Dec
This fall, the Community Foundation awarded $478,601 in grant funding to 42 organizations serving the people of Emmet County. For the first time, the Foundation lifted the cap on grant requests, eliminating the previous $15,000 limit. As a result, the Fall 2025 grant cycle is serving the community in an even greater capacity.
Grant-funded programs range from offering essential assistance to families facing financial emergencies, to protecting natural resources and providing enriching arts experiences. These funds are also helping more households achieve lifelong housing stability, expanding access to career-growing FastTrack certifications, deepening student engagement with conservation and culture through a partnership with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, and more.
As part of the overall awards, the Foundation’s Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) recommended $58,048 in grants from the Fund for Youth to 18 organizations after conducting in-person interviews. Twenty-three area teens in grades eight through 12 serve on the YAC and work together to review grant proposals and make funding recommendations. Petoskey senior and YAC officer Nora Riley stated, "This was one of the best grant cycles I’ve seen during my time on this advisory council. All the projects proved to be unique and truly influential and inspired many of our members to passionately advocate for the change they wanted to see.”
The programs and services supported by this grant cycle will continue to improve the area for years to come. These grant awards are made possible by the generosity of community-minded individuals looking to meaningfully impact the lives of the people in Emmet County. Field of interest funds addressing specific needs, donor advised funds created by individuals and families to carry out their charitable giving, and the Fund for the Community and the Fund for Youth all supported this grant cycle.
$4,750 to develop mobile app to improve Blissfest user experience. Supported by the Hal and Gail Willens Family Fund and the Fund for the Community.
$11,000 to expand outdoor learning with a covered pavilion. Supported by the Ted and Brenda Frey Donor Advised Fund and the Petoskey Rotary Charities Fund.
$5,000 to help prevent child abuse through community education. Supported by the Healthy Community Fund, the Jason and Maggie Kromm Fund, the Fund for the Community, and the Ted and Brenda Frey Donor Advised Fund.
$6,000 to install public art project at Bayfront Park. Supported by the Fund for the Community and the Hal and Gail Willens Family Fund.
$15,000 to honor the work of a dance legend with centennial celebration. Supported by the Bund Family Fund, the Donovan Charitable Fund of Harbor Springs, and the Hal and Gail Willens Family Fund.
$12,000 to provide basic hygiene staples to people in need. Supported by the Fund for the Community.
$10,825 to elevate community engagement across Emmet County. Supported by the Fund for the Community.
$2,500 to expand character-building golf programs for Emmet County youth. Supported by the Fund for Youth and the Ted and Brenda Frey Donor Advised Fund.
$15,000 to develop a water affordability plan for Petoskey. Supported by the Ted and Brenda Frey Donor Advised Fund and the Fund for the Community.
$2,500 to support senior safety with personal emergency response systems. Supported by the Birchwood Outreach Fund and the Maude and Gorton Milliken Family Fund.
$4,925 to create opportunities for girls to grow, lead, and succeed. Supported by the Susan Irish Stewart Charitable Fund and the Ted and Brenda Frey Donor Advised Fund.
$3,500 to expand capacity to deliver meaningful artist experiences locally. Supported by the Fund for the Community.
$10,000 to make music education accessible for every child. Supported by the Fund for Youth and the Ledyard Family Charitable Fund.
$11,000 to develop a new family holiday tradition. Supported by the Susan Irish Stewart Charitable Fund and the Fund for the Community.
$8,000 to replace aging freezer to ensure safe storage of food. Supported by the Ted and Brenda Frey Donor Advised Fund, the Bund Family Fund, the Boeckman Family Fund, and the Birchwood Outreach Fund.
$10,450 to promote safety and access for young football players. Supported by the Fund For Youth and the Ted and Brenda Frey Donor Advised Fund.
$9,500 to equip middle schoolers with the tools to live substance-free. Supported by the Ted and Brenda Frey Donor Advised Fund, the Bund Family Fund, the Birchwood Outreach Fund, and the Ann K. Irish Charitable Fund.
$7,500 to support compassionate hospice care for children and families. Supported by the Chip and Jean Frentz Family Fund and the Birchwood Outreach Fund.
$10,000 to inspire financial confidence and career readiness in local youth. Supported by the Ted and Brenda Frey Donor Advised Fund and the Fund for Youth.
$30,460 to connect students to conservation and culture. Supported by the Robert Horner Fund for Natural Resource Conservation, the Susan Irish Stewart Charitable Fund, the Fund for Youth, and the Bund Family Fund.
$6,000 to celebrate 250 years of American independence with choral concert. Supported by the Keedy Family Fund and the Fund for the Community.
$5,000 to celebrate 80 years of community theater with the musical Annie. Supported by the Ann K. Irish Charitable Fund and the Fund for the Community.
$10,000 to make sailing accessible for local youth. Supported by the Ledyard Family Charitable Fund, the Ted and Brenda Frey Donor Advised Fund, the Fund for Youth, Meyerson Family Tzedakah Fund, and the Maude and Gorton Milliken Family Fund.
$15,000 to improve fire response through equipment upgrades. Supported by the Fund for the Community.
$30,000 to support students with Fast Track to career certifications. Supported by the Maude and Gorton Milliken Family Fund, the Fund for the Community, the Circuit Controls Corporation Charitable Fund, the Keedy Family Fund, and the Jason and Maggie Kromm Fund.
$10,000 to support the start and growth of small businesses in Emmet County. Supported by the Fund for the Community.
$54,000 to create lifelong housing stability for nine more households. Supported by the Bund Family Fund, the Circuit Controls Corporation Charitable Fund, the Birchwood Outreach Fund, and the Ann K. Irish Charitable Fund.
$5,000 to strengthen the Emmet County creative sector. Supported by the Fund for the Community.
$18,040 to continue revitalizing Temple Ballfield for future generations. Supported by the Fund for the Community.
$5,000 to reduce barriers to shooting sports for student athletes. Supported by the Fund for Youth, the Boeckman Family Fund, and the Jeff Kring Outdoor Youth Education Fund.
$4,500 to bring books, authors, and creativity to local youth. Supported by the Ted and Brenda Frey Donor Advised Fund and the Fund for Youth.
$11,500 to transform outdoor space into a learning environment. Supported by the Petoskey Rotary Charities Fund, the Ted and Brenda Frey Donor Advised Fund, and the Meyerson Family Tzedakah Fund.
$8,000 to support youth through holistic health education. Supported by the Keedy Family Fund, the Ledyard Family Charitable Fund, the United Way Health and Human Services Fund, and the Maude and Gorton Milliken Family Fund.
$14,000 to support early literacy and school readiness. Supported by the Fund for Youth, the Meyerson Family Tzedakah Fund, the Ted and Brenda Frey Donor Advised Fund, the United Way Health and Human Services Fund, the Jason and Maggie Kromm Fund, and the Birchwood Outreach Fund.
$9,990 to invest in modern technology to improve operations. Supported by the Donovan Charitable Fund of Harbor Springs and the Ted and Brenda Frey Donor Advised Fund.
$4,320 to provide music therapy for older adults. Supported by the Hal and Gail Willens Family Fund, the Dorothy Scott Fund for Senior Citizens, and the Chip and Jean Frentz Family Fund.
$12,000 to provide essential assistance to struggling families. Supported by the Dorothy Scott Fund for Senior Citizens, the Fund for the Community, the Northern Michigan Housing Fund, and the United Way Health and Human Services Fund.
$15,000 to offer a safety net for families facing financial emergencies. Supported by the Keedy Family Fund, the United Way Health and Human Services Fund, the Boeckman Family Fund, the Bund Family Fund, the Ann K. Irish Charitable Fund, and the Circuit Controls Corporation Charitable Fund.
$10,000 to expand access to health and financial education. Supported by the Fund for the Community and the Maude and Gorton Milliken Family Fund.
$14,341 to support education and organizational capacity building. Supported by the Fund for the Community, the Ann K. Irish Charitable Fund, and the Hal and Gail Willens Family Fund.
$12,000 to build capacity to provide small business support in Emmet County. Supported by the Fund for the Community.
$15,000 to support healing and safety for child survivors of abuse. Supported by the Maude and Gorton Milliken Family Fund, the Birchwood Outreach Fund, and the Petoskey Rotary Charities Fund.