Best Financial Assistance Grants in Michigan

The ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowships provide financial support ranging from $30,000 to $50,000 for faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities to advance their research projects. The fellowships encourage innovative research outcomes, including scholarly articles and community-engaged projects. Awardees also benefit from mentoring and networking opportunities, with additional funding for their institutions to support humanities programming. This initiative promotes diverse scholarship and collaboration across disciplines, enhancing the academic landscape for HBCU faculty.

The Chemical Bank Fund, part of the Central Montcalm Community Foundation, plays a crucial role in providing support for unanticipated community needs that fall outside the Foundation's typical grant application periods. This fund ensures that essential services and programs can continue to operate effectively, enhancing the overall quality of life for residents in the Central Montcalm area. By utilizing annual earnings from permanent endowments, the fund helps sustain vital community initiatives.

The SBB Research Group Foundation Grant supports 501(c)(3) organizations addressing unmet needs through sustainable strategies. Winners are selected monthly, receiving $5,000, while other finalists are awarded $1,000. The foundation collaborates with various partners and has a strong commitment to community service. Organizations are encouraged to apply early, as prior applicants can be reconsidered in subsequent months. This initiative aims to empower impactful initiatives across diverse sectors.

The PLTW Engineering program, supported by the Caterpillar Foundation, aims to enhance STEM education in underserved communities. Grants of $30,000 will help schools launch and expand these programs starting in the 2025-2026 academic year. Schools must offer at least two different PLTW Engineering courses over two years. Preference will be given to institutions with high-need student populations as determined by free and reduced lunch eligibility.

The PLTW Engineering program, supported by the Caterpillar Foundation, aims to enhance access to STEM education in underserved communities. This initiative focuses on expanding existing PLTW Engineering programs by introducing new courses, additional class periods, and teacher training for the 2025-2026 academic year. Preference is given to schools with a high-need student population, ensuring that those eligible for free or reduced lunch programs are prioritized for funding. This partnership fosters workforce readiness and empowers future innovators.

The Oris W. Dunham, Jr. and Sylvia M. Dunham Scholarship, offered by the AAAE Foundation, supports college students enrolled in aviation-related programs in the U.S. and Canada. Up to five non-renewable scholarships valued at $1,500 each will be awarded based on academic achievements, financial need, and community involvement. This initiative aims to foster future leaders in the aviation industry by providing financial assistance to deserving candidates.

The James L. Bass Legal Scholarship, established by the Foundation for Rural Service, honors the legacy of James Bass, who significantly impacted rural telecommunications. This scholarship supports students entering their first year of law school with a focus on rural communities. Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens. Through this initiative, the scholarship aims to foster new legal talent committed to enhancing the quality of life in rural America, continuing Mr. Bass's dedication to community service.

The Regional Scholar Travel Grant, offered by the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES), provides up to $1,000 to support travel for faculty and independent scholars from Eastern Europe and Eurasia. Applicants must present a paper at the ASEEES Annual Convention and meet specific eligibility criteria, including residency in eligible countries and ASEEES membership. This grant aims to promote scholarly exchange and foster participation among junior scholars and first-time presenters.

State Farm Companies Foundation offers marketing sponsorships to organizations that align with their mission of building safer, stronger communities. They are open to partnerships that enhance their marketing strategies on both local and national levels. Interested parties can expect a review of their proposals within 2-3 weeks. This initiative aims to foster collaboration with various brands and causes that resonate with State Farm's vision.

The Convention Opportunity Travel Grant, offered by the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES), supports non-student members with incomes under $40,000 to present their research at the ASEEES Annual Convention. Established in 1948, ASEEES prioritizes first-time presenters and junior scholars lacking institutional support. The grant encourages diverse scholarly contributions and is aimed at enhancing the visibility of underrepresented voices in the field of Slavic and East European studies.

The Bicycle Hotel Casino offers sponsorship and donation opportunities to support various worthy causes through a structured Board Review Committee. To qualify, organizations must submit a formal request at least 60 days before their event. This includes a Donation Request Form and a letter detailing the organization's purpose and alignment with the casino’s mission. The casino prioritizes requests from registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, ensuring that each project aligns with their philanthropic goals.

Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies

Established in 1948, the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES) – a nonprofit, non-political, scholarly society – is the leading international organization dedicated to the advancement of knowledge about Central Asia, the Caucasus, Russia, and Eastern Europe in regional and global contexts.  

ASEEES Next Generation Dissertation Research Fellowship Program

Established in 2025, the ASEEES Next Generation Dissertation Research Fellowship Program provides a maximum stipend of $28,000 for doctoral students at US universities, regardless of citizenship, to conduct dissertation research in Slavic, Eastern European, and Eurasian Studies. The program is open to students in any discipline whose dissertation topics are within Slavic, Eastern European, and Eurasian Studies.

Fellowship Project Scope

• The dissertation topic must be in Slavic, Eastern European, and Eurasian studies
• Most of the proposed research should be conducted in Eastern Europe and/or Eurasia but the fellowship can be used to conduct research for a briefer period in secondary site(s) such as the U.S.; in cases of equally qualified applications, some preference may be given to research entirely in the region

The stipend can be spent on expenses incurred while conducting research, including living expenses, research expenses, international airfare, visa expenses, and evacuation and health insurance.

Mission

The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) is an independent, international, nonprofit organization founded in 1923. The Council fosters innovative research, nurtures new generations of social scientists, deepens how inquiry is practiced within and across disciplines, and mobilizes necessary knowledge on important public issues.

Driving University Impact: Expanding the Public Exchange Network

With generous support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Social Science Research Council is pleased to invite U.S. R1 research universities in SSRC’s College and University Fund for the Social Sciences to apply for funding to join the Public Exchange Network. Public Exchange is a new network that turns university research expertise into real-world action and impact. Foundedat the University of Southern California in 2020 and expanded to Washington University in St. Louis in 2025, Public Exchange connects researchers with government, nonprofit, and industry partners to tackle pressing challenges—from disaster recovery and climate solutions to food insecurity and homelessness prevention. Since its founding, Public Exchange has developed high-impact collaborations between 48 partners and 142 researchers including:

• CLEAN LA and CLEAN STL: One of the largest free soil testing programs for lead in Los Angeles County following the January 2025 wildfires, and a related program in St. Louis to test soil and air for contaminants following the May 2025 EF-3 tornado;
• The California Solar Canal Initiative: An ambitious public-private research collaboration to advance solar panel infrastructure along California’s 4,000 miles of open aqueduct, conserving water and generating renewable energy;
• Food Base LA: LA County’s first food systems data dashboard, helping LA County and non-profit partners target distribution of millions of pounds of food and related resources to families experiencing food insecurity;
• ShadeLA: A people-powered campaign to cool Los Angeles ahead of the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics by advancing natural and built shade cover in the region.

Partners have included the City and County of Los Angeles, the State of California, the City of St. Louis, Yelp, Solar AquaGrid, the United Nations Foundation, Keck Medicine of USC, the Southern California Association of Governments, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, the Sustainable Entertainment Alliance, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Department of Angels and many more. In addition to real-world impact positively affecting millions of lives, Public Exchange collaborations have resulted in over $18m in research funding, some helping to incubate new centers or areas of research, more than 40 academic journal publications, hundreds of media hits, and dozens of student career opportunities. 

The Public Exchange Model

Public Exchange is a partner-driven program, working collaboratively with external partners to: (1) define a research scope, timeline, and deliverables; (2) identify the right team of multidisciplinary academic experts to analyze the problem; (3) provide project management from concept and strategy development to project outputs and tools delivery; and (4) manage the public and stakeholder engagement related to the project, as well as communications and design needs. Public Exchange staff are not researchers, but come from government, industry, and non-profit backgrounds, uniquely equipping project teams to understand partners’ needs and lead projects to action. Staff oversee activities including partnership and proposal development, funder cultivation, research translation, dissemination, and communications, impact and scaling strategy, administrative support, cross-sector convening, and more, to maximize the real-world impact of university expertise. Public Exchange builds results-driven teams that deliver measurable impact and lasting solutions for partners.

How the Public Exchange Network Works

No single university – even a large R1 – has enough faculty expertise available to meet the needs of every partner. The Public Exchange Network was designed to help universities work together seamlessly to build robust partnerships and generate more collective impact. Universities joining the network are independent but affiliated members, with full control over their own program and project portfolios. As a national network with local, on-the-ground capacity, Public Exchange Network members can also share approaches that work, scale solutions to common problems, and build cross-regional partnerships together. 

As an institutional partner in the Public Exchange Network, universities will build capacity to develop, test and implement solutions to the most urgent problems in their regions and beyond. Universities joining the Public Exchange Network get:

• The tools, templates and training they need to start right away;
• A shared brand they can plug into on day one;
• A network of faculty, past and potential partners and philanthropic relationships, benefitting everyone in the network. 

SSRC Public Exchange Network Expansion Grants

Public Exchange Network Expansion grants will cover 75-80% of the minimum estimated annual costs for two years to launch a new Public Exchange. To launch a Public Exchange, universities must have the following in place: (1) a staff executive director with experience launching and leading social impact partnerships, (2) a project seed fund, and (3) a modest operations budget. We also recommend some in-kind project management support from an existing university staff member. The grant includes a two-year Public Exchange Executive Director (ED) compensation subsidy of $300,000 to launch the Public Exchange on campus, and a 2-year license to use the Public Exchange brand. New Public Exchange Network members will also receive ongoing support and guidance from current Public Exchange leadership and staff at USC and WashU, including recruitment support and intensive training for hiring and onboarding an executive director, a sub-site on the Public Exchange website, incubation and project management support from current Public Exchange staff, and a suite of tools for developing and implementing Public Exchange projects.

In addition, every university in the Public Exchange Network benefits from central communications support (currently housed at USC), and access to a collaborative network of project partners, researchers, and funder relationships. Separately, SSRC will select a local research fellow to study and document how the Public Exchange model develops within and between host institutions during the grant term, and how the Public Exchange Network universities work together to effect larger-scale change. 

Expectations

Institutions selected to join the Public Exchange Network are expected to:

• Hire an Executive Director who can launch and lead efforts to incubate social impact projects with public and private sector partners;
• Have in place before public launch: (1) an executive director, (2) a seed fund, (3) a modest operations budget, and (4 – recommended) some in-kind project management support. 
• Develop and sustain at least three high-impact research partnerships during the two-year grant tenure;
• Invest modest resources during the grant term that demonstrate commitment to continuing the Public Exchange model after the end of philanthropic support. This is estimated at approximately $85-$90k annually (with some variation considering local labor markets) to support an operations and project seed fund and any additional capital needed for the Executive Director hire beyond the subsidy. 
• Coordinate with the SSRC research fellow who will examine the impact of Public Exchange at their university and across the network. 
• Work with faculty across their university. Public Exchange can live anywhere within a university at the school or central level. The majority of Public Exchange projects to date at USC and WashU have included researchers from two or more schools, and grantees must be able to work with faculty university-wide. 

The Stephen E. Upton Love Your Community Grant, provided by the Berrien Community Foundation, offers $50,000 annually to non-profit organizations serving Berrien County, Michigan. This grant aims to support projects that address significant community needs, positively impact residents' lives, ensure sustainability after funding ends, and foster collaboration among local entities. Established in 1952, the foundation champions charitable efforts to enhance the quality of life for Berrien County citizens.

The R3PEATS Multi-Team Triangulation initiative supports collaborative research teams to explore a central biomedical question using diverse methods and model systems. It emphasizes the importance of identifying biological variability and ensuring the robustness of findings through replication strategies. This program is part of the NIH Common Fund's Rigor, Replicability, & Reproducibility to Promote Excellence in Science, aiming to enhance the accuracy and translation of scientific discoveries.

MissionThe St. Ignace Area Community Foundation is a not for profit corporation designed to meet and enhance the needs of the community. The foundation provides an opportunity for charitable giving as well as the ability to create a legacy that will last. Your gifts to the Foundation create permanent endowments, from which earnings created annually provide positive impact to our community, thus, "For Good, For Ever."The Grant Grants are usually given one time only, for specific purposes with the understanding that the Foundation has no obligation or commitment to provide any additional support to the grantee. No project will be funded more than once over a 12-month period.

The Capital Region Community Foundation offers Mini-Grants of up to $5,000 to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations and eligible entities for projects benefiting residents of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties, Michigan. Emphasizing diversity, the Foundation seeks applications from small and mid-size nonprofits that promote equitable access to services. Eligible projects include programming, operations, or ongoing initiatives, with a focus on underserved communities. Licenses may be required for solicitation, and certain ineligible requests apply.

The Statistics Program, funded by the National Science Foundation, promotes research in statistical theory and methods applicable across various scientific and engineering domains. It supports projects ranging from individual investigators to interdisciplinary teams, fostering advancements in data collection, analysis, and interpretation. The program emphasizes the importance of statistical methods in modeling uncertainty and enhancing scientific discovery. For more information, please visit the NSF's official website.

The ASMS Postdoctoral Career Development Awards provide five $5,000 grants annually to support the professional growth of postdoctoral fellows in mass spectrometry. Eligible applicants must be ASMS members and postdoctoral fellows within three years of their Ph.D. These awards can cover costs for conferences, workshops, travel to labs, or purchasing essential professional items, fostering career advancement in this specialized field.

The Mellon Emerging Faculty Leaders Award supports early-career faculty committed to building inclusive campus communities. Funded by the Mellon Foundation, it offers a $20,000 stipend to assist with summer research and academic year support. Eligible candidates are assistant professors in tenure-track positions who have passed their third-year review and are engaged in fostering diversity and inclusion in their academic fields. This fellowship not only aids their research but also emphasizes their role in mentoring underrepresented students.

The Community Empowerment Small Grants (CESGs) by the Community Foundation for Muskegon County aim to strengthen local communities through grassroots initiatives. Designed for organizations with budgets under $100,000, these grants support projects such as neighborhood clean-ups, financial literacy classes, and community conversations. Eligible applicants include residents, neighborhood associations, and grassroots groups. Grants can range from $500 to $3,000, fostering educational advancement and enhancing community relationships.

The Mellon Mays Graduate Assistance Program (GAP) supports alumni of the Mellon Mays initiative in their journey to graduate school. By providing resources like structured gap year activities, media resources, and mentoring, the program aims to bridge the transition from undergraduate to graduate studies. It has successfully placed over 90 scholars in advanced programs, fostering diverse perspectives in academia. GAP addresses challenges faced during the gap year, ensuring participants remain engaged and prepared for their academic careers.

Law School Admission Council Inc (LSAC) is committed to promoting access in legal education and the legal profession. LSAC will consider grant proposals from institutions for projects focused on one or more of our strategic goals.LSAC Outreach GrantsLSAC's Board of Trustees has made available funds to support cooperative outreach and applicant-pool expansion events. These grants are designed to encourage law schools to work together to promote legal education. At least three LSAC-member schools must work together on each event. Examples of eligible events include law fairs, conferences, workshops, or other events that are a combination of these types.

The Law School Admission Council, Inc. (“LSAC”) is committed to promoting access in legal education and the legal profession. The LSAC Pathway Grant (the “Grant”) program makes awards to nonprofit institutions for programming focused on one or more of the following strategic goals:

• Goal 1: Early Access/Outreach - Introducing the law and careers in law to students, particularly students facing access and opportunity barriers to information and education, before high school graduation
• Goal 2: Supporting Admissions - Ensuring all applicants, including applicants facing access and opportunity barriers to information, education, and other supports/resources, have access, opportunity, and support in the law school admission process
• Goal 3: 1L Retention - Reducing attrition rates and increasing persistence for law students after the first year of law school, particularly students facing access and opportunity barriers to information, education, and other supports/resources

The Link Foundation offers a prestigious Energy Fellowship aimed at supporting Ph.D. candidates focused on energy innovation. Each fellowship provides $35,000 per year for two years, totaling $70,000. Applicants must be enrolled in a U.S. or Canadian institution and demonstrate satisfactory academic progress. The second-year funding requires an endorsement from the research advisor. This opportunity is ideal for those with a clear thesis direction who need additional support to complete their doctoral studies.

The MAA Tensor Grant Program, supported by the Tensor Foundation, aims to enrich mathematics education for underrepresented students. It encourages women and pre-college girls to pursue mathematics while also supporting historically underrepresented groups, including Black, Hispanic, and Native American students. Each project can receive up to $8,000 in funding, with a focus on clear plans to achieve the program's goals. This initiative fosters a diverse mathematics community and enhances student engagement.

The Community Improvement Initiative Grant Program, offered by the Saginaw Community Foundation, aims to fund impactful projects with grants of up to $40,000. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, community groups, and individuals, provided they have a fiscal sponsor. This program prioritizes initiatives that enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Saginaw County community, fostering collaboration and sustainable improvements.