Apply for a Grant
*Special Ice Storm Relief Funds Available*
In response to the March 2025 ice storm that devastated areas of Northern Michigan, we have expanded eligibility criteria for our Urgent Needs Fund to include specific ice storm relief and recovery efforts. The Urgent Needs Fund regularly aids nonprofits helping Charlevoix County residents to access food, shelter, safety, healthcare, utility assistance, transportation, and other basic and urgent needs. Additionally, as our community rebounds from the catastrophic storm, funding requests may include, but are not limited to:
Organizations providing direct support to individuals
- Gas, groceries/food, utility assistance, transportation assistance, hotel stays, and other direct support needs
- Tree removal, brush and debris removal services, and other cleanup needs
- Property/equipment repairs or replacement, permit fees, electrical work, flooding damage, and other property/equipment needs
- Lost wages support
Reimbursements for organizational expenses
- Unexpected costs incurred during the immediate emergency
- Direct support, cleanup, property/equipment repairs, lost wages support
- Requests for direct support to individuals will be prioritized.
Other services as determined eligible by C3F staff
For more information on the Ice Storm Urgent Needs funding, please view the chart below and click on the link for the full grant guidelines. There is no access code for this cycle; organizations may complete the simple application any time. C3F staff will reach out with any questions or eligibility concerns. Staff will review applications and respond on a weekly or biweekly basis as long as needs and resources allow. Applicants can contact Ashley Cousens or Megan Havrilla DeHoog anytime with questions at 231-536-2440.
Regular Grant Cycles
The Community Foundation is pleased to present our 2025 Grantmaking Program, below, including a variety of ways to support nonprofits working in Charlevoix County.
Use the links below for more information on each cycle and/or reach out to the appropriate contact person as indicated to get started. The first step in applying for any grant is to have a conversation with one of our staff.
Use this link to schedule a grant call with Ashley.
Use this link to schedule a grant call with Megan.
For more general information, and a quick overview of our grant cycle schedule, visit our About our Grants page.
GRANTS OVERVIEW
GRANT PROGRAM |
OVERVIEW |
APPLICATION AVAILABLE |
APPLICATIONDEADLINE |
STATUS |
CONTACT PERSON |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ENVIRONMENT& LAND USE |
This cycle aims to support environmental education, protection, restoration, and sustainability initiatives in Charlevoix County and the Lake Charlevoix Watershed, and the organizations that make that work possible. Review these grant guidelines for full details. |
January 5 |
March 1 |
Closed | |
Arts & Culture |
This cycle aims to support arts, music, history, and cultural projects and programs that serve Charlevoix County, and the organizations that make that work possible. Review these grant guidelines for full details. | January 5 | March 1 | Closed | Ashley Cousens |
COMMUNITY PRiorities |
This cycle responds to a wide variety of needs in Charlevoix County and the organizations that make that work possible. All proposals from eligible nonprofit partners are welcome. Review these grant guidelines for full details. |
March 1 | May 1 | ||
GEOGRAPHIC ENRICHMENT |
This cycle aims to support community needs on Beaver Island, in Boyne City, Charlevoix, and East Jordan, and the organizations that make that work possible. Review these grant guidelines for full details. | August 1 | October 1 | Closed | Ashley Cousens |
YOUTH NEEDS |
This cycle aims to support top youth needs in Charlevoix County, and the organizations that make that work possible. The Youth Advisory Committee has identified priority areas, based on their Youth Needs Assessment, which inform their grant decisions. Applicant interview may be required. Review these grant guidelines for full details. |
September 1 | November 1 | Closed | Megan Havrilla DeHoog |
Mini grants |
Mini Grants are designed to fund projects that are small in scale, meet an unanticipated need or opportunity, help an organization with capacity building, or fall outside the timeline for our other responsive grant cycles. All eligible nonprofit partners may apply for grants of up to $1,500 at any time of year. Review these grant guidelines for full details. | January 5 | by December 15 |
Ongoing |
or |
Urgent Needs |
This cycle aims to support Charlevoix County residents' access to food, shelter, safety, healthcare, mental health services, utility assistance, transportation, and more. Eligible nonprofit organizations can apply any time of year. Review these grant guidelines for full details. | January 5 | by December 15 |
Ongoing |
or |
*ICE STORM*URGENT NEEDS |
The purpose of the Ice Storm/Urgent Needs Cycle is to offer all eligible nonprofit partners the opportunity to apply for support through the Community Foundation to help friends and neighbors who are experiencing hardship as a result of the ice storm. Regular Urgent Needs criteria has been expanded to include more specific needs related to ice storm relief and recovery. See the full grant guidelines here. |
April 15, 2025 | TBD |
Ongoing |
|
Housing Solutions
|
This cycle aims to increase the supply of housing units in Charlevoix County across a variety of price points. The fund works to achieve this purpose by being committed to mixed-income neighborhoods and developments, increasing housing choice, and ensuring that development is compatible with local goals and objectives. Review these grant guidelines for full details. |
January 5 | by December 15 |
Ongoing
|
Ashley Cousens |
Return to a Grant Application
Grant Information Session 2025
On January 10, 2025, the Community Foundation hosted a Grant Information Session, presenting an overview of our grantmaking program for 2025. View the recording here:
All grant requests begin with a phone call or conversation with C3F staff. We encourage prospective applicants to schedule time with Ashley or Megan to discuss your specific grant ideas and questions, and to get started on an application anytime. See the chart above for which staff member you should call, depending on which grant cycle you think your proposal will fit within. If you're not sure where to start, or if you have multiple needs and want to brainstorm where/when they could each fit, schedule a call with Ashley.
FAQ
WHO CAN APPLY
501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, educational institutions (preschool through college), and all units of government serving Charlevoix County residents. Additionally, organizations listed above that do not discriminate in hiring of staff or the provision of services. See chart above for who can apply for which specific grant cycles. Also, feel free to contact the person listed if you have more questions about your eligibility to apply. Fundable organizations must be current with follow ups for all previous grant awards and be in good standing with the IRS.
WHAT WE FUND
Arts and culture, education, environment and land use initiatives, community and economic development, civic improvement, human services, health and wellness projects, recreation, and youth projects. Proposed programs/projects must benefit Charlevoix County residents.
WHAT WE USUALLY DON'T FUND
Political campaigns, sectarian projects, loan payments or deficit spending, services normally supported by tax dollars, annual fundraisers, or grants to individuals.
WHEN TO APPLY
Applications for all grant cycles are due by 11:59 PM on the due date. Due dates for each grant cycle are listed in the chart above.
HOW TO APPLY
To get started on any of the grant cycles, contact Community Foundation staff to discuss eligibility with Ashley Cousens or Megan Havrilla DeHoog. See chart above to determine which staff member to contact for each cycle. If your request is a good fit with one of the grant cycles, you will receive an access code for the online grant application to apply. You can log back into a grant application you started by clicking here, or by using the "return to a grant application" link above. Once you click "submit" on your application, you will no longer be able to access the application. Contact Ashley Cousens for assistance and guidance.
WHAT TO DO AFTER FUNDING
If you receive a grant from the Community Foundation, you will be provided with more information about what to do next. However, you can prepare yourself by checking out our page about Grant Follow-Up.