Apply For Funding

• Tax-exempt, charitable organizations according to the IRS code, educational institutions, state agencies, or municipalities. Applicants must be current with their tax status and, if applicable, their registration to solicit charitable donations in Michigan;
• Organizations that serve Emmet County or a significant number of Emmet County residents; and
• Organizations that do not discriminate in hiring of staff or the provision of services.
• Organizations that receive grant funding in a calendar year are eligible to apply again in the next calendar year.

Our grant application process starts with an email to our grant team at [email protected]. We will talk with you to learn more about your proposed project, your organization, and answer any questions about our grantmaking process.

Our Spring 2024 Community and Youth Grants cycle is now open for inquiries. Other grant deadlines are listed below.

Deadline: February 1
Grant: Little Traverse Bay Protection and Restoration Fund Grants
Notification: March

Deadline: March 1
Grants: Community and Youth Grants
Notification: April

Deadline: October 1
Grants: Community and Youth Grants
Notification: November

Deadline: Rolling Deadlines
Grants: Emmet Housing Solutions Fund Grants, Environmental Education Grants, Impact Investing Fund Grants, Strategic Initiative Fund Grants

Step 1: Check out our eligibility requirements and areas of interest. Determine if your organization is eligible to apply for funding from the Community Foundation. 

Step 2: Please email [email protected] to start the process. We will contact prospective applicants to learn more about your proposed projects and answer questions about our grantmaking process. 

Step 3: You complete your grant application online; include your organization’s current operating budget and last year’s final budget; and a list of your organization’s board of directors. Applications must be submitted through the online grant portal by 11:59 PM on the day of the deadline. 

Step 4: We review your grant application. We will send you acknowledgment within a week of the deadline. If the request will be reviewed by the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC), we’ll ask you to choose a time to present on Grant Interview Day. For applications serving the broader community, staff may follow up to learn more about your project.

Step 5: We make grant decisions. The YAC and the Grant Distribution Committee will make their recommendations to the Board of Directors at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. This process takes approximately two months. You will be notified by Community Foundation staff as soon as possible following the Board’s decision.

Step 6: You receive the funds and do the work. If you are awarded a grant, you will receive a letter that states the conditions of the grant. 

Step 7: You report on your work. The term of a grant award is nine months. If grant funds are not used within the grant period, the grant is considered cancelled and no longer available to the recipient. At the end of the grant period, or the completion of the project, we ask that you submit a Final Report responding to the goals and activities articulated in the application. The Final Report Form is available by logging into our online grant portal. Extensions may be permitted on a case-by-case basis.

Questions? Please email [email protected] or call 231-348-5820.

We support a wide variety of organizations, programs and projects that serve the people of Emmet County. Areas of interest are highlighted below, but we recognize that important or emerging community needs require responsiveness and flexibility.

• Arts and Culture
  • Promote financial stability and organizational development for arts organizations
  • Keep arts, cultural, and historical programs accessible, available and affordable
• Education
  • Support for opportunities beyond provisions of state-mandated curriculum (examples include, but are not limited to: student clubs, athletics, performing arts, after-school and summer programs organized and supervised by school personnel)
  • Support for career and technical education programs
  • Support for minor capital improvements which enhance student experience
  • Support for special initiatives that minimize education costs for low-income students
• Environment
  • Support for projects to protect and restore green spaces, shorelines, dune areas, water quality and air quality
  • Environmental education for all ages
  • Promotion of comprehensive community planning, priorities and strategies
• Community and Economic Development
  • Support the enhancement of downtown areas
  • Support thriving, livable, and walkable communities
  • Support sustainable local agriculture
• Health and Human Services
  • Support for basic needs, including food, shelter, home heating, healthcare and childcare
  • Provide organizational support to keep those agencies addressing vital needs strong
  • Provide support for at-risk populations like seniors, women and children, individuals with disabilities, etc.
• Recreation
  • Keep recreational activities available and affordable for community individuals and youth
  • Support school or amateur athletics and recreational or sports camps
  • Support community parks, playgrounds, and trails
• Youth
  • Support public education institutions, especially enrichment programs
  • Support for early childhood care and education
  • Support for youth centers and constructive activities
  • Promote citizenship, leadership, and positive values

What kind of grants does the Community Foundation prefer not to review?

The Board of Directors generally does not consider requests in excess of $15,000, annual fund-raising drives, services which are commonly recognized as government or school obligations, debt reduction, endowments, religious programs that advocate specific religious doctrines or do not serve the broader community, or grants to individuals (other than scholarships).