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.

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.

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, 2025, whether they have received funding or not.