News

Thanks to donors who look to the Community Foundation to make a difference close to home, grants have been awarded to nonprofits who will work to improve the quality of life on Beaver Island and in Boyne City, Charlevoix, and East Jordan. In all, 25 grants totaling $247,268 were awarded during the Geographic Enrichment cycle. Some of these grants are specific to only one city, while others will benefit multiple communities at once.

Five grants specific to Beaver Island were awarded to support the following organizations and initiatives: Beaver Island Historical Society to help complete the restoration work to the tower entrance of the Beaver Head Lighthouse keeper's quarters, Beaver Island Rural Health Center to support repairing and replacing necessary components of the HVAC system, Patrons of the Arts in Rural Communities to purchase festival recycle bins that align with the capacity and removal practices of the Beaver Island Transfer Station, St. James Township to support the purchase of 20 new, durable bicycles for public use, and Tunes Music Makers to establish Beaver Island’s first dedicated music education hub, securing a permanent location for the organization and its programming.

Three grants specific to Boyne City were awarded to support the following organizations and initiatives: Boyne Arts Collective to support scholarships for the 2026 Boyne Kid’s Art Camps, ensuring that all children, regardless of financial circumstances, can participate, Boyne Citizen to support paying one full-time writer/editor to focus on long-term sustainability as the only local news source in Boyne City, and Eveline Township to support a feasibility study as a first step in installing dedicated buffered bike/pedestrian lanes on Lake Shore Road.

Four grants specific to Charlevoix were awarded to support the following organizations and initiatives: Bergmann Center to support the purchase of new tables and cubbies for storage, Charlevoix Circle of Arts to support a community-wide photographic project and exhibit that captures a day in the life of the town, Charlevoix Kiwanis Youth Foundation to support a new social and emotional learning (SEL) Library at Charlevoix Elementary School in September, and Traverse City Dance Project to support this year’s Charlevoix performance, which notably offers free admission and a free youth dance class, making high-quality art and arts education accessible to individuals of all ages.

Four grants specific to East Jordan were awarded to support the following organizations and initiatives: East Jordan Care & Share Program to help to provide shampoo, conditioner, soap, laundry detergent, razors, toilet paper, deodorant, and more, for those in need, Friends of the Jordan River Watershed to support a staff person to help expand the mission of the FJR and to provide support for visitors and trail users, Jordan River Arts Council to support strategic planning for cultural leadership, community impact, and long-term sustainability, Raven Hill Discovery Center to help create consistent, branded signage for Raven Hill's entire campus, which will also include translations into Spanish and Anishinaabemowin, Training Wheels Childcare Center to complete construction of their on-site playground to support early childhood development, and Wagbo Peace Center to support a strategic master plan to serve as a roadmap to sustain and expand their mission and increase its support of the local community.

Four grants support the following organizations and initiatives affecting local housing issues or multiple communities at once include: City of East Jordan to support a feasibility study to help determine future housing options at the former boat launch property, Housing North to support the Housing Zoning Atlas (HZA) Project in Charlevoix County that will serve as a foundation for community planning to identify opportunities and barriers to the creation of needed housing, Beaver Island Irish Heritage Group to help cover the cost of lodging and some meals for 20 members of the Arranmore Pipe Band providing economic impact to both Beaver Island and Charlevoix, Power Book Bags (in schools) to purchase literacy materials to serve 511 children in both Beaver Island Community School and East Jordan Elementary School, Power Book Bags  (with the Health Department) to purchase literacy materials and books for Charlevoix and Boyne City families, Shoe Club Nation to support activities and materials for the East Jordan program as well as expansion to Boyne City Middle School this year, and Top of Michigan Trails Council  to increase community outreach and engagement in area communities with the goal of bringing multiple trails closer to completion.