$30M awarded to 1,373 nonprofits facing hardships from COVID-19 pandemic

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA) has announced the list of 1,373 nonprofit award winners of the MI Nonprofit Relief Fund, a vital lifeline for Michigan's charitable organizations grappling with the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund, announced in February of 2023 and totaling $35 million, is dedicated to assisting small charitable nonprofit organizations that have been tirelessly serving their communities in these challenging times.

"These relief funds are a lifeline for those most in need across the state who look to nonprofit organizations in their community when they have no one else to turn to,” said Kelley Kuhn, president and CEO of the MNA. “We are grateful for our partnership with the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity who have helped to make these funds a possibility for Michigan nonprofits.”

The MI Nonprofit Relief Fund was established through the collaborative efforts of MNA and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) relief funds awarded to the State of Michigan. The fund was designed to support Michigan-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofits with annual revenues of less than $1 million, demonstrating necessary expenditures and losses incurred after March 3, 2021, due to the pandemic. 

“Michigan’s nonprofits make a real difference in people’s lives,” said Governor Whitmer. “The Michigan Nonprofit Relief Fund will support nearly 1,400 nonprofits across the state so they can continue to provide their critical services. Let’s keep working together to remove barriers to economic opportunity in disproportionately impacted communities and ensure everyone can ‘make it’ in Michigan.” 

Michigan-based nonprofits applied to the MI Nonprofit Relief Fund in the spring of 2023. 2,065 applications were reviewed by a panel of Michigan nonprofit leaders in the summer and a total of 1,373 awardees were selected so far, with additional nonprofits possibly being awarded yet this year. The full list of grantees can be found here.

The MI Nonprofit Relief Fund is awarding one-time grant funds ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to nonprofits in areas most affected by COVID-19, especially those underserved and underrepresented populations. Nonprofits in rural areas and those led by, and serving, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities have been disproportionately affected by the ongoing pandemic. As a result, many of the applicants reflected the diversity of impacted communities:

• 12% of the organizations that applied are led by a person with accessibility needs. 
• 12% of the organizations that applied are led by a person at or below ALICE thresholds, 
• 30% of the organizations that applied are BIPOC-led,
  • Including, 23% of the organizations that applied are led by BIPOC women.
• 31% of the organizations that applied have majority BIPOC staff.

"The MI Nonprofit Relief Fund is vital for helping to remove barriers to economic prosperity and providing residents with the resources they need following the pandemic,” said Kim Trent, LEO deputy director for prosperity. “We’re proud to support eligible nonprofits who have been resilient and innovative these last few years so that we can continue to lift Michiganders out of poverty and empower communities across the state.”

In addition to the MI Nonprofit Relief Fund, an additional $15 million MI Impact Grant program is being administered by LEO to support larger nonprofits that work toward lifting people out of poverty and above the ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained, Employed) threshold. This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SLFRF4948 awarded to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Development by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

For more information about the MI Nonprofit Relief Fund, including details about all grantees, visit www.mnaonline.org/policy/nonprofit-relief-fund. 

# # #

ABOUT LEO: 
The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) provides the connections, expertise, and innovative solutions to drive continued business growth, build vibrant communities, create affordable housing, generate tourism, and attract and retain key talent to fill Michigan's vast pipeline of opportunities. For more information about LEO, please visit www.michigan.gov/LEO.

ABOUT MNA: 
Michigan Nonprofit Association is a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1990 to serve the nonprofit sector through advocacy, training, and resources. MNA is a statewide membership organization dedicated to promoting and supporting anti-racism and social justice in the nonprofit sector. For more information, visit www.mnaonline.org.