Other Grant Opportunities 


Field-of-Interest Grant Opportunities

In addition to its Unrestricted Funds, the Kalamazoo Community Foundation has a variety of grantmaking resources available to respond to emerging community issues and needs. The funds listed below have a competitive process for grant distributions.

Arts Fund of Kalamazoo County
Application Deadline: First business day in December
Awarded in collaboration with the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, Inc., this fund provides support to programs, organizations and individual artists in Kalamazoo County. To learn more, contact the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. 

John E. Fetzer Institute Fund
Deadline: First business day in January, April, July and October
The John E. Fetzer Institute Fund is an Advised Fund of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. Funding requests of up to $5,000 are considered. A committee of five Fetzer Institute staff members make recommendations to the Kalamazoo Community Foundation board of trustees for the disbursement of funds based on submitted grant proposals. Award decisions are made approximately two months after submission deadlines. To learn more, contact Sharon Anderson at (269) 381-4416 or sanderson@kalfound.org.

Capacity Building Grants
Deadline: As needs arise
Capacity Building grants provide small community investments that address the Community Foundation's and/or the broader community's priorities. These grant requests are presented outside the responsive grantmaking process and may have an urgency that requires that they be addressed prior to the next appropriate grantmaking cycle. Capacity Building Grants serve to stabilize and strengthen viable organizations as they continue to provide programs and services related to their missions, expand an organization's ability to reflect the changing needs of their clients or the community, and/or assist an organization in remaining or becoming inclusive and relevant. Grants have supported strategic planning, organizational assessments, and assisting organizations efforts to increase awareness and skills related to issues of diversity and inclusiveness. To learn more, contact Dave Gardiner at (269) 381-4416 or dgardiner@kalfound.org.

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Equality Fund
Deadline: First business day in April
This fund seeks to foster new connections between GLBT and other communities and will serve to build and strengthen bonds among GLBT communities. Funding priority will be given to programs that: create awareness of civil rights and equality issues that impact the GLBT community; initiate respectful dialogue and education among GLBT and non-GLBT people as a way of increasing understanding; strengthen organizations that serve or desire to serve the needs of GLBT youths and families; and support activities that highlight the rich social and cultural contributions of the GLBT community. To learn more, contact Sharon Anderson at (269) 381-4416 or sanderson@kalfound.org.

Healthy Youth and Healthy Seniors Funds for Kalamazoo and Van Buren Counties
Deadline: First business day in October
The Council of Michigan Foundations has allocated a portion of the State of Michigan's share of the national tobacco settlement to the Kalamazoo Community Foundation for two funds earmarked for programs that support healthy youths and seniors in Kalamazoo and Van Buren Counties. Grants from these funds will support programs that focus on healthy youths and seniors. To learn more, contact Sharon Anderson at (269) 381-4416 or sanderson@kalfound.org.

Mini-grants
Deadline: As needs arise
Mini-grants are available to nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations for requests averaging $1,500 per grant that are urgent in nature. These requests must support the Kalamazoo Community Foundation's four community investment priorities, which are Individuals and Families, Economic and Community Development, Youth Development, and Early Childhood Learning and School Readiness. Requests generally are reviewed within two weeks of receiving the application. To learn more, contact Dave Gardiner at (269) 381-4416 or dgardiner@kalfound.org.

Dr. and Mrs. Harley A. Sears Memorial Fund
Deadline: First business day in April
Scholarships available to organizations to promote one-time, camping opportunities for Kalamazoo County youths ages 7 through 10. To learn more, contact Sharon Anderson at (269) 381-4416 or sanderson@kalfound.org.

Spirit of Community: Environment Fund
Deadline: First business day in October
An endowed Field-of-Interest Fund established to address community needs related to the environment. This fund supports efforts to educate and engage citizens; evaluate, protect, and improve natural areas and resources; and build healthy, sustainable communities. In addition, the fund focuses on watershed management issues such as the identification and quantification of pollutant loading from storm water runoff and other nonpoint source discharges. To learn more, contact Dave Gardiner at (269) 381-4416 or dgardiner@kalfound.org.

Robert D. and Ruth A. VanderRoest Endowment Fund for the Developmentally Disabled
Deadline: First business day in April
Provides support for the developmentally disabled in areas such as camping, entertainment and travel opportunities. To learn more, contact Sharon Anderson at (269) 381-4416 or sanderson@kalfound.org.

Youth United Way Funds
Deadline: January (contact the Community Foundation for specific due date)
Each year, high school students who participate in Youth United Way make decisions about and provide grants to area nonprofits. Their goal is to help make Kalamazoo County a better place to live. To learn more, contact the Kalamazoo Community Foundation at (269) 381-4416 or info@kalfound.org.



Grantmaking Initiatives

One of the ways in which the Community Foundation addresses the needs of the community is through grantmaking initiatives, which we believe are a tremendously effective way to address significant community challenges over the long-term. Some current grantmaking initiatives of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation include:

BetterTogether/Kalamazoo Good Neighbor Grants
Youth Violence Prevention
Other Grant Opportunities