Opening soonCloses Oct 1, 2026
William J. Deputy Grants
community developmentmunicipal improvement
Who can apply: Open to municipalities in Harbor Country.
Deadline: October 1
Berrien Community Foundation
ActivePhilanthropy & VoluntarismFunds Individuals
About Berrien Community Foundation
The mission of Berrien Community Foundation is to connect the power of people who care with causes and organizations that strengthen our communities.
Focus Areas
Arts & HumanitiesEducation and ScholarshipsFood Security / NutritionHealthful LivingEnvironment / Sustainable DevelopmentYouth ProgramsSenior ServicesFinancial LiteracyVeterans SupportChildcare
Who They Fund
children and youth (Pre-K through high school)low-income households and familiespeople with disabilities / all-abilities users
About Berrien Community Foundation
Berrien Community Foundation Inc backs a wide mix of local institutions, but one pattern stands out: its giving repeatedly supports youth arts and music in southwest Michigan. Recent grants include $387,854 to Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra for the Summer Pop Up! Series expansion, Symphony: Unexpected, the Lake Michigan Youth Symphony, music outreach, and educational concerts, alongside $361,198 to St Joseph Public Schools Foundation for pre-K–5 literacy, a Steinway piano purchase, library updates, and band and orchestra support. That combination shows a funder willing to support both school-based and community-based cultural programming. The foundation also funds basic needs and neighborhood stability through grants such as $256,388 to New Heights Christian Community Development Association for food pantry support, vaccine-hesitancy outreach, community dinners, and low-income household repairs, and $195,476 to Mosaic Christian Community Development Association for job training, Jobs for Life, and Emerge Innovative Hub support. Across the recent grants list, the foundation appears in a broad civic role, supporting education, arts, health, housing, and community development through operating support, capital support, and program-specific awards.
What Berrien Community Foundation Funds
Arts and music are a visible part of the foundation’s portfolio. It gave $387,854 to Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra for the Summer Pop Up! Series expansion, Lake Michigan Youth Symphony support, music outreach, and educational concerts. Another arts-related grant went to Heritage Museum and Cultural Center for operational support, educational programming, permanent exhibit support, and stabilization work. In education, the foundation supported early learning and school enrichment through $361,198 to St Joseph Public Schools Foundation for a pre-K–5 literacy initiative, Steinway piano purchase, library updates, and band and orchestra support. It also gave $277,545 to United Way of Southwest Michigan for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library support. Housing and public health also appear in the grant list. New Heights Christian Community Development Association received $256,388 for low-income household repairs, vaccine-hesitancy outreach, and community dinners. Benton Harbor Community Development Corporation received $142,493 for a housing ecosystem and rehab program, Vax Facts, and a community garden.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$9.2M
Total Assets
$125.8M
Total Revenue
$18.6M
Total Expenses
$11.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $33K, with a median of $17K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$17K
75th Percentile
$33K
Geographic Reach
Regional29 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
LISA CRIPPS-DOWNEY
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