Photo courtesy of our friends at Affinity Mentoring
Our Grant Focus
The Steelcase Foundation provides grants to independent 501(c)(3) nonprofits doing work in Grand Rapids, MI (Kent County) and Athens, Alabama (Limestone County) that increases access to quality, public education and cultivates communities where children and their families can thrive through:
- Accessible, quality learning experiences
- Multi-generational support, advocacy, and engagement
- Removal of barriers and systemic impediments
- Arts + cultural experiences that enhance young people’s learning, engagement, and sense of belonging
Learning + Innovation
Scale + Deepen Impact
Partnership
Support What is Working
How It Works
Step 1
Register as an Organization
Step 2
Initial Inquiry
Step 3
Complete a Full Application
for those invited
Step 4
Interview
Step 5
Board Decision
Step 6
Contract + Payment
What our Grantees are saying
FY23
Grant Schedules
The Steelcase Foundation accepts applications for support at any time and considers requests for OP3 grants on a quarterly basis. We carefully read each proposal, so please submit your request well ahead of the deadline so we can adequately review and respond.
We have finite resources, so early submissions are often most successful. Initial Inquiries received at the end of the month due may need to be considered in the subsequent quarter. Our OP3 grantmaking process takes approximately six weeks to complete, and includes an Initial Inquiry, Application, and Interview.
Need support more urgently? Mission-aligned organization may be eligible for Rapid Response + Emerging Action Support. Check out our website here to learn more. Rapid Response grants are reviewed monthly for asks up to $30,000.
Annually, the Steelcase Foundation considers requests for our Early-Stage Operations + Planning Fund Grants. Click here to learn more. The application window for FY25 will be announced in early 2025.
For questions about our timelines or grantmaking strategies please contact Trudy Ngo-Brown:
tngobrow@steelcase.com | (616) 826-3907
| Initial Inquiries Due (before or by) | Application Due Date (for those invited) | Board Decision Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 27, 2024 | October 25, 2024 | January 17, 2025 | |
| December 18, 2024 | January 27, 2025 | April 22, 2025 | |
| March 31, 2025 | April 28, 2025 | July 11, 2025 | |
| June 27, 2025 | July 25, 2025 | October 10, 2025 |
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:
Click below to register for an upcoming session:
Click below to view a previously recorded session:
- January 23, 2025 – 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- April 15, 2025 - 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- July 15, 2025 - 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- October 23, 2025 - 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Is your project a good fit for a Steelcase Foundation grant?
To start the application process, please complete our Initial Inquiry and be sure to include the following information:
- A description of your organization and why you’re seeking funds and what the funds will be used for
- How much money do you need and when
- What you expect to accomplish through the grant
Photo courtesy of our friends at the Grand Rapids Art Museum
Grant FAQs
The Steelcase Foundation provides grants to independent 501(c)(3) nonprofits doing work in Grand Rapids, MI (Kent County) and Athens, Alabama (Limestone County) that increase access to quality, public education and cultivate communities where children and their families can thrive.
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
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 (Grand Rapids, MI, and Athens, AL)
• Conferences, seminars, events, or sponsorships
• 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
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.
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.
You can find a list of all our grantees in our annual reports, found on our What We’ve Learned page.
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.
