The Great Grants/Initiatives finalists were as follows:

Norway Area Community Foundation Youth Advisory Committee- Affiliate of the Dickinson Area Community Foundation: Iron Mountain, MI

Great Grant: $300 to Healthy Choices Program  

Purpose of grant:  The grant was used to fund snacks and supplies for physical activities to elementary school-aged youth of the community.

Project:  This program provided healthy snacks and opportunities for youth to participate in physical activities. The goal of this initiative was to teach elementary school-aged young people how to make healthy choices in their eating habits lifestyles.

Fremont Area Community Foundation YAC: Fremont, MI

Great Grant: $15,000 Refuge Bike Park

Purpose of grant: The grant is being used to create the Refuge Bike Park in Sheridan Township, Fremont.

Project: The Fremont YAC helped to create what will be the largest bike park in Michigan. YAC members were involved in the process that is still continuing. The park is still under construction, but when it is finished it will give the youth as well as other residents of the city to enjoy the outdoors. This park will also bring in tourism to Fremont.

Hillsdale County Community Foundation YOUTH (Youth Opportunities Unlimited Throughout Hillsdale): Hillsdale, MI

Great Grant: $4,000 total, $500 each to eight different geographic areas within the county

Purpose of grant: The grant was used to fund various beautification projects throughout the communities of Hillsdale County.

Project: The YOUTH decided to provide mini grants to the various areas of Hillsdale County in an effort to beautify all parts of their county. The YOUTH was inspired to do this project after learning about the ‘Summer in the City Detroit’ project, where volunteers come together to clean up and beautify different areas in Detroit. After doing research within their local communities, the YOUTH collectively decided upon which projects to fund and in what areas. The entire Hillsdale County benefitted from this project, and the entire community was involved.

Community Foundation of St. Clair County- Youth Advisory Committee: St. Clair, MI

Great Grant: $25,000 to fund a full-time higher education counselor

Purpose of grant: This grant was used to fund a full-time higher education counselor consultant who would help St. Clair County students with college preparation and counseling, ACT/SAT testing support, and stress & time management skills.   

Project: The purpose of the counselor is to help students reach their potential beyond high school, through standardized test support, college preparation, and improving upon skill sets. All of the 11,000 high school students within the seven public school districts of St. Clair County will have access to this higher education counselor. A goal of this project is to increase the percentage of students county-wide who further their education beyond high school and attend colleges and universities.

Kosciusko Endowment Youth Services (KEYS): Warsaw, IN

Great Grant: $1,500 to Read Across Kosciusko County

Purpose of Grant: The grant was used to supply books to each second grade classroom across Kosciusko County.

Project: The KEYS group aimed to encourage reading and promote literacy throughout Kosciusko County. They donated three to four books to each second grade class across the county, which included fifteen public and private schools. KEYS wanted to stress the importance of literacy further down the road of education to the younger children of the community.

Southfield Community Foundation Youth Advisory Committee: Southfield, MI

Great Grant: $4,000 distributed evenly to all 2^nd & 3^rd grade classes in Southfield

Purpose of Grant: This grant was used to purchase chess boards, time clocks, and training of teachers on how to play/teach chess in their classrooms.

Project: The YAC came together and agreed that through learning chess, young people in their city would be able to problem solve and learn strategy. Their grant helped to purchase materials needed to play chess, as well as training 2^nd and 3^rd grade teachers on how to teach and play chess in their classrooms. Chess will now be incorporated into the 2^nd and 3^rd grade curriculum in Southfield schools. The YAC hopes that teaching chess to youth at a young age will help build intelligent citizens and show their community that the younger population is capable of grasping the logic of such an advanced game.

Branch County Community Foundation- Colon Youth Advisory Committee: Coldwater, MI

Great Grant: Approximately $7,000 for the Colon Community Park

Purpose of grant: The grant will be used to create the Colon Community Park.

Project: Since there is no community park currently in the city of Colon, the YAC decided to provide funds to create a park that will include basketball courts, picnic areas, a pavilion, tennis courts, walking trails, a skate park, and an amphitheater. The YAC plans to help physically build this park as well. The entire community will be able to enjoy the Colon Community Park once it is completed.

Michigan Women’s Foundation

Great Grant: $4,500 to YWCA West Central Michigan

Purpose of grant: This grant will be used to fund a nursing program.

Project: This grant will fund a special nursing program so that nurses will be able to examine rape victims in a private matter and give them medical attention, long-term support, and help with trauma and substance abuse prevention. This program provides not only the physical help but also emotional help for rape victims. This grant will help many women across the community with the issue of rape.

Saginaw Community Foundation- FORCE: Saginaw, MI

Great Grant: $2,500 to MSU Extension Saginaw County

Purpose of grant: The grant was used to fund the Michigan Youth Farm Stand Project.

Project: The youth, aged 8-15, that live in the Houghton-Jones neighborhood, and those youth who come from low-income families of Saginaw were able to learn about good nutrition and entrepreneurship. This project addressed availability and access to food, and encouraged youth to get involved in activities that they may not normally experience.  Educating young people about the importance of good nutrition helped to impact the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. This project provided youth with hands-on business experiences through creation of a Farm Stand business and connecting with local growers.

Past great grants available: 2001   2005    2006    2007