LEO awards $15M MI Impact Grants to nonprofits to help lift residents out of poverty

Funds will help nonprofits across the state expand programming, help more Michiganders make ends meet

LANSING, Mich. – Today, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) announced the $15 million MI Impact Grant program is distributing awards to 10 of Michigan’s large nonprofits who provide programming to lift people out of poverty.

“No one should have to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table for their families,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “The MI Impact Grant provides several of Michigan’s largest nonprofits with funds to make a meaningful and direct impact in their communities. We remain committed to assisting individuals living in poverty and ensure Michigan families have access to the support they need.”

Ten large nonprofits are receiving one-time grant funds of up to $2 million to create or expand programming that lifts Michiganders out of poverty. The grant program prioritized partnerships with larger nonprofits that share the state’s commitment to providing services that help lift Michigan residents out of poverty and above the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) threshold.

“These funds will allow 10 large nonprofits to uplift the communities they serve and strengthen Michigan’s nonprofit ecosystem,” said LEO Director Susan Corbin. “We are proud to deliver on our mission to close equity gaps and remove barriers to economic prosperity.”

The MI Impact Grant program, aimed at addressing disparities that affect Michiganders’ abilities to afford necessities such as housing, child care, food, health care and transportation, plans to lift 100,000 families out of working poverty during the next five years.

“The MI Impact Grant will provide much-needed support to ten of Michigan’s large nonprofits,” said Kelley Kuhn, president and CEO of the Michigan Nonprofit Association. “These nonprofits are a lifeline for Michiganders in need and we will continue to advocate for them and the communities they serve.”

The funding is supported through the American Rescue Plan Act, Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds with a goal to build a strong, resilient and equitable recovery by making investments that support long-term growth and opportunity. $50 million in funding was awarded to support nonprofits who have been negatively impacted due to the pandemic. The funding was distributed through two separate programs, with a $35 million relief fund made available to smaller nonprofits earlier this year. Nonprofits were eligible to receive either the MI Nonprofit Relief Fund or the MI Impact Grant, not both.

The grant program also supports the recommendations of the Michigan Poverty Task Force, whose goal is to address the disparities that affect Michiganders’ abilities to afford necessities. To learn more about their work and view the full list of grant awardees (also listed below), visit the Michigan Poverty Task Force’s nonprofit webpage.

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