The Community Foundation of Greater Flint makes most competitive grants to organizations classified as publicly supported charities in the Internal Revenue Service Code, Section 170(b)(1)(A), and includes schools and universities, churches, synagogues and mosques, and governmental entities.

Under certain circumstances, grants are made to private charities, supporting organizations, and non-charities. Organizations applying for competitive grants must give evidence of non-discrimination in hiring and providing services.

  • Grant requests must have direct relevance to the residents of Genesee County. If a request includes activity outside of Genesee County, most activity must be within Genesee County.
  • Grants for sectarian religious purposes or any religious activities are not eligible.
  • Grants will not be made for loans, debt reduction, or annual appeals.

We generally make one-time grant commitments. Longer-term commitments may be considered for initiatives that show exceptional promise for community impact. We are especially interested in programs that involve partnerships, coordinate services, and generate collaborative efforts.

How to Apply

The first step in the competitive grant application process is a pre-application conversation with a program officer. This interchange of information serves as an opportunity for you to inform the Community Foundation about your organization’s needs, outline your project, and ask clarifying questions.

Following your conversation with a program officer, you will submit a grant application through our online portal. We have streamlined the grant application process to reduce paperwork and increase transparency. Through the online portal, nonprofits can complete the grant application, submit supporting materials, check the status of applications, communicate directly with the Community Foundation, and submit required grant reports.

2026-2028 Focus Areas

At the Community Foundation, we believe lasting change begins when people come together to shape the future of their community. Guided by our mission, we invest in programs and partnerships that create a thriving Genesee County. 

Our work is guided by five interconnected focus areas that strengthen opportunity and well-being across our community.

CFGF strives to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty by supporting programs that build household resilience and increase access to economic resources and services for underserved residents. 

CFGF strives to achieve health equity by investing in programs and partnerships that provide affordable access to essential health services, including interventions to address the social determinants of health.

CFGF strives to strengthen the quality of education along the continuum from birth through post-secondary enrollment and completion. 

CFGF strives to enhance community livability by supporting access to safe and inclusive green and public spaces while preserving cultural and natural resources. 

CFGF strives to create a more vibrant and equitable community where everyone can thrive by empowering and promoting social, economic, and political inclusion. 

Grant Due Dates

To better serve our community, we have established grant due dates to communicate our grant process and help applicant organizations time submissions to meet the expressed need. Please note, we have transitioned to a winter/spring grantmaking schedule with no grant opportunities currently scheduled for fall 2026.

You can visit the Online Grant Application page to access and register in the online application portal. Funding decisions are expected approximately three months after the application due date.

Spring Grant Cycle 2026

March 2 Application Due Date:

General application for requests aligned with CFGF Focus Areas. 

The General Grant Application is the entry point for most funding requests. It collects the basic information we need to evaluate proposals across all of our grant programs. This one application also covers special programs like the Flint Kids Fund, Geographic Affiliate Funds, and Youth Programs. If your project fits one of these areas, you can select it within the form.

Separate applications are required for the Flint Women and Girls Fund and the Neighborhoods Small Grants Program.

Special Grant Programs

Supports programs and services with the greatest impact on long-term health and development needs of Flint children. 

Provides support to programs that help to improve quality of life for residents in Clio, Davison, Grand Blanc, Fenton Area and Flushing. 

 

Programs that serve Genesee County youth between the ages of 5-21, with strategic focus on supporting programs offering after school recreational activities, meeting basic needs, mental health supports, creative arts, and homework assistance or tutoring programs.

March 9 Application Due Date:

The Neighborhoods Small Grants Program supports established and emerging citizen-based groups or organizations in moderate to low-income neighborhoods in and near the City of Flint to develop projects that address pressing issues within their neighborhoods; build alliances with other community institutions; and develop community-based leadership.

April 16 Application Due Date:

Supports programs that encourage the advancement and full participation of women and girls in society by promoting the removal of barriers to their economic, educational, physical, emotional, social, artistic, and personal growth.