— NONPROFIT INFORMATION

Eligibility and Giving Guidelines

Grant projects should fit into one of the five focus areas below.

Arts and Culture


Projects that foster greater exposure or participation in the arts and culture sphere (including culinary arts), or use the arts as a medium for creative expression.  This includes projects that support art classes or education.

Education


Projects that expand or improve learning, primarily for children, with a focus on projects to improve literacy, opportunties for tutoring and mentoring students, and including work on GED equivalency programs and  college prep.

Family and Individual Support


Projects that support the lives of individuals and families with a focus on housing, transportation, living wage, food insecurity, job skills training, or other basic needs.

Health and Wellness


Projects that improve physical and/or mental skills, foster healthy living habits, or implement or expand life skills programs that promote independent living.

Revitalization, Recreation and Environment


Projects to revitalize/create community spaces (including gardens and greenhouses), support environmental awareness, promote positive, sustainable relationships between people and their environment, and promote animal welfare.

Click each section to learn more about organization and project requirements.

  • Organization Eligibility

    • Be classified as a “Public Charity” with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (individual or private foundations are not eligible)
    • Located in Wayne, Oakland or Macomb County
    • Have at least three full fiscal years of financial statements (audited or reviewed are preferred), and at least three years of completed tax filings
    • Not be a recipient of an Impact100 Metro Detroit project grant ($100,000) in the past three grant cycles

  • Preference will be given to organizations that:

    • Have annual operating budgets of at least $300,000 and below $5,000,000
    • Are not affiliated with a larger national or regional parent organization
    • Have an innovative mission and approach in making a long lasting impact on our community
    • Have a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy and a board/leadership team that reflects the population the project will serve

  • Project Eligibility

    Project needs to:

    • Be transformational - create a new program, expand an existing program, or create a new or expanded collaboration
    • Fit within one of the focus areas noted above
    • Serve residents of and expend funds primarily in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb County
    • Have a total project budget of at least $100,000.
    • Expend the funds within 18 months of being awarded

  • Impact100 Metro Detroit prefers projects with the following characteristics:

    • Target under-served populations
    • Highlight unmet needs in the community
    • Have a clear sustainability plan on how outcomes will be delivered - even after the grant money has been spent
    • Have a measurable and high impact on beneficiaries
    • Provide the majority of the funding for the entire project, or for a specific carve-out of the project
    • Allocate 15% or less of total grant funds to overhead/salary expenses for the project

  • Grants will not be provided for the following:

    • Debt reduction, operating deficits, interim or bridge funding, or endowment funding
    • Activities that are religious or political in nature
    • Fund drives, annual appeals, fundraising events, or general capital campaigns
    • Individuals or private foundations
    • Projects that will only provide current services to current beneficiaries for another year