2024 Grants

The Community Allocations Committee met on April 10 and recommended grant awards to 13 organizations as part of the Community Grants Program. All in all, we received 41 applications requesting over $185,900 in funding this year. Together, the grants listed below allocate a total of $61,000

2023 Grants

The Community Allocations Committee met on April 11 and recommended grant awards to 14 organizations as part of the Community Grants Program. All in all, we received 26 applications totaling over $106,000 in funding this year. We believe we are still seeing the effects of COVID relief funding going to local organizations.  Together, the grants listed below allocate a total of $71,237.

2022 Grants

The Community Allocations Committee met on April 4 and recommended grant awards to 12 organizations as part of the Community Grants Program. All in all, we received only 19 applications totaling over $89,000 in funding this year. We believe this drop in applications was due, at least in part, to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Together, the grants listed below allocate a total of $56,000.

2021 Grants

The Community Allocations Committee met on April 14 and recommended grant awards to 12 organizations as part of the Community Grants Program.  All in all, we received 27 applications totaling over $118,000 in funding.  Our fundraising for this fiscal year was impacted by the COVID pandemic, but we were still able to cobble together $52,000 for this round of grants to the following organizations:

A District Grant was not awarded this year. Due to the above mentioned fundraising issues and the difficulty of getting Rotary volunteers under the current COVID restrictions and precautions, it was decided not to award a District Grant for FY 2021-22.

2020 Grants

In the annual Community Grants program, proposals are solicited annually for programs serving Washtenaw County that are oriented on the Rotary standard of “Helping Kids Succeed.”   Committee members read the proposals and meet to select individual programs for grants.  In 2020, 44 proposals totaling over $203,000 in funding requests were received, and 13 grants totaling $60,000 were awarded to the following organizations:

There is also a separate program, involving a single grant of up to $5,000 that may or may not be augmented by a 50% match from Rotary District 6380.  This grant must be for something involving participation of Rotary volunteers.  In July 2020, a grant of $5,000 was made to the Children’s Literacy Network for continued improvement of their BookPALS program. The grant received a 50% match from Rotary District 6380, for a total award of $7,500.  We are enjoying working with the Children’s Literacy Network on this program.

2019 Grants

In the annual Community Grants program, proposals are solicited annually for programs serving Washtenaw County that are oriented on the Rotary standard of “Helping Kids Succeed.”   Committee members read the proposals and meet to select individual programs for grants.  In 2019, 41 proposals totaling over $187,000 in funding requests were received, and 13 grants totaling $62,000 were made to the following organizations:

There is also a separate program, involving a single grant of up to $5,000 that may or may not be augmented by a 50% match from Rotary District 6380.  This grant must be for something involving participation of Rotary volunteers.  In July 2019, a grant of $5,000 was made to the Michigan Foster Care Closet for their back-to-school event. The grant received a 50% match from Rotary District 6380, for a total award of $7,500.  We enjoyed working with the Michigan Foster Care Closet on their event.

2018 Grants

In the annual Community Grants program, proposals are solicited annually for programs serving Washtenaw County that are oriented on the Rotary standard of “Helping Kids Succeed.”   Committee members read the proposals and meet to select individual programs for grants.  In 2018, 37 proposals totaling over $171,000 in funding requests were received, and 14 grants totaling $58,000 were made to the following organizations:

There is also a separate program, involving a single grant of up to $5,000 that may or may not be augmented by a 50% match from Rotary District 6380.  This grant must be for something involving participation of Rotary volunteers.  In July 2018, smaller grants, together adding up to $5,000, were made to Avalon Housing for their back-to-school backpack program, and to 826Michigan for their after-school program.

2017 Grants

Congratulations to Ann Arbor Symphony, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw County, Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeast Michigan, Children’s Literacy Network, Community Action Network, Dawn Farm, Foundations Preschool, North Star Reach, Ozone House, Packard Health, SOS Community Service, Washtenaw Camp Placement, and Washtenaw Success by 6 who shared $58,000 awarded by the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor Community Grants Program for the 2017 – 2018 fiscal year.  

This year, This year, 15 Community Allocations Committee members read 40 applications requesting funding totaling $182,592. In addition to those mentioned above, we regret being unable to fund highly deserving proposals from the following organizations: Alpha House, Ann Arbor Hands on Museum, Ann Arbor YMCA, Boy Scouts Southern Shores Council, Cancer Support Community, Catholic Social Services, Center for Education Outreach, Child Care Network, Corner Health Center, Council for Children, Ele’s Place, Forestbrooke, Friends in Deed, Girls on the Run, Hemophilia Foundation, Heritage Hill Haven, Honey Creek Preschool, Jewish Family Services, Judson Center, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Wildlife Foundation, NOiR Diamonds, Power, Inc., Special Days Camp, Summer Camp Scholarships, U of M Museum of Art, and Wild Swan Theater.

A description of the funded programs follows:

Ann Arbor Symphony
$5,000 for KinderConcert program

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw County
$5,000 for Community Based Mentoring Program

Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeast Michigan
$5,000 for Power Hour, an after school program in Ypsilanti.

Children’s Literacy Network
$5,000 for 2017 Summer Book Program

Community Action Network
$5,000 for “How do they make that & how does it work?” program

Dawn Farm
$5,000 for Youth and Adolescent Outreach

Foundations Preschool
$5,000 for Days of Discovery program

North Star Reach
$2,500 for Campership for one camper for one week

Ozone House
$5,000 for their Education Project

Packard Health
$5,000 for Back-to-School Health Fair

SOS Community Services
$5,000 for summer programming

Washtenaw Camp Placement
$3,000 for camperships

Washtenaw Success by 6
$2,500 for Imagination Library

In July 2017 a special grant of $5,000, was awarded to Friends in Deed for their bunk bed program.  Included in this program were Rotary volunteers who visited delivered and assembled bunk beds funded by the grant to the homes of needy families.

2016 Grants

Congratulations to Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw County, Boys and Girls Clubs, Children’s Literacy Center. Community Action Network, Dawn Farm, Food Gatherers, Foundations Pre-school, North Star Reach, Ozone House, Packard Health, SOS Community Services, Washtenaw Camp Placement, and Washtenaw Success by 6 who shared $63,000 awarded by the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor during the 2016-2017 fiscal year.

This year, 15 Community Allocations Committee members read 40 applications requesting funding totaling $178,092. In addition to those mentioned above, agencies seeking financial help included Alpha House, Ann Arbor Youth Chorale, Boy Scouts Southern Shores Council, Cancer Support Community, Catholic Social Services, Center for Educational Outreach, Child Care Network, Corner Health Center, Council for Children, Ele’s Place, Forestbrooke,  Friends in Deed, Girls on the Run, Ann Arbor Hands on Museum, Hemophielia Foundation, Heritage Hill Haven, Honey Creek Community School, Jewish Family Services, Judson Center, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Wildlife Federation, NOiR Diamonds, P.O.W.E.R. Inc., Special Days Camp, Summer Camp Scholarships, University of Michigan Museum of Art, and Wild Swan Theater.

A description of the funded applications follows:

Ann Arbor Symphony
$5,000 for KinderConcert program

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw County
$5,000 for Community-based Mentoring Program

Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeast Michigan
$5,000 for Power Hour, an after school program in Ypsilanti.

Children’s Literacy Network
$5,000 for 2017 Summer Book Program

Community Action Network
$5,000 for “How do they make that & how does it work?” program

Dawn Farm
$5,000 for Youth and Adolescent Outreach

Foundations Preschool
$5,000 for Days of Discovery program

North Star Reach
$2,500 for Campership for one camper for one week

Ozone House
$5,000 for their Education Project

Packard Health
$5,000 for Back-to-School Health Fair

SOS Community Services
$5,000 for summer programming

Washtenaw Camp Placement
$3,000 for camperships

Washtenaw Success by 6
$2,500 for Imagination Library

In August 2016 a special grant of $7,500, including matching funds from Rotary District 6380, was awarded to Food Gatherers to help with their Healthy School Pantry program.  Included in this program were Rotary volunteers who visited Food Gatherers’ headquarters monthly to prepare packages of fresh fruits and vegetables for delivery.

2015 Grants

Congratulations to 826Michigan, Alpha House, Ann Arbor Symphony, Ann Arbor YMCA, Children’s Literacy Network, Community Music School, Family Learning Institute, Food Gatherers, Leslie Science and Nature Center, Ozone House, Peace Neighborhood Center, and Washtenaw Literacy and Washtenaw Success by 6 who shared $61,374 awarded by the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor during the 2016-2016 fiscal year.

This year, fifteen Community Allocations Committee members read 32 applications requesting funding totaling $141.236. In addition to those mentioned above, agencies seeking financial help included The Agrarian Adventure, Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor Hands on Museum, Arts Alliance and Artrain, Avalon Housing, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw County, Blessings in a Backpack, Boy Scouts-Southern Shore Council, CivCity Initiative, Dispute Resolution Center, Ele’s Place, Friends in Deed, Hands Across the Water, The Hemophilia Foundation of Michigan, Jewish Family Services, North Star Reach, SOS Community Services, Summer Camp Scholarships, and Washtenaw Camp Placement.

The description of the funded applications follows:

826Michigan: $5,000 for their 2016-2017 Publishing Program, which places volunteers in classrooms and community centers in underserved communities in Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, and Detroit to assist hundreds of students, aged 6-18, to prepare high-quality publications.

IHN at Alpha House: $5,000 for enhancement of its Children’s Services Program, mainly by improving the downstairs play area and tutoring.

Ann Arbor Symphony: $5,000 to support its program of KinderConcerts in partnership with Washtenaw County schools and libraries for the 2016-2017 season.

Ann Arbor YMCA: $2,990 to provide scholarships for needy children to participate in their 2016 Summer Camp Program.

Children’s Literacy Network: $3,000 to support their summer reading program which provides books to socioeconomic disadvantaged students.

Community Music School of Ann Arbor: $5,000 to support the Cooperative Outreach Music Program, a partnership between the Community Music School of Ann Arbor and the Ann Arbor Public Schools supporting at-risk youth in music studies.

Family Learning Institute: $4,884 to support their Saturday Math Tutoring Program for at-risk elementary school students.

Food Gatherers: $5,000 to expand coverage of their Healthy School Pantry Program for the next academic year. This program provides food for needy families through programs in the public schools.

Leslie Science and Nature Center: $5,000 to support the “Wellness Through Nature” program at C. S. Mott Children’s Hospital providing educational materials that bring nature into the hospital setting.

Ozone House: $5,000 to enhance the experiences available for youth at their “Drop-In” center, where youth ages 13-20 may “drop in” during after school hours to participate in creative expression programs.

Peace Neighborhood Center: $3,000 to support the Leadership Development Camp at which teaches youth the tools necessary to be a positive role model to their younger peers and siblings.

Washtenaw Literacy: $5,000 to support The Self-Determined Parent Project to improve the basic skills of low-literate parents of children in grades 2 – 5 who are enrolled in interventional tutoring.

In August 2015, a special grant of $7,500, including matching funds from Rotary District 6380, was awarded to Washtenaw Success By 6 Great Start Collaborative to help provide an Imagination Library book each month, for one year, to 200 low-income children in Ypsilanti in support of their early literacy program.

2014 Grants

Congratulations to Food Gatherers, SafeHouse Center, 826Michigan, Girls Group, Arbor Hospice, Friends in Deed, Washtenaw Elementary Science Olympiad, Corner Health Center, Community Action Network, Peace Neighborhood Center, ENL (En Nuestra Lengua), and Washtenaw Success by Six, who shared $56,500 awarded by the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor during the 2014-2015 fiscal year.

This year, fourteen Community Allocations Committee members read 37 applications requesting funding totalling $164,496. In addition to those mentioned above, agencies seeking financial help included Ann Arbor Women’s Group, Ann Arbor Youth Chorale, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw County, Boy Scouts-Southern Shore Council, Child Care Network, Children’s Literacy Network, Community Music School of Ann Arbor, Dispute Resolution Center, Ele’s Place, FLY Children’s Art Center, Foundations-Preschool of Washtenaw County, Girls on the Run, Habitat for Humanity, IHN at Alpha House, Leslie Science & Nature Center, Michigan Abilities Center, Neutral Zone, Ozone House, People Dancing & Dance in the Mitten, Performance Network, Schola Atrium, SOS Community Services, Summer Camp Scholarships, Sweet Dreamzzz, Washtenaw Camp Placement.

The description of the funded applications follows:

Food Gatherers: to expand coverage of their Healthy School Pantry Program from five to 10 schools for the current academic year. This program provides food for needy families through programs in the public schools.

SafeHouse Center: to support the Children’s Advocate position in SafeHouse Center’s emergency shelter.

826Michigan: for their 2015-2016 Publishing program, which places volunteers in classrooms and community centers in underserved communities in Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, and Detroit to assist hundreds of students, aged 6-18, to prepare high-quality publications.

Girls Group: to assist with the expansion of their in-school programming which provides motivation, role models, academic support, anger and stress management, and self-advocacy skills to girls in middle school and follows them through high school and college.

Arbor Hospice: to support their pediatric grief support services.

Friends in Deed: to support their bed drive program that places new cribs and beds in the homes of needy families.

Washtenaw Elementary Science Olympiad: to support this year’s Elementary Science Olympiad, to be held on Saturday, May 30 at Pioneer High School.

Corner Health Center: to support emergency patient assistance; to provide a flexible source of discretionary support for use by clinicians to address urgent unmet needs of CHC patients that prevent them from taking proper care of themselves or their children.

Community Action Network: to assist in integrating a new literacy program into the Community Action Network’s after school and summer programs beginning this summer. The program is currently used in the Ann Arbor Public Schools that CAN students attend and it has been recommended by the AAPS literacy coordinator and teachers.

Peace Neighborhood Center: toward the costs of its Leadership Development Camp (LDC), an age-specific program for middle school students that runs each summer as a part of Peace Neighborhood Center’s integrated Summer Youth Services (SYS).

ENL (En Nuestra Lengua): to support operations of their Saturday literacy program for at-risk English-learning students.

Washtenaw Success By Six: to help provide an Imagination Library book each month, for one year, to 200 low-income children in Ypsilanti in support of their Focus on Early Literacy program.

2013 Grants

Congratulations to the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, Ann Arbor Hospice, Ann Arbor Symphony, Avalon Housing, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw County, Community Action Network, The Family Learning Institute, Perry Nursery School, SafeHouse Center, Washtenaw Area Council for Children, and Washtenaw Camp Placement, who shared $50,500 awarded by the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor.

This year, fifteen Community Allocations Committee members read 35 applications requesting funding of $154,042. Agencies seeking financial help included 826 Michigan, Ann Arbor Art Center, Ann Arbor Summer Festival, Ann Arbor Triathlon Club, Boy Scouts of America Southern Shore Council, Cancer Support Community of Greater Ann Arbor, University of Michigan’s Center for Educational Outreach, Washtenaw Independent School District’s Educational Project for Homeless Youth, FLY Children’s Art Center, Forestbrooke Athletic Club, Hands Across the Water, Heritage of Healing, Huron High School Band, Kamp Kurat, Leslie Science & Nature Center, North Star Reach, People Dancing, Performance Network Theatre, Saline Fiddlers, Sweet Dreamzzz, Therapeutic Riding, Inc., Washtenaw Literacy, and Wild Swan Theater.

The description of the successful applications follows:

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum with their signature community event, Tech Twilight. This program helps create our area’s next generation of entrepreneurs starting with ‘tweens, teens and young adults. It convenes innovative, entrepreneurial and academic professionals for an evening of demonstrations, conversation and exhibits designed to inspire “kids” of all ages. Support from the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor will provide the AAHOM with the resources to welcome five youth organizations as featured student groups for the evening.

Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra with their KinderConcert program which provides over 2,000 toddlers to six-year-olds a free concert experience at Ann Arbor, Dexter and Ypsilanti libraries which pairs pair listening and performing age-appropriate movements through the expert guidance of a child movement specialist, pianist and A2SO musician.

Avalon Housing for its Summer Program for Youth will give 18 Avalon youth the opportunity to spend the summer in ways that will not only maintain their school-year progress, but will further their intellectual and emotional growth and their community center at Carrot Way in Ann Arbor. Staffed by Avalon employees and volunteers from the community, they will offer programming four days per week for six weeks, with lunch and healthy snacks provided for all youth participants, all of who are from extremely low-income households.

Ann Arbor Hospice for its Pediatric Grief Support Program, through which children and adolescents facing the loss of a loved one, may receive innovative and multi-faceted services, free of charge. Families experiencing grief are also provided with support and resources to assist them in coping with their loss in a healthy and effective manner.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw County for their new program REACH through which big brothers and sisters are provided opportunities for mentoring, small group events, and large group events that are focussedfocused on the following five core components: Recreation, EdcuationEducation and careers, Arts and Culture, Community Engagement, and Health and Wellness.

Community Action Network for their new initiative Read to Succeed. The program will pair well-trained high school upperclassmen with young children (ages 2-8) living in Ann Arbor’s Hikone and Green Baxter Court family public housing sites and the low-income Bryant community. After training, the teens will engage the young children in reading and pre-reading activities, and play fun games that teach and enforce literacy skills.

Family Learning Institute (FLI) for their Kitchen Table Classroom KTC), an educational/instructional video series created by FLI staff and volunteers in conjunction with Community Television Network (CTN) with the purpose of fostering and guiding parental involvement in developing children’s reading and learning skills in the home.

Perry Nursery School for a program of on-site “field trips” to expose underprivileged youngsters to expose them to things that children of more typical means will have seen prior to entering school. (This program is funded for a bit less than the amount requested.  Funding was limited by our budget.)

SafeHouse Center to support their emergency shelter operations.  SafeHouse Center’s shelter provides safety and support for survivors of domestic violence and their children who are in imminent, lethal danger. The shelter is the foundation of their programs and services and in 2012 they housed more than 300 individuals (170 of whom were children).

Washtenaw Area Council for Children for their Cyber Safety Program, which WACC will deliver in the schools. The program is delivered to upper elementary, middle and high school students in Washtenaw County throughout the school year in the form of school assemblies, classroom presentations, and after school peer mentoring groups. The goal is to touch over 4,000 students.

Washtenaw Camp Placement Association to fund “camperships” for children from financially challenged families. A campership is defined as one or two weeks of expense-paid summer resident camp plus individualized support services, including transportation, clothing and gear, free health exams and an orientation session. The children are identified by teachers and counselors in the schools, and by social workers in human service agencies.

2012 Grants

Congratulations to the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, Ann Arbor Symphony, Avalon Housing, Corner Health Center, IHN at Alpha House, Leslie Science Center, Ozone House, Peace Neighborhood Center, SOS, Washtenaw Country Youth Center 4-H Garden, Wild Swan Theater who shared $45,000 awarded by the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor.

This year, thirteen Community Allocations Committee members read 52 applications requesting funding of $222,094. Agencies seeking financial help included 826 Michigan, Ann Arbor Academy, Ann Arbor Civic Theater, Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts, Ann Arbor Women’s Group, Ann Arbor Youth Chorale, Arbor Hospice Pediatric Program, AIM High School, ATRAVES at UM, Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Washtenaw County, Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Michigan, Bridges to Prosperity, Community Action Network, Catholic Social Services Residential Program, Dawn Farm, Ele’s Place, EMU Best Buddies, En Nuestra Lengua, FLY Children’s Art Center, Friends in Deed, Girls Group, Hands Across the Water, Helping Kids Succeed (Power, Inc.), Heritage of Healing, Hope Clinic, Huron High School Band,  Huron Trails (Boy Scouts of America), InnoWorks at Michigan, National Home School Ensemble Program, North Star Reach, People Dancing, Perry Nursery, Project Healthy Schools, Skyline High School Field Trip, Skyline High School Teen Spirit, Student Advocacy Center, Summer Camp Scholarships, Sweet Dreamzzz, Washtenaw Area Council for Children, Washtenaw Intermediate School District International High School, Youth Dance Theatre.

The description of the successful applications follows.

Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum with their signature community event, Tech Twilight. This program helps create our area’s next generation of entrepreneurs starting with ‘tweens, teens and young adults. It convenes innovative, entrepreneurial and academic professionals for an evening of demonstrations, conversation and exhibits designed to inspire “kids” of all ages. Support from the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor will provide the AAHOM with the resources to welcome five youth organizations as featured student groups for the evening.

Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra with their KinderConcert program which provides over 2,000 toddlers to six-year-olds a free concert experience at Ann Arbor, Dexter and Ypsilanti libraries which pairs pair listening and performing age-appropriate movements through the expert guidance of a child movement specialist, pianist and A2SO musician.

Avalon Housing for its Summer Program for Youth will give 18 Avalon youth the opportunity to spend the summer in ways that will not only maintain their school-year progress, but will further their intellectual and emotional growth and their community center at Carrot Way in Ann Arbor. Staffed by Avalon employees and volunteers from the community, they will offer programming four days per week for six weeks, with lunch and healthy snacks provided for all youth participants, all of who are from extremely low-income households.

Corner Health Center, which will offer nutrition education and food preparation classes. Funding helps to renovate and equip an existing meeting room to make it suitable for nutrition education and food preparation providing young people with education and tools to help them eat properly and live healthy lifestyles.

Interfaith Hospitality Network at Alpha House, which helps provide emergency shelter tochildren and families, and has staff committed to focus specifically on the needs of children experiencing homelessness. Their Children’s Services Program identifies and addresses the individual needs of each child, strengthens the parents’ role in the family and helps families stay together while working in tandem with their Shelter and Home-Based Support Programs to help families to stabilize and access the services they need to secure and maintain housing.

Leslie Science & Nature Center for their after school MEAP prep program for at-risk youth. At these free programs, youngsters will focus in on prep for 5th grade MEAP science content in a hands-on fashion. This type of kinesthetic engagement with a subject allows a deeper understanding of the scientific principles, and reinforces teaching done in the classroom setting. Additionally, LSNC will provide sustaining materials for the teachers in a MEAP preparatory box to use beyond the after school program implementation.

Ozone House for their health care program of homeless and displaced youth. The specific objectives of this proposal are to provide preventative and acute care to runaway and homeless youth at Ozone House; to provide health education and basic health training to runaway and homeless youth; to enroll eligible youth in medical assistance programs; and to develop a network of health care providers to facilitate continuity of care.

Peace Neighborhood Center for its Peace Neighborhood Center Leadership Development Camp, an age-specific program for 45 – 60 middle-school students that runs alongside their annual “Youth on the Move” Summer Day Camp. Each camper receives the care and attention of staff members, as well as the mentorship and demonstration of positive role models of older youth who have returned to the program as camp counselors.

SOS Community Services for its Sunny Days 8-week summer enrichment program for 30 homeless children enrolled in area shelter programs or transitional housing in Washtenaw County. Sunny Days provides children, ages 6 – 12, a structured, safe, and supportive environment to address the traumas of homelessness, substance abuse, and domestic violence within their families.

Washtenaw County Youth Center for help cover the cost of take-home supplies and the printing costs for booklets and equipment used at the Youth Center in connection with its Youth Gardening Program which teaches youngsters about raising vegetables from seed to harvest, allowing students to see where their food comes from and what it looks like before being cooked, demonstrating composting and showing its importance and preparing simple recipes from the garden harvest.

Wild Swan Theater for its Comprehensive Audience Accessibility Programs which includes incorporating American Sign Language (ASL) into all of their main stage performances, and inventing a new aesthetic for the theater by fully integrating ASL actors into the central action of the play. Other audience accessibility tools include onstage touch tours and audio described performances for blind and visually impaired audience members; and pre-performance workshops for developmentally disabled audiences.