Grants
Helping Kent County Students & Families Flourish
We invest in public education, family well-being, and the systems that help everyone’s inherent brilliance shine.
Where We Work
Our home is Kent County, Michigan, and that’s where we focus 100% of our grantmaking. This geographic focus helps us build deep relationships, understand community needs, and make a real difference right here at home.
Before you apply, make sure your organization primarily serves Kent County and/or is seeking support for activities that primarily serve Kent County. We know you might be doing amazing work elsewhere, but staying local allows us to be the most effective partner possible.
What Drives Us
At the Steelcase Foundation, we believe every child deserves the chance to learn, grow, and flourish, and that thriving families and strong public schools make that possible. We’re focusing on where we believe we can make the biggest difference: public education, family well-being, and systems change.
Where We Focus Our Support
We concentrate our grantmaking in three areas where we believe we can make the greatest impact for Kent County youth and families. Here’s what that looks like:
Defending & Strengthening Public Education
Public education is a cornerstone of equity and opportunity. We invest in protecting its integrity and ensuring all learners have access to a high-quality, radically-inclusive, and liberatory education system.
Funding Priorities
- Educator professional development related to creating inclusive, student-centered learning environments
- Educator pipeline efforts – recruitment, retention, especially of diverse educators
- Positive transitions through PK12, especially into kindergarten, to middle school, to high school, and to postsecondary
- Youth collaboration and leadership in schools
- Arts and cultural experiences that prioritize youth leadership and belonging
- School culture of belonging and psychological safety
- Mental health efforts for students and families/caregivers
Whole-Child Learning, Whole-Family Supports
Students flourish when their families are flourishing. We invest in holistic, culturally responsive approaches that meet students and families where they are and help them get to where they aspire to be.
Funding Priorities
- Targeted approaches to supporting students and their caregivers
- Out-of-school time (OST) programs centering social emotional development, belonging, and/or academic enrichment
- Stabilization efforts for immigrant and refugee students and their families
- Early relational health efforts between children and caregivers
- Health navigation services for students and their families with Medicaid and Medicare
Postsecondary Access & Success
Education doesn’t end at high school. We support the critical transition to postsecondary education and early career pathways that help students access, persist through, and succeed in those opportunities, especially those who are first-generation or historically underserved.
Funding Priorities
- Postsecondary access and readiness
- Postsecondary persistence and retention
Ready to partner with us?
Our grant process is designed to be clear, collaborative, and as straightforward as possible.
Here’s what you need to know:
Let's make sure we're a good fit:
- We Fund
- 501(c)(3) nonprofits or governmental entities
- Organizations serving Kent County, Michigan
- Program aligned with our focus areas
- Existing and pilot programs, special projects/initiatives, and general operations
- Organizations that have demonstrated experience related to the work being proposed
- Efforts that center the wisdom, leadership, and lived experience of the communities they serve
- We Don't Fund
- Work outside Kent County, Michigan
- Basic needs, youth sports, animal welfare, environmental programs
- Capital campaigns, endowments, or furniture purchases
- Event sponsorships, scholarships, or requests for individuals
- Organizations that discriminate based on protected characteristics or require participation in religious activities to receive services
1
Check Your Fit
Make sure your work aligns with our focus areas.
2
Tell Us Your Story
Submit an initial inquiry through our online portal. Keep it clear and concise. Our team will review it and respond within 2 weeks.
3
Complete An App
If the request moves forward, we’ll work through a full application and determine shared learning goals.
4
Make Impact Together
If the grant is approved, we’ll begin our work with you to support meaningful impact in our community.
Grant Schedule
| Initial Inquiries Due (before or by) | Application Due Date (for those invited) | Board Decision Dates |
|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2025 | October 25, 2025 | January 16, 2026 |
| December 18, 2025 | January 30, 2026 | April 24, 2026 |
| March 27, 2026 | May 8, 2026 | July 17, 2026 |
| June 26, 2026 | July 27, 2026 | October 16, 2026 |
Grant Application Information Sessions
Are you new to applying for a Steelcase Foundation grant, or has it been a while since we’ve partnered? New Grantee Info Sessions will be held as follows:
- April 15, 2026 – 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- July 22, 2026 – 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- October 21, 2026 – 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Want to learn more or see if your work aligns with these priorities?
Start by exploring stories and resources on our website to see how we approach community partnerships. If you’re still unsure whether your program fits, reach out to Trudy Ngo-Brown at trudynb@steelcasefoundation.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Steelcase Foundation provides grants to independent 501(c)(3) nonprofits doing work in Kent County that increases access to quality, public education and cultivates communities where children and their families can flourish.
What is the Foundation looking for when making funding decisions?
Grant applications are evaluated against multiple factors:
- Alignment with the Steelcase Foundation mission, particularly a social justice lens
- Implementation capacity
- Board and management leadership
- Inclusion and equity practices
- Feasibility and financial sustainability
- Measurable community benefit and broad opportunities
What is not eligible for support from Steelcase Foundation?
The Steelcase Foundation is happy to consider requests for new and existing programming, special projects, and general operating for organizations with strong mission alignment.
The Steelcase Foundation does not support:
- Requests to purchase Steelcase Inc. furniture
- Grants to individuals or for religious purposes
- Grants to non-501(c)(3) organizations (unless through a fiscal sponsor)
- Grants that fall outside of our funding priorities or geographic focus (Kent County)
- Conferences, seminars, events, or sponsorships
- School-based or community-based clubs and athletic teams
- Endowments
- Grants for projects that duplicate or significantly overlap the work of federal, state, or local government agencies
- Organizations that discriminate based on religion, gender identity, and expression, disability, sexual orientation, race, or national origin
How much can I request?
We encourage prospective grant seekers to pursue multiple avenues for support, and typically will not be the sole funder of a project or program. We encourage multi-year requests when appropriate, and most of our grants range from $30,000 – $250,000.
If awarded, what will my responsibilities be?
All successful grant seekers receive a grant contract outlining the mutually agreed upon terms of our partnership. Grantees are required to provide an annual report for each year of funding detailing progress toward grant outcomes and our collective learnings. We ask organizations to communicate with our staff about any significant changes to projects and unanticipated challenges or adjustments to project timelines. We also encourage partners to share in their successes along the way through news articles, social media posts and key learnings throughout the grant period.
What organizations has Steelcase Foundation funded?
You can find a list of all our grantees in our annual reports, found on our Our Learnings page.
Does the Steelcase Foundation have an Indirect Cost Policy?
Yes. Indirect costs are at the discretion of the Grant Lead. Grantseekers should discuss indirect costs with the Grant Lead prior to submitting their proposed budget during the grant request process.
Research grant proposals may include indirect costs of up to 15 percent of the total direct costs. The Steelcase Foundation does not pay government-approved overhead rates on research grants. The Foundation does not pay indirect costs on non-research grants, such as fellowships or training grants, regardless of the total budget. Administrative expenses for these projects may be built into the direct costs, with the exception of those related to institutional infrastructure.
We're Here to Help You Succeed
Check out these resources to help you prepare the strongest application possible.
Information Sessions
Register for upcoming session →
View past recording →
Grant Schedule
Next deadline: March 27, 2026
View full schedule →
Frequently Asked Questions
View common questions →