People Fund Grants

For the second grant cycle of 2022, the People Fund’s north region board awarded 21 grant requests totaling $62,863. The grants awarded include:

• Antrim Conservation District-CAKE CISMA, Bellaire: $5,000 towards the purchase of a vehicle to transport their crew and job trailer.
• Bellaire Public Schools, Bellaire: $1,200 for fabric for baby blankets made by high school students, which will be donated to the Antrim County Baby Pantry.
• Blissfest Music Organization, Petoskey: $1,000 for front-of-house PA equipment.
• Charlevoix Historical Society, Charlevoix: $5,000 for server and network upgrades.
• Chief Shawano Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, East Jordan: $3,000 for a monument for unknowns buried in Eveline Township Cemetery.
• Forest Area Community Schools, Fife Lake: $5,000 to purchase a new speaker system, wiring, cables, outlets, lights, flooring, paint, and construction materials for their stage.
• Friends of the Kalkaska County Library, Kalkaska: $5,000 for library computers for the public.
• Gaylord Community Productions, Gaylord: $2,600 to replace microphones and battery packs.
• Good Neighbors Food Pantry, Boyne City: $3,798 for an additional refrigerator/freezer, contingent on raising the rest of the funding.
• Grass River Natural Area, Inc., Bellaire: $1,350 to improve data collection on guests and wildlife for management decisions, contingent on raising the rest of the funding.
• Great Lakes Burn Camp, Jackson: $3,000 for the Great Lakes Burn Camp Winter Camp 2023 in Cheboygan.
• Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, Petoskey: $2,000 for Shackleton’s Incredible Journey program set, costume, and videographer expenses.
• Lake Charlevoix Mariners, Charlevoix: $1,000 to purchase a heavy-duty boat lift, contingent on raising the rest of the funding.
• Lake Side Elite Gymnastics, Boyne City: $3,000 for new equipment in their building expansion.
• Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity, Petoskey: $3,000 for office furniture.
• Otsego County United Way, Gaylord: $2,500 for emergency heating assistance funding.
• The Baseball-Softball Fields of Boyne Inc., Boyne City: $5,000 for fencing at The Waterfront Field of Dreams Little League Park.
• The Depot Jordan Valley Teen Center, East Jordan: $4,000 for their health and wellness enclosed trailer.
• The Nehemiah Project, Petoskey: $1,400 for a stackable washer and dryer.
• The Salvation Army, Petoskey: $3,000 for office furniture in the new community center.
• Vienna Township Fire Department, Johannesburg: $2,015 for ice rescue safety equipment.

The north region includes the counties of Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Montmorency, Otsego, and Oscoda.

For the second grant cycle of 2022, the People Fund’s central region board awarded seven grant requests totaling $24,292.27. The grants awarded include:

• Caritas Food Pantry, Custer: $2,000 for purchasing canvas bags for the pantry.
• Eagle Village, Hersey: $1,393 to convert current fluorescent lighting to LED to increase energy efficiency.
• Irons Seventh-day Adventist Church, Irons: $3,500 for the Irons Community Center and Food Pantry for fill, limestone, and excavation around the building, lawn, and parking lot.
• Sandcastles Children’s Museum, Ludington: $5,000 for the Hola! Speaking Spanish at Sandcastles! exhibit.
• Osceola County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Reed City: $7,000 for purchasing vital safety equipment for the CERT team.
• Riverside Park Campground, Scottville: $3,000 for the City of Scottville Riverside Park & Campground public restroom refurbishment project.
• Pathfinder Community Library, Baldwin: $2,399.97 for replacing two aging public computers and one staff computer.

The central region includes the counties of Clare, Lake, Manistee, Mason, Missaukee, Osceola and Wexford.

For the second grant cycle of 2022, the People Fund’s south region board awarded nine grant requests totaling $32,280.35. The grants awarded include:

• Christian Neighbors SE, Plainwell: $3,500 to purchase a cooler for their demonstration/training kitchen.
• Congregational Kitchen, Allegan: $2,652.35 for kitchen equipment.
• Harmonized Healing Counseling Services, Inc., White Cloud: $7,500 for their office remodel, contingent on raising the rest of the funding needed.
• Open Arms Child Advocacy Center, White Cloud: $800 for transportation services.
• Stony Lake Therapeutic Riding Center, New Era: $3,600 for their veterans’ program.
• Sylvia’s Place, Allegan: $5,000 for a 24/7 hotline operation for survivors of domestic violence.
• Tri-Cities Area Habitat for Humanity, Grand Haven: $2,500 for Aging in Place home repairs with preference given to support a project in our service area.
• White Lake Area Sportfishing Association, Montague: $1,230 for repairs at the DNR walleye rearing pond in Muskegon.

The south region includes the counties of Allegan, Barry, Kent, Muskegon,  Mecosta, Montcalm, Newaygo, Oceana, and Ottawa