Alamar Nonprofit Sustainability Grant

The Alamar Nonprofit Sustainability Grant, administered by the Berrien Community Foundation, is a three-year grant program designed to support the long-term operational sustainability of nonprofit organizations located in and serving Berrien County, Michigan. The Berrien Community Foundation, a local philanthropic organization based in Saint Joseph, Michigan, aims to strengthen communities through impactful grantmaking and donor services. This particular funding opportunity reflects the foundation’s commitment to supporting not just programming but the underlying health and sustainability of the nonprofit sector itself. The grant awards a total of $75,000, distributed over a three-year period to a single nonprofit organization annually. The focus of the award is specifically on initiatives that enhance the long-term capacity, infrastructure, and resilience of the recipient organization. Funded projects must emphasize organizational sustainability and innovation in internal operations, particularly initiatives that improve employee well-being and quality of life. Projects must demonstrate potential to yield benefits well beyond the life of the grant period. Programmatic or service-delivery expenses are expressly excluded from funding eligibility. To begin the application process, interested nonprofits must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) by May 1. The LOI, limited to two double-spaced pages, should include a brief overview of the applying organization, the requested grant amount, a concise summary of the proposed project, and a clear explanation of how the project will positively affect employees and how it is expected to be sustainable over time. Only select applicants will be invited to submit full proposals based on the strength of their LOIs. Organizations chosen to proceed will receive a standard grant application package from the foundation. The final grant recipient will be publicly announced at the Berrien Community Foundation’s Annual Meeting in October. As this is a competitive process with a limited number of full proposal invitations, applicants are advised to focus their initial submission on innovation, clarity, and sustainability. The funder encourages local nonprofit leaders to think beyond traditional funding requests and instead propose initiatives that will tangibly improve their internal capacity and employee support structures. The foundation does not publish a detailed evaluation rubric, but based on the criteria provided, projects are likely reviewed based on sustainability impact, innovation, and organizational benefit. For additional information or questions about the grant process, organizations may contact the Berrien Community Foundation directly by phone or via the foundation’s website.