Cook Family Foundation Grant

The Cook Family Foundation Grant aims to enhance the quality of life for residents in Shiawassee County by supporting local nonprofits. Focusing on diverse community needs, the foundation prioritizes projects that build capacity, foster collaboration, and protect the environment. Grants are available for various charitable purposes, with a preference for initiatives that involve multiple stakeholders. The foundation is committed to inclusivity and seeks to empower organizations that address critical community issues while promoting sustainable development.

Grants
We proudly serve the residents of Shiawassee County and the Shiawassee River watershed. Our communities are at their best when we come together to solve problems and improve the quality of life for all our residents.
The Cook Family Foundation funds local efforts to address the needs of our under-resourced communities. We partner with Shiawassee County nonprofit organizations to support their missions and help us achieve our vision for the community. Our nonprofit organizations are uniquely empowered to combine first-hand knowledge, volunteer effort, and effective use of assets. Consistent with our values, we seek impactful funding opportunities with honest partners to build a more inclusive, equitable community now and for the future.
Specifically, the Foundation will make investments that:
Improve the expertise and effectiveness of community leaders.Increase the capacity of nonprofit organizations to meet their mission.Build trusting partnerships with our best, most effective nonprofits to meet community needs.Address community needs by bringing together nonprofits, community groups, other funders, local and state governments, and the private sector.We encourage all prospective applicants to contact us. We will discuss your organization’s goals, your grant request as well as the Cook Family Foundation’s mission, vision, and values.
Areas of Interest
The Cook Family Foundation does not seek to promote any particular cause or address only certain concerns. Rather, we desire to help community organizations grow and be successful in the mission they have set for themselves. We are open to funding in a wide variety of issue areas. Based on our family history, first-hand knowledge of local needs, and ongoing relationships in the communities we serve, we have a preference for grants that do any of the following:
Expand the capacity of community-based nonprofits to more effectively carry out their mission and equitably serve the residents of Shiawassee CountyIncrease opportunities for community collaboration and engagement among and between local nonprofits, community groups, government, citizens, and other fundersFoster the Shiawassee River as a source of pride for the community and protect the land of the Shiawassee watershed to benefit the environment and promote a sustainable economy (see our land protection policy)Create a community that values education and encourages the academic success of its young peopleStrengthen families and help young children get a strong start in their physical, intellectual emotional, and social development Help care for and protect the most vulnerable members of our communityPromote the arts and history as strong cultural cornerstones of the communityBuild a more inclusive community, and reduce barriers to the full participation of women in education, the economy, civic leadership, and community developmentCreating a robust recycling economy in Shiawassee County

Eligibility

Grants must be for charitable purposes and serve a public benefit. The activities of 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations typically meet these criteria.Grants can be used for any purpose (staff, program, facility) that advances the mission of the applicant or addresses an identified community need.Grants can be a one-time investment or annually for up to three years, but are not renewable.  The Foundation focuses its grant making on Shiawassee County and only considers grants that serve the residents of Shiawassee County. Grants for environmental purposes are made to protect the natural areas in Shiawassee County or the watershed of the Shiawassee River.Applicants should be able to demonstrate how they listen to local voices and address community needs and concerns.The Foundation seeks to match grants from public sources or other donors and typically will not supply more than 50% of the funding of any proposed project. Some of our most impactful investments have been those that leverage funding from public and private sources outside Shiawassee County.

Ineligibility

Grant Limitations:With the exception of scholarships to education institutions, we do not give grants to individuals.We do not fund direct lobbying activities or political campaigns, and we uphold federal law that prohibits the expenditure of nonprofit funds for political campaigns (electioneering).We seek to build an inclusive community, and do not provide grants to organizations that discriminate on the basis of gender, race, national origin, religion, or sexual orientation.We do not give grants for religious purposes. The Foundation does recognize the role faith-based organizations play in addressing human service needs in our local communities. We will consider funding secular programs and activities sponsored by faith-based organizations when participation in those activities is in no way based on religious belief nor requires participation in religious activities (proselytization). We may request additional documentation and verification on the part of such applicants to ensure this policy is upheld.