Q: Who is eligible to apply for Community Microgrants?
A: Applicants must reside or be located in Michigan Municipal League member communities. Applicants can be individuals, informal groups (groups of neighbors/community members), or neighborhood associations or organizations.
Q: Who is eligible to apply for Main Street Microgrants?
A: Applicants must reside or be located in Michigan Municipal League member communities. Applicants can be Downtown Development Authorities (DDAs), Commercial Improvement Districts (CIDs), municipal governments, or local businesses. Business applicants must be for-profit, brick and mortar, and locally owned.
Q: Can I apply to both categories?
A: Yes, you can apply for different projects in both categories. We will not award two grants to the same applicant.
Q: Can I apply if I received a grant in previous years?
A: No. We want to reach as many communities and Michiganders as possible through Bridge Builders Microgrants. For that reason, we will not consider 2026 program applications from previous grantees.
Q: Can I apply for a project that’s taking place this fall?
A: The Foundation will not consider projects taking place prior to January 1, 2027.
Q: When must I complete my project? What is the deadline?
A: Projects must be completed by September 30, 2027. After your project is complete, you’ll submit a brief report letting us know how it went and what you learned and share pictures of the project/event.
Q: How do I know if my community is a Michigan Municipal League member community?
A: You can view the list of member communities here.
Q: Does this year’s funding have a particular focus or theme?
A: There is no specific focus or theme, but projects are expected to bring people together and celebrate the community’s diversity (such as generational, racial, cultural, economic, and/or ability).
Q: Who should I ask to write the letter of support for my Main Street Microgrant application?
A: Your letter of support should come from an informed municipal leader, such as a mayor or village president, city manager, or other local elected official currently in office. For applicants in larger cities, such at Detroit, a city council member from any district of the city would be appropriate. If you need help with this please send us an email at grants@mmlfoundation.org.
Q: Who should write the letter of support for my Community Microgrant application?
A: If you own the property on which your project will occur, you do not need to submit a letter of support. If you do not own the property on which your project will occur, you will need to submit a letter of support from the property owner. The letter needs to express the property owner’s support for the project.
PLEASE NOTE: you will be contacted if such a letter is needed. We only plan to request these from Community Microgrant semi-finalists.
Q: Can we have more than one artist in a Main Street application? How do we list them?
A: Yes, you are welcome to have more than one artist. Please select one to list as your lead artist and explain in the application which other artists will be involved and why you will have multiple artists.
Q: What do you mean by “the applicant must be prepared to receive and track funds if awarded”?
A: If awarded funding, applicants will work with the MML Foundation to receive funds by check or bank account deposit. They’ll need to be ready with information (mailing address, account information, and more) to receive the funds and keep an eye out for the funding. During the project, applicants should keep notes on how much of the funding was spent and on what. After the project, funded applicants will complete a grant report and fill out a chart with this information. We do not ask for receipts or invoices.
Q: Can Chambers of Commerce apply for Main Street Microgrants?
A: No, they cannot be the applicant. However, chambers are encouraged to bring this opportunity to eligible applicants (locally owned, brick and mortar, small businesses, municipal governments, DDAs, or CIDs) and to collaborate with the applicant on the project. Within the Main Street Microgrant application there is a space to list other partners and chamber of commerce information could be placed there.
Q: Does the “downtown” area for Main Street microgrants need to be an “official” downtown, like in Grand Rapids?
A: No, it does not. Every downtown community is a little different and the downtown doesn’t have to big or “officially” labeled a downtown by any organization. Your downtown area should be where people gather, perhaps with a courthouse or post office, and businesses (two need to be involved in the project).
Q: For Main Street Microgrant applications, is a resolution from council required?
A: No. We ask for a letter of support from an informed municipal leader, such as a mayor or village president, city manager, or other local elected official currently in office. A formal resolution is not required.