Michigan International Development Grants

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in West Michigan focused on enhancing education, environmental sustainability, arts and culture, and community health for historically under-resourced populations.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is offering the 2024 Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund (Pollinator Fund) to advance pollinator conservation. The core mission of this fund is to protect, conserve, and increase habitat for the monarch butterfly and other native insect pollinators. This aligns with NFWF’s broader Monarch Butterfly Business Plan, indicating a strategic, long-term commitment to these species. The fund aims to support both technical assistance for private working lands and direct habitat improvement projects. The target beneficiaries of this grant program include monarch butterflies and other at-risk native insect pollinator species, such as the rusty patched bumble bee, Franklin’s bumble bee, Karner blue butterfly, Dakota skipper, Poweshiek skipperling, and Mitchell’s satyr. The program also indirectly benefits private landowners, farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners, especially those in Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories, by providing resources and incentives for conservation practices on their lands. The overall impact goal is to significantly enhance the quality, quantity, and connectivity of pollinator habitat across eligible states. The Pollinator Fund has two main categories of focus. The first is Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands, which prioritizes increasing voluntary engagement of private landowners in conservation practices through staff resources and targeted outreach for Farm Bill programs like CSP and EQIP. The second category, Habitat Improvement, focuses on on-the-ground restoration and enhancement of pollinator habitat, emphasizing regionally appropriate milkweed and diverse native nectar plants, as well as increasing the supply of native seeds and seedlings. These priorities align with NFWF's strategic goal of fostering sustainable ecosystems through direct habitat restoration and incentivizing private land stewardship. Expected outcomes and measurable results are central to this program. All proposals must demonstrate how they will directly and measurably contribute to the Pollinator Fund's goals, specifically by providing the number of acres restored or enhanced. A minimum of 100 acres in California or 500 acres in all other eligible states must be restored or enhanced. Historically, successful projects have averaged 2,120 acres, indicating a substantial scale for expected impact. The program's theory of change posits that by providing financial assistance and technical support, and by focusing on key geographical areas and species, NFWF can effectively reverse declines in monarch and other native pollinator populations, thereby contributing to broader ecosystem health and biodiversity. The total funding of up to $5.1 million in 2024, contributed by a diverse group of partners, underscores the collaborative and impactful nature of this strategic initiative.

The Capital Region Community Foundation's Impact Grants are designed to foster long-term organizational or programmatic growth, enhance outreach to underserved communities, and facilitate collaborative efforts among nonprofits for sustainable community change. The foundation's mission aligns with these grants by providing charitable funding to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and other eligible entities for projects predominantly benefiting residents of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties, Michigan. The grants prioritize initiatives that create significant, lasting change rather than supporting ongoing operational costs. Target beneficiaries for these grants are residents of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties, Michigan, particularly those in underserved populations. The primary impact goals include increasing the long-term effectiveness of organizations or programs and expanding access and impact to new, high-need populations. Additionally, the grants aim to enable two or more nonprofits to work together to address critical community issues, promoting transformative and sustainable change through collaborative solutions. The program prioritizes projects that significantly increase long-term impact, rather than funding routine expenses. For example, while food for a pantry would not be funded, equipment that enables the pantry to offer healthier options to clients, thereby impacting health, would be considered. Another focus is on significantly increasing an organization's ability to reach underserved populations, distinguishing this from merely serving more people. The grants support expanding successful programs to new, high-need populations. A key strategic priority is fostering collaboration, welcoming applications where multiple organizations partner to implement solutions for critical community issues. Expected outcomes include enhanced organizational capacity, improved reach to marginalized communities, and successful implementation of collaborative, community-driven solutions. Measurable results would likely stem from the specific impacts of these projects, such as the adoption of healthier options in food pantries due to new equipment, the expansion of programs to previously underserved demographics, or the successful execution of joint initiatives by multiple nonprofits leading to tangible community improvements. The foundation's theory of change appears to be that by strategically investing in projects with long-term, impactful, and collaborative approaches, they can drive significant and sustainable positive change within the Capital Region.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Saginaw County, Michigan, to support innovative projects that enhance education, community development, and diversity while fostering economic growth and environmental stewardship.