From June 12 – Oct. 8, 2015, Saginaw Community Foundation (SCF) granted $215,685.19, supporting 41 programs and projects via its designated, donor advised and competitive grant processes. Year-to-date, SCF has granted a total of $945,734.29 in grants.

“Every person who has supported the foundation – whether through donations, volunteering or advocacy – has helped us give much needed support to area programs. It’s people like you who truly help make an impact in Saginaw and make our community a better place,” said Reneé Johnston, president and CEO of the foundation. “We strive to grant funds to support programs that will truly make a difference in our communities.”

Programs managed by a variety of organizations were supported, including Frankenmuth Farmers Market, Saginaw Valley Police Canine Association (SCF), Saginaw Valley State University, and United Way of Saginaw County. Grants were funded by The Dow Chemical Company communityGives Youth Volunteer Grant Program, the Dow Corning Donor Advised Fund, the Nexteer Steering the Future Fund, the SCF Unrestricted Fund, as well as various designated and donor advised funds.

Currently, SCF manages 25 unrestricted funds, 98 designated funds and 49 donor advised funds.

A $11,888.20 grant was awarded to Saginaw Valley Police Canine Association (SCF) for the implementation of two new K9 units. The addition of two new units will bring the total number of units to four and allow for 24/7 K9 coverage. Since 2013, Saginaw Valley Police Canine Association has covered the expenses for K9 units. The units are utilized in the City of Saginaw and, when mutual aid is requested, all of Saginaw County. With four K9 units, law enforcement officials now have double the capacity for searching for illegal narcotics, weapons, missing people and fleeing suspects, as well as providing for officer safety and public relations. Funds for this grant were provided by the SCF Unrestricted Fund.

Saginaw Valley State University received a total of $13,030 in grant funding to create the Saginaw Community Writing Center. The two-year pilot program will be housed at Butman-Fish Library in Saginaw and will be staffed by SVSU Writing Center tutors. Workshops will be held covering a variety of topics including crafting business letters, resumes, professional emails; college preparation writing, such as creating effective SAT and scholarship application essays; and personal writing, such as creating letters, personal journals, short stories or poems. The center will hold its workshops and open tutoring hours biweekly, offering a total of 10 hours of tutoring and writing instruction each month for students in grades 6-12. There is no charge for students to attend. Funding for this grant was provided by the SCF Unrestricted Fund ($6,434), the Saginaw County Child Development Fund ($3,966), and the YWCA Fund for Women & Children ($2,630).

United Way of Saginaw County received a total of $10,000 in grant funding for the Healthy Kids Healthy Futures Partnership AmeriCorps Program. The program places high-quality AmeriCorps members to enhance and expand youth and parent services provided by 11 partner agencies in Saginaw City and Carrollton, specifically in an after-school setting and summer setting. Members assist with services focused on physical exercise, nutrition education, substance abuse prevention and violence prevention at various community center organizations in Saginaw. It is estimated that 700+ at-risk youth and parents/guardians will be directly served. Funding for this grant was provided by the At-Risk Youth Fund ($3,966), the Carl Werth, Sr. and Ruth Werth Memorial Fund ($3,404), and the YWCA Fund for Women & Children ($2,630).

Frankenmuth Farmers Market received a $20,000 grant to help with the construction of a permanent structure to house the market. When completed in May 2016, the multi-faceted project will offer fresh produce, locally produced products, nutrition and cooking classes, employment opportunities, and entrepreneurial opportunities including an incubator kitchen to stimulate food-related business growth. Funds for this grant were provided by the SCF Unrestricted Fund.

Organizations interested in applying for a grant through SCF can learn more at our Grants page, or contact Kendra Kempf, program officer, at (989) 755-0545 or via email. 

The following SCF funds provided designated and donor advised (non-competitive) grants, June 12–Oct. 8, 2015:

Bierlein Family Diabetes Fund – $3,000

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)

Dow communityGives – $17,000

2002 Junior Spirit Hockey Team – $1,000

Birch Run Schools Band Program – $1,000

Chesaning High School Key Club – $1,000

Freeland High School Football Team – $1,000

Hemlock Schools (8th Grade Class) – $1,000

Heritage High School Players – $1,000

Major Chords for Minors – $1,000

Merrill Community Schools Middle School Volleyball Team – $1,000

Nouvel Catholic Central High School Volleyball Team – $1,000

Saginaw Black Nurses Association (JRich Ballers Basketball Program) – $1,000

Saginaw County 4-H Reins on the Road – $1,000

Saginaw County 4-H Taymouth Trotters – $1,000

Saginaw Kiwanis Foundation 10U Golds Baseball Team – $1,000

Saginaw Public School District Arthur Hill High School Football Team – $1,000

Saginaw Public School District Arthur Hill High School JV Volleyball Team – $1,000

Saginaw Public School District Arthur Hill High School Varsity Volleyball Team – $1,000

Swan Valley Middle School Girl HYPE – $1,000

Dr. Roger N. Kahn Fund – $250

American Legion St. Charles Post 468 (to purchase American flags that will be distributed to the public during their events)

Nexteer Education Fund – $8,500

Bay City Public Schools – $4,000 (Western High School FIRST Robotics Team)

Midland Public Schools – $4,000 (Midland Dow High School FIRST Robotics Team)

Saginaw Township Community Schools – $500 (Hemmeter Elementary School Destination Imagination Team)

Nexteer Steering the Future Fund – $5,000.00

Mid-Michigan Children’s Museum (Auto Works Gallery Repair and Replacement Plan) – $2,500

Saginaw Arts & Enrichment Commission Fund at SCF (Celebrating Saginaw’s Cultures: Building Unity through Diversity) – $2,000

United Way of Saginaw County (Healthy Kids Healthy Futures Partnership AmeriCorps Program) – $500

Saginaw Leadership Cares – $2,635

First Choice Saginaw (to purchase gift cards to be distributed to Saginaw County residents with mental disabilities living in adult foster care)

SASA Athletic Boosters – $1,000

Valley Lutheran High School (to support the 2015 co-op football program)

Wolohan Enterprises Inc Fund – $1,000

Saginaw Future Inc. (Campaign 2014-2016)

The following organizations received grants to support programs/projects via various competitive grants available through SCF:

Frankenmuth Farmers Market – $20,000

(from the SCF Unrestricted Fund)
Ready, Set, Grow the Frankenmuth Farmers Market

Saginaw Valley Police Canine Association – $11,888.20

(from the SCF Unrestricted Fund)
Implementation of two new Saginaw Police K9 units

Saginaw Valley State University – $13,030

($6,434 from the SCF Unrestricted Fund; $3,966 from the Saginaw County Child Development Fund; $2,630 from the YWCA Fund for Women & Children)
Saginaw Community Writing Center

United Way of Saginaw County – $10,000

($3,966 from the At-Risk Youth Fund; $3,404 from the Carl Werth, Sr. and Ruth Werth Memorial Fund; $2,630 from the YWCA Fund for Women & Children)
Healthy Kids Healthy Futures Partnership AmeriCorps Program