Skip to main content
MCSC offering Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Project Awards

MCSC offering Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Project Awards

The Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC) is granting awards to Michigan organizations who wish to host volunteer projects as part of the 2017 Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service.  MLK National Day of Service Mini Grants are intended to encourage volunteer projects that address at least one of the eight MCSC focus areas including: Health, Education, Economic Opportunity, Supporting Veterans and Military Families, Public Safety, Disaster Preparedness, Hunger & Homelessness and Clean Energy & Environmental Stewardship.

All proposed events or activities must occur on or around Martin Luther King, Jr. Day beginning Monday, January 13, 2017 through Friday, January 22, 2017. Preference will be given to events that occur sometime during Saturday, January 14th through Monday, January 16th.

Award Amounts
Awards valued at up to $500 are available and will be distributed based on the following scale:
$500-   Engage 100 or more volunteers
$250-   Engage at least 35 volunteers
$100-   Engage at least 15 volunteers

Awards must be used to support elements of a service project.  Please note MLK Mini-Grant awards are available solely to engage people in volunteer projects – not community engagement events (i.e. prayer breakfasts or educational marches). 

Priority will be given to applications that demonstrate as many of the following criteria as possible:

  • Project demonstrates ability to benefit the community after the MLK event
  • Plan in place to actively recruit youth and promote a youth voice
  • Plan in place to actively recruit community volunteers with disabilities
  • Project community is involved in My Brother’s Keeper Initiative in some capacity
  • Day of service is planned for preferred dates of January 14th through 16th, 2017
  • Demonstrates the use of effective partnerships to meet community need. Including collaboration among multiple organizations such as higher education institutions, volunteer centers, youth service organizations, and/or national service programs

WHO CAN APPLY

National service grantees, volunteer centers, nonprofits, K-12 and higher education institutions are eligible to apply. All applications will be considered.

OUR APPLICATION PROCESS

Step #1      Complete the Application

Application Link:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2017MLKMI

Sample Application Questions: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mcsc/MLK_Day_2017_Application_540676_7.pdf

Our application is available online. For a paper application email MartusD@michigan.gov

Application Deadline:  Deadline has passed, deadine was Friday, December 2, 2016

Notification of Award - All applicants will be notified electronically by early December

Allowable Expenses:
Awards must be used to support essential volunteer project materials that correlate with the volunteer project activities outlined in the project description section of the application.

Applicants are encouraged to find alternate or match funding for supplemental items that are not essential to the success of the volunteer project such as snacks, t shirts, water. Please use the budget explanation section of the application to clearly explain why the items listed in the budget are essential to the success of the community volunteer project.

Send Questions to:  Dave Martus, Youth Initiatives Director MartusD@michigan.gov