders, using the best available data. Participation in the CDP will also provide participating organizations with access to tools that can enhance their financial management capacity, and provide comparable data for comparable institutions in Michigan and eight other states that participate in the CDP. Community Foundation of Greater Flint Flint Area Reinvestment Office - $20,000 Provided basic operating support for a joint venture of local funders, the establishment of an office that offers the public sector and non-profits, assistance in applying for federal and state competitive grants. Community Foundation of Monroe County Dolly Parton Imagination Library - $9,000 To promote literacy in Monroe County, where children birth to five will receive a book a month mailed to their home. Community Foundation of St. Clair County 4 Friday Food for Kids locations - $11,061 Recognizing that nutrition and education go hand in hand, the Community Foundation led a community-wide effort to provide food to students from low income families over the weekends. During the school-week these students receive breakfast and lunch at school, but leave on Friday knowing they may not have much to eat all weekend. The Friday Food For Kids program is currently offered in 4 area elementary schools. It provides at-risk students with a backpack full of nutritious easy to prepare food on Fridays. In addition to feeding a hungry child, the Friday Food For Kids program is designed to impact attendance, reduce behavior issues and increase attention span. The Community Foundation provided the initial funding for the Friday Food For Kids program, promotes the program to donors and community partners and serves as the program's fiduciary. The program is implemented by participating schools and a group of community volunteers at each location. From our initial grant of just over $11,000, nearly $50,000 in community support has been raised for future awards. This grant also strengthened our partnership with local school districts, health and human service organizations, community service organizations, corporate donors and regional organizations such as the Eastern Michigan Food Bank. Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area Community Action House - $5,000 This grant money was used to help prevent 111 families living in our community from losing their homes due to eviction or foreclosure. Their efforts resulted in directly helping 65 families save their homes from foreclosure - saving $8,125,000 in lost value and slowing down the downward spiral of home values in an already depressed market. "By the grace of God, the Veteran's Administration referred me to Community Action House and I was connected to their Foreclosure Prevention Program. I now have a mortgage payment I can afford and my unsolved debt is gone. I am so grateful for the work they do." Community Foundation of the Upper Peninsula The Salvation Army - $5,000 To provide assistance for food pantry, heat and utilities assistance for needy families. Four County Community Foundation KIND - Kids in New Directions - $6,500 KIND is a prevention/early intervention program for "at risk" children - kindergarten through seventh grade. An individualized program will assist the child's needs. Parents, teachers, principals, governmental and non-profit agencies work closely together to assist the child to cope with behavioral problems such as aggression, peer conflict, difficulty with authority, irresponsibility and lack of interest. The program was established to help children cope with their problems and experience greater success at school, at home and in the community. Fremont Area Community Foundation Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank - $95,312 This grant to Feeding America West Michigan is as a $3/$1 match for the purpose of matching mobile food truck requests for Feeding America from Newaygo County organizations and agencies from March 1, 2010 to April 30, 2011. In 2010 192 mobiles brought over 1.4 million pounds of food to Newaygo County and served almost 51,000 individuals. Each month an average of 16 mobiles distribute food to those in need. Statistically hunger has been ending in Newaygo County through this partnership with Feeding America and several non-profit agencies. Grand Haven Area Community Foundation Love INC - $100,000 This grant helped to open the Love INC Ministry Center - a shelter for the homeless. Not only does the Center provide emergency housing, it also helps to address the underlying issues associated with homelessness and help individuals work toward self-sufficiency. A personalized curriculum is developed for each resident to take classes on how to live on their own with a structured life. Each resident also has a personal mentor to guide them along the way. Grand Rapids Community Foundation Salvation Army (Grand Rapids Area Coalition to End Homelessness) - $100,000 In 2004, the Community Foundation awarded a grant to the Coalition to support the Vision to End Homelessness planning process. That Vision now serves as a ten year road map for ending homelessness in Kent County. Key elements of the plan include preventing individuals and families from becoming homeless, rapidly re-housing people as quickly as possible if they do become homeless, and putting systems and supports in place that help people find and maintain affordable housing. The Phase III grant builds on the work accomplished over the past six years and focuses on the implementation of strategies developed to further mobilize the community in a new approach to a housing crisis. Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation Traverse City Area Public Schools - $1,500,000 This grant amount represents a total amount awarded over the course of a couple of years to benefit TCAPS' Thirlby Field, the home to our three, local, high school football teams. In total, grants to support the capital project totaled nearly $2 million. The project brought permanent restroom, locker room, concessions, an elevator to the press box, and ultimately artificial turf to the stadium. This is a great impact on our community because it enhances this local facility in a way that benefits players, parents, and visitors. It extends beyond just football, positively impacting the high school marching bands and offering the opportunity for broader community use of Thirlby Field. Gratiot County Community Foundation City of Ithaca - $10,000 This grant enabled the City of Ithaca to include the installation of a fire foam induction system on it's new fire truck. This state-of-the-art equipment provides not only Ithaca, but the greater Gratiot County community through mutual aid agreements, with fast, efficient response to fire emergencies. Greater Frankenmuth Area Community Foundation Frankenmuth Youth Sports Association - $5,000 A grant to provide for a feasibility study for a Recreation Center for the youth and adults of the community. This is an investment into the future of the community of Frankenmuth. Greenville Area Community Foundation Greenville Public Schools - $170,000 This grant helped support Greenville Public School's All Day Every Day Kindergarten program. Hillsdale County Community Foundation Warm the Children - $14,000 This program provides warm clothing to needy children in our community. Huron County Community Foundation Huron County Community Collaborative - $1,500 Support of a 211 telephone clearinghouse and information center for human services. Jackson Community Foundation Center for Family Health - $5,000 The Center for Family Health is a federally qualified health center in Jackson. In 2010 they embarked on a capital campaign to raise $10 million dollars to build a new health center in the downtown area. With the help of the Jackson Community Foundation as the fiscal agent for the project, donors were able to see their contribution grow exponentially with matching opportunities from other community funders. This partnership benefitted everyone, the foundation, donors, the Center for Family Health and ultimately the whole community. With a new medical facility located where the people who need services can access them, we have strengthened our community in a meaningful way. Kalamazoo Community Foundation Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity, Inc. - $25,000 Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity (KVHH) is the only housing provider in the area that consistently helps families with incomes under 60% of the area median income (adjusted for family size) achieve homeownership. KVHH builds or rehabilitates simple, decent, affordable homes each year in partnership with low-income Kalamazoo County families enabling them to achieve their goal of homeownership, a goal they could not attain without Habitat. KVHH provides support to vulnerable low income families as they build, buy and ultimately own their own homes. In 2010, a Kalamazoo Community Foundation grant supported "gap" funds for seven newly constructed or renovated homes in Kalamazoo County; at least six of those homes were in Kalamazoo Promise neighborhoods within the Kalamazoo Public School district. Kalamazoo Community Foundation support provided critical gap funding for the next year. There is a gap between what the homes truly cost to construct and the price at which they are sold. By design, KVHH sells the homes at or below cost and financing them with 0% interest mortgages. External funding makes it possible for local low-income families to have a shot at homeownership. KVHH assumes the risk and fills the gap with financial support from organizations such as the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. Keweenaw Community Foundation 24 Local Nonprofit Organizations- $3,900 (Combined total to all 24 organizations) Each year the Keweenaw Community Foundation's Herman Gundlach Donor Advised Fund donates to a dedicated list of 24 local non-profit ornganizations in our area. These small grants reflect the many interests of Herman Gundlach throughout his life. As in his life, Mr. Gundlach continues philanthropy and support of the Entire Keweenaw through his endowment. This is his legacy-giving forever. Lapeer County Community Foundation United Way of Lapeer County - $10,000 These funds were critical to bringing 2-1-1 services to Lapeer County. An increasing number of individuals will need this assistance in many crucial areas. Lapeer County is one of the Michigan counties hardest hit by unemployment and resulting foreclosures. Leelanau Township Community Foundation Leelanau Township - $15,000 To fund doctor office visits for Township residents who are uninsured. Lenawee Community Foundation Tecumseh Historic Carnegie Library - $30,000 Our historic Tecumseh Carnegie Library had been sold to an individual, who let it fall into disrepair. Our lead gift enabled the beautiful brick building to enter into a purchase agreement & gave the impetus & hope for additional fundraising, which has paid for the building & begun renovations. It will become a community welcome center. M & M Community Foundation Menominee County Intermediate School District - $3,000 Imagination Library of Menominee County, with the Dollywood Foundation, provided a new reading book each month for children up to the age of five. 602 children registered for the program. Mackinac Island Community Foundation City of Mackinac Island - $10,000 Failure of the septic system required closing of recreation area widely used by island residents and workers. Marquette Community Foundation Marquette County History Museum This historical display of one of Marquette’s original electric street cars was chosen for funding because if its innovative approach to teaching history. The streetcar will actually contain auditory depictions of the historical setting in which street cars were used in the City of Marquette. The actual streetcar will be set up outside of the history museum so that it will enhance the recollection of riding through the city on the car. Michigan Gateway Community Foundation Lewis Cass Intermediate School District - $5,000 Backpacks and supplies purchased and distributed to students prior to school. Health screenings, haircuts, and other resources were available. YAC volunteered to work event, and it was heavily attended, in these tough times. Midland Area Community Foundation Pregnancy Resource Center - $40,000 Pregnancy Resource Center of Mid-Michigan is seeking $450,000 in funding for the purchase and renovation of a new building in Midland in order to more effectively support the recent addition of targeted medical services and most importantly, to better serve the dramatically increasing client demand from the youth and young adult population across Midland and the entire Mid Michigan area. Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation City of Mt. Pleasant - $200,000 Access Adventure Trail Project Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation Top of Michigan Trails Council - $5,000 The Wheelway Signage project is a multiple phase project to improve the signage along the walking/biking path. The path is an important recreation destination for locals and visitors. Our funding has leveraged thousands of dollars from the township municipalities connected with the project. Without our funding it is doubtful the municipalities would have put up the necessary funding to complete the project. Saginaw Community Foundation Friends of Hoyt Park - $5,000 The money was used towards the revitalization of an old park/baseball diamond(s) that at one time brought all areas of the county together for baseball/softball, ice skating, fireworks, etc. For the longest time this park was not cared for until a group of volunteers committed themsemves to bring it back to life. This grant helped them get things off the ground and now people are using the park more regularly, from town and out of town. Sanilac County Community Foundation Sanilac County Food Pantry - $1,000 The grant was used to purchase two truckloads of food to be distributed to needy Sanilac County residents. Shiawassee Community Foundation Capital Area Community Services - Miles for Smiles Project - $5,000 This grant provides emergency dental care to low income families in Shiawassee County. It is offered to the parents of Head Start or Early Head Start children. Many of the parents that received treatment have indicated that this has been a life changing experience for them. Sturgis Area Community Foundation Sturgis SUCCESS College Access Network - $10,000 This grant supported a larger grant from the Abbott Laboratories/Abbott Fund to assist Sturgis Public Schools in installing wind turbines and solar panels at all K-12 buildings. Each school also has curriculum based programs and software to accompany the energy project that allows data tracking etc. Tuscola County Community Foundation Thumb Area Big Brothers Big Sisters - $10,000 Provided support for the Thumb Area Big Brothers Big Sisters program for general operations in order for the organizations to continue matching hundreds of young children with mentoring Big Brothers and sisters.   [top]