This fall, the Oceana Community Foundation awarded $36,400 in grants to nine organizations, with most receiving full funding for their projects up to $5,000. While the foundation supports all types of community projects, most of these grants focus on projects in educational programs, outreach and community building and healthcare services.
“Twice a year, the types of applications the Community Foundation (receives are) a barometer for our area’s changing needs,” Foundation CEO Tammy Carey explained. “While our funding resources to meet all these needs are still limited, we are fortunate to have many donor partners that engage in our grantmaking activities. It really does take a village.”
The nine grants awarded include:
• $1,000 to the American Youth Foundation to relaunch the Michigan Middle School Leadership Institute, aiming to develop youth leaders by providing civil action tools and creating a network of peers.
• $3,000 to the Communities Overcoming Violent Encounters to expand their healing services through trauma-informed yoga services for all survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault.
• $5,000 to Disability Network West Michigan to increase accessible recreational and life skill activities for youth with disabilities. Activities included but not limited to accessible fishing, teaching independent life skills such as cooking activities, and accessible sporting events.
• $2,400 to Girls Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore to increase the level of Oceana County area Girl Scout participation by offering financial aid for girls to join the program and reduce barriers limiting participation.
• $5,000 to Mid Michigan Community Action Agency to provide one-on-one counseling and group education workshops with HUD-certified housing counselors.
• $5,000 to Migrant Legal Aid (MLA), Inc. in alignment with Oceana County’s priorities of Health & Human Services. MLA aims to impact the health and wellbeing of migrant workers and their families in Oceana County by investing in more education and prevention measures, strengthened by intentional community partnerships, including the Oceana Hispanic Center.
• $5,000 to the Read Muskegon to support a pilot program to train and support volunteer tutors who will provide 1-1 instruction to English Language Learners (ELL). This grant will also support community outreach to assess potential for expanded tutoring and class sites and strengthening relationships with local businesses to build and sustain funding to support ELL programs linked to workforce development.
• $5,000 to Shelby Public Schools to provide Shelby High School students with a safe, reliable, and functioning pottery kiln to better and grow their art program. Over the years, students have expressed interest in working with clay. A reliable kiln will allow students to create functional pieces of art and open opportunities for the art department to supplement the cost of a pottery program.
• $5,000 to Village of Walkerville to provide materials needed to beautify the exterior of Walkerville’s historic “Pioneer House Museum” (scraped, primed, caulked and painted.)
Additionally, the foundation’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) recently completed their annual teacher mini-grant project with 36 grants totaling $8,763 heading to Oceana schools! The funding will spark creativity and learning in the classroom, supporting teachers and allowing them to carry out projects and implement activities ranging from a Kindergarten library expansion to STEM activities and Robotics projects. Each year, YAC provides over $30,000 in grants to programs that impact youth issues. The Teacher Mini-Grants help teachers bring new ideas to life and give students the tools they need to thrive. A heartfelt thank you to the donors who make this possible, including the Oceana Youth Fund, Gail Paulus Family Fund, Gary & Mary Ann Peterson “Grandpa & Grandma Pete” Memorial Fund, Mrs. Mullen’s Closet Fund and an anonymous contributor.
The foundation’s donor advisors play a large part in the success of meeting our biannual community grant round requests. Partners for this round included the Bessie E & Ethan Allen Gray Health Fund, William R. Lathers Foundation Fund, Homeless Prevention Endowment Fund, Community Investment Fund, Oceana Youth Fund, and Little Point Sable – Arts for Oceana County Fund. “We’re immensely grateful for the steadfast support we’ve received from our 63 donor-advised funds – totaling over $165,000 in the last three years alone! Their generosity has been instrumental in our mission’s success and underscores the profound difference we can make together,” noted Carey.
Oceana nonprofits, government agencies, schools, and community organizations are invited to apply in the foundation’s Spring 2025 Grant Round. The application will open on Jan. 31 with letters of intent due on Feb. 14 and full applications on Feb. 28. In mid-April, applicants will be notified of their applications’ outcomes.
For more information, potential applicants should reach out to the foundation’s Program Officer Hannah Naples at (231) 869-3377 or hannah@oceanafoundation.org. More information on the upcoming Spring Competitive Grant Round is available at the foundation’s website.
For more information about making a gift, now or through an estate plan, creating a named fund at the foundation, or to learn more about foundation programs and activities, please call Tammy Carey at 231-869-3377 or email at tammy@oceanafoundation.org.
