The Skillman Foundation Grants

The Skillman Foundation Grants is sponsored by The Skillman Foundation. Foundation making grants primarily in alignment with strategies to amplify the power of Detroit students, educators, and community members to influence education changes.

The Skillman Foundation | Detroit Nonprofit Grants for Youth Programs | The Skillman Foundation Detroit Nonprofit Grants for Youth Programs | The Skillman Foundation Meet the 2026 Skillman Visionaries The Skillman Foundation grants approximately $20 million annually, partnering with people to transform education systems to nurture the brilliance and power of Detroit youth.

See a list of our current and past grants below, dating back to 2017.

Director, Grantmaking Operations Grants Searchable by Year Awarded President's Discretionary Grantmakers for Effective Organizations GEO’s 2026 National Conference will focus on Transforming Philanthropic Culture and Practice, exploring the use of effective grantmaking practices in service of and in partnerships with the communities at the forefront of equity-informed social change.

President's Discretionary Northend Christian Community Development Corporation Supporting the development of student leadership through a program that teaches basic robotics and then allows for hands-on practice through creation of individual projects tailed to farm work.

President's Discretionary Black Male Educators Alliance Our annual gala celebrates the brilliance of Detroit’s youth, the dedication of our educators, and the partners who make this work possible. Sponsorship directly funds our Youth Leadership Development Program (YLDP), the BMEA Independent School and BMEA’s wellness-centered educator fellowships.

President's Discretionary Support for the 2026-27 season, Arts Engines program President's Discretionary Michigan Crossover Basketball Michigan Crossover is a nonprofit organization and the only girls’ basketball program based in the City of Detroit, providing elite athletic, academic, and leadership development opportunities for girls ages 10–17.

We are seeking a grant to ensure that financial barriers do not prevent talented girls from accessing high-level competition, coaching, and exposure.

Investment from local foundations and companies will directly support participation fees, travel and tournament costs, gym rentals, uniforms, and nutrition—critical components of a holistic pipeline for Detroit girls President's Discretionary For over 50 years, ACCESS has been a cornerstone of support in southeast Michigan, standing as a symbol of resilience and a constant reminder of the unwavering belief we all share for a just and equitable future; A mission we believe in so deeply that it has propelled our efforts to the national level.

This year's event promises to be a powerful evening of unity, recognition, and bridge-building to drive our mission forward.. President's Discretionary Portraits of Black Men: Becoming is a Journey of Stories narrative experience centered on Black men, presence, and becoming. President's Discretionary Council of Michigan Foundations, Inc. Composed of youth and YAC advisors from around the state.

They have led the development, design, and facilitation of youth programming at CMF in addition to this conference President's Discretionary YWCA of Metropolitan Detroit The YWCA/Pembroke and YWCA/Enterprise Childcare programs with tutors that can give students one on one attention during the summer to improve scores in reading, math, and science. The end goal is by fall to have report card grades and test scores improve by 15%.

President's Discretionary Coaching Detroit Forward, Inc. In the 2-part workshops, Detroit high school students practice and develop the skill of writing a college application essay. Students brainstorm, outline, draft and finish at least one college application essay by the conclusion of the workshops.

President's Discretionary Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation To provide support to DHDC program directors for capacity building and leadership training. President's Discretionary Avengers Youth Mentoring Organization We are planning a one-time Detroit-based youth initiative this summer focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, and workforce readiness for underserved youth ages 14–24.

This pilot project will provide a concentrated, hands-on experience that combines career exposure, youth business development, leadership training, and community economic engagement activities. President's Discretionary Third Sector New England, Inc. A research project to evaluate the fiscal implications of Law No: 19-21, H. R.

1 (“H. R. 1”) on the City of Detroit’s municipal services, programs, finances, Detroit-based businesses and their employees and Detroit-based key constituencies.

President's Discretionary Association of Black Foundation Executives, Inc. Harambee convenes nearly 1,200 philanthropic leaders, funders, and partners from across the country. It’s a special gathering that brings together people deeply committed to advancing racial equity and strengthening Black leadership across philanthropy.

President's Discretionary Schott Foundation for Public Education The Youth Well-Being Pooled Fund is a youth power-building philanthropic strategy to invest in activating youth organizations and individuals (16-25) to engage in the civic practices and state and local systemic change campaigns to improve the well-being of young people.

Michigan Nonprofit Association Discounts for a variety of services including posting jobs to MNA’s Job Center, our Compensation and Benefit report, nonprofit RFP distribution, and discounted access to our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion assessment. MNA Tech services which helps you cut IT support costs while maintaining a high level of service.

MNA members receive ongoing strategic IT advice and planning along with a 24-hour toll free help desk through our managed care service. Public Policy Advocacy: MNA does policy work at the state and federal levels, actively advocating for its members and the communities they serve on issues such as tax policy, appropriations, and civic engagement.

President's Discretionary Kids-TALK is a prevention and outreach program designed to equip Detroit children and families with knowledge, resources, and support to prevent abuse and respond to trauma. President's Discretionary Caring Athletes Team for Children’s and Henry Ford Hospital Support Detroit High School student.

President's Discretionary Montgomery serves as an experiential learning experience that is part of a 12-week Social Justice Training Program, embedded within our workforce development initiative.

President's Discretionary Trio New College Network Inc. Trio's - Michigan Site (Degree Forward) to create a Detroit-based pilot cohort of our Diploma 2 Degree (D2D) Summer College Readiness Program, a four-week bridge initiative serving approximately 25 Detroit high school seniors and recent graduates.

President's Discretionary Progressionista is a book club program that partners with Detroit Public Library branches to invite girls ages 8-12 to an interactive experience where they meet a different woman professional in their community, complete a hands-on project related to her career, and take home a book with the same theme during a 10-month program season.

President's Discretionary Developing Kingdoms in Different Stages Funds raised supports our year-round programming serving youth ages 5–24 and their families across 60+ zip codes. President's Discretionary Literature Circle Society Pathways and Pages, serving high school students in the city of Detroit.

This program is designed to improve literacy skills and expand access to college and career opportunities for students who are often overlooked but full of potential. Pathways and Pages combines engaging literature with real, practical college readiness experiences. Students will participate in weekly book discussions, reflective writing, and guided conversations that build critical thinking and confidence.

President's Discretionary Detroit Literacy Coalition 2026 summer youth literacy 8-week intensive writing camp, which has been expanded to include youth leadership and career development. The camp will focus on writing, comprehension, and digital literacy. President's Discretionary Minority Accounting Career Resource Society MACRS's mission is to provide pathways for minority students to become CPAs and excel in their accounting careers.

Our commitment is to address the prevailing state of the accounting profession by delivering exceptional resources to underrepresented students with aspirations of becoming accountants. President's Discretionary To celebrate our 10th anniversary and the joy of making art, Mint plans to pop up in 10 places in Detroit in 2026 and offer free face painting by our youth and a chance to create a “Small Joys” painting or poem.

This will bring joy and beauty to people and places and moments. Locations include: Belle Isle, Clark Park, Chandler Park, Rouge Park, Palmer Park just to name a few.

The Philanthropy Roundtable What a $5k donation to The Philanthropy Roundtable provides access to: • Webinars and virtual convenings, • "matchmaking" - help to connect funders for potential collaborations • Invitation to its annual conference (invitation only; the registration fee is an additional payment) President's Discretionary The Center for Effective Philanthropy Funds to support their overall work President's Discretionary The Center for Michigan, Inc. Bridge Michigan will host a statewide Issues Summit at Marygrove Conservancy in Detroit.

The Summit will be a public, nonpartisan forum examining the issues shaping Michigan’s future. We’ll bring together civic leaders, policymakers, and engaged residents for substantive conversations moderated by Bridge reporters. President's Discretionary Support the expansion of the Healing Arts–Drama Program, a trauma-informed mental wellness initiative serving teens ages 13–19 in the metropolitan Detroit area.

This program integrates therapeutic practices—including mindfulness, yoga, and cognitive behavioral skill-building—with structured dramatic arts training to strengthen coping skills, self-awareness, emotional expression, and interpersonal development among youth.

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations GEO members and funders join GEO as a way to support an agenda of shared change and to participate in transforming philanthropic culture and practice.

Members have access to specific perks designed to deepen engagement and maximize member participation, such as early and discounted conference registration, exclusive participation in peer learning communities, thought leadership opportunities through our Perspectives blog and virtual webinars, access to member-only GEOlist, priority entry for program participation and advance access to publications.

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations President's Discretionary Lead Guitar is requesting support from the President’s Discretionary Fund to cover an immediate, short-term need: purchasing guitars for a Detroit-area public school that recently joined our program. We are requesting $3,100 from the Skillman Foundation to purchase guitars for Edwin C. Denby HS.

Guitars will be the permanent property of the school. President's Discretionary Michigan League for Public Policy The Michigan League for Public Policy’s annual forum attendees will explore bold policies that will create an economy rooted in racial equity.

President's Discretionary Children’s Center of Wayne County, Inc. Our annual POP Breakfast is a mission-driven gathering that brings the voices of the children and families we serve to the forefront.

President's Discretionary Sponsorship will directly support hands-on STEM programming across our neighborhood hubs, ensuring children have access to experiences that spark curiosity, build confidence, and expand what they believe is possible.