Eleven arts & cultural groups in northwest Michigan have been approved for minigrant funds through the Michigan Council for the Arts & Cultural Affairs (MCACA) Regranting Program for local projects and professional development planned between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. The organizations will share $30,575 in total funding. An additional $6,925 in minigrants will be awarded in February 2017, for a total of $37,500 in minigrant support. Minigrant applications for Round 2 are available online at mcaca.egrant.net and due January 15, 2017. The MCACA regrant program is administered locally through NorthSky Nonprofit Network in Traverse City.
Regional organizations receiving minigrant project grant awards include:
- Arts for All of Northern Michigan for its Access Arts program (Grand Traverse)
- Art Rapids for its Walk of Art (Antrim)
- Bellaire Youth Initiative for its Youth Arts and Dance Enrichment program (Antrim)
- Cherry Capital Men’s Chorus for its Celebrating Our Past/Celebrating the Future Concerts (Grand Traverse)
- Communities in Schools in Northwest Michigan for Theatre Programs at Mancelona Schools (Antrim)
- Darcy Library of Beulah for its Off the Page Writers Series (Benzie)
- Leelanau Music Festival for its Chamber Music Series (Leelanau)
- Mancelona Public Schools for its Jazz Enrichment Project (Antrim)
Organizations receiving minigrants for professional and organizational development include:
- Crosshatch Center for Art & Design (Antrim)
- Great Lakes Children’s Museum (Leelanau)
- Michigan Legacy Art Park (Benzie)
MCACA regranting goals are to address arts & cultural needs, increase public access to arts and culture, build capacity and support projects that preserve, produce or present traditional or contemporary arts and culture. The grants are funded by the State of Michigan through the Michigan Arts and Cultural Affairs and administered through 10 regional districts. NorthSky is administering Region 2 funding for Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee and Wexford counties. 
In addition to minigrant funding, MCACA awarded $677,522 to 29 organizations in the ten county region for operational and project support, facilities and equipment improvements and arts in education residencies. Regional recipients by county include:
- Antrim, $35,267: Bellaire Elementary School, Crosshatch Center for Art & Design, Mancelona Public Schools;
- Benzie, $108,500: Elizabeth Lane Oliver Center for the Arts, Michigan Legacy Art Park;
- Charlevoix, $37,399: Beaver Island Cultural Arts Association, Charlevoix Circle of Arts, Raven Hill Discovery Center, Boyne Falls Public Schools;
- Emmet, $89,150: Bay View Music Festival, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, Voices Without Borders;
- Grand Traverse, $365,956: Building Bridges with Music, Blackbird Arts, City Opera House, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Northwestern Michigan College/Dennos Museum Center, Old Town Playhouse, Parallel 45, Inc., Rotary Charities of Traverse City (for Regrant/Minigrants), The Music House Museum, Traverse Symphony Orchestra, National Writers Series of Traverse City;
- Leelanau, $82,500: Glen Arbor Arts Association, Leelanau Community Cultural Center;
- Manistee, $21,000: Historic Vogue Theatre;
- Wexford, $8,750: City of Cadillac.
A listing of all MCACA grant recipients is available on the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs website at: http://www.michiganbusiness.org/cm/Files/MCACA/2017_Funding_Plan_County.pdf?rnd=1473545655809
For questions about MCACA minigrants, Round 2 applications or notification of future arts funding information, please contact Mary Bevans Gillett, regrant coordinator, at 231-883-8388 or mgillett03@gmail.com.
NorthSky Nonprofit Network is a program of Rotary Charities and supports the work of the nonprofit sector through advocacy, capacity building, and sustainability support. Its 
mission is to build strong communities by helping nonprofit organizations achieve and sustain excellence. NorthSky is an official satellite office of the Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center, servicing nonprofit organizations.
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