Local grants. Local impact.
The Community Foundation of Greater Rochester provides grant opportunities for eligible non-profit organizations serving Rochester, Rochester Hills, and Oakland Township.
Our grant application and funding schedule for 2027 will be published in mid-November.
Before applying for a grant, from the Community Foundation or other funders, we recommend reading these tips and FAQs compiled by professional fundraisers. This may be particularly helpful for organizations that have an all-volunteer staff, do not have a dedicated grant writer, or are new to the non-profit environment.
501(c)(3) Grant Seekers:
The Community Foundation accepts grant applications from tax-exempt, non-profit organizations serving the Greater Rochester area, specifically the Rochester, Rochester Hills, and Oakland Township communities. Organizations seeking a grant from the Community Foundation can apply by completing either the short form (under $1,000) or the long form (over $1,000) application. All applications will be considered.
Before applying for a grant, prospective grantees are encouraged to reach out to Foundation staff to determine if funding is available for their program or project.
If you have questions about the application itself or the application process, we are happy to answer questions to make applying for a grant with the Community Foundation a clear and easy to navigate process.
Women’s Fund Grant Applications:
The months of November and December are reserved exclusively for Women’s Fund grant applications. All general grant applications submitted to the Community Foundation after August 14th, 2026, will be held until the first grant period of 2027.
The Women’s Fund Grant Application period opens November 2nd, 2026. Applications will be accepted until 5:00pm December 2nd.
To apply for a Women’s Fund Grant, click the button below to be directed to our application portal. Please be sure to select ‘Women’s Fund’ in the Grant Opportunity field.
Before you enter the Grant Application portal, collect the documents required to submit your grant application:
• 1. A copy of the IRS determination letter indicating 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
• 2. A copy of your organization’s Charitable Solicitation Registration for the State of Michigan.
• 3. List of Board of Directors with affiliations.
• 4. Organization’s current annual operating budget, including expenses and revenue.
• 5. Most recent annual financial statement (independently audited, if available; if not available, attach Form
990).
• 6. Copy of Organization’s nondiscrimination policy
• 7. Annual report, if available.
Please note that the Foundation reserves the right to request additional information from any and all applicants before making a determination on funding requests if the information provided is deemed unsufficient.
As a funder, we get a lot of questions about best practices for applying for grants from the Community Foundation. We have compiled this list of tips and helpful advice for any organization that relies on grants for a large part of their funding:
Be A Part of Something Great!
The Community Foundation of Greater Rochester supports local organizations across Rochester Hills, Oakland Township and Rochester. Our grant recipients include green spaces, non-profit organizations, community outreach programs, and more.
Over the years, the Women's Fund has consistently given to the Assistance League of SE MI in support of Assault Survivor Kits. Any time a woman goes to the hospital as the result of reporting an assault, her clothes become evidence. Each Assault Survivor kit provides new clothing and toiletries for survivors of abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assault.