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The Kresge Foundation awards grants in the following areas: American Cities, Arts & Culture, Detroit, Education, Environment, Health, Human Services and Social Investment Practice. Most often, we proactively invite or solicit applications from individual organizations. Occasionally, program teams will do an open call for proposals within a focus area. For initiatives, we often use a request for proposals process to fund specific efforts in a cohort model. Whenever available, we share grant opportunities on the Current Funding Opportunities page.
Before considering applying to Kresge, we recommend first visiting the relevant pages in the Our Work section to explore our current strategies. Also read the following information about eligibility carefully. And check our Current Opportunities page to see what funding opportunities are open. In certain situations, when project proposals offer opportunities to advance the goals of multiple teams, those teams will jointly fund the request for support.
Most applications can begin with a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) that details the work and organization making the request. If using Fluxx, you will receive a request ID number via email.
Once reviewed, a program officer will work with your organization to refine the request to move it forward to the full proposal process, or communicate back that the LOI is not advancing and why.
Next, you will complete a full proposal in Fluxx. This will require a narrative explanation of the work as well as documentation about your annual budget, project budget, demographic data and audited financial statements.
You will receive an email confirmation when your proposal is submitted. In many instances, a program officer will contact you to discuss your proposed project.
In the review period, our program team will discuss the opportunity and its alignment with our strategies. We aim to make decisions on all invited applications within 10 to 12 weeks. You will hear from your program officer if that timetable will be longer than expected, with updates along the way.
Once approved, you will receive communications from your program officer and will sign a formal grant agreement.
If you are contacted by someone you suspect is posing as a Kresge employee, or if any communication using our name appears suspicious, please report it at: [email protected]. More information can be found here.
More for Current Grantees
Here are a few documents that will help you as you complete an application.
Sample Budget Form Guide to Fluxx Sample Grant Agreement Non-Discrimination Statement and Screening Policy
If you have a question about the foundation, our program priorities or the application process, please email us.
Also, you may select Grants Management in the Contact Us form. We do our best to respond to inquiries within three business days.
The Kresge Foundation uses the Fluxx platform to manage our grantmaking process.
First-time Fluxx visitors will first need to create an account. Instructions for creating an account are available in “Fluxx Portal Instructions and Helpful Tips” in the resources section above.
Organizations that fail to comply with all applicable Federal and State Statutes and local laws relating to nondiscrimination. Organizations that fail to take affirmative action to ensure that employees are treated during employment and applicants are considered for employment, without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, ancestry, age, physical or mental handicap unrelated to ability, marital status, or unfavorable discharge from military service. See Non-Discrimination Statement and Screening Policy.
Any organization which uses any of the categories outlined in the non-discrimination provision found in the Form Grant Agreement in staffing or hiring decisions or in who receives services, will not be eligible for Foundation grant opportunities.
Organizations that require membership in a certain religion or advance a particular religious faith. (Faith-based organizations may be eligible for funding if they welcome and serve all members of the community regardless of religious belief.)
Programs operated to benefit for-profit organizations.
At this time, the American Cities Program is not accepting unsolicited proposals. We invite applications for specific efforts. When we have open calls for proposals, you can find them on the Current Funding Opportunities page.
The Arts & Culture Program accepts proposals by invitation only. We are not currently accepting unsolicited proposals. When we have open calls for proposals, you can find them on the Current Funding Opportunities page. Specific questions can be directed to [email protected].
Creative Placemaking and Design initiatives may be eligible for funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional information on funding opportunities for Creative Placemaking projects and initiatives can be found through the Creative Placemaking Public Resources Guide.
At this time, the Detroit Program is not accepting unsolicited proposals. We invite applications for specific efforts. When we have open calls for proposals, you can find them on the Current Funding Opportunities page.
At this time, the Education Program is not accepting unsolicited proposals. We invite applications for specific efforts. When we have open calls for proposals, you can find them on the Current Funding Opportunities page.
At this time, the Environment Program is not accepting unsolicited proposals. We invite applications for specific efforts. When we have open calls for proposals, you can find them on the Current Funding Opportunities page.
The Environment Program engages with nonprofits and others active on climate resilience issues and makes every effort to be aware of ongoing and emerging initiatives.
At this time, the Health Program is not accepting unsolicited proposals. We invite applications for specific efforts. When we have open calls for proposals, you can find them on the Current Funding Opportunities page.
At this time, the Human Services Program is not accepting unsolicited proposals. We invite applications for specific efforts. When we have open calls for proposals, you can find them on the Current Funding Opportunities page.
At this time, the Social Investment Practice is not accepting unsolicited proposals. We invite applications for specific efforts. When we have open calls for proposals, you can find them on the Current Funding Opportunities page.
The application system requires applicants to provide information about their organization and the grant request, answer a set of narrative questions, provide demographic data and submit additional documentation, which may include a preliminary project budget and financial statements. Please note that narrative questions may vary depending on the program and specific funding opportunity.
It will depend on the exact application, whether it is responding to an open request for proposals or an invited application. While we try to streamline the process as much as possible, we recommend allotting yourself up to a full day to complete an application.
While many of Kresge’s programs do not accept unsolicited grant proposals, we regularly invite applications for specific efforts or solicit applications from individual organizations. On occasion, a program may announce a national call for applications through a request-for-proposal process. When available, grant opportunities are listed on the Current Funding Opportunities page.
We will accept an annual budget in any format. We offer a sample budget format for requests for project support.
Access The Kresge Foundation’s online portal at www.kresge.fluxx.io. If you do not have a login, you may start the registration process by clicking on the “Create an account now” button to register.
To start the registration process, click on the “Create an account now” button in the Fluxx portal. Please note that it can take five to seven days for a registration to be approved for your login info. After you receive that, you can begin your proposal.
For useful information and helpful tips on navigating the Fluxx Portal, see our “Fluxx Portal Instructions.” This guide is also available once you enter the portal for easy reference.
Users can set up multi-factor authentication (MFA) by logging into their Kresge Foundation grantee portal account and opting to use a text message or smartphone authenticator app as their second authentication method. MFA provides an extra layer of security for your account and its sensitive information.
For more information about using MFA, view this user guide.
If you have a question about the application process, please select “Grant Applications and FLUXX inquiries” in the inquiry field on the Contact Us page. We do our best to respond to inquiries within three business days.
You will receive an email confirmation when your application is submitted, and a second email when your application is assigned a request number. In many instances, a program officer will contact you to discuss your proposed project. In most cases, we will let you know about the status of your application within 10 to 12 weeks.
Program officers determine the reporting requirements for their grantees, often in consultation with the organization receiving the funding. These requirements are explained in the section of the grant agreement titled “Reporting.” In most cases, grant reports include a narrative update and financial report, both due at certain intervals during the grant period.
Use the contact form on our Contact Us page, and we’ll follow up shortly.