Lowell Area Community Fund

Mission, Purpose, Area Served, and Areas Funded

The Lowell Area Community Fund gives grants to organizations that assist in fulfilling its mission to assure community cooperation and participation that supports a healthy, dynamic community. The fund places an emphasis on broad educational initiatives, but also supports initiatives in the areas of arts & culture, community development, environment, health, human service, and recreation in the Lowell area. The Lowell area is currently defined as the City of Lowell, the Township of Lowell, and the Township of Vergennes.

Grant Instructions, Deadlines and Application Information

The Lowell Area Community Fund gives grants to organizations that assist in fulfilling its mission: to assure community cooperation and participation that supports a healthy, dynamic community. The fund places an emphasis on broad educational initiatives, but also supports initiatives in the areas of: Arts & Culture, Community Development, Environment, Health, Human Services, and Recreation.

Examples are projects that:

• Encourage and promote community involvement
• Represent an innovative, start-up effort
• Obtain the necessary additional funding to implement and maintain the project
• Yield substantial community benefit
• Have non-profit, 501(c)(3) status
• Serve a broad segment of the community
• Promote cooperation among agencies
• Address needs of the Lowell area
• Address quality of life issues
• Promote civic and community pride
• Strengthen or improve agency self-sufficiency or efficiency

While the Lowell Area Community Fund encourages creative and innovative projects, it generally does not support:

• Political projects, or those that are primarily cause-related
• Individuals
• Religious organizations for religious purposes
• Profit-making activities

Grant applications are accepted three times a year on the third Friday of April, August, and December.

For more information, please contact Kate Luckert Schmid, Program Director, at 616.454.1751, extension 117 or email her at kluckert@grfoundation.org.

Recent Grants Approved

June 2010

• 21st Century Law Enforcement recieved $22,337 to enhance the operability of law enforcement communications between the new Kent County Sheriff Department Dispatch system and Lowell Police Department with the purpose of increased citizen/officer safety.
• Downtown Lowell Historic District recieved $25,000 to continue a program of historic preservation of Lowell's downtown buildings.
• City of Lowell recieved $10,000 to provide more trees throughout the City in both public and private areas.
• Greater Lowell Chamber Foundation recieved $22,266 to provide continued match funding for implementation of the Greater Lowell Community Marketing Plan.
• Kent/MSU Extension recieved $50,000 to preserve approximately 500 acres of prime and unique farmland in Vergennes and Lowell Townships through Kent County's Purchase of Development Rights Program by December 2011.
• Lowell Area Arts Council recieved $3,462 to support technology upgrades including website, emails, computer hard drives, and printer.
• Lowell Area Historical Museum recieved $5,000 to fund a 2 year special exhibit on the unique history of the furniture manufacturing in Lowell and Grand Rapids, better known as "Furniture City".
• Academic Service Learning recieved $65,000 to continue to grow the practice of high-quality academic service learning within Lowell Area Schools and develop a long-term funding stream for continuation of programs.
• Elementary Theatre/Performing Arts Experience recieved $3,432 to provide an opportunity for students to experience performing arts in grades K-5.
• Lowell Charter Township recieved $4,200 to provide seating for parents and grandparents of children playing on soccer and lacross teams that play and practice at the Lowell Charter Township park.
• Rockford Ambulance recieved $14,500 to purchase a patient stretcher, "12 lead" cardiac monitor and a computer notebook for patient care reporting for Lowell Ambulance.

February 2010

• Amity School Routes Sidewalks recieved $45,300 to construct sidewalks in the Amity Street area to promote safer school walks to Bushnell and the Middle School.
• Flat River Outreach Ministries, Inc. recieved $6,600 to build capacity and sustainability, wrapping up work with an Organizational Development/Annual Fund Consultant to fully develop Annual Fund efforts.
• Greater Lowell Chamber Foundation recieved $14,880 to publish the Kaleidoscope insert and community-based online calendar.
• Lowell Showboat Sizzlin' Summer Concert Series recieved $12,288 to provide support funding for the 2010 Summer Concert Series.
• Lowell Area Arts Council recieved $14,000 to support programs in the visual and performing arts and arts education outreach support services and programs.
• Tots on Track for School recieved $74,000 to help families prepare their preschool children to enter school healthy and ready to learn.
• Lowell Area Schools Education Foundation recieved $20,000 to fund grants for innovative projects that support and enhance education in the Lowell Area Schools.
• Lowell Community Wellness recieved $10,000 to inspire and educate the greater Lowell community to attain a healthier lifestyle.