To foster local philanthropy and strengthen the Three Rivers community through grants, scholarships, donor services, and partnerships that enrich quality of life in St. Joseph County, Michigan.
Focus Areas
arts and culturecommunity and economic developmenteducationhealthhuman serviceshousingseniorsyouthscholarshipsfood assistance
Who They Fund
unspecified
Funding Style
general supportunrestricted support
About Three Rivers Area Community Foundation
Three Rivers Area Community Foundation’s recent giving shows a strong local pattern: its largest grants support public recreation, community organizations, and education across St. Joseph County. A $20,000 grant to St Joseph County Parks and Rec in Centreville sits at the top of the list, followed by $14,000 to River Country Sports Commission in Three Rivers and $10,000 to Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce. Those awards point to a funder that uses grants to support community life as well as local institutions.
The foundation also funds education and youth-linked work through a mix of scholarships, school support, and program grants. Recent awards include $8,000 to Grand Valley State University, $7,750 to Southwestern Michigan College, and $7,500 to Western Michigan University. Other grants have gone to 3r Pickleball Assoc, Three Rivers Rotary, and Hillsdale College, suggesting a grantmaking mix that reaches both civic groups and postsecondary education. Its structure as a mixed community foundation aligns with the broad local portfolio reflected in the grant list.
What Three Rivers Area Community Foundation Funds
Education appears in several forms. The foundation gave $8,000 to Grand Valley State University, $7,750 to Southwestern Michigan College, and $7,500 to Western Michigan University, along with $6,250 to Hillsdale College and $5,500 to Michigan State University. Those awards sit alongside scholarship programs for graduating high school seniors, current college students, adults, and trade students.
Community development is another clear thread. A $14,000 grant to River Country Sports Commission supports a local sports-related organization in Three Rivers, while $10,000 went to Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce and $7,800 to Three Rivers Rotary. The active programs also include Community Micro-Grants and Community Impact Grants, both aimed at local initiatives in St. Joseph County.
Youth programming is also visible through the Constantine Youth Advisory Council Fund and the Sturgis Youth Advisory Council Fund, both of which support youth-related projects in their respective areas.
How Three Rivers Area Community Foundation Gives
Typical grant size clusters tightly around the middle of the range: p25 is $6,250, median is $7,500, and p75 is $8,000. The recent list also shows both larger awards, such as $20,000, and smaller awards near $5,500, which suggests a blend of anchor grants and mid-sized support. The foundation appears to fund consistently across years rather than through a single one-time burst, with awards shown in both 2024 and 2025. It is a mixed community foundation, and the active programs indicate unsolicited applications are accepted for several opportunities, including scholarships, micro-grants, youth advisory council funds, and classroom support.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$62K
Total Assets
$0
Total Revenue
$567K
Total Expenses
$239K
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $6K and $8K, with a median of $8K.
25th Percentile
$6K
Median
$8K
75th Percentile
$8K
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
RON BUCKHOLD
Accepts unsolicited proposals
Deep Analysis
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Where Three Rivers Area Community Foundation Makes Grants
The foundation gives entirely in Michigan: 100% of grants in the recipient country distribution are in the US, and 100% of grants go to recipients in Michigan. St. Joseph County is the core geography, with multiple awards in Three Rivers, Sturgis, Centreville, and Constantine. Recent recipients also include Allendale, Dowagiac, Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor, Hillsdale, and East Lansing, showing that the grant list extends to Michigan institutions beyond the immediate county while staying within the state.
Frequently Asked Questions About Three Rivers Area Community Foundation
What kinds of organizations does Three Rivers Area Community Foundation support?
Its grantmaking covers arts and culture, community and economic development, education, health, human services, housing, seniors, youth, scholarships, and food assistance. Recent grants also show support for parks and recreation, a chamber of commerce, a rotary club, colleges and universities, and a local sports commission.
How large are the foundation’s typical grants?
Typical grants cluster around the middle of the range, with p25 at $6,250, median at $7,500, and p75 at $8,000. Recent awards also include larger and smaller grants, such as $20,000 and $5,500.
Does the foundation accept unsolicited applications?
Yes. Several active programs are marked as accepting unsolicited applications, including Community Micro-Grants, Community Impact Grants, the General Scholarship Application, the Newell A. & Grace A. Franks Fund, the Sturgis and Constantine Youth Advisory Council funds, Teacher Mini-Grants, and Non-Traditional Scholarships.
What areas or communities are eligible for support?
The foundation’s active programs focus on St. Joseph County, Michigan, with specific opportunities for the Sturgis area, the Constantine area, Sturgis Public Schools, and students from St. Joseph County. It also supports youth-related work, educational programs, and charitable community projects in those places.
Are grants mostly recurring or one-time awards?
The recent grant list shows awards in both 2024 and 2025, and the active programs include year-round and quarterly or twice-yearly cycles. That combination points to an ongoing grantmaking pattern rather than a single annual distribution.
Latest 990 Filing
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Open Grant Opportunities
Current and upcoming funding from Three Rivers Area Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Open nowCloses in 4 days (Oct 1, 2026)Award: $5K – $25K
Community Impact Grants
HousingEducational progressionWorkforce development+7 more
Who can apply: Applicants must be federal 501(c)(3) organizations, government entities, school districts, or universities. Religious organizations may apply, but sectarian religious programs are not eligible. Grants must serve St. Joseph County residents, and applicants must have submitted all final reports due on prior Foundation grants.
Deadline: Two competitive cycles per year. The listed 2026 fall cycle has a deadline of October 1, 2026; the listed 2027 spring cycle has a deadline of April 1, 2027.
Open nowRolling / open intakeAward: Varies by cycle and project
Sturgis Youth Advisory Council Fund
Youth developmentYouth programsCommunity service+1 more
Who can apply: Projects must be youth-related and serve the Sturgis area. Applicants must otherwise meet applicable Foundation eligibility requirements.
Deadline: Two competitive grant cycles per year. The listed 2026 fall cycle deadline is November 1, 2026; the listed 2027 spring cycle deadline is March 1, 2027.
Who can apply: Applicants must meet the Foundation's basic eligibility requirements, including being a federal 501(c)(3) organization, government entity, school district, or university; serving residents of St. Joseph County; and having no overdue final reports.
Deadline: Applications may be funded at any time throughout the year based on fund-holder interests or available grant dollars.
Independent journalismLocal newsPublic-service reporting+1 more
Who can apply: Applicants must be nonprofit newsrooms, public media outlets, or journalism initiatives producing original public-service reporting on issues affecting St. Joseph County residents and must meet applicable Foundation eligibility requirements.
Deadline: No fixed deadline stated; listed as a year-round opportunity.
Who can apply: Grants to entities serving the Sturgis community and meeting SACF basic eligibility rules. Applicants must be up to date on final reports for prior SACF grants.
Food accessFood assistanceOrganizational capacity+4 more
Who can apply: Open to nonprofits, food pantries, faith-based organizations, and community groups serving St. Joseph County. Foundation-wide eligibility also requires applicants to be federal 501(c)(3) organizations, government entities, school districts, or universities; sectarian religious programs, individuals, deficits, previously incurred obligations, and applicants with overdue final reports are ineligible.
Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are depleted.
Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
