Recent Grants
ARTS & CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT & LAND USE GRANTS Awarded
We hosted two grant cycles in March, responding to requests from local nonprofit organizations working to address environmental needs as well as needs in arts, music, history, and culture. Thanks to our donors, who participate with us to make a difference close to home, a total of $112,495 in grants have been awarded to nonprofits between the two cycles.
Environment and Land Use grants totaled $63,960 and include projects that will improve water quality in the Lake Charlevoix Watershed, replace invasive species with native species, protect land, create more natural habitats, and build capacity for organizations doing this work.
Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council will use their grant to restore the Stover Creek stream channel profile, create instream habitat, and provide for more natural flow of water, sediment, and wildlife in Lake Charlevoix. Walloon Lake Association and Conservancy will purchase a vehicle for their staff to use in their work around the watershed. On Beaver Island, Tara’s Meadow will conduct workshops on soil regeneration, organic waste management, and local foods production, and will bring a monarch butterfly expert to lead in native plantings and butterfly protection efforts. St. James Township will use their grant to protect, educate, and improve access at the Gull Harbor Natural Area.
Invasive species present an enormous threat to Michigan’s biodiversity. Removing invasives and replacing them with native species, or simply planting more native species, is a highly effective way to address this issue. Three organizations will be using grant funds in related efforts: CAKE CISMA, through the Antrim Conservation District, Camp Daggett, and the Little Traverse Conservancy. Finally, funds granted to the Conservation Resource Alliance will help them to complete a multi-year project to replace aging infrastructure at road crossings on the Jordan River and Deer Creek, in the Jordan River Watershed.
Arts and Culture grants totaled $48,535 and include a variety of programming to enhance the arts, music, culture, and history of our area. Grant funds will help bring art, performances, exhibits, music lessons, and instruments to our community, and will help arts organizations build capacity to bring more programming in the future.
Charlevoix Public Schools students will bring three interactive murals to downtown Charlevoix. Crooked Tree Arts Center will host an exhibit exploring the history, identity, and environment of Michigan.
Bringing professional artists to our rural area is a big benefit for the community. The Beaver Island Performing Arts Alliance will bring a play to the Island community. Traverse City Dance Project will present a live dance performance in East Park in Charlevoix as part of their summer community tour. The City of Boyne City’s Farmers Market will bring more musicians to the market this summer. The City of East Jordan will purchase some new sound equipment, which will help to attract more talent to share with the community this summer.
Access to the arts and programming for all ages is important. Charlevoix Circle of Arts will provide community arts programming for children and adults in Charlevoix. Raven Hill Discovery Center in East Jordan will purchase tents to host a pop-up museum on the corner of Fuller and Pearsall Roads this summer while Fuller Road is under construction. The Dorothy Gerber Strings program, offered through the Great Lakes Center for the Arts, will use grant funds for critical instrument repairs and replacements. Tunes Music Makers on Beaver Island will offer lessons and rentals for a variety of instruments, including guitar, piano, mandolin, ukelele, and electric guitar.
Exploring our history and culture provides a better understanding of who we are. It’s important for everyone to learn about other cultures as well as our own. The Beaver Island District Library will use their grant to offer cultural programming highlighting Indigenous peoples, crafts, art, music, dance, storytelling, and foods. The Beaver Island Historical Society will use their grant to bring several unique cultural programs to the Island. The Charlevoix Historical Society will continue work to archive and digitize a large collection of photos and documents.
The Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Network will use their grant to partner with Charlevoix County arts organizations to help to build capacity for the future. At Wagbo Peace Center in East Jordan, renovations of a building will eventually make it possible to host fiber arts workshops, classes, and equipment, taking the organization’s work full circle.
Thank you to our dedicated Arts & Culture and Environment & Land Use donors who make these grants possible. To make a donation to either of these Funds CLICK HERE.
LIST OF RECENT GRANTS
When you give to Community Grantmaking Funds, you are providing for current and future projects happening right here at home. With grant cycles throughout the year, nonprofit partners, schools, and individual communities working in Charlevoix County have the opportunity to seek support for worthwhile places, programs, and projects.
For a complete list of grant awards, and additional information (summaries) about each grant, click on the links below.
2023 Urgent Needs Grant Awards
2023 Geogrpahic Enrichment Grant Awards (for Beaver Island, Boyne City, Charelvoix and East Jordan)
2023 Community Priorities Grant Awards
2023 Environment & Land Use Grant Awards
2023 Arts & Culture Grant Awards
2022 Urgent Needs Fund Grant Awards
MORE RECENT GRANTS
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