Staff

Mike Oakes
Executive Director
(231) 845-0326

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Grant Priorities

What are the Funding Areas of Interest?

The Board of Trustees believes that with limited competitive funds, it is necessary to prioritize where funds can be best targeted to have the greatest impact on the needs and growth of the community. The following represent the major grant and program areas of interest as established by the Board of Trustees for the use of the Foundation's endowed funds. The Foundation recognizes that standard grant making categories do not always encompass all community needs. The Distribution Committee and focused grant committees will to the extent appropriate and possible, accommodate other requests that address important or emerging community issues.

Arts

• Encourage quality arts programming benefiting a diverse audience.
• Support arts education and programs for youth.
• Improve access to cultural programs, especially for children and youth.
• Promote financial stability and organizational development for arts organizations.

Community Development / Urban Revitalization

• Support community development projects which enhance the downtown and lakeshore areas.
• Support capital projects if they have county-wide impact and benefit.
• Support capital renovation projects only if they provide new and expanded programming.
• Support civic improvement and economic development efforts.
• Support programs that will enhance the perception and image of the community.

Education

• Promote educational opportunities through post-secondary scholarships.
• Encourage our young people to stay in school.
• Consider opportunities that can impact all public and private K-12 districts.

Environment

• Environmental education for all age levels.
• Promotion of comprehensive community planning, priorities and strategies.
• Support for balanced and innovating land use planning.
• Support for projects to protect and restore green spaces, shorelines, dune areas and wildlife habitat, water quality and air quality.

Health and Human Services

• Promote healthy lifestyles through education and prevention programming.
• Improve access to quality health care for all residents.
• Promote health programs and projects that increase the quality of health care available in Mason County.
• Support programs that encourage families to become self-sufficient.

Meeting the needs of Children Ages 0 - 5

• Promote responsible parenting through outreach services and education programs, including the special needs of at-risk parents and teen pregnancy prevention programming.
• Promote good health and protection for infants and toddlers.
• Promote quality child care choices for young children.

EMERGING COMMUNITY NEEDS

The Foundation recognizes that standard grant making categories do not always encompass all community needs. The Distribution Committee and focused grant committees will to the extent appropriate and possible, accommodate other requests that address important or emerging community issues.

For information on recent grant awards, click here.

We encourage you to call and talk with a member of our Program staff before you prepare and submit a proposal. All proposals are accepted via our online grant application process, eGRANT. For more information on eGRANT, click here.

To discuss your grant application interests, please contact either:

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