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Community Foundation Awards More Than $600K in Grants at Year-End

[Photo credit: Nate Richardson via Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy // Image description: People at Antrim Creek Natural Area, exploring tall green, grassy areas next to the Grand Traverse Bay storeline.]

During this year-end season, the Grand Traverse Regional Community has awarded $612,638 in grants to 77 organizations across Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Leelanau Counties and the sovereign nation of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. This brings the Community Foundation’s grants and scholarship awards impact for 2023 to $3.5 million.

“Such a large amount of grant dollars supporting our communities would not be possible without the investment from our donor partners and the important work of our grant partners across the region,” said David Mengebier, President and CEO of the Community Foundation. “These grants truly show the impact we can have when we work together and support each other.”

The Community Foundation’s year-end grant awards come from 33 funds and endowments that the organization stewards and represent four different grant cycles available through the Foundation, including:

  • Fall grant opportunities, which provide funding to support a range of programs and services, including those that focus on education, the environment, youth, seniors, health and human services, and more.
  • Youth Endowment grants, which support youth causes and organizations across the region and are decided by the Foundation’s Youth Advisory Councils.
  • DEI Fund grants, which support diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across the region, including primarily providing support for organizations led by Black, Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQ+, immigrant, neurodiverse, and/or disability community members.
  • Community Fund grants, which broadly support needs and opportunities across the region and fund all types of organizations, allowing this collection of funds—in partnership with the Foundation’s Wilfred and Joan Larson Endowment—to support causes that the Foundation’s other funds cannot.

Examples of grants awarded during the year-end season include:

  • $3,000 to Benzie Senior Resources for its Produce Bingo program that provides every event attendee with a box of fresh produce and shelf-stable food to take home.
  • $20,000 to Goodwill Northern Michigan to support the initiative to end chronic homelessness.
  • $3,000 to Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy to enhance access to recreation for individuals with mobility disabilities.
  • $20,000 to Kalkaska County Library to support the development of branch libraries.
  • $15,000 to Leelanau Montessori Forever Foundation to support early childhood expansion at Leelanau Montessori.
  • $2,500 to Mindimooyenh Healing Circle to support the Three Fires Midewiwin Winter Ceremonies.
  • $5,000 to the Village of Elk Rapids for the renovation of six rain gardens designed to capture and manage storm water runoff from driveways and roads.

To view all grant awards from the Community Foundation’s fall grants, Community Funds, and DEI Fund grant cycles this season, please visit: www.gtrcf.org/grants/grant-awards. To apply for a grant from the Community Foundation, visit: www.gtrcf.org/grants/apply, and to make a gift to one or more funds at the Foundation, donations are accepted online at www.gtrcf.org/give.