From youth development and education to neighborhood revitalization and basic needs, Saginaw Community Foundation awarded $803,032 in grants between Jan. 8 and March 11, 2026, supporting 148 and projects via its designated, donor advised and competitive grant processes.
“These grants represent neighbors helping neighbors at scale,” said Reneé Johnston, president and CEO of Saginaw Community Foundation. “Each gift entrusted to the foundation is reinvested into our community and beyond, supporting a wide range of programs that reflect both local and regional needs and our donors’ passions.”
This grant cycle reflects continued investment in organizations working to strengthen communities, expand opportunity and improve quality of life. Funding supported initiatives spanning youth services, housing and neighborhood development, arts and culture, and access to essential services.
Notable highlights from this grant cycle include:
- Support for more than 100 nonprofit organizations across Saginaw County and beyond
- Investments in youth development, education and prevention programming
- Funding for community revitalization and neighborhood-based initiatives
- Continued support for collaborative efforts addressing basic needs and community services
Organizations interested in applying for a grant through Saginaw Community Foundation can learn more at saginawfoundation.org/grants or contact Kendra Kempf, competitive grants program officer, at kendra@saginawfoundation.org. Application deadlines for competitive grants are Feb. 1, June 1 and Oct. 1 each year.
The following SCF funds provided designated and donor advised (non-competitive) grants, supporting a variety of programs/projects, Jan. 8 – Mar. 11, 2026:
A String Instrumental Program Fund – $1,032
BWIA-Michigan
Bay/Saginaw Health Plan – $360,000
United Way of Bay County – ConnectUP, a Community Information Exchange for Bay County residents
Claramunt Dance Scholarship – $1,000
Frankenmuth Dance Center
Damuth Fund – $1,000
New Covenant Christian Center – 2026 WNBA Youth Experience
Dow Community Gives – $4,000
Bridgeport-Spaulding School District – Bridgeport High School Senior Leadership Group – $1,000
First Ward Community Center – $1,000
Merrill High School – Class of 2029 – $1,000
Saginaw Township Community Schools – Heritage High School: Varsity Boys Baseball – $1,000
Fordney Club Donor Advised Fund – $3,750
Fordney Club – Community Baptist Christian School – $500
Hemlock Baseball & Softball Little League – $250
Hemlock Community Pep Club – 2026 Huskie Paw Ball – $250
Saginaw Art Initiative – $500
Saginaw County 4-H Advisory Board – $500
Saginaw Township Community Schools – Heritage High School Boys Baseball – $500
Saginaw Township Community Schools – Heritage High School Girls Soccer – $500
Swan Valley High School Baseball – $750
Hemlock Semiconductor Hemlock Site Fund – $2,500
Frankenmuth Public Schools – Muth Community Players – $500
Freeland Community Schools – Freeland Robotics Team FRC 5166 – $1,000
MUTH Youth Baseball and Softball Ltd. – Frankenmuth 8U Grey Team – $1,000
Aarol W. & Elaine M. Irish Family Foundation Fund – $5,500
East Side Soup Kitchen – $2,500
St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital – $3,000
Lucille and James V. Martineau Family Fund – $2,500
TempleArts – Andy Warhol exhibition
Mike and Betsy Meyer Youth Fund – $1,000
Saginaw Field and Stream Club -Youth Training
Nexteer Community Improvement Fund – $27,050
The Children’s Center (Detroit) – $20,000
Friends of Hoyt Park – Pond Hockey Tournament – $2,800
Michigan Special Olympics – $250
Minority Entrepreneurial Enterprise (local fiduciary for NHL Street Ball) – $3,000
SCF – Community Engagement and Inclusion Council Symposium – $1,000
Wilkins Donor Advised Fund – $5,200
BWIA-Michigan
SCF Staff Discretionary – $1,000
Saginaw County – Threads of Hope
Robert E. Stark & Martin H. Stark Foundation Fund – $189,000
Supporting 107 nonprofit agencies with grants ranging from $500 to $10,000
The following organizations received grants to support programs/projects via various competitive grants available through SCF, Jan. 8, – Mar. 11, 2026:
211 Northeast Michigan – $25,000 (from the Lulah C. McMullen & Family Endowment Fund) Saginaw County Essential Services Connection Project
Adoption Option – $25,000 ($14,953 from the Carl Werth, Sr. & Ruth Werth Memorial Fund and $10,047 from the Lulah C. McMullen & Family Endowment Fund) Hope Finds a Home
CAN Council of the Great Lakes Bay Region – $25,000 ($12,500 from the At-Risk Youth Fund, $10,000 from the Saginaw County Youth FORCE Fund, $2,500 from the YWCA Fund for Women & Children) Prevention Education: Creating Safe Communities for Saginaw County Children
The Caring Closet – $21,000 ($14,526 from the Healthy Youth Healthy Seniors Fund and $6,474 from the Lulah C. McMullen & Family Endowment Fund.)
Caring Closet Parking and Building Expansion
FACT – Families and Children Together – $12,500 ($10,000 from the Saginaw County Youth FORCE Fund, $2,500 from the YWCA Fund for Women & Children) Community-Based Care Prevention Program
The Great Mural Project – $5,000 (from the SCF Unrestricted Fund) Community Canopy
Greater Impact International Ministries – $10,000 (from the Lulah C. McMullen & Family Endowment Fund) Greater Impact Community Outreach
Michigan Center for Youth Justice – $5,000 (from the Saginaw County Youth FORCE Fund) Strengthening Juvenile Justice Coordination in Saginaw County
One Week, One Street – $15,000 (from the SCF Unrestricted Fund) One Week, One Street
ROOTEDin HOPE – $15,000 (from the At-Risk Youth Fund) Read Lead Succeed
Saginaw Shiawassee Habitat for Humanity – $30,000 ($692 from the Neighborhood Revitalization Fund and $29,308 from the SCF Unrestricted Fund) Neighborhood Revitalization 2026
Women’s Farm and Garden – $10,000 (from the SCF Unrestricted Fund) 100 Trees for 100 Years from 100s of Women