Berrien Community Foundation
Acorn 1999 Grants
The Berrien Community Foundation's undesignated grant programs focus on the three target areas of:
  • Nurturing Our Children
  • Building a Spirit of Community/Arts & Culture
  • Encouraging Youth Leadership and Development

In addition, grant requests are approved for general grant requests falling outside of the Foundation's targeted areas. These three focus areas were selected to meet the community's most pressing needs. As our society changes, so can the focus of the undesignated grant program, making these dollars some of the most valuable and effective at the Foundation. Following are some examples of how grants help to address our target areas and a listing of grants in each category. Most of the following grants originated from the Foundation's Undesignated and Field of Interest Endowments.

Grants in 2003

Building a Spirit of Community/Arts & Culture

 

New Buffalo Oselka Park Playground Equipment

 $          5,000.00

Community Connections We Belong Project

 $          5,000.00

Community Housing Initiative, Inc.

 $          5,000.00

Coloma Township Police Mobile Computer Terminal

 $             500.00

Coloma Library - New Library Opening Day Collection

 $          1,000.00

Lakeshore Public Schools - Michigan's WWII Band

 $          1,000.00

One Book/One Community

 $          2,419.00

Tri City Skate Park - Tri City Skate Park

 $          1,000.00

Sub-Total

 $        20,919.00

   

Nurturing Our Children

New Territory Arts Assoc. - Benton Harbor Children's Art Fair

 $          5,000.00

Girl Scouts of Singing Sands - Zink the Zebra Patch Program

 $          5,000.00

Public Safety Education Program - Little Squirt Program

 $          2,500.00

Milestones of SW Michigan - Children's & Teens Special Needs

 $          3,385.00

Safe Shelter, Inc. - Children's Advocacy

 $          4,700.00

Sub-Total

 $        20,585.00

   
General  

Benton Harbor Street Ministry Challenge Grant G.E.D. Completion

 $          5,000.00

Luvability Ministries - Project "Kit Class"

 $          3,245.00

Women in Renewal

 $          5,000.00

Brandywine Public Schools - Bully Awareness Program

 $          2,500.00

Fernwood's Traveling Naturalist Program

 $          2,245.00

Harbor Habitat for Humanity - Women's Building Project*

 $          3,000.00

B.C.I.S.D for Dr. Bruce D. Perry Seminar

 $          1,500.00

Cornerstone Alliance - Community Partnership

 $          5,000.00

SW Mich. Symphony Orchestra-New Buffalo Performing Artists

 $          1,000.00

Sub-Total

 $        28,490.00

   
TEAM (Youth Advisory Committee)  

Five Pines Ministries - Maximum Adventure Xperience Program

 $          2,800.00

Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor - TAC Program

 $        25,000.00

Children's Music Workshop - Spring 2004 Production

 $          1,000.00

Lakeshore Public Schools - Michigan's WWII Band

 $          9,000.00

Planned Parenthood Mid-Mich. Alliance Peer Education Prog.

 $          1,000.00

Readiness Center, Inc. - Claiming Your Power

 $          5,000.00

Reclaiming, Equipping & Directing Youth, Inc. (R.E.A.D.Y.)

 $          4,979.00

Residential Services of SW Mich, Inc. - Youth Activity Club

 $          6,034.00

SW Mich. STORM - AAU Girls Basketball Club Scholarships

 $          2,000.00

Trinity Lutheran Church & School-The 5th Quarter

 $          4,000.00

Sub-Total

 $        60,813.00

   
Healthful Living  

Berrien County Health Dept. Smoking Cessation Project

 $        15,400.00

InterCare Community Health Network - Car Seat Project

 $          9,000.00

Area Agency on Aging - Senior Companion Program

 $        19,600.00

Renaissance Enterprises Co. - Health Senior Outreach

 $        10,000.00

St. Joseph-Lincoln Sr. Center - Health & Wellness Program

 $          4,000.00         

Sub-Total

 $        58,000.00

   
Education-Golden Acorn Mini-Grants  

Benton Harbor Area Schools

 $         2,396.00

Coloma Community Schools

 $            500.00

Countryside Charter School

 $            400.00

Lakeshore Public School

 $            100.00

Niles Community Schools

 $            785.00

Riverside School - Hagar Township #6

 $            170.00

St. Joseph Public Schools

 $            647.00           

Sub-Total

 $         4,998.00

   
Grand Total--Undesignated/Field of Interest   $     193,805.00
   
Donor Advised, NonProfit, Scholarship Funds  $      238,195.00
   
GRAND TOTAL--ALL GRANTS--2003 $       432,000.00
   

Grants in 2004

Building a Spirit of Community/Arts & Culture

 

City of Benton Harbor--Community Communications

 $          3,500.00

Cornerstone Alliance--Coming Home Coming Together Concert

 $          2,500.00

Emergency Shelter--Sisterhood Club

 $          2,500.00

Junior Achievement--JA Success Skills in Benton Harbor H.S.

 $          2,000.00

Berrien County Historical Assoc./Berrien County and Ellis Island

 $          2,500.00

Fort Miami Heritage Society--World’s Largest:  The Benton  Harbor Fruit Market and SW Michigan’s Fruit Belt

 $          2,500.00
Lake Michigan College--Community Leadership Academy  $          1,500.00
SW Mich. Community Action Agency--Financial Literacy  $          2,900.00

Sub-Total

 $        19,900.00

Nurturing Our Children  
Curious Kids Museum--Inside/Outside Skin Deep $           6,000.00
First Assembly of God--Club 26nine $           3,000.00
LaSalle Council, Boy Scouts--Camp Scholarships-At Risk $           2,000.00
Children’s Music Workshop--2005 Spring Production Scholarships $           2,000.00

Community Alliance for Educational Enrichment--Benton Harbor Summer Enrichment Program 2005

$           5,000.00   
Public Safety Education Program--Little Squirt Fire Education $           1,000.00

Sub-Total

$         19,000.00
General  
Animal Aid of Southwestern Michigan--Project SAVE $           2,000.00
Fernwood--Traveling Naturalist Program in BH Public Schools $           1,500.00
Luvability Ministries--Here Comes the Balloons $           1,800.00
SS. John & Bernard Parish--Support for HOYA, the LOFT, Readiness Center, and the Catholic Community Center $           2,000.00
Community Policing $         15,000.00         

Neighborhood Funding Partners/Block Grants

$         16,000.00   
Harbor Habitat for Humanity--Jimmy Carter Work Project--Rotarian Centennial Project       $         10,000.00   
Right Direction Outreach Ministries, Inc.--Tutoring Program $           2,500.00   
St. Joseph Art Association--Art Angels Program $           2,500.00   
Salvation Army--Arts & Music Programming Scholarships        $           3,000.00   

SW Mich. Chapter, American Guild of Organists--Twin Cities Organ Concert Series 

$           1,500.00   

Sub-Total

$         57,800.00
   
TEAM (Youth Advisory Committee)  

The Link/Child & Family Services of SW MI

Homeless Youth Care

$         10,000.00 
The Salvation Army--Turning Point Program $           5,000.00 
Boy and Girls Club of Benton Harbor--Teen Center                  $           7,500.00 
Citadel Dance Center--Training Program           $           2,000.00 
Hospice at Home, Inc.--Lory’s Place Challenge Grant $           7,500.00 
I’m Saving Myself--Abstinence and Prevention Program $           5,000.00 
WorkForce Skills Development Center--S.M.A.R.T. Kids        $           5,000.00 
Y2KJ Ministries, Inc.--The Eclipse Café (computer only) $           3,000.00 

Sub-Total

$         45,000.00
   
Healthful Living  

Berrien County Council for Children--Children's Assessment Ctr.

 $          8,600.00

Berrien County Health Dept--Smoking Cessation

 $        15,000.00

Coloma Methodist Church--Parish Nurse Program

 $          9,000.00

Sub-Total

 $        32,600.00

   
Education-Golden Acorn Mini-Grants  

Benton Harbor Area Schools

 $            936.00

Berrien County Juvenile Center  $            500.00

Bridgman Community Schools

 $            500.00

Countryside Charter School

 $            476.00

Eau Claire Public Schools

 $            453.85

Golden Acorn Community Awards  $         5,000.00

New Buffalo Community Schools

 $         1,000.00

Niles Community Schools

 $         1,001.70

St. Joseph Public Schools

 $            938.23           

Sub-Total

 $       10,805.78

   
   
Grand Total--Undesignated/Field of Interest   $     185,105.78
   
Donor Advised, NonProfit, Scholarship Funds   $     408,648.54
   
GRAND TOTAL--ALL GRANTS--2004   $     593,754.32
   
Grants in 2005  
Building a Spirit of Community/Arts & Culture-Spring  
Genesis Outreach--Kids Discovery Playhouse  $         4,000.00
Harbor Arts--Harbor Country Radio  $         3,500.00
Montessori House of Children--Seeds of Tolerance  $         1,500.00

Sub-Total

 $         9,000.00

Building the Spirit of Community/Arts & Culture-Fall  
Berrien Artist Guild—The Poetry Factory  $         3,000.00
BCISD—Creative Collaborations:  Teachers & Artists in the Classroom

 $         8,000.00

Renaissance Enterprise Company—Senior Arts Outreach  $         3,000.00
                                                                                Sub-Total  $       14,000.00
   
Golden Acorn MiniGrants-Fall  
Benton Harbor Area Schools  $        2,326.26
Brandywine Public Schools  $           499.50
Coloma Community Schools        $           226.00
Eau Claire Public Schools  $          454. 87
Lakeshore Public Schools  $           350.00
Niles Community Schools  $        2,079.40
River Valley School District  $           374.00
Trinity Lutheran School   $           703.82
                                                                                Sub-Total  $        7,013.85
   
Healthful Living-Fall  
Berrien County Health Department—Foundation for Cessation                 $      10,000.00
InterCare Community Health Network—Car Seats  $        5,000.00
                                                                                Sub-Total  $      15,000.00
   
Nurturing Our Children-Spring  
Harbor Harvest Urban Ministries--Summer Youth Beautification Pride Project  $        3,700.00
Milestones of Southwest Michigan, Inc.--Acting Out  $        2,000.00
Region IV Area Agency on Aging--Grandparents Raising Grandchildren and Relatives as Parents Program  $        4,000.00
Samaritan Counseling Center of Southwestern Michigan, Inc.--Parenting with Love and Logic  $        1,300.00

Women's Community Association--CDA Training

 $        3,000.00

Sub-Total

 $       14,000.00
Nurturing Our Children-Fall  
Berrien County Council for Children—Children's Assessment Center           $        6,000.00
The Capstone Family Center—Zero to Three Secondary Prevention         $        3,000.00
We Can Make A Difference, Inc.—Family Empowerment Workshop Series  $        5,000.00
                                                                                Sub-Total $       14,000.00
   
General-Spring  
Berrien County Shrine Club--Enrichment Field Trip for Special Needs Children $         4,000.00
Council for World Class Communities--Keep It Safe. Keep It Fun. $         3,000.00
Golden Acorn Grantee Awards $         4,000.00

Sarett Nature Center--Project Digital

$         6,000.00

Sub-Total

$       17,000.00
General-Fall  
Fernwood, Inc.—Traveling Naturalist Program—Benton Harbor Public Schools  $        1,500.00
Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra—Around Town Concert Series—Benton Harbor.  $        3,400.00
The Salvation Army Community Center—Arts & Music:  Scholarships  $        5,000.00
                                                                                Sub-Total  $        9,900.00
   
TEAM (Youth Advisory Committee)-Spring  

Child & Family Services of Southwest Michigan/LINK--Educational Services

 $       10,000.00 

Readiness Center--Teen Mentor Work Recreation Project

 $         5,000.00

Sub-Total

 $       15,000.00
TEAM (Youth Advisory Committee)-Fall  
American Youth Soccer Organization Region 574--Scholarships    $         1,000.00
Berrien County Trial Court, Family Division:  Community Restorative Bd.  $         3,000.00
Boys and Girls Club of Benton Harbor—Teen Activity in the Community  $       10,000.00
Children's Music Workshop—2006 Spring Production—Scholarships   $         2,500.00
Right Direction Outreach Ministries, Inc.—The Sky is the Limit Tutoring Services  $         4,000.00
Winning Inc. of America—Literacy Recovery, Violence & Delinquency Prevention  $         5,000.00
                                                                                Sub-Total  $       25,500.00
   
Grand Total--Undesignated/Field of Interest   $    140,413.85
   
Donor Advised, NonProfit, Scholarship Funds   $    459,474.87
   
GRAND TOTAL--ALL GRANTS--2005   $    599,888.72
 
Grants in 2006

               

TEAM (Youth Advisory Committee)-Spring (ProActive)  

Berrien County Council for Children--Children's Assessment Ctr.

 $        7,000.00 
Hospice at Home, Inc.--Lory's Place  $        5,000.00 
Region IV Area Agency on Aging--Grandpar