The Midland Area Community Foundation Board of Trustees recently approved seven grants to Midland area nonprofits, totaling $120,000, including two grants recommended by the Midland Area Youth Action Council.
The Community Foundation’s second-quarter grants range from $10,000 to $40,000, each focusing on one of four significant areas of community improvement: (1) building our livelihood, (2) developing our talent, (3) caring for our people, and (4) enriching our community. Successful grant applications articulated which of these areas would be benefited through the acquisition of funding, using various measures and indicators to illustrate success.
“The Foundation uses data as a guide when determining how and where to donate funds and invest in activities,” said Sharon Mortensen, President & CEO of the Midland Area Community Foundation. “Donors can be assured we have done the work of researching causes and choosing those with greatest community impact.”
Second-quarter grants for 2022 include:
- Legacy Center for Community Success – $10,000
The Legacy Center is partnering with Greater Midland to offer a summer reading intervention program during the summer daycare programs at all three of their sites – Midland Community Center, Coleman Family Center, and North Family Center. The program, which will be offered for 90 minutes three times per week, will teach students grade-level rules of phonics and spelling that they will be able to use to begin decoding words and texts.
- King’s Daughters and Sons of Midland, Inc. – $10,000
King’s Daughters and Sons of Midland utilizes the Community Christmas Closet program to provide new clothing to schoolchildren (K – 12) and those attending a preschool program such as Head Start from low-income families who live in or attend a school in Midland County. A voucher for each child will be distributed to families. These vouchers may be used at Walmart or Kohls.
- Central Michigan Research Corporation – $40,000
The purpose of the Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystem: Entrepreneur Like Me is to create a long-term solution for economic resiliency led by microbusinesses and entrepreneurs. This proposal was designed to level the playing field and help these businesses get entrepreneurs back in a safe workplace with an inclusive and diverse culture and get back to the level of productivity that they had before the start of the pandemic.
“For the last couple of years, the CMURC team has worked to benchmark the current baseline of our community entrepreneurs and has made great outreach to create an inclusive environment for success,” said CMURC President & CEO Erin Strang. “The grant received from the Midland Area Community Foundation will allow us to continue to evolve our efforts in creating a level playing for all in Midland County.”
- Community Construct – $40,000
Community Construct will help reduce the number of adjudicated youths through individualized early intervention as well as reduce recidivism of adults and youth who are prior offenders. This project will reinforce the health and safety of our community by creating responsible citizens that contribute positively to their community by maintaining employment.
- Self Love Beauty – $10,000 (Midland Area Youth Action Council)
The purpose of this grant is to partner with Bullock Creek High School to fund mental wellbeing and confidence programs such as workshops, a mentorship program, and a community service project for students in high school.
“Self Love Beauty is excited to collaborate with Bullock Creek High School during the next school year to teach confidence, self-esteem and other skills to their students through our workshops and a mentorship program,” said Lisa Thompson, Founder & CEO of Self Love Beauty. “We appreciate the support from the Youth Action Council to make this happen and support other teens in this community.”
- Meridian Public Schools – $10,000 (Midland Area Youth Action Council)
This total project will include a turf field, resurfaced track, restrooms, a new entrance, and a storage building. The baseball and softball infields will be resurfaced, and a new dugout will be installed at the softball field. The Youth Action Council granted funds to support the build of an outdoor classroom specifically. The classroom will be constructed near a 40-acre section on Meridian’s campus with wetlands and uplands that will be upgraded, creating new opportunities to grow the nature education program. Meridian Public Schools plans to partner with the Chippewa Nature Center to design this area for optimal usage.
Competitive grants are offered quarterly. Grants are open to all 501(c)(3) nonprofit agencies, public schools, and government entities in Midland County.
To inquire about donating, establishing a fund, or applying for a grant, contact the Community Foundation at (989) 839-9661 or info@midlandfoundation.org.