St. Clair County Community Foundation has granted nearly $1.3 million in 2024 so far

McKenna Golat, Port Huron Times Herald
·2 min read
The new pocket park in Capac. This project was one of many to receive grant funding from the St. Clair County Community Foundation.
The new pocket park in Capac. This project was one of many to receive grant funding from the St. Clair County Community Foundation.

The St. Clair County Community Foundation has given out nearly $1.3 million in grants to a variety of organizations, programs and projects throughout the county so far this year.

The grant funds come from several individual endowed funds, donor advised funds and standing grantmaking committees. Patti Manley, board chair of the foundation, said in a press release the grants this year reflect the diversity and interest of the foundation's donors.

"This variety spread throughout our region is what makes our work so exciting," she said.

Manley said the foundation continues to accept grant applications throughout the year, although many of the standing committees tend to run out of funds by late summer. She said when standing committees are out of available grant funds, the foundation's staff sends new requests on to individual donors.

Mid-City Nutrition Executive Director Sarah Jones said the soup kitchen was fortunate to receive multiple grants from the foundation and its donors last year. Jones recently met with the foundation's Main Grants Committee to ask for another $30,000 in funding. Her request was approved with partial funding coming from the James C Acheson Donor Advised Fund.

Executive Director of Mid-City Nutrition Sarah Jones. Mid-City Nutrition was one of several organizations that received funding from the St. Clair County Community Foundation.
Executive Director of Mid-City Nutrition Sarah Jones. Mid-City Nutrition was one of several organizations that received funding from the St. Clair County Community Foundation.

"There is never enough funds available for basic needs. We are blessed to have endowed funds as well as individual donors who will join our efforts at funding our most trusted local nonprofits such as Mid-City," said Lindsey Adams-Fitchett, chair of the Main Grant Committee.

The foundation has also provided grant funding for food backpack programs for Memphis Community Schools, Port Huron Area Schools and the Woodland Developmental Center.

Through late April, the Foundation approved 148 individual grants which are supporting a wide range of programs, projects and organizations throughout the region.

  • $45,000 for a range of tutoring and SAT prep support to the Athletic Factory.

  • $40,000 to Yale High School for extra-curricular student activities from the DuPont Fund.

  • $24,000 to the Friends of the St. Clair River for their management and oversight of regional efforts to complete the remaining gaps in the Bridge to Bay trail system.

  • $21,000 to the city of St. Clair for the beautification projects from the Ernest and Barbara Oskin Fund.

  • $10,000 for artwork in a new pocket park in Capac, with funding coming from the DTE Foundation Fund.

  • $10,290 for the new Belle River Fishing Pier in Marine City.

  • $8,000 to the Blue Water Robotics Alliance to support teams going to States.

  • $7,575 for the Blue Water Building Trades Fair.

  • $5,000 to the Port Huron DDA for a new Blue Water Fest Kid Zone activity during Boat Week

  • $3,000 to the Port Huron Police Department Youth Academy.

Contact McKenna Golat at mgolat@gannett.com.

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This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: St. Clair County Community Foundation year to date grants