The Village of Boyne Falls is stepping up to do something extraordinary – free the Boyne River’s South Branch of its only remaining dam
Apply for a Grant
The Community Foundation offers 5 seasonal community grant cycles, and 2 ongoing grant cycles, as outlined below. All grant requests begin with a phone conversation with C3F staff. We encourage prospective applicants to schedule time with the designated contact person for each grant cycle to discuss your specific grant ideas, ask questions, and to get started on an application.
Grants are open to 501c3 nonprofit organizations, schools, and municipalities serving Charlevoix County. All grant applications must begin with a conversation with the contact person prior to being able to submit online. After your initial phone call, you will receive a code that will allow you access to your application
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.
- Application Available: January 5
- Application Deadline: March 1
- Contact Person: 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.
- Application Available: January 5
- Application Deadline: March 1
- Contact Person: 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.
- Application Available: March 1
- Application Deadline: May 1
- Contact Person: 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.
- Application Available: August 1
- Application Deadline: October 1
- Contact Person: 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.
- Application Available: September 1
- Application Deadline: November 1
- Contact Person: 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.
- Application Available: January 5
- Application Deadline: Rolling, by December 15th Annually
- Contact Person: 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.
- Application Available: January 5
- Application Deadline: Rolling, by December 15th Annually
- Contact Person: Ashley Cousens or Megan Havrilla DeHoog
*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.
- Application Available: April 15, 2025
- Application Deadline: TBD
- Contact Person: 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.
- Application Available: January 5
- Application Deadline: Rolling, by December 15th Annually
- Contact Person: Ashley Cousens
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.
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 details 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 and requests must be for a future need.
- 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 details 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 the details 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, 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.
Contact one of our team members for more information: