Kalamazoo Community Foundation (KZCF) offers individual grants to fund respite, professional development, executive coaching, and wellness grants to nonprofit leaders in Kalamazoo County.
We recognize many nonprofits are stretched for resources and may face challenges covering essential operational costs. As a result, leaders may often feel under resourced – through no fault of their own. Within this broader context, we acknowledge that leaders of color, particularly women of color, frequently carry a disproportionate share of the responsibility for advancing racial equity and social justice efforts. Sustaining Leaders prioritizes support for these leaders while also considering the diverse needs and circumstances of nonprofit leaders more broadly.
Grants awarded through this initiative reflect our mission to mobilize people, resources and expertise to advance racial, social and economic justice.
July 8, 2026
July 29, 2026, by noon
The Sustaining Leaders Initiative uses a referral-based application process. Applicants are asked to provide the name and contact information of the individual who referred them to the program as part of the application.
Eligible nonprofit leaders can submit an online application (once per year) by the next deadline.
If you are interested in learning more about the Sustaining Leaders Initiative but have not been referred by a past participant, please contact KZCF before submitting an application.
The outcome of your request will be sent via email by early September. If a grant is awarded, you’ll receive a grant agreement to sign and return.
Funds will be sent by late September, and a brief impact survey will be issued in the summer of 2027, which is the only required reporting for this grant.
To learn more about our Sustaining Leaders Initiative or get guidance with your application, contact Stanley Steppes via the contact form or call 269.585.7238.
The All-in-One Scholarship Application* is available December 1 through March 1 every year. In early March, our Scholarships team reviews applications to ensure successful completion and eligibility. For the remainder of March until May, our Scholarship Review Committees review applications and convene to recommend recipients. As early as April, KZCF Scholarships staff may begin reaching out to recipients to notify them of our scholarship decisions and update application statuses in Kaleidoscope accordingly. Notifications will continue until June. From late July to the end of August, scholarship payments are sent directly to institutions.
Yes, a member of our Scholarships team will reach out to students regarding any missing documents.
No, KZCF scholarships are open to students regardless of their citizenship or permanent residence status.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) allows college students to access financial aid for college, including grants, scholarships, work-study and federal student loans. Visit studentaid.gov for information on the FAFSA and how to apply.
While the FAFSA is required to complete our scholarship applications, we can still support students who may be ineligible to complete it. Please indicate on your application in Kaleidoscope that you are ineligible to complete the FAFSA. You will be prompted with the next steps from there.
Yes, you will get email updates about your application status. You can also check your status anytime by logging into your Kaleidoscope application portal. Within your portal, you can see which KZCF scholarships you qualify for. Each scholarship will show its own application status, which will be updated as your application is reviewed.
KZCF scholarships may be used for any items related to your school’s cost of attendance (COA). Each school has a different COA that includes items such as tuition, fees, housing, transportation, food, health insurance, etc. You can find your school’s COA online or by contacting your school’s financial aid office.
Scholarship awards are paid directly to your institution, and if there are additional acceptance stipulations related to your scholarship, they will be listed in the individual scholarship’s details.
Kalamazoo Community Foundation scholarships can be applied to any accredited academic institution within the United States. Scholarships are not eligible for international use at this time.
A member of our Scholarships team will email you the link to an online form in February each year your scholarship is eligible for renewal. To ensure you receive this link, please make sure you have shared your current email with us. This short form needs to be submitted by March 1 to be applicable to the following school year. Some scholarships require you to maintain a minimum GPA or have a specific major to continue receiving your scholarship. Scholarship requirements are always included in acceptance agreements.
In certain situations, scholarship awards are considered taxable income for the recipient. You can find information about scholarships and taxes via The Internal Revenue Service.
For questions about how scholarship awards might impact your taxes, please consult a tax professional.
This innovative program supports mothers and babies with a no-strings-attached cash prescription from pregnancy through a baby’s first year of life.
Wendy Fields is the president at Metropolitan Kalamazoo Branch MKB NAACP, a leading voice at the forefront of the battle against discrimination in the workplace, education and housing in our region. In 2024, MKB NAACP was a key partner in Kalamazoo County’s Mobilizing...
Drew Johnson is the executive director of South County Community Services (SCCS), one of Kalamazoo Community Foundation’s many nonprofit partners who mobilized quickly after the devastating May 7 tornadoes in Kalamazoo County this past year. Thanks to the Community...
Kalamazoo Community Foundation (KZCF) will distribute $1.5 million in opioid settlement funds to local nonprofits over the next three years.
Contributions to KZCF ensure your gifts will continue to benefit our community forever. Help us make an impact that lasts for generations to come by giving a gift today.