The Friendship Community Center in Suttons Bay is one of three organizations which will share $348,000 in grants from Impact100 Traverse City.
The 2024 grantees — Friendship Community Center, Northwestern Michigan College Foundation and Thompsonville Area Revitalization Project — were each awarded $116,000.
The three recipients, chosen from four exceptional finalists that also included Bay Community Theatre, were selected by membership rank vote. The nonprofits will use their respective grants to fund transformative projects thanks to the 348 women who each donated at least $1,000 to the organization this year.
Friendship Community Center hosts Leelanau Investing For Teens (LIFT), a no-cost, outof- school program for 6th through 12th graders in Leelanau County that connects teens with community mentors and offers activities that support their development and mental health.
LIFT will utilize the funding to update its classrooms and purchase a 12-passenger vehicle.
Northwestern Michigan College Foundation will use their funding to purchase a 3D printing arm. This 3D printer will revolutionize the construction industry in our region by leveraging cutting-edge technologies to construct homes, while also helping students acquire specialized technical skills that will set them apart in the job market.
Thompsonville Area Revitalization Project’s mission is to undertake projects which will enhance the quality of life for all people in the greater Thompsonville area. Located just down the road from Crystal Mountain, they’ll utilize the Impact100 grant to construct their keystone project — a bicycle trailhead and an ADA compliant visitor’s pavilion and campground – to catalyze transformational change in their area.
Impact100 TC President Lindsay Raymond said the organization reached a significant milestone this year by cumulatively awarding more than $2.4 million to regional nonprofits in just eight years.
“With this year’s grant recipients, we have funded 22 nonprofi ts in our region since 2017,” Raymond said. “These initiatives are so necessary and we are proud that our funds give them life and expand their reach. I am continually amazed by the generosity of our members and the meaningful work of the nonprofits we support!”
