Spring is finally here, and the Michigan Municipal League Foundation is gearing up for an exciting season filled with great programs. Last month, we held our first press conference for MI Water Navigator which you can learn more about here. 

This month, we’re focused on our Bridge Builders Microgrants program and why this program makes such an impact across the state.

The Bridge Builders Microgrants program believes that our state is full of people who know what makes their communities special, what makes them home, and what could make them better. Our program finds those people and we help make their visions a reality.

So, what exactly is it? It's a program that gives out small grants that fund projects, events, art, and more. Here’s how it works:

• Michiganders living in a Michigan Municipal League member community (click here to view the member list) are encouraged to apply for grants to do creative projects.
• These projects must be collaborative; that’s why projects could involve local elected officials, artists, businesses, and more.
• Each project culminates in an event or installation that brings people out of their homes and into their community resulting in emotional or physical transformation.
• In 2021 projects included bringing artists to parks in Rogers City, holding a community marketplace in Detroit, and revitalizing a vacant lot in Morenci.

In two years, we’ve reached nineteen communities and issued twenty-four grants to hard working Michiganders—our Bridge Builders. Bridge Builders are our neighbors, friends, and family. They are thoughtful, creative, and active citizens who know that changing the world starts right here at home. And with your support, we can reach even more Bridge Builders this year.

Your donation, in support of our Bridge Builders Microgrants program, is powerful. It is multiplied by the hard work of every Bridge Builder and then again by the communities they change for the better. Will you donate today and support our Bridge Builders?

Help us support Michiganders who are rolling up their sleeves and making good change within their communities. To make a tax-deductible donation click this link or the button below. Thank you for supporting your neighbors, your communities, and your state. Thank you for helping us build bridges together.