People Fund Grants
Give Locally and Win $100: The People Fund has raised more than $4.3 million for non-profit projects since 1999. Round your bill up to the nearest dollar (an average of 50 cents per month) to help your local community and get rewarded.
About the Program
Great Lakes Energy members help to enhance the quality of life for people in our communities through the People Fund. Bills of participating members are “rounded up” to the next dollar amount and grants are awarded to non-profit organizations for charitable activities throughout our service area. Grants are awarded by three independent Boards of Directors representing three geographical regions – south, central and north. There are no overhead costs – 100 percent of the money collected is returned to our communities.
Win $100
All contributors are entered into two annual random drawings where we give away six $100 bill credits. This is our small way of saying “thanks” to every GLE member who supports the People Fund.
How are Grants Invested?
- Are one-time in nature rather than ongoing or continuous
- Benefit a large number of people
- Leverage funds from other sources
- Distribute funds to individuals or families in crisis
- Help programs increase their capacity to deliver services
For more information please download the PEOPLE FUND 2022 ANNUAL REPORT
See 2023 Grant Recipients
For the first grant cycle of 2023, the People Fund’s north region board awarded 26 grant requests totaling $67,916.05. The grants awarded include:
- Acme Christian Thrift Store & Food Pantry, Williamsburg: $1,200.40 for proper drainage in the parking lot.
- Antrim County Historical Society, Bellaire: $1,340 for The Derenzy School pillars and bases.
- Boyne City Community Greenhouse, Boyne City: $4,500 for expansion of classroom space.
- Boyne Eta Nu Charities, Boyne City: $1,500 for the Dress for Chill annual project.
- Camp Daggett, Petoskey: $3,000 to digitize its hard copy library of documents, images, and video.
- Central Lake Township Fire Department, Central Lake: $1,622.65 for CPR Mannequins.
- Charlevoix Township, Charlevoix: $2,500 for signage in the North Point Nature Preserve.
- Christ Child Society Northern Michigan, Harbor Springs: $3,000 for the Layette Project.
- County of Emmet, Camp Petosega, Alanson: $1,600 for tree planting at Camp Petosega.
- Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey: $1,850 for CTAC Visitor Experience project.
- Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Crawford County, Grayling: $3,000 for books and postage.
- Elk Rapids Area Historical Society, Elk Rapids: $2,000 for a Preschool Hands-On Museum Experience Area.
- Free Rein Farm, Inc., Bellaire: $1,500 for the Equine Therapy barn floor, contingent on raising the remaining funding.
- Harbor Springs Festival of the Book, Harbor Springs: $1,500 for books for schools.
- HeadWaters Land Conservancy, Gaylord: $1,738 for a phone system upgrade.
- Kalkaska Commission on Aging, Kalkaska: $2,200 for COA meal site salad bar.
- Little Traverse Conservancy, Harbor Springs: $6,500 for the Melvin Family Hiking and Biking Trails in Cheboygan County.
- Milton Township Fire Department, Kewadin: $1,565 for a gas detector replacement.
- Northern Michigan Antique-Flywheelers, Walloon Lake: $2,300 for a commercial grill replacement.
- Northern Michigan Equine Therapy, Boyne City: $2,000 for a restroom upgrade.
- Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity, Petoskey: $5,000 for tools to increase capacity.
- Otsego County Child Welfare Alliance, Gaylord: $1,000 for family home safety items and books.
- Otsego County Commission on Aging, Gaylord: $1,500 for COA park benches.
- Raven Hill Discovery Center, East Jordan: $5,000 for SOS–Save Our Space.
- Waterfront Field of Dreams, Boyne City: $5,000 for the waterfront Little League Park, contingent on raising the remaining funding.
- The Depot Jordan Valley Teen Center, East Jordan: $4,000 for transportation, contingent on raising the remaining funding.
The north region includes the counties of Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Montmorency, Otsego, and Oscoda.
For the first grant cycle of 2023, the People Fund’s central region board awarded 17 grant requests totaling $38,438.89. The grants awarded include:
- Branch Township Fire Department, Walhalla: $4,000 for turnout gear equipment racks.
- Childhood Cancer Campaign, Ludington: $500 for a pop-up canopy for fundraising events.
- Church of the Holy Trinity, Manistee: $1,000 for baby formula for the Holy Trinity Baby Pantry.
- Circle Rocking S Children’s Farm Inc., Free Soil: $2,000 for a partial roof replacement and a new computer.
- FiveCAP, Inc., Scottville: $2,000 for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Mason County.
- FiveCAP, Inc., Scottville: $2,000 for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Lake County.
- Lake County Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, Baldwin: $1,993 for computer equipment and building a website.
- Lake Fellowship Ministries, Baldwin: $2,000 to repurpose space in the River Community Center for a personal care center, contingent on raising the rest of the funding.
- Lakeshore Children’s Advocacy Center, Manistee: $2,500 for the Mason County Satellite Center Project.
- Lincoln Township Fire Department, Reed City: $5,895 for the Lincoln Township Lifepak AED Project, contingent on raising the rest of the funding.
- Ludington High School Robotics, Ludington: $1,000 for robotics machining equipment.
- Mid-Michigan Honor Flight, Inc., Mecosta: $1,250 for Veterans Honor Flights/Missions # 15, 16, and 17.
- Pathfinder Community Library, Baldwin: $ 2,932.89 for STEM and Lego storage.
- PoWeR! Book Bags, Suttons Bay: $2,500 for reading and enrichment bags for Lake County children.
- Reed City Area District Library, Reed City: $2,500 for an outdoor equipment storage shed.
- Reed City Police Department, Reed City: $2,368 for an MPH Sure Shot handheld lidar.
- Riverton Firefighters Association, Scottville: $2,000 for (4) Battery powered portable LED scene lights.
The central region includes the counties of Clare, Lake, Manistee, Mason, Missaukee, Osceola and Wexford.
For the first grant cycle of 2023, the People Fund’s south region board awarded 17 grant requests totaling $34,139. The grants awarded include:
- Allegan United Methodist Church, Allegan: $1,000 for the AUMC Hands of Grace Food Pantry.
- Barryton Area Mobile Food Pantry, Barryton: $500 for food distribution.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore, Norton Shores: $3,000 for one-to-one youth mentoring orientation costs.
- Empowerment Network, Fremont: $2,552 for a technology upgrade.
- Hope 101 Ministry, Newaygo: $1,000 for bat management at Newaygo County transitional homes for the homeless, contingent on raising the rest of the funding.
- Mecosta Conservation District, Big Rapids: $2,500 for the 2023 Household Hazardous Waste Collection event.
- Mediation & Restorative Services, Muskegon: $1,000 for marketing to increase awareness of services.
- Mid-Michigan Honor Flight, Inc., Mecosta: $1,250 for Veterans Honor Flights/Missions #15, 16, & 17.
- Missionaries Around Ravenna in Service, Ravenna: $1,000 for food for the pantry.
- New Day Foundation for Families, Rochester Hills: $1,620 for a fundraising hardware update.
- Newaygo District Library, Newaygo: $5,000 for updated computers for public use.
- Oceana County Parks & Recreation Commission, Hart: $1,717 for side accessible, ADA-compliant picnic tables.
- Pentwater Historical Society, Pentwater: $1,000 for the building stories program.
- Project Hope of NE Allegan County, Dorr: $1,000 for the Project Hope food pantry.
- The Fountain Hill Center, Grand Rapids: $5,000 to upgrade an electronic billing server.
- Trinity Lutheran Church, New Era: $2,500 for the Baby Pantry & Reading Room.
- Wings Home, Allegan: $2,500 for Wings Home caregiving
The south region includes the counties of Allegan, Barry, Kent, Muskegon, Mecosta, Montcalm, Newaygo, Oceana, and Ottawa
Enroll in the People Fund
By allowing us to “round up” your monthly electric bill to the next dollar, you put your small change to work right in your own community. All of the money collected goes back to grant recipients. All contributors are entered into two annual drawings where we give away six $100 Great Lakes Energy bill credits. This contest is our small way of saying “thanks” to every Great Lakes Energy member who supports the People Fund. The People Fund has awarded more than $4.3 million to local charitable groups since 1999.
For an average round up contribution of 50 cents per month, your small change will make a BIG difference. Plus you could win $100! No billing round up contributions are used to fund this contest.
Apply for a Grant
Grants are awarded to non-profit, charitable organizations that provide humanitarian, educational or community development services within our 26-county area. A portion of the funds may be awarded to organizations that help individuals or families in crisis or to tax exempt organizations.
Letters of interest are due April 1 and Oct. 1.
Grant applications and associated paperwork are due by April 15 and Oct. 15.
Grants are awarded by three independent boards of volunteer directors who evaluate every application in their region—north, central or south. They evaluate each application based on the specific project and unique needs of the region, looking for programs that enhance the quality of life in our communities by:
- Promoting good citizenship
- Increasing the capacity of rural organizations to promote self reliance and independence
- Supplementing local initiatives
- Are one-time in nature, rather than on-going.
- Benefit a large number of people
- Leverage funds from other sources.
- Distribute funds to organizations that help individuals or families in crisis
- Help programs to increase their capacity to deliver services.
- Are for a tax-exempt, non-profit or 501(c)3 organization
- Enhance cooperation and collaboration among organizations
- Avoid duplication of services
- Help deliver services of an organization more effectively
Grants are generally not awarded for:
- Daily school operations
- Normal operating expenses
- Fundraising or political campaigns
- Loans or deficit spending
- Endowment funds
- Retroactive projects
- Individuals
- Faith-based organizations*
*Faith-based organizations may receive funding for projects only if the project provides services to all community members, regardless of the community member’s religious affiliation or participation, i.e. a food pantry, community dinner, etc.
