Mission
Grant awards support initiatives that meet the changing needs of our community in the following areas: arts, environment, community, youth and family services, civic projects, human rights and adult education. Within these areas, priority will be given to projects that:
- Strengthen community ties between individuals and collaboration between organizations within our service area (the La Pointe-Bayfield-Red Cliff region)
- Address underlying causes of community problems
- Undertake studies on matters that impact civic issues or public policy
- Build an organization’s program and/or management capacity
- Respond to community needs that require moderate grant money but produce significant results
- Are new and require start-up funds
Grant awards from unrestricted funds cannot provide long-term or permanent support. In some cases, more than one year of funding may be considered to ensure the stability of a new organization or program.
The following areas are of low priority and usually will not be considered for funding:
- Capital and equipment requests
- Ongoing program support
The advisory board does not award grants from unrestricted funds for the following:
- Activities normally the responsibility of government
- Debt retirement
- Endowments
- Funding for an organization’s own re-granting activities
- Fundraising
- Individuals
- Medical research
- Organizations that work to influence legislation as a substantial part of their purpose
- Political organizations or campaigns
- Religious organizations for direct religious activities
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for funding, an organization must:
Be classified as one of the following:
- Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (i.e., traditional nonprofit)
- Section 170(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code (e.g., governmental entities and schools)
- Section 7871 Tribal government
- Church
- Organization with a fiscal agent that is classified as one of the above
- Provide service to residents of the Apostle Islands Area Community Fund’s service area, defined as: the Town of La Pointe, Red Cliff/Gaa-Miskwaabikaang Reservation, the Town of Russell, the City of Bayfield and the Town of Bayfield.
Grant range
Grants generally range from $500 to $5,000.
Application timeline
Spring 2025 Grant Cycle
- Open: January 3, 2025
- Close: March 3, 2025 at 5pm
- Project Start Date: June 1, 2025, or later
- Project End Date: No more than 12 months from the project start date
- Notifications: By May 21, 2025
- Funding Awarded: May 30, 2025
