As nonprofits and community groups across Northwest Michigan navigate ongoing uncertainty, Rotary Charities is listening closely. Over the past year, our nonprofit partners have shared their stories of a shifting funding landscape and a feeling of being in “permanent contingency mode.”  

Our response is to evolve alongside you. 

This feedback has inspired an expansion of the eligible uses of our Seed Grant category to include the adaptations organizations need right now to remain sustainable and focused on their missions. 

For us, “adaptation” is the practical work of staying effective when the ground moves beneath you: when a major grant ends, government regulations tighten, community needs spike, or a crisis disrupts service. Adaptation funding is not for routine operations or filling a budget gap. It is for one-time investments that make organizations and networks stronger and more nimble in the face of funding cliffs, policy pivots, or community crises. 

Finding the way into deeper collaboration, learning, and resilience often requires that we pause and take stock of where we are and where we want to go. Whether it’s developing a new community asset, strengthening internal capacity, or transforming an entrenched system, new ways of working may require coaching, consulting, and facilitated processes.  

This type of investment is designed to help changemakers build strong foundations for work that can endure and grow over time. 

That’s why we’ve broadened what Seed Grants can do, to meet you where you are. Whether you’re exploring new ideas, strengthening your team, or adapting to change, these grants are designed to make space for what’s emerging.

Here are the new categories in which Seed Grants can support your next step.

Exploration, Experimentation, and Design 

The earliest stages of changemaking often begin with curiosity. Seed Grants can support the work of exploring ideas, testing assumptions, and designing new approaches. From conducting feasibility studies and community assessments to piloting programs or mapping systems, this phase creates the insights and relationships needed to move from inspiration to informed action. 

Pre-Development for Capital Projects 

Before a shovel ever hits the ground, a great deal of planning and collaboration must take place. Seed Grants can help organizations and partners envision community projects, complete site assessments, work with architects, or explore the environmental and cultural context of a project. These investments ensure that projects are grounded in shared purpose and community input before major resources are committed. 

Community and Stakeholder Engagement 

Lasting change depends on trust, inclusion, and collaboration. Seed Grants can help bring people together to plan, listen, and build shared ownership. This might include convening cross-sector partners, developing governance models, or crafting shared messaging to align efforts. Funding can also support storytelling and narrative work that helps communities see themselves as part of a collective solution. 

Organizational Adaptation and Readiness 

Sometimes, the most critical work happens within organizations themselves. Seed Grants can support internal planning and capacity-building that strengthen an organization’s ability to lead change. This includes risk management, restructuring, data system upgrades, or developing new revenue strategies. These investments help organizations prepare for what’s next while staying aligned with their mission and values. 

Wellbeing and Organizational Culture Change 

Sustainable impact depends on healthy, resilient teams. Seed Grants can fund initiatives that nurture wellbeing, equity, and belonging within organizations. Examples include piloting flexible scheduling policies, hosting leadership coaching or team retreats, and exploring inclusive compensation and decision-making practices. When changemakers thrive, so do their communities. 

These updates reflect our ongoing commitment to listen and adapt as community needs evolve. By broadening Seed Grant eligible uses we are expanding the ways we can partner with changemakers at the earliest stages of their work. Our goal is to support local leaders as you explore new solutions, strengthen partnerships, and lay the groundwork for thriving, resilient communities.

Learn more about Seed Grants