Seeding Wayne County Grant Program

Seeding Wayne County Grant Program is sponsored by Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency. This program supports Wayne County-based organizations that address the causes and conditions of poverty.

Seeding Wayne County Grant Program - Wayne Metro Community Action Agency Support for Non-Profits addressing poverty Apply for the grant today or contact us: Congratulations to the 2026 Seeding Wayne County Grantees! Current Recipients of Seeing Wayne County funds can access information about their grant award, track their project budget and submit reports in the Grantee Portal.

Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency is pleased to operate the Seeding Wayne County Mini-Grant program. This program supports Wayne County-based organizations that share the common goal of addressing the causes and conditions of poverty in their community.

To support Wayne County-based organizations who address the belief that no one should live in poverty in a Wayne County community, through grant funding for service projects in the following program areas: 1. Employment/Job Readiness 2. Neighborhood Improvements 4.

Youth and Adult Education Seeding Wayne County Documents Financial Statement Template Recorded Informational Session FY2026 Eligibility and Document Checklist Fiduciary Letter of Agreement Template Project Budget Form Template RAC FY2026 Schedule and MAP Seeding Wayne County Flyer Seeding Grantee Portal Access Organization must be a 501c(3) with annual operating budgets of less than $250,000.

With annual operating budgets of less than $250,000 Small Organizations that use the 501c(3) fiduciary status of a larger Wayne County-based agency May be considered eligible entities if approved by Wayne Metro And serve low income Wayne County Residents Service low-income residents in one of four areas: Job Readiness and Supports Neighborhood Improvements Youth and Adult Education Met Seeding Wayne County programmatic requirements If awarded in previous years 501c(3) IRS Tax Exemption Letter in applicant's name OR identification of a tax-exempt fiduciary organization Proof of the organization's address within Wayne County Required if the address on form 501c(3) has changed and is outside of Wayne County Most recent fiscal year financial statements that show the organizational operating budget A 990, bank statement or document detailing financials FY 2025 To be deemed eligible an organization must: Be a 501 (c)(3) organization with annual operating budgets of less than $250,000.

Small organizations that use the 501(c)(3) fiduciary status of a larger Wayne County-based agency may be considered eligible entities if approved by Wayne Metro. Be based in Wayne County and serve low income Wayne County residents. Service low-income residents in one of the four areas: (1) Job Readiness and Supports; (2) Health and Nutrition; (3) Neighborhood Improvements; and (4) Youth and Adult Education.

Have met Seeding Wayne County programmatic requirements if awarded in previous years. For more detailed information and to submit a successful application please read the official program guidelines . 2.

Confirm your Project Eligibility The awarded funding is used by grassroots community organizations to support programs and services in the areas of: Youth and Adult Education Job Readiness and Support Neighborhood Improvements Assure that your project targets one of these impact areas. The targeted population must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty limit. a.

Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Poverty Guidelines. Note: Poverty Guidelines are updated for FY2026 at the time of contract award. Income fluctuations expected for FY2026 Poverty Guidelines.

Awarded grantees must provide proof of this with the acceptable documentation pending the service location. Household Members 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Annual Income $31,300 $42,300 $53,300 $64,300 $75,300 $86,300 $97,300 $108,300 b. The organization and Wayne Metro must agree on the means to document client income eligibility for services.

The documented method is incorporated into a grant agreement between Wayne Metro and the organization. 3. Detail out your project eligibility Describe your Program: As you are completing your application it is important to keep in mind that Active RAC members will score your application based on the following questions: Project Goals: How well does the project clearly fill a need or address a problem?

Is the project related to the selected program area? Project Design: How well does the proposal clearly describe the proposed program or project? Budget: Is the proposed budget reasonable and cost efficient for the project proposed?

Determine your outcomes and activities: Think about your impact area. Identify three activities that directly contribute to the outcomes of your project. a.

New Grantees may apply for amounts ranging from $1,000. 00- $7,500. 00 b.

Legacy Grantees may request a maximum of $8,500. 00 2. Research what you need to buy and how much it will cost.

3. The Seeding Grant is funded by the Community Service Block Grant and its governing guidelines. Please assure your budget does not contain any of the following disallowable line items found HERE 4.

Your budget should be reasonable in cost efficiency and match the proposed project description. 5.

This is a reimbursable grant: organizations will receive 50% of their award as an advance upon signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and the remaining 50% will be disbursed after the program ends, once all receipts, proof of payment, and the final outcomes report have been submitted and approved by Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency. For more details please reference the grant guidelines.

In Person Technical Assistance at Wayne Metro Headquarters: 3710 Woodward Ave Suite 800, Detroit, MI 48202. December 9th, 2025 11:00 am – 12:30 pm Register Here December 16th, 2025 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Register Here If you have attended the Information Sessions and Open Office Hours and still have questions, please reach out to seedinggrant@waynemetro. org before Friday, January 2nd, 2026.

Any questions submitted after this date will not be considered. If you have applied for a Seeding Grant in the past via the CASPIO system be sure to utilize the same email and password for your organization’s account. Proposals must be received no later than 5:00 p.

m. on January 5th, 2026 . Late submittals will not be accepted.

You may submit the application online. All other methods of submission will only be considered on a case by case and deemed appropriate by Wayne Metropolitan. For technical assistance with submission please reach out to us directly and seedinggrant@waynemetro.

org . Incomplete applications will not be considered. To ensure your application is complete, it is strongly recommended that applicants utilize the support opportunities provided by Wayne Metro’s Participatory Grantmaking Team detailed below.

WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION USING THE ONLINE FORM LINKED ABOVE SO THAT WE RECEIVE YOUR APPLICATION ON TIME. LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Wayne Metro will review all applications and inform applicants of their eligibility by mid-January 2026.

Wayne Metro Regional Advisory Council (RAC) members will score eligible applications for their region and make recommendations for funding. RAC members have direct involvement and knowledge of neighborhoods, available services, and the needs of low-income residents in their region and Wayne County. Active RAC members will use this RUBRIC to score proposals.

Your organization must have a representative in attendance at the scoring session for your region to present your proposal. If a representative is not present during the scoring session your application will not be presented or accepted for consideration. Note: organizations may request an accommodation to seedinggrant@waynemetro.

org for Wayne Metro to present the proposal on your organization’s behalf. Please refer to the grant guidelines for more details regarding proposal presentation and scoring. See the Regional Advisory Council Scoring Meeting schedule below to assure your attendance.

You can find out which regional your project is serving by visiting this document. (coming soon) Information Session Times: New Applicant Scoring Information Session 1: Tuesday, January 27th, 2026 at 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM New Applicant Scoring Information Session 2: Wednesday, January 28th, 2026 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM 3.

Requirements for Awarded Entities Funded Entities must procure general liability insurance policy and name Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency as a Certificate Holder before grant monies can be dispersed. Applicants proposing improvements to land or vacant lots must provide evidence that property is owned by the applicant organization. Expenses must be incurred between April 1st, 2026 and August 31st, 2026.

All awarded entities must have a representative from your organization attended at least two (2) RAC meetings between April 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025 to be eligible for 2026 funding. Comply with all grant agreement requirements.

The organization’s failure to comply with client income eligibility documentation procedures and other requirements outlined in the grant agreement will result in termination of funding, reimbursement of any previously released funds, and the exclusion of the entity from future funding consideration.

Including, but not limited to: Attendance of at least one monthly workshop The close out information session Funded entities must provide documentation of client eligibility, required Outcomes Report and documentation of expenditure on or before September 4th, 2026.

If the client eligibility documentation, written report, or documentation of expenditures are not received, the organization will not receive the second installment of grant funds. New awarded entities must participate in the Program Assistant Liaison (PAL) Program and Program Evaluation activities. Failure to participate may affect eligibility and consideration for future funding.

NOTE: expenditure documentation must be submitted for ALL purchases and must align with the budget contracted in the Memorandum of Understanding. All financial documentation will be reviewed and approved by the accounting department before and after the grant term. Who is eligible for the Seeding Wayne County Grant?

Local 501 (c)(3) organizations with annual operating budgets of less than $250,000. *In some circumstances, smaller organizations can use the 501(c)3 status of a larger organization by using them as a fiduciary. What types of projects are eligible for the grant?

a. Employment/Job Readiness c. Neighborhood Improvements d.

Youth and Adult Education *All projects must meet the need of a low income community* A RAC is the acronym for Regional Advisory Council. Wayne Metro’s Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) are composed of Residential, Organizational, and Consumer community representatives who serve as consumer advisory board members to the Agency.

Regional Advisory Councils are instrumental in vetting and scoring Seeding Wayne County Grant Proposals submitting in their region. RAC Members also make up one-third of the Wayne Metro Board of Directors. What is the max amount that my organization can receive?

Grants typically range from $1,000. 00 to a maximum of $7,500 dependent on the number of awarded applications. Does the program allow for transportation?

Forms of transportation for participants being served by your project are reviewed and approved on a case by case basis prior to contracting, if awarded. What is a Program Assistant Liaison and who is paired with one? The Program Assistant Liaison (PAL) Initiative is a relationship-based program that helps Seeding Wayne County Grant recipients build capacity and confidence in managing their grants.

If a grantee wasn’t awarded in the previous fiscal year, they’ll be paired with a Wayne Metro staff member — their PAL — to offer guidance and support. Returning grantees can choose to join the program if they wish. Please read the PAL One Pager for more information!

How many times can my organization receive the Seeding Wayne County Grant? Organizations may only be awarded funding for a maximum of three years, which may run non concurrently. This guideline is effective for Fiscal Year 2026 and beyond.

Can organizations use other 501c3 status of other organizations if they are not a 501c3 themselves? Yes, they can use another organization as a fiduciary. Do we have to apply online or can we fill out the PDF version of the application?

We are only accepting online applications at this time. Can we meet with someone to review our application before submission? Is this the same application as last year?

While the online platform is the same, application questions and guidelines have been updated. Please be sure to review the grant guidelines before submitting an application. How long is the grant period?

The grant term is April 1, 2026 – August 31, 2026 Food is a part of my programmatic costs, can I include this in my budget?

Under 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance); Michigan CSBG Sub-recipient Guidelines; The Memorandum of Understanding, All Food Related Purchases must meet the following criteria: The food is directly tied to a Seeding Grant activity (example: participatory grant-making workshops, community engagement meetings, or other program events designed to achieve project objectives).

The purchase is included in the approved budget or has received prior written approval from the Grantor. The cost is reasonable, necessary, and allocable to the grant activity.

It is listed as program supplies in the proposed budget Documentation Requirements: Grantee must maintain and provide upon request: Receipts or invoices for all food purchases; Date, time, and location of the event; List of participants and their relevance to the grant activity; A brief description of how the food supports the grant objectives.

Grantee may not use funds for: Meals or snacks for staff not participating in a grant-related event; Social, recreational, or entertainment purposes unrelated to the grant activity; Lavish or extravagant meals are not considered reasonable and necessary for the event. Any food-related expenditures that do not meet the requirements above are unallowable and must be reimbursed to the Grantor.

Failure to comply may result in withholding of funds, termination of the grant, or other remedies as provided in this agreement. Neighborhood Beautification Detroit Homeowners & Wayne County Residents Seeding Wayne County Grant Program Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency is pleased to operate the Seeding Wayne County Mini-Grant program.

This program supports Wayne County-based organizations that share the common goal of addressing the causes and conditions of poverty in their community. The awarded funding is used by grassroots community organizations to support programs and services in the areas of Youth and Adult Education, Nutrition, Health, Employment, and Neighborhood Improvements. Congratulations to the 2024 Seeding Wayne County Grantees!

Current recipients of Seeding Wayne County funds can access information about their grant award, track their project budget and submit reports in the Grantee Portal. The information below pertains to the 2024 application cycle. Information regarding the 2025 application cycle is subject to change.

If you are interested in applying, follow the road map below! Step 1: See if you qualify To be deemed eligible an organization must: Be a 501 (c)(3) organization with annual operating budgets of less than $250,000. Small organizations that use the 501(c)(3) fiduciary status of a larger Wayne County-based agency may be considered eligible entities if approved by Wayne Metro.

Be based in Wayne County and serve low income Wayne County residents. Service low-income residents in one of the four areas: (1) Job Readiness and Supports; (2) Health and Nutrition; (3) Neighborhood Improvements; and (4) Youth and Adult Education. Have met Seeding Wayne County programmatic requirements if awarded in previous years.

For more detailed information and to submit a successful application please read the official program guidelines. Step 2: Confirm your Project Eligibility The awarded funding is used by grassroots community organizations to support programs and services in the areas of Youth and Adult Education Job Readiness and Support Neighborhood Improvements Assure that your project targets one of these impact areas. 2.

The targeted population must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty limit. a. Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Poverty Guidelines.

Note: Poverty Guidelines are updated for FY2024 at the time of contract award. Minor income fluctuations expected for FY2024 Poverty Guidelines. b.

The organization and Wayne Metro must agree on the means to document client income eligibility for services. The documented method is incorporated into a grant agreement between Wayne Metro and the organization.

Step 3: Detail out your Program Plan /Outline Describe Your Program: As you are completing your application it is important to keep in mind that Active RAC members will score your application based on the following questions: Project Goals: How well does the project clearly fill a need or address a problem? Is the project related to the selected program area?

Project Design: How well does the proposal clearly describe the proposed program or project? Budget: Is the proposed budget reasonable and cost efficient for the project proposed? Determine your outcomes and activities Think about your impact area Identify 3 activities that directly contribute to the outcomes of your project.

Step 4: Build your Budget a. New Grantees may apply for amounts ranging from $1,000. 00- $7,500.

00 b. Legacy Grantees may request a maximum of $8,500. 00 2.

Research what you need to buy and how much it will cost. 3. The following CANNOT be covered by this grant: Stipends/Salaries for staff and volunteers General Overhead (i.e. Accounting) Advertising for the organization as a whole Equipment over the amount of $500.

00 (you may cover the difference) For a complete list of disallowable costs click HERE 4. Your budget should be reasonable in cost efficiency and match the proposed project description. 5.

Reminder, this is a reimbursable grant. If awarded, half of the funds are disbursed at the start of the grant term and the other half is disbursed upon completion of the project. Step 5: Do you need support?

Take a look at the assistance we provide below. Virtual Information Sessions In Person Technical Assistance at Wayne Metro Headquarters: 3710 Woodward Ave Suite 800, Detroit, MI 48202. If you have attended the Information Sessions and Open Office Hours and still have questions, please reach out to seedinggrant@waynemetro.

org before Wednesday, December 20th, 2023 . Any questions submitted after this date will not be considered. If you have applied for a Seeding Grant in the past via the CASPIO system be sure to utilize the same email and password for your organization’s account.

Proposals must be received no later than 5:00 p. m. on January 5th, 2024 .

Late submittals will not be accepted. You may submit the application either online or hand deliver a paper copy. Emailed or mailed applications will not be accepted.

Online submission is strongly encouraged. Incomplete applications will not be considered. To ensure your application is complete, it is strongly recommended that applicants utilize the support opportunities provided by Wayne Metro’s Participatory Grantmaking Team detailed below.

WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION USING THE ONLINE FORM LINKED ABOVE SO THAT WE RECEIVE YOUR APPLICATION ON TIME. LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Monday November 27, 2023 Application Opens Monday December 4th, 2023 from Information Session, Register Here Wednesday December 6th, 2023 from Information Session, Register Here Tuesday December 12t, 2023 from Open Office Hours, Register Here Wednesday December 13th, 2023 from Open Office Hours, Register Here Wednesday December 20, 2023 LAST DAY FOR QUESTIONS Friday January 5, 2024 Wayne Metro will review all applications and inform applicants of their eligibility by mid-January 2024.

Wayne Metro Regional Advisory Council (RAC) members will score eligible applications for their region and make recommendations for funding. RAC members have direct involvement and knowledge of neighborhoods, available services, and the needs of low-income residents in their region and Wayne County. Active RAC members will use this RUBRIC to score proposals.

You can learn more about RACS here. It is highly encouraged that your organization have a representative in attendance at the scoring session for your region. During these scoring sessions applicants will have the opportunity to respond to questions about the submitted proposal.

Please see the RAC scoring meeting information below to assure your attendance. Find out which RAC you are in by visiting this webpage . New Applicant Information Session Requirements for Awarded Entities Funded Entities must procure general liability insurance policy and name Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency as a Certificate Holder before grant monies can be dispersed.

Applicants proposing improvements to land or vacant lots must provide evidence that property is owned by the applicant organization. Expenses must be incurred between April 1st, 2024 and August 31th, 2024. All awarded entities must have a representative from your organization attend at least two (2) RAC meetings between April 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024 to be eligible for 2024 funding.

Comply with all grant agreement requirements. The organization’s failure to comply with client income eligibility documentation procedures and other requirements outlined in the grant agreement will result in termination of funding, reimbursement of any previously released funds, and the exclusion of the entity from future funding consideration.

Funded entities must provide documentation of client eligibility, required Outcomes Report and documentation of expenditure on or before September 6th, 2024. If the client eligibility documentation, written report, or documentation of expenditures are not received, the organization will not receive the second installment of grant funds.

New awarded entities must participate in the Program Assistant Liaison (PAL) Program and Program Evaluation activities. Failure to participate may affect eligibility and consideration for future funding. Congratulations to the 2023 Seeding Wayne County Grant Cohort!

Below you will see all 65 grantees mapped across Wayne County. Click the red place markers to see the grantee’s name, impact area and project description.

ATTATCHEMENTS & RESOURCES (for reference only, Applications must be submitted online) Guidelines to FY 2023 Grants FAQ: 2023 Grant Applications Example Financial Statement Template Information Session Slide Deck Seeding Grant Application: SECTION 1 Seeding Grant Application: SECTION 2 Seeding Grant Application: SECTION 3 Learn More About our Summer Offerings Register for the Webinar!

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