2022 Scholarship and Grant Opportunities
In 2021, the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation (MPACF) awarded more than $800,000 through scholarships and grants benefitting local students, charitable organizations, schools and units of government. “Thanks to the power of endowment, the Community Foundation was able to support more than 400 organizations and individuals last year” stated CEO Amanda Schafer. MPACF has granted more than $10 million total since it was founded in 1990.
MPACF is now accepting applications for 100+ scholarship opportunities. Most are available to local students who will complete their senior year of high school or GED this spring. There are also two music scholarships for younger students, and more than a dozen scholarships for students already enrolled in, or planning to return to, some form of higher education. Frequently asked questions, a video tutorial, and a link to the online application system can be found at www.mpacf.org. More information will be shared on the Foundation’s Facebook page over the coming weeks. The 2022 scholarship application deadline is Wednesday, March 2.
MPACF is also accepting applications for its first of two annual competitive grant cycles. Charitable organizations, schools, and units of government may apply. Though all program types are encouraged, the Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees is most interested in ideas that address one of the greatest concerns expressed in Isabella County’s most recent Community Needs Assessment: 1) Lack of jobs that pay enough to live on; and 2) Crime, violence, or bullying. Potential grantees are encouraged to view a Grantseeker Information Session with Program Officer Jaimie Capen-Cascaddan. First cycle letters of intent are due Wednesday, May 11, and the grant application deadline is Wednesday, May 18.
For information about starting or contributing to an endowed fund, which makes these annual opportunities possible, contact CEO Amanda Schafer at (989) 773-7322.