(Chelsea Update would like to thank D&B strategic Marketing for the information in this story.)
The Chelsea Community Foundation (CCF) is pleased to award $50,000 in grants to three Chelsea nonprofits.
Since its establishment in 1995, CCF has invested $2.1 million in local nonprofits, making a difference in the community. Donations from individuals and businesses to CCF’s endowment have made it possible to grant funds to these nonprofits.
This year’s recipients:
Ballet Chelsea – $10,000 in financial assistance will help fund ‘Dancing Back,’ a project designed to rebuild Ballet Chelsea’s dance programs to pre-pandemic levels. The goal is to provide financial stability and broaden offerings to meet the diverse needs of the students and audiences Ballet Chelsea has served for 25 years.
The project will include ballet training programs for students ages 3 to 18 and adult programs. Non-ballet dance, including jazz, tap, and modern will be expanded and non-ballet classes like Hip Hop, Jazz, Art Movement, and Pilates will be introduced. Community outreach is an essential part of Ballet Chelsea. Every year, company dance members participate in numerous events within local communities around Chelsea, bringing the joy of dance into classes, senior centers, after-school programs, and underserved communities. The Dancing Back project will fund staff and marketing to expand these activities.www.balletchelsea.org.
Faith In Action – $15,000 in financial assistance will enhance Faith In Action (FIA) Chelsea’s food pantry operations. It will optimize food storage through the purchase of a commercial freezer. It will increase awareness of FIA’s services by creating mailings to eligible people within the 48118 zip code. Summer snack bags will be available at the Chelsea food pantry to help families while their children are not in school over the summer.
In addition, a portion of the funds will supplement the Pantry Manager role. The grant addresses the ongoing struggles that families within the Chelsea School district have with meeting basic needs, particularly food insecurity. These funds will assist FIA in providing essential support to alleviate the effects of hunger and poverty in our community.www.faithinaction1.org.
Main Street Park Alliance – $25,000 in financial assistance to Main Street Park Alliance (MSPA) will help develop the park infrastructure. MSPA is a 2.8-acre park in downtown Chelsea. When completed, the park will be ADA-accessible to all ages and abilities. It will connect to other parks, pathways, schools, residential neighborhoods, Chelsea District Library, and historic downtown Chelsea.
MSPA solicited public and stakeholder input to understand the community’s needs and better inform the design and development of the park. The park is in the heart of the 5 Healthy Towns (Chelsea, Dexter, Grass Lake, Manchester, and Stockbridge), within miles of Waterloo Recreation Area and the DTE bike trails. Existing sidewalks connect it to the Border to Border trail, making it an ideal ‘active living’ stop for Chelsea and the surrounding area. www.mainstreetpark.org.
The next CCF grant application deadline is Feb. 15, 2025. Potential applicants are encouraged to register with the grants management platform if they haven’t already done so as a prerequisite to applying for a grant. To learn more about applying for grants, contact Gregory Yankee at gyankee@cfsem.org or go to the website www.chelseafoundation.org for grant guidelines and the application.
At CCF, we deeply value the support of our generous donors in the Chelsea area, whose contributions drive our mission forward. Whether you’re interested in exploring endowments, setting up a monthly donation, establishing a donor-advised fund, or simply learning more about how you can contribute, we’re here to help. Reach out to Katelyn Videto at kvideto@cfsem.org to discover the various ways you can make a meaningful impact in Chelsea.
The Chelsea Community Foundation is a permanent charitable endowment totaling $2.7 million created through gifts from generous individuals, families, and businesses who care about Chelsea. The Chelsea Community Foundation has funded $2.1 million in grants to nonprofit organizations that address community needs and opportunities that improve the quality of life in the City of Chelsea and surrounding areas. The Chelsea Community Foundation is a Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan affiliate.
