Mini-Grants
Mini-Grants are limited to nonprofit organizations with an annual operating budget of less than $200,000.
Eligibility is verified by the Federal Tax ID number provided by the applicant.
Grant requests can include support for programming, operations, or ongoing projects, up to $5,000.
Event or festival sponsorships and other time-sensitive programs are not eligible for a Mini-Grant.
Mini-Grant requests are compiled and presented to donors for consideration, as shown in the 2024 Mini-Grant Funding Opportunities Catalog below.
Tips for a successful mini-grant application:
- Remember: our donors will be receiving 35-40 Mini-Grant applications for their consideration. To stand out, you will need to be clear and compelling in your request!
- Be very concise and specific in describing the impact that the funds will have, either on your organization or those you serve.
- Avoid phrases like “helping those in need”, “empowering youth”, or “feeding the hungry” - these are too general and do not help the donor understand what they are supporting with their funds.
- It is very helpful if you can quantify your request with number of individuals helped, how often, for how long, etc. (Example: This grant will provide 10 meals per month to 100 low-income Lansing residents for one year). The more specific you can be, the more confidence our donors will have in choosing to fund your request.
2025 MINI-GRANT TIMELINE:
- The 2025 Mini-Grant application period will be December 9, 2024 - February 5, 2025.
- Mini-Grant requests are published in our Funding Opportunities Catalog and presented to potential funders several times throughout 2025 for their consideration.
- Grant applicants will be notified right away if their project is selected for partial or full funding.
- All Mini-Grant requests will be closed out on December 31, whether they have received funding or not.
SAMPLE Mini-Grant Application (for review only, do not submit)