The Community Foundation is pleased to present our 2025 Grantmaking Program, below. While there aren't any major changes to report this year, we are, as always, pleased to share 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	APPLICATION  DEADLINE	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	Ashley Cousens
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	Closed	Ashley Cousens
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 Closed	Ashley Cousens or Megan Havrilla DeHoog
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 Closed	Ashley Cousens or Megan Havrilla DeHoog
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 Closed	Ashley Cousens

 

Return to a Grant Application

 

Grant Information Session 2025

Save the date! Staff will host a Grant Information Session on January 10, 2025 at 1:30pm. This one-hour Zoom meeting will include information about how to apply for grants with C3F, will preview any changes or updates to the grantmaking program in 2025, and will allow time for participants to ask questions and get answers. 

We will record the session and post a link to the recording here after January 13th. While we don't have any major changes to announce, we will be previewing a change to the look of our online grants system, as well as some other minor adjustments to our process and follow ups. 

All grant requests begin with a phone call or conversation with C3F staff. We will be happy to answer general questions during the live Zoom call, and we encourage you 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.