Towsley Foundation Grants

The Towsley Foundation provides grant funding to charitable organizations working to improve the lives of people and communities, particularly in the state of Michigan. The Foundation prioritizes partnerships with organizations that demonstrate effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, strategic vision, community collaboration, and environmental responsibility. Due to limited financial resources, the Foundation cannot support the majority of applications it receives, and a declined request should not be seen as a judgment on the proposal’s merit. The Foundation's primary geographic focus is Michigan. It does not provide support to individuals or private foundations. Ineligible expenses include travel, books, publications, and media, though educational conferences hosted by applicants are eligible. Political projects or those intending to influence legislation are not supported. Capital project grant requests may not exceed 10 percent of the total project cost and, if approved, are typically disbursed in equal annual installments over three to five years. The Foundation does not engage in ongoing or annual funding for any organization, encouraging financial self-sufficiency and a diversity of funding sources. Applicants who previously received funding must wait two years from the final payment date to apply again. Organizations whose applications were declined must wait at least one year before submitting another request, though exceptions may be made under certain conditions. Grant applications for amounts of $250,000 or more must be submitted online by deadlines associated with the first two Board meetings of the year to allow sufficient review. Final decisions for these large grants are made at the final Board meeting of the year. The Foundation meets three times annually, and applications are reviewed initially by the Grants Review Committee, which then makes recommendations to the Board. To apply, organizations must complete an online application and provide supporting documentation, including a current IRS determination letter confirming 501(c)(3) status, a project budget, audited financial statements or applicable IRS filings, an annual report, and a website link. Additional information may be requested. Application deadlines are January 2, May 30, and August 29, corresponding to Board meetings in February, July, and October respectively.