Picture courtesy of Keweenaw Community Foundation The Rabbit Island Arts and Ecology expedition which was attended to by local high school students is seen in this provided picture taken in 2019.

HANCOCK — The Keweenaw Community Foundation will be accepting grant applications for the fall beginning Monday. The foundation has a little over $115,000 from donations for the upcoming season’s grants which are applicable for a variety of categories that promote community activities, programs and projects in Houghton and Keweenaw Counties.

Nonprofit groups can contact the Foundation to request applications and begin the grant process, of which Keweenaw Community Foundation Director of Operations Sara Fletcher said the process this year will be easier.

“You don’t have to select the specific grant opportunity that you want to apply for,” Fletcher said. “We are taking any eligible proposal, which eligible proposals would be any nonprofit government entity, municipalities, even churches and schools in Houghton and Keweenaw Counties that serve the people of Houghton and Keweenaw Counties. So we’re actually doing it very broad this year.”

The Foundation received a gift of $50,000 this year to the Community Impact fund, which is being allocated into the funds for the fall grants. The $50,000 can be applied to all categories available, and the funding opportunities range anywhere from historic preservation and educational projects to programs which endorse physical activity and healthy nutrition. Fletcher said specific grants come from donations from those with special interests such as youth hockey or cross country skiing. Fletcher also said the total funds could rise with future donations.

“We usually get a few dozen [in the fall] and we usually fund at least half of the applications we receive,” Fletcher said.

Some examples of the fall grants being utilized include training referees and accessibility projects through the Joe Freed Empowerment Fund.

“We’ve given grants to the CLK Elementary School library to get kids reading graphic novels and Copper Country Angel Mission for the school backpack program,” Fletcher said.

According to Fletcher, the fall season has the widest amount of funding available and the season has more grant money when compared to spring, which focusses more on scholarships.

Nonprofit organizations interested in the upcoming fall grants can call the Foundation at 906-482-9673 or reach out via email at mail@keweenawgives.org. There will be a Grants Open House on Sept. 15 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Foundation’s office in the Hancock Community Hub for those interested in applying for grants. The open house will allow nonprofit members to meet Foundation staff and learn further about available grants. The application period will run until Oct.15.