Sparta Community Foundation

Benefiting the Sparta area since 1996

The Sparta Community Foundation, a regional affiliate of Grand Rapids Community Foundation, evaluates local needs and opportunities and looks to fund projects that address the areas of art & culture, community development, education, environment, health, or social needs and that:

  • represent an innovative, start-up effort or are capital in nature (e.g., construction, renovation, equipment)
  • promote cooperation among agencies without duplicating services
  • obtain the necessary additional funding to implement and maintain the project
  • are located in Sparta and its surrounding areas
  • strengthen or improve agency self-sufficiency or efficiency
  • yield substantial community benefits for the resources invested
  • serve a broad segment of the community
  • encourage additional and permanent funding or matching gifts from other donors
  • are managed by nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status

Download a PDF of the general funding guidelines.

The Sparta Community Foundation also has a Youth Advisory Committee that advises grantmaking to organizations working to benefit youth in Sparta.

Download a PDF of the youth funding guidelines.

For more information, please contact William Dani, Grant Committee Chair, at WDani@WNJ.com.

APPLY FOR FUNDING

GENERAL GRANTS

The Foundation considers grant applications once/year. After reviewing our grantmaking guidelines, grant applications can be completed online beginning in early July and are due the second Friday in September. Decisions will be announced by October 31. 

For technical assistance with the online grant application, call 616.454.1751 or email GrantSupport@GRFoundation.org.

Apply for a General Grant

YOUTH GRANTS

Nonprofits that benefit youth may also consider applying for a grant from SCF's Youth Advisory Committee. The deadline for the Youth Advisory Committee grant submission is in early February each year, and decisions are announced in May.

Apply for a Youth Grant

Fund Advisory Committee

Community Leaders that Serve SCF

  • William P. Dani, Chair
  • Julie Anderson
  • Linda Bradford-Anderson
  • Lee A. Braford
  • Robert Jordon
  • Toni Potes

MAKE A GIFT TO SPARTA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Giving Online is Easy!

All gifts to the Sparta Community Foundation are tax deductible and help people in the Sparta area.

Donate Now

Recent Grants

We're Proud to Support These Great Nonprofits

2022 Grants

  • Feeding America West Michigan - $5,000 supporting mobile food pantries for the Sparta community.
  • Paradise Teams - $2,500 for STEAM education through hands-on experiences.
  • Sparta Area Schools - $432 to promote environmental stewardship education experiences with Sparta students while visiting Appleview Nature Trails.
  • Sparta Township Library - $3,000 for the purchase of books and materials to assist patrons in researching their family lineage in the library's Genealogy Section.
  • Village of Sparta - $8,000 for benches and tables for the Sparta Sports Park.
  • Village of Sparta - $4,500 to support the construction of a WWI monument in Lamoreaux Park.
  • Village of Sparta - $4,000 to support the annual I LOVE SUMMER IN SPARTA! event.
  • West Michigan Arts Council - $5,000 for the Sparta Summer Youth Art Enrichment program.
  • West Michigan Symphony - $1,000 to provide Link Up beginner music curriculum and visits from WMS professional musicians to Appleview Elementary students.


2021 Grants

  • Feeding America West Michigan - $3,100 supporting four Mobile Food Pantries for the Sparta community.
  • Hand2Hand - $2,500 to provide weekend food for Sparta area students experiencing food insecurity.
  • Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes - $2,400 to provide financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship programming in Sparta Area Schools.
  • Sparta Township Historical Commission - $6,000 for the continued work to upgrade the website and complete the digitization of newspapers.
  • Sparta Township Library - $1,500 for the purchase of books and materials to assist patrons in researching their family lineage in the library's Genealogy Section.
  • Village of Sparta - $8,000 to support the construction of a WWI monument in Lamoreaux Park.
  • Village of Sparta - $5,000 for banners honoring fallen Sparta area soldiers dating back to the Civil War.
  • Village of Sparta - $4,000 to support the annual I LOVE SUMMER IN SPARTA! event.
  • Village of Sparta - $5,000 to install visitor amenities at Sparta Sports Park.
  • West Michigan Symphony - $1,000 to provide Link Up beginner music curriculum and visits from WMS professional musicians to Appleview Elementary 5th grade students.