Best Grants for Education Nonprofits in Michigan

Dr. Jill Biden Scholarship - Biden Breast Health Initiative

Essay:

• Why have you chosen a career in health care or education, and why do you feel it is important to encourage others to adopt a healthy lifestyle?

Awards:

• One time award of $2,500; one award per county. 

The Don and Anne Ward Scholarship, offered by the Delaware Community Foundation, provides a one-time award of $500 for graduating seniors at Sussex Tech high school. This scholarship aims to support students pursuing a degree in Education, reflecting the Foundation's commitment to enhancing educational opportunities and equity in Delaware. In the 2024-2025 school year, the DCF awarded a total of $850,000 in scholarships to help students achieve their academic goals.

Robert J. & Kathryn W. Davis Scholarship

Award:

4-year award of $7,500 per year, renewable each year. Student must maintain a 2.75 GPA and remain in their major to renew their award each year. Possible medical school awards could follow if applicant moves on to medical school.

The Clarence and Bonnie Shaffer Scholarship, administered by the Marshall County Community Foundation, aims to support students affiliated with Trinity United Methodist Church pursuing post-secondary education in ministry, music ministry, or education. Preference is given to first-year undergraduates, but graduate students may also qualify if no undergraduates apply. This scholarship represents a commitment to nurturing local talent and fostering educational opportunities within the community.

Cumberland Community Foundation ("CCF") manages more than 60 scholarship endowment funds created by local individuals, families, civic organizations, and corporations who want to provide a path to higher education for future generations. 

Each year, Cumberland Community Foundation announces more than $1,000,000 in college scholarships to students from southeastern North Carolina.

Brian Edkins Memorial Scholarship

Graduating senior from Cape Fear High School; South View High School (Cumberland County) or Scotland High School (Scotland County, NC).

The Detter Family Foundation Education Scholarship, offered by the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, aims to support residents of Allendale Charter Township pursuing post-secondary education. This competitive scholarship considers various criteria including financial need, academic achievement, and personal goals. Applicants can apply just once to be eligible for all applicable foundation scholarships, ensuring a streamlined process for securing educational funding.

Holcomb Family Education Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 2008 by the Hall County Optimist Club to honor long-time educators, J.H. Holcomb and his sisters, Margaret, Mildred, and Nell. Applicants must have demonstrated financial need and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. In 2026, one scholarship award of $1,000 will be offered.

The Louise Wachter Wickham Scholarship, established in 1997 by Donna Wickham Furth, supports high school seniors pursuing a degree in elementary education. This scholarship is awarded based on financial need and academic performance. Recipients must demonstrate commitment to education and may need to submit additional documents such as transcripts and recommendation letters. The fund honors Louise Wachter Wickham, a dedicated teacher who believed in the transformative power of education.

Ann Query Scholarship

Graduating senior who attends public, private, or home school and resides in the Zeeland Public School District area (student does not have to attend Zeeland Public Schools to be eligible)

About Us

Mission

We enhance the quality of life for all by working together to collectively address challenges and opportunities throughout West Michigan.

Vision

We advance the well-being of our communities by creating the best places to live, learn, work, give, and engage.

Who We Serve

We serve our entire community, without exception. Our commitment is for every individual, family, and organization who works in, visits, or calls the greater Northern Ottawa County area home.

The GHACF is a welcoming place for all people. We believe all people should:

• Feel welcome, safe, and accepted
• Be treated with respect and dignity
• Have equitable access to opportunities to improve their lives and the lives of their families
• Have a voice in the community

Grant Application Process

The Coopersville Area Community Foundation:

• Encourages programs which are collaborative, comprehensive, and have potential for continuity.
• Encourages leveraging and matching grant opportunities involving multiple funding sources.
• Supports “seed money” requests to assist innovative projects.
• Encourages programs and projects focused on problem prevention rather than cure.

Coopersville Area Grant Program

To begin the process, contact the CACF team to discuss your proposal. We’ll then review your proposal within two weeks of submission to determine whether the project aligns with our grantmaking priorities, and will respond with next steps.

If eligible the appropriate grant application will be made available to you through the online application portal. Grant applications are reviewed with due diligence and may require a follow-up site visit. Lastly, final grant decisions are made with funding recommendations made by the committee and approved through our Board of Trustees.

May Family Foundation

Eleanor Jean May established the May Family Foundation in 2000, as a gesture of gratitude to the communities that shaped her life. The May Family Foundation is dedicated to identifying programs that strongly resonate with our mission and values as we work together to empower and uplift lives within our communities.

Our foundation provides resources and opportunities that empower young individuals to thrive and reach their full potential. Our goal is to create a brighter future for under-resourced youth in our local communities.

May Family Foundation Mentoring Grant

Our foundation strives to be engaged in our local communities beyond grant funding. We support select programs that align with our goals and form a connection through potential volunteering opportunities, site visits, and recognition of successes.

We welcome grant applications for financial support in mentoring:

• Programs that pair students with adult mentors who provide guidance and support to help students succeed academically and develop important life skills.
• These can go beyond the classroom, such as sports and recreation enrichment programs.

May Family Foundation

Eleanor Jean May established the May Family Foundation in 2000, as a gesture of gratitude to the communities that shaped her life. The May Family Foundation is dedicated to identifying programs that strongly resonate with our mission and values as we work together to empower and uplift lives within our communities.

Our foundation provides resources and opportunities that empower young individuals to thrive and reach their full potential. Our goal is to create a brighter future for under-resourced youth in our local communities.

May Family Foundation Education Grant

Our foundation strives to be engaged in our local communities beyond grant funding. We support select programs that align with our goals and form a connection through potential volunteering opportunities, site visits, and recognition of successes.

We welcome grant applications for financial support in education:

• Programs and services that offer a range of activities and academic support, such as
  • homework help,
  • tutoring, and
  • extracurricular activities.
• Scholarships and financial support that help students meet their required expenses while in school.

The Urban Indian Health Program - Education & Research collaborates with the US Dept. of Health & Human Services to enhance educational and research opportunities for urban Indian populations. This initiative aims to address health disparities and ensure that urban Indians have access to quality health services and information. By partnering with various urban Indian organizations, the program fosters community engagement and empowers individuals through education and research, ultimately improving health outcomes.

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) offers research training programs aimed at advancing education research through two key initiatives: the Early Career Development and Mentoring Program and the Methods Training Program. These programs support emerging researchers in developing their skills and enhancing their research capabilities to address vital education issues. The funding is designed for early career investigators and current education researchers, fostering rigorous and relevant research that informs education policy and practice.

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) offers training programs through the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) to enhance special education research. For FY 2027, the focus is on Methods Training, particularly on analyzing large datasets related to learners with disabilities. This initiative supports early career researchers and current education researchers in developing rigorous methodologies to address significant educational challenges, aiming to inform policy and practice in special education.

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) offers a grant to support state education agencies in utilizing longitudinal data systems to inform policies and programs for learners with disabilities. This initiative aims to enhance evidence-based decision-making at both state and local levels, ensuring better educational outcomes for at-risk students. The grant encourages collaboration and effective use of data to promote informed policymaking in special education.

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) offers the Statistical and Research Methodology in Education grant (84.305D) to enhance education research through improved statistical methods and tools. This program invites applications focused on Core Grants for developing new methodologies or Toolkits for compiling existing research into user-friendly resources. The initiative aims to ensure these products are rigorously tested and disseminated widely to support effective education research practices.

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) supports state agencies in utilizing their longitudinal data systems to inform educational policies and program decisions. This grant aims to enhance access to high-quality education and improve academic performance among learners. By empowering local education agencies with data-driven insights, IES fosters evidence-based practices that can lead to significant advancements in educational outcomes. This initiative is essential for shaping effective education strategies across states.

Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County. We use distributions from the more than 500 charitable funds — created by generous, local donors — to award more than $2.5 million in grants and scholarships each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable community we call home.

Marion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.

Art & Anne Huggler Memorial Scholarship

The Art & Anne Huggler Memorial Scholarship Fund supports local students pursuing a degree in education or engineering.

Art hailed from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, graduating with a degree in electrical engineering from Penn State. He was a Navy veteran of World War II and worked for GTE for 35 years. He enjoyed travel and golf and was a licensed pilot. Anne was a teacher and homemaker. They are the parents of two, grandparents of five and great-grandparents of nine. The couple was active with St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, where Art directed Art Market Marion.

The Huggler Scholarship seeks especially to assist Marion area students with substantial financial need. It was established in 2015 by their daughter, Linda Halt.

Marion Community Foundation

Since 1998, area residents have been turning to Marion Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. We are a public charity serving thousands of people who share a common concern … improving the quality of life in Marion County. We use distributions from the more than 500 charitable funds — created by generous, local donors — to award more than $2.5 million in grants and scholarships each year to many of the humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in this remarkable community we call home.

Marion Community Foundation is the area’s leading philanthropic organization, providing charitable donors the opportunity to easily create endowment funds to benefit and support our community through grants and scholarships. We serve communities throughout Marion County through philanthropy, leadership, and civic engagement.

Calvin H. & Elizabeth L. Topliff Scholarship

Georgia Mathews, mother to Marion Community Foundation board member, Spencer Mathews, created this endowed scholarship in 2023 in honor of her parents. The scholarship will be awarded to Marion County students who are pursuing a career in either education or engineering, with special consideration for students who will be attending Ohio Northern University, which is where Georgia’s parents met.

Betty Beatty Topliff was born in Pittsburgh but ended up in Marion after meeting Calvin at Ohio Northern and moving to his hometown of Marion. Betty (1928-2022) was a dedicated teacher for 30 years, most recently at Ridgedale High School. Calvin (1924-2009) was an Army veteran who served in Europe during WWII and was awarded the Bronze Star. Calvin retired from the marketing department of Ohio Edison Marion Division after 36 years of service.

Following retirement, Calvin and Betty were Florida snowbirds, but Betty returned to Marion after Calvin’s death to be with her beloved children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Digital Promise

Digital Promise is a global nonprofit working to expand opportunity for every learner. Working with a wide range of partners and practitioners in the U.S. and around the world, our initiatives have impacted over 4.4 million students and 180,000 teachers across 173 districts and in 27 countries to date.

Digital Promise was authorized by Congress in 2008, signed into law by President George W. Bush, and formally launched by President Barack Obama in September 2011. Startup support came from the U.S. Department of Education, Carnegie Corporation of New York, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Since then, Digital Promise has grown rapidly with support from both original and new funders.

AIMS EduData Initiative

The Advancing Innovative Math Solutions (AIMS) EduData Initiative, funded by the Gates Foundation, seeks to build sustainable and scalable research infrastructure to advance math learning. AIMS EduData especially encourages applications from graduate students and early career professionals, educators with research roles, such as those working in district research offices, and researchers located at minority serving institutions or Title I school districts. Successful applicants will conduct original research using datasets provided by leading digital learning platforms (DLPs) and participate in a growing community.

RightOn Education and Teachley Math RFP

For education researchers and practitioners

Benefits for successful applicants:

• Opportunity to investigate associations between features of a Digital Learning Platform and mechanisms supporting student learning, engagement, motivation, and instructional practice.
• Opportunity to contribute to the education R&D movement by expanding its capacity and skills, providing feedback to DLPs about the utility of their datasets and insights about their features, and demonstrating the affordances and value of conducting research through DLPs.
• Involvement in a dynamic, supportive community of digital learning providers and researchers
• Two proposals will be funded

This solicitation offers opportunities to run experiments in two DLPs. One enables research with Teachley Math, an intervention that includes interactive digital games and problem-solving modeling tools, lessons and formative assessment data for students in grades K-5. The second enables research with RightOn Education, an online digital learning platform for grades 7-10 that allows teachers to create or select math games, engage students in feedback and reflection on their thinking, and access real-time information about student misconceptions. 

RightOn Education

RightOn Education is particularly interested in research investigating questions related to the following areas (illustrative research questions are provided below):

• Student confidence and math self-efficacy: How do patterns of student confidence differ across correct and incorrect responses, and how do they vary by question or Common Core standard?
• Productive struggle, metacognition, and learning from misconceptions: How do different types of reflection prompts (e.g., self-directed vs. peer-directed explanations) affect the likelihood of optional hint submission and the length of student-generated hints?
• Student motivation and engagement: How do different incentive conditions influence student participation in optional activities, and how are they associated with student correctness and confidence?

Digital Promise

Digital Promise is a global nonprofit working to expand opportunity for every learner. Working with a wide range of partners and practitioners in the U.S. and around the world, our initiatives have impacted over 4.4 million students and 180,000 teachers across 173 districts and in 27 countries to date.

Digital Promise was authorized by Congress in 2008, signed into law by President George W. Bush, and formally launched by President Barack Obama in September 2011. Startup support came from the U.S. Department of Education, Carnegie Corporation of New York, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Since then, Digital Promise has grown rapidly with support from both original and new funders.

AIMS EduData Initiative

The Advancing Innovative Math Solutions (AIMS) EduData Initiative, funded by the Gates Foundation, seeks to build sustainable and scalable research infrastructure to advance math learning. AIMS EduData especially encourages applications from graduate students and early career professionals, educators with research roles, such as those working in district research offices, and researchers located at minority serving institutions or Title I school districts. Successful applicants will conduct original research using datasets provided by leading digital learning platforms (DLPs) and participate in a growing community.

RightOn Education and Teachley Math RFP

For education researchers and practitioners

Benefits for successful applicants:

• Opportunity to investigate associations between features of a Digital Learning Platform and mechanisms supporting student learning, engagement, motivation, and instructional practice.
• Opportunity to contribute to the education R&D movement by expanding its capacity and skills, providing feedback to DLPs about the utility of their datasets and insights about their features, and demonstrating the affordances and value of conducting research through DLPs.
• Involvement in a dynamic, supportive community of digital learning providers and researchers
• Two proposals will be funded

This solicitation offers opportunities to run experiments in two DLPs. One enables research with Teachley Math, an intervention that includes interactive digital games and problem-solving modeling tools, lessons and formative assessment data for students in grades K-5. The second enables research with RightOn Education, an online digital learning platform for grades 7-10 that allows teachers to create or select math games, engage students in feedback and reflection on their thinking, and access real-time information about student misconceptions. 

Teachley Math

Teachley Math is particularly interested in research investigating:

• Through what mechanisms does feedback shape outcomes?
• What sequences of tool actions best predict eventual correctness?
• What are common error patterns and do they vary by grade level?
• Do process measures add predictive validity beyond final-answer accuracy?

Ann Lane Gates Scholarship Fund

Established by Ann Lane Gates to provide scholarships for Project GRAD Akron Public Schools students.

Amount:

• Varies $500-$1,500

Number of awards:

• Varies

Renewal:

• Renewable for three additional years. Must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA, continue to pursue a degree in education, and reapply annually by submission of a new application.

Tara Lynn Clossman Memorial Fund

Established by the Clossman family and many others in memory of Tara Clossman, who passed away suddenly in 2016 at the age of 25, to provide postsecondary scholarships to Akron City School District high school seniors pursuing a career in dance or education.

Amount:

• Varies ($1,000 minimum)

Number of awards:

• Varies

Renewal:

• No

The Hardin County Principal Organization Scholarship, offered by the Central Kentucky Community Foundation, aims to support graduating seniors from Hardin County Schools who plan to pursue a career in education. Applicants must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. This scholarship serves as a stepping stone for future educators, ensuring they have the financial resources to achieve their academic goals and contribute positively to their communities.

About Us

Bay Area Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization created by and for the people of the Bay Area. We offer a range of flexible giving tools to help our donors make a positive impact on the community and causes that align with their interests and passions. In addition to first-rate donor service, we manage our community’s permanent endowment and award grants to address the community’s most pressing needs and promising opportunities.

Since 1982, our community has used our resources to make charitable gifts more effective. We provide maximum flexibility in establishing, managing, and distributing your gifts. Through our donors’ generosity, we can help support arts and culture, community initiatives, education and youth, environment, health and wellness, human services, and recreation in our area.

Bay County Community Partnership Grants

Twice a year, our Community Partnership Grants present an opportunity for registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits to apply for funding for their projects and programs. Whether the project is centered around the arts, education, environment, health, human services, recreation, or community initiatives, our grants are here to fuel passion and bring ideas to life.

Together, we can empower our community with transformative ideas and create a lasting legacy of progress. Grant applications are accepted from January to March and July to September, with awards granted in May and December. Together, let’s shape a brighter future for Bay County.

Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians

The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians is a sovereign nation and has three main branches of government – Judicial, Executive, and Legislative. One of our most important resources is our people.

Education

The Confederated Tribes of Siletz seeks to provide opportunities for Tribal members to reach potential, establish independence and improve quality of life through lifelong learning and education.

Arthur S. Bensell Memorial Scholarship

Arthur S. Bensell was an educator, civic leader, Tribal Council member and Tribal Chairman. He spent many years in service to his community and Tribe as Mayor of the City of Siletz and tribal leader.

Art attended Ohio State University and graduated from Heidelberg College in 1934. During his career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, he served as a teacher, principal and reservation principal in Minnesota, Alaska and North Dakota. Upon returning to Siletz, Art became involved in tribal business affairs and served many years on the Tribe’s Education Committee and always strived for better educational opportunities for Tribal members.

A memorial scholarship fund was established through the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians to honor and award Tribal members in education. The $1000 scholarship is administered by the Tribal Education Committee and strengthened by various fund raising activities throughout the year.