About Michigan Education Association
The Michigan Education Association is dedicated to the principles of public education, advancement of quality education, and security of the rights of education employees.
Focus Areas
K-12 educationHigher educationLiteracy initiativesScholarshipsProfessional developmentLabor and union advocacy
Who They Fund
local affiliates (locals)union memberslocal presidents and leadersregion/regional coordinating councilsuniserv/field staff (part-time release positions)
Funding Style
capacity building
About Michigan Education Association
The Michigan Education Association consistently directs funding toward local affiliate capacity, member engagement, and release-time support for union leaders and staff. Its recent awards show a clear pattern of operational support for education associations and coordinating councils across Michigan, alongside larger general-purpose grants to civic advocacy groups. At the top of the list, Michigan Civic Action Fund received $70,000 in 2025 for general purpose support, and Progress Michigan Inc received $25,000 in 2025 for general purpose support. Those awards sit alongside a broader mix of grants to local education associations, regional councils, and uniserv or field staff positions. The foundation’s active scholarship program adds a second dimension to its work. The MEA Scholarship supports eligible dependents of MEA or MEA-Retired members attending Michigan postsecondary or vocational institutions, including an additional BIPOC scholarship component. That program aligns with the association’s stated emphasis on public education, quality education, and the rights of education employees. In practice, the grant list suggests a funder focused on education-sector infrastructure, member development, and support that helps local organizations function.
What Michigan Education Association Funds
A large share of the foundation’s giving supports local affiliate organizational capacity. Michigan State University Association of Professional Academics received $15,900 in 2024 and $11,900 in 2025 for building full capacity locals, while Kalamazoo County Education Association received $10,400 in 2024 and $7,605 in 2025 for the same purpose. Member engagement and release time are another recurring theme. MEA 6-E Coordinating Council received $10,800 in 2025 and $8,000 in 2024 for member engagement and release time grants, and Kentwood Education Association received $5,405 in 2025 for a local president release time program, a local release time grant, and a fall 2024 BFCL grant. Training and coordination also appear repeatedly. Lakes Area Coordinating Council received $8,000 in 2025 for a training grant, while MEA 13-CDE Shoreline Educational Coordinating Council received $5,400 in both 2024 and 2025 for member/leader training and uniserv subsidy support.
How Michigan Education Association Gives
Typical grants cluster in the mid-thousands: the 25th percentile is $5,400, the median is $7,525, and the 75th percentile is $10,600. The largest listed award is a clear outlier at $70,000. The pattern is recurring rather than one-off. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Michigan State University Association of Professional Academics, Kalamazoo County Education Association, MEA 6-E Coordinating Council, and MEA 13-CDE Shoreline Educational Coordinating Council. The foundation operates as an association funder rather than an individual-giving or program-related-investment vehicle, and its active MEA Scholarship program accepts unsolicited applications.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$257K
Total Assets
$107.1M
Total Revenue
$60M
Total Expenses
$46.9M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $5K and $11K, with a median of $8K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$8K
75th Percentile
$11K
Geographic Reach
Local2 states funded
About 96% of grants go to recipients in MI.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
ERIK EDOFF
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