West Michigan Grants

West Michigan Grants

West Michigan Youth Programs

As the birthplace of the Gerber Foundation, the foundation supports a variety of youth programming within a 4-county area that includes Lake, Muskegon, Newaygo, and Oceana Counties in West Michigan. Grants are geared towards projects serving youth from 0-18 years of age.

A special emphasis is placed on projects focused on the following major target areas:

Health, Nutrition, & Dental Issues

Early Childhood Services & Literacy

Parenting Education

Education
(Including Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts/Agriculture, and Math)​

Life Experiences
(Camp Scholarships, Agricultural Science Education, 4-H and FFA)

Info & Requirements

Grants are to fund programming, generally limited to one-year commitments, and are normally under $10,000, with the average grant size being less than $5,000. Programs that are collaborative and that have support from the broader community are encouraged.

Although the Foundation prefers to fund programming only, capital campaign requests are considered, from time-to-time, on a very limited basis. Please contact the Foundation before applying for capital campaign funding.

  • Agencies must be located in or directly serving youth from one of the 4 counties indicated above.
  • Grantees must be a public non-profit (with a 501c3 determination letter from the IRS) or governmental entity in order to apply.

Applicants may contact the Foundation at any time during the application process for assistance or guidance with their submission.

Applying for a West Michigan Grant

Deadlines for Applications are March 15 and September 15 of each year at 4pm.
Results may be expected by the end of April and October, respectively.

Apply Online

The following information will be needed as you complete your grant proposal. Grants under $2,000 have a shortened application process based on the amount entered. While requests for capital projects are seldom made, you may contact the Foundation to discuss your need for support and guidance on your request.

All applications must be completed through our online system.

Project Information:

  • Project summary statement
  • Start and end dates of the project
  • Target population:
    - Total youth served
    - Age range of youth served
    - County of residence of youth served
  • Purpose statement
  • Project activities
  • Project impact in the long and short term
  • Evaluation in the short and long term
  • Community partners and organizations and their role
  • Nature of project (one-time or ongoing)

Optional Items:

  • Letters of support and collaboration
  • Relevant news articles
  • Organizational newsletters
  • Any other information you wish to be considered

Organization Information:

  • Mission
  • Brief description of current programs, activities, and populations served (demographics and numbers)
  • Annual organizational budget

Budget Information:

  • Line item budget, including any in-kind support for the project
  • Line item sources of income to cover the anticipated expenses

Required Attachments:

  • Board roster with names and affiliations
  • Most recent annual report, if applicable
  • Letters of support or collaboration from participating organizations named in the grant proposal.

Recent Awards:

Early Childhood/Literacy

We are committed to ensuring that every child is ready to enter kindergarten and is provided with a nurturing and safe childhood. To that end, we fund numerous avenues for early literacy, safety education, and other programs to make sure children are ready to succeed.
  • Community Foundation for Oceana County - Oceana County Early Literacy Enhancement Initiative - Read Early. Read Often
  • Fremont Public Schools - Daisy Brook's Math & Literacy Family Night Support
  • Luther Area Public Library - 2026 Rascally Readers at the Library
  • Pathfinder Community Library - Adventures in Reading & Writing with Johnathan Rand
  • READ Muskegon - Bright Beginnings: Early Literacy for Muskegon Heights Families
  • United Way of the Lakeshore - Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Muskegon and Oceana Counties

Parenting

Committed, nurturing, and loving parents are not a guarantee in this world. But they are a necessity for healthy, well developed children who are ready to learn.

  • Communities Overcoming Violent Encounters - Staff Training and Certification for Trauma-Informed Care
  • Disability Network West Michigan - My Child has a Disability- Parenting 101 Education
  • Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan - 2026 Family Support Program

Education (STEM)

Not limited to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education – we prefer to focus on Strategies That Engage Minds.

  • Bellwether Harbor - PetPals Humane Education and Dog Bite Prevention Program
  • Boys & Girls Club of the Muskegon Lakeshore - Nourishing Great Futures
  • Grant Public Schools - Expanding STEAM Learning for Grant Elementary Students
  • Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes - Preparing West Michigan Youth for Future Financial Literacy Success
  • Michigan 4-H Foundation (Oceana County) - STEM & Literacy Through Agriculture
  • National Inventors Hall of Fame, Inc. - Camp Invention STEM, Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs
  • Newaygo Conservation District Conservation - Mini-Markets for STEM Education Program
  • Newaygo County Environmental Coalition - Michigan Green Schools Environmental Education Program
  • White Cloud Community Library - Mini Makerspace for STEM Education Program

Health/Nutrition/Dental Care

  • City of Newaygo - 2026 Youth Health & Safety Education Program
  • Feeding America West Michigan - Gather2Grow Summer Youth Food Program
  • Harbor Hospice - 2026 Camp Courage Scholarships
  • Northwest Michigan Health Services (Shelby Clinic) - Advancing Early Oral Health Detection for Children and Teens Through Panoramic Imaging
  • Trinity Health Muskegon Hospital - Expanding Access to Trauma Informed Forensic Nursing Services

Life Experience

There are some general youth programs that have been a part of the Foundation’s interest since the establishment of the Foundation. These provide opportunities for children to experience things outside of their normal activities. Support includes camp scholarships, the local Agricultural fair and 4-H activities, a variety of TrueNorth Youth Programs and Services including: Children’s Christmas, Coats for Kids, Tools for Schools, Children’s Car Seats, and TrueMentors.
  • Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp - Camp Scholarships
  • Fremont Public School FFA - Scholarships for Washington Leadership Conference
  • Fremont Public Schools – High School Scholarships for Close-Up Civic Education Program
  • Gerald R. Ford Council, Boy Scouts of America – Muskegon County Scoutreach Program
  • Michigan 4-H Foundation (Muskegon and Newaygo Counties) – Support for 4-H Exploration Days
  • Michigan 4-H Foundation (Oceana County) - Scholarships for Growing Leaders Programming
  • Michigan Works! West Central - Career Exploration Support
  • Mount Zion Church of God in Christ - Club 188 Camp Scholarships
  • Odd Fellow and Rebekah Camp of Michigan - Camp Scholarships
  • Tall Turf Ministries - Camp Scholarships
  • Whitehall District Schools – High School Scholarships for Close-Up Civic Education Program

General Youth

  • Holton United Methodist Church - Back to School Supplies Program
  • Pioneer Resources Inc. - Pioneer Trails Youth Paddle & Water Safety Initiative
  • The Village99 - Uniforms for Unified Basketball Team