APPLY
All grant opportunities through the Midland Area Community Foundation are listed below, along with contact information for the appropriate staff member. Grants are open to all 501(c)(3) nonprofit agencies, educational institutions, and government entities serving Midland County. Not sure if you qualify? Contact us at 989.839.9661 or via email.
The Community Foundation is here to help guide and support your organization through the grant process. Please be encouraged to contact our Director of Community Impact with any general or specific questions about the grants process. Additionally, the Community Foundation offers a monthly informal Q&A Zoom meeting to provide general information to those who are interested in learning more about our grant processes. The Q&A meeting is scheduled for the first Wednesday of every month at 3 PM. Please email our Director of Community Impact to obtain the Zoom link.
Please utilize this budget template as your project budget upload for any of the applications below.
Community Investment Grants
The Foundation is concerned about the community as a whole. In alignment with Midland County’s Four Focus Areas, we consider grants that support programs and projects that align to one of the Four Focus Areas:
- Building our Livelihood (economic development, infrastructure)
- Developing our Talent (talent, education, youth development and engagement)
- Caring For our People (human and social services, poverty, housing, mental and physical health, public safety)
- Enriching our Community (arts, culture, entertainment, recreation, diversity, community leadership, environment)
General Community Investment grant requests will be considered up to $60,000 per request during each grant deadline.
2025 Deadlines: January 15, April 15, July 15 & October 15
Contact: Alysia Christy, achristy@midlandfoundation.org or 989.839.9661
Foundation Directed Grants
The Community Foundation stewards funds from Field of Interest funds held at the Community Foundation. Designated Funds have been created with a specific purpose and/or cause area to support in Midland County. The Community Foundation connects the Foundation Directed grant opportunity to organizations that serve the specific purpose and/or cause area within the community.
Foundation Directed grant amounts vary.
2025 Deadlines: January 15 & July 15
Contact: Alysia Christy, achristy@midlandfoundation.org or 989.839.9661
Grant Report Form
Grant Report Form is to be completed by any grantee who received a grant prior to January 1, 2024.
Beginning in 2024, the Community Foundation will be scheduling conversations with all grantees in lieu of a written report. The conversations will take place after the grant funds have been spent and will be dependent on each grantee’s grant award timeline.
Submit Grant Report
Provide Grantmaking Feedback
Hemlock Semiconductor Community and Regional Empowerment (CARE) Grant
This grant opportunity aligns with the HSC Mission to improve vitality and quality of life in communities where Hemlock Semiconductor’s employees work and reside. Grant amounts are up to $10,000 for local (Midland/Bay/Saginaw) or $30,000 for regional projects/programs (not for operational costs).
2024 Deadlines: January 31st, May 31st, & September 30th
Contact: Alysia Christy, achristy@midlandfoundation.org or 989.839.9661
TOWN Grants
All 23 townships, wards, and villages in Midland County are eligible to apply for a TOWN grant. TOWN grants offer up to $5,000 in matching funds for a public improvement project. The goal of the TOWN grant is to support projects across the entire County of Midland.
In the application, you will be asked to upload a project budget. Please use the project budget template here.
Deadline: Applications accepted anytime
Contact: Alysia Christy, achristy@midlandfoundation.org or 989.839.9661
The Big Give
The Big Give is a group of men from the greater Midland area who are dedicated to helping local nonprofit agencies. The idea is simple: Meet three times per year, donate $100 per member at each meeting, and vote on a local nonprofit to receive the funds. To date, over $240,000 has gone to Midland County nonprofits through The Big Give.
To learn more about The Big Give, click here.
2024 deadlines to apply: February 1, June 1, and October 1.
Youth-Related Grantmaking
Midland Area Youth Action Council Grants
The Youth Action Council functions just like the Community Foundation, but it is made up of area middle and high school students. Youth Action Council considers grant requests up to $10,000. Youth Action Council grant requests must have a direct impact on improving the lives of young people in Midland County.
Deadlines: January 15, April 15, October 15
Contact: Alysia Christy, achristy@midlandfoundation.org or 989.839.9661
Youth Action Council Mini-Grants
Youth Action Council Mini-Grants give us the opportunity to invest in youth philanthropists (young people who are already working to make the world a better place!) and community adults who invest their time and energy into improving the lives of our area’s young people. These latter two grants are designed to support teachers, coaches, advisors, and other adults who are already investing in our young people by providing funds for innovative projects in schools, to provide assistance for students who might not otherwise be able to participate, to improve the safety for youth participating, and to maybe divert a bit of time you’d have to spend on fundraising back to direct interaction with the young people you’re nurturing.
Do consider providing an detailed list of proposed use of funds when applicable – the current group of Council Members respond positively to knowing exactly where their dollars would be spent.
We welcome the opportunity to invest in the lives of our peers living in the more rural areas of our county.
Midland Area Youth Action Council Educator Mini-Grant
The Midland Area Youth Action Council offers mini-grants of up to $500 for classroom projects that motivate and challenge students who attend school in Midland County.
Deadlines: The Midland Area Youth Action Council will review requests most months during the academic year. Requests are due by day 10.
Contact: Sara JacobsCarter, sjacobscarter@midlandfoundation.org or 989.839.9661
Midland Area Youth Action Council Invested Adult Mini-Grant
The Midland Area Youth Action Council offers mini-grants of up to $500 to groups of dedicated adults as they support Youth in Midland County. Advisors to Student Clubs, and leaders from groups such as Booster Clubs and Parent-Teacher Organizations are appropriate applicants. The Youth Group and/or the Invested Adult Group must be associated with an educational entity or a 501(c)3 Charitable Organization.
Deadlines: The Midland Area Youth Action Council will review requests most months during the academic year. Requests are due by day 10.
Contact: Sara JacobsCarter, sjacobscarter@midlandfoundation.org or 989.839.9661
Midland Area Youth Action Council Youth Philanthropist Mini-Grant
The Midland Area Youth Action Council offers mini-grants of up to $500 to Youths who want to make real change in their communities. All Midland County students K-12th grade are eligible to apply. The Youth’s plans must benefit an existing governmental or educational entity or a 501(c)3 Charitable Organization.
Deadlines: The Midland Area Youth Action Council will review requests most months during the academic year. The Youth Action Council Coordinator will review requests for the remainder of the calendar year using Council approved evaluation process. Requests are due by day 10.
Contact: Sara JacobsCarter, sjacobscarter@midlandfoundation.org or 989.839.9661
Community Gives Youth Service Program
September 2024 UPDATE: We have taken in and approved the number of proposed volunteer projects that would see our yearly budget depleted, so your application will be tabled at this time in the order it has been submitted. Should funds become available through cancelled projects or other sources, I will reach out to you in the order your applications are submitted to discuss your project.
This is a funding opportunity for school-aged youths’ sports teams, extra-curricular groups, and service clubs in Midland County to earn funding for priority projects through volunteerism. This is accomplished through the giving of grants to K-12 aged groups that complete a pre-approved community volunteer activity and meet grant requirements. Grants are up to $500 for groups of 5-9 youth volunteers and for up to $1,000 for groups of 10+ youth volunteers.
- Community Gives Guidelines 2024- Overview the rules/requirements before submitting a proposal.
- Community Gives Grant Process 2024 – A short document to explain the steps to obtain a Community Gives grant.
- Apply for the Community Gives Youth Service Program
- Submit a Final Report for a previously approved Community Gives Project
Rolling Deadline – Applications are due a minimum of 2 weeks before volunteer project is planned and Final Reports are due 2 weeks after volunteer project is completed. Youth groups / teams / clubs are eligible for one grant per calendar year.
Contact: Sara JacobsCarter, sjacobscarter@midlandfoundation.org or 989.839.9661
Clare & Gladwin County Community Foundation Grant Information
The Clare and Gladwin community foundations are affiliates of the Midland Area Community Foundation. They each have their own website with information on how to apply for grants.