The Marquette Community Foundation accepts application during its Spring and Fall Granting sessions.  (Please contact the community foundation office at (906) 226-7666 to verify a fall grant cycle.) We look forward to requests that have imaginative and experimental approaches to new endeavors within the community.  Specific monies are also available for environmental issues, amateur music, arts and culture. 

A grant application is available on the bottom of this page.

Applications must be postmarked by April 1 for the Spring Session and October 1 for the Fall Session or dropped off at the Foundation office at 401 E. Fair Avenue by 4:30 p.m. on those dates.  If the deadline date falls on the weekend, the new deadline will be on the following Monday. 

GRANT QUALIFICATIONS:

1.      Applicants must be a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.  Applicants not meeting this requirement must have a 501(c)3 organization representing them as a fiscal agent.   The Marquette Community Foundation may help in directing applicants to a proper agency.

2.      Grants are made with the understanding that the foundation has no obligation of commitment to provide any additional support to the grantee. Grants are generally given one-time only for specific purposes.

3.      Request for support of projects presented by religious organizations will be considered if a general need is being met and the project does not promote the teachings of a particular church or denomination.

4.      No grant may be used for any political campaign or to support attempts to influence the legislature or any governmental body other than making available the result of nonpartisan analysis, study and research.

5.      The foundation operates without discrimination as to age, race, religion, sex, or national origin in the consideration of grant requests, and will award grants only to grant seekers that do not likewise discriminate.

 GRANT GUIDELINES:

            In reviewing grant applications, the foundation will follow its mission statement, which is to enhance the charitable, educational, cultural, recreational, environmental, and social welfare needs of the Greater Marquette Area.  Careful consideration will be given to: 

1.      The potential impact of the request and the number of people who will benefit.

2.      An imaginative and experimental approach.

3.      The extent of local volunteer involvement and support for the project.

4.      The commitment and composition of the requesting organization’s directors and trustees.

5.      The degree to which the applicant works with or complements the services of other community organizations in an attempt to eliminate duplication of services.

6.      The organization’s fiscal responsibility and management qualifications.

7.      The possibility of using the grant as seed money for matching funds from other sources.

8.      The ability of the organization to obtain the necessary additional funding to implement the project.

9.      The ability of the organization to provide ongoing funding after the term of the grant has expired.

10.  The fulfillment of widely perceived community needs.

11.  Assist with innovative projects that might not otherwise receive financial support.

 GRANT ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES:

1.      Any nonprofit organization seeking funding from the Marquette Community Foundation must fill out an approved MCF Grant Application Form (see below) and return 6 copies of the application to the foundation office.

2.      Deadlines for submitting applications to the grants committee for review are April 1 and October 1. (Please call the community foundation office at (906) 226-7666 to verify a fall grant cycle)

3.      The Board of Trustees of the Marquette Community Foundation meets to act upon grant recommendations made by the grants committee.  Final decisions on all grant requests rests with the Trustees.

4.      Grant seekers will be notified by letter regarding whether their request has been approved or denied.

5.      If a grant has been approved, the recipient organization will enter into a Grant Agreement with the foundation.  This agreement fully explains the rights and responsibilities of the grantee.

6.      All organizations receiving grants from the foundation will be required to submit a written financial and evaluation report about how their grant monies were used and what their grant accomplished.

7.      Acknowledgement of funding from the Marquette Community Foundation should be made.

WHAT KINDS OF GRANTS DOES THE MARQUETTE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION MAKE? 

The Marquette Community Foundation is a collection of endowed funds contributed by many individual citizens, corporations, other foundations and charitable organizations to benefit the greater Marquette area.  As part of its mission, the Community Foundation provides grants and scholarships that enhance the community’s quality of life.  Grants range from $500 to $5,000 and support a variety of charitable programs. 

PLEASE NOTE:  Grant requests that benefit western Marquette County communities should be directed to the Negaunee Area Community Fund or the Greater Ishpeming Area Community Fund. 

Start-up Grants help a new organization or new programs within an established organization get off the ground:

·         Marquette Area Blues Fest Youth Workshops

·         American Red Cross National Preparedness Campaign

·         Special Olympics Sports Training Camp

 Program Enhancement Grants take a good thing and make it better

·         Boy Scouts of America, for the Camp Hiawatha Ecology Program

·         Great Lakes Recovery for their Art Therapy Program

·         Upper Michigan Children’s Museum for the Good Lung/Bad Lung exhibit

 Pro-Active Grants identify an unmet need and a credible group to implement a responsive program:

·         Cedar Tree Institute for the Manoomin Wild Rice Planting Project

·         YMCA Adventures Guides Program

·         Fort Atkinson Science Fair for local K through 12 science fair support 

Structural Improvements Grants help keep community facilities open & available to those in need:

·         Powell Township for improvements to Draver Park

·         Marquette Range Iron Mining Heritage Theme Park for a nail gun for display construction.

·         Shiras Planetarium for digital technology equipment

 Restricted Endowment Fund Grants target specific donor interests:

·         Finn Grand Fest 2005 for the Next Generation Youth Committee and Children’s Opera.

·         Dead River Brass group start up costs 

Scholarships assist young people in furthering their education:

·         Leah Andrews Choral Music Scholarship supports attendance at a summer choral music camp for middle school students.

·         Meggan Eiben Memorial Scholarship benefits students studying education.

 Challenge Grants bring credibility and exposure to fundraising efforts to meet emerging needs:

·         Teaching Family Homes of Upper Michigan, to build a high ropes course and climbing wall.

·          Child and Family Services for the Strengthening Families Mentoring Program

 Partnering with Other Local Funders provides grantees with increased benefits.

·         In partnership with the Marquette Area Public Schools Education Foundation, Marquette Community Foundation awards grants that benefit Marquette Area Public Schools.

·         By identifying grantees with similar or complimentary programs and requiring them to work together, Marquette Community Foundation can maximize limited resources and eliminate duplicative efforts.

Your community foundation strives to provide a broad range of grants to respond to community needs.

For those interested in receiving grant assistance from Marquette Community Foundation, please feel free to download the grant application form below.

Grant Application

Enclose your completed application and mail it to the address below

Marquette Community Foundation
P.O. Box 37
Marquette, MI 49855

If you are unable to print your application, email Cathy for assistance at mcf@chartermi.net

Date last updated 10/03/2007