As summer begins, the Oceana Community Foundation is pleased to launch our 3rd annual donation drive for the Oceana’s Michigan Migrant Child Task Force. The Foundation is collecting donations of new hygiene items, children’s books and toys, and more to share with West Michigan’s migrant farmworkers and their families. Each item donated is directly going to a family via the Migrant Child Task Force’s Camp Outreach events!

Oceana Community Foundation is pleased to announce that it recently received accreditation with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations in January 2023. Achieving National Standards Accreditation was a crucial part of the Foundation's transition to becoming an independent community foundation, as the optional certification is a symbol of integrity and best practices within the charitable giving community. National Standards Accreditation ensures that the Foundation has policies in place for financial stability and longevity, affirming its continued commitment to its donors, grantees, and community.

With the help of community partners, the Shelby Rotary Club and the Oceana Community Foundation are thrilled to announce $5,745 in campership grants! 29 Oceana students received a scholarship to attend the camp of their choice this summer. Every student who applied for a campership was awarded a grant ranging from $100 to $250. Awards were determined based on campers’ financial needs and a preference for first-time applicants.

The Oceana Community Foundation is thrilled to announce 16 grant proposals were awarded in its Fall Community Grant Round. The awarded grants totaling $66,112! The grants were awarded to nonprofits, governments, and schools across Oceana County. “Our twice annual community grant rounds are another opportunity for our donor partners to support their favorite causes and meet the greatest needs of Oceana County. It’s what community foundations are all about – forming a trusted relationship with our donors so they can give back to their community in an informed and active way.” Foundation CEO Tammy Carey states. To see a complete list of grant awards, visit https://oceanafoundation.org/grants/past-grant-awards/. 

The Community Foundation for Oceana County’s scholarship application is now open and accepting applications until March 1, 2023. To be eligible, you must be a resident of Oceana County and a graduate of an Oceana public or private school. Scholarships are available for everyone; graduating seniors, current college students, even those looking to enter an apprenticeship program- everyone should apply!

The Community Foundation is excited to announce over $12,900 were awarded in Teacher Mini-Grants to help teachers start their year off with extra resources! This annual program provided 38 grants to seven schools in Oceana County – nearly doubling the number of grants from 2021. In addition, to support from the Oceana Youth Fund, the program significantly grew thanks to partnerships with several Donor Advised Funds of the Foundation including Mrs. Mullen’s Closet, Little Point Sable Arts for Oceana, Ralph’s Kids, Nobles Family Medical Reserve Corps and the Mary Ann Peterson “Grandma Pete” Memorial Fund(s).

The Community Foundation for Oceana County announces the opening of their Fall 2022 Community Grant Round. The application opens Monday, October 3rd, requests are submitted online at the Foundation’s website and due by October 31st. The main source of funding for the Foundation’s twice-yearly grant applications is the Community Investment Fund. This unrestricted fund is designed to support emerging critical needs and to support community opportunities as developed. Other sources of grant funding are the Foundation’s Field of Interest Funds, focusing on arts, youth, health, parks, environmental needs and community development projects. The Foundation’s sixty donor advised fund partners also provide significant funding towards the Community grant rounds.

The Community Foundation for Oceana County is thrilled to launch its Complete Your Degree (CYD) program and application process starting July 1st. The CYD program is designed to help local adults achieve degrees and credentials towards meeting the employment skill gap, thereby increasing household prosperity and fostering a more vibrant economy. The first cohort of CYD members will be chosen for the upcoming school year. Adult learners residing in Oceana County are encouraged to apply to join CYD by following the application instructions off our website, under the scholarship tab. For more information about this year’s CYD cohort, applicants are encouraged to attend the Foundation’s Lunch and Learn virtual session at 12 noon on July 13th. The registration link for that session can be found on our events page. 

Congrats to the class of 2022! Throughout the past four years, our graduating seniors have faced many challenges and continued persisting to reach this incredible milestone. The Community Foundation for Oceana County and its scholarship donors are thrilled to welcome these young adults into the next stage of their life and provide financial support for their college education. In total, the Foundation’s 2022 Scholarship Program awarded over $273,500 to 164 recipients – 245 individual scholarships in all! 

The Community Foundation for Oceana County is thrilled to announce its largest community grant round to date, awarding $77,422 to 24 projects! The grants were awarded to nonprofits, governments, and schools across Oceana County. While the grants varied widely in focus from education to recreation to environmental stewardship, nearly a third supported the growing mental health crisis. “It is phenomenal how community partners respond to Oceana County’s greatest needs, especially this alarming crisis in mental health,” Foundation CEO Tammy Carey states.

The Community Foundation for Oceana County is thrilled to announce our 2nd annual donation drive with Oceana’s Michigan Migrant Child Task Force (MMCTF)! With West Michigan welcoming thousands of farmworkers from across the US and abroad, our Migrant families are a crucial part of our summer community as they hard-harvest local produce. Our area’s Migrant Child Task Force is a part of a larger Department of Health and Human Services initiative to address resource insecurity facing young children and their families. The Foundation is collecting much-needed items like toothbrushes, soap, diapers, and toys for the Migrant Child Task Force to deliver. Each item donated is directly going to a family via the Migrant Child Task Force's Camp Outreach events!

The Community Foundation for Oceana County is fondly thanking parting members while welcoming new additions to its sixteen-member Foundation board. In honoring Garry McKeen, Gerrit Herrygers, and Gene Davidson and their time serving Oceana County, the Foundation thanked our retiring trustees by having them name a grant of $1,000 from its Leadership Fund to a Foundation Fund of their choice. 

The Community Foundation for Oceana County announces the opening of their Spring 2022 Community Grant Round. The application opens Friday, March 11th, requests are submitted online at the Foundation’s website and due by April 8th. The Foundation will host a grant workshop to showcase a new version of their application portal, GoApply. The newly designed portal excels in user-friendly navigation and submission options. The virtual workshop will discuss the Foundation’s grant priorities, portal navigation including how to register, and answer any grantee questions.  To register for the workshop, visit the Foundation’s website at https://oceanafoundation.org/grants/applying-for-a-grant/

After a brief program hiatus in 2021, the Community Foundation for Oceana County (CFOC) has selected nine local nonprofit leaders to participate in a regional Leadership Learning Lab. The fourth cohort is the largest to participate in the program, which began in 2018. The Leadership Learning Lab is a collaboration between the Frey Foundation, Rotary Charities and 10 northern Michigan community foundations and aligns with CFOC’s strategic efforts to support capacity building among local partners. “In today’s world, the conditions to be successful are constantly shifting. Changemakers need to lead with a new kind of discipline, courage, and skill. Passion for a cause is essential, but what we asked ourselves - what more can we do to help our nonprofit, government, and business leaders to sustain their work, increase their impact and work together for social change?” said Foundation CEO Tammy Carey. There will be two more cohorts selected in upcoming years to complete this new 3-year Leadership Learning Lab program commitment. 

 Throughout the holiday season, Read early. Read often. (RERO) has partnered with Santa to bring free children’s books to the children and families of Oceana County.  At local Christmas Tree Lighting Events, Santa Meet & Greet’s, and as gifts to go under the tree, free books were given out in November and December!  For a third year, the Villages of Shelby, New Era, Walkerville, and the City of Hart have passed out books at their holiday ceremonies.

A new year is also a new start to Hesperia’s future. The Hesperia Community Assessment, held in August, was the third area assessment funded by the Community Foundation for Oceana County in their community development work. Led by the Foundation and consultant Julie Hales-Smith, the assessment was also supported by key area partners, including the Village of Hesperia, Hesperia Area Chamber of Commerce, the Right Place, and the Oceana County Economic Alliance.

The Community Foundation for Oceana County’s scholarship application is now open and accepting applications until March 1, 2022. To be eligible, you must be a resident of Oceana County and a graduate of an Oceana public or private school. Scholarships are available for everyone; graduating seniors, current college students, even those looking to enter into an apprenticeship program- everyone should apply!

The Community Foundation for Oceana County (CFOC) is pleased to announce the recipients of its Fall Community Grant Round. Thirteen grant proposals were awarded, totaling $50,900, to support a range of nonprofit initiatives, health programs, and community projects. CFOC houses over 180 funds, each created by organizations, businesses and individuals passionate about supporting various nonprofits, causes and projects.

With the holiday season fast approaching, have you thought about giving back to Oceana County? The Community Foundation for Oceana County (CFOC) is thrilled to share its 2021 Community Wish Lists. Each year, the Foundation invites Oceana nonprofits to share their ideas for new projects and purchases they’re hoping for this year. These programs are only possible with the help of the community, as these wishes help cover expenses beyond their cash-strapped budget. Funding a wish is a fantastic way to celebrate your community!

In partnership with NorthSky Nonprofit Network, Rotary Charities of Traverse City, the Frey Foundation, and other northern lower Community Foundations, the Community Foundation for Oceana County (CFOC) invites local leaders to apply for the 2022 Leadership Learning Lab (LLL) program. The Foundation welcomes leaders at all levels from nonprofit organizations, businesses, government agencies, and Tribal Nations to apply. The application deadline is December 1, 2021