VolunteerMICHIGAN Funding Alert:  
Grant Opportunities Available 
 

Welcome to the VolunteerMICHIGAN Funding Alert! VolunteerMICHIGAN is the newest program of the Michigan Community Service Commission and encompasses a family of complimentary volunteer initiatives. As we strive to address community challenges through service, we hope the funding opportunities below will allow you to engage additional volunteers and ultimately improve the services you are able to provide.

 

The following funding opportunities are currently accepting applications. The Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC) compiles these opportunities - offered by outside organizations - and presents the relevant information to you. The MCSC is not offering these funding opportunities directly.

 

   

KaBOOM! Let's Play Maintenance Grants

 

KaBOOM! will be awarding grants of $750 each to communities this year who wish to make their playgrounds cleaner, safer and more inviting. The Let's Play Spruce grants are designed to reward communities that have maintained and spruced their playspaces since their playground build. If you've done a "spruce up" project at your playground that involved volunteers in the last 6 months, you are eligible to apply. Alternatively, if you are a community that needs to refill the wood fiber playground surfacing at your playground, you may apply for a $750 grant to be used towards the purchase of the surfacing.

 

The deadline to submit applications is June 29, 2012. For more information about this opportunity, visit: http://bit.ly/IIzZfN.  

 

 

Generations United Youth Jumpstart Grants

 

Generations United and MetLife Foundation are pleased to announce the 2012 Youth Jumpstart Grants designed to promote intergenerational solutions to societal challenges and build stronger communities. Technical assistance and grants of $1,000 will be awarded to youth and organizations interested in developing youth-led intergenerational programs in their communities. This year, the priority will be to fund programs addressing hunger and nutrition.

 

The deadline to submit applications is June 30, 2012. For more information about this opportunity, visit  http://bit.ly/mCprqx.       

 

 

Environmental Solutions for Communities Grant Program

 

Wells Fargo and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation seek to promote sustainable communities through Environmental Solutions for Communities by supporting projects that link economic development and community well-being to the stewardship and health of the environment. Eligible applicants include: non-profit 501(c) organizations; state, tribal, provincial, and local governments; and educational institutions working in states and communities where Wells Fargo operates. Grant awards will typically range from $25,000 to $250,000.

 

The deadline to submit applications is July 2, 2012. For more information about this opportunity, visit: http://bit.ly/LjLJ7Y.

   

 

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan: Strengthening the Safety Net  

 
Through the Strengthening the Safety Net grant program, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan offers two types of support to free clinics providing health care services to the state's low-income, uninsured, and underinsured residents. Free clinics may apply for grants of at least $15,000 to be used to fund ongoing clinic operations or expand clinic hours, patient volume, or services. These noncompetitive grants will be awarded to eligible applicants in the order applications are received and until available funding is exhausted. If program funds remain after all noncompetitive grants are awarded, the company may provide a very limited number of competitive grants of up to $50,000 to support innovative proposals from free clinics.      

  

The deadline to submit applications is July 9, 2012, although forms must be submitted by June 21, 2012. For more information about this opportunity, visit: http://bit.ly/LDUii3. 

 

 

Sodexo Foundation School Engagement Grant

 

Sodexo Foundation School Engagement grantees will engage teachers and students, grades K-12, in learning about and addressing childhood hunger in their community through a service-learning Semester of Service. The Semester of Service™ framework is designed to engage students in a minimum of 70 hours of service and learning over a period of at least 10 - 14 weeks. This program focuses on the subject areas of civics, social studies, and language arts, but may also incorporate other academic areas. The $5,000 grant can be used to support professional development in service-learning (including required training at Youth Service America's Youth Service Institute), project planning and implementation, and demonstration/sharing of outcomes.

 

The deadline to submit applications is July 15, 2012. For more information about this opportunity, visit:  http://bit.ly/dWnRLg.  

 

 

AMA Foundation: Healthy Living Grant Program 

 

The Healthy Living Grant Program, an initiative of the American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation, supports grassroots public health projects that encourage healthy lifestyles in communities across the nation. In 2012, grants of up to $8,000 will be awarded in the Prescription Medication Safety category. Funded projects should provide awareness and educational programs about the dangers of prescription drug abuse or misuse for children and youth. Nonprofit organizations and government agencies that have been in existence for at least one year and have an annual operating budget of $2 million or less are eligible to apply. The proposed project must involve a partnership with a medical organization.  

 

The deadline to submit applications is July 16, 2012. For more information about this opportunity, visit: http://bit.ly/hsh9tm  

 

 

The TJX Foundation  

  

The TJX Foundation supports nonprofit organizations in communities throughout the continental U.S. where TJX Companies, Inc. operate. The Foundation's primary mission is to contribute to programs that provide basic-need services to disadvantaged women, children, and families in company communities. Specific areas of interest include civic/community, domestic violence prevention, education, health, and social services.

  

The deadline to submit applications is July 16, 2012. For more information about this opportunity, visit: http://bit.ly/9ce9Y2. 

  

 

State Farm Good Neighbor Student Achievement Grants

 

Youth Service America (YSA) and State Farm™ are proud to offer grants of up to $1,500 for programs enhancing student achievement through service-learning in K-12 public schools in all fifty U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario and New Brunswick. The State Farm Good Neighbor Student Achievement Grant requires a 12-to-14 week Semester of Service™ starting on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (January 21, 2013) and ending on Global Youth Service Day, (April 26-28, 2013). The grant also includes participation in a regional training to introduce grantees to the elements and expectations of the program as well as the suite of tools, resources, and support that YSA will provide.

 

The deadline to submit applications is July 31, 2012. For more information about this opportunity, visit: www.YSA.org/goodneighbor.

  

 

Wells Fargo Housing Foundation: Homeownership Grant Program  

  

The Wells Fargo Housing Foundation is committed to increasing homeownership through the development of affordable housing in the United States. The Foundation's Homeownership Grant Program supports local nonprofit housing organizations nationwide that help create sustainable homeownership opportunities for low- to moderate-income families. The program focuses on homebuyer education, pre- and post-purchase counseling, first-time homebuyer counseling, and foreclosure counseling and prevention activities. Funded programs must serve owner-occupied low- to moderate-income homebuyers only. Requests are reviewed three times per year.      

 

The deadline to submit applications is August 1, 2012. For more information about this opportunity, visit:  http://bit.ly/MGRD8K. 

 

  

American Honda Foundation STEM Grants

 

The American Honda Foundation engages in grant-making that reflects the basic tenets, beliefs and philosophies of Honda companies, which are characterized by the following qualities: imaginative, creative, youthful, forward-thinking, scientific, humanistic, and innovative. They support youth education with a specific focus on the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects in addition to the environment.

 

The deadline to submit applications is August 1, 2012. For more information about this opportunity, visit: http://bit.ly/JsXq3. 

 

 

NEA GAP: Art Works

 

The National Endowment for the Arts' (NEA) guiding principle is embodied in one sentence: "Art works." "Art works" is a noun; the creation of works of art by artists. "Art works" is a verb; art works on and within people to change and inspire them. "Art works" is a statement; arts jobs are real jobs that are part of the real economy. Art Works encourages, supports and funds projects in the categories of creation, engagement, learning, and livability. If you receive a grant, you will be asked to provide evidence of those results. 

 

The deadline to submit applications is August 09, 2012. For more information about this opportunity, visit:  http://bit.ly/Lae6VY.

 

  

Department of Health and Human Services Service Area Competition

 

Health centers improve the health of the nation's underserved communities and vulnerable populations by ensuring access to comprehensive, culturally competent, quality primary health care services. Health Center program grants support a variety of community-based and patient-directed public and private nonprofit organizations that serve an increasing number of the nation's underserved.

 

The deadline to submit applications is August 9, 2012. For more information about this opportunity, visit: http://bit.ly/LSslD2.  

 

 

Home Depot Community Impact Grants

 

Grants up to $5,000 are available to registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, public schools, or tax-exempt public service agencies in the U.S. that are using the power of volunteers to improve the physical health of their community. Grants are given in the form of The Home Depot gift cards for the purchase of tools, materials, or services. More competitive grant proposals will specifically identify projects for veterans and will include housing repairs, modifications, and weatherization work.   

 

The deadline to submit applications is August 13. 2012. For more information about this opportunity, visit:  http://bit.ly/eIis5T.    

 

 

Early Head Start Grantee - Genesee County, Michigan

 

The Administration for Children and Families solicits applications from public or private non-profit organizations, including community-based and faith-based organizations, or for-profit agencies within a community that wish to compete for funds to provide Early Head Start services to infants, toddlers, and their families residing in Genesee County, Michigan. Two communities are exempt from fund competition: Bendle and Carman-Ainsworth school districts. Funds in the amount of $3,799,464 annually will be available to provide Early Head Start program services to eligible infants, toddlers, and their families.     

  

The deadline to submit applications is August 14, 2012. For more information about his opportunity, visit: http://bit.ly/JJDBvA.   

 

  

Navy & Marine Corps Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Programs

 

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) seeks proposals to support education programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The ONR mission of STEM is to: foster an interest in, knowledge of, and study in science, technology, engineering and mathematics nationwide to ensure an educated and well-prepared naval and national STEM workforce. In support of this mission, the following four investment priorities have been identified:  

 

● Inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.

● Engage students in STEM-related hands-on learning activities with Naval relevance.

● Educate students to be well-prepared for STEM employment in the Navy and Marine 
   Corps as well as supporting academic institutions and/or the Naval contractor
   community.

● Employ, retain and develop Naval STEM professionals.

 

There is a rolling deadline for submitting proposals that ends September 30, 2012. For more information on this opportunity, visit:  http://bit.ly/I1WuLe.   

 

 

National Science Foundation- Advancing Informal STEM Learning

 

The Advancing Informal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Learning program invests in research and development of innovative and field-advancing out of school STEM learning and emerging STEM learning environments. 

 

The deadline to submit proposals is January 14, 2013. For more information on this opportunity, visit: http://bit.ly/K0o4aI.   

 

  

Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF)  

 

The mission of BTF is to promote and enhance the growth of youth participation in baseball and softball throughout the world by funding programs, fields, coaches' training, and the purchase of uniforms and equipment to encourage and maintain youth participation in the game. Grants are designed to be sufficiently flexible to enable applicants to address needs unique to their communities. The funds are intended to finance a new program, expand or improve an existing program, undertake a new collaborative effort, or obtain facilities or equipment. BTF provides grants to non-profit and tax-exempt organizations in both rural and urban communities. BTF awards an average of 40 grants per year totaling more than $1.5 million annually. The average grant amount is approximately $40,000. BTF is funded annually by MLB and the Players Association.

 

There is a rolling deadline for these grants. For more information about this opportunity, visit: http://atmlb.com/bZbWs2.

 

 

Ben & Jerry's Foundation National Grassroots Grant Program    

 

Through the National Grassroots Grant Program, the Ben & Jerry's Foundation aims to further social justice, protect the environment, and support sustainable food systems. Grants of up to $15,000 are provided to grassroots, constituent-led organizations that are using community-organizing strategies to accomplish their goals as well as organizations that provide technical support and/or resources to such groups. Applicants must be organizations with budgets under $500,000. Only organizations with 501(c) 3 status, or who have a fiscal agent with this status are eligible to apply.

 

There is a rolling deadline for these grants. For more information about this opportunity, visit:  http://bit.ly/KdQ7DR.